Her sin – 13 – Finding a clue
After walk Aberforth Dumbledore to the headmaster's office's door, Poppy Pomfrey put on his cloak and left the castle to do her weakly walking around the forest on search of the medicine plants she needed more often. She loved her excursions… there was peace, just the sound of the water and some birds singing above… nothing else… peace, silence and… and the green light of a wand coming directly to her... .. .
Aberforth Dumbledore came into his brother's private rooms after a week of not seeing him. Poppy Pomfrey, who'd walked him to the headmaster's office's door, had told him that they hadn't seen Albus for a few days in the Great Hall.
When the man had crossed the room where the young Fenix was sleeping, he'd seen a desk covered on paperwork and letters to read, and a line of old newspapers showed the way to the stairs that took to the little apartment above the office.
"What the hell…!" Aberforth damned after see an amount of tidy dishes on the table, food on the floor and the full room untidier than when they were teenagers sleeping in the same room "Albus Dumbledore where the hell are you?!" he yelled not getting an answer "Albus!" he tried again while his hand made a quick movement to the wand and all the room got tidy in a while.
"What's on?" a voice asked coming from the corridor. Then, a mid-dressed Albus Dumbledore with a dirty beard and a dishevelled hair appeared in the living room stretching his arms and looking at his younger brother with still sleepy eyes.
"What's on?!" he replied "How can you ask what's on?!! This disaster is on… you are on!! You look a real mess!!!"
"Talk!" a threatening voice said.
"What's the problem? I don't see this is so horrible…"
"That's 'cause I've just cleaned it up! When was the last time you had a shower?"
"I don't remember" … Albus said.
"Mr. Voldemort, please… don't kill me…" a trembling voice answered.
"What about all the work you have downstairs waiting to be done?! You have an school to take care of! You can't leave up everything just because of a woman!"
"Minerva's not just a woman… She's my woman… and I've betrayed her…" Albus said letting his body fell on the closest chair.
"It's not Mister, it's LORD Voldemort… Can't you remember it?!" the threatening voice yelled.
"I'm… I'm sorry Mist- Lord, Lord Voldemort…"
"Fine… Now: Talk!"
"Albus, brother… I understand this is hard for you, but… How long has it been, uh? Three months, four…"
"Three months, a week, and three days…" Albus remarked.
"…What if she never comes back? What if we never find her? What if she's already dead?"
It happened in a second… Albus stood up, crossed the room, grabbed his brother's neck and pulled him against the wall…
"They're fine, my lord…" the trembling voice finally talked "...they both are fine"
"Don't dare to say such a thing!" he yelled "Minerva's not dead, I would feel it! I'm gonna find her, even if it tooks all my life! She'll be back, I'll take her back!!" suddenly, Albus broke down and began to cry.
"Have you become crazy!" Aberforth yelled.
"I'm sorry…" Albus murmured.
"It's ok, but… don't blame yourself… it wasn't your fault…" Aberforth told caressing his hurt neck "…but you're not going to find her if you stay in here…"
"I know… but I have nothing, any clue… we've gone to every place I knew he could be… but we've find nothing…"
Suddenly a noise coming from the fireplace scared them. They both looked at the flames and saw Alastor Moody's face on them.
"Fine? She's been in pain for days… I'd swear something must be happening to her, don't you think?" the threatening voice increased his tone and a ray went out of his wand directly to the other man.
"Good afternoon everybody!" he said.
"What's on, Alastor… I though we hadn't to meet until tomorrow" Albus pointed.
"I know… but I'll not be around here tomorrow, I'm leaving to Scotland, I just wanted you to know…"
"It seems important"
"It is. A Sant Mungo's doctor has disappeared. He and his family live in Glasgow. It's the second doc who's melted away in that zone for less than two weeks…"
"Wouldn't you know which their specialities were?" Albus wondered.
"Let me see… I'm sure it is on the files…"
"What's on your mind?" Aberforth quickly asked after the auror's head had disappeared.
"What was that noise I heard coming from he library, Tom?" a sweet voice said from the bed.
"Nothing, my dear… just a book that felt down" said a not-anymore-threatening voice.
"What did the doctor say?"
"…that my queen and my prince are great…" he told forcing a smile.
"…but I felt that uncomfortable pain again… Tom, please… don't lie me… I can't be fine, I know, I feel there's something wrong in me… what is it?"
"Minerva was born in Glasgow…"
"What have two doctors do with Minerva?"
"She's five months pregnant…"
"Maybe it's just a coincidence…"
"I don't believe on coincidences… but let's see…" Albus turned round to the fire when Alastor appeared on the flames again "So?"
"They both were gynaecologists…" he told "Do you think…?"
"I think something might be wrong with the pregnancy…" Albus said taking his wand from the top a book pile and getting dressed in an instant "Let's go to Glasgow!"
"The doctor said you both are fine, it's the truth… but if it's your wish, I'll call another doctor…"
"No… no more stupid doctors with fear on their eyes..."
"But, dear… we have to do something if you really don't feel good…"
"I know, but I'll just be fine if you let Poppy to see me…"
"No… I've already told you, Minerva… that's impossible…"
"I do trust her! She would never lie me! If anything's wrong with my baby… she will tell me…"
"Our baby, sweetie, our…" the threatening voice pointed.
"You won't be able to leave;
"You won't be able to send a letter;
"You won't be able to use your wand for anything else than your job in here;
"You won't be able to do anything without being allowed by your Lord;
"You are anything else than a servant, a slave who can be killed easilly...
"You are in here because of the will of our Queen, but if you upset the Lord we'll make sure you disappear...
"Did you understand everything, Mrs. Pomfrey?"
"I did... Can I see my friend, now?"
TO BE CONTINUED…