"What if?"
A Harry Potter story (AU, set during HP-ATSS but with trickles here and there from years 2-6), started July 2007, just before the release of Book #7. I know that some of the spells cast and other (students') magical abilities are slightly out of order from the books, but the AU designation pretty much covers it.
Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling; I do not own these canon characters, and I do not make money from these fictional adventures. Darnit.
Pairing: AD/MM. I can't help myself; I always think of Richard Harris as Dumbledore, so that's how I write him!
Spoilers: None
Author's notes: This was inspired by numerous ADMM fan-fics by "Lamenting Quill" and other talented authors at rating K-T for now. Please R&R.
Chapter 03/??
Felis familiaris
The Head of Gryffindor House held her forehead in her hands, her elbows propped up on the desk in front of her. She was shaking her head and muttering some very Gaelic mild oaths under her breath. The Weasley twins, Hogwarts and Gryffindor House students in their third year, were going for a record in detentions, and September wasn't even over yet.
"Quidditch season will begin the month after next, Minerva. That always keeps the idle lot more…involved," said Dumbledore reasonably. "Or at least, less likely to get into mischief, right?" He couldn't have kept the amused tone from his voice if he'd tried, knowing that Fred and George were able to play Quidditch and do any number of things simultaneously if they so chose.
McGonagall sighed and removed her glasses, gently squeezing the bridge of her nose. She smiled at him with affection. "You're right, Albus; I know. Thank you." With a subtle flick of her wand, she made room for the hovering tea tray on the side table next to her desk. Dumbledore watched quietly, sitting back in the well-cushioned armchair across from her. Preferring to pour the tea herself when it was just the two of them, he waited until she handed him the cup and saucer, then prepared another as her own.
"And thank you, my dear," he said, brushing her fingertips with his. He crossed his legs and got comfortable. "You know full well it's always the same thing in the first few weeks of term, Minerva. We just haven't had a wrecking crew like these boys in years."
She laughed irreverently as she sat across the readied chessboard from him, gathering her robes more comfortably around her lower legs. "Too bloody true!"
Saturday mornings at the start of the school year had become very special for the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress. At the moment, there were fewer papers that needed marking, and they took the opportunity to share a few precious hours of quiet time together, playing wizard's chess or just chatting. There would be time enough later to answer owl posts from various concerned parents or from various concerned ministers, wherever they may be.
"I don't know how Molly does it. Bill, Charlie and Percy were never this…" she paused, blowing across her cup of tea to cool it, searching for the right adjective (or expletive as the case may be).
Albus tilted his head to one side, sucking thoughtfully on a lemon drop, a tiny smile on his lips. "Creative?" he offered. They both laughed at this but where interrupted by a knock at her office door.
"Enter," she said crisply, taking a sip of her tea and raising both eyebrows at her husband. Speak of the devil, she thought.
It was Percy Weasley, a fifth year student and one of the Gryffindor prefects, with none other than Brian Rollins in tow. Her heart leapt at the sight of her son, but she felt a twinge of worry when she saw that he was holding something in both hands all the while surreptitiously wiping away tears on the upper sleeves of his sweatshirt. When they were not in classes or school gatherings, students were allowed to wear clothing to which they were more accustomed; in Brian's case, his usual Muggle-world attire.
Together, she and Dumbledore stood as the young men came in. "Oh dear. What is it, gentlemen?" asked McGonagall more calmly than she felt just then.
Percy nodded respectfully to each in turn. "Professor, Headmaster. I apologize that we're interrupting your morning, but this couldn't wait." He gently urged a reluctant Brian forward. The elder witch and wizard shared a glance as they watched him trying to compose himself, and looked with favor on the fact that the red-haired prefect kept a friendly hand across the younger boy's shoulders. Inwardly, Minerva awarded Percy housepoints for this; he could come across as pompous, but Molly and Arthur Weasley's middle son was studious and kind. So what if he was a bit of a stickler?
"Go ahead, Brian. It'll be okay," he continued in a soft voice.
Visibly steeling himself, Brian shuffled a step or two, looking up at her with a very sad look on his face. "I found a kitten, Professor, out by the greenhouses. And I was told she needed to be, um…" he paused, sniffling. "…checked out for Dark magic."
Her eyes grew moist as she nodded; she hated to see him so troubled and it tugged heavily at her heart-strings. "That is true. We have to be very cautious," she said. "Thank you, Mr. Weasley. We'll take it from here."
Percy straightened in acknowledgement but before he left, he patted Brian on the back, hoping to encourage him. "It'll be okay," he repeated. "See you later, right?"
Brian nodded mutely, trying to give a brave smile. "Yep, thanks."
