Disclaimer: Look for it on the fisrt chapter.

A/N: Some people has asked me to post the next chapter (this one) so... HERE IT IS ^^ ... .. . It's been some late 'cause I wanted my wonderful beta reader to review it before post it 'cause she really did a great job on the chapter before... .. . I'll try to be faster on the next chapter, but first I'd like to update my Angelica fic... .. . ENJOY THE FIC! and review it ;) YOU ALL KNOW THAT I LOVE YOUR REVIEWS! kisses^^

Her sin – 16 - Faith

EIGHT MONTHS LATER

He never let go of her hand when they went out. She never looked around, but those kids flying on their brooms in the middle of the street crossed the road passing between them and their hands suddenly got lost in the air.

Minerva had not felt that freedom in far too long… so long ago that she just raised her head and turned round. Diagon Alley welcomed her, she looked to its colorful shops, and the great crowd of wizards and witches going in and out, shopping here and there, and walking freely in the street. Then, at the other side of a window, surely taking some tea with an old mutual friend, she met some familiar shiny blue eyes staring at her. She smiled and then her hand met his again.

He had never let go of her hand when they went out. She had never looked around, but that day, they both did.

Aberforth crossed the school grounds faster than a ray of light, entered into the Headmaster's office and suddenly shouted to his brother:

"I've seen her!" He yelled hardly able to breathe.

"What?" Albus asked paying more attention to the book he was reading.

"I've seen Minerva," he repeated taking in some air.

The book his brother was reading fell to the floor as he jumped up from his chair.

"Minerva? WHERE? WHEN?"

EIGHT MONTHS AGO

A yell came out the house with the beautiful garden. The group of hooded wizards had left the house a few minutes ago and they were ready to attack. That scream was the sign Albus needed to decide they were not going to wait anymore. He stepped out from behind the tree where he had been hiding and made his way to the mansion followed by the rest of the group: his brother, Professor Hooch, Alastor Moody and some other aurors they had made come to fight.

"What happened?" Poppy asked coming into the room after hearing Minerva's yell.

"It's the baby… something's…" An explosion outside the house interrupted her. "What was that noise?"

"I don't know…" Poppy said approaching the window, "Min!" she suddenly exclaimed, "It's Albus! …and Aberforth and Rolanda are with him!"

"What are they doing here?" Her friend yelled from the bed, grabbing the low part of her belly at the same time.

"They must have seen the note I left in the forest when I went to collect your medicinal plants! We're safe, Min!"

"They are crazy… if Tom…"

"Come on, we have to leave the room…" Poppy pointed out ignoring her friend's comment and helping Minerva to sit down. Minerva said nothing, but groaned in pain. "Oh my Gosh! Lay back, hon…" Poppy said carefully pushing Minerva back down onto the pillows.

"What's the matter?"

"Your water just broke…"

"I can't have the baby, yet! It's too early!" Minerva begged.

"Don't worry dear, everything will be okay. Just lie down and push."

Minerva had never felt such pain; it was on her thighs and her back… she grabbed hard on the sheets and pushed as Poppy was asking her to do.

"The head's already out!" Poppy exclaimed encouraging Minerva to push harder while they heard spells crashing on the walls of the first floor. "Come on dear."

She felt tired, too tired to push any more… then suddenly she heard a cry.

"It's a girl!" Poppy cried, "Look, Min, you have a little witch…"

"Is she ok?" Minerva asked, resting her head on the pillows and recovering her breathing.

"She's fine dear… just very little but she's fine…" Poppy smiled and handed the baby to Minerva. She took her in her arms and kissed that so little forehead of hers.

"My little breath of faith…" she whispered, and tried to stand up, but she was in too much pain.

"Let me help you," Poppy said.

"No, just take her." She handed the baby back to Poppy, "You have to leave."

"What?"

"Run away, Pops… go with Albus and the others… save my baby…"

"I can't… what about you?"

"I'm coming, right behind you… but I can't run as fast…"

"No, Min… we have to leave together…"

"Poppy, please… you've given life to my baby, but it will not be worth anything if she stays here…" Minerva cried among her sobs "…just go out… I'm coming behind you…" she stood up and showed her friend how she was walking behind her steps.

Poppy cried while she stopped, listening to Minerva's steps behind her, but she heard Minerva saying, "Don't turn round, just run!"

Aberforth was going into the house when he saw Poppy coming out. He ran towards her and helped her to get away from the spells flying from one side to another. Then he saw some dark figures coming back to the house and he yelled, "They're back!"

Everybody stopped fighting for a while, some disappeared suddenly, and some came to where they were… When Albus approached and saw Poppy he smiled and looked around, but he didn't see who he wanted.

"Where's Minerva?"

"She stayed in…" Poppy cried out "…you have to help her! She's too weak to stand on her own…"

She hadn't finished the sentence yet, but Albus was already gone, back into the house again.

"Take her back to the school," Alastor said to Aberforth "We'll come immediately." The young Dumbledore nodded, embraced Poppy and they both disappeared together.

"Minerva!" Albus shouted "Mina!" but there was no answer. He ran upstairs and saw her lying in a puddle of blood trying to stand up. "Kitten!"

"Albus…" she cried looking at him.

Suddenly a green light came from the other side of the corridor and Albus fell to his knees.

"What are you doing in my house, Albus Dumbledore?" Tom Riddle's voice yelled.

"I came to take Minerva back."

"She's not yours!"

"…She's not yours either Tom!"

"Of course she is… she's going to have my son! I'm going to give you one chance, old man… you can leave alone… or you can die!"

"No, Tom, please!" Minerva begged from the floor.

"Shut your mouth!" he slapped "So?"

"Kill me if you wish!" Albus yelled taking out his wand and throwing a white ray of light that crashed with the green light coming from Tom's wand.

"Stop it!" Minerva begged, but they both ignored her. She hardly stood up and stepped toward Riddle. "Tom, please…" she let herself fall to her knees and grabbed his cloak "I beg you… I'll do whatever you wish…"

"Minerva, don't…!" Albus cried and Tom took advantage of his distraction, his green ray touched Dumbledore, he fell on the floor and Riddle disappeared with Minerva.

"Where's Min?" Poppy wondered when Albus came back with the others.

"He took her again…" he murmured making an effort not to cry, "At least, we got to take you back…" he said smiling at the nurse.

"Not just me…" she moved to one side and let Albus see the little baby sleeping in a floating bubble over one of the beds of the hospital wing.

"It's…?"

"Minerva gave her to me and asked me to leave… I didn't want to leave Minerva alone, but she asked me to take care of the baby and I… I couldn't leave this little child in that bastard's hands"

"It's a girl…?"

"Yes… Minerva said she was, 'her little breath of faith'…"

"Faith… I like the name."

TO BE CONTINUED…