Fruits of the forbidden tree

[Kamdra]

Okay I'm all caught up and I have to say I am so angry. They can never make it up to Minerva.

[angeldust]

Chapter 12
By Clayre

Two months had past and Albus had visited Minerva almost every day. He had watched her slowly waste away. Each visit caused more heart ache then the previous one, Minerva would put on a brave face but her eyes told a different story, a story which contained fear and frustration. She would make small talk and then ask him to leave. She cried no-more tears and talked no-more of freedom. She was a ghost of her former self and it scared Albus. One day while sitting around the breakfast table at Grimmauld place when an owl swept through the window and dropped a letter on Molly’s lap. Molly stared at the letter intently and immediately recognised the writing to be Minerva’s. She wondered why she would be writing to her. She opened the letter and scanned the green writing which was precise but shaky. ‘Molly, please do not let Albus see this letter but I need to see you. Please come today, love Minerva.’ The letter worried Molly and she quickly stuffed it in her pocket. She received questioning looks from her husband and Albus but did not supply an answer.
“I have to go into town.” She announced a while later.
“Would you like some company love?” Arthur questioned.
“You stay here and keep Albus Company, I’m only going to do some boring things darling and I can do them quicker on my own.” She hated lying to her husband but she had to she didn’t want to betray Minerva’s confidence. Molly left the orders headquarters and apperated to the nearest point to the prison. She had never been there before and she was terrified of stepping foot in the place but she had too, she wasn’t put in Gryffindor for nothing. As she walked through the dark corridors she felt herself being drained of all happy thoughts. Distressed cries echoed around the darkness and Molly quickened her pace. She found Minerva’s cell and looked into the darkness.
“Minerva dear?” She called out softly.
“Hello Molly.” Came a soft voice out of the darkness and two emerald green eyes appeared in front of the bars making Molly jump back.
“Sorry… I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
“Oh gods Minerva,” gasped Molly in shock “What are they doing to you in her?”
“I’m coping,” lied Minerva. “Molly I have asked you here for a reason. Tell Albus I don’t want to see him again, tell him not to come here and that I have no love for him anymore. Please don’t ask why because I will not tell look after him Molly.” Minerva moved away from the bars and hid in the darkest corner so Molly could not see her. Molly called out to her for a solid town minutes but received no answer, in the end Molly left in confusion and with a heavy heart.

[angeldust]

Chapter 13
By Angeldust-aka-Evilwoman

It took two full days for Molly to come to a decision and with the help of her husband she had finally decided. She was going to tell Albus everything Minerva obviously had her reasons and knowing Albus he would hopefully go back to Azkaban and get some answers. The new school term had started a week ago and Molly could tell that Albus was missing Minerva intensely. Every part of her existence had been deleted at Hogwarts. Professor Flitwick had become the new Deputy headmaster. Paul Walker an old friend of Albus’ had taken up the position as Transfiguration professor and head of Gryffindor house. At the weekly order meeting Molly had managed to pull Albus away from the rest of the order and talk to him. She told him what Minerva had said and waited for the response that was to come.
“Oh… well if that is what Minerva wants then I will of course stay away.” Molly couldn’t stop her mouth from falling open in shock.
“You mean… you’re not going to ask why or demand to know you’re just going to sit there and leave.” Molly gasped.
“She asked me to stay away. I love her Molly; I love her so much she obviously has her reasons and I respect that and I will stay away.”
Two months had passed and Albus hadn’t seen Minerva once, he had begun to dream about her again. He could see her sitting in that cell crying into her knees. Such images tore his heart to shreds. Albus stared intently at the picture of Minerva that was located on his desk. She was so beautiful she sat on a swing in the picture smiling up at him. Albus had taken the picture with a muggle camera and was quite glad now, as she had deserted all the other pictures that he owned of her. Albus felt himself snap out of his trance as the door to his office was slammed open. Alastor Moody was standing in the door way his face was slightly paler then usual.
“Albus… you have to come! I just went to see Minerva, she’s a state! She’s losing it she hardly even understands her own name anymore you have to come.” Alastor growled his low voice slightly panicky.
“I can’t Alastor she asked me to stay away…” Albus started.
“I DON’T CARE WHAT SHE ASKED YOU TO DO! My best friend is lying in Azkaban losing her marbles; you could be the only one to save her! Come on! Get up and come with me now!” Alastor yelled at his life-long mentor.
Ten minutes later Albus found himself standing in front of Minerva’s cell. It was even darker then he remembered.
“Minerva?” He whispered into the darkness. He heard a small bit of movement and a small whimper before a voice that he could hardly recognise reached his ears.
“Yes… yes she’s here now, wait.” Albus stood there slightly confused was there some else in the cell with her. He looked over to Alastor who shook his head softly. Albus almost fell back as a pale, anorexic woman came up to the bars. Her left cheek was bruised and her bottom lip slit deeply. He watched as she rummaged around in her grimy robes and pulled out what looked like a broken pair of glasses she put them up to her eyes and looked around slowly.
“I know you!” She muttered softly. “We’ve seen you before.”
“Minerva it’s me it’s Albus.” He whispered softly slightly shocked.
“Albus…” She whispered softly. “We knew you would come back.” She muttered stepping closer to him and resting her cold hand on his cheek.
“We?” Albus asked softly taking her hand in his. She nodded softly.
“Yes, me and her, but I don’t like her anymore! She used to just keep me company but now she keeps waking me up and telling me to do things.” Albus turned to Alastor and mouthed is there someone else in her cell? Alastor shook his head indicating no.
“What kind of things?” Albus muttered feeling his stomach flip how could this be the same woman the woman he had spent the last 50 years with.
“Terrible things!” Minerva whispered before smiling softly at him. Albus had never seen her smile like that before. “But she might stop now that you’re here.”

