A/N: Ok, first and foremost, thank you to everyone who is reading and
reviewing this story. I cannot say this enough! You guys rock the sock to
the block, whoop! Sorry I broke my little updating-streak of a thing, but
I was out of town, without access to a computer. So, I wrote a lot! Hence,
this chapter is MUCH longer than those previous. But then I came back and
slacked off real bad, but that's ok! To make up for it, this chapter is so
fluffy I had to get out a vacuum cleaner so I could see past the damn
stuff. It's FINALLY an AD/MM fic, whooooo!!!!!! Ok, two things: for some
of the teachers' names, if I didn't know them, I gave them some that I
thought sounded good. (And in the case of Madam Pince, I gave her a better
one than 'Irma' because frankly I think it's a gross name. No offense if
your name is Irma and you love it, or if you know anyone whose name is Irma
and they love it, of course. I just don't like the way it sounds.) And I
know that the timeline doesn't match in this, and I know that I threw some
random characters (like Severus' parents) into the pot just for fun, but to
tell you the truth, I don't really give a damn. Oh, and by the way, my
plea for help is still out there: if anyone knows how to italicize words
and then make them stay italicized, could ya help me? Tell me how to do
it, and I'll love ya forever, yay! Thanks!!! (After I learn how to
italicize, I'll repost this chapter and chapter five with the correct
italicization, tehe.) Wow, this is a really long a/n.. daaaaaaaaamn!
Thanks to Justin for inspiration in this chapter. ("Oh, you know it!") Specially dedicated to Mirta who leaves on Monday! WE LOVE YOU MIRTA!!!! SHRHS GUARD 4EVER!!!!!! (Ahhhh, dress-up. Good times, man. Goooood times!)
Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine, it's JKR's and Warner Brother's and whoever else that claims ownership of it, I don't own any rights to "Have I Told You Lately that I Love You," that one belongs to Rod Stewart, and I'm not originally responsible for naming Madam Hooch in this story either. It belongs to whoever came up with the idea of giving her the name 'Madeline' which I liked a lot. I saw it a story but I forget which one, I'm sorry! So if it's yours or you know whom it belongs to, then just email it to me or put it in the review and I'll put your story in the next chapter. (There, it gives you an excuse to do review now, bwahahahaaa! I win.) P.S. In case I really need to do this, I don't own lemon drops either. So don't sue!!!
Ok, let's get moving already!
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Back at Hogwarts, the professors sat in the mismatched, patch-worked staff room. Each piece of furniture, minus the carpeting and the big central coffee table, showed personality traits and interests specific to the person who belonged to it. Madeline Hooch's had quidditch balls zooming across it (along with everything else she owned) and when she sat down in it, it hovered a few inches off the ground.
Filius Flitwick's chair was blue and black with ravens on it and was shorter than the rest in the room, but had legs that moved up as if controlled by a button whenever he sat down, so the top of his head was just about equal to the rest of the staff (except of course Hagrid's, whose huge chair was coincidentally adorned with carvings of some of the deadliest animals known to wizard-kind. Of course, no one on land or sea could convince him of this; he held firm to the belief that they weren't, "all that bad, once you know how to calm 'im." Most of the staff begged to differ.)
Severus Snape's had little cauldrons that really bubbled and little snakes that really slithered around. In the center of the back of the chair was a picture of him in his fifth year with his best friends, Annabelle Hutchings and Patrick Lyons. It was quite a nice photograph of him, and one wouldn't guess that he was actually quite a candid person.
Meredith Sprout's had vines growing from it that really wound around the legs of those sitting next to her, and every once and a while she needed to slap away a vine that tried to sneak up her shoulder. Filch had a chair, yes, and so did Felicia Pince, but they were barely ever seen in the staff room, only during full staff meetings.
Poppy Pomfrey's had medical equipment depicted on it, Andrea Vector's said, "That Arithmancy Witch" on the back, since that was what most people called her; Aimee Sinistra's had stars that really shimmered, with moons and planets moving around a small sun. The words "Aimee Victoria Sinistra" were written in a beautiful cursive script in shining silver. She was quite proud of it. Lockhart, too, had a chair, of which he covered in photographs and newspaper articles of-of course-himself. ("Bloody moron, stealing other hardworking people's ideas," Snape growled to Minerva when he saw it.)
But the best two chairs in the room probably belonged to that of Albus Dumbledore, who chose to depict every sweet he enjoyed eating. Lemon Drops could be seen about three dozen times. Minerva's was a deep rich red with golden trim and had golden lions on it, that let out little rowers every once and a while. Covering the back were photographs of every graduating class she had taught, which, although there were many, seemed to take up the same amount of room with each addition of a photograph. Severus greatly credited her for the idea of the picture on the back of his own chair.
Seated in these chairs were eleven worried professors; everyone but Lockhart (and, of course, Dumbledore) was present, and Minerva was fuming.
