20th December 1974
It was a Thursday evening, and just like every Thursday for the past years, Minerva and Albus were huddled up in the latter's study bent over a large chessboard.
It was a while before either of them moved and it was only when Dumbledore's Queen was brutally kicked off the set that he leant back in his chair and took a sip of his hot chocolate. "I am going away on Friday, Minerva," he said. Minerva looked up from the board, her chin still resting on the tips of her fingers. "I will be missing the meeting I'm afraid."
Minerva sighed and felt her spine crack as she sat up a little straighter. "I hope you're not saying that to distract me from the game. Checkmate in three moves," she said to her friend who smiled faintly.
"I will be back on Monday," said Dumbledore, "Hopefully in the morning but I can't make any promises." He paused and briefly looked away from Minerva before smiling at her and changing the conversation topic completely. "Do we have a new Charms Professor yet?"
"The Christmas lunch is on Monday." Minerva took a sip of her tea and watched Dumbledore who made no attempt to justify himself or his absence. Realising it was going to take more a push Minerva cleared her throat and decided to answer his question first. "I've found one person," she said, "Filius Flitwick?" Dumbledore's eyebrows shot up into his almost silver hair. "Old acquaintance?" asked Minerva.
"Student."
"Hm. Well, I've told him to come in as soon as possible. I don't think I am able to teach Potter and Black for four lessons in a row anymore. Two Transfiguration lessons one after the other were enough. Two Transfigurations and Charms?" Minerva shook her head and took another sip of her drink, ignoring the smile Dumbledore was trying hard to hide.
"When will he be in?"
She frowned as she tried to remember all of the details. "Some time next week I think. Come to my office tomorrow and I'll show you the letter. He seems very enthusiastic," she added when he still didn't answer.
"I'm sure," said Dumbledore who had begun to fiddle with a loose button on his cuff.
Minerva watched him for a few seconds wondering whether or not she should ask him more about his outing the coming weekend. He had seemed out of sorts lately and the time had come when she had had enough of all of this secrecy. Pursing her lips she waited a few more moments before finally coming to a decision. "So," she paused, watching Dumbledore carefully, "Where is it you have been going these past few weeks?"
"Aha." Dumbledore looked up at Minerva, a faint twinkle in his eye, "I thought this moment would come eventually."
"Let's not beat about the bush, Albus," said Minerva bluntly. "It's about Voldemort isn't it? You wouldn't leave the school for days on end if it were not for something important. Especially in times such as these." She raised an eyebrow waiting for him to correct her.
Dumbledore briefly looked down at his fingers before looking back at her, a faint smile on his lips. "As always my dear you are quite right."
Minerva leaned forwards in her chair. "But what have you been doing?"
He cleared his throat and pressed his fingertips together. "What do we know about Voldemort, Minerva?"
Minerva frowned and sat back in her chair. "Not much."
Dumbledore's eyes lit up and he waved his finger in the air. "Exactly!"
"So you are trying to learn more about him?" she said slowly. Dumbledore said nothing and took a sip of his hot chocolate watching her closely. "Or- you've been trying to find him!" she said with a mix of excitement and shock.
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and he smiled. Vaguely Minerva wondered if he had been waiting for her to figure this out for herself since she had begun asking him about his strange absences.
"So as we have been tracking down suspected followers you have been visiting some of the pure-blood family homes."
"Keeping an eye on them," he corrected.
"Have you found anything?"
"Not as much as I would like," replied Dumbledore thoughtfully. "It has been difficult," he added.
Minerva rested her head on the palm of her hand. "I'm sure. But why haven't you shared any of this with the Order?"
"I have a lot of theories but I would prefer to be more certain before sending a group of people on what could be a wild goose chase."
Minerva sighed. "I suppose that makes sense," she said, not completely convinced. Dumbledore shrugged and they sat in silence for a few minutes, Minerva mulling over what had just been said and previous conversations she had had with him over the past few weeks. It was a while before either of them spoke, and Minerva was glad for it as it gave her more room to think. Eventually, however, Dumbledore broke the silence. Smiling he pushed the chessboard back so that it was sitting between them again.
"If I remember correctly you were about to play your winning move." He moved a pawn forward two spaces before looking expectantly up at his friend.
Minerva eyed the board noticing that his move allowed her to swoop in with her Queen and checkmate his King. Something told her he had done it on purpose to speed up the game. As Dumbledore's King was smashed to smithereens, she gave a long sigh and stood up, feeling her joints pop after being sat in the same position for 2 hours.
"Good game, Albus," she said. "I will be seeing you tomorrow then."
Her friend flicked his wand and the chess pieces went flying back into their case, the box snapping shut soon after. Getting up too, he perched himself on the side of his desk. "I thought you were going to see your family this week?"
Minerva cast her eyes down at her robes, pretending to pick off a hair from them. "No. I think my mother and father want a calm Christmas this year," she tried to smile, "I don't want to put too much stress on them. Malcolm and Robert won't be going either."
Dumbledore got up and walked around his desk. Placing a hand on her arm he said, "I hope your father gets better soon."
Minerva nodded, appreciating his concern, "Goodnight, Albus," she said before opening his office door and slipping out of the room and down the eagle staircase.
I hope you're enjoying the story so far :)