[Nerweniel]

It is so hard to read Minerva losing it... *sniff*... but I am still hoping for a happy ending, because this is just so so so very sad... anyways, hoping for a quick update here .

Love,

Lies

[griseldalafey]

It's so sad. At the moment I'm a little angry with Albus as well for not going back.

Can't someone, anyone knock some sense into that stupid Ministry?

Powerful chapter though!

[TabbyMin]

AHHH! I'm losing my mind! You simply must write more.

[Lady Jolly]

My goodness!! this is soo good. I can feel the tears in my eyes . So sad please update soon. I really like your work!

Lady Jolly

[angeldust]

Chapter 14
By Clayre

Albus gazed at Minerva, trying to find something of the old Minerva is this new frightening version. She looked back at him; staring into his very soul and making him shudder.
“She wants to know if you still love her?” Came a low raspy voice, it came from Minerva’s mouth but it wasn’t her.
“Minerva, I have never stopped loving you! You asked me to stay away so I did.” Albus explained hoping to get his Minerva back.
“She wishes you hadn’t come.” Albus took a step back as he was hissed at by Minerva’s alter ego. Alastor shook his head and pulled Albus away from the cell.
“Albus we need to do something!” growled the ex auror.
“How is the appeal going?” Albus looked at his friend shock haunting his usual bright blue eyes. Albus lent against the wall and shook his head.
“Alastor it’s not. People have forgotten her already,” he said sadly. “I miss her so much, it’s killing me.”
“But it’s not is it Albus,” growled Alastor “It’s killing her while you are living.” Albus turned to face Alastor, no-one had ever spoken to him like that since she had been put away and forgotten about. Alastor was forcing him to make a decision, her life and sanity were in danger and she already seemed near the edge. Albus wished Sirius was still with them for he was the only one to ever escape this hell but he had never revealed how he had did it. Then an idea came to him clear as day. He remembered what Mrs Crouch had done for her son and he saw it was the only way to save what was left of the woman he loved.
“I’ll make a polyjoice potion and I’ll swap with her.” Suggested Albus, “I’ll need some of her hair.” Alastor slammed his fists against the wall and growled.
“We need you as well but if we didn’t I would brew the potion myself.”
“What would you have me do?” Albus snapped.
“Albus… Albus.” Came a quiet voice from the darkness.
“Tabby is that you?” Albus asked sweeping over to the cell. “I’m trying to get you out darling.”
“We both love you Albus but I love you more! She wants you for her self though.” Minerva whispered, her voice was hoarse and flat. “I’m dying Albus, I’m never leaving here alive.”
“Please don’t speak like that sweetheart.” Albus begged. “You will leave here with me soon we will have our future together.”
“Don’t speak of a future when I have none!” Snapped Minerva. “Just leave me to die.” Albus heart sank when he heard the words fall from her mouth; she was no longer his Minerva. His Minerva would never speak like this, would never give up so easily. He felt Alastor’s hand on his arm and a pull.
“Come Albus we can come back tomorrow.” Albus allowed himself to be pulled away and the last thing he heard was Minerva calling out she loved him.

