Chapter 52-Discoveries
-All right, so this update didn't come as soon as I had planned - sorry! -, but I was unsatisfied with my writing in the first half of this story, so I went back and fixed the first two chapters and I plan to fix more, but it shouldn't make my updates too late anymore because I have more time to write now that May is nearly over - it was a rather busy month - but anyway, thank you for your wonderful reviews and patience, on with the story!-
Albus jumped as his bedroom door slammed closed and Minerva disappeared behind it. He hurried after her, only to find that she was in the bathroom connected to their bedroom. He knew she was only in there to ignore him, so he stood and waited outside the door for her, tapping his foot impatiently on the lush burgundy carpet before deciding to change into his bedclothes. It was slightly chilly in their room, and so he started a fire in the grate with a wave of his hand, and watched the flickering flames with a solemn expression.
He had just considered talking to Minerva through the door when she finally emerged from the bathroom. He stood from where he had been sitting on the edge of their bed, and opened his mouth to speak.
She didn't seem at all content with talking to him at the moment though, as she swept right past him without a glance and crawled into her side of the bed, slipping under the blankets and turning on her side, her back facing him.
Albus sighed at her stubbornness and crawled onto the bed, hovering above her and resting his forehead against the side of her head, his mouth mere inches from her ear. When she didn't move, he closed his eyes and whispered, "I'm sorry. I know I may have sounded as if I didn't believe you, but I assure you I was merely confused. Please, Minerva, explain to me what happened. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable around our friend. I'll talk to Alastor if you'd like…"
There was a long moment of silence, and then Minerva heaved a sighed. "No," she said, "it's all right. I must have been imagining things, what with the letter and…everything that's been happening." She turned over onto her back so that she could look up at her husband. "He's really coming back this time, isn't he, Albus?"
Albus didn't have to ask who Minerva was referring to. It was all too obvious that she was speaking of Voldemort, and in his heart he wanted nothing more than to lie to her, if only to lessen her heartache for a short amount of time. But he knew she wouldn't believe him, for she already knew the answer to her own question. And even if she were to believe him, it would only be forestalling the inevitable realization that the only way he and her could remain protected this time was for them to do it together – without the lies.
He didn't answer her. He didn't even shed the tear he so desperately wanted to. Instead he kept his blue-eyed gaze on her, his expression solemn and heartbroken as he watched her emotions play out in her emerald orbs.
The long silence was interrupted when Minerva heaved another sigh and said, "I hate to admit it, Albus, but sometimes I wish Anexandra, Andromeda, and Callisto weren't friends with Harry Potter. Don't get me wrong, the boy is a great friend to them and I wish even more that he wasn't required to defeat Voldemort…but three of our daughters, Albus…three of them could so easily be taken from us."
"I understand, my dear," he admitted, laying on his back beside her and taking her hand in his as he stared up at the grey ceiling. "I accidently let my emotions on that matter show to Harry just last year when he and the girls were in the hospital wing, after the dementors entered the Quidditch match. He thought he was just seeing things, which I'm grateful for. As much as I hate the idea of three of our daughters fighting so closely to Voldemort, I know they'll be a great asset to Harry and he'll need them to keep him grounded. I wasn't willing to accept that last year, not at first, but I thought on it, especially after Anexandra and Andromeda caught Pettigrew long enough to clear Sirius's record. Neither of us wants any of our children to be involved in this war, but they are a part of us and they won't sit idly by while others are dying, and the wizarding world will need them."
Minerva rolled over and laid her head on her husband's chest, his arms sliding around her waist. "You're right," she murmured. "I think I've always known that…and I know we can't keep promising that nothing is going to happen to ourselves or our children, though I'm going to try pretty damn hard to make sure nothing does…" She inhaled deeply and tilted her head up to kiss Albus on the cheek. "That's enough talking for tonight. We have to get up in six hours."
Albus kissed the top of Minerva's head and replied, "Yes, my dear – but first, do you forgive me for my mistakes earlier tonight?"
"Of course, Albus," Minerva mumbled, already half-asleep. "Love you."
