Disclaimer- I do NOT own Albus Or Minerva they are the fantastic work of JK and so is their world. I a however going against pottermore and harrywiki so that Minerva was born on Oct 25th 1925. She also never married whats his name and yes i know Albus should be gay but everyone knows how these ADMM's work!
Late September 1969
Minerva sighed. She had lost chess for the first time in weeks. The old man was staring into the fire, Minerva knew the expression well. She had known him for nearly 20 years. The old man had gone from being a simple mentor to her best friend. She knew who his thoughts were turning to. He would be up long after she left. They had discussed many things over the years but there was one subject that was rarely touched upon. Minerva had only heard about Albus and Grindelwald maybe 3 or 4 times. Each time Albus's tongue had been loosened by a very large firewhiskey. The look he had though suggested that he was thinking about him and all the pain he had caused. She knew that the best thing for her to do was to leave quietly and let his thoughts die with the fire.
Just as she had made it halfway across the room, he looked up." Minerva why did you come back to teach at Hogwarts?" The old man had been trying to come up with a way of asking this question for weeks. His voice was quiet but carried across to where his deputy stood. She had not turned at first thinking he was only going to say good night. She swung on her heels "What did you?"
"You heard what I said."He looked at her directly now, his eyes glistening in the fire. "I said why did you come back Minerva?"His voice didn't falter even when Minerva shook her head.
"I…I.. I'm sorry professor I really must leave." Minerva hadn't called her friend that since the end of her final year. He looked hurt but she left knowing that she would crumple if she didn't. Albus had struck her when she was least prepared, at her weakest. She turned and walked out leaving the poor man wondering how he would ever crack Minerva. She had never let her guard down other than when they spoke of the last days of her final year.
The tone of her voice had told him that she had lost something very dear to her. He remembered those days. She had been bright and happy up until the last few weeks. Then she changed grew distant from him. He guessed that she had fallen for a boy and had her heart crushed. Poor Minerva he thought.
-Minerva decided not to return to Albus's study for a late night chat after his question. Instead she avoided him at meal times and in the corridor. He was more keen to see her. So he would watch from behind a corner as she taught first years how to do the basics. There was a touch of sadden in her voice and she had begun to lecture tow pupils about the dangers of transfiguration. She had never had such a severe look on her face and Albus knew how much he had upset her. He decided to make it up to her. Tonight we will have a game of chess, he decided as he glided back to his office.
-That dinner he waited until Minerva was sitting next to him. She had the same expression as she had when he asked her that question. He passed her a small piece of parchment.
Meet me tonight, I really do miss you beating me at chess.
Albus
She didn't read the note in front of him but instead left the table and read it once she was safely in her study. She lay the note down at her side. The pain of losing him the first time had been once too many. For the first time in several years she began to relive that awful pain.
It was only two more weeks. She kept telling herself that. Two more weeks and she would never have to see him again. Albus had told her all about Grindelwald's power. She had made her decision to become an auror to fight him. After telling Albus he became mad and told her to grow up and think of her future. She had thought of it as a way of staying close but his disgust had made her reconsider her feelings for him. She knew that he could never love her and she gave up on being anything more than a simple witch to him.
A single tear slipped down her cheek at the memory of that day. He had never been as angry as that again. No matter what a pupil did it didn't bring out that fire within his eyes. She decided that she still couldn't go; it would be just too hard to tell the truth. Instead she changed into her tabby cat form and slipped away into the night. The moon gave her a clear path down to black lake. She perched on a favourite rock and began to bask in the moonlight.
Meanwhile up in the castle, Albus was concerned when Minerva did not appear, he had expected to see her. He waited until he heard 11 soft chimes and he knew that his dear would not come. As he went to his bed, he stole a glance out the window. There down by black lake he saw a tiny silhouette of a dog, no it was still too small and then he saw that it was a little cat.
Minerva knew she should be getting back it was late and she had classes starting early tomorrow. Ahh she thought this was a nice escape; maybe I should do it more often. She jumped off the rock and sprinted back to her quarters hoping no one saw her. No one did but as Dumbledore lay in his bed that night, he wondered how he could win her over.
-The Halloween feast was fast approaching. Albus had watched every night since seeing the silhouette. He knew that there had to be a way to grab Minerva's attention. Then he remembered a muggle song he had played to her only a few months before. Her birthday was also coming up and he knew that if he had any chance it would be on her birthday. So he set about finding the record and his old record player so that he could surprise her.
Minerva hadn't been excited for her birthday. Another year older and although she was a very young witch, she still felt that she was aging with every day. So when her birthday came she expected so major surprise.
Albus ignored her at breakfast. She felt this was odd for even him. He had been trying in recent weeks to get her to talk by offering a smile. Today there was nothing. She had received a small card and gift from her mother. Her father had not been in the best of health but she was not to worry. The gift was a small necklace. She briefly looked at her gifts from other people before storming to her classroom. She walked in and closed the door with her back to it. Her whole body was shaking. No one saw her upset, never. She brushed her robes down before focusing on her desk. Sitting there was an old gramophone. It began to play once she got close enough. The song was one that she remembered but couldn't remember who she had heard it with she began to listen to the lyrics;
Tell me the thoughts that surround you
I want to look inside your head, yes I do
And remember just who you are, then go and forget me forever but I know you still bear the star deep inside, yes you do
I know where you go when you're alone in your bed
I know the thoughts that surround because I can look inside your head
Then it jolted her memory. Dumbledore. She looked at the note sitting beside it
Meet me tonight after dinner at your usual hiding spot. I will explain all
Albus
She listened as the song started again. That man. How could he have thought of it. She was broken from her thoughts by the door handle being wangled. She heard a familiar voice. Minerva let me in!
She quickly muttered "alohamora". Poppy waltzed in her smile telling that she was here to wish Minerva the very best birthday. The two had been friends for years. She was the only person who had ever known about her feelings for her old professor and she planned to keep it that way. She gave her a hug and noticed that Minerva had been shielding a gramophone. "So who gave you this? Is it not an old piece of junk?"
The smile across Minerva's face told all. "It was Albus wasn't it." Poppy was delighted to see her friend so happy. She remembered a similar Min just after she had first managed to change into her animagus form." So what else did he do?" Poppy wanted her friend to be happy and knew that he had been trying fervently to apologise to Minerva.
"He wants to meet me tonight that's all." She didn't want to get herself excited if this would turn out to be nothing.
-Albus made his way down to the black lake hoping that his clever plan would pay off. He came down just as a tabby cat turned to face the castle. He knew for sure though that this was not any old pet but more the person he had been waiting to see for weeks. She jumped off the rock and allowed him to sit down before settling herself on his lap. She sat there and listened as he told her why he had asked the question. Albus was shocked at how quiet she was. Her quick temper was surprisingly subdued.
"I'm sorry that I ever made you feel uncomfortable. I just wanted to know why you came back after defeating Grindelwald with me. You could have been one of the finest aurors to have ever lived. Instead you came back to teaching here even after our final argument." Albus's head suddenly dipped as the cat saw his shame. She purred contently. He carried on, "I just never wanted to lose you, I have lost everyone who has ever meant anything to me and the idea of losing you was just too much." She climbed of his lap and transformed back into her usual self.
"Well Albus I would have hoped that you didn't I was one of your most valuable pupils". He gazed up at her.
"Come back and keep an old man company, I think we need to talk some feelings over in private."She couldn't have agreed more as they turned and headed towards the castle.
