Chapter Three

As they strode across the rolling hills Minerva peered anxiously over hedges and walls. Albus tried to emulate her but most of his time was spent shooting anxious glances at his wife, who even when furious was in his view the loveliest woman in the entire world. At last he spoke in what he hoped was his best 'Please forgive me' voice. "Minerva my darling you didn't really mean what you said did you ?"

"I am not talking to you !" Minerva snapped, as her eyes swept the forests and hills once more.

"Yes you are ... you just did ..." Albus answered gleefully.

Minerva didn't even spare her husband a single glance. "Hmph !" Was her only acknowledgement of his presence.

"Hmph is a word too ..." Albus said with a mischevious twinkle.

"No it is not !" Minerva snapped, then realised that once again Albus had tricked her into answering. "Dammit ... Hmph!"

"You're not very good at not talking to me are you ?" Albus said happily. If there was one thing he couldn't stand it was when Minerva ignored him, so long as she wasn't ingoring him he always had a chance to charm her into forgiving him. "I think it's because you love me so much ..."

Minerva's only response was to stick her nose in the air and pretend that Albus didn't exist.

"If we find the castle will you talk to me again ?" Albus asked, as he fixed Minerva with his most pleading gaze and tried desperately to stop the corners of his mouth twitching merrily.

Minerva quickened her pace, her back stiff with surpressed fury, mouth set in a thin compressed line.

Albus whipped round in front of Minerva, then clasped his hands dramatically to his chest and gazed at her adoringly. "But Minerva you know I can't live without your kisses ..."

Minerva's fists clenched into tight knots of rage, and her emerald eyes blazed as she made a great show of looking everywhere other than at Albus.

Realising that this hadn't worked Albus pretended to fall swooning to the ground. "Minerva ... oh Minerva, I think I'm suffering from candy withdrawal ... If I faint will you revive me ?" He pleaded, then added, "You could give me the kiss of life ..."

Minerva stepped over her prostrate husband as though he wasn't there, and carried on walking.

"So cruel ... so cruel ... leaving me lying here ..." Albus whimpered piteously, blue eyes imploring her to return.

The only sign that Minerva had heard him was the tightning of her clenched fists ,and the way a tiny muscle in her cheek began to twitch.

As he saw Minerva striding away from him, Albus lept to his feet, shot after her and pranced in several dizzying circles round her, then beaming maddeningly and spreading his arms wide, proclaimed. "Have you ever noticed how the sky is the colour of my eyes and the grass is the colour of your eyes ? The grass and the sky don't stop touching each other, so we shouldn't either ..."

"ENOUGH!" thundered Minerva turning to face Albus, wand at the ready and fury blazing in her emerald eyes. Albus gulped nervously and began to wonder if he had gone too far, his wife had hexed him on a couple of previous occasions and it had been far far worse than her ignoring him. The first time it had taken him a week to discover how to stop his beard from tickling him constantly, it tickled him everywhere even in between his toes. He never would have believed it untill then but an entire week of giggling was exhausting. The second time was just too horrible to think about, and Albus had vowed after that to never ever again annoy Minerva to such an extent.

Just as a hex was about to erupt from Minerva's wand Albus flung himself behind a bush, landing painfully on a large thistle. "Ouch !" He said, then not daring to move remained sitting on top of the thistle, wondering ruefully how long it would take him to pick the prickles out of himself. Suddenly he had an idea, and with a casual flick of his wand transfigured a nearby stick into a pole with a white flag of surrender on top.

As Minerva saw the white flag waving from behind the bush her eyes gleamed triumphantly. As the tousled silvery head of her husband peered cautiously from between the leafs, she surpressed a victorious grin, and continued to point her wand threateningly at him. The mournful white flag waved even harder in response. "Do you promise to behave from now on ?" Minerva demanded.

Just as Albus was about to nod his head something moving on the horizon caught his attention. Glancing up he saw the castle running across the fields, it seemed to be chasing something or someone. Albus thought he could hear faint screeches of terror floating back to him on the wind. "Minerva ... look ... castle ..." He gasped, and pointed frantically.

Minerva's head swivelled, her eyes widening as she watched the castle crash through the undergrowth, then, "Follow that castle !" Minerva bellowed and sprinted across the grass with Albus in hot pursuit.

Author's Notes

Well unless you've all got bored and gone off to do something else, I hope you enjoyed this, and if this chapter made you laugh or smile then please hit that little button down there and review. ;) Yes that little button there, it doesn't take much effort to make an author happy by reviewing. ;) And this author is wondering if people are still interested in this story ... makes fake mournful sigh. ;)

The next chapter will be the final one, when we find out who the castle is chasing and what happens next. Unless I decide to write an epilogue or anything. Thanks to those who've already taken time to review. :)