"That great bloody oaf, do you know what he's doing?! PACKING!! He's running away! I told Albus not to hire him, ooh I told him all right, but did he listen to me? Of course not! Does he ever? No! Didn't you hear me telling him, Meredith, didn't you here me tell him?!"
"Yes, Min, yes. I heard you tell him a thousand times over," Meredith replied. "Now, just calm down hun, calm down. Just relax. Take a deep breath, go on.."
"I-I just can't believe that this is happening. I can't do this without him, he's my best friend."
"I know, I know.." Meredith replied dully.
"Do you remember," Poppy began, "their wedding day?"
"Who could ever forget?!" Madeline Hooch snorted. Minerva glared at her.
"Honestly, it wasn't that bad, was it?" she said.
"Yes!" was the unanimous reply.
"Lord in Heaven, that was the funniest thing I have ever seen, and I was only five." Severus smiled, and they all slipped into a memory..
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"Three hours!" a twenty-six year old Minerva McGonagall screeched to her friends Poppy Pomfrey, Madeline Hooch and Meredith Sprout, three of the four bridesmaids in her wedding, which was approaching in, coincidentally, three hours. "Three hours and no one in my family is here! Sophia is my damned Maid of Honor, where IS SHE?!"
"Ok Min, ok. She'll be here, she's your big sister. She wouldn't miss this for the world. They're probably on their way right now." Madeline said softly.
"You said that half an hour ago," she snarled. "Where-are-they?"
"I-don't-know," she replied with the same tone, all in good fun, of course.
"But what if they don't show? What if they're hurt, or they changed their minds and now suddenly disapprove? I can't do this without my family here."
"Oh ye of little faith," a woman of about twenty-seven or so said, strolling into the room. Wearing a light blue dress with gold trim and lilacs braided into her curled and pinned up hair, leaving just a few loose strands to fall at her shoulders, the woman looked absolutely stunning.
"Sophie!!!" Minerva squealed, hopping up to hug her sister, older than she by just a year.
"Be careful, Soph, or you might be more beautiful than the bride today, and that wouldn't be good, as we all know." Madeline said quietly, but not quiet enough, because she earned a prompt pillow in the face.
"I would never!" Sophie gasped. "Plus, that's impossible, even on a normal day."
"I love you Sophie, you're the best sister ever."
Dressed in a long but not too extravagant gown with spaghetti straps that branched out into double-straps in the middle but connected again on the ends, Minerva McGonagall was escorted down the isle, following her bridesmaids, to the alter where she would forever be joined with the man she loved more than anything in the world: Albus Dumbledore. Although he was six years older than her, it wasn't too big of a deal, in most people's eyes. But in the eyes of her father was another story. It had taken Albus a good long while to prove to him that he was more than capable of earning Minerva's love, and indeed, would always be there to protect her, no matter what. He was able to finally show his worth, and immediately Mr. McGonagall had slapped him on the back and said, "So, when's the wedding?" Albus, scared to death that he would be rejected if he didn't propose soon, moved his plan up a bit. This all happened four months ago.
She smiled as she realized what she was walking to: the perfect life. The job she loved doing, the man she adored, the friends she could never replace, it was all too perfect. All the gold in Gringott's wouldn't call her away from what she was about to do.
She walked past the faculty, past the friends and past the families without so much as a nod; all she was thinking about was getting to him. 'Why on earth must it take so damn long?' she thought to herself, but before she realized, her father kissed her hand and gave it to Albus to hold gently in his own.
Her insides felt like snakes as the Minister of Magic ("God, I love connections," Albus thought.) began the ceremony:
"Cherished friends and family, we come together today to see one of life's greatest gifts: the gift of true love. For it has indeed blessed the people who stand before us all today, asking you to bear witness as they take the next step of their undying love for one another, marriage."
"May God be with him," said Anthony Lupin, sitting in the front row in between his wife and five-year-old son Remus. A few around him sniggered and his wife slapped him softly on the arm. If the Minister heard, he continued as if he didn't.
"Now, the bride and groom have asked to recite their own wedding vows. Albus, if you please,"
Albus hesitated for a moment, cleared his throat, and began.
"Minerva," he said, "When I first met you, you seemed to mean more to me than just some silly first-year, and me a seventh-year, and Head Boy at that. You became my friend, a good friend, and I was able to have conversations with you that I couldn't have with my other friends of the time. You were always there for me, to listen when I needed you to, and in turn I was always there for you when you needed me as well. Then, I had to leave. Do you remember how we cried, that last night by the Common Room fire? How could I forget? Everything that I could ever want to know about you was revealed that night. How you were so pressured by your father and brothers to be perfect, how you were so overprotected, and at the same time looked over when it came to dealing with your younger sister, or so you thought. But at the same time, I realized that what sit in front of me, what I was about to leave was one of the most beautiful and brilliant human beings alive. When I came back to you in your sixth year, you had changed. You were no longer the small child I had hot chocolate with late Saturday nights, not by a long shot. But still, you ran to me and jumped straight into my arms. It was just like old times, except that I couldn't pick you up the way I used to. That night, we took a walk, and that was when I truly fell in love with you. I realized that there was no other person alive like you, and you understood me more than anyone ever had. I know you always will. I can't wait to begin the rest of my days with you, I love you."
