A Desperate Plan
Conall waited patiently until he saw Albus and Professor Kettleburn swiftly exiting the large castle and his heart skipped a beat as he recognized the colorful phoenix making its' way to Minerva's window carrying a small bit of parchment. He silently hoped that his plan would work and now was the time to make his bold move. Confident of himself and his powers of persuasion, he smiled broadly as he went to her rooms to offer his support for her feelings. However, in all of his planning and scheming, he never saw what was coming.
Minerva was sitting at her desk as Fawkes flew to her window. A giddy feeling sprang to life as she wondered what kind of note Albus would be sending only moments before seeing her. But as she read the scribbled words, she was torn between emotions. She had been looking forward to this day. They both had. Now there was some sort of crisis that had once again caused him to push her aside and yet this time she wasn't angry. As a knock sounded on her door, she had already decided what she needed and wanted to do.
"Minerva, I just saw Professor Dumbledore leaving the castle in a hurry. Don't tell me that he has stood you up for your outing today? Honestly, I cannot believe that he would pass up the opportunity to spend a day escorting such a lovely woman to Hogsmeade!"
"Really, it's not what you think. There's been some sort of crisis and he has owled to say that he will try his best to resolve the situation quickly. So, I suppose our plans are on hold at the moment. But what brings you by here?"
"When I saw him leaving without you, I assumed that your plans had been cancelled. I came to invite you to join me in the village today. I assure you that I will show you a wonderful time and you won't regret it." As he surveyed her face, he noticed that she was not completely convinced that his idea was a good one. In desperation he tried one more thing. "Besides Minerva, it might teach him a lesson. How many times has he chosen his work over you in the past few weeks? It seems that he likes to see you and spend time with you when it suits his needs and purposes. Come on! Let's enjoy this beautiful day and deal with the consequences later!"
"No. I think that I owe it to Albus to wait a little longer. He may be able to solve the problem and we can still enjoy the rest of our day. However, don't let me keep you from venturing into town. Go and enjoy your day. I'm going to grade some papers and wait until I hear something more from Albus. Better yet, I think I'll track him down and see if I can offer some assistance. With any luck, we can tackle the problem together and be on our way." With hidden anger brewing inside him, Conall made one last plea for her company and when she refused, he left feeling unhappy and disappointed.
Ultimately, Conall decided to venture to Hogsmeade alone and search for a wonderful gift for Minerva. He hoped that with any luck, he would be able to steal a few precious moments alone with her at the end of the day and make up for his abrupt departure earlier. Silently, he hoped that the unruly hippogriffs had caused even more damage and destruction than he had planned. That way it might show Minerva that she had wasted her entire Sunday waiting for a man that didn't deserve her.
Later that afternoon, he decided to visit the center of activity today. Honeydukes was swamped with people sampling the various confectionaries they had to offer. Making his way through the crowds, he spied a rather large box of marzipan, a muggle treat that had been molded in the shape of delicate roses and had been dyed to match every color of the rainbow. Each dainty flower had been charmed by the owner of the shop to open and close frequently, as if it were blossoming. It was as if one were watching a real rose blossom to perfection. Thinking that it would be a perfect way to ease back into Minerva's mind, he made his way to the counter to pay. He was shocked to run directly into a tall wizard with long silvery hair and a stunning witch wearing a brilliant expression on her face, both holding hands full of various snacks and treats from the store.
"Oh sorry, sir…Albus? Minerva? I didn't expect to run into you two today. Did you sort out your problem at the school this morning?" Conall tried his best to hide his displeasure at seeing the two of them relishing the day but it was imperative that neither of them suspected his role in the events of the early morning for fear of learning the truth behind the occurrence.
"Hello Professor MacGregror. Yes, with Minerva's superb assistance and her loving way with animals, we were able to quickly correct the situation and have been enjoying our day immensely." Catching her eyes with his own, unspoken word of appreciation seemed to flow between the wizard and the woman on his arm. "It was her idea to stop in here and sample a few of the delicious morsels they're serving today. She really knows the way to a man's heart! I have such a sweet tooth and she knows it!"
"Well I'm certainly glad to hear that you're having a more pleasant afternoon. Perhaps, if it's not too much of an imposition, I might join you for dinner…my treat! I would really enjoy your company."
"We would…" Albus was not given the chance to complete his sentence before Minerva interrupted him. He felt his heart swell as he heard her answer for the both of them, giving him a sense of pride and an overwhelming amount of confidence in regards to her feelings towards him.
"Actually Conall, Albus and I have already made dinner plans for this evening. We have made reservations for a quiet dinner for two at our favorite place. Maybe some other time." Casting a glance towards Albus, she saw that he was not going to dispute her word and in an attempt to remove herself from the situation, she told the gentlemen that she had spotted Madame Rosmerta, with whom she wanted a word.
"Albus, I'll just go speak to her while you pay for all of this. Make them give you a bag to put it in or we'll be in a right mess." As she started to walk away, she called a goodbye to Conall and a reminder to Albus that eating such sweets before dinner was a sure fire way to spoil one's appetite and she was sure that he had already consumed his limit of free samples as well as hers. After flashing Albus a dazzling smile, she set off to catch up with Madame Rosmerta.
