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day 5: Missing
Albus tossed and turned. 'Merlin's beard, tonight is worse than last night...I can't just sit around here. She's...she's got at least give me a chance. Since that dirty double crosser isn't going to change his mind, I'll try to change hers. I've got to.'
He gathered himself up from bed, and put robes on over his muggle nightwear. Which was quite a sight, what with his pin-striped pants, and brown night shirt. He took in a deep breath. 'I can't back out this time. He's...he's going to win her, and then break her heart if I don't.'
He walked quickly away, from his rooms, and made his way towards hers. His hand began to sweat with every step, his heart raced; whether it be anxiety, or desperation, or even giddiness, he didn't know. All he knew, was that she was there, no doubt in her nightwear. No doubt, looking beautiful. 'No doubt thinking about that low-life who's going to be dead by the end of this year.' His hands squeezed together, only wishing his head were in the middle.
Her door was soon in sight, just lying their waiting to be entered. He gulped, and pounded gently on the door. She didn't answer quickly, but he could hear the movement.
"Who is it?"
"Albus. I need to talk to you."
"About what?"
"Do you really want me to say it Minerva? You know perfectly well why I"m here."
She didn't respond. She merely unlocked the door, and let him. He tried his best not to stare at the nightgown, that was far more low cut than any man should be seeing at two in the morning. Especially since it had been at least three years before a last encounter had taken place. His try wasn't very productive though. He tried to look at her face. But somehow, his eyes just slowly darted downward. He rolled his eyes, 'stop it!'
She led him towards the bed, and beckoned him to sit down. The sheets were overturned, just making it slightly obvious where she had been sleeping, still having a deep indent upon the cusion. "Albus," she whispered.
"Minerva," he replied, making a silent invitation to the conversation.
"I suppose there isn't much to say. I...I don't know what happened."
"Not to point out the facts Min, but that is pretty obvious. A student? Greg? I'm honestly not trying to sound like a critic here, but what happened?"
She smiled slightly, "I just told you I don't know."
"Well, tell me what PHYSICALLY happened."
She gulped, making it obvious with the pale moonlight shining upon her untanned skin. "He came over to me, and said that you and he had been in a conversation. He said that you approved of us being together. I guess I sort of snapped then. The next thing I could think about was Greg...you would think that the hormones wouldn't be so apt to coming alive by now. Long story short, I didn't think...I know I messed up something awful, and if you want me to...leave, I certainly will."
"Leave? Why would I want you to leave?"
"You can't tell me that behavior like that was teacherlike. I...I don't think I want to even face tomorrow. I don't think it's possible for James to not tell. He's just that sort of person."
"He wouldn't tell. He knows what's at stake."
"Albus," she whispered, "Peeves had to have told the whole school by now what's going. Let alone James...that's probably why he was there in the first place."
"Peeves?"
"I passed him this morning. He said that he knew about...Greg and I. He even made the outrageous comment that I was messing around with you too. He had to have told him. You know how he is."
"Messing around?" he lifted an eyebrow.
She stared at him, he could see the glow in her deep green eyes. It couldn't be true...it just couldn't. "Well...nothing has happened yet, exactly."
"Do I dare ask what HAS happened?"
"Really all that you had seen today...nothing has REALLY happened."
"Minerva, you know that I care about you, and I wouldn't try to hurt you. Greg would. He's...he's not just after your personality, you have to realize that. He's just trying to get you so that...so that he can makesure you're not belonging to someone else before he's had a fanciful ride."
****************************************
Minerva stared at him. Fanciful ride? 'What did Greg say earlier? That ALBUS is trying to take me away from him?', she stared, and stared. "Albus, Greg is...well I know he's not exactly your choice. But when I'm...near him, I just feel this rush. I suppose you could blame it on hormones, but it's been so long since I've felt it. Even to a remote extension."
"Minerva...you can't honestly be saying that you're going to go with that idiot."
"Albus, he's not an idiot...he's," she took in a deep breath, "wonderful. He wants me. No one, I think has ever wanted me like that. I know it sounds stupid, and childish, and NAIVE, but he makes me feel like we're the only two people out there."
"But you have to realize what he wants from you. I bet you my whole years worth of galleons that he's got some other little tramp just waiting to take your place once he's left the M train."
"Tramp?! M TRAIN? Are we suddenly becoming philosophical Albus? Is that what you think of me? Like I'm some little dormat just waiting to be trampled on? Well I'm not a child, and you're not my parent! Get that through your thick skull," she spat.