[angeldust]

Chapter 15
By Angeldust-aka-Evilwoman

“Hello Albus.” The cold voice from behind the bars greeted him.
“Minerva?” He asked softly stepping up to the bars and holding them softly. He was wreak he hadn’t slept in three days as whenever his eyes closed the image of Minerva hissing at him came back.
“No,” the cold voice whispered “She’s hiding again. She doesn’t want you to see her in the state she’s in.” Minerva stepped closer to the bars; Albus couldn’t help but gasp and stumble backwards. Her beautiful face was terrible bruised with numerous cuts.
“You only wanted her because she’s beautiful… she I made her UN beautiful I made her ugly! She now you can be with me! She’s so ashamed, she doesn’t even want you to look at her now, see how vain she is!” Minerva’s alter ego snapped at him.
“Bring Minerva here,” Albus muttered stepping closer to his lover. He wondered that if he played along, that if he acting like there were two people in his lover’s cell and not just a figment of Minerva’s fading mind. Maybe he could bring her back. “I want to see her.” He watched as Minerva’s facial features relaxed considerable, she looked up at him and Albus could tell that this was his Minerva, the Minerva he had fell in love with all those years ago.
“Hello…” Albus greeted her softly feeling a strange warmth spread though him just by looking at her eyes.
“Hello… she didn’t say anything to you, did she?” Minerva asked softly not once breaking eye contact.
“No… is she here now?” He watched as Minerva glanced around before turning back to him.
“No.” Minerva said shakily, Albus gripped the tops of her arms softly through the bars trying to ignore how she suddenly became rigid. He bent down and kissed her swollen bleeding lips softly before whispering in her ear.
“You tell her that if she ever hurts you again, she’ll have me to deal with.”
“I will.” Minerva nodded. “Alastor keeps visiting me a lot; he keeps knocking the bars with his hand… I think he’s trying to find away to help me escape. He keeps swearing loudly as well when he gets aggravated. Could you tell him to stop doing that when you next see him, it makes the woman in the next cell cry.” Minerva muttered softly trying her best to make conversation with out it seeming to awkward. She stopped suddenly and looked up at him.
“Albus get me out of here!” She cried throwing her arms around him. Albus couldn’t stop a smile from spreading across his face this was Minerva this was his Minerva he was holding now he could tell. It only lasted seconds he watched as the sanity drifted away from her lost eyes again and the madness took over. He let go of her and backed away slightly as she began to talk to herself again. He almost screamed when a cold hand landed on his shoulder, he whirled round to see Severus looking him straight in the eye.
“I have a plan...” He muttered darkly.

[griseldalafey]

I *hate* clifhangers.

Poor Albus, poor Minerva, poor both of them. I can't wait to see what Severus plan is though.

[Kassandra]

I always worry about Minerva in situations where she is captured or restrained in some manner. It seems so harsh with her for some reason. You are making me tense while I read this so I guess that's a good thing since this is angst. Kassie

[Karlynne]

I am a tortured soul here. If Snape's plan doesn't work I might lose it althogether. You two are doing a good job of making my stomach clench thinking of Minerva suffering. Karlie

[Lady Jolly]

What could be the plan?! You know muggle prison looks way better than askaban!! Update soon please this is really good.

Lady Jolly

[DumbledoresKitten]

just found this.

OH MY GOD . . . *grrr* throws rotten food at reports

min is losing herself this is so sad, there better be a happy ending somewhere in the near future

the two of you are doing a great job
please update soon

Cat

[Lana]

Hey! You have written such an awsome Story! I love it!

I am so excited to read the next chapter, but I saw that the story doesn´t continue. Did you capitulate?

[JKMcGonagall]

Noooooo. This story can't end here. Please update it. I want to know what Severus' plan is. Please continue it.

Kay

[amandahleigh]

Wow, this is really engaging! Though I did find it icky, in part one, when he 'noticed' her at age 14...It just seems like there is such a huge difference between 14 and, say, 16 or 17 or 18.
Still, this is a very interesting story, and I am dying to find out what's going to happen next!

You know muggle prison looks way better than askaban!!

definetly! They even get cable!
;D

AL

[LinZE]

You HAVE to update - this is fantastic!!!!
thanks for sharing
xLx

[tanja]

i just found this incredible brilliant story!!!
hope it´ll be updated soon

[Jessabelle]

I too just found and started reading this story. It is very good and so far I am really enjoying it. Please update again soon!
- Jess

[kate]

Oh that's such a sad story....
(You really made me cry!)

Please make an update soon!

~*~ Kate

[Jessabelle]

Please update soon!

[Lady Lavendar]

This is really sad! You girls are doing really well on this. Please update soon!

[zoeteproet]

Oh my gosh! What a wonderful story! So sad, but so good. (does that makes sence?)
I hope everything will be allright with Minerva *almost starts to cry* Why doesn't Albus resign from his position as Headmaster? Then he can show bloody Fudge that he loves Min and that the world can't live without him (=Albus) as their leader.
Hope to reed some more from you soon!
Love,
Sarah xx