Post by Hogwarts Duo on Mar 3, 2005 20:25:09 GMT -5
Summary: Albus Dumbledore has been waiting for Minerva for 75 years but there's only one problem: he's dead. But she's recently crossed over too so what happens next? We promise a happy ending! 
Three quarters of a century is a long time to wait for someone, especially when they mean the world to you. But it also gives the opportunity to reflect on the so-called perfect moment, the one glorious moment when they walk through the door and back into your life again making all of your days even brighter than before.
Albus Dumbledore had been doing just that, sitting in his own wonderful paradise waiting for her. He had passed from the earthly realm into this paradise peacefully, with her by his side, holding his hand as he slipped away. He had never admitted his true feelings for her and that was one regret that haunted him, even here in the after-life. After all this time, he could still recall the way her hair shined, the way her body moved with a graceful rhythm all its own, the heady scent of lavender that drifted from her skin, her wit and humor and her uncanny ability to read him so clearly and know exactly what he needed even before he did himself.
And now, as he sat in front of his window, he noted how the winds in the trees outside had changed as if something extraordinary was riding on the breeze. Glancing to her portrait on the wall, he smiled. It had been the only way he could think of to know when she arrived. Chances were good that she would come to see him but having never made his feelings known, it was not something he could depend upon. So he had devised this simple plan to help him keep track of her whereabouts. Now that the time was near, he felt his nerves begin to fray. The newly created fire in the stone hearth in her portrait was his proof of her passing.
Would she come to him? Would things be the same as before? Would he be able to confess his feelings when she walked through the door, if she walked through the door? It had been so long, too long, since he’d worried about anything other than this moment and now that it had arrived it nearly consumed him. His sherbert lemons in the carved gold bowl sat untouched, as did his lunch from hours earlier. He had sat motionless, pondering all the things he wanted to say to her since the moment he had left her side decades ago. All he could do now was wait, which was nothing new to him.
Memories of times they shared flooded his mind. Quiet nights by a fire reading, spirited chess matches that challenged the mind and lifted the heart, even the toils of their jobs had afforded him the presence of her company. And then one day they were gone and he was left alone in another dimension yet still strongly connected to her. He had watched her from a distance, taking note of all her accomplishments and accolades but never daring to interfere with her life beyond the occasional whisper in her ear of a long forgotten moment that would make her smile.
Albus wasn’t sure how long he sat and stared at the portrait and listened intently for any sound that might alert him to her presence inside his paradise. It wasn’t until several hours later, when she hadn’t arrived that he thought of something important. Knowing Minerva, as he had been fortunate enough to do on earth, he realized what was taking her so long in coming to visit him, assuming of course that she intended to pay him a social call.
Minerva had been teaching at Hogwarts for almost twenty years and had formed a wonderful friendship with Albus when her father had suddenly passed away. Albus had never truly seen Minerva distraught but the night she received word from her mother about her father’s passing, it had taken all his strength to keep her from falling apart. She had come to him in the middle of the night, dressed only in her tartan nightgown with tears streaming down her face. The sight of her tear-stained face broke his heart and as she handed him the parchment she clutched tightly in her hand, he watched as she dropped to the floor in a wave of heart-wrenching sobs. After scanning the piece of paper for the pertinent information, he scooped her into his arms and held her until her tears were all dried. The next few days, he rarely left her side and for weeks after that he guarded her very closely, making sure she ate properly and got at least a few hours of sleep every night.
Upon remembering that memory, Albus knew immediately where Minerva would go first once she crossed over into this dimension. She would, without a doubt, go immediately to her father. They had been so close while he was still alive and Albus knew how much she had missed him for the remaining decades of her life. Releasing a soft sigh, Albus took comfort in knowing that at least she wasn’t avoiding him but taking care of her family first.
Thinking back over his many decades spent in her lovely company, Albus tried to banish any further thoughts of doubt and confusion regarding whether or not she would visit him. He had watched her from a distance and had seen the way she mourned his passing. He had even sat back while several very interested suitors pursued her romantically, only to find that she was not interested in their affections. That should’ve pained his heart but instead it gave him hope. Hope that maybe she did love him after all and that despite his mistakes made on earth, he could begin to win her heart and spend the rest of their eternity in sweet happiness together.
Several more hours passed as Albus watched the clock and thought of Minerva but he was no longer content to wait for her to come to him. Bucking up his courage, he changed into a set of royal blue robes and set out to find her new residence, praying all the while that she would remember him and welcome him back into her life, despite their years of separation.
The one place Minerva felt at home, other than Hogwarts, was in the Highlands of Scotland, preferably near a loch and with an average sized cottage with emerald green shutters and a view of the mountains in the background. A large meadow with bluebells would be behind the house along with several large trees, suitable for lazy summer afternoon picnics beneath their branches. She had often spoken of retiring to just such a cottage to spend her remaining years so Albus felt certain that if he found the small house she had described to him so many times in wistful tones, he’d find the love of his life.
