THE HAPPIEST MEMORY OF PERCIVAL DUMBLEDORE

He stood there perplexed. It must be dream, he thought. He looked around but could see nothing except the bright white light. Strangely, it did not hurt his eyes. Then he thought he saw a door, like the one in his room. Oh yes, it was a door. He turned around. There was a bed, like that on his room, and on the bed was a woman - his wife.

“Kendra”, he called. But his wife made no response. It seemed as if she did not hear him, He tried to reach her but just as he took few strides, a voice interrupted him, “What an immense pleasure to have you here, Percival.”

He suddenly turned around. He saw a man in bright white cloak. His face was not completely hidden, however he could not see HIM. “I … I am sorry, where am I gentleman?”

“Ah! You just thought you were in dream, did you not, my friend?” HE replied. He knows what I think, thought Percival. “My wife … I just saw her, didn’t I?”

The cloaked figure nodded.

“Is this supposed to be ominous; I mean ... she was not actually there … why did I see her.” Percival sounded worried.

“Because you wanted to, my friend”

“I did not want to see you! In fact, you seem to know my name, but pardon me, I do not know you”

“No one knows me, my friend, and yet they remember me, somehow”

Percival stood silently for a while. Is he that raving lunatic of our village, but he seems wise. Is he really … no, that cannot be. Many thoughts came to his mind.

“Gentleman”, he spoke again, “I saw my wife groaning in pain”

The cloaked figure nodded again.

“Is something bad about to happen to my wife” He spoke quickly, “You see, we are to have our first child.”

The cloaked figure smiled. Percival had not actually seen HIS face but something about HIM told Percival that HE was smiling.

“Your child is what brings me here in front of you, my friend. No misfortune shall befall him, be assured my friend.” HIS voice had divineness. HIS voice was holy. “The child shall grow to be the wisest man of your world. No man, either in the past or the future shall have wisdom parallel to his. He shall save your world from a terrible misfortune, and bless his soul, he shall take no credit of it.”

Percival stood silently. The cloaked figure continued, “He shall be as HOLY as me.”

Percival thought he heard something. He turned around. There was his wife playing with a blue eyed child. Percival turned back to face the cloaked figure; he knelt down and bowed his head, “My lord, the lord of the heavens” He sounded trembled but excited, “Is this all real?”

“He shall possess wisdom as profound as mine. He is … “This time HE whispered, “… my own reflection.”

Percival thought he heard someone calling him Father; the voice was identical to that of the cloaked figure but it came from the other direction. He turned around, abruptly, to see the old man in a long white beard with blue eyes behind the half moon spectacles. The old man was smiling. Percival could not believe his eyes, is this … He again turned his head to see the cloaked figure. He was nowhere to be seen. He looked at the old man again, he was still smiling. “Father” he said, in a tone that hinted reverence and deep love.

His eyes moistened. Tears blurred his vision. “My son” he said, wiping the tears, but then the dream was over and he found himself on his bed. Sleeping next to him, peacefully, was his wife Kendra Dumbledore.

He touched her stomach - it was warm. He closed his eyes and sighed. He shall be named Albus, he thought, perhaps because of the whitish background of the dream or perhaps, it was almost instinctive.

It was certainly his happiest memory.