Of Desire Sinister

It was very clearly said but still Dumbledore was at a loss for words staring at Minerva with his mouth slightly open. Minerva's impish expression and bright eyes put one to mind of a feline preparing itself to pounce on a newly discovered trove of unattended fish. Minerva stood up and stretched. She moved to the tablet and laid a hand on it then turned to look at Albus once more.

"Abraxos' name was very prominent in magical artifacts of this period. One series of hieroglyphs in a fresco found in Aswan by my mother indicated that the enemies of Akhenatan believed him to have some kind of weapon. A weapon he used specifically against those he perceived to have been his enemies. It was said that this weapon killed slowly and without a trace. The affected would be healthy and in the course of a few months would be dead of seemingly natural causes - cardiac abnormalities, kidney ailments or high fever were some descriptions. It was because of this weapon that Akhenatan's purging of the old gods in favor of the god Ra was tolerated."

"Akhenaten was overthrown wasn't he?"

"Yes, in a political coup just after Abraxos was said to have disappeared. In Nefertiti's times the fear of the weapon subsided. It became something of a legend. Something used to frighten misbehaving children." Minerva looked at the tablet again briefly. "This find confirms my theory, Albus. The weapon died with Abraxos. There were some papyri with notes about the curse, the Lingering Death, but they only pointed to the fact that the curse was new and known only to a few and fewer still knew how to invoke it."

"But did not your parents die of this curse?"

"A derivative ... something similar to this, yes. Some remnant of the knowledge has survived. How? I don't know that yet. I hope that by tracking it from the source I can discover its trail in modern times."

"Then what? Revenge against your parents murderers? An eye for an eye? Taking that road is not wise, Minerva."

"Revenge in that manner is useless to me. It will not bring my parents back, Albus." Minerva walked a full circuit around the tablet before going on. "My mother was intrigued by the mystery of the Lingering Death from a strictly academic standpoint. When she got too close, someone made sure she got no closer. I want to find him, expose them. Abraxos, here, is my first real clue."

"His disappearance can now be attributed to his death. From what you've said so far, it seems to have been for the better." Albus observed.

"Abraxos was murdered, well, cornered and then murdered. A group of wizards took it upon themselves to rid the court of his madness. They actually used that word 'madness.' He was lured away from court then set upon. There has never been any kind of indication of what happened thereafter but with the finding of the tomb we can now be certain of his fate."

"They were that afraid of him?"

"They were that jealous of him. The sect of Thoth was brimming with scholars. But scholars can be just as devious and greedy as any other." Minerva returned to sit upon her stool. "From what I've been able to piece together about him I believe Abraxos was a prodigy of sorts. His rise through the ranks of the sect was fast, too fast in the eyes of some. Once he became a favorite of the pharaoh he became brazen and willful. He followed the dictates of the pharaoh to the letter, utterly loyal and without mercy."

"Great power and ability are lures to the ambitious and the downfall of the vain glorious." Dumbledore mused. "He must have been very lonely. All that knowledge and no one to share it with."

"Were you not considered a prodigy, Albus?"

"It is said that my magic made itself known at my birth. Apparently, I levitated myself from the mediwitch's arms to my mother's."

"Barely out of the womb and already precocious." Minerva teased.

"I will have you know that I was considered a very grand baby indeed, Miss McGonagall. Of easy temperament if my mother is to be believed." Albus' expression grew serious yet his eyes grew soft, tender. "How many of our children will be as precocious do you think?"

Silence met that heady question. Minerva looked down at her hands. Her pale cheeks bloomed into vibrant color. Dumbledore winced inwardly at his words regretting not the thought but his abominable timing. "I am sorry, Minerva. There is no serious arrangement between us. I did not misspeak my mind but I ... I should have thought better and -"

Minerva cupped his face in her hands and dropped a quick kiss on his nose. "Thank you for misspeaking so boldly. When I am ready to have several precocious children I will be sure to let you know, Mr. Dumbledore. In fact, you will be the first to know."

"You are full of surprises, Minerva." Dumbledore gave in to temptation. He ran his hands up and down her shoulders and back memorizing the feel of her under his hands before finally resting about her waist. "A woman who wears trousers. A woman who leads like a man yet is always a lady. A woman of conviction and purpose."

"What about stubborn, indecisive and impetuous? These past few days has shown me far from the image of womanly virtue."

"Is the guilt so great?"

"Guilt mixed with disappointment and a full measure of shame. I thought I was a better person than I am." Minerva placed her hands on Albus' shoulders. "What kind of person throws away three years with barely a thought? What kind of person accepts advances from another man. No, I must be honest. I flirted wantonly with you. Not once but again and again."

"The fault is not your own entirely. I ought to have kept my feelings to myself. The shame is mine for I did not. I could not."

"Piers will be hurt. I would avoid that if I could but -"

"I will stay and -"

"No, my Albus, I've begged more of you that I ought to have. I realize that now. You have duties waiting for you at Hogwarts. Piers will rail and sulk but he is a good man. He will accept my decision."

"My Albus?"

"You call me my dear. Can I not call you my Albus?"