As the two wizards watched her cross the crowded room, an awkward silence descended. Albus tried to break the silence by making idle chatter. He wasn't sure why Minerva had single handedly rejected the man's offer for dinner but he was ever so pleased that she had. He had not wanted to spend the remainder of the evening forcing himself to be overly excited about dinner with a man who was making no efforts to hide his feelings for Minerva. That could only make all three of them uncomfortable.
"So Conall, I notice that you've got a rather large box of marzipan in your hands. I must say, I didn't know that you were a fan of muggle sweets too. I, myself, can never get enough sherbert lemons. Minerva doesn't like them but I think they're much better than her tins of ginger newts. But don't tell her I said that!"
"Ah, well the marzipan is not for me. And I can completely understand Minerva's dislike for those tarts things. I much prefer something more soothing. I think she might enjoy these marzipan roses I am going to buy her. However, I would ask you not to spoil the surprise. I'll keep your secret if you'll keep mine." As the sweet words fell from the mouth of the man grinning before him, Albus had to offer a smile in return. He knew that he had potential information that could destroy Conall's hopes of impressing Minerva but at the same time it could also cause her harm.
"I hate to disappoint you but Minerva is allergic to almonds. However, she might prefer…"
"Albus, did I just hear you say that I was allergic to almonds?" For a moment, Albus doubted his memory until he saw the look in her eyes.
"My dear, need I remind you that it was I who carried you to the infirmary and held your hand throughout the night? I have never seen house elves more apologetic as they were the night they gave you the wrong dessert."
"How sweet of you to remember that night. I must say that they've been extra careful with my food since then. You must've said something to them after I was better."
"Minerva, I remember everything about you." Blue eyes locked with green ones and for a moment the entire world stood still. It was just the two of them, alone in a world where neither was afraid to share their inner feelings and desires. But the fantasy ended as Conall made his presence known once more as he bid them a good day.
They walked into the still crowded street after Albus had paid for his new stash of sweets. Minerva couldn't help but steal several long sideways glances at the man whose arm she was holding. Sensing her covert actions, he chuckled causing her to inquire as to the sudden contagious sound of his merriment.
"I'm sorry dear but I have to ask. Please forgive me, but have you made some dinner arrangements for us and neglected to tell me?" Promising him that she had done no such a thing, he continued. "Then I must ask, and please tell me if it's none of my business, but why did you so quickly refuse Professor MacGregor's invitation for dinner this evening? It wasn't exactly how I wanted to spend my evening with you but I would have managed."
He had always thought she looked even more beautiful when she blushed so he was not disappointed when a pink hue infused her cheeks. "I just wanted to spend my evening alone with you. I've seen so little of you these past few weeks and I suppose I didn't want him to tag along and ruin it for me. Besides, you promised me an outstanding breakfast and I have been shortchanged Albus Dumbledore! You owe me one spectacular dinner in place of breakfast. Now, what do you intend to do about it?"
A look of mischief appeared in his face as a thought was born. "I'll tell you precisely what I intend to do Minerva McGonagall. I plan to go to the best restaurant in town and order the most lavish dishes they have. I will ask for them to be sent to the hillside overlooking the village, where we will wait patiently for their arrival. Once we are hungry enough, we will sit down to a sumptuous feast as we watch the sun set beyond the mountains. How does that appeal to your senses?" She was breathless and speechless but managed to softly whisper that it sounded like the perfect ending to a remarkable day.
The following morning was Monday and classes had been suspended so that the new Dark Arts professor could hold a dueling demonstration for the older students. Those in the younger years would be allowed to watch while those fourth years and older were allowed to participate in mock duels with fellow classmates. Conall had personally asked for volunteers among the staff to assist him with his instructions and to his dismay Minerva had not agreed. She had hoped to spend her free time with Albus, engaged in a spirited game of chess. However, her hopes had been dashed when she learned that Albus was to supervise the dueling instruction in the hopes of offering his expert advice on the matters presented.
At first, things had gone smoothly and Professor MacGregor had been successful in explaining the rudimentary rules of a proper duel. He had also urged the students to always be on their guard because in a real battle, the opponent most likely would throw caution to the wind and use any means necessary to win. Speaking from experience, Albus also advised the students that an adversary often had nothing to lose except his life and that if the cause was that important to him, he would risk everything for victory.
With those few words of caution and definite guidelines established regarding the levels of curses allowed in the mock duels, the students were paired up according to their years as well as houses. Each pair would be given a turn to demonstrate their abilities, while earning extra credit points towards their final grades. The most successful seventh year students would be given an opportunity to challenge a teacher or another classmate to a final duel.