Albus smiled lightly and allowed his eyes to slip closed as he said, "I love you too, Minerva. Sleep tight, my darling."
The first day of classes was as hectic and uneventful as usual. First years showed up to classes late, professors made last minute arrangements for classes, and House points had already been taken, though the number was very low. The staff had been reminded of the first-day-back meeting scheduled for after dinner. Minerva and Albus had planned their usual meeting for the next afternoon as Headmaster and Deputy to review the meeting they would have with the staff.
Just before dinner, Minerva was taking some books and parchment to the staffroom for said staff meeting when she happened upon Alastor Moody in the entrance hall, bouncing a ferret on the floor and a large group of students watching the event with mixed expressions. She noticed Anexandra, Callisto, and Andromeda looking as if they were trying very hard not to laugh, while Eliana was shouting hysterically at Alastor.
"Professor Moody!" said Minerva in a shocked voice, wondering what on Earth he could be doing to upset Eliana so. By quickly observing her surroundings, Minerva noticed Crabbe and Goyle looking dumbstruck – which wasn't much of a difference from their normal look – and Ron, Harry, and Hermione seemingly caught between laughter and shock. By the excitement on three of the quadruplets' faces, and the absolute rage on Eliana's, Minerva's mind came to the worst possible conclusion. But no…it couldn't be…could it? But the emotion, the magic radiating around that ferret…
"Hello, Professor McGonagall," said Moody calmly, bouncing the ferret still higher.
"What – what are you doing?" asked Minerva, her eyes following the bouncing ferret's progress through the air as she hoped against hope that it wasn't Draco Malfoy. As cruel as the boy may be, this was just…barbaric!
"Teaching," said Moody simply.
"Teach –" Minerva began…and then it became very clear, but still, she had to ask, "Moody, is that a student?"
"Yep," he replied, and Minerva's hope died in her chest.
"No!" she shrieked, dropping the books and parchment and running down the stairs, pulling out her wand and pointing it in the direction of the still bouncing ferret. A moment later, with a loud snapping sound, Draco Malfoy appeared, lying in a heap on the floor with his sleek blond hair all over his now brilliantly pink face. He got to his feet, wincing, and Eliana rushed to his side to begin fussing over him.
Turning her eyes from the sight, Minerva looked to Alastor, who was once again looking at her in that same way. It was almost as if…no, Minerva shook herself mentally. She must really be losing it. Still, transfiguring a student like that…as crazy as Alastor had become over the years, this was certainly not something she ever would have expected from her husband's once best friend…
"Moody," she addressed him, noticing how strangely weak her voice sounded. "We never use transfiguration as a punishment! Surely Professor Dumbledore told you that?"
"Which Dumbledore are you referring to?" he nearly growled in response, and Minerva was once again baffled by his behavior. What had happened to him in the week since she had seen him last? "He might have mentioned it, yeah," Alastor continued without an answer to his previous question, "but I thought a good sharp shock –"
"We give detentions, Moody! Or speak to the offender's Head of House!"
"I'll do that, then," said Alastor, staring at Draco with great dislike.
Draco, whose pale eyes were still watering with pain and humiliation and his back being rubbed comfortingly by Eliana, looked up at Moody malevolently and muttered something in which the words "my father" were distinguishable.
"Oh yeah?" said Alastor quietly, limping forward a few steps, the dull clunk of his wooden leg echoing around the hall. "Well, I know your father of old, boy. You tell him Moody's keeping a close eye on his son. You tell him that from me. Now, your Head of House will be Snape, will it?"
"Yes," said Draco resentfully.
"Another old friend," growled Moody. "I've been looking forward to a chat with old Snape…come on, you…"
And he seized Draco's upper arm and marched him off towards the dungeons. Eliana attempted to intervene or follow, but a firm hand on her shoulder stopped her. Minerva astutely ignored the scowl her daughter gave her because of it, instead staring after Alastor and Draco anxiously.
