Author's Notes: This is my "first five things" fic. Feedback is always appreciated. I imagine that Geraldine Skeeter is grandmother to our dear Rita Skeeter, while Alan and Rhea are are Diana's younger siblings. You'll know what I'm talking about once you read the story, I promise.
Disclaimer: My initials are not JKR; I do not own Harry Potter.
Outing Albus
I
Minerva McGonagall losing her temper with her students was a rare occurrence indeed. Scolding was fairly common in transfiguration class, but Minerva rarely grew so upset that she lost control.
Today, however, would prove to be different.
If there was one thing that Minerva could not stand, it was students talking over her while she was teaching. Draco Malfoy never failed to exemplify Minerva's pet peeve. He knew that his talking in class bothered her and that gave him all the more motivation to do it. He was most definitely his father's son.
On that particular day, her Gryffindor and Slytherin classes were determined to not pay attention. Minerva sighed; her patience was wearing thin. The classroom buzzed with conversation; one would think that with the current noise level and disorder that they were in Hogsmeade, not a classroom. It piqued Minerva; this was, after all, a classroom and not a playground.
She had her back turned to the class, writing on the blackboard, in hopes that at least Ms. Granger would copy the notes down when she heard Harry Potter bellow.
"SHUT UP, MALFOY!"
She whirled around angrily to face the class, just in time to see Harry lunge at Draco.
"Mr. Potter!" Minerva yelled, exasperated.
"It wasn't his fault, Professor!" Hermione rushed to his defense, "Malfoy was provoked him by trash talking Professor Dumbledore."
"Called him a fag," Harry growled angrily. The noise level in Minerva's classroom tripled. "If Dumbledore's gay, that's that, but Malfoy's got no stinking right to -"
"It's true!" Malfoy interrupted, "Don't any of you read The Prophet? Dumbledore's –"
"YOU ALL WILL BE SILENT!" Minerva angrily threw the chalk that she had been using on her desk.
The young wizards quieted down; Minerva was once again able to hear the chirping of the birds outside on that spring day.
"Now, I don't know where any of you acquired the information that Professor Dumbledore is homosexual –"
"It's in the papers," Malfoy muttered.
"But I am outraged," Minerva continued heatedly, "That any of you would speak so poorly of him."
"Daily Prophet, page three. Rita Skeeter wrote a nice little article."
"Mr. Malfoy!" Minerva yelled wrathfully. In all of her anger, her hair was beginning to slip out of its customary bun, "If you interrupt me once more, you will serve detention everyday for the rest of this term!"
Malfoy scowled.
"Professor Dumbledore is a great wizard. He is a friend to each and every one of you. His sexual orientation," Minerva said, "Is none of our concern."
She glared at no one in particular.
"Class dismissed."
II
"Don't you see, Poppy?" Sixteen year old Pomona Sprout addressed her friend, "We have to tell Minerva about this."
"I don't see why," Poppy replied stoutly, "It would hurt her."
Pomona sighed, "She's going to find out that he's gay eventually, Poppy. Wouldn't you rather she learns from us than that awful Geraldine Skeeter?"
Poppy simply remained silent.
Pomona growled in frustration, "Leave it to Minerva! She finally falls in love, and her certain someone is gay."
"You can't blame her, Pom," Poppy said, "Dumbledore understands her."
"And we don't?" Pomona countered.
"Not like he does, no," Poppy reasoned, "You've seen them talking about transfiguration; they're just so alike, and –"
Poppy's reasoning was cut short by the arrival of Minerva at the willow tree on the Hogwarts grounds where Pomona and Poppy had been talking.
"Hi, Min," Poppy said.
Minerva smiled at her best friend.
"Minerva, Poppy and I need to tell you something," Pomona started.
"No we don't!" Poppy interrupted angrily, "Minerva, just ignore her."
Minerva frowned, "You two have me curious as to whatever it is I do, or don't need to know."
"Dumbledore's gay!" Pomona spat out before Poppy could stop her.
Minerva paled. It couldn't be true; Albus Dumbledore was the only man she had ever and would ever love. "Pardon?"