How on earth could she top that one? She couldn't, that's how. Crying, she did the only thing she could do. Taking a deep breath, she began to speak.
"Albus, I can't even begin to top that speech, so I'm not even going to try. Of course I remember everything, how could I forget? The Common Room late-nights, the hot chocolate, the walk the night you returned, they're the best memories I have of school. It's strange, really, because I don't know exactly when I fell in love with you, one day I just realized that I had, and I would never trade that feeling for anything. This is the best thing I could ever imagine us doing, and I can hardly wait for the rest of my life, when every morning I wake up next to you with the realization that this incredible, amazing, perfect man is indeed my husband, and that I am the luckiest woman alive. I will always love you."
There wasn't a dry eye in the room after that, not even on face of Nathaniel Snape, who hadn't cried since he was eight (or so he claimed.) The Minister of Magic smiled and said, "With these declarations of love, you begin to take your first steps into the world of marriage, forever together. Albus, to you take Minerva to be your wife and your wife alone, till death do you part?"
"I do," he whispered, looking deep into her eyes and slowly slipping onto her finger a simple diamond ring with a band of white gold, engraved with the words 'MM and AD forever' inside.
"And Minerva, do you take Albus to be your husband and your husband alone, till death do you part?"
"I do," she said, and slipped onto his finger a matching silver band, thicker than hers, with the same engraving on the inside.
She smiled at him as she heard the words, "you may now kiss the bride" behind her, and before she knew it, she was swept up in his arms, surrounded by his loving kiss. A few moments later they broke apart, and walked out of the Great Hall at Hogwarts amongst cheering and clapping (and for some, crying) from the attendants present. That was the last orderly thing that was to take place that night.
Minerva and Albus walked back into the Great Hall about twenty or so minutes later, after having changed into clothing easier to socialize in: his a light blue set of dress robes that matched nicely with his eyes, made of lighter fabric so he would not get too hot while dancing and having a good time, and her into a white spaghetti-strapped dress that came down about two or so inches above her knee. Of course, it took her most of the time to find the damn thing, and how it ever got itself into the trunk at the foot of her bed was beyond her. But they finally found it, and that was all that mattered to her, she had a wedding reception to get to, after all.
Right before they entered, they heard the best man, Nicholas Flamel announce, "It is with my greatest pleasure that I announce to you the new Mr. and Mrs. Albus Dumbledore!" and amongst a roar of applause, they entered the craziest scene they had ever seen (no pun intended).
Thousands of people, Hogwarts students, graduated students, Ministry members, long-lost acquaintances, you name it, stood inside the Great Hall cheering and whistling as they walked through the crouds.
Flabbergasted, Minerva turned to Albus and said, "Where did all these people come from?" and was answered with a barely audible, "I have no idea!"
Soon, the band began to play their first dance as husband and wife, but of course, got the song completely wrong. Instead of playing, "Have I Told You Lately that I Love You" by an old muggle singer named Rod Stewart, found for them by young Arthur Weasley, they began to play some ridiculously fast-paced song that no one could even dance to.
"Madeline, what the hell is going on?!" Minerva hollered when she saw the woman trying to slip past her.
"Well it wasn't all me, you know! Your eldest brother came up with the idea of inviting everyone. We decided that you deep down really longed for a huge wedding, so we decided to surprise you with a compromise: a huge reception! Plus, now it will be easier for you two to slip away when you want to, if you know what I mean." she trailed off, winked, and ran away before Minerva could start to fuss.
She gave up as Madeline scampered away and just sighed, saying to herself, "only my family."
The rest of the night went without trouble, for the most part. There was one incident involving Peeves, a turkey, and water balloons, but most guests didn't even want to know at that point, they were having too much fun. When it was time to cut the cake, a towering seven-layer pastry masterpiece, everyone was quite excited. Some because they wanted a piece, because they were "damned greedy bastards" in the words of Anthony Lupin, but most just wanted to see the couple smash cake in each other's faces. Lavinia Snape walked up to Minerva right before she left to cut it, and with her sons Severus and Sebastian whispered, "get him good, Min." before saying her goodbyes and bringing the two boys home.
In tradition, after the first piece of cake was cut y the bride and groom, Albus gently fed a bite to his wife. After she swallowed it, she picked up the fork, cut a piece, took it in her hand and smashed it into his mouth, causing him to cough and splutter in surprise. Laughing, they kissed, and about five seconds later pulled apart suddenly to a big "SPLAT!" and seeing the remains of their cake lying across the entire floor. Above them hovered a cackling Peeves, looking ecstatic about causing the newest bit of mischief. He zoomed away when Albus seemed to be trying to burn him with his eyes.