Then she released Eliana and waved her wand at her fallen books and parchment so that they returned to her arms. She watched as the students slowly began to file into the Great Hall for dinner, discussing what they had just witnessed. Eliana was the only one that had yet to move, and she was staring at the place where Alastor and Draco had vanished.
Minerva almost put a hand on Eliana's shoulder, but then thought better of it and simply said, "How was your summer?" Eliana jumped slightly at Minerva's sudden question, and Minerva felt foolish speaking to her daughter in such a way, asking her about her summer. She should know how Eliana's summer was.
Eliana looked up at her mother with a raised eyebrow, as if Minerva was strange for asking such a question. Then she straightened up and sniffed. "It was rather fantastic actually," Eliana answered smugly. "It was much nicer to be able to think clearly for once."
"Ah," said Minerva, her voice and expression devoid of emotion. "Will we see at you Christmas?"
"Oh no, certainly not. Grandma Helena and I have made plans already."
"Oh," was all Minerva could think to say, and she paused for a long moment before asking, "When will you be coming home then?"
Eliana, who had been looking down the corridor again, looked up at her mother with an almost piteous expression. "I'm not sure that I'm welcome there," said Eliana, "whether you and Father would like me there or not. I will not be subjected to the harassment I receive from my "siblings"." Eliana made quotations with her fingers when she said "siblings" and Minerva's eyes unconsciously narrowed. "It's better this way, Mother. Better that I follow my own path."
"And what, pray tell, is this path of yours?" asked Minerva, her voice a bit harsher than she intended. Eliana was being completely irrational and selfish. Minerva had tried everything, but it seemed that this was the final proof. She had lost her daughter. She had already been sad about it, confused about it. Now she was just angry. At who or what, she did not know, but she was angry. Could she blame Draco Malfoy? He was only a child, though… Lucius, perhaps? He had killed her father and tried to murder various members of her family during the last war; it wouldn't be difficult to hate him even more. Or maybe she should blame herself…after all, it wasn't the first time something like this had happened. Of course, she was a little more aware of it this time, but maybe she wasn't so good a mother if two of her children so eagerly left their family to befriend potential Death Eaters. Funny, she had been named Mother of the Year in at least twenty editions of Witch Weekly.
"Well," Eliana began, and Minerva's train of thought stopped momentarily, "I suppose after I'm free of this place I'll begin work with the Ministry. Lucius Malfoy has already offered to use his own connections to help me get a nice job to begin with, and then he's willing to show me which Ministry officials are important enough to help me move further up the chain."
Minerva didn't realize at first that she was grinding her teeth. She nearly shuddered at the thought of her daughter, her own flesh and blood, weaseling her way through the Ministry with the help of Lucius Malfoy – the man who, on more than one occasion, had tried to capture Minerva to return to his master, Lord Voldemort.
Minerva was at a loss for what to say and Eliana was once again staring down the corridor. However, after a few moments of silence, penetrated only by the distant hum of talking students in the Great Hall, Eliana turned suddenly away from the corridor, and Minerva's senses picked up the clicking of someone's boots on the stone floor. A moment later Ororo stepped into the entrance hall and looked from her mother to Eliana, who was purposely avoiding Ororo's gaze.
"Eliana," said Ororo curtly, sounding almost like her mother's usual "teacher voice" – as the Dumbledore children called it. "Can I speak with you for a moment?"
Eliana turned to her sister with a wary expression, her eyes narrowed, but she inclined her head in agreement and followed Ororo back down the corridor. Minerva had the urge to follow, but she supposed Ororo would inform her of what went on later. Adjusting the books and parchment in her arms, Minerva hurried off down the corridor towards the staffroom, hoping Albus wouldn't be too worried if she was late for dinner.
Minerva made it to the staffroom and back to the Great Hall without being too late. Albus, of course, was watching the door when she entered, and smiled brightly at her as she strode to the staff table. On her way, she noticed that Eliana and Ororo were both still missing, and she once again wondered what they were talking about. As Albus passed Minaveara to Minerva, she told him about Alastor and Draco, who also hadn't returned, and about Ororo and Eliana. He seemed surprised by Alastor's behavior, but he insisted that there must have been some sort of a reason. Minerva didn't tell her husband about that look she saw again.
