Broken

A/N: Well, I'll be leaving for church camp tomorrow so I thought I'd give you something to keep you occupied when I can't update during the coming week. I'm not sure how I got this idea, maybe it was when I was laying on my bed, staring at the ceiling, daydreaming. Anyways, I'm gonna shut up now.

DH SPOILERS!!!

Disclaimer: I own nothing that was already copyrighted.

Number 71 of 100 prompts challenge.

Broken

The summer air was hot and humid as Minerva McGonagall walked through the small village of Godric's Hollow. Every summer, she came to the village to visit the graveyard and the graves of her family. On the occasion, she wore Muggle clothing. This year's outfit was as pair of black jeans, comfy black sneakers, and a red t-shirt that stuck to her skin because of the humidity. She was regretting her choice of clothing, but she had no idea it was going to be this hot and humid.

Most of the Muggle population was indoors, enjoying the benefits of air conditioning. There were very few Muggles shopping in the village. They did stare as Minerva passed them, wondering ho she could wear those clothes in the heat. Minerva paid no attention to them as she walked. She passed a few houses near the church to see children playing in the yards with garden hoses and water guns. Minerva had to cross the street to avoid being sprayed with water.

She saw the war memorial outside the little church. The obelisk covered in names transformed into a statue of three people: a mother, father, and baby. The mother was holding the baby in her arms and she sat next to her husband on a bench. The family was smiling and looked very happy. Minerva stopped in front of the statue and bowed her head, paying her respects. She continued past the memorial and into the graveyard behind the church.

The graveyard was home to so many people she knew: the Potters, the Prewetts, the McKinnons, and her own family.

The graveyard was empty when she entered through the kissing gate. She walked to the end of the first row and straight back to the corner where there was a large tomb stone holding five names on it, along with several dates

Daniel McGonagall Born 17 July 1897 Died 2 September 1944

Katherine McGonagall Born 2 February 1898 Died 11 March 1950

Ethan McGonagall Born 19 December 1920 Died 9 May 1960

Diana McGonagall Born 7 August 1923 Died 29 October 1970

Minerva McGonagall Born 4 October 1925 Died

This was where she would go when she died; next to her mother, father, brother, and sister. She had been present for their funerals. She remembered the days she got the news of their deaths. The tears formed in her eyes as she silently read the quotation:

We do not fear death because death ends only earthly life.

Minerva closed her eye to stop the tears from escaping. Ethan had thought of the quotation. He was good at that kind of thing. He was also brilliant at spell work and uncommonly brave. He stood up against Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters. He was killed because of his bravery.

Her sister, Diana, was an innocent victim. She never sought a fight with Voldemort or the Death Eaters. She didn't dare stand up against them. Diana was visiting a friend when the Death Eaters called. Her friend was killed for being part of the anti-Voldemort movement. Diana was killed because she was there. They didn't have to kill her. They did it because they wanted to.

Minerva's father wasn't killed by Voldemort of the Death Eaters. He was killed by the followers of Grindelwald after he was found out helping Albus Dumbledore. It was said that Daniel put up a good fight, and not once did he intend to give up. He went down fighting, just the way he wanted to, and for that, Minerva was proud.

Katherine McGonagall, on the other hand, did not die do to violence. She had contracted Dragon Pox shortly after Daniel's death. Though the Pox cleared in about three months, the illness damaged her heart and lungs. She remained in the long-care ward at St. Mungo's until March 11, 1950, the day she died. According to the healers at the hospital, her death had been slow and painful. Minerva was glad to know that her mother no longer suffered.

Minerva wiped away the tears that fell from her eyes. She pulled out her wand and conjured up a large wreath of flowers. She laid the wreath on the tomb stone. She then kissed the tips of her fingers and touched each name but her own.

She turned to leave and saw that another person had entered the graveyard while she was visiting her family.

"Albus!" She gasped. He was the last person she expected to see in the graveyard.

Albus looked up from the tomb stone her was staring at. He looked quite odd dressed in knee length khaki shorts and a navy blue button down shirt.

"Oh, Minerva, I didn't see you," he said. The tone of his voice wasn't the same tone she was used to. It sounded strained, like it was being forced out of his throat. He looked hurt, sad, depressed. This wasn't her best friend. She had never seen him like this before.

"Are you visiting someone?" Minerva asked, walking through the rows of graves to get to him.

He nodded. There was no twinkle in his pale blue eyes and it worried her.

She got to the grave he stood in front of and looked at the inscriptions on the lichen-spotted granite.