Dumbledore returned to his armchair and his teacup as McGonagall came forward to take the kitten in hand. The boy looked with obvious worry at the tiny animal which she now held and was unable to meet her gaze. "Please, have a seat, Brian," she told him kindly as she went back around to her desk, setting the kitten down to walk on the blotter and low stack of papers. Immediately, the little black and white cat "meowed" happily and began to play with one of the feathered quills she found there.
Brian looked up, still with sadness in his crystal-blue eyes, and moved to the vacant armchair opposite the Headmaster. "Yes ma'am, thank you." His feet barely brushed the floor when he sat in the tall chair. "Good morning, sir," he greeted Dumbledore politely.
Dumbledore inclined his head and returned the greeting in silence. From her seat at the desk, McGonagall cleared her throat, ignoring the amused look of irony that Albus was now giving her.
"So," she began. "Tell us about the kitten, please." The Head of Gryffindor House was momentarily distracted as she rescued an unopened inkpot from the little cat's attentions. It was a really cute kitten: mostly black coat with four white "socks" and a penny-sized white spot on her chest. Her bright orange eyes gleamed with comical naughtiness as her ears pricked forward at McGonagall's hawk feather quills once more, completely ignoring for the moment the three humans in her presence. Her tail flicked back and forth as she prepared to pounce on an imagined foe.
Brian took a deep breath. "I found her outside the greenhouse as we were leaving Herbology the other day. I thought…well, I thought I could keep her. Can I? She's really clean and well-behaved; she sleeps in my bed and everything."
"First years are allowed pets, true," commented Dumbledore. "Mr. Longbottom's toad is quite a specimen."
"Trevor, yes sir. But some of the guys in study hall this morning told me that Zoe should be checked out first, by a teacher," he went on, indicating the frisky kitten and blinking back tears again. "They said it meant, um, taking her apart or something."
McGonagall clucked her tongue in sympathy. "Absolutely not. Who is telling you these dreadful things?" she asked, though she didn't have to be a Legilimens to know who it was.
Looking down at his sneakers, Brian replied: "I'd rather not say, Professor McGonagall. I don't want anybody to get into trouble." He blushed furiously.
The Headmaster chuckled softly. "Don't worry for an instant Brian; it'll just be a series of checking spells. Professor McGonagall is an expert in these kinds of things." He meant to be reassuring, but the boy looked up suddenly, worried.
"Zoe won't be hurt will she? I just…"
"She won't be harmed in any way, Brian, I promise you that," said McGonagall firmly, giving Dumbledore a "help-me-out-here" look. The Transfiguration Master reached to retrieve the kitten from inside her tartan green witches hat where she had just curled up for a nap. "But it will take some time, and I do want to be thorough for your safety and that of your housemates. You may wish to return to your…"
"I'd rather wait here, ma'am, if that's alright," Brian interjected, looking at the tiny sleeping kitten.
"We could play chess while we wait, young man, if you don't mind the company," suggested Dumbledore, gesturing at the board between them. Some of the enchanted chess pieces came alert at this and were voicing their agreement of the idea.
Brian nodded as McGonagall stood, holding Zoe to her chest with one hand. The kitten had awakened for a short time but was now snuggled contentedly against her, purring loudly. "I will return as soon as I can then," she said as she left. What she didn't tell him was that some of the checking spells would probably upset him at this point in his magical career (e.g., Engorgio, Reductio, etc.).
After McGonagall left, Albus positioned his armchair at the chessboard, and indicated with a nod of his head that Brian should do the same. When the boy cast his glance to the side door through which McGonagall had exited, Dumbledore reached over and patted his arm lightly. "It'll be fine, son. Didn't you learn about Animagi in class?"
"Yes, sir. We did," he replied. "And Professor McGonagall transfigured into her cat physical form. It was really cool, to be honest." Dumbledore just nodded patiently and let Brian mull this over. "Aaand we have to be sure that Zoe isn't an Animagus, or anything like that?"
Dumbledore smiled, his eyes shining over the half-moon spectacles. "Full marks. Here, try a lemon drop." He offered the packet, reaching over the chessboard.
Grinning, Brian did finally seem to relax as they shared lemon drops and played wizard's chess. The Headmaster took the time to casually ask the boy about his other classes, and about his experiences thus far at Hogwarts School. Albus hoped that he would have plenty of news about their son to share with Minerva later that day; he felt not a small amount of self-satisfaction at having thought of it as a way to cheer the boy up as well.
It was more than an hour later when Brian started to yawn, yet he carried on playing and courteously trying to hide his tiredness from the elder wizard. "I'm sorry, sir. We had an Astronomy review last night. It ran pretty late."