Albus’ search took him past the homes of several of his friends who had also crossed over long before this particular day. Making a mental note of each and every one, he vowed to one day return and catch up with his old acquaintances but for now, he only had one person in mind and she, like so many other times before, inspired his every waking thought. Just as he was about to give up, he saw a cottage matching Minerva’s description in the distance and he practically ran towards the quaint little house.
After knocking on the door several times, Albus’ shoulders slumped as he realized she wasn’t inside. But as he turned to walk away, the door mysteriously opened and he seemed to be drawn inside to the inner sanctuary and comfort of Minerva’s presence.
The first thing Albus noticed when he walked through the door was the warmth he felt surrounding him. It wasn’t one that reflected the temperature either inside or outside of the cottage but rather one that radiated from within. It was one of relaxation and gentleness, softness yet something more. Walking further into the house, he inhaled deeply the scent of lavender and held the breath for a moment before closing his eyes and smiling. Merlin how I’ve missed this woman!
As he walked into the kitchen, Albus was pleased to see a tea service in the middle of her solid oak table, with two cups, two plates, a tin of ginger newts and a bowl of Albus’ favorite lemon flavored biscuits. Taking one from the tray and popping it into his mouth, he savored the biscuit as his taste buds exploded from the delight. He couldn’t help but notice how much sweeter they seemed to taste here in her home as opposed to the ones back at his office. He mused that it had everything to do with the woman who had placed them there with him in mind rather than the actual biscuit, for they never tasted this good except in her presence.
He continued his journey though the house and found himself walking into the large library. Minerva had always loved books on hundreds of topics so he found it no surprise that there was entire room dedicated to her favorite books, magazines, and tomes on a wide array of subjects. There were two chairs facing each other near the fireplace with a small table between them. He thought nothing of it until he walked closer to what he assumed would be Minerva’s chair and saw a book of poetry that he had never seen before. Taking the leather bound book in his hands, he opened it to the bookmarked page and was shocked at what he read.
Her eyes are like starlight, bright and fair
Her hair is rare silk, and I can’t help but stare
The creamy complexion of her soft textured skin
And the unchallenged beauty that she hides within
They make up the woman that has captured my heart
Her company from which I never wish to depart
My next great adventure is drawing nigh
And I can’t control my saddened sigh
To have to leave her behind for a while
I take with me her soft, rare smile
To last me until she joins me here
A place with no sorrow, no tears and no fear
Three quarters of a century is a long time to wait for someone, especially when they mean the world to you. But it also gives the opportunity to reflect on the so-called perfect moment, the one glorious moment when they walk through the door and back into your life again making all of your days even brighter than before.
Albus Dumbledore had been doing just that, sitting in his own wonderful paradise waiting for her. He had passed from the earthly realm into this paradise peacefully, with her by his side, holding his hand as he slipped away. He had never admitted his true feelings for her and that was one regret that haunted him, even here in the after-life. After all this time, he could still recall the way her hair shined, the way her body moved with a graceful rhythm all its own, the heady scent of lavender that drifted from her skin, her wit and humor and her uncanny ability to read him so clearly and know exactly what he needed even before he did himself.
And now, as he sat in front of his window, he noted how the winds in the trees outside had changed as if something extraordinary was riding on the breeze. Glancing to her portrait on the wall, he smiled. It had been the only way he could think of to know when she arrived. Chances were good that she would come to see him but having never made his feelings known, it was not something he could depend upon. So he had devised this simple plan to help him keep track of her whereabouts. Now that the time was near, he felt his nerves begin to fray. The newly created fire in the stone hearth in her portrait was his proof of her passing.
Would she come to him? Would things be the same as before? Would he be able to confess his feelings when she walked through the door, if she walked through the door? It had been so long, too long, since he’d worried about anything other than this moment and now that it had arrived it nearly consumed him. His sherbert lemons in the carved gold bowl sat untouched, as did his lunch from hours earlier. He had sat motionless, pondering all the things he wanted to say to her since the moment he had left her side decades ago. All he could do now was wait, which was nothing new to him.
Memories of times they shared flooded his mind. Quiet nights by a fire reading, spirited chess matches that challenged the mind and lifted the heart, even the toils of their jobs had afforded him the presence of her company. And then one day they were gone and he was left alone in another dimension yet still strongly connected to her. He had watched her from a distance, taking note of all her accomplishments and accolades but never daring to interfere with her life beyond the occasional whisper in her ear of a long forgotten moment that would make her smile.
Albus wasn’t sure how long he sat and stared at the portrait and listened intently for any sound that might alert him to her presence inside his paradise. It wasn’t until several hours later, when she hadn’t arrived that he thought of something important. Knowing Minerva, as he had been fortunate enough to do on earth, he realized what was taking her so long in coming to visit him, assuming of course that she intended to pay him a social call.