Just as Minerva began to pick at the food on her plate, the doors to the Great Hall opened and she saw Eliana walk in with Draco, her nose in the air in a satisfied sort of way, and the two of them walked to the Slytherin table together. A moment later the doors opened once more, and Alastor limped inside, followed soon after by Severus and a highly irritated Ororo.
Exchanging a significant glance with Albus, Minerva watched Ororo take her seat at Albus's left, Severus at her other side. Minerva leaned over slightly to see Ororo, but she didn't look up. She kept her eyes down as she furiously slapped food onto her plate. Minerva raised an inquiring brow at Severus, who was gracious enough to answer her questioning gaze.
"She spoke to Eliana," he said in a low tone of voice. "About the choices she's been making. Obviously, Eliana did not feel the need to listen. She instead went on to insult not only Ororo and myself, but any other family member she could think of an insult for."
With that, Severus sat back in his chair and began to spoon food onto his own plate, pausing occasionally only to stop his wife from breaking something.
Minerva sighed and sat back in her own chair, whatever little appetite she had had completely vanishing. But Albus was watching her like a hawk, aware of her feelings on the situation with Eliana, and she would need the strength to spend the next few hours in the staffroom arguing budgets and student behavior, so she forced down enough food to satisfy her husband. Then she became occupied with Minaveara, who was thankfully falling asleep already, which would mean she would sleep through the staff meeting. Minaveara was used to loud noises, growing up with her loud older siblings and in a castle full of students, so she had no problem with the chatter in the Great Hall or the sometimes overly loud staff.
When dinner ended, the staff made their way to their meeting while the students went to their dormitories for the night.
"Avada Kedavra!"
Harry stared as a bright green light flashed and a rushing sound filled his ears. He watched the spider before him die, heard the gasps from a few girls around the room. Saw, out of the corner of his eye, Ron nearly falling from his chair in an attempt to distance himself from the spider on Professor Moody's desk.
He had sort of known what was coming. Had thought it wouldn't bother him. But then, he had thought watching the spider being forced to spin a web and being tortured wouldn't have bothered him either. Even after Callisto had approached he and Anexandra in tears the day before after the same lesson, he still hadn't realized how truly terrible this lesson was going to be. It turned out, it didn't matter that it was a spider; it was simply the thought of that stuff happening to himself, or his friends. He was painfully reminded of the death of his parents, reminded, also – with a twinge of guilt – of Aurora Dumbledore, who had so valiantly stepped in to defend him and his parents.
Glancing to his right, Harry found Anexandra looking rather perturbed as well, her complexion pale. She was not the only one, Neville had not taken the Cruciatus Curse well and Hermione, too, looked slightly discomforted. But Ron and most others in the class were merely in awe.
When the end of class had come, Anexandra was one of the first out the door, and Harry hastened to follow her.
Later that night, Harry, Anexandra, and Ron were sat together in a corner of the Gryffindor common room, making up predictions for the month for Divination. Callisto and Andromeda had returned to their own common rooms for the night, and Hermione had not yet returned after running off to the library after dinner.
"On Wednesday I think I'll come off worst in a fight," Ron was saying, scribbling it down as he spoke.
"Ah, I was going to have a fight," said Harry. "Okay, I'll lose a bet."
"Yeah, you'll be betting I'll win my fight…"
"And I'll be the one to beat Ron in his fight and win the bet with Harry," Anexandra said then, a large smile on her face.
Ron and Harry stared at her, and then Harry said, "Trelawney will never believe that. Other than me she thinks you're the most unfortunate person on Earth."
Anexandra sighed, looking down at her parchment dejectedly. "Fine," she said. "I'll be so surprised by the fight that I'll trip down a flight of stairs."
