Aloha

Many thanks go to my beta, Sempra, for being so patient with me.

Chapter 3: Aloha

Minerva rested on a crimson, velvet sofa, staring into the fire. Severus was gone. While finishing up their plans, he had been summoned. Albus would be up soon; he had gone to properly store the slug root Hagrid had gathered so she was alone with her thoughts.

Her thoughts were bothering her. They chased round and round in her head and soon changed to memories. Minerva drew a shaky breath as her eyes filled once more. She really needed to get a hold of herself. She hadn't cried this much in years.

Gently, she brought her knees up beneath her nightgown and hugged them to her chest, curling into herself as she gazed, unseeing, into the fire. In her mind, she traveled back to the last time she had seen Serena. She could remember it like it was yesterday, even without a Pensieve.

Their chamber looked the same, and the early morning sunlight was filtering in through the expansive crimson and gold-draped windows. The scent of fall was in the air: autumn leaves and apples. A red sofa sat facing a warm fire happily burning in the grate, and Minerva had cleared off the dark wood coffee table in front of the sofa to make room for the tea they would have soon.

An eleven year old Serena, wearing green robes much like Minerva's and a tartan scarf, with her burnished, deep mahogany curls tumbling down her back, stood with her arms folded over her chest. Her deep, green eyes were narrowed in a bit of a frown, and her mouth was pursed in a little pout, tears balancing precariously on her lashes.

"But I don't want to go, Auntie Minerva! I want to stay here with you and Uncle Albus. It's not fair!" Serena angrily swiped with trembling hands at the tears threatening to spill, and her emerald eyes flashed with fury. She was a McGonagall all right, and she had the temper to prove it.

"Love, I promise, Albus and I will come visit you in a month's time. It won't be so long. In the mean time, you'll be meeting new friends and learning about a different country. But think of your mother and father. They love you very much, and it would break their hearts to know you didn't want to go with them," she told the child quietly. Minerva thought of her own heart but pushed it aside.

Seraphenia had been very adamant for Serena to move with them instead of remaining at Hogwarts. But then Serena was her child, after all. Also, Sam had talked of his school in the States, and she knew he very much wanted Serena to attend and to meet his sister. Minerva's eyes darkened at that thought.

For a moment, Serena looked taken aback at Minerva's words. A look of guilt crossed her face, and she glanced down at her hands as they flipped over each other. Minerva saw worry in the young girl's face when she looked up again. "Please don't tell them what I said. I don't want to hurt their feelings, it's just..." she whispered.

Minerva smiled and spoke gently, trying to calm her, "Shhh, shhh, I know, lass. It'll be our secret." With this, she made a gesture as if she was turning a key over her lips and tossing it away. A small smile curved Serena's mouth, and she ran to embrace her aunt in a fierce hug when Minerva held her arms out. As their hug ended, Minerva settled Serena on the sofa beside her.

"Now, I believe you are here for us to have tea. Are you not?" Minerva smiled at the little girl, and Serena looked up with excitement.

"Can I call for it, Auntie Minerva? Puulllllleeeeaaaassssse?" Serena clasped her hands in front of her chest and cocked her head to the side, attempting her most angelic look.

Minerva laughed. "My love, you know how that look gets you most anything with me, you great manipulator, you." She smiled and nodded.

Serena hopped off the sofa and went to the desk to retrieve a small, silver bell from its resting place. She rang it once, and it made a musical tinkling sound. "When a bell rings, an angel gets its wings. We can always use another angel in the world." She beamed and put down the bell delicately, then called in a singsong voice, "Blossie, oh, Blossie?"

With a 'pop,' a little house-elf appeared, wearing a tartan plaid tablecloth which was fitted almost like a toga and held in place by a red brooch at her shoulder. "Little miss calls for tea? Yes, yes, very wonderful tea!" The elf was followed by a tray of tea things which settled onto the coffee table.

Serena clapped with delight and told her happily, "Oh, thank you, Blossie, ever so much."

Minerva smiled at the child as she made happy exchanges with Blossie. Her heart lurched a little. She was going to miss her so much. As Blossie popped away, Serena's wistful eyes met Minerva's and concern rested there. Minerva watched as Serena moved toward her with determination and took her hands. Their hands felt warm, and Minerva felt the ache in her heart ease.

"Serena..." Minerva began, beginning to frown at the girl but stopped at the look Serena gave her. Serena wanted to do this for her, she knew. Minerva was constantly astounded by the unconditional love she saw in this child. She loved her more than she could express. Also, she was touched that Serena knew her pain, even for one so young, and would still take some of that pain from her to help Minerva while the lass was aching herself.