Minerva had been teaching at Hogwarts for almost twenty years and had formed a wonderful friendship with Albus when her father had suddenly passed away. Albus had never truly seen Minerva distraught but the night she received word from her mother about her father’s passing, it had taken all his strength to keep her from falling apart. She had come to him in the middle of the night, dressed only in her tartan nightgown with tears streaming down her face. The sight of her tear-stained face broke his heart and as she handed him the parchment she clutched tightly in her hand, he watched as she dropped to the floor in a wave of heart-wrenching sobs. After scanning the piece of paper for the pertinent information, he scooped her into his arms and held her until her tears were all dried. The next few days, he rarely left her side and for weeks after that he guarded her very closely, making sure she ate properly and got at least a few hours of sleep every night.
Upon remembering that memory, Albus knew immediately where Minerva would go first once she crossed over into this dimension. She would, without a doubt, go immediately to her father. They had been so close while he was still alive and Albus knew how much she had missed him for the remaining decades of her life. Releasing a soft sigh, Albus took comfort in knowing that at least she wasn’t avoiding him but taking care of her family first.
Thinking back over his many decades spent in her lovely company, Albus tried to banish any further thoughts of doubt and confusion regarding whether or not she would visit him. He had watched her from a distance and had seen the way she mourned his passing. He had even sat back while several very interested suitors pursued her romantically, only to find that she was not interested in their affections. That should’ve pained his heart but instead it gave him hope. Hope that maybe she did love him after all and that despite his mistakes made on earth, he could begin to win her heart and spend the rest of their eternity in sweet happiness together.
Several more hours passed as Albus watched the clock and thought of Minerva but he was no longer content to wait for her to come to him. Bucking up his courage, he changed into a set of royal blue robes and set out to find her new residence, praying all the while that she would remember him and welcome him back into her life, despite their years of separation.
The one place Minerva felt at home, other than Hogwarts, was in the Highlands of Scotland, preferably near a loch and with an average sized cottage with emerald green shutters and a view of the mountains in the background. A large meadow with bluebells would be behind the house along with several large trees, suitable for lazy summer afternoon picnics beneath their branches. She had often spoken of retiring to just such a cottage to spend her remaining years so Albus felt certain that if he found the small house she had described to him so many times in wistful tones, he’d find the love of his life.
Albus’ search took him past the homes of several of his friends who had also crossed over long before this particular day. Making a mental note of each and every one, he vowed to one day return and catch up with his old acquaintances but for now, he only had one person in mind and she, like so many other times before, inspired his every waking thought. Just as he was about to give up, he saw a cottage matching Minerva’s description in the distance and he practically ran towards the quaint little house.
After knocking on the door several times, Albus’ shoulders slumped as he realized she wasn’t inside. But as he turned to walk away, the door mysteriously opened and he seemed to be drawn inside to the inner sanctuary and comfort of Minerva’s presence.
The first thing Albus noticed when he walked through the door was the warmth he felt surrounding him. It wasn’t one that reflected the temperature either inside or outside of the cottage but rather one that radiated from within. It was one of relaxation and gentleness, softness yet something more. Walking further into the house, he inhaled deeply the scent of lavender and held the breath for a moment before closing his eyes and smiling. Merlin how I’ve missed this woman!
As he walked into the kitchen, Albus was pleased to see a tea service in the middle of her solid oak table, with two cups, two plates, a tin of ginger newts and a bowl of Albus’ favorite lemon flavored biscuits. Taking one from the tray and popping it into his mouth, he savored the biscuit as his taste buds exploded from the delight. He couldn’t help but notice how much sweeter they seemed to taste here in her home as opposed to the ones back at his office. He mused that it had everything to do with the woman who had placed them there with him in mind rather than the actual biscuit, for they never tasted this good except in her presence.
He continued his journey though the house and found himself walking into the large library. Minerva had always loved books on hundreds of topics so he found it no surprise that there was entire room dedicated to her favorite books, magazines, and tomes on a wide array of subjects. There were two chairs facing each other near the fireplace with a small table between them. He thought nothing of it until he walked closer to what he assumed would be Minerva’s chair and saw a book of poetry that he had never seen before. Taking the leather bound book in his hands, he opened it to the bookmarked page and was shocked at what he read.
Her eyes are like starlight, bright and fair
Her hair is rare silk, and I can’t help but stare
The creamy complexion of her soft textured skin
And the unchallenged beauty that she hides within
They make up the woman that has captured my heart
Her company from which I never wish to depart
My next great adventure is drawing nigh
And I can’t control my saddened sigh
To have to leave her behind for a while
I take with me her soft, rare smile
To last me until she joins me here
A place with no sorrow, no tears and no fear
