Convincing Harry

It was Harry Potter's first term at Hogwarts and so far he seemed impressed with everything, well nearly everything. As Harry saw Albus Dumbledore stroll along the passage, resplendant in bright red robes and tall pointed hat adorned with golden stars, he rolled his eyes in disgust and turned to his friend Ron Weasley.

"Now look here Harry, I've told you a million times already that Dumbledore is a real wizard, so don't bother asking again." Ron snarled.

"Are you sure ?" Harry asked disbelievingly. It was a question he had asked countless times already since starting at Hogwarts.

"YES !" Ron snapped as his ginger hair bobbed around furiously, and he took a half stride towards Harry, as though contemplating punching him.

"But ... but ... just look at the way he dresses ..." Harry said as he gazed at Dumbledore, who was humming nonchalantly seemingly immersed in reading the school noticeboard, just a few yards away. "I mean it's such a cliche, stars and a pointed hat ..." Harry continued in disgust, "You read any book about wizards and they all wear the same thing, he looks more like someone's grandfather pretending to be a wizard if you ask me !"

"Shut up, he'll hear you." Ron growled, as he shot a glance at Dumbledore's back which seemed to be shaking slightly. "Listen Harry you've got to stop this nonsence ..." Ron snarled, as he dragged Harry down the corridor.

Albus could still hear the two friends arguing as they entered the great hall, the final words he heard were Harry's "I bet you anything you like that he isn't really a wizard at all, I bet he rented his costume from the local fancy dress shop." Once the two boys had vanished Albus threw back his silvery head and roared with laughter, causing the inhabitants of two paintings who had been slumbering peacefully to glare irately at him, and grumble under their breath.

Albus was still roaring with laughter as he lounged in his study several minutes later, and as Minerva entered she found him wiping tears of mirth from his eyes with a large purple hankerchief adorned with bright pink spots. Minerva sighed as she gazed at her husband, would the overgrown child never grow up. "So what did those blasted Weasley twins do this time ?" She demanded.

"Nothing ..." Albus spluttered as he stuffed his hankerchief in his mouth in a futile attempt to silence his laughter.

"Did one of the first years dye Severus' robes bright pink again ?" Minerva asked hopefully.

All Albus could do was shake his head, as he laughed so hard that he seemed about to roll off his chair.

Minerva glared at him much as a dragon might eye it's prey, her foot tapping impatiently on the floor. "Albus Dumbledore if you don't stop laughing and tell me what is so amusing this instant I shall kidnap your lemon drops again." She snapped, the spark in her emerald eyes proof that she was in no mood to be trifled with.

Albus gulped slightly, dabbed his eyes one more time with the sodden hankerchief, and began to tell Minerva what he had overheard earlier. As Albus quoted Harry's words about fancy dress Minerva dissolved into gales of laughter. Delighted to see her so happy and free of the stress of her duties, Albus decided to amuse his wife with more stories about what he had overheard Harry saying.

"If you think that's amusing you should hear what else he's been saying." Albus chortled, his blue eyes twinkling with mirth. "Harry thinks you're not a real witch either." Albus slapped his crimson clad thigh and guffawed with laughter.

"Oh he does, does he ..." Snapped Minerva, a telltale glint in her emerald eyes.

"Yes ..." Albus chuckled, seemingly unaware of the first flames of fury flickering in Minerva's eyes. "Just you wait till you hear what he's been saying, it's even funnier than mine .... Harry thinks that you look like the typical old witch from fairy tales, I even heard him say that he half expects you to cackle evily or go zooming off on a broomstick ... He thinks you rented your witch costume from the same shop as me ... Isn't that hillarious, my dear ..."

As Albus continued to alternately chuckle and ramble about how very amusing it all was, he completely failed to notice Minerva sweep out of his office on a tide of wrath.

Just a few minutes later Harry was sauntering nonchalantly along the passage, when he heard a fiercesome bellow behind him. "POTTER ! I WANT A WORD WITH YOU POTTER ! COME WITH ME !"

Author's Notes

Just a random plot bunny attack which struck me as amusing. Please review. Chapter Two should come soon hopefully.