You're My Destiny↣ Harmione

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter 24 - Three Turns

For it to be one of the most important nights on the Hogwarts calendar, the atmosphere at the Halloween feast was, excuse the pun, grave. The rumour mill had of course been working overtime on the condition of the headmaster. The Minister of Magic being spotted leaving the school infirmary wearing a rather worried expression adding more grist to the mill.

Things were getting so bad, McGonagall was forced to make a short statement before the feast started.

"Headmaster Dumbledore had an accident today and is currently in the Hogwarts infirmary. While his condition is very serious, he asked that tonight's feast still go ahead. Halloween is one of his favourite feasts and he didn't want to see anyone disappointed."

It was McGonagall's demeanour though, more than her words, that told the students just how bad this could be. The usually stoic Scottish witch was clearly struggling to hold back her tears.

-oOoOo-

In the infirmary, Hermione had lost that battle. Watching Dumbledore basically saying goodbye to people had fat, salty tears escaping down her cheeks. Harry and her, like the rest of magical Britain, had come to rely more and more on the ageing headmaster. To see him stricken down like this was a real blow.

Albus was now talking to his favourite healer. "Poppy, had Severus still been here, his knowledge of potions and the dark arts might have been able to buy me some time. We're talking at most a few months though, my fate was sealed the instant that curse took hold. Resting now may see me live a few moments longer, I'd rather spent the little time I have left talking to the people I need to. Thank you for your concern and I know you'll give Minerva the same support you always gave me..."

Poppy Pomfrey hugging a patient may have been a strange sight, those watching though understood perfectly what was happening here. The Hogwarts healer was saying goodbye to a dear old friend.

They'd hung about in the infirmary for hours because Albus clearly wanted to talk with them, though kept getting interrupted by visitors. The four had now become six, since being joined by Sirius and Amelia. With his good hand, Albus waved them over. "Miss Granger, would you do what's necessary? We can't risk being disturbed again, or overheard."

Amelia's eyebrows may have raised at Albus' request to the young witch, Hermione erecting silencing and notice-me-not charms - without uttering an incantation - saw her monocle drop from her eye. The amount of trust Albus had in these two children was hard to believe or understand. It would also seem to be more than justified.

"I have been saying goodbye to many people today, yet this one is by far and a way the hardest. Hermione, will your oath permit me to know if I've done better...?"

Hermione's tears were really flowing now as she took his good hand in both of hers. She nodded her head while attempting to smile, words were currently beyond her. Harry's arm was around her waist as he spoke. "Sir, you've been brilliant - to both of us and our families."

Hermione again nodding in agreement saw the tension leave the old wizard's body. "Thank you both for that. It will give me the strength to face what I must. For almost a century I've searched for the means to talk with my sister, finding it today saw this old fool take leave of all his senses. At least now I'm shortly going to be with her."

Seeing the pitying looks coming in his direction, Albus put them straight. "I am in full control of my mental faculties. This curse withers your body and organs, leaving you fully aware of what's happening but helpless to do anything about it. Tom Riddle was a powerful genius, but also a fool too. He didn't know what he had, or would never have made it into a horcrux. Destroying his simultaneously attacking essence robbed me of any chance of fighting this curse, a curse that will be the end of me. In the same situation, I would make the exact same choice again. It would have been better not to have put the ring on in the first place but we can all learn from that. I should never have tackled this alone, his compulsion charm and my own intense desire to possess the stone meant my fate was sealed."