"Minerva. I didn't mean it like that. You know I don't think of you in some slutty way like you're saying. You're just seeming a little bit blind. He's doing all this stuff to you right infront of everyone's eyes. I bet you right now that he's thinking of you and him, and just plotting about what's next. Minerva...listen to reason. He's obsessed with it. He's threatened to kill me for you."
"You know what Albus, I didn't let you in to listen to you criticize my judgment. I'm perfectly able to handle my own affairs," she said haughtily.
"MINERVA! Open your eyes."
"My eyes are perfectly open. Do you know what Greg said to me today? He said that you had it in for me. He said that you were as lustful as a man could be...and you know what? First, I didn't believe it...but now? HA!", she began raising her voice, "I have no reason NOT to believe it."
"Tell me, what reason do you have to think that I am LUSTFUL, have I ever! Ever!, done anything to you? Have I ever groped you, or kissed you when you didn't want it? Have I ever laid so much as a finger on you, without your consent? NO! But let's talk about Greg now! What does HE do? From what I can tell, and this is only MY judgment, he came to your room two days ago, sucked your little pale neck, then I came in. The next day, hmmm...let's see what happens there. He's holding you for dear life, touching every single place that he can find! Tell me Minerva, who's move lustful, ME or HIM?"
He knew, he knew he shouldn't have lost his top like that. He knew his face was as red as hers had become from horror. But her face, oh her face. She looked shocked, she looked horrified, she looked...different.
She didn't speak, neither of them spoke. She nodded her head, and pointed towards the door, obviously a silent invitation to get out.
"I'm not leaving."
"Then I am," she whispered. He saw her for one moment, then the next was gone. He watched a small Tabby Cat make its way through the crack between the door and the wall.
*********************************************
Albus didn't sleep well, he didn't even close his eyes once he reached his chambers. By the time daylight came strolling in, his eyes were bloodshot, but he was as alert as one could be. He scurried through the hallways, and into the great hall. Hoping, Oh Merlin's Beard hoping, that she would be there. That she would listen, that she DID listen. But alas, she was not there. She had no need to be, after all. Classes were out, and she was able to sleep in as late as she wanted. Though where she would be sleeping was an absolute mystery to him. She couldn't have been prowling all night, until he returned. Perhaps she took refuge in one of the other teachers rooms?
He clenched his fists, only thinking of the possible person she would go to. 'Oh Minerva, say you didn't.'
He stared at the few children that were up at this time of day. One being a lonely slytherin, and two or three of each of the other houses. He looked through the room, minute by minute as students came through the Great Hall's entrance. Eventually, nearly all of the school had come and gone, as well as the teachers. There still lay no sign of Minerva...or Greg. He groaned, feeling the hope slip through his finger second by second.
"Bad day?"
Albus's head lifted up, and he saw him, that masculine grin on his face. "I think you know perfectly well what is on my mind."
"What? The fact that she chose to snog me instead of you?"
"She never had the option. You just took all that you could."
"Perhaps...but from where I'm standing, I doubt that I'll be cut short at this point. You know what I mean dear Dumbledore?"
"Don't be so sure. I went to her lastnight."
"OH really? What did she say? That she's fallen even more inlove with me than she thought possible? That she's mesmerized by the way that I kiss her, touch her, move her? Any of the previous will do."
"Don't count on it. You're lower than dirt in my book, I wouldn't be surprised if she's come to her senses by the time we see her today. She knows what you are, and she knows what you want. I wouldn't be getting cocky so soon."
"Hmmmm. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Poor Albus, have you not figured out that she doesn't want you? That she thinks you're going to take her away from me the moment that we separate? She knows...well, she thinks she knows what's going on. I doubt that whatever you told her could make any more of an impact than I've already made on Miss Tabby Mcgonagall."
"Which is what? A pack of lies?"
"Yes...plus the addition of me and my physique."
"Shut up before I kill you right now, right here."
"You can't kill me. I'll kill you first. If you're going to lose, we might as well make it fair, and I can kill you, win, and we're finished. We can all go home...well, you'll be going upwards, I'll stay right her in the middle...with Minerva."
Albus stared. He needed to keep in control. He was half way there to pulling out is wand, muttering a few words, and sending him to some forest helpless and alone. Control was one thing he always had, if he lost it, he lost everything. But Greg, Greg knew exactly how to get at him...just mention the one person he'd ever cared about. And just take it all away, his hopes, dreams, conscience.
He put on the best smile he could forge. "Happy Christmas," and walked away. He was too close that time, 'stay in control.'
