Sorry guys! I really can't help it - 1997 is just a very sad year!
30 June 1997
Minerva closed the door after Harry finally left Albus' office — her office, she corrected herself. She closed her eyes briefly and breathed out slowly as an image of Albus surfaced in her mind.
It was Pomona's voice that brought her back. "Would you like us to stay while Scrimgeous is here?" she asked.
Minerva swallowed down the uncomfortable lump that had formed in the back of her throat and opened her eyes again. She turned to find Filius, Hagrid, Horace and Pomona all looking at her worriedly. She felt a sudden urge to leave the room and be by herself. Instead, she swallowed and shook her head.
"I can deal with the Minister," she said, her voice quiet but surprisingly firm. "But it would be helpful, Horace, if you could check on the students and Filius if you could secure the grounds again. I believe Remus is still in the Hospital Wing with Tonks and Kingsley. If they are obliging, bring them with you."
"Of course, Minerva," Filius said, nodding with Horace. The two then left the office leaving only Hagrid and Pomona.
Minerva cleared her throat. "I believe that Albus is still in the side room where Hagrid left him," she said, trying to control the slight waver in her voice. "Could," she stopped and took a breath, "Could you see that he is taken care of, please?" she added. "I believe the Hospital Wing may be the best place for him to stay while I arrange for the undertakers to come."
Hagrid nodded silently, and Minerva opened the door for him. As Pomona followed him out, she paused briefly beside Minerva. She looked as though she was about to say something, but Minerva gave a small shake of the head.
"I will see you later, Pomona," she said quietly. And, not wanting to appear rude and as though she did not appreciate the sentiment, Minerva reached out to gently squeeze Pomona's arm.
Pomona nodded and patted her arm before then disappearing down the spiral staircase. It was barely a minute before Scrimgeour and almost a dozen Ministry officials began to ascend the staircase. Minerva steeled herself for the upcoming conversation.
At almost four o'clock in the morning, Minerva had only just returned to her private quarters. The Ministry had been dealt with and spoken to, the Hogwarts Express had been arranged to arrive at Hogsmeade early this weekend to take the students home, and Minerva had spoken with Poppy about arrangements for injured students and Bill Weasley.
Minerva had also been to the Hog's Head to have one of the strangest and most difficult conversations with Aberforth. They had not spoken for long, Minerva standing on the doorstep of the Hog's Head while Abeforth looked at her silently for several long seconds after she had told him what had happened.
He had cleared his throat, asked one or two questions, then told her politely goodnight before closing the door. And despite all of the disagreements the two brothers had had over the years, Aberforth's reaction to the news of Albus' death made it clear that there had existed a complicated sort of love between the two.
Minerva lit the candles in her quarters, then lowered herself painfully onto her sofa. She had not noticed any pain until now. Her body ached after the duelling that evening. But, it was the strange feeling of emptiness that weighed down her heart that seemed to hurt the most. It wasn't a sharp pain, more of a general and all-pervasive sensation that seemed to constrict her throat and chest.
Minerva tried to breathe out slowly but ended up leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees and cover her eyes with her fingers. Small coloured flashes of light danced around her eyelids but Minerva did not remove her fingers. She stayed motionless like that for several minutes until there came a gentle knock at her door.
"It's Malcolm," came Malcolm's quiet voice from the corridor. "Can I come in?"
Of all the voices she had been expecting to hear, Malcolm's was not one of them. Minerva opened her eyes and stood up to open the door. She found her brother standing on the other side. He was wearing his travelling cloak, and he looked tired and pale in the dark corridor.
"Malcolm," she said, her voice hoarse from lack of use. "You should be at home. Who let you in—Oh!"
Malcolm hugged her tightly.
"We had Edward come banging on our door in the middle of the night," he whispered into her shoulder, referring to his close friend who worked at the Ministry and who knew Minerva from when they were young. "I came as soon as I could—Pomona let me in. Minerva, I have never been so scared in my life! Why didn't you send us a message?"
Minerva closed her eyes and pressed her lips together as she tried to regain control over her emotions. "I was going to," she said truthfully. "But I did not want to disturb you at this time."
They broke apart but Malcolm reached out to hold her hand. "Disturb us, Minerva, please. I would rather hear from you at three o'clock in the morning, than from Edward who couldn't give me any more information than Death Eaters had infiltrated Hogwarts. Are you all right?"
He stepped back and gave her a once over, as though expecting to see some fatal injury Minerva was keen to conceal.
"I'm—" Minerva's voice caught in her throat. "I'm not hurt," she said eventually. Minerva felt her lips tremble, though she tried her best to control herself and keep her composure. She swallowed. "Some Death Eaters got into the school," she said quietly, "and—and—" she stopped.
Malcolm, his eyebrows twisted with concern, still kept his hands on her arms. "What is it?"
"There was a fight up the Astronomy Tower," Minerva began, her voice sounding distant to her own ears. "Albus was there with Harry Potter and several Death Eaters and—Albus—he—Pomona didn't tell you?"
Malcolm frowned. "No. She was helping Madame Pomfrey and some Healers with a stretcher when I saw her. A non-fatal injury, Madame Pomfrey said." He paused. "Minerva did someone else—was else someone hurt?"
She nodded. "Albus. He–Sev—Snape killed Albus."
There was a long and stunned pause. Malcolm blinked several times and Minerva found herself unable to look in his eyes. The words ran through her mind again: Snape killed Albus. After everything Albus had done for him, Snape had killed him — murdered him. And why?
"Albus is dead," Minerva said. And if Malcolm's hands had not been holding her arms, Minerva most probably would have sunk to the ground. The words felt foreign in her mouth and still saying the words out loud did not help to make them feel any more real. Some part of her could still not quite believe that Albus was gone. The fact that she had only spoken to him less than 7 hours ago did nothing to help make the situation feel any less surreal.
"Killed—Severus Snape? But—but—"
Minerva nodded and stepped away from Malcolm, suddenly feeling sick. She pressed one hand to her fluttering stomach and the other on the side of an armchair inside her room. "Albus is gone," she said, more for herself than for Malcolm's benefit. "He's gone."
And all of a sudden Minerva sank down to rest on the arm of the armchair and began to cry.
Malcolm stepped inside the room and closed the door. "Oh, come here, lass," he said quietly, pulling her in for a hug. "Come here."
Minerva had never been one to cry easily - much less in front of others. But this time she could not help herself. She and Malcolm stayed like that for several minutes - Minerva could not say for how long.
Finally, Malcolm straightened and stroked her cheek gently. "I'll stay the night."
"Oh, no," Minerva said, shaking her head. "You can't. Helen needs you."
"You need me, Minerva."
"I don't have anywhere for you to sleep."
"I'll sleep on your sofa," Malcolm said. He kissed her on the cheek and squeezed her shoulder affectionately. "Helen already knows I will be staying the night."