"Dumbledore is gay," Pomona annunciated slowly, "It's in the papers; Geraldine Skeeter wrote an article about it. He loved Grindelwald."
"What do you mean?" Minerva asked, holding back the tears that were threatening to fall very soon.
"Oh, Min," Pomona said softly, sending Pomona an angry glare that clearly said now see what you've done.
Minerva pulled herself together, "That doesn't matter. So he's gay. He's still the greatest wizard of our time."
Poppy and Pomona nodded.
"It doesn't matter," Minerva whispered to herself sadly.
III
"Minerva," Albus knocked on the door to her rooms at Hogwarts, "Please talk to me. I can explain the events of earlier, really."
Minerva opened the door; Albus discovered that she was still angry. "Fine," she said, leading him to her sitting room, "Explain."
"I wasn't hiding my sexual orientation from you, Min," Albus began.
Minerva interrupted him angrily, "Really! Then why is it, Albus, that I found out that you are gay from Horace Slughorn at tonight's ministry gathering? You are my best friend, Albus, and I have nothing against you being homosexual, but I am hurt that you failed to inform me. I've told you everything that I would hesitate to tell anyone else!"
"It never came up, Minerva. In our many conversations, it never came up." Albus explained patiently, "If it had, I would have told you in a heartbeat."
Minerva sighed, "You're right, Albus. I'm sorry for overeating."
"Min, don't be sorry," Albus took her hand reassuringly, "If anyone should apologize, it is I. I'm sorry you had to find out like that."
"Oh Albus," Minerva replied, "You are impossible to stay mad at! Don't worry about it."
Albus chucked, glad that he and his best friend were friends again.
IV
Seven year old Minerva McGonagall sat at the table, eating breakfast with her family. It was September first, and her older brother, Michael, would be departing for Hogwarts in a few hours. It saddened Minerva to think about it, while she was excited for her brother; she loved Michael and would miss him dearly while her was away.
"Athena, Monty, would ya look at this?" Minerva's uncle Alfred thrust the paper at Minerva's parents. Minerva frowned as she nibbled at her waffles; she did not like her loud and at times obnoxious uncle Alfred.
"Albus Dumbledore's gay!" Alfred exclaimed, "Says so right here in The Prophet."
"Michael," Minerva asked her brother quietly, "What's gay?"
Michael thought for a moment, "It means happy, Min."
"Oh," Minerva replied.
"Are you excited about Hogwarts, Michael?" Minerva asked a few moments later, Albus Dumbledore forgotten.
"You bet."
V
Minerva Dumbledore was delighted to come home to find her eldest child, twenty four year old Diana, in the sitting room. It was a pleasant surprise; with planning her own wedding and her job at the ministry, Minerva's daughter was quite busy. But, here she was, occupying her favorite chair in the sitting room with her hands clasped earnestly together.
"Diana!" Minerva exclaimed happily. It was then that she noticed the expression on her daughter's face, "What is the matter, dear?"
"It's Dad," Diana replied solemnly, "Oh Mum, he's so upset."
"Why?" Minerva questioned curiously. Albus was normally in high spirits; it was atypical for him to be troubled.
"There was an article in The Prophet," Diana began, her bright eyes that she had unquestionably inherited from her mother flashing angrily, "That awful Rita Skeeter suggested that he was gay."
Minerva sighed. Awful Rita Skeeter indeed! "Where is your father?"
"Up in your room," Diana replied.
Minerva left the sitting rooms and walked up the staircase that led to the bedroom that she and Albus shared. She knocked on the door, "Albus?"
There was no answer. Minerva opened the door to find her husband sitting in an armchair, looking forlorn.
"Albus," Minerva said again as she sat down next to him.
"Hello Minerva," Albus replied. He stared at her pensively.
She took his hand, "I know that you are not gay."
Albus sighed, "Minerva, I…"
"I know that you are not gay," Minerva continued, "As do Aberforth, Diana, Alan, and Rhea."
Minerva squeezed his hand, "Who cares what the rest of them think?"
Albus nodded. He sighed; he would tell her of his feelings for Grindelwald another day.