All was silent for a moment, people looking on tentatively because it looked as if Minerva was about to burst into tears. Instead she began to laugh hysterically, and for a good five minutes just couldn't stop. ("It must be the stress of things," whispered Madeline to Albus when she saw that he looked worried. "Don't worry, you've still got a good year left in her before she goes completely off her rocker.")
Still giggling, she slowly led him out of the chaos after one last dance. In the hallway, she pressed herself against a wall and again began to laugh wildly for another minute or two, before she began to speak.
"Sorry, it was just too much. I didn't want to give into the fact that my wedding wasn't as I wanted it to be at all, but then I thought to myself, 'Yes it was, it was perfect, it was just the reception that was like a damned circus.' So I did what I knew how to: I laughed. I couldn't help myself."
"It's quite alright my dear, really," he said. "Now come on, let's go get our suitcases. We're off to quite an extravagant trip, don't forget."
"How could I? Switzerland to Italy to the French Riviera. No better trip could I have planned myself."
"Yes, quite a trip indeed. First we go to Zurich, and then transfer to the Lucerne region for two days, and then it's off to Italy, what a country. First to Verona, where we will stay for a day, then to Venice for two days, then Rome for two days, then to Florence for two days, then a transfer to Pisa, and then we will arrive at the French Riviera, where we will stay for another two days and visit Monaco, Eze and Nice. Then we come back here for more teaching. What a trip indeed." Albus smiled to his wife. This honeymoon had been his surprise for her, and a better trip she couldn't have imagined. They both could barely wait. For obvious reasons, of course, but they were also eager to go to Rome and see all the incredible historical sites, for both muggles and wizards alike.
He took her hand and slowly began to walk back to his office, where their portkey and bags were being kept for the time being. They would write a small goodbye note, for Madeline or Meredith or Severus to find, and then be on their way.
Strolling through the quiet hallways was more than enough to relax Minerva McGonagall after any hectic day teaching classes, but add Albus Dumbledore to the mix, and she was lost. She stopped by a big bay window outlooking the lake, whose water glistened with moonlight from the full moon. He wrapped his arms around her protectively and swayed back and forth a bit to a song barely audible from the Great Hall, all the while kissing the top of her head. Neither could believe that they had actually married the other, each thinking that they were too lucky. She must have dozed off, because the next thing she knew she was moving again, but her feet weren't on the ground. Minerva decided that she must have fallen asleep on her feet, being as exhausted as she was from today's events. She shifted her weight to signal that she was awake, turning herself to look deep into his loving blue eyes, and he smiled down at her.
"You fell asleep," he whispered. "You looked too cute to wake up, so I carried you instead."
"I figured," she replied, and nuzzled her face back into his shoulder as he opened the door, stepped into his office and gently put her down on a couch.
He bent down to pick up the portkey and she saw the perfect opportunity to play with him a bit. Quick as a flash, she grabbed the hat off of his head- his favorite hat he owned-and began to run around the room with it.
"Minerva!" he bellowed in mock-anger. "Give me back my lucky hat!"
"Lucky? How is this damned old thing lucky?" she asked, running around the couch. He leapt over it to corner her, trying all the while to snatch it back from her.
"It's the hat I was wearing when I first met you, and the hat I was wearing when I first asked you out, and the hat I was wearing when I realized that I wanted to marry you, and the hat I was wearing when I proposed to you. Each of those experiences appears to have been of a positive outcome, so I think the term 'lucky' may be given to the 'damned' hat."
But in his little speech she had managed to escape from his clutched yet again, and was scampering across the room. He ran after her and she headed to go around the couch again, but unfortunately for her, he had a different plan. Without warning, he tackled her onto the couch, rolled onto the floor with her, and pried the hat from her hands, kissing every finger as he did so.
"So sorry dearest, but you must learn: you can never mess with this hat."
"Ok, ok, I've learnt my lesson. Can we please go now?" she smiled up at him, for he was still lying on top of her.
All at once he had the strangest urge to just lean down and kiss her and never ever stop. So, trusting his brain, for it never seemed to fail him before, he did. She was quite surprised, but soon was kissing him back, wrapping her arms around his neck as she did so.
They stayed in this position for who knows how long, and when they looked back at it many years later, neither knew how they ever even got to their hotel room in Switzerland, for neither remembered touching the portkey. But one of them must have, for they arrived on time, and to this day Minerva McGonagall-Dumbledore, McGonagall in the classroom but Dumbledore to those who knew, would still blush when she thought about her wedding night.
*****************
"Alright, so it was funny, but not that funny. Plus, I got my piece of the cake, so I really didn't care anymore. I just wanted to get out of there."
"Yes, Minerva, I'm sure you did," Madeline smiled at her. Minerva threw a pillow at her face.