"Ooo, that's a good one," Ron praised. "On Thursday I'll trip over something and sprain my wrist…"
They continued to make predictions while the common room slowly emptied as people went up to bed. Fred, George, and Lee were the only other three awake, and Harry and Anexandra were sure they were discussing Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. By the time the three of them had gone up to bed, Ron, Anexandra and Harry were nearly finished making up predictions, and Hermione finally crawled into the common room carrying a box and a piece of parchment.
The box turned out to be filled with badges for Hermione's new organization called S.P.E.W., the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare, and she was asking Anexandra, Ron, and Harry to join. The three of them did not seem at all fond of being a part of the group though, and luckily they were saved the trouble of answering Hermione, for Harry had received a letter from Sirius at that exact moment. Harry had written to Sirius only the day before about his scar hurting, and in response, Sirius told Harry to tell Albus if it happened again, and that he, Sirius, would be at Hogwarts in an instant should Harry need him.
But the first month of term flew by without any more pain in Harry's scar, nor any strange dreams he could not understand. On the fourth of October, Minerva turned seventy, and it was all she could do to keep Albus from throwing a grand party in the Great Hall for the entire day. She could not, however, persuade him to remove the seventy red roses he had placed in her classroom with a sticking charm that even she – with as much power as she possessed – could not remove without damaging her classroom. She had even resorted to asking the three quadruplets if they could try, but after ten minutes of their combined effort, she told them to just give up and get back to class. While Andromeda and Callisto hurried off to Care of Magical Creatures, Anexandra went to Professor Moody's class, where the fourth year Gryffindors were learning to fight off the Imperius Curse. By the end of class, Harry and Anexandra were the only two who had been successful in fighting off the curse, though Harry had managed to crack his knees off a desk a few times and Anexandra's throat was sore from trying to stop herself from singing.
On the last Sunday of October, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Anexandra, Callisto, and Andromeda were leaving dinner together, but found themselves unable to proceed, for the entirety of the entrance hall was filled with students all milling around a large sign that had been erected at the foot of the marble staircase.
Being the tallest of the six, Ron stood up on tiptoe to see over the heads in front of them and read the sign aloud to the other five. It was about the Triwizard Tournament and the arrival of the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang on the coming Friday.
"Only a week away!" said Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff, emerging from the crowd, his eyes gleaming. "I wonder if Cedric knows? Think I'll go and tell him…"
"Cedric?" said Ron blankly as Ernie hurried off.
Andromeda sighed dreamily and the other five looked at her curiously.
"Diggory," Callisto answered Ron, still staring at her sister in confusion.
"He must be entering the tournament," said Harry.
"That idiot? Hogwarts champion?" said Ron as they pushed their way through the chattering crowd towards the staircase.
"He's not an idiot. You just don't like him because he beat Gryffindor at Quidditch," said Hermione. "I've heard he's a really good student – and he's a prefect."
She spoke as though this settled the matter.
"And don't let me hear you speak ill of Cedric again," Andromeda warned, causing the five others to look at her once more, confusion clearly written on their faces.
"What has gotten in to you?" asked Anexandra, eyeing Andromeda as if she had no idea who she was.
"Nothing," Andromeda insisted, sounding irate.
"Then why on Earth are you defending Cedric Diggory?" said Callisto as the six finally began to ascend the steps.
"Because I can," answered Andromeda matter-of-factly, folding her arms across her chest and sticking her nose in the air.
"You are –" Anexandra began, but was cut off when a voice from behind the group called out, "Hey! Andromeda!"
Andromeda's arms fell to her sides and her eyes widened at the sound of Cedric Diggory's voice. Anexandra, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Callisto all spun around to see him hurrying up the stairs towards them.
Andromeda turned around slowly, and instead of a look of horror, she was now flashing a rather dazzling smile at Cedric and…fluttering her eyelashes?
"Hello, Cedric," she said in a very un-Andromeda like voice. She sounded…flirtatious.
Five jaws dropped and five pairs of wide eyes stared at Andromeda incredulously. She liked Cedric Diggory?
"Hey there," said Cedric, finally reaching the top of the stairs to stand directly in front of Andromeda. "So you've seen the sign?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact I was just wondering if you had seen it yet," Andromeda replied. "You'll be entering the tournament, right?"