Serena leaned forward, and they embraced each other in a heartwarming hug. As they leaned away from each other once more, Serena observed the tray of delicious items to eat. She sniffed the air, and her lips turned up at the familiar scent of jasmine tea, her favorite. There were also ginger newts, apple tarts, pumpkin bread pudding and cinnamon chocolate bread. Her nose wrinkled a bit at the pungent aroma of spice in the air. Her aunt had definitely outdone herself with the selection.

Sighing, Serena said, "I so love the fall."

Minerva smiled at the elation in her grandniece's voice and was glad she had arranged this time for her and Serena. Albus, Sam and Seraphenia would be up soon. Then, the children would leave, and she would once again feel the void Serena currently kept filled. However, she was determined to make this tea between them very happy, not sad.

"You know, Auntie Minerva, I was reading about one of the states the other day. Hawaii, I think it is called. It is a group of islands out in the Pacific Ocean, and the weather there is very warm. It stays that way all the year long. I think some day I would like to visit there because it is warm. But, I don't think I would like Christmas without any snow." Serena looked at her aunt who, in turn, looked back at her thoughtfully.

Minerva simply replied, "I see." She then put an apple tart and ginger newt on her plate.

"They also speak another language there," Serena continued. "So when people go there to visit, they use the Hawaiian greeting of 'aloha' which means "hello" and "goodbye". It also means love and affection as well as, 'breath or essence of life,' among other things. So I thought if we said 'aloha,' instead of goodbye, it wouldn't really be like we were saying goodbye, right?" Serena looked questioningly at Minerva, but then her look turned serious. "I mean... because... well, we will see each other very soon so we aren't really saying goodbye," she finished apprehensively and took a sip of her tea.

Once more, Minerva pushed aside the tug of her heartstrings. "I think that is a wonderful idea." She smiled affectionately at her.

Over the course of an hour, they chatted about a variety of subjects. From how large the United States was, to Animagi, where Minerva changed into her tabby form and sat purring while Serena stroked her back, to Quidditch and how Serena hoped to see the cup in Minerva's office at the end of the season.

Blossie had just vanished their tea tray when Albus, Sam and Seraphenia came in chuckling over a joke Sam had heard at the Ministry. Sam, a tall wizard with an athletic build, black hair and bright blue eyes, smiled down at his daughter. "Okay, sunshine, are you ready to go?"

Serena's face fell a little but brightened again quickly. She looked to Minerva, who nodded slightly, and they both moved to close the distance between them. As they embraced, Serena's words were muffled in Minerva's robes, "mmuulooha."

"And aloha to you, my little lass," Minerva rubbed her back, squeezed, then pulled away. Her heart was aching, but not as bad as it had been before Serena had taken her hands. As she watched the little girl, Minerva saw Serena put on a brave face and nod solemnly at her parents.

Seraphenia, tall and willowy, who had deep burnished curls and deep green eyes like her daughter, turned to Minerva and smiled playfully. "I see she has told you about Hawaii."

"Yes, I thought it was a splendid suggestion. We will be seeing you all very soon." Minerva found her hand in Albus' and looked at him. His eyes sparkled.

"Ah, the tradition of 'aloha'," Albus said brightly. "A very good tradition it is!"

Minerva thought she caught him wink at Serena, who covered her mouth with her hand to stifle a giggle and then worked to replace it with a smile that wasn't too bright to hide their conspiracy. Serena then winked back at him when she thought Minerva wasn't looking.

"Aunt Minerva, we'll miss you. And you too, Uncle Albus." Seraphenia gripped them both in successive warm, willowy hugs. This was followed by Sam's warm embrace of Minerva, and a hand shake and clap on the back to Albus.

Slowly, the group made their way to the gates of the castle. Serena gave Albus and Minerva another brief hug and murmured 'aloha' once more. She then placed her arms around her mother's neck and looked back longingly at her great aunt and uncle. Finally, with a double crack, the three Apparated away.

Minerva's shoulders drooped a little, and her lips formed a thin line. Albus slid his arm around her and pulled her close. "It will be less than a month, my darling."

"I know, my love, but, oh...how I'm going to miss them," Minerva said sadly as she looked, unseeing, down the road to Hogsmeade.

A single tear rolled down Minerva's cheek. Still she stared at the fire. Sleep wasn't coming anytime soon, and she hugged her legs again.

Albus entered their suite quietly. He noticed Minerva on the sofa and saw the single tear on her cheek, the far away look on her face, and his shoulders came down in defeat and guilt. Hadn't he been the one to tell her it would be less than a month until they would see the children? His mind floated back to a moment in time fifteen years ago.

He had paced and paced... and paced some more. He was in anguish waiting for news, any news. His wife had been gone a little more than a week and still he had no word from her.

