The Photo Shoot
The greatest wizard of the age! That was Albus Dumbledore's title and had been for about eight years now since he had defeated the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. Albus was very humble about his label and hardly every even acknowledge the title. But today he was heading to Bracken Studios on the coast in Brighton for a special photo shoot and interview for the wizard magazine Witch Weekly.
The director of the shoot had requested he'd arrive early as it would be a long shoot with several backgrounds and costumes for a several page spread in the magazine and Albus had been hesitant at this but the promise of a truthful reporter had slowly lured him. The chance for a break at the beach was welcome from the monotony of summer at Hogwarts when no one was there.
Albus arrive at the main site and was greeted by a young woman who claimed to be the director's assistant.
"I'm Melanie sir and I'll be fetching anything you need while you're waiting. Your hair and make up artists are over there," she stated pointing to a table with a large lighted mirror and a film chair.
A man and woman were conversing by it.
"All right then. I'd love a mug of hot cocoa and some lemon drops if you can," Albus twinkled merrily.
"Um…o-okay," the girl nodded and hurrying off wondering what the heck lemon drops were.
Albus walked over to the two conversing and introduced himself.
"Pleasure Headmaster. I'm Elsa and this is by brother Freddie. He's hair and I'm make-up," the woman with the blonde pixie hair stated. The man had slicked back black hair.
"Nice to meet you. I wasn't aware I'd need make up though," Albus stated as he sat in the chair.
"Well just to take the shine down. I don't use a lot on wizards," Elsa stated.
The two had only been working on Albus for ten minutes when Melanie and some other girl came running over. They handed Albus his treats and looked excitedly at Elsa and Freddie.
"Her ETA is five minutes! The limousine just pulled up!" Melanie exclaimed excitedly.
"She's only got four of them with her this time," the elder girl said.
"Oh I can't wait to get my hands in that hair again," Freddie sighed, "I swear it's silk."
"Mel we better get the champagne," the other woman stated pulling Melanie with her.
"They seemed very excited. Is it a famous photographer?" Albus asked sipping his drink.
"Don't be silly it's the most powerful witch in the world! Didn't you know this was a double interview and photo shoot?" Elsa frowned.
"No I did," Albus stated.
"Doesn't matter. Katy makes anyone look good," Freddie replied.
"Who?" Albus asked.
"Have you been under a bloody rock Headmaster? Katherine McGonagall has been the most powerful witch in the world for like ten years now. Actually we weren't sure she'd make it today. She gave birth like two months ago I think," Elsa explained, "It's her thirteenth I think."
Albus nodded as the three heard a lot of commotion from the door in the back. The professor turned and had to laugh to himself.
The woman that entered surrounded by a miniature mob and three children under the age of seventeen was certainly something. She wore a pleated black skirt above her knee with black pumps and a red low cut cardigan sweater. Her hair was in lovely shiny ringlets that fell to her robust chest. She had long legs and was very tall, slim, and curvy with sun kissed skin. Her lips were ruby colored and she had large rhinestone black glasses over her eyes so Albus wasn't sure what color they were. In her arms she held an adorable baby girl with black hair and green eyes in a lacy cream dress and cream and green elastic headband.
Albus figured the woman had to be very high maintenance and conceited.
The woman walked all the way over to the end of the room where Albus was and slowly lifted her glasses sitting them on her head. Her eyes were the most memorizing emerald green. She smiled a dazzling white smiled at the headmaster and extended her hand.
"Pleasure is mine sir. My children speak of you very fondly. I'm Katherine, Katherine McGonagall," the woman greeted. Her voice was light and airy.
"Albus Dumbledore. I'm sorry to admit that I don't recall ever having met you," Albus stated shaking her hand warmly.
"No you wouldn't have. I stay in my manor usually working on more potions and curses or at the Ministry. You see I'm head of the Hall of Prophecies an unspeakable as it where," Katherine explained, "Of course my late husband Benjamin McGonagall was at the school when ever the children needed a parent or were in trouble."
"Ah Benjamin yes…then you would be Minerva's mother," Albus grinned.