He left the great hall, not in a rush, but taking his time, making sure that all was in order, and not seeming to hurry more than usual. He had to find her, she couldn't go near that idiot now. No, she couldn't. She had to have gone somewhere, maybe her office? No, that was too obvious. Her room? No, someone would know to find her there. The quidditch pitch? Doubtful. The forest? There's a thought. He quickly turned the corner, and rushed out towards the forest. She had to be there...she just had to.
He made his way through the mountains of snow, breathing in the crisp morning air. 'What if I don't find her? What if...what if somethings happened? Oh, I don't know if I could go on.'
"Minerva!" he shouted loudly, as he came upon the dark thicket. "Minerva!", no answer came. He raced in deeper to the forest. "Minerva!!! Are you in here!?", the only sound that greeted him was the eerie silence. "Minerva, if you're in here, and you're not answering, I swear I"ll...I"ll," he stopped to think. What would he do? Wrap his arms around her as tight as he could, wanting only to feel as if he were her safety? Kiss her all over and tell her that he loves her? Get down on one knee and beg her to choose him?
He looked around, there was no sign of her. It was likely that she went as a cat, so footprints would be a bit dumb to look for. And even if she had come...the prints would be gone by now. Too many students had taken the liberty of morning snowball fights. He sighed...'Back to the castle? She apparently is either not here, or she's...not wanting to talk to me.' He walked leisurely out of the thickness of the trees, and turned back only once as he left the forest.
**********************************
Greg walked quickly towards Minerva's rooms. He hadn't seen her all morning. She wasn't usually the earliest to rise when she had a choice, but she was certainly at breakfast by 10:00. He knocked on the door gently, trying his best to come across as 'caring'. "Minerva, you in there?" he knocked again. No answer.
"Allahomora," he whispered, and the lock to the door came undone. He stepped into the room cautiously, incase she hadn't heard him enter. "Minerva? Min, you in here?" he condescended, as he tip toed through the room. He turned in through the bathroom, but saw nothing. He rounded another corner, and returned to her bed, she certainly wasn't there. He would have noticed.
"Minerva?" he said louder this time. Still, no answer.
"She's disappeared...unless Dumbledore knows where she is," he hissed, and slammed the door on his way out.
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We'll get an update on James within the next two chapters, and me thinks I may actualy reach my goal! Hehe, thanks for the support reviewers, I really mean that! You make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
day 5: Missing
Albus tossed and turned. 'Merlin's beard, tonight is worse than last night...I can't just sit around here. She's...she's got at least give me a chance. Since that dirty double crosser isn't going to change his mind, I'll try to change hers. I've got to.'
He gathered himself up from bed, and put robes on over his muggle nightwear. Which was quite a sight, what with his pin-striped pants, and brown night shirt. He took in a deep breath. 'I can't back out this time. He's...he's going to win her, and then break her heart if I don't.'
He walked quickly away, from his rooms, and made his way towards hers. His hand began to sweat with every step, his heart raced; whether it be anxiety, or desperation, or even giddiness, he didn't know. All he knew, was that she was there, no doubt in her nightwear. No doubt, looking beautiful. 'No doubt thinking about that low-life who's going to be dead by the end of this year.' His hands squeezed together, only wishing his head were in the middle.
Her door was soon in sight, just lying their waiting to be entered. He gulped, and pounded gently on the door. She didn't answer quickly, but he could hear the movement.
"Who is it?"
"Albus. I need to talk to you."
"About what?"
"Do you really want me to say it Minerva? You know perfectly well why I"m here."
She didn't respond. She merely unlocked the door, and let him. He tried his best not to stare at the nightgown, that was far more low cut than any man should be seeing at two in the morning. Especially since it had been at least three years before a last encounter had taken place. His try wasn't very productive though. He tried to look at her face. But somehow, his eyes just slowly darted downward. He rolled his eyes, 'stop it!'
She led him towards the bed, and beckoned him to sit down. The sheets were overturned, just making it slightly obvious where she had been sleeping, still having a deep indent upon the cusion. "Albus," she whispered.
"Minerva," he replied, making a silent invitation to the conversation.
"I suppose there isn't much to say. I...I don't know what happened."
"Not to point out the facts Min, but that is pretty obvious. A student? Greg? I'm honestly not trying to sound like a critic here, but what happened?"
She smiled slightly, "I just told you I don't know."
"Well, tell me what PHYSICALLY happened."
She gulped, making it obvious with the pale moonlight shining upon her untanned skin. "He came over to me, and said that you and he had been in a conversation. He said that you approved of us being together. I guess I sort of snapped then. The next thing I could think about was Greg...you would think that the hormones wouldn't be so apt to coming alive by now. Long story short, I didn't think...I know I messed up something awful, and if you want me to...leave, I certainly will."
