(no subject)
"It's simply dreadful, Albus. I simply cannot bear to see him there, meddling among the Slytherins and...and enjoying it no less."
Minerva twisted her hands nervously in her lap, checking with her eyes toward her office door before turning back to the image of Albus Dumbledore's head in the embers of her fire. It had taken a great deal of effort to manage it without the fear of the Headmistress finding out, but they had both found it necessary to keep in contact during his absence."
"There, there, Minerva," came the rasping reply. "I am sure that Harry is still the same boy inside, despite any apparent changes. He is a bright wizard, and he has grown up with a burden much greater than any of us could ever imagine." The embers sputtered as he continued to speak. "Perhaps we asked too much of him, but I have complete faith in the goodness of his heart. He will come to see reason, Minerva, but we must allow him some time."
"But, Albus, you don't know what he's like these days. The other students all see how he's changed, and most of them...they're frightened of him. He's even pushed away Ron and Hermione. Barely speaks to them anymore!"
"Has he?"
"Yes, and he's been flouncing about between the girls as if he has no concern at all for anyone or anything. You should have seen poor Ginny Weasley's face when he- oh, it was simply unforgivable how he treated her."
A small gap of silence came after the words, but Dumbledore spoke again moments later.
"I will agree to meet with Nymphadora if it would make you feel better, but I cannot promise that I will gain any new stance on the matter."
"It certainly would! And I'd like Bill Weasley to go with her. If you won't listen to me, then you'll hear it from them. They've seen the way he's behaving." She hesitated a few moments more, the twisting continuing. She hated what she was about to ask almost as much as she dreaded the former Headmaster's response.
"Albus, you don't believe what they're saying, do you? It isn't possible that Harry has-...we've always known he carried away some of You-Know-"
"-I don't believe a word of it," hissed the embers, and the words were firm enough to prevent the Professor from continuing in her question. "I will speak with them soon, but I must go for now. I have many important matters that require my attention."
"Listen to them, please. Just listen," Minerva pleaded, hoping that some of their words might sink in a little more clearly in opposition to the wizard's unbreakable faith.
Though, in most ways, she didn't want to believe it herself...
Minerva twisted her hands nervously in her lap, checking with her eyes toward her office door before turning back to the image of Albus Dumbledore's head in the embers of her fire. It had taken a great deal of effort to manage it without the fear of the Headmistress finding out, but they had both found it necessary to keep in contact during his absence."
"There, there, Minerva," came the rasping reply. "I am sure that Harry is still the same boy inside, despite any apparent changes. He is a bright wizard, and he has grown up with a burden much greater than any of us could ever imagine." The embers sputtered as he continued to speak. "Perhaps we asked too much of him, but I have complete faith in the goodness of his heart. He will come to see reason, Minerva, but we must allow him some time."
"But, Albus, you don't know what he's like these days. The other students all see how he's changed, and most of them...they're frightened of him. He's even pushed away Ron and Hermione. Barely speaks to them anymore!"
"Has he?"
"Yes, and he's been flouncing about between the girls as if he has no concern at all for anyone or anything. You should have seen poor Ginny Weasley's face when he- oh, it was simply unforgivable how he treated her."
A small gap of silence came after the words, but Dumbledore spoke again moments later.
"I will agree to meet with Nymphadora if it would make you feel better, but I cannot promise that I will gain any new stance on the matter."
"It certainly would! And I'd like Bill Weasley to go with her. If you won't listen to me, then you'll hear it from them. They've seen the way he's behaving." She hesitated a few moments more, the twisting continuing. She hated what she was about to ask almost as much as she dreaded the former Headmaster's response.
"Albus, you don't believe what they're saying, do you? It isn't possible that Harry has-...we've always known he carried away some of You-Know-"
"-I don't believe a word of it," hissed the embers, and the words were firm enough to prevent the Professor from continuing in her question. "I will speak with them soon, but I must go for now. I have many important matters that require my attention."
"Listen to them, please. Just listen," Minerva pleaded, hoping that some of their words might sink in a little more clearly in opposition to the wizard's unbreakable faith.
Though, in most ways, she didn't want to believe it herself...