"As you wish, my dear." Albus trailed a line of kisses from her cheek down to her neck. "I will leave sometime tomorrow. But I will have you sign a letter of intent. Only with that can I secure Armando's forgiveness at my delay."

"I will sign anything you want." Minerva smiled wide before saying playfully, "Now, what can I have to secure you to me?"

"You need nothing, my dear." His eyes always so expressive now hid nothing of his thoughts or his feelings as he looked at her. "Do you not feel my heart beating within your hands at this very moment?"

It was entirely too much for her. Her reserve broke. The tears came. With a gentle hand he wiped each one away. Words alone would have proven inadequate so nothing was said. But much was expressed in their embrace. They held each other for a time savouring a closeness neither had ever felt with anyone else.

The olive skinned, pudgy wizard looked over the table at Piers. The young man had arrived a few minutes ago. Abdul had quickly taken him into his work room and provided some refreshments. As Piers began to eat and drink, Abdul asked again if Piers was sure of the absolute need for the potion. His eyes showed only concern.

"I question you as a friend to you and to Minerva. I've known you both together and separately for many years."

"I see. I see it very clearly." Piers shook his head. He took a long sip of his juice. "You are HER friend, Abdul, she did introduce us didn't she? You're trying to protect her interests."

"I merely want to gauge for myself if this potion is truly necessary. Minerva is a very strong-willed woman. Her passions run deep beneath her cool surface. I will have to make this potion far stronger than normal to counter her will." Abdul looked at Piers closely. He opened a trunk and held a vial aloft. "Is this truly needed? Has her ... her desire for you abated? Have you quarreled?"

Piers' silence provided no answer so Abdul continued. "Relationships are never easy. I saw for myself how she cares for you. Perhaps this trouble between you is a simple misunderstanding. Look at me. Married nearly sixty years and tasked with a quarrelsome woman yet never would I trade her for any other. Why? We know, respect and tolerate each other. It can be made to-"

Piers slapped an open palm flat hard on to the table. "You are being paid well, Abdul! It is not your place to question me!"

"I thought of you as a father to a son. Very well that is the way of it." Abdul put the vial back into the trunk and locked it securely. He pulled a small velvet bag from within his robes. He flung the bag onto the table where it landed with a dull metallic thud. "You may see yourself out. Find someone else to brew your work for you. I will not have my potions misused."

"Abdul, look, I am not in the habit of discussing my private life with anyone." Piers ran a hand through his hair clearly agitated yet fighting to remain composed. "Minerva ... there IS someone of interest to her. She says that there is no attachment but I cannot be sure."

"You already suspect that there is, why else would you be here."

"Her behavior changed the day after he arrived in camp. Her eyes lit up when she saw him. I don't think she was even aware of it herself."

"It could well be a sudden infatuation. Nothing more than that."

"I can't take that chance, Abdul." Piers looked down at his plate. He moved the food around as he spoke. "You know how much I love her. All I've ever wanted was to take care of her."

"Then you must do what countless lovers have done before you - fight for her."

"It's not ... not that easy. He's powerful both in magic and position. And ... and Minerva becomes tense whenever I say anything against him."

"Is she being compelled against her will, do you think?" Abdul's alarm was clear. "You said her behavior changed suddenly."

Piers thought carefully about his next words. You see her as your daughter don't you, fool? He raised his head. He looked Abdul directly. "We had words about her behavior. But when I left I made peace with her and parted with ... with great affection. But there WAS something different."

"She must be under a spell. That is becoming obvious." Abdul rubbed his chin with his hand. "And the other man how long was he in her company?"

"Dum- ... he was still there at the camp when I left."

"You left her there to fend for herself!? Where was your sense?" Abdul began to rush about the room preparing fires and opening cabinets. "Minerva may be powerful and intelligent but she is a mere woman. What must he be doing to her now? We must hurry you back there. The sooner the better."

Piers looked quite dejected. "I could do nothing but watch her grow more and more ... fascinated with him."

"Well, your instincts were true. You did well to ask for my help." Abdul opened his trunk and pulled the vial out. "Where are those personal items I asked for?"

Piers opened his bag and pulled out a wrapped bundle. "Here. Fabric and hair and some of her writings."

"Good, good." Abdul slowly unwrapped the bundle. "I will finish the potion now and let it cure until tomorrow."

"This will work?" Piers asked urgently. "You're certain? She can be very stubborn when she sets her mind on something."

"Oh, yes, my friend, whatever spell she is under will be utterly dominated by this potion. The charm will make the potion's effects permanent. Nothing, no counter charm or hex, can override it." Abdul poured the vial into a large cauldron. "Now, you have a rest. You must have a clear mind when we jointly create the charm tomorrow night. Then we must get you back to your camp quickly. The sooner to fight for your lady's heart."

Piers trudged up the stairs to the kitchen. He looked behind him once at the busy wizard and a corner of his lips lifted upwards. The world that Dumbledore had disarranged would be righted again and soon.

He turned back and continued up the stairs calling for Abdul's wife. "Hema! Do you have some of that wonderful bread around? Hema!