A/N: This is reaching to the end, people. I could keep writing but the truth is I want to get rid of this fanfic… not that I don't like it anymore but… I want to concentrate on my new stories… Just a few more updates and it will be over. So… thank you very much for reading and specially for reviewing… good or bad, I always enjoy what you have to say to me^^
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Her sin – 19 – The list
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Aberforth Dumbledore woke up before the sun came up realizing he was alone in the bed. He sat down on the sheets and put his sleepers on. He crossed the corridor of his small house in Hogsmeade and went into the room with its door half-opened. He knocked twice before coming in, not willing to startle the woman with the baby on her arms.
"Couldn't sleep?" he asked.
"Do you think he was talking seriously?" Poppy Pomfrey wondered looking at the snow through the closed window.
Aberforth approached them and took the sleeping baby from his fiancée's arms to the crib. He went back with Poppy and cupped her face with his big hands. She held them and smiled closing her eyes. Then, they embraced each other under the light of a floating candle.
"I know you miss your friend and you're worried for her, but…"
"We can't stop looking for Minerva, Abe! Faith needs her mother!" she exclaimed glancing at the crib next to them "Albus should know it"
"He already knows, Poppy… Look, I know my brother… I don't think he really meant all his words yesterday. He wasn't expecting to meet her pregnant and married with that man… but if he really loves her, what I do believe, he won't give up yet"
"You are right" a familiar voice startled both of them from the doorframe, and they turned back to find Albus himself. "Here" he said handing a paper to the nurse.
"What's this?" she wondered, taking a look at what seemed a list of names.
"They are all the wizard doctors in London, I need you to use your contacts or whatever you can to tell me who you think is attending Minerva"
"Wait, brother…" Aberforth muttered trying to understand "What's wrong with Minerva? Why do you think she needs a doctor?"
"You think the pregnancy is going wrong again, right?" Poppy answered the question after putting two and two together.
"Minerva told me they…" and he stopped like if he didn't want to let go those words from his mouth "… they got married in Ireland. We never thought on looking for them out of the Island!" he exclaimed "If he knew they were safe in there why would he risk coming back here with Minerva?" and he answered his own question "Because she asked him! She told him the first baby was born dead, so he would do anything to have his heir…" he sighted "This could maybe be our last chance… if they disappear again, who knows if we'll ever be able to take her back"
"What about what you came saying yesterday?" Poppy talked dryly "About Minerva being a cheap slut who had gained her fate on her own"
Albus felt like if he'd been smacked on the face. He looked at his brother and then back at Poppy.
"I'm sorry" he said "I know those words hurt you… It hurt me too when I remember saying them but… you must understand, Poppy… This is so painful, knowing that the only woman that has awaken something on me is with another man against her will and I can't do anything to help" he walked towards the crib and held the sleeping baby little hand "I promise I'll never stop looking for her… I'll take her back" and he turned back to look at the couple standing behind.
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Poppy Pomfrey spent days studying that list carefully. Albus had already marked those wizards that were known for practicing dark magic, but she didn't believe Minerva would put herself in their hands.
He first classified the list into specialties, something she thought Albus would have done. Apparently there were about twenty wizard gynecologists living in London. So she asked to one of her old colleagues from the Wizarding Medical College who was now working in its offices about the expedients of those names. Once she had classified them according to their diplomas, she talked with shared friends and colleagues to find out more about their medical reputation and personal lives.
"I have a list of twelve" she said, showing it to the group "but I would reduce it to three" and she used her hand to point the three first names in the list "I've already talked with Hamilton… the fourth in the list, he's actually a friend of ours from Hogwarts… He told me that Minerva never went to his clinic, but that some other gynecologists in the city did talk about a scary wizard with a few-month-pregnant wife" she looked at Albus "So I guess you were totally right"
"I guess it's my turn now" Moody said taking the list from Poppy's hands.
"No, Alastor… We can't risk everything with your methods" Albus replied grabbing the paper.
"What do you mean with that?"
"I mean that he thinks I've stopped looking for her… that's why he let her talk to me the other night… We can't risk this advantage we gained with you frightening the doctor" He breathed hard, and continued "You'll ask some of your younger aurors to watch each of these doctors… He'll never suspect we've used some learners to spy on him. I want a couple eyes either at the clinics and homes of each of these wizards."
"What are you going to do once we find the one who's attending her?" Albus' brother wondered.
"I don't know yet…"
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TO BE CONTINUED…