The Defense Professor's Lie
When Tom Riddle, AKA Lord Voldemort, asked for a job at Hogwarts and was refused, he placed a curse on the job so not one DADA professor could maintain the post for more than a year. There must have been many before Harry's first year (Quirrell had been the Muggle Studies professor previously). This is the story of one the past DADA professors, Cyrilla Galen, and a lie she told the staff.
Disclaimer: I don't own HP
It was the day everyone came back from winter break. The only professors that had remained at Hogwarts were Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Cyrilla Galen, Pomona Sprout, and Filius Flitwick, but now everyone had returned. Currently, Minerva was entering the staffroom to find most of the female members of the staff listening intently to whatever Cyrilla was saying.
"…and then, after all those months since the start of term, we rarely left each other's side this holiday break!" she ended excitedly.
Out of curiosity, Minerva asked, "Who, Cyrilla?"
"Albus Dumbledore, of course," she smiled. Minerva raised her eyebrows and turned away, trying to hide her smirk. Albus had spent the holidays with his wife, not Cyrilla. Minerva knew for a fact because she was his wife, but no one could know that.
Placing her teacher's mask back on her face, Minerva turned back to Cyrilla and asked, "So, you've been having a romantic relationship with the Headmaster since the start of term?"
"That's right," beamed Cyrilla. Wow, this woman is delusional, Minerva thought.
Aurora Sinistra asked, "Is he a good kisser?"
"Yes," Cyrilla sighed dreamily. Minerva had to cough to cover her laugh. No one noticed.
Septima Vector moved closer and asked, glancing around at the others listening, "How is he?"
"What do you mean?" asked Cyrilla, but Minerva knew exactly what the Ancient Runes professor was referring to.
"You know," she nudged her, "in bed?"
Minerva waited to see if Cyrilla would lie again, "Now that's private."
Minerva raised her eyebrows, "You don't have to elaborate. One word would suffice, unless you don't actually know the answer."
Cyrilla bit her lip, "Fine. I don't know the answer." It surprised Minerva that she actually decided to tell the truth.
"Why don't you try to find out the answer tonight?" suggested Bathsheda Babbling with a grin.
Cyrilla had dug herself too deep in her story. She should've just lied and answered the question, but it was too late for that now. If she refused, they would become suspicious. So, she answered, shrugging like it was no big deal, "Fine."
Minerva's eyebrows shot up; she would be the one to see if she even tried…
It was evening for the Dumbledores. Albus sat on the couch with Minerva leaning against him, stretched out, reading a book. He was running his fingers through her hair that was now out of its bun. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and Minerva's jaw dropped, "I didn't think she would actually come."
"Who, my dear?" asked Albus.
"Galen," Minerva answered, rolling her eyes. "She's been spreading rumors that the two of you are together, and Bathsheda suggested that she should try to get you in bed."
Albus's jaw dropped, "I'm going to have to set her straight."
"Well, don't let me complicate things," Minerva said, standing up and entering their bedroom. Albus watched her go and opened the door hesitantly.
Cyrilla Galen stood on the other side, looking up at him through her eyelashes, "Good evening, Headmaster." She tried to push past him and into his private rooms, but he held her back.
"Professor," he said stiffly, "was there anything of importance you needed to speak with me about?"
"No, not speak with you," she smiled suggestively.
"Then I believe you should leave," he said.
"Why?" she asked innocently.
"I will not have you spreading rumors about me around school," he answered with a great deal more stiffness than his usual genial attitude impressed upone others.
She frowned, "Who told you?"
"None of your business," Albus answered sternly. "But it has to stop."
Cyrilla's eyes flashed, "But I want you, Albus."
"I will pretend you did not utter that inappropriate and unwanted phrase, Professor Galen," Albus responded seriously.
"Why so formal, Headmaster?" she asked, moving closer to him.
"I have already told you why," he answered, stepping away and closing the door. He locked it behind him and went to his bedroom, where Minerva was waiting. He slid onto the bed next to her, rolled so he was facing her, and waited for her to look at him from her book. When she finished her paragraph, she placed the book on the nightstand with her spectacles and looked at him. He pulled her down to his level and kissed her deeply, leaving her breathless when he pulled away eventually.
"That was torture," he breathed. "She wouldn't leave, and all I wanted was my beautiful wife."
"I suppose you'll have to settle with me," Minerva teased, grazing the side of his face with her nails gently.
"Even better," he grinned.
Cyrilla Galen is obviously not meant to be taken seriously. A very flat character, but hey, she had to be that delusional for the story to work ;).