(no subject)
For cutecoati. Sincerest of apologies for being a day late!
The world outside the casement window was black.
Albus Dumbledore stood before the leaded panes, hands clasped behind his back, head bowed, eyes closed. His ears were pricked for the tolling of the midnight hour, when the veil would be thinnest between the worlds, when he would offer himself, once again, once more, always on this Eve, to stride with humility and courage and a touch of melancholy sadness across the threshold, through the veil, into the summerlands. And if he was not beckoned then he would step back and step aside for those who already had journeyed across to the other side.
He lifted his head and opened his eyes. The clock on the wall behind him had begun its gentle chiming of the hour. He moved away from the western vindauga and with a nod of his head it cranked itself open and behind him the knob in his chamber door turned resolutely and the heavy oaken portal swung ajar.
A quiet laugh, a heart-rending sob, a child’s lilting question, a woman’s moan of ecstasy, a man’s calming whisper, the room began to fill with voice. Albus sunk to his knees, then down onto his haunches and listened.
The world outside the casement window was black.
Albus Dumbledore stood before the leaded panes, hands clasped behind his back, head bowed, eyes closed. His ears were pricked for the tolling of the midnight hour, when the veil would be thinnest between the worlds, when he would offer himself, once again, once more, always on this Eve, to stride with humility and courage and a touch of melancholy sadness across the threshold, through the veil, into the summerlands. And if he was not beckoned then he would step back and step aside for those who already had journeyed across to the other side.
He lifted his head and opened his eyes. The clock on the wall behind him had begun its gentle chiming of the hour. He moved away from the western vindauga and with a nod of his head it cranked itself open and behind him the knob in his chamber door turned resolutely and the heavy oaken portal swung ajar.
A quiet laugh, a heart-rending sob, a child’s lilting question, a woman’s moan of ecstasy, a man’s calming whisper, the room began to fill with voice. Albus sunk to his knees, then down onto his haunches and listened.