Post by Kamdra on Feb 2, 2005 0:54:35 GMT -5
Sunrise, Sunset
Watching the sunset is not the beautiful display everyone raves on and on about while discussing the perfect painting or the holiday where one watched until the stars came out.
Minerva viewed the sunset completely depressed. She had seen so much death during the war that she hadn’t been able to grieve for the loved ones she lost but this particular death was a crushing blow.
Carla Bennett was her best friend ever since her university days and her illness had struck so suddenly. Death followed only weeks later and Minerva found she could not accept it. To be killed by a curse shot from an enemy’s wand was shocking but for someone three months younger than her and to have died so soon was hard for her to comprehend.
How much longer did she have? At sixty-one she thought she had nearly a hundred years to live but now it didn’t seem such a long way off. She knew the whole ‘there-are-no-guarantees-in-life speech, only death and taxes according to muggles. Whenever she thought about dying, and it hadn’t been often, she always assumed it would occur after a long life filled with children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren.
So much of her life seemed to have passed by when she thought about not even having been married yet. Yes, it was possible to have children without marriage but she preferred the traditional approach.
Albus Dumbledore entered the graveyard with a purposeful stride. He made his way past tombstones and crypts until he found whom he was searching. Minerva had been acting out of character for two weeks now and although the celebrations marking the end of the war were petering out many people were still in high spirits. Minerva had seemed rather blue though. Twice she had cancelled meetings with him pleading a headache and a need to rest.
It was only reading the funeral notice on her desk that he realized she had lost someone. He had searched the school over looking for her but he didn’t spot her until she came through the school gates. Yesterday was Saturday so she had free time to come and go as she pleased. Today she had left the school again just before dinner and this time he followed her.
Minerva sat on the ground at Carla’s gravesite and let her tears flow. She would miss her friend dearly but she also feared joining her too soon. Her catlike hearing picked up the sounds of footsteps but she ignored them. Several people had passed by already in search of buried loved ones.
“Minerva, I don’t believe it will do any good to sit and cry on her grave.”
Albus’ soft voice carried across the path to her and she dropped her head. He walked the remaining few feet and sat down beside her. His burnt orange robes enhanced the sun setting behind him but neither noticed.
“Grieving is allowed, Albus,” she replied without lifting her head.
“Correct as usual, Minerva but there is no need to sit and cry on her grave.” He placed his hands around her waist and lifted her onto his lap. After settling her so she relaxed in his arms, he began rubbing her back in soothing circles.
Minerva’s tears began again and Albus held her until the stars began twinkling. He cast a warming charm over them and spoke calming words in her ear.
“I’m an dreadful person, Albus, an awful friend.” These words were spoken with such conviction that Albus frowned. “I have been horribly selfish. Carla is gone and all I can think about is how so much of my life is gone and I can die at any time. She was younger than me. What if it had been me?”
“The death of some makes us think of our own mortality.”
“But I see it everywhere, Albus. I see the leaves dying and falling from the trees. The sunset today did not look spectacular. It just reminded me that I am getter closer to death each day.”
“Minerva, if the leaves didn’t die, we can’t play in the piles. If we keep the sun to ourselves, the children in China will live in darkness. How can we prepare for the next great adventure if we don’t live this one?”
His words struck a cord within. Her outlook had become skewed and he was reminding her not to worry about tomorrow but to live today.
She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Thank you, I needed to hear those words,” she murmured. She placed her lips gently on his cheek and pressed. He turned his face and angled his other cheek towards her. She smiled and placed another kiss on the opposite cheek.
He smiled and lifted his chin giving her full access to his lips. With a devilish glint that he missed she planted her lips against his and immediately deepened the kiss. He tightened his hold on her and they savored the taste of each other for several minutes. Breaking apart reluctantly, Minerva nuzzled into his neck while she regained a normal breathing pattern.
“Albus, if I had known this sooner, I could have enjoyed the sunset.”
Albus barely heard her words but he answered her. “We always have tomorrow, Minerva.”