Minerva moved to the couch and laid her head down on her best friend Meredith's shoulder. Madeline came to sit on the other side of her and gave her an encouraging hug. Poppy smiled at them from the other side of Meredith. It was just like old times, it was. The four of them, seemingly inseparable, sitting on a couch late at night, talking about anything they could string into a coherent sentence.
A/N 2: I know, I know, you don't want another blurb from me, but I have to. The trip I described Minerva and Albus going on I am going on next April vacation with school, yay! Felt you needed to know that. So uhm yeah, review, and I'll love ya! Aren't you proud that it's soooo much longer than the previous chapters? Yeah, I thought you would be. And don't forget, I still need to know how to keep words italicized! Thanks guys, I hope you liked it! But if you didn't, please feel free to tell me why. (Aww but don't be too mean, or I'll cry. Tehe jk but please, R&R!)
Thanks to Justin for inspiration in this chapter. ("Oh, you know it!") Specially dedicated to Mirta who leaves on Monday! WE LOVE YOU MIRTA!!!! SHRHS GUARD 4EVER!!!!!! (Ahhhh, dress-up. Good times, man. Goooood times!)
Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine, it's JKR's and Warner Brother's and whoever else that claims ownership of it, I don't own any rights to "Have I Told You Lately that I Love You," that one belongs to Rod Stewart, and I'm not originally responsible for naming Madam Hooch in this story either. It belongs to whoever came up with the idea of giving her the name 'Madeline' which I liked a lot. I saw it a story but I forget which one, I'm sorry! So if it's yours or you know whom it belongs to, then just email it to me or put it in the review and I'll put your story in the next chapter. (There, it gives you an excuse to do review now, bwahahahaaa! I win.) P.S. In case I really need to do this, I don't own lemon drops either. So don't sue!!!
Ok, let's get moving already!
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Back at Hogwarts, the professors sat in the mismatched, patch-worked staff room. Each piece of furniture, minus the carpeting and the big central coffee table, showed personality traits and interests specific to the person who belonged to it. Madeline Hooch's had quidditch balls zooming across it (along with everything else she owned) and when she sat down in it, it hovered a few inches off the ground.
Filius Flitwick's chair was blue and black with ravens on it and was shorter than the rest in the room, but had legs that moved up as if controlled by a button whenever he sat down, so the top of his head was just about equal to the rest of the staff (except of course Hagrid's, whose huge chair was coincidentally adorned with carvings of some of the deadliest animals known to wizard-kind. Of course, no one on land or sea could convince him of this; he held firm to the belief that they weren't, "all that bad, once you know how to calm 'im." Most of the staff begged to differ.)
Severus Snape's had little cauldrons that really bubbled and little snakes that really slithered around. In the center of the back of the chair was a picture of him in his fifth year with his best friends, Annabelle Hutchings and Patrick Lyons. It was quite a nice photograph of him, and one wouldn't guess that he was actually quite a candid person.
Meredith Sprout's had vines growing from it that really wound around the legs of those sitting next to her, and every once and a while she needed to slap away a vine that tried to sneak up her shoulder. Filch had a chair, yes, and so did Felicia Pince, but they were barely ever seen in the staff room, only during full staff meetings.
Poppy Pomfrey's had medical equipment depicted on it, Andrea Vector's said, "That Arithmancy Witch" on the back, since that was what most people called her; Aimee Sinistra's had stars that really shimmered, with moons and planets moving around a small sun. The words "Aimee Victoria Sinistra" were written in a beautiful cursive script in shining silver. She was quite proud of it. Lockhart, too, had a chair, of which he covered in photographs and newspaper articles of-of course-himself. ("Bloody moron, stealing other hardworking people's ideas," Snape growled to Minerva when he saw it.)
But the best two chairs in the room probably belonged to that of Albus Dumbledore, who chose to depict every sweet he enjoyed eating. Lemon Drops could be seen about three dozen times. Minerva's was a deep rich red with golden trim and had golden lions on it, that let out little rowers every once and a while. Covering the back were photographs of every graduating class she had taught, which, although there were many, seemed to take up the same amount of room with each addition of a photograph. Severus greatly credited her for the idea of the picture on the back of his own chair.
Seated in these chairs were eleven worried professors; everyone but Lockhart (and, of course, Dumbledore) was present, and Minerva was fuming.
"That great bloody oaf, do you know what he's doing?! PACKING!! He's running away! I told Albus not to hire him, ooh I told him all right, but did he listen to me? Of course not! Does he ever? No! Didn't you hear me telling him, Meredith, didn't you here me tell him?!"
"Yes, Min, yes. I heard you tell him a thousand times over," Meredith replied. "Now, just calm down hun, calm down. Just relax. Take a deep breath, go on.."
"I-I just can't believe that this is happening. I can't do this without him, he's my best friend."
"I know, I know.." Meredith replied dully.
"Do you remember," Poppy began, "their wedding day?"
"Who could ever forget?!" Madeline Hooch snorted. Minerva glared at her.
"Honestly, it wasn't that bad, was it?" she said.