Cedric suddenly looked a bit anxious and he ran a hand through his hair. "Well, if you think I should. I mean, I dunno if I'd really be all that great –"
"Oh. My. God." Everyone turned to Anexandra, who was shaking her head incredulously. "You cannot be serious," she said to Andromeda.
"Come on, Cedric," Andromeda said quickly, grabbing Cedric by the arm and pulling him up the stairs and out of sight.
Anexandra turned to Ron. "I thought she liked George!"
"I thought she did too," said Ron, frowning slightly. "What is it she sees in Diggory all of a sudden?"
"It's not exactly 'all of a sudden'…" Callisto said quietly.
The others turned to her quickly. "What?" they all said at once.
"Well she's always sort of liked him," Callisto responded. "She just pretended not to. I think she likes George too, but…"
"But what?" asked Harry. "She can't possibly think that Diggory is better than George?"
"It's not that Cedric is better," said Hermione. "He's just…more…gentlemanly?"
"But, Andromeda kissed George over the summer!" Anexandra exclaimed, clearly exasperated.
"I think she thought she had no chance with Cedric," supplied Callisto.
"But I thought Andromeda and George were planning on dating or something," said Ron.
"No, it was never really official," said Callisto. "They just sort of…liked each other. But I doubt she and Diggory will stay together long, if they're even together to begin with. They could just be friends. They're both Hufflepuffs anyway."
"She's just attracted to his 'good looks,'" sighed Anexandra.
"Do you find him attractive?" asked Harry, and Anexandra rolled her eyes.
"It doesn't matter if I did," she answered. "He's still annoying."
"Is that why you don't like Fred?" teased Ron. "Because he's annoying?"
"I don't dislike Fred," Anexandra argued. "I just –"
"Love Daniel Star?" Callisto offered.
Anexandra turned to glare at her sister. "Oh shove off, Callisto. For your information I simply find Fred a bit overbearing at times."
"Good, because he's dating Angelina Johnson," said Harry. Ron looked baffled by this new information.
"Good for him," said Anexandra dismissively. "Now, are we going to continue discussing love lives, or are we going to talk about the fact that we've got loads of homework?"
And indeed, the fourth years were being given a lot more homework in preparation for their O.W.L.'s in the following year. They were not particularly happy about it, and the thought of homework instantly had them hurrying back to their common rooms to finish last minute homework they had only just remembered.
"Albus Dumbledore! Where did you put my hat!" exclaimed one exasperated Minerva Dumbledore.
The man in question – who was currently seated at his desk in his office, quickly scribbling a note to the Minister of Magic and attempting to entertain Minaveara at the same time – looked up from his parchment as if expecting Minerva to be standing directly in front of him. Instead, out of the corner of his eye he saw more owls crowded around his office window already, each bearing more letters for Albus and Minerva, and, directly in Albus's line of sight, he noticed that his office was much more cluttered than usual. In fact, he and his wife's sitting room looked to be rather untidy as well, at least, from what Albus could see through the crack in the door. Before Albus could wonder why on Earth Minerva hadn't scolded him for the mess yet, he heard her footsteps drawing nearer. And then, the noise of something – possibly Minerva's foot – colliding with a stationary object, followed by a string of curses in Gaelic floated through the door to Albus's office.
Minaveara, who had gone silent at her mother's shouts, was now watching the doorway to the sitting room with a look of amusement. Albus, however, was slightly panic-stricken. Minerva could not find his office in such disarray, especially now that she was likely already rather angry with him…
But there was no time to tidy up. The moment Albus rose to his feet, Minerva flung open the door between Albus's office and their sitting room and stomped into the room, her hair falling from its customary bun and hanging in her narrowed eyes, her cheeks flushed and her lips thin. She took one look around the office and took note of the precariously stacked piles of parchment, owls now pecking incessantly at the window, baby toys scattered about, tiny bits of food littered below Fawkes perch, and Minaveara – who was seated on top of what Albus knew to be Minerva's hat, dressed in only her diaper, drool running down her stomach and her arm as she shoved her fist in her mouth in order to eat the one cheerio she had plucked off of one of the piles of books stacked around her.
