Chapter Seven: Protests Too Much

"Eleven year old Tom Riddle sounds …" Ron shuddered. "Dunno. Creepy."

Harry had to agree. Hermione looked deep in thought.

"I'm not really sure what that memory had to do with the Horcruxes, Harry."

"I mentioned that," Harry replied. "The point is Voldemort liked to keep trophies. Stuff he'd stolen from the other kids. Think it'll be significant when working out what Voldemort's Horcruxes actually are."

"Or where they are?" Ron interjected.

"Be patient, Ronald. We'll get to that bit."

"So, how'd the Order meeting go?" Hermione asked Harry.

"Interesting. They were talking about protections for Hogwarts." Harry paused. "Lupin's coming back, by the way."

"Brilliant!" Ron exclaimed.

"And Moody – well, it's not really back for him 'cause he didn't actually get to do any teaching, but you know what I mean."

"So what, are they going to share the job?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, I think so. Some parents objected to Lupin's re-appointment, so I guess Moody'll have their kids and maybe others."

"That's good," Hermione said. "It means there will be more Order members at Hogwarts."

"Yeah, that was Albus' thinking," Harry said.

"So, what else?"

Harry stretched and sat up. "He's going to be teaching me this year, privately."

"Who, Dumbledore?"

"Yeah."

"Teaching you Defence?" Hermione queried.

"Interspersed with Occlumency," Harry said with a mock grimace.

"Sounds brilliant, mate," Ron said. "Well, maybe not the Occlumency bit, but I'll bet Dumbledore's a better Defence teacher than any we've had. He's lived it all, hasn't he. Nothing against Lupin, but Dumbledore, well – he's Dumbledore, isn't he?"

"We know what you mean, Ron," said Hermione, while Harry chuckled.

"So, will you be passing your new skills onto us lowly classmates?" Ron asked. "We doing the DA again or what?"

"We've got the Order's blessing on that," Harry said. "It's going to be made an official club, too, so anyone can join. No more sneaking around to secret meetings."

"Shame," Ron said. "That was half the fun."


Harry knocked softly on Sirius' old bedroom door. "Albus? Are you in there?"

"Come in, Harry," was the reply.

Upon entering, Harry saw Albus standing by his Pensieve, apparently deep in thought. "Sorry, am I disturbing you?"

"No, not at all." Albus flicked his wand and the basin shut itself away. "You've given me an excuse to think of something else." He turned and smiled at Harry, although after a moment he faltered slightly. "Weren't you going with your friends to Diagon Alley today?"

"No, tomorrow. Besides ..." Harry hesitated. The request still sounded too childish to him. "I wanted to spend some time with you, if that's okay."

"Of course it is, if you really want to, er, hang out with your headmaster all day?"

Harry half-grinned, half-grimaced. "Yeah, but on one condition."

"Which is?"

"Never, ever say 'hang out' again. You really need to stop watching children's television, Albus."

Albus chuckled in response. "Well, there's an Order meeting in ten minutes, but now and afterwards I'm all yours." He sat down on the bed and motioned for Harry to join him. "As it happens, you're just in time, I was thinking about your Occlumency lessons."

Harry pulled a face. "A summer Occlumency lesson wasn't quite what I had in mind."

"Very droll, Harry. No, I was thinking about how to organise it." Albus paused, apparently thinking. "You see, while I'm reluctant for obvious reasons to send you back to Professor Snape -"

"I thought you said you would be teaching me!" Harry exclaimed, horrified.

"I did, and I keep that promise, but the reasons I was wary of invading your mind personally last year are still valid. I know Voldemort will be more reluctant now to make an attempt on yours, but we can't rule out that at some point he may decide it's worth the risk – and if he does so, not only will he have access to thoughts and memories in both of our minds, but a short but violent attack will most likely result in permanent brain damage for any of us, yourself being the highest risk."

There was a long silence. "I vote we avoid that possibility," Harry said at last.

"Precisely. This is why I have been thinking – you see, there is a third option, which is a method of learning that doesn't involve the teacher directly invading the pupil's mind. Have you heard of third-person Occlumency?"

Harry shook his head slowly.

"Well, it's like it sounds. There are three people involved, the teacher and two students, who learn by practicing on each other. Obviously, there are a couple of catches that way."

"There are?"

"Well, for a start, the students have to be taught Legilimency first or there's no point trying to block each other. Legilimency can come in useful, though, so don't be put off by it. The other catch is that, considering you are going to be delving into each other's heads, you, Harry, have to pick your partner carefully. Somebody you trust absolutely and you feel comfortable – well, as comfortable as possible – delving into your mind."

Harry thought hard. The obvious choice would be Ron or Hermione, but somehow he still felt awkward at the thought of one of them seeing everything he had ever experienced.