"Yes!" was the unanimous reply.
"Lord in Heaven, that was the funniest thing I have ever seen, and I was only five." Severus smiled, and they all slipped into a memory..
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"Three hours!" a twenty-six year old Minerva McGonagall screeched to her friends Poppy Pomfrey, Madeline Hooch and Meredith Sprout, three of the four bridesmaids in her wedding, which was approaching in, coincidentally, three hours. "Three hours and no one in my family is here! Sophia is my damned Maid of Honor, where IS SHE?!"
"Ok Min, ok. She'll be here, she's your big sister. She wouldn't miss this for the world. They're probably on their way right now." Madeline said softly.
"You said that half an hour ago," she snarled. "Where-are-they?"
"I-don't-know," she replied with the same tone, all in good fun, of course.
"But what if they don't show? What if they're hurt, or they changed their minds and now suddenly disapprove? I can't do this without my family here."
"Oh ye of little faith," a woman of about twenty-seven or so said, strolling into the room. Wearing a light blue dress with gold trim and lilacs braided into her curled and pinned up hair, leaving just a few loose strands to fall at her shoulders, the woman looked absolutely stunning.
"Sophie!!!" Minerva squealed, hopping up to hug her sister, older than she by just a year.
"Be careful, Soph, or you might be more beautiful than the bride today, and that wouldn't be good, as we all know." Madeline said quietly, but not quiet enough, because she earned a prompt pillow in the face.
"I would never!" Sophie gasped. "Plus, that's impossible, even on a normal day."
"I love you Sophie, you're the best sister ever."
Dressed in a long but not too extravagant gown with spaghetti straps that branched out into double-straps in the middle but connected again on the ends, Minerva McGonagall was escorted down the isle, following her bridesmaids, to the alter where she would forever be joined with the man she loved more than anything in the world: Albus Dumbledore. Although he was six years older than her, it wasn't too big of a deal, in most people's eyes. But in the eyes of her father was another story. It had taken Albus a good long while to prove to him that he was more than capable of earning Minerva's love, and indeed, would always be there to protect her, no matter what. He was able to finally show his worth, and immediately Mr. McGonagall had slapped him on the back and said, "So, when's the wedding?" Albus, scared to death that he would be rejected if he didn't propose soon, moved his plan up a bit. This all happened four months ago.
She smiled as she realized what she was walking to: the perfect life. The job she loved doing, the man she adored, the friends she could never replace, it was all too perfect. All the gold in Gringott's wouldn't call her away from what she was about to do.
She walked past the faculty, past the friends and past the families without so much as a nod; all she was thinking about was getting to him. 'Why on earth must it take so damn long?' she thought to herself, but before she realized, her father kissed her hand and gave it to Albus to hold gently in his own.
Her insides felt like snakes as the Minister of Magic ("God, I love connections," Albus thought.) began the ceremony:
"Cherished friends and family, we come together today to see one of life's greatest gifts: the gift of true love. For it has indeed blessed the people who stand before us all today, asking you to bear witness as they take the next step of their undying love for one another, marriage."
"May God be with him," said Anthony Lupin, sitting in the front row in between his wife and five-year-old son Remus. A few around him sniggered and his wife slapped him softly on the arm. If the Minister heard, he continued as if he didn't.
"Now, the bride and groom have asked to recite their own wedding vows. Albus, if you please,"
Albus hesitated for a moment, cleared his throat, and began.
"Minerva," he said, "When I first met you, you seemed to mean more to me than just some silly first-year, and me a seventh-year, and Head Boy at that. You became my friend, a good friend, and I was able to have conversations with you that I couldn't have with my other friends of the time. You were always there for me, to listen when I needed you to, and in turn I was always there for you when you needed me as well. Then, I had to leave. Do you remember how we cried, that last night by the Common Room fire? How could I forget? Everything that I could ever want to know about you was revealed that night. How you were so pressured by your father and brothers to be perfect, how you were so overprotected, and at the same time looked over when it came to dealing with your younger sister, or so you thought. But at the same time, I realized that what sit in front of me, what I was about to leave was one of the most beautiful and brilliant human beings alive. When I came back to you in your sixth year, you had changed. You were no longer the small child I had hot chocolate with late Saturday nights, not by a long shot. But still, you ran to me and jumped straight into my arms. It was just like old times, except that I couldn't pick you up the way I used to. That night, we took a walk, and that was when I truly fell in love with you. I realized that there was no other person alive like you, and you understood me more than anyone ever had. I know you always will. I can't wait to begin the rest of my days with you, I love you."
How on earth could she top that one? She couldn't, that's how. Crying, she did the only thing she could do. Taking a deep breath, she began to speak.