Kendra Dumbledore and her daughter Ariana

There were several dates and a quotation:

Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

"Were they your family?" Minerva asked Albus. She never knew much about his family. She only knew that his brother, Aberforth, was the bar tender at the Hogs Head Inn in Hogsmeade.

He nodded. "Come, I shall explain."

Before they left, Albus conjured up two white roses and laid them on the tomb stone. Then the two of them walked through the kissing gate and toward the village square. The last time they had been in Godric's Hollow, they were attending Lily and James' funeral, seven years ago.

"Do you have family in the graveyard too?" Albus asked as they walked past the statue of the Potter family.

"I do," Minerva answered. "My parents, brother, and sister."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It wasn't your fault."

They walked to a small café in the village. Minerva had just enough Muggle money with her to but two ice-cold lemonades. They the couple sat down in a window booth.

"Tell me about your family," Albus requested some of his normal self returning to him.

"Well, they were the greatest and I loved them so much. My father was killed by the followers of Grindelwald after he was found out helping you. It was said that he put up a good fight, and not once did he intend to give up. He went down fighting, just the way he wanted to, and for that, I and my family was proud. My mother contracted Dragon Pox shortly after dad's death. Though the Pox cleared in about three months, the illness damaged her heart and lungs. She remained in the long-care ward at St. Mungo's until March 11, 1950, the day she died. According to the healers at the hospital, her death had been slow and painful. I'm glad to know that her mother no longer suffered. She's the one who named me Minerva against my father's wishes."

"What did he want to name you?"

Minerva sipped her lemonade before continuing.

"Adell. Mother said she liked the name Minerva better. Anyways, back to my family. My brother, Ethan, he was brilliant at spell work and uncommonly brave. He stood up against Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters. He was killed because of his bravery. My sister, Diana, was an innocent victim. She never sought a fight with Voldemort or the Death Eaters. She didn't dare stand up against them. Diana was visiting a friend when the Death Eaters called. Her friend was killed for being part of the anti-Voldemort movement. Diana was killed because she was there. They didn't have to kill her. They did it because they wanted to."

Minerva wiped her leaky eyes on a napkin.

"I'm so sorry, Minerva, I had no idea."

"It's okay because I know they are in a better place now. Tell me about your family." Minerva took a long drink of the lemonade.

Albus took a deep breath.

"My father was imprisoned in Azkaban for his attack of three young Muggle boys. The three young Muggles in question terrorized my younger sister, Ariana. When she was only six years old, they noticed her performing uncontrolled magic and hurt her so badly that she went mad and was never able to use magic properly again. Psychologically scarred, she refused to make use of her powers, but had periodic outbursts that she couldn't control. She was kept under the tight surveillance of my mother when my family moved here to Godric's Hollow. My mother's death was a result of one of Ariana's uncontrolled magical outbursts.

"So Elphias Dodge and I post-poned our round the world trip and went to my mother's funeral. Elphias went off on his own and I stayed behind to take over the position as head of the family. I thought I was doing alright, taking care of Ariana, but then I met Gellert Grindelwald. We became instant friends-"

"You were friends with the man who had my father killed!" Minerva said loudly, causing the few Muggles in the café to look over at them. "Albus!" Anger filled her as she stared at him wide-eyed in disbelief.

"Minvera, please, let me continue," Albus said softly.

Minerva tooker several deep, calming breaths. "Fine. You may continue."

"Well, Grindelwald and I talked about going on...adventures. Aberforth learned of our plans and told us we couldn't go anywhere. Ariana was too unstable to be moved from place to place. Grindelwald didn't like that at all. He used the Cruciatus Curse on Aberforth. I tried to stop him, but before we knew it, we were in a three way duel.

"Ariana wanted to help, I think, but she couldn't take the flashes and bangs caused by the duel. It set her off. I don't know who did it. It might have been me, but I don't know. Ariana...was dead upon the floor." Albus' tears fell onto his beard. Minerva, who lost all her anger, reached across the table and took his hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. "Grindelwald fled and we were left to bury our sister. We buried her next to our mother. Aberforth and I never saw eye to eye after that."

"Albus...I'm sorry. I didn't know. Oh, Albus, I'm so sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry because I know my mother, father, and sister are together, and I know Ariana is well and not her unstable self anymore."

Minerva's green eyes met Albus' blue ones. That was the one thing they had in common. They both lost their family and they carried around the pain that would never go away. They were, in a sense, broken.

A/N: well, what do you think. As always, all reviews are welcome.