Two hours later, each pair of students had been given the opportunity to impress their peers and even their professors. Minerva took great pride that her Gryffindors had managed to earn more points than any other house and was flattered when her favorite pupil challenged her to a duel. Not one to back down from a challenge, she gracefully accepted and proceeded to dazzle those assembled with her precision and skill. She had been forced to use only the basic spells but the speed with which she cast them and the pairing of the curses had been her greatest asset in claiming victory over her opponent. A bit flushed and with an errant strand of hair curling about her face, she made her way to the seat next to Dumbledore to ask his honest opinion of her display.
"Professor, remind me never to make you angry enough to challenge me to a duel! I believe you have successfully demonstrated the need for precision and speed in a life and death situation." Peering at her over the top of his half moon spectacles, his eyes twinkled as he added one sentence quietly. " Not to mention the power of a certain woman to distract a certain man in any situation." With that, he carefully brushed the strand of hair behind her ear, lightly touching her skin as he did so, causing her to blush furiously at his words and the meanings behind them.
After several small skirmishes between other faculty members and the students, the Dark Arts professor decided to show his skills and challenge Albus to a duel. He saw it as his one and only chance to prove to Minerva once and for all that he was worthy of her affections. Once she saw his abilities and the way he held himself in extreme situations, he hoped that any doubts she had about him would be erased. He was almost positive that with a private discussion, where he would tell her of his wishes to have an intimate relationship with her, he would be able to win her heart. With any luck at all, she would be his by nightfall.
Reluctantly, Albus agreed to the confrontation with his newest professor but with the understanding that it was for demonstration purposes only and that the spells should not be ones that those in their seventh years had not used. In short, he wanted to make this little display as educational as possible without flexing his real powers for them. Unfortunately, Conall had other ideas.
As the duel began, Albus noticed Minerva standing in the crowd and as his blue eyes caught her emerald green ones, he smiled. He had been uneasy about agreeing to this outward exhibition of powers but with her pleading eyes and encouragement, he had ultimately agreed to accept the invitation. With one last look at her, his heart melted and yet it turned quickly to stone as he looked at his opponent. Without any warning, Conall cast his first spell and the duel of powers began.
Several intense moments followed as curses were hurled, dodged, deflected, and transformed into less threatening ones. Albus had tried to maintain a professional demeanor but with each stray curse, he sensed that Conall was out to prove something by his actions. However, Albus had been more than willing to play along with his little game until he saw Minerva looking worried at the intensity with which the spells were cast.
As Albus attempted to call a truce to the battle of powers, Conall intentionally hurled one last curse. He had failed to take into account that his target was moving towards the students and that his aim had progressively worsened. With a vengeful heart, he projected all of his powers into the last spell, causing it to veer wildly off course. It instantly ricochet off of a wall sconce, causing it to shatter as it hit the floor, and before he even had time to think, Albus had hurled himself in front of a student directly in the spells' new path, taking the full brunt of the remaining force. Proclaiming himself the victor since his spell had eventually hit his opponent, Conall soon found himself all alone as Minerva rushed to Albus' side.
After personally levitating him to the infirmary, Minerva gave a brief account of what had happened and instructed the medi-witch to do what was necessary to make him comfortable. "If he should wake before I return, please inform him that I have urgent school matter to address and will be back as soon as possible." Sweeping from the room as her emerald green robes billowed behind her, the skilled healer was thankful that she would not have to see the explosion that was brewing within Minerva.
A/N: You guys are great! Thanks for the awesome compliments and reviews of our story.
Silvercrystal77: No random schoolwork in her future but she does have an important 'conference' with a colleague in her future!
Catwoman99: Hope the "exquisite torture" was worth the wait for this chapter! Now, we just have to wait to see what's brewing within Minerva.
Minnie Dumbledore: What a wonderful compliment! We tried to convey that Minerva's heart has always belonged to Albus yet she is conflicted with her feelings now that Conall has shown her some interest. Hope this chapter was worth your wait.
Jestana: Conall needs to be hit with more than a halibut…how about a sledgehammer? Maybe he'll come to an understanding in the next chapter!
Liz O'Brien: It's not up to me to get rid of him. That's Minerva's job once she had decided who really holds the keys to her heart. But then again, we think she already knows the answer to that question.
Happy Reader!: What an awesome visual image of Albus at Honeydukes! And we can just see Minerva standing by patiently waiting for him to make his purchase so they can leave the store. No such luck with the hippogriffs for Conall though. But there's definitely troubled waters in his future. Ever seen an angry Minerva McGonagall?
Minerva's Quill: Thanks for your compliments! Looks like the wet kipper might have served its' purpose. Now all that's left is for Minerva to make her decision and set things right in the world.
Evilwoman: Got the message loud and clear! Here's your update and we hope it was worth all the chanting you had to do. Just when you thought you couldn't hate Conall any more, he goes and does something stupid!!
Tabbyforever: True love and destiny, huh? Well you only have to wait one more chapter for your answer. Or have we given you a clue with those last few paragraphs. Hope you'll stick around for the ending, though.
Minerva Black: What?? You're going to pull for the guy who has single handedly tried to destroy the relationship between Albus and Minerva. Oh well, to each his own! We're die-hard Albus/Minerva shippers ourselves. AD/MM FOREVER! lol