"Leave? Why would I want you to leave?"
"You can't tell me that behavior like that was teacherlike. I...I don't think I want to even face tomorrow. I don't think it's possible for James to not tell. He's just that sort of person."
"He wouldn't tell. He knows what's at stake."
"Albus," she whispered, "Peeves had to have told the whole school by now what's going. Let alone James...that's probably why he was there in the first place."
"Peeves?"
"I passed him this morning. He said that he knew about...Greg and I. He even made the outrageous comment that I was messing around with you too. He had to have told him. You know how he is."
"Messing around?" he lifted an eyebrow.
She stared at him, he could see the glow in her deep green eyes. It couldn't be true...it just couldn't. "Well...nothing has happened yet, exactly."
"Do I dare ask what HAS happened?"
"Really all that you had seen today...nothing has REALLY happened."
"Minerva, you know that I care about you, and I wouldn't try to hurt you. Greg would. He's...he's not just after your personality, you have to realize that. He's just trying to get you so that...so that he can makesure you're not belonging to someone else before he's had a fanciful ride."
****************************************
Minerva stared at him. Fanciful ride? 'What did Greg say earlier? That ALBUS is trying to take me away from him?', she stared, and stared. "Albus, Greg is...well I know he's not exactly your choice. But when I'm...near him, I just feel this rush. I suppose you could blame it on hormones, but it's been so long since I've felt it. Even to a remote extension."
"Minerva...you can't honestly be saying that you're going to go with that idiot."
"Albus, he's not an idiot...he's," she took in a deep breath, "wonderful. He wants me. No one, I think has ever wanted me like that. I know it sounds stupid, and childish, and NAIVE, but he makes me feel like we're the only two people out there."
"But you have to realize what he wants from you. I bet you my whole years worth of galleons that he's got some other little tramp just waiting to take your place once he's left the M train."
"Tramp?! M TRAIN? Are we suddenly becoming philosophical Albus? Is that what you think of me? Like I'm some little dormat just waiting to be trampled on? Well I'm not a child, and you're not my parent! Get that through your thick skull," she spat.
"Minerva. I didn't mean it like that. You know I don't think of you in some slutty way like you're saying. You're just seeming a little bit blind. He's doing all this stuff to you right infront of everyone's eyes. I bet you right now that he's thinking of you and him, and just plotting about what's next. Minerva...listen to reason. He's obsessed with it. He's threatened to kill me for you."
"You know what Albus, I didn't let you in to listen to you criticize my judgment. I'm perfectly able to handle my own affairs," she said haughtily.
"MINERVA! Open your eyes."
"My eyes are perfectly open. Do you know what Greg said to me today? He said that you had it in for me. He said that you were as lustful as a man could be...and you know what? First, I didn't believe it...but now? HA!", she began raising her voice, "I have no reason NOT to believe it."
"Tell me, what reason do you have to think that I am LUSTFUL, have I ever! Ever!, done anything to you? Have I ever groped you, or kissed you when you didn't want it? Have I ever laid so much as a finger on you, without your consent? NO! But let's talk about Greg now! What does HE do? From what I can tell, and this is only MY judgment, he came to your room two days ago, sucked your little pale neck, then I came in. The next day, hmmm...let's see what happens there. He's holding you for dear life, touching every single place that he can find! Tell me Minerva, who's move lustful, ME or HIM?"
He knew, he knew he shouldn't have lost his top like that. He knew his face was as red as hers had become from horror. But her face, oh her face. She looked shocked, she looked horrified, she looked...different.
She didn't speak, neither of them spoke. She nodded her head, and pointed towards the door, obviously a silent invitation to get out.
"I'm not leaving."
"Then I am," she whispered. He saw her for one moment, then the next was gone. He watched a small Tabby Cat make its way through the crack between the door and the wall.
*********************************************
Albus didn't sleep well, he didn't even close his eyes once he reached his chambers. By the time daylight came strolling in, his eyes were bloodshot, but he was as alert as one could be. He scurried through the hallways, and into the great hall. Hoping, Oh Merlin's Beard hoping, that she would be there. That she would listen, that she DID listen. But alas, she was not there. She had no need to be, after all. Classes were out, and she was able to sleep in as late as she wanted. Though where she would be sleeping was an absolute mystery to him. She couldn't have been prowling all night, until he returned. Perhaps she took refuge in one of the other teachers rooms?