"Can I think about it?"

"Of course. I would recommend, however, picking the person you feel you trust the most with personal secrets – which, I should point out, is not necessarily the first person or people who leap to mind." Albus smiled at Harry's confused expression.

"Who would you pick?" Harry asked, but no sooner had the words left his mouth than he knew the answer. Albus looked slightly stunned at the question, but Harry couldn't help but notice a light blush in his cheeks.

"I ... don't know," Albus said slowly.

"Really?" Harry said, pretending to think carefully about it. "I'd have thought Professor McGonagall would be your choice."

There was no mistaking the blush now, and Albus, glaring at Harry, stammered, "What exactly are you implying?"

"I didn't realise there was anything to imply, sir," Harry tried to say in an innocent voice, but he desperately wanted to laugh.

"There isn't," Albus said firmly. "Minerva is a close friend; there has never, nor will there ever be, anything more to it, all right?"

Harry couldn't help but laugh now. "I think the man protests too much."

"If you have something to say, Harry, just come out and say it."

"Okay, fine. When are you two going to admit you're in love with each other?"

Albus spluttered incoherently for about a minute, while Harry watched in amusement. Finally, Albus managed to gasp out, "How did you -"

"Know?" Harry shrugged. "The signs have always been there. If there was any doubt in my mind, it vanished this summer. You two make a really sweet couple, you know. Have you ever actually told her how you feel?"

After opening and closing his mouth like a goldfish a few times, Albus managed to stammer, "She knows. She's known for – for years."

"And you know she feels the same way, right?"

A dumb nod.

"So, excuse my language, but why the hell aren't you together?"

"Harry!"

"What? You asked me to call you by your first name, I assumed that gave me the right to ask personal questions?" Harry said with a grin.

"It's not that simple," Albus said with a sigh, returning to the original question. "Harry, you know who I am, you know how many wizards would love to see me dead. When you have enemies like I do -"

"I do, don't forget. I'm probably the one person Voldemort wants dead more than you. But I still don't really see your point."

"Harry, if anything happened to Minerva because of me -"

"What does Professor McGonagall have to say herself about that?" Harry interrupted.

"We did talk – discuss – a long time ago. She agreed it was best."

"Albus, don't get me wrong, I understand how you feel," Harry said, frowning. "But it's flawed logic. Voldemort, or any other wizard that hates you, wouldn't actually care whether you were in a relationship with her or not. As long as they know you love her, they know it will hurt you."

"I'm aware of that," Albus almost snapped. "Why do you think we've both worked so hard to keep it a secret?"

Harry stared at him. "Um, Albus ..."

"Yes?"

"I hate to burst your bubble, but however discreet your feelings may seem to the two of you, the rest of the wizarding world doesn't share your view."

"What – what do you mean?"

"It's not a secret. Hogwarts students have been discussing the pair of you for years. Bill Weasley said it was going on long before he started. It's obvious. There's a betting pool set up for deciding when you'll admit – to each other or publicly – that you're head over heels. You really never heard the rumours?"

There was a long silence. Albus was staring at Harry as if he could not believe his ears.

"Honestly, sir, I really don't see any point in avoiding a relationship. Even if Voldemort doesn't know you love her, all he has to do to find out is to ask one of his Death Eaters with a kid here. You two may as well be happy if that's the only thing stopping you."

Albus finally spoke, in a strangled sort of voice. "Harry, why could you not have said all this to me four decades ago?"

"Um, maybe because I wasn't born then?"

"That's no excuse," Albus muttered. Before Harry knew what he was doing, Albus had stood up and bolted from the room. Harry followed.

Albus hurried down to the kitchen. Harry could hear voices behind the closed door. Without pausing to knock, Albus pulled the door open sharply.

"Albus!" From the tone of Mrs Weasley's voice, he had startled her. "You're not late, I was about to call you -"

"I need a word with Minerva," Albus said. "It's urgent, it can't wait."

"Can't wait?" Harry said in Albus' ear.

"I have waited forty-five years, Harry, I am not waiting a second longer."

Professor McGonagall appeared at the door. "Albus, what is it? Is everything all right?"

"I need to talk to you. In private," Albus added as Mrs Weasley looked ready to follow them into the hall.

"Albus? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong – that is -" Albus stood still for a moment, apparently unable to express vocally, because he finally leaned forward, took Professor McGonagall's face in a gentle caress and kissed her.

Harry's face split into a grin. He slipped, unnoticed by them, into the living-room. "Guys!" he addressed Hermione and the Weasleys. "Come and see this!"

Astonished giggles, and a wolf-whistle from one of the twins, echoed in the hall as they gaped at the pair, but Albus and Professor McGonagall didn't seem to notice.

"They've got to surface for air at some point, surely?" Ron whispered.