"Albus, I can't even begin to top that speech, so I'm not even going to try. Of course I remember everything, how could I forget? The Common Room late-nights, the hot chocolate, the walk the night you returned, they're the best memories I have of school. It's strange, really, because I don't know exactly when I fell in love with you, one day I just realized that I had, and I would never trade that feeling for anything. This is the best thing I could ever imagine us doing, and I can hardly wait for the rest of my life, when every morning I wake up next to you with the realization that this incredible, amazing, perfect man is indeed my husband, and that I am the luckiest woman alive. I will always love you."
There wasn't a dry eye in the room after that, not even on face of Nathaniel Snape, who hadn't cried since he was eight (or so he claimed.) The Minister of Magic smiled and said, "With these declarations of love, you begin to take your first steps into the world of marriage, forever together. Albus, to you take Minerva to be your wife and your wife alone, till death do you part?"
"I do," he whispered, looking deep into her eyes and slowly slipping onto her finger a simple diamond ring with a band of white gold, engraved with the words 'MM and AD forever' inside.
"And Minerva, do you take Albus to be your husband and your husband alone, till death do you part?"
"I do," she said, and slipped onto his finger a matching silver band, thicker than hers, with the same engraving on the inside.
She smiled at him as she heard the words, "you may now kiss the bride" behind her, and before she knew it, she was swept up in his arms, surrounded by his loving kiss. A few moments later they broke apart, and walked out of the Great Hall at Hogwarts amongst cheering and clapping (and for some, crying) from the attendants present. That was the last orderly thing that was to take place that night.
Minerva and Albus walked back into the Great Hall about twenty or so minutes later, after having changed into clothing easier to socialize in: his a light blue set of dress robes that matched nicely with his eyes, made of lighter fabric so he would not get too hot while dancing and having a good time, and her into a white spaghetti-strapped dress that came down about two or so inches above her knee. Of course, it took her most of the time to find the damn thing, and how it ever got itself into the trunk at the foot of her bed was beyond her. But they finally found it, and that was all that mattered to her, she had a wedding reception to get to, after all.
Right before they entered, they heard the best man, Nicholas Flamel announce, "It is with my greatest pleasure that I announce to you the new Mr. and Mrs. Albus Dumbledore!" and amongst a roar of applause, they entered the craziest scene they had ever seen (no pun intended).
Thousands of people, Hogwarts students, graduated students, Ministry members, long-lost acquaintances, you name it, stood inside the Great Hall cheering and whistling as they walked through the crouds.
Flabbergasted, Minerva turned to Albus and said, "Where did all these people come from?" and was answered with a barely audible, "I have no idea!"
Soon, the band began to play their first dance as husband and wife, but of course, got the song completely wrong. Instead of playing, "Have I Told You Lately that I Love You" by an old muggle singer named Rod Stewart, found for them by young Arthur Weasley, they began to play some ridiculously fast-paced song that no one could even dance to.
"Madeline, what the hell is going on?!" Minerva hollered when she saw the woman trying to slip past her.
"Well it wasn't all me, you know! Your eldest brother came up with the idea of inviting everyone. We decided that you deep down really longed for a huge wedding, so we decided to surprise you with a compromise: a huge reception! Plus, now it will be easier for you two to slip away when you want to, if you know what I mean." she trailed off, winked, and ran away before Minerva could start to fuss.
She gave up as Madeline scampered away and just sighed, saying to herself, "only my family."
The rest of the night went without trouble, for the most part. There was one incident involving Peeves, a turkey, and water balloons, but most guests didn't even want to know at that point, they were having too much fun. When it was time to cut the cake, a towering seven-layer pastry masterpiece, everyone was quite excited. Some because they wanted a piece, because they were "damned greedy bastards" in the words of Anthony Lupin, but most just wanted to see the couple smash cake in each other's faces. Lavinia Snape walked up to Minerva right before she left to cut it, and with her sons Severus and Sebastian whispered, "get him good, Min." before saying her goodbyes and bringing the two boys home.
In tradition, after the first piece of cake was cut y the bride and groom, Albus gently fed a bite to his wife. After she swallowed it, she picked up the fork, cut a piece, took it in her hand and smashed it into his mouth, causing him to cough and splutter in surprise. Laughing, they kissed, and about five seconds later pulled apart suddenly to a big "SPLAT!" and seeing the remains of their cake lying across the entire floor. Above them hovered a cackling Peeves, looking ecstatic about causing the newest bit of mischief. He zoomed away when Albus seemed to be trying to burn him with his eyes.
All was silent for a moment, people looking on tentatively because it looked as if Minerva was about to burst into tears. Instead she began to laugh hysterically, and for a good five minutes just couldn't stop. ("It must be the stress of things," whispered Madeline to Albus when she saw that he looked worried. "Don't worry, you've still got a good year left in her before she goes completely off her rocker.")
Still giggling, she slowly led him out of the chaos after one last dance. In the hallway, she pressed herself against a wall and again began to laugh wildly for another minute or two, before she began to speak.
"Sorry, it was just too much. I didn't want to give into the fact that my wedding wasn't as I wanted it to be at all, but then I thought to myself, 'Yes it was, it was perfect, it was just the reception that was like a damned circus.' So I did what I knew how to: I laughed. I couldn't help myself."
