Chapter Eleven: June 1954

Chapter Eleven: June 1954

It had been seven months since Colleen had left Albus, seven months since Minerva and Marlene had moved to Hogwarts, seven months since Albus had seen his son. His divorce from Colleen had finally gone through, and he was going to marry Minerva on the fourteenth of June. Today, though, he would finally be seeing his son for the first time in seven months. Albus’s ex-wife would be bringing Albert to the castle so that he could spend the summer with his father.

Albus was so excited to see his son again, and when his wife appeared at the gates with their son in her arms, he rushed to them.

“Hello, Colleen,” Albus said coldly.

“Hello, Albus,” she replied, equally as cool.

“Daddy!” Albert cried, stretching his arms out to his father. Albus took his son from his ex-wife’s arms and gave him a kiss on the top of his head.

“Hello, Albert,” Albus said, hugging his son close. He looked over his son’s head to catch his wife’s eye.

“I’ll see you in three months, Colleen,” he said.

“All right,” she replied, kissing their son on his forehead. “I love you, Albert,” she whispered, tears in her eyes, before turning and Disapparating away.

Albus and his son walked hand-in-hand up to the castle to their chambers, where Minerva and Marlene were waiting for them. When they entered their chambers, Albus and Albert were greeted with a cheerful lunch set up in the parlour.

Minerva stood as Albert and Albus entered the room. “Hello, Albert,” Minerva said sweetly, extending her hand. “I’m Minerva.”

Albert took her hand gravely. “Hello, Minerva,” he said, quite seriously for an eight-year-old.

Marlene stood up behind her mother and mimicked her, extending her hand. “And I’m Marlene, your sister,” she said shyly.

“Hello, Marlene, I’m Albert,” he said, shaking her hand.

Albus and Minerva watched their children as they stood with their arms wrapped around each other.

Marlene and Albert sat down at the table, and Albus and Minerva joined them. The house-elves brought in their lunch, and Minerva and Marlene got to know Albert better. After lunch, Albert and Marlene went out to the Quidditch pitch to fly while Minerva and Albus went to bed.

Several hours later, Marlene and Albert returned from flying and found Albus and Minerva sitting in the parlour, reading.

“Hello, Mummy, Daddy,” Marlene said.

“Hello, darlings,” Minerva said. “Did you have a nice time?”

“Yes, we did,” Albert replied.

“Albert’s quite good at flying!” Marlene told her mother excitedly. “He can do all kinds of tricks on his broom.”

“Well, I hope that you are being careful, Albert,” Minerva said.

“Don’t be so stuffy, Mummy,” her daughter said. Minerva raised her eyebrows as her daughter giggled.

“Albert,” Albus said, his tone serious. “Please do be careful,” he told his son, who nodded.

“All right, then!” Minerva exclaimed. “Would you two like some lemonade?”

“Yes, please!” they exclaimed, and Minerva called for a house-elf, who brought them a pitcher of lemonade and four glasses. Minerva poured out the drink and passed them each a glass.

As they sat in their parlour sipping their lemonade, Albus grew serious.

“Albert, I want you to know that I am going to marry Minerva in two week’s time,” he told his son.

“I know,” his son replied calmly. “Marlene told me.”

“This means that your mother and I will never be married again,” Albus told him gently.

“Oh, I know that,” Albert said. “Mummy told me that when she married Evan.”

Albus spat his mouthful of lemonade across the room. “What?!” he sputtered. “Your mother remarried? When?”

“At Christmas,” Albert replied.

“Who did she marry?” Albus asked him.

“Evan Travers,” his son said.

“Oh,” was all that Albus could say.

“Why don’t we go down to the village?” Minerva suggested to the two children, who nodded. She ushered them out of the door. “I’ll be there in a moment,” she called after them and joined Albus on the sofa.

“I’m sorry, darling,” she whispered, giving him a kiss on his lips.

He held her to him almost desperately. “Was she seeing him when we were married?” he asked her.

“Does it matter?” she asked him. “She’s out of our lives now.”

“But is that why she wanted the divorce? So she could marry someone else?” he asked her.

“It doesn’t matter, darling,” she soothed him, stroking his hair. “Just try to calm down – we’ll be back for dinner, all right?” He nodded. “All right – I love you, Albus – please don’t ever forget that.”

“I won’t,” he promised her. “Have a good time,” he said. “I love you.”

“And I love you,” she said, giving him a kiss before walking towards the door. She blew him a kiss and left, headed to Hogsmeade with her daughter and soon-to-be-stepson.

Colleen was so pleased that everything had worked out for the best – she was rid of Albus and married to the man that she had loved for years. It could not have worked out better if she had planned it. She sighed happily. Everything was right with the world.

Albus could not believe that his ex-wife had remarried so soon after their divorce. He suspected that she had used his moment of infidelity as an excuse to get him to agree to give her custody of Albert, as well as alimony. But what could he do? He could confront her, but his mother would take her side, and he would not risk losing the little amount of time that he had with his son. When Minerva returned, he would discuss it with her. He could only hope that it would work out for the best.