Harry had just agreed when the two finally broke apart. He shushed the others, and they continued watching.

"Albus – I – I don't understand," Professor McGonagall whispered. "Why – after everything we said – why now?"

Albus kissed her hand, clutching it to his chest. "Harry spoke some sense into me," was his simple reply. Harry could feel the Weasleys' astonished gazes on him.

Professor McGonagall now looked half-amused, half-exasperated. "Well, if that's all it took -"

"Minerva," Albus said, cutting her off. "I've been a fool." She started to correct him, but he wouldn't let her. "No, I have, we both know it. If I had just opened my eyes then we could have spent all these years together ..."

"Albus -"

"But I'm going to do it right, now," Albus said firmly. As they all watched him, he reached up to the chain around his neck and opened the locket, withdrawing something from inside.

Professor McGonagall let out such a gasp, for a moment Harry thought she might be having a heart attack.

"Your mother's ring," she gasped. "Albus -"

Harry realised with an incredulous, exited jolt what was happening as Albus lowered himself onto one knee.

"Bloody hell," Ron whispered.

"Minerva," Albus said. "This question is nearly half a century overdue, but better late than never – will you marry me?"

Before Harry could stop them, the twins had shouted in unison, "Say yes, Minnie!"

The Professors finally looked around at them, Albus wobbling slightly. Professor McGonagall cast a silencing spell at them, and turned back to Albus. As she did so, the kitchen door opened and Tonks looked out to see what was going on.

"Is everything all right, we heard -" She broke off, her eyes wide. "Professor?" She turned back into the room. "Professor Dumbledore's proposing!"

There was a scraping of chairs and the sound of many people fighting their way to the door. Albus and Professor McGonagall chose to ignore their growing audience.

"Albus ..." Professor McGonagall said slowly.

"Mina, my dear, a quick answer would be much appreciated; my knees aren't quite what they were," Albus said in a rush.

Professor McGonagall chuckled. "You can stand up, Albus."

"Not until I get an answer," Albus said stubbornly.

Harry felt a sudden panic. What if she said no? A broken-hearted Albus Dumbledore was not a person he ever wished to know, and it would be all his fault -

Professor McGonagall's face, as though someone had lit a bulb inside of it, flooded suddenly with the most beautiful smile Harry had ever seen her wear, and he nearly passed out with relief. "Yes!"

Albus, who for the last few seconds had looked positively terrified, grinned and jumped to his feet, pulling her into another kiss. Applause and cheering broke out in the hall.

"I love you," Albus breathed as they drew apart.

"I love you too," Professor McGonagall whispered, her eyes still closed.

Albus flicked his wand, and the previously dingy hall was flooded with light; the walls gleamed like marble and flowers twisted themselves in mid-air, forming a heart-shaped arch. Professor McGonagall finally opened her eyes, and gasped. "Albus! Here, now?"

"My dear, what on earth," Albus said in between another kiss, "is the sense of waiting any longer?"

After a short pause to consider the question, she flung her arms around him, almost knocking them both to the floor.

"Albus." Snape spoke hesitantly, as if afraid of bursting their bubble. "You don't have anyone here who can conduct the ceremony -"

"We don't need one," Albus replied.

Hermione, as if reading Harry's mind, whispered in his ear, "There's a magical ritual, it does it for them."

The hall was still changing. More flowers crept up the walls and around the banisters, which had turned from polished black wood to gold. Still more flowers entwined themselves into a bouquet in mid-air, which then floated towards Professor McGonagall for her to take. Albus' robes turned from the red everyday ones he had been wearing for the last couple of days to a deep, midnight blue. But the most astonishing transformation was Professor McGonagall herself, who after a moment was dressed in a flowing white dress, complete with veil, her long hair tumbling in raven waves down her back to her waist.

"Wow," was the general murmur.

Harry looked around at the people gathered there. The whole Order, including a couple of people he didn't really know, had been crammed in the doorway between the hall and the kitchen but were now shuffling around for everyone to get a good view. One man Harry recognised as the barman of the Hog's Head, seemed particularly intent on getting to the front. He gave Professor McGonagall a saucy wink, who rolled her eyes in response. Hagrid, who had appeared without Harry noticing, was stooped in the hall with his mouth hanging open.

Albus lifted his wand up and drew a circle around himself and Professor McGonagall, murmuring the words "Venificus diligo redimio." A shimmering pink-gold mist swirled around them, and Harry could hear a gentle, tinkling music.

"Ready?" Albus asked Professor McGonagall.

"Not quite." She turned around, her eyes moving into the corner. "Hagrid?"

Hagrid looked quite surprised. "Yes, Professor?"

"In the absence," Professor McGonagall said, "of my father and my brothers, I was hoping you would give me away."

