destruction | t.m.r

chapter sixty.

Albus Dumbledore was lost. In the hospital wing of Hogwarts he held for dear life on the hand of Headmaster Dippet who was badly ill and would die any day, any second it seemed.

"Albus." Armando said in a hushed tone, he somehow managed to find the voice, the will to use it. "You will be next the Headmaster of Hogwarts," he stopped to take a big breath in, his lungs collapsing, "you will do amazing things Albus, amazing things." Dumbledore was holding his tears in.

"Do not let me down Albus, do not let any child go without a home because in Hogwarts, they will always have one." Armando was a good man, a man of many talents and a kind heart. His hands teached and feed many generations and now was his time to finally be at peace.

Soon after that Dumbledore left, saying that Armando should sleep and gather as much energy as he could. Dumbledore went to his most faithful friend, Rubeus Hagrid.

The wooden door of Hagrid's Hut hurt Albuses hand, leaving splinters in almost every place. The door groaned as it was slid open by the giant man who wore fur coat even in summer. "Greetings Professor." Greeted Hagrid with open arms and door.

"Good evening Hagrid." Dumbledore said while taking a seat on the small chair around the table with already hot tea ready for them. "How is he?" Hagrid asked as he too sat down and started sipping his tea. "Bad Hagrid, we will lose him very soon."

"You will take his spot aren't ya professor?" Hagrid asked while trying to get the dust of his jacket to go away with his hand, Dumbledore only weakly nodded, he had been very busy these couple of days with everything happening.

"Oh yes, I have remembered. Minerva is waiting for your return in the office, she said you wrote her a letter." As soon as Hagrid finished Dumbledore was out of the Hut already. He didn't want Minerva to wait any longer.
"Thank you for tea Rubeus, I'm hoping we will finish this conversation some other time." With that Dumbledore was already gone, fast but carefully walking towards the Hogwarts himself, while looking at the small village and a big lake to which his eyes were somehow glued to.

"Minerva," Dumbledore said while giving a handshake to the young witch, Minerva McGonagall shook his hand and held her chin high, "you wanted to talk about my application for the job sir." As Dumbledore is now going to be a headmaster a place opened up for a transfiguration professor and also a place for a professor of Defence Against The Dark Arts seemes to be open for applications, but nobody seems to have the needs to fulfill the position and its curse.

"Yes that is why I called you here, as you know next year I will become a headmaster and I thought, who better to teach transfiguration then you." Minervas hands shaked once Dumbledore finished, never did the witch want nothing more then to work beside him.

The happiness and joy quickly left Minervas face, a stern look and wary eyes becoming the new features. "Sir, did you hear it?" Minerva asked in a whispery tone, scared of what she is asking. "I did Minerva, I did." Not every day you get a letter from your student saying that Myra Rowe is back from the dead, and more interestingly the one who wrote that letter was nobody other than Walburga Black.

"What will we do sir, about him?" Minerva was ready for action, probably the only person he knew. "What will we do? Nothing, at least for now." It would be foolish to attack Tom Riddle at the time he is the strongest. A foolish move indeed.

"But, sir!" Minerva said with a whine which made Dumbledore question his actions about taking her as a transfiguration professor. "Minerva" Dumbledore spoke now more loudly, getting full attention of the woman that shaked in her seat.

"I know you had feeling for him and you can't change my mind when I say that they are still here. I know that you didn't and still don't like the girl,
but for Merlins sake pull yourself together woman. Talk to me again when you grow whatever is needed to call him by his true name. The power of name can be a dangerous thing and you too are one making it stronger. His name is not Voldemort or some joke of the names others give him. His name is Tom Marvolo Riddle and with that name you and everybody who knows it has power over him. Understood?" With a stern look from Dumbledore the only rational this Minerva could do was nod and leave as soon as possible.

Day by day Albus is getting this wrenched headaches, leaving him unable to do anything and only stare outside of the window towards a forest full of mythical creatures.

This time a newspaper sat on his desk, headline burning a hole in his mind and chest at the same time.

EXCLUSIVELY FROM THE MINISTER OD MAGIC
"The magical world is for the first time in centuries in grave danger. Every known powerful wizard is called to aid the ministry in its troubles, with the letter of invitation you must aid us in any moment of attack."

Along with the newspaper a letter addressed to none other than him is sitting untouched on the table of his new office.