I was feeling left out so I thought I would throw my hat into the ring. Kammie
Watching the sunset is not the beautiful display everyone raves on and on about while discussing the perfect painting or the holiday where one watched until the stars came out.
Minerva viewed the sunset completely depressed. She had seen so much death during the war that she hadn’t been able to grieve for the loved ones she lost but this particular death was a crushing blow.
Carla Bennett was her best friend ever since her university days and her illness had struck so suddenly. Death followed only weeks later and Minerva found she could not accept it. To be killed by a curse shot from an enemy’s wand was shocking but for someone three months younger than her and to have died so soon was hard for her to comprehend.
How much longer did she have? At sixty-one she thought she had nearly a hundred years to live but now it didn’t seem such a long way off. She knew the whole ‘there-are-no-guarantees-in-life speech, only death and taxes according to muggles. Whenever she thought about dying, and it hadn’t been often, she always assumed it would occur after a long life filled with children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren.
So much of her life seemed to have passed by when she thought about not even having been married yet. Yes, it was possible to have children without marriage but she preferred the traditional approach.
Albus Dumbledore entered the graveyard with a purposeful stride. He made his way past tombstones and crypts until he found whom he was searching. Minerva had been acting out of character for two weeks now and although the celebrations marking the end of the war were petering out many people were still in high spirits. Minerva had seemed rather blue though. Twice she had cancelled meetings with him pleading a headache and a need to rest.
It was only reading the funeral notice on her desk that he realized she had lost someone. He had searched the school over looking for her but he didn’t spot her until she came through the school gates. Yesterday was Saturday so she had free time to come and go as she pleased. Today she had left the school again just before dinner and this time he followed her.
Minerva sat on the ground at Carla’s gravesite and let her tears flow. She would miss her friend dearly but she also feared joining her too soon. Her catlike hearing picked up the sounds of footsteps but she ignored them. Several people had passed by already in search of buried loved ones.
“Minerva, I don’t believe it will do any good to sit and cry on her grave.”
Albus’ soft voice carried across the path to her and she dropped her head. He walked the remaining few feet and sat down beside her. His burnt orange robes enhanced the sun setting behind him but neither noticed.
“Grieving is allowed, Albus,” she replied without lifting her head.
“Correct as usual, Minerva but there is no need to sit and cry on her grave.” He placed his hands around her waist and lifted her onto his lap. After settling her so she relaxed in his arms, he began rubbing her back in soothing circles.
Minerva’s tears began again and Albus held her until the stars began twinkling. He cast a warming charm over them and spoke calming words in her ear.
“I’m an dreadful person, Albus, an awful friend.” These words were spoken with such conviction that Albus frowned. “I have been horribly selfish. Carla is gone and all I can think about is how so much of my life is gone and I can die at any time. She was younger than me. What if it had been me?”
“The death of some makes us think of our own mortality.”
“But I see it everywhere, Albus. I see the leaves dying and falling from the trees. The sunset today did not look spectacular. It just reminded me that I am getter closer to death each day.”
“Minerva, if the leaves didn’t die, we can’t play in the piles. If we keep the sun to ourselves, the children in China will live in darkness. How can we prepare for the next great adventure if we don’t live this one?”
His words struck a cord within. Her outlook had become skewed and he was reminding her not to worry about tomorrow but to live today.
She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Thank you, I needed to hear those words,” she murmured. She placed her lips gently on his cheek and pressed. He turned his face and angled his other cheek towards her. She smiled and placed another kiss on the opposite cheek.
He smiled and lifted his chin giving her full access to his lips. With a devilish glint that he missed she planted her lips against his and immediately deepened the kiss. He tightened his hold on her and they savored the taste of each other for several minutes. Breaking apart reluctantly, Minerva nuzzled into his neck while she regained a normal breathing pattern.
“Albus, if I had known this sooner, I could have enjoyed the sunset.”
Albus barely heard her words but he answered her. “We always have tomorrow, Minerva.”
I was feeling left out so I thought I would throw my hat into the ring. Kammie