"Muma!" squealed Minaveara, clenching and unclenching her tiny fist in a wave and smiling up at her mother. "Yook, Muma!"
Minaveara reached over to Fawkes then – who was perched atop one of the stacks of books and watching Minaveara, which he had taken to doing since the moment Minaveara was born; he followed her as she stumbled around the room, or sat and watched her while she played with her toys – and grabbed his tail, causing him to squawk loudly and burst into flame, disappearing, only to reappear on a different stack of books. Minaveara squealed appreciatively, giggling and clapping and looking up to her mother and father for some sort of similar reaction.
Albus and Minerva both gave their toddler a smile, but Minerva's looked more like a grimace, and when her fiery, emerald green eyes landed on him once more, he braced himself.
She didn't shout, instead she said, "Albus, why do our rooms look as if a tornado has run through them?"
"Er –" was all Albus could say as he glanced about the room.
Minerva opened her mouth to speak, but Minaveara beat her to it.
"Muma," she said, looking up at her mother inquisitively. "Wha's a t-tour-no-doe?"
"Tornado, sweetheart," Minerva corrected gently. "It's a – oh for the love of Merlin!"
Minerva had become extremely harassed by the annoying owls still floating outside the window, and she waved her hand in an irritated gesture, causing the window to fling open and nearly slam into the wall beside it. The owls flew in, dropping letters at Albus's desk and Minerva's feet, a few snatching at some candy on Albus's desk, another attempting to nip at Minaveara's cheerios, only to be startled away by Fawkes, who seemed to have found the owl's proximity to Minaveara way too close, for he flapped his large wings at the owl and squawked at it furiously. Minaveara, who had at first seemed angry by the owl's attempts at taking her cheerios, now grinned and laughed, which seemed to satisfy Fawkes, and so he settled back down on a stack of books and watched the other owls warily as they continued to fly around the room.
When all of the owls had flown back out the window, Minerva flicked her wrist and the window slammed closed. Then she turned back to Albus, who was attempting to clean up the mess the owls had made of his desk, which, in retrospect, was not much compared to the disarrangement there already was.
"Albus," sighed Minerva, scooping her letters off the floor and quickly rifling through them. "Would you please clean up the sitting room? I'll clean your office, since I know you can't organize to save your life…" She stuck her letters in her robe pocket and started towards Minaveara, lifting the toddler up and retrieving her now slightly flattened hat, and then conjuring a pillow to sit Minaveara on instead.
Albus had opened his mouth to object to that – he could so organize! – but then he realized that Minerva was right…as always, and she certainly organized his office much better than he ever could. Some people found it difficult to find what they needed when someone else organized their room or office, but that was not the case with Minerva and Albus. She seemed to know exactly where Albus would look for certain parchments or quills or candies, whereas he would merely put the stuff where it fit at the current moment, so his life was much easier when Minerva organized his office.
"Yes, dear," he replied only a moment later, scribbling the rest of his letter to the Minister before sending it off with Fawkes, and then hurrying into the sitting room to begin cleaning up.
A few waves of his wand later and the sitting room was back in place. He decided to quickly clean he and Minerva's bedroom as well, where clothes and shoes and such were lying around. With the start of term came hectic schedules, and the two hardly had time to sit down, let alone pick up their clothes. A poor excuse perhaps, but there was no one else around to argue the point.
When Albus had finished he returned to his office, where Minerva was just finishing up herself. As she began shuffling around some parchments on his desk, she said, "I've sorted through your letters, some of which have been sitting on your desk for weeks –" at this Minerva looked up at Albus with a slightly exasperated expression – "and the prognosis is that you've left quite a few responsibilities unattended to."
Albus very nearly groaned and pouted like a child, but, seeing as that usually only irritated his wife, he instead strode to her side and looked down at the letters she was referring to, placing one hand on the small of her back and the other on his desk as he leaned forward. "And what have I missed, exactly, my dear?" he asked.