He clenched his fists, only thinking of the possible person she would go to. 'Oh Minerva, say you didn't.'
He stared at the few children that were up at this time of day. One being a lonely slytherin, and two or three of each of the other houses. He looked through the room, minute by minute as students came through the Great Hall's entrance. Eventually, nearly all of the school had come and gone, as well as the teachers. There still lay no sign of Minerva...or Greg. He groaned, feeling the hope slip through his finger second by second.
"Bad day?"
Albus's head lifted up, and he saw him, that masculine grin on his face. "I think you know perfectly well what is on my mind."
"What? The fact that she chose to snog me instead of you?"
"She never had the option. You just took all that you could."
"Perhaps...but from where I'm standing, I doubt that I'll be cut short at this point. You know what I mean dear Dumbledore?"
"Don't be so sure. I went to her lastnight."
"OH really? What did she say? That she's fallen even more inlove with me than she thought possible? That she's mesmerized by the way that I kiss her, touch her, move her? Any of the previous will do."
"Don't count on it. You're lower than dirt in my book, I wouldn't be surprised if she's come to her senses by the time we see her today. She knows what you are, and she knows what you want. I wouldn't be getting cocky so soon."
"Hmmmm. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Poor Albus, have you not figured out that she doesn't want you? That she thinks you're going to take her away from me the moment that we separate? She knows...well, she thinks she knows what's going on. I doubt that whatever you told her could make any more of an impact than I've already made on Miss Tabby Mcgonagall."
"Which is what? A pack of lies?"
"Yes...plus the addition of me and my physique."
"Shut up before I kill you right now, right here."
"You can't kill me. I'll kill you first. If you're going to lose, we might as well make it fair, and I can kill you, win, and we're finished. We can all go home...well, you'll be going upwards, I'll stay right her in the middle...with Minerva."
Albus stared. He needed to keep in control. He was half way there to pulling out is wand, muttering a few words, and sending him to some forest helpless and alone. Control was one thing he always had, if he lost it, he lost everything. But Greg, Greg knew exactly how to get at him...just mention the one person he'd ever cared about. And just take it all away, his hopes, dreams, conscience.
He put on the best smile he could forge. "Happy Christmas," and walked away. He was too close that time, 'stay in control.'
He left the great hall, not in a rush, but taking his time, making sure that all was in order, and not seeming to hurry more than usual. He had to find her, she couldn't go near that idiot now. No, she couldn't. She had to have gone somewhere, maybe her office? No, that was too obvious. Her room? No, someone would know to find her there. The quidditch pitch? Doubtful. The forest? There's a thought. He quickly turned the corner, and rushed out towards the forest. She had to be there...she just had to.
He made his way through the mountains of snow, breathing in the crisp morning air. 'What if I don't find her? What if...what if somethings happened? Oh, I don't know if I could go on.'
"Minerva!" he shouted loudly, as he came upon the dark thicket. "Minerva!", no answer came. He raced in deeper to the forest. "Minerva!!! Are you in here!?", the only sound that greeted him was the eerie silence. "Minerva, if you're in here, and you're not answering, I swear I"ll...I"ll," he stopped to think. What would he do? Wrap his arms around her as tight as he could, wanting only to feel as if he were her safety? Kiss her all over and tell her that he loves her? Get down on one knee and beg her to choose him?
He looked around, there was no sign of her. It was likely that she went as a cat, so footprints would be a bit dumb to look for. And even if she had come...the prints would be gone by now. Too many students had taken the liberty of morning snowball fights. He sighed...'Back to the castle? She apparently is either not here, or she's...not wanting to talk to me.' He walked leisurely out of the thickness of the trees, and turned back only once as he left the forest.
**********************************
Greg walked quickly towards Minerva's rooms. He hadn't seen her all morning. She wasn't usually the earliest to rise when she had a choice, but she was certainly at breakfast by 10:00. He knocked on the door gently, trying his best to come across as 'caring'. "Minerva, you in there?" he knocked again. No answer.
"Allahomora," he whispered, and the lock to the door came undone. He stepped into the room cautiously, incase she hadn't heard him enter. "Minerva? Min, you in here?" he condescended, as he tip toed through the room. He turned in through the bathroom, but saw nothing. He rounded another corner, and returned to her bed, she certainly wasn't there. He would have noticed.
"Minerva?" he said louder this time. Still, no answer.
"She's disappeared...unless Dumbledore knows where she is," he hissed, and slammed the door on his way out.
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We'll get an update on James within the next two chapters, and me thinks I may actualy reach my goal! Hehe, thanks for the support reviewers, I really mean that! You make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.