Zingaro

I own nothing from the Harry Potter universe. It all belongs to JK Rowling.

Chapter 48

“As infuriating as I find the damnable woman, I also find I am … oh for Merlin’s sake Headmaster. When this war is ended, if it ever ends that is, and if I am still alive to see that end, and if I am not incarcerated in Askaban with the intelligence of a vegetable, I wish to pursue a more … lasting relationship with Paula. She tells me that you must first give your permission or she cannot agree to it. Damned ridiculous if you ask me, but so be it. There, I have said what I came to say.”

Albus stared at his Potions Master, for once totally at a loss.

“Yes… erm… well I… oh my. I had no idea that Paula valued my opinion so highly. I am privileged that she would expect you to ask me such a thing.”



“And? So you will tell her it is permitted for me to… us to… is the answer yes?”

“I can think of no two people better suited that yourself and Paula. Though I do warn you Severus, she made a promise to her grandmother and I believe she has held fast to that promise. She…”

“I know, she told me of it.”

“Ah, that is good. And you will honour her promise and not try and dissuade her from it until you are both wed?”

“Yes for heavens sake. I have essays to mark.” He flustered, his cheeks pinking slightly as he turned and left the office without looking at the Headmaster.

Albus let out a sigh of relief when he went. “Well that was a rather delicate situation Fawkes.”



Fawkes ruffled his feathers, rolled his eyes and stuck his head under his wing.

Severus was relieved to have got that sensitive situation out of the way. All that remained was to wait and see if anything would ever come of having the Headmasters consent to court Paula. The likelihood of them ever reaching that stage seemed so remote he wondered why he’d even bothered asking.

It was as well that he asked when he did.

Three days later Dumbledore was dead.

Draco Malfoy had finally repaired the vanishing cabinet in the room of requirement and released Death Eaters into Hogwarts.

Only the skill of the troop of the students Paula had trained to such a high degree prevented the deaths of the many students and professors that battled against them.

Paula was not even aware that anything was happening until she was woken by a small, pale blue, almost faery-like being that fluttered madly against her face. Opening her eyes she saw ’will-o-the-wisp’, the one she’d given to kak. Each movement it made left a trail of rainbow colouring in its wake. Then she heard shouts in the distance as the creature vanished and when she emerged from her wagon, she saw the Dark Mark high above the Astronomy tower and knew instinctively that the time had come. She could only hope that everything went well inside the castle as she disillusioned her camp and made her way to the newly fallen and terribly broken body of her dearest uncle.

“Kak.” She sobbed silently, falling to her knees at his side and laying her hands gently on his chest. “Opre del of Albus.” (Rise spirit of Albus)

Closing her eyes she lifted her face to the heavens as the soul of Albus Dumbledore slowly lifted from his earthly remains.

The second it appeared, Paula leaned low over him and breathed deeply, inhaling his soul as though it were no more than steam from a cooking pot.

Hearing voices she gave one last immensely sad look at Albus, then ran like the wind back to her wagon.

Once inside she opened her black box and removed a small ivory chest. Into this she exhaled, capturing Albus’ soul inside the box then snapped the lid shut and sealed it, before replacing the chest back into her black box.

By the time she was done and exited the wagon again, Severus and Draco were through the gates and about to apparate, an angry hippogriff in hot pursuit.

“Perhaps dick tute Kek komi. Ja Develehi Severus.” She whispered as she watched them disappear.

(Perhaps 'twill never be my lot to see thy face again. Go with God Severus)

Hearing a loud wail she turned to see Hagrid’s hut on fire. She ran first to the stables, released Riley and told him to stay invisible, then thrust her hands at the burning hut when she heard the howls of Hagrid’s dog Fang, from in amongst the flames. Strong jets of water issued forth from her fingertips, dousing the flames and spraying the large boarhound so he could exit the hut.

Once the dog was clear she rounded the building to see Harry getting to his feet near the gates. He staggered a bit but Paula sensed he was not seriously hurt as he made his way to the place where Albus now lay, broken and soulless.

When Paula entered the infirmary and witnessed the injured she was saddened.

“Te vas del o Del amengue.” (May God help us) She whispered.

Paula hid the hearse deep in the forest. The centaurs did not bother her as she made her way out. Then she packed up her wagon and whistled for Riley.

“There is nothing to be done for a while my pet, we should leave them to their grieving for a day or two.”

No one at Hogwarts even realised that Paula was missing over the next few days. School was cancelled as everyone was grieving over the death of the Headmaster, raging over the fact that Severus Snape was the one to kill him, even after Albus had trusted him with his life, tending to the injured and arranging the funeral.

Although the staff wondered where Fawkes had disappeared to, it was never discovered that he’d taken up residence in Paula’s wagon to be near to Albus’ soul.

Paula returned for the funeral, keeping a low profile from the edge of the forest well away from where the centaurs stood.

She wore all white, symbolising her mourning and said the Lords Prayer in her native Romany, the only way she knew to say that particular prayer.

“Meery dearie Dad, sauvo jivves drey the tem oprey, be sharrafo teero nav, te awel teero tem, be kedo sore so caumes oprey ye poov, sar kairdios drey the tem oprey. Dey man to divvus meery divvuskey morro; tá for-dey mande mande's pizzaripenes, sar mande fordeava wafor mushes lende's pizzaripenes; mã mook te petrav drey kek tentacionos, but lel mande abri from sore wafodupen; for teero se o tem, Mi-dibble, teero o ruslopen, tá yi corauni knaw tá ever-komi. Si covar ajaw.”

(A/n. I’m sure you don’t need a translation for this one.)

Paula cried openly as she prayed and when the white tomb surrounded Albus Dumbledore’s body, Paula softly sang her own little song for the man she‘d loved as a father.

“Y opré de la jestári

Birandón, birandón,

birandéra!

Guillabéla un chilindróte;

Sobá en paz, sobá!

Sobá en paz, sobá!”

(And there above his coffin,

Birrandón, birrandón,

birrandéra!

There sings a little swallow:

Sleep there, thy toils are o'er,

Sleep there, thy toils are o'er.)

TBC