Minerva held out one letter and answered, "Well, there's a notice here about this year's budget that hasn't been left too long, but should be taken care of immediately. I couldn't do it for you because it's up to the Headmaster to have the final say and the Board of Governors always know when I answer your letters for you. And this one –" she held out another piece of parchment – "is about the Triwizard Tournament, from Cornelius. Something came up at the Ministry so, of course, he wants the two of us to take care of the rest of the preparation, and he and Barty Crouch won't be able to arrive at Hogwarts until sometime after Beauxbatons and Durmstrang are already here. This –" Minerva stopped suddenly and frowned, her eyes skimming over the next parchment she held in her hands – "oh, well, this isn't important, I don't know how it got in this pile…it's just Filch complaining about the students again.
"Anyway, then there's another Ministry meeting the day before the other schools arrive. You'll have to go and I'll have to find someone to watch Minaveara because that's the day Ororo and I go dress shopping with Isadora." Minerva paused a moment before continuing, "I'd take Minaveara with me but she doesn't particularly sit through shopping very well."
"If there is no one to watch over Minaveara I will gladly skip the Ministry meeting," Albus offered, watching as his wife glanced back at him then with a smirk on her face.
"I'm sure you would," she said dryly.
"I wouldn't want your evening ruined," Albus rationalized. "It is your daughter's wedding dress after all."
Minerva nodded, returning her gaze to the letters in her hands as she rifled through them again. "Yes, well, I also have a responsibility to take care of my youngest daughter, and to also make sure that my husband goes to his meeting." She looked back at him once more and gave him a sly grin.
Albus's bottom lip jutted out in a pout, his chin falling to rest on Minerva's shoulder as he said, "Don't make me go, Minerva! I've been to three already!"
"You'll survive another," she consoled him, patting one of his cheeks and kissing the other tenderly. "There shouldn't be many more after this one. Most of the Ministry is actually taking into consideration that you'll be busy with the Triwizard Tournament."
Albus scoffed, slipping his arms around Minerva's waist and burying his face in her neck.
Minerva chuckled lightly, leaning her head against her husband's and placing her hands over his that were resting on her stomach. "I'll make you a deal, Albus. If there are any more meetings in the coming months I'll go to them."
"I would never subject you to such torture, love," Albus sighed, his breath on her neck causing Minerva to shiver, and suddenly he began kissing her neck and his hands slid down her stomach –
"Ah, ah, ah," Minerva interrupted, gripping Albus's hands and pulling them away as she stepped out of his embrace. "I've got a class in ten minutes and I'm not going to be late for another. Between you and Minaveara I hardly make it anywhere on time anymore."
Albus gave Minerva a sly grin, following her around his desk as she hurried away from him. "Well if you're already late to class most of the time what's one more time going to hurt?" he teased her.
Minerva paused mid-step and looked over her shoulder at Albus with a raised brow. "Really?" she said disbelievingly. "That's the best you could come up with?"
Albus suppressed a chuckle and followed Minerva as she went to a corner of the room where she had kicked off her boots the night before. She slid them on and was walking away before Albus reached her. He followed her across the room once more, and she bent down to pick up Minaveara and carry her away to the toddler's bedroom, where she dressed Minaveara and put away a few toys. When she finally turned to face Albus, he was surprised to see the seductive look on her face. She sauntered forwards with a swing in her hips, placed her smooth hands on either side of his face, and leaned in, pausing hardly an inch from his lips, teasingly, before pressing her lips against his in a passionate, knee-buckling kiss.
Just when Albus had regained some sense of mind and attempted to wrap his arms tightly around his wife's waist, she detached herself from him and ducked out of sight, reappearing with Minaveara in her arms. She placed the toddler in his arms, which were still held out awkwardly with nothing to wrap around, said, "Bye, Minaveara," kissed the toddler on the cheek, and then glided from the room, the sounds of her heels clicking on the stone floor fading with every stride.