"Guilty. She's told me you still keep in touch. You must really adore her," Katherine smirked as she sat in the chair by him that had suddenly appeared. Albus was glad he had a beard to hide his blush.
"Right now I don't know how much you both know but this is a special collector's edition of Witch Weekly we're going to have several scenes and costumes. The first is this," the costumer woman replied holding up a beautiful silver and green ball gown and set of blue dress robes.
"What's the theme a Ball?" Katherine asked taking her dress.
"Well sort of. A Night to Remember actually," the lady stated handing Albus the robes.
"This should be fun. I've never danced with a teacher before," Katherine chuckled as she went to change.
Ten minutes later Katherine and Albus were walking onto a set that was made to look like a Ministry Dance.
"Now we're going to play a Wizard Waltz piece. All you two have to do is dance and hopefully look happy," the director explained.
"Sounds easy enough," Albus nodded offering his hand to Katherine.
"Great roll music!" the director shouted.
"You know Minerva looks an awful lot like you," Albus replied as they twirled around in a circle.
"I'll take that as a compliment. Athena is more of a blonde me. She got that from her father," Katherine laughed lightly as he lifted her in the air.
"How in the world did you just have a baby and weigh this little?" Albus asked as she came back down and they twirled some more.
"Fast metabolism and working out," Katherine grinned.
Albus twinkled as he lifted her in the air and she laughed sweetly.
Three dances later Katherine and Albus stepped off the dance floor and returned to the chairs to get their hair and/ or make-up redone for another scene.
"Tell me what it is you do at the Ministry," Albus replied as he watched the make-up she was wearing get lightly almost like spring time.
"Well I'm over the Prophecies. I for see where they're placed, make sure the right person gets them, and that all labels are correct. I even make a few from time to time," Katherine explained.
"So you're a seer then," Albus asked.
"Yes actually. Surprising isn't it?" she laughed as they finished her make-up and began pulling her curls out of the clips and into a cute ponytail.
"Considering Athena and Minerva yes," Albus laughed, "Although I think Artemis liked divinations."
"Ah so you do remember more than just the girl you crush on," Katherine giggled.
Albus blushed again at her words but in his heart he felt this woman was teasing and wasn't trying to bait him.
The next scene they shoot was of a day in the park. The two magical people that were well in their seventies were told to enjoy each other and pretend they were teenagers again. That was easy enough for both and the more playful the two got in their muggle summer clothes the more familiar they got with what worked with each other. So much so that sometimes Albus would lift Katherine in his arms or she would jump on his back and whisper in his ear and the two would fall into fits of laughter to the ground.
"And cut. Okay that was great! If I didn't know any better I'd say you two had met before," the director stated leading them back to another hair and make-up and wardrobe change.
"Actually I just remembered that I did. Of course the last time I saw her she had large glasses and freckles," Albus laughed.
"Ah so you do remember the silly little first year," Katherine laughed. Albus nodded.
"Mummy! Mummy the baby's hungry!" a six year old boy stated running over to her.
"Okay there's a bottle for her in the baby bag Darius," Katherine smiled.
The little boy nodded and ran to tell his siblings.
"He's cute," Albus stated.
"Thank you. You know Albus just because you are older than even me doesn't mean you can't date Minerva," Katherine replied.
Albus blinked in shock at her.
"You really are thick sometimes Dumbledore. My daughter is pining away and you are too much of a gentleman to do anything just because she's over fifty years your junior. You can have just as much if not more fun with her than you do with me," Katherine winked.
Albus chuckled shaking his head.
"If that is your blessing to court Minerva I just might," he stated.
"Oh lovely," Katherine clapped.
They did two more scenes with each other.
One on the beach itself were they both got very wet splashing.
The other even mimicking the statue in the Ministry of the witch and wizard looking down on the creatures.
"Ah look we're superior!" Katherine giggled standing on the wide pedestal. Albus stood by her on a pedestal slightly taller.
"I don't like to think so," Albus stated.
"Neither does she," the black centaur stated.
"How do you know that?" the goblin frowned.
"Madam is most kind to us. She is most kind," the elf replied. The elf was wearing a black pillowcase with a large silver M on it.