He regretted not having been able to go with her, and he worried for her safety. Death Eater attacks had escalated over the last few weeks. Even in America. He shuddered. 'The children,' he thought. All he could do was hope they were alright. When Minerva had received the letter from Sam's sister, it had not been very informative. It only said they'd been attacked by Death Eaters, nothing more.

The number of attacks and the running of the school did not allow them both to answer Adelaide's letter. So, reluctantly, he had sent Minerva to check on the children. Pensively, he sat behind his desk, tired of pacing. He stared at the large stack of Ministry correspondence he needed to answer and sighed. Perhaps it would take his mind off his worries. However, he had a knotted feeling in his stomach that simply wouldn't go away. No communication was not like Minerva. Although it took a long time to get here from across the sea and owls were impossible. 'Maybe I should send Fawkes,' he thought. Alas, the distance was great, even for a phoenix. Albus sighed again and attempted to settle into his task.

Suddenly, his office door swung open and cracked loudly against the wall. His head snapped up with a start, and he took in Minerva's disheveled appearance. He felt his heart drop to his stomach and was instantly by her side.

Minerva's deeply green eyes sought him out and watched him with red-rimmed intensity. When he was next to her, he put his arms around her waist, and she sank to the floor, pulling him with her.

"Albus..." was all she managed to croak. Her only word, torn from her lips as they sank, and he knew. Her anguished cry conveyed to him all the dark realities he had been trying to deny for the last week.

He held her to him tightly, his heart tearing in two as the sound of his wife's tortured sobs finally broke the surface. She clung to him, burying her face in his chest and let the storm erupt, finally, from within her. A harsh groan emerged from his throbbing chest, and his choked sobs joined Minerva's as he let go of the pain harboring in his chest. They clung to each other in a heap on the floor, grieving for the death of the happiness they had known in their little family and for the dimming of the bright light Serena had brought to their lives.

A pop from the fire chased Albus from his thoughts, and again his eyes rested tenderly on his wife. Her hair had come loose and now cascaded around her like a black velvet curtain. She was so beautiful, and his heart swelled with love as he marveled at the fact that after so many years, he loved her more now than he had even yesterday.

His face was wet from the tears caused by his memory, so he pulled a handkerchief from his robe pocket and quickly wiped his eyes. Quietly, he made his way to her, making a little noise along the way, hopefully, to alert her to his presence. He didn't want to startle her.

"Minerva," he called speculatively. She shifted and stretched her legs back out, looking at him. Her mouth curved slightly in a small smile that was there then gone quickly.

Albus made his way to the sofa and stood behind her. Gently he leaned down, slid his arms around her and brushed her neck tenderly with his lips. "Knut for your thoughts," he murmured.

Her eyes looked a little sad but still held hope. For once, after fifteen years, when he looked at her, he was glad to see hope when he knew she thought of Serena. She sighed, "I was remembering the last time I saw Serena. Aloha," she said quietly and smiled up at him.

He smiled back with a bit of twinkle in his eyes. "I suppose you know how Serena came up with that bit of information."

"Yes, I saw you wink at each other." She playfully slapped his arms, and he tightened them around her. Minerva tilted her face up, and their lips touched. Both of them gloried in the comfort offered by the other.

Their kiss began to deepen as their passion for each other had never waned. It was always there, subtly beneath the surface, just waiting for a spark: heated words... a look... a touch... a kiss.

Albus nibbled her bottom lip, and Minerva's lips opened to his probing tongue. His scent drifted over her, and his taste touched her tongue. He tasted and smelled of lemons and chocolate. Their tongues circled each other playfully, and her hands reached up of their own accord, tangling in his hair as his head shifted sideways to deepen the kiss, sweet passion beginning to flair between them.

Soon, the contact of their lips broke, and they gasped for air, their chests rising and falling quickly. "Mmmm... have I told you how delicious you are lately?" Albus looked intently at her.

"No." She shook her head, which helped her thoughts clear a little. "Albus?" she questioned.

"Hmmm?"

"I just remembered something."

"And what was that?"

"Should we have told Severus that Serena is an empath?"

"Perhaps, but it's too late now. Although I'm sure he'll find out soon enough," he said thoughtfully.

Again, he leaned forward and kissed her upturned face with ardor. He moved his hands to cup her face, his lips following a heated trail to the bit of neck below her ear. A gasp escaped her lips, "But, but Al..." she began, frowning, trying to concentrate.

"Mmmm, hush, my love, and come to bed." With which statement, he scooped her up in his arms.

Minerva turned and put her arms around his neck. Her lips found his once more, and she forgot her protests as he carried her to their bedroom, the fire still burning brightly behind them.