Hagrid's mouth dropped open, but he nodded vigorously a second later. "O', o' course, Professor. It's an honour!" He couldn't quite stand up straight, but managed to walk over and offered his arm to her, his face flushed with pride. Harry couldn't help but grin. A camera flashed somewhere in the crowd, which started shuffling again to form an isle wide enough for Hagrid and Professor McGonagall to walk down.

"It's amazing," Hermione whispered in Harry's ear. He had to agree. Professor McGonagall looked simply radiant; she and Albus were both smiling away, as happy as Harry had ever seen them.

Before the ceremony could start properly, there was a call from behind Harry. "Oy, Albus! Who's your best man?"

The speaker was the barman. Albus frowned at him, then turned thoughtful, and after a moment his eyes started sweeping the crowd, looking for someone. They paused, and Harry turned to see who he was looking at.

"Harry!" Albus said delightfully. "Come on up!"

Harry's mouth fell open; if Professor McGonagall's request for Hagrid was a surprise, this was unforeseen. "Me?"

"No, the other Harry Potter," Albus replied, beckoning.

Harry was frozen to the spot in surprise, but Hermione gave him a sharp dig in the back and he stumbled forwards. As he approached the couple, Albus nudged him to stand in place next to him, facing the crowd. His friends looked gobsmacked and he felt rather shocked himself.

Mrs Weasley shushed everyone, and the hall fell silent. Albus took Professor McGonagall's hands in his again.

"Minerva Caitlyn McGonagall," he said, beaming broadly. "You are the love of my life, my constant companion, the best friend I could ever have, and I cherish every moment I spend with you. I love you because you've always been there, my dependable rock, the one I always go to for guidance. I love you because you know me better than anyone; you understand me, often more than I do myself, and yet somehow you're still willing to spend the rest of your life with this barmy old codger anyway, which I think is something none of us can fathom." There was a small ripple of laughter.

"Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore -" Harry caught Ron's eye and hastily looked back at the couple before they both started sniggering. "You are the most extraordinary man I have ever met." Professor McGonagall paused, smiling, before continuing. "You are also the most frustrating and stubborn man I have ever met, and I have to tell you repeatedly that I don't like sherbet lemons." The crowd was sniggering and Albus looked dumbstruck. "You drive me insane on a daily basis, and I know that won't lessen by being your wife, if anything the insanity will increase." She beamed wider. "But you're sweet and kind and you understand me in the deepest possible sense, and you're always there for me when I need someone to listen, or just to share a cup of tea with. You always know the best ways to cheer me up and make me laugh. And that is why I love you, now and forever."

Harry could hear Hagrid sobbing loudly and he blew his nose in his enormous spotted handkerchief. The noise half-drowned out the declarations of "I do", but as Albus and Professor McGonagall kissed, a small explosion of fireworks went off in the hall. The shimmering mist coiled around their entwined hands, smoothly turning to a solid gold rope, which then shrunk and separated until it became two gleaming gold rings, which solidified fully upon settling on their fingers.

Fawkes, whom Harry had not noticed before, swooped out of nowhere and circled above the couple's heads, trailing red and gold sparks. Professor McGonagall threw her bouquet into the air, where it vanished among the Order and Harry could hear a lot of scrabbling around. The twins, whose silencing charm was obviously no more, both wolf-whistled. "Hey, Harry!" George called. Before he could make a comment, he let out a yelp as someone's fist collided with his face. Fred, who up until that point had looked as though he was about to join in, edged away as fast as he could.

The crowded hall now surged with movement as everyone rushed forward to congratulate the new couple. Harry decided it would be safer to get out of the line of fire, and fought his way to the wall, where he stood to watch. He was joined a minute later by Ron.

"Brilliant, isn't it?" Ron grinned at him. "Can't believe Dumbledore made you his best man. You two're obviously closer than I gave you credit for."

"Closer than I gave us credit for as well," Harry said. "I don't have to make a toast, do I?"

Ron chuckled. "I'd like to see that. What are you going to do, improvise?"

"Going to have to, I didn't exactly get a lot of notice to plan one," Harry murmured.

"Don't worry, when you're my best man I promise to give you plenty of time to plan one. Oh, by the way," Ron said, a wicked grin on his face, "Ginny caught the bouquet."

"So?" Harry said, having guessed this already.

"You'd better watch out, I'm just saying. The twins will tease you mercilessly and Mum will get obsessed with the idea of Potter grandchildren. She's probably imagining what to knit them for their first birthdays this second."

"Ron, you know Ginny doesn't fancy me any more."

"Who says?"

"Hermione, so it must be true."

"Oh, yeah," said Ron, remembering their conversation on the subject months beforehand. "Well, that won't stop Mum planning it all out, anyhow. I'd keep a safe distance from Ginny when she's around, if I were you."

TBC …