Black Angel: The Stone

Prologue: Echoes of the Past

"Please take her!" The woman's voice and opal-like eyes were full of fear and pain. "I have lost too much already! I won't let her be lost as well; I know that she will be safe here." The moon steaming in through the windows reflected off of her pure white hair and pale skin.

Professor Dumbledore took the small bundle from her arms. "She will be well taken care of. You have my word." His eyes were completely solemn and lacked their usual twinkle. "Where will you go?"

The strange woman looked over her shoulder, out the window and into the night that awaited her.

"Far away." Her voice was quiet and held echoes of pain in it. "Far away from here...Far from her." She glanced down at the bundle in Dumbledore's arms tenderly.

Dumbledore nodded. "She will know you."

The woman looked back at him and smiled gratefully, albeit sadly. She reached down and stroked the top of the child's head in the bundle. "She is all I have left. I have lost everything else."

She leaned down and kissed the baby's forehead. "Goodbye, my little angel." A lump clogged her throat and her eyes shimmered with tears. "I love you."

She placed one more kiss on the child's forehead; then without another glance she ran out of the room.

The night swallowed her.

Dumbledore stood for a moment watching out the window.

The baby stirred in his arms; he looked down at her and smiled, but his eyes still held none of the light they usually had.

"Well, little one, it looks as though you will be with us for a while."

He looked up as someone spoke.

"Albus?"

"Yes, Minerva?" He smiled kindly.

"What -" She broke off at the sight of the bundle in his arms; she all but ran to his side. She glanced down at the little girl. "Oh Albus!" She looked back up a Dumbledore with a look that pleaded him to tell her that what she feared wasn't true. "Did she -?"

Dumbledore nodded sadly.

"Is she -?"

Dumbledore nodded once again. "I'm afraid so."

McGonagall placed a hand over her mouth and closed her eyes.

Dumbledore placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "She had no other choice."

McGonagall took a shaky breath. "I know. It's just that it seems as if, just when everything is starting to go right, it all is falling apart. I mean, Voldemort is dead, but so are Lily and James; Harry is alive, but living with those awful muggles, Sirius..." She let that trail off; it was still too painful to think about that. She looked down at the little girl. "And now this."

Dumbledore joined her in looking at the infant. "She couldn't have stayed even if the circumstances weren't so deadly." He looked up and McGonagall. "It is just too painful for her now."

McGonagall sniffed.

"Minerva?"

McGonagall looked up at the Headmaster of Hogwarts. "Yes, Albus?"

"There are some things I must attend to, so I was hoping that for this evening I may leave her in your care, if I may?"

McGonagall nodded, gently taking the baby in her arms. "Of course."

"Thank you Minerva." He started up the steps, McGonagall walking along side him. "I shall return in the morning. Then we will decide what to do." He glanced down at the baby.

McGonagall nodded and stopped on the landing of the floor where her room was.

Dumbledore paused beside her for a moment. "I hope that you both will sleep well tonight." He looked down at the little girl. "And hope that this all works out."

He stared at the child for a moment longer than looked back up at McGonagall. "Good night, Minerva."

"Good night, Albus."

And the parted ways, in hope.