"It's quite alright my dear, really," he said. "Now come on, let's go get our suitcases. We're off to quite an extravagant trip, don't forget."
"How could I? Switzerland to Italy to the French Riviera. No better trip could I have planned myself."
"Yes, quite a trip indeed. First we go to Zurich, and then transfer to the Lucerne region for two days, and then it's off to Italy, what a country. First to Verona, where we will stay for a day, then to Venice for two days, then Rome for two days, then to Florence for two days, then a transfer to Pisa, and then we will arrive at the French Riviera, where we will stay for another two days and visit Monaco, Eze and Nice. Then we come back here for more teaching. What a trip indeed." Albus smiled to his wife. This honeymoon had been his surprise for her, and a better trip she couldn't have imagined. They both could barely wait. For obvious reasons, of course, but they were also eager to go to Rome and see all the incredible historical sites, for both muggles and wizards alike.
He took her hand and slowly began to walk back to his office, where their portkey and bags were being kept for the time being. They would write a small goodbye note, for Madeline or Meredith or Severus to find, and then be on their way.
Strolling through the quiet hallways was more than enough to relax Minerva McGonagall after any hectic day teaching classes, but add Albus Dumbledore to the mix, and she was lost. She stopped by a big bay window outlooking the lake, whose water glistened with moonlight from the full moon. He wrapped his arms around her protectively and swayed back and forth a bit to a song barely audible from the Great Hall, all the while kissing the top of her head. Neither could believe that they had actually married the other, each thinking that they were too lucky. She must have dozed off, because the next thing she knew she was moving again, but her feet weren't on the ground. Minerva decided that she must have fallen asleep on her feet, being as exhausted as she was from today's events. She shifted her weight to signal that she was awake, turning herself to look deep into his loving blue eyes, and he smiled down at her.
"You fell asleep," he whispered. "You looked too cute to wake up, so I carried you instead."
"I figured," she replied, and nuzzled her face back into his shoulder as he opened the door, stepped into his office and gently put her down on a couch.
He bent down to pick up the portkey and she saw the perfect opportunity to play with him a bit. Quick as a flash, she grabbed the hat off of his head- his favorite hat he owned-and began to run around the room with it.
"Minerva!" he bellowed in mock-anger. "Give me back my lucky hat!"
"Lucky? How is this damned old thing lucky?" she asked, running around the couch. He leapt over it to corner her, trying all the while to snatch it back from her.
"It's the hat I was wearing when I first met you, and the hat I was wearing when I first asked you out, and the hat I was wearing when I realized that I wanted to marry you, and the hat I was wearing when I proposed to you. Each of those experiences appears to have been of a positive outcome, so I think the term 'lucky' may be given to the 'damned' hat."
But in his little speech she had managed to escape from his clutched yet again, and was scampering across the room. He ran after her and she headed to go around the couch again, but unfortunately for her, he had a different plan. Without warning, he tackled her onto the couch, rolled onto the floor with her, and pried the hat from her hands, kissing every finger as he did so.
"So sorry dearest, but you must learn: you can never mess with this hat."
"Ok, ok, I've learnt my lesson. Can we please go now?" she smiled up at him, for he was still lying on top of her.
All at once he had the strangest urge to just lean down and kiss her and never ever stop. So, trusting his brain, for it never seemed to fail him before, he did. She was quite surprised, but soon was kissing him back, wrapping her arms around his neck as she did so.
They stayed in this position for who knows how long, and when they looked back at it many years later, neither knew how they ever even got to their hotel room in Switzerland, for neither remembered touching the portkey. But one of them must have, for they arrived on time, and to this day Minerva McGonagall-Dumbledore, McGonagall in the classroom but Dumbledore to those who knew, would still blush when she thought about her wedding night.
*****************
"Alright, so it was funny, but not that funny. Plus, I got my piece of the cake, so I really didn't care anymore. I just wanted to get out of there."
"Yes, Minerva, I'm sure you did," Madeline smiled at her. Minerva threw a pillow at her face.
Minerva moved to the couch and laid her head down on her best friend Meredith's shoulder. Madeline came to sit on the other side of her and gave her an encouraging hug. Poppy smiled at them from the other side of Meredith. It was just like old times, it was. The four of them, seemingly inseparable, sitting on a couch late at night, talking about anything they could string into a coherent sentence.
A/N 2: I know, I know, you don't want another blurb from me, but I have to. The trip I described Minerva and Albus going on I am going on next April vacation with school, yay! Felt you needed to know that. So uhm yeah, review, and I'll love ya! Aren't you proud that it's soooo much longer than the previous chapters? Yeah, I thought you would be. And don't forget, I still need to know how to keep words italicized! Thanks guys, I hope you liked it! But if you didn't, please feel free to tell me why. (Aww but don't be too mean, or I'll cry. Tehe jk but please, R&R!)