"Albus this is my personal house elf Pepper and an old friend; the centaur Grodin. Grodin and I used to play in the forest together behind my parents home when we were younger," Katherine introduced.
"Pleasure," Albus nodded holding his hand to the centaur. The creature shook his hand with a nodded.
"I'm Goblwolk," the goblin stated.
"And I have no idea who he is I didn't bring him," Katherine added.
"Could it be because you do not like goblins and keep your money at home?" Grodin smirked and pulled her off her pedestal holding her in his arms bridal style.
"You keep your money at home?" Albus asked pointing his wand loosely.
While the group chatted the photographer took pictures finding the most interesting shots when Albus and Katherine were just chatting. Both had strange twinkles in their eyes most of the time.
"Oh yes," Katherine nodded, "Grodin dearest can I have my stool back?"
"I'd rather to stay down here and not get a big head," Grodin replied but put her back on the stand.
Katherine straightened her robes and sighed dramatically falling on her knees with her wand pointed at Albus as she grabbed his feet.
"Oh please greatest wizard of the age! Please hear me and do not destroy the creatures!" Katherine cried with tears in her eyes as she swept her hand over the three creatures. The centaur kneeled slightly while the elf bowed lowly and the goblin crossed his arms angrily.
"Um I am sorry my dear but they must be dealt with," Albus replied.
"Oh but Great Wizard we can train them, help them, and educate them! They'll be part of the world," Katherine replied sliding up his robes and looking at him with shining wonder.
Albus looked down at her smiling as the centaur reared.
"You are a very good actress," Albus chuckled.
"Why thank you," Katherine smiled and jumped from his placing her hands on her hips and raising her head.
After the interviews had been given the photographer had asked for one more picture that surprised the witch and wizard.
"A family photo? But we aren't married," Katherine frowned.
"Yes but we heard you talking and we thought it would be interesting," the photographer stated.
"They even asked me to get a hold of Min," the fifteen year old boy smirked as a woman with black hair and green eyes entered the room.
"Minerva!" Katherine smiled.
"Hello mother," Minerva smiled.
"Well okay we'll do it. Kids let's get some outfits together," Katherine stated pulling the children away to the wardrobe.
The workers took the hint and walked away to do something as well leaving Albus and Minerva together.
"So you've been here all day?" Minerva asked.
"Yes…why didn't you tell me your mother is Katy Grace Harris?" Albus asked.
"She's who?" Minerva blinked.
"The youngest Quidditch player Hogwarts has ever had!" Albus stated.
"I uh…she never said she was," Minerva shrugged.
"I'd have never guessed till she started jumping on my back and told me to duck. She used to do that all the time when she was a first year," Albus chuckled, "I was her team captain."
"Oh," Minerva nodded and frowned, "She jumped on your back?"
Albus chuckled and shrugged, "They told us to play with each other."
"Oh."
"Did uh you two talk about anything else?" Minerva asked.
"She told me to take a chance with you," Albus stated pulling the young auror flush against him.
"And?" Minerva breathed inhaling his cologne.
"And I think I will," he whispered kissing her lips lightly.
"YAY!!" the three children shouted as Katherine chuckled and the crew around them clapped and whistled.
Ten days later Albus sat at his desk at Hogwarts and unrolled the special collector's edition of Witch Weekly.
A blaze on the cover was Albus grinning brightly and laughing as Katherine hugged him while she was on his back.
The Article titled proclaimed in big letters: Greatest Witch of the Age Welcomes Greatest Wizard of the Age to her Family Circle!
He chuckled at the title and opened the magazine to find the pictures. All their photos had come out very good and they even had a few photos of when they were sitting in their chairs just chatting. The one that he liked the most was the ending photo that was partially a family photo.
It only had the four youngest and Minerva but it was still great.
In it Katherine sat in a large black leather chair in the middle with her babied in her arms. The next to youngest stood on either side of the arm and behind the chair on either side of Albus were the fifteen year-old and Minerva. Minerva was on Albus' right and as they moved in the photo Albus wrapped his arms around Minerva and she snuggled into him while Katherine looked up at them smiling and the others laughed. It had been a great photo shoot as far as Albus considered and he was excited to do it again.
THE END