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Albus Dumbledore casted a glance at the grandfather’s clock at the corner of the chamber, he did it almost every millisecond. It was almost midnight and almost the time, too. He breathed deeply. His chest felt heavy that every breath he took felt like piercing his heart. And he couldn’t explain the lump in his throat and the hotness in his eyes.
He tried to avert his mind by reaching a book from the shelves, but his hands trembled. Unable to control himself much longer, he hurriedly reached the tall window overlooking the ground. The pooling tears in his eyes just waiting to run down his cheeks and his silver beard in any moment.
“My boy, my poor boy... my son,” he soughed as he saw a figure of a man walked steadily towards the majestic school gate. Albus could no longer strain his tears. His body trembled and again, he was overwhelmed with grief and guilt.
The figure of the man almost blend together with the pitch dark surrounding as he was clad in black from head to toe, but one could make out his rather sallow face and his shiny hair as the faint glow of moonlight fell over him.
The man almost reached the gates but stopped abruptly just a few steps away. He looked like he was unprepared or unwilling or hesitant to continue for a moment before he straightened his shoulders and walked confidently to the gates. He pointed and waved his wand several times before stepping out from the castle ground. Again, he stood frozen for a moment before he vanished into thin air.
"Severus...forgive me, my poor boy," he whined. And Albus Dumbledore broke at the very moment. His knees gave up; making him kneeled weeping on the floor with broken heart. And the very same thought swam again in his mind.
Just if I can substitute him! Just if I can change this! Just if I can stop this!