Dumbledore chuckled softly, and found that he was yawning reflexively back, stifling it with the back of his hand. "I know what you mean. It's rather hard to review practical star-gazing in broad daylight isn't it?" Neither of them had moved a chess piece in several minutes, and even the intact ones were complaining to the players to get back on with the game.
"Cheeky," said Albus to his king, queen and remaining bishop who were glaring up at him with their hands on hips. "Go on and have a sleep, you lot; go on." Brian snickered along with him when the chess pieces each gave a mildly rude gesture and marched themselves back to the box.
By the time McGonagall returned to her office with Zoe the kitten, she found the two most important men in her life sound asleep, the chessboard now emptied between them. Both Brian and Dumbledore had stretched out in their armchairs in the same poses, their feet propped up on a shared ottoman. She shushed the kitten that "meowed" at the sight of Brian, stroking her and calming her as she placed Zoe on the desktop. The kitten chewed hungrily on her fingertips, so the witch conjured a bowl of kibble and saucer of milk. With a quiet squeak of thanks, Zoe began immediately to enjoy her lunch.
Minerva wanted to hold this picture forever: her son and her husband sleeping peacefully in her cozy office. Her heart thudded with love for the two of them, and she sat as quietly as she could, content just to watch. Albus felt her tender gaze upon him and opened his eyes, smiling sleepily at his wife. He so enjoyed waking up to the beauty of her face, and he made it a point to tell her this often.
McGonagall put a finger to her lips and inclined her head towards Brian, who was still asleep. To her dismay, though, the noonday bell sounded loudly across the castle grounds and he woke with a start.
"Oh, excuse me," he said, reddening as he got up from the chair, stretching rather cat-like himself. Brian noticed his kitten lapping at the saucer of milk and smiled tentatively at his Head of House. "Is she…?"
"I pronounce this cat completely free of Dark Magic, young man," she said with a conspiratorial wink at Dumbledore. "She is a normal, healthy kitten, and looks to be entirely willing to be your pet. Congratulations."
Brian gave her a grateful smile as he reached to pick up Zoe; the kitten had finished her lunch and had just started to groom her face and front paws, purring with contentment. "Thank you, Professor. And thank you, sir. I really enjoyed our chess," he said when Dumbledore stood, also having a good stretch.
Albus tickled the kitten's ear and placed a benevolent hand on the boy's head. "We'll have to play again sometime then."
"Right. Off you go, Mr. Rollins," said McGonagall. "Don't forget your Transfiguration homework due Monday."
"No ma'am. I'm working on it today," Brian assured her as he left, smiling happily.
When the boy had gone, Dumbledore turned to make sure the chess pieces were tidied up, humming to himself. He looked up with concern when he heard what sounded like a stifled sob coming from the woman who stood beside the desk.
"Minerva? What is it?" he rushed to her side, looking at her with worry as she burst into tears. He caught her up in his arms and felt her shaking. "Did something happen with Brian's kitten?"
She sniffled and shook her head. "No, no, the kitten is totally normal. It's just…" Minerva drew her lacy green handkerchief from a pocket of her robes, dabbing at her eyes.
"Tell me, please," he asked when she hesitated again. He kissed her damp cheeks softly, and kissed her on the lips before holding her where he could look in her eyes. "Dearest, what is it?"
She gazed at him tearfully, tasting lemon drops from his kiss. "Brian was so very upset when he came to us, Albus. That was a difficult thing to do to him, and I nearly told him who I was. I just wanted to hold and comfort him. I couldn't…"
Dumbledore hugged her more tightly to his chest and stroked her hair. "So did I, Minerva. Hush, I know it was difficult, but he's fine, right? You checked out his little Zoe, and she's fine, right?"
"Yes, but…"
Dumbledore kissed her cheek again. He chuckled suddenly at a thought that came unbidden. "You're not jealous of that wee little cat, are you, Tabby?"
McGonagall put her hands on his broad chest and looked aside, seeming embarrassed as she remained in his embrace. "No…yes…I don't know. Oh, it's ridiculous!"
"You could always visit him, as a cat I mean," he suggested, eyes twinkling gaily at her.
"Don't be silly; the students already know my markings," she replied, blushing. Then she laughed and kissed him again. "I'm sorry, Albus."
"There's nothing to be sorry about," said Dumbledore. "I know! You could always change your markings and head up to the tower for a chat, couldn't you? I personally would love to see you as a ginger tabby sometime." He gave her a provocative look.
Minerva didn't answer, but continued to blush as he could tell she was considering it a possibility. She chuckled at herself.
"Then invite him to play chess. He's not bad for his age," he told her sincerely. "And don't you want to hear what I learned today from your bright and beautiful boy?"
A/N: if I were to pick the soundtrack for this closing scene between AD and MM, I'd play "Heal Over" by K.T. Tunstall. See if you can't find this lovely song. Cheers!
