"So, Headmaster, do you approve?" Rolanda matter-of-factly ended her long talk. Serena Sinistra sighed, though. It was a strange thing, but every time Rolanda re-explained her plan, it sounded more and more insane. No, Serena corrected herself, it just was insane. A typical Rolanda thing to do: crazy yet… slightly amusing. Okay, okay, very amusing. Sera even had to admit that she would quite like it. But Minerva! Rolanda couldn't honestly believe that Minerva McGonagall, formidable, down-to-earth Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, would ever want to participate in something what would probably become *the* topic of conversation for the next twenty years! For the next thirty years, if Min did participate… But of course she wouldn't.
Unless Rolanda was right. Unless Minerva would really do anything because of her love for the Headmaster… And Rolanda had a point there- Minerva and Albus really HAD to realize their feelings for each other. But would Minerva really do something like… like this, just because the Headmaster approved it?
But, Serena came back to the point, that meant the Headmaster had to approve first. And would he?
Albus sat down behind his desk, slowly crossing his arms before his chest. A faint smile stood on his lips as he, taking his time, examined the faces of the two women before him.
The first one: Rolanda Hooch. Silver hair, yellow hawk eyes with a somehow "dangerous" twinkle in them. Notorious Quidditch addict- even more notorious prankster. Always been the wild child- as a student and as a teacher. Of course this idea had to be one of hers… Rolanda had always been slightly famous -or infamous- because of her… somewhat "creative" ideas. Yes, only she could have invented this little "show" she was planning to give. She, and not Serena Sinistra.
The Headmaster's eyes strayed off to the second person.
Serena. Brown hairs- touch of gold and grey in them. Blue eyes. She had an air of nervousness around her- an almost apologizing look in her eyes. Obviously felt quite embarrassed because of her friend's "plan". Poor Sera.
Albus almost grinned. He had known these girls- women- since they had been students. He had known them- them and their best friend. Sera, Ro and Min. Though Minerva had always loathed that abbreviation of her name. Yes, Minerva…
He had known her as well, in her school days, that tall, dark-haired girl with her great sense of duty. A wonderful Head Girl she'd been. She had always had everything under control. Everything- everyone, except her best friends. Especially Rolanda Hooch, of course.
But Minerva had done everything she could… it had been no use. It still wasn't.
Yes, Minerva in her 7th year. It was then, Albus recalled, that he had fallen in love with her.
He had oppressed his feelings, of course. He had acted as a responsible teacher. Never even had he looked at her longer than was strictly necessary. Yet he had loved her, and he still did.
But now? Now he was old- and even she wasn't exactly a girl anymore. And they got on well together, they were best friends even. He had learned to live with it. He had learned to live with the fact that he could never take her in his arms, that he would never kiss her. He could never send his love a card on Valentine's day.
He had learned to live with it.
Albus only awoke from his thoughts as Rolanda Hooch pointedly coughed.
"Er- Headmaster?"
Albus looked up, saw the yellow, mischievous-looking eyes of the Flying Instructor and suddenly took his decision.
He nodded.
Serena really thought Rolanda would have literally *hugged* the Headmaster, if she hadn't held her friend back with a firm hand. She couldn't stop her friend from hysterically hopping on her chair, though.
"Really? I mean… are you really serious? So we can do it? At the Yule Ball? The three of us?"
The headmaster chuckled and nodded at this enthusiasm.
"Yes. After all, why not. You have a point- our students need a bit of fun."
"And Minerva needs a bit of fun!" Rolanda interrupted the Headmaster, who smiled.
"Yes, that as well. But, Rolanda, and answer me honestly now, does Minerva know anything of this yet?"
Serena closed her eyes for a split second. Wrong question, Headmaster.
And indeed Rolanda immediately broadly grinned and nodded.
"Yes, of course we've told her."
"And did she agree?" the man asked matter-of-factly. Rolanda slightly hesitated. Sera determinedly shook her head.
"No, of course she does not, Headmaster! You know Minerva. She totally refuses to…"
"…but she'll change her mind eventually." Rolanda hastily finished her friend's sentence, casting Serena a pleading glance. She rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders.
"Perhaps, Rolanda, but as we all know Minerva…"
"…but we've got permission, haven't we, Headmaster?"
Rolanda cast her puppy-eyed look now in the direction of her employer, who raised his hands.
"I don't care, Rolanda. Do as you wish."
But as he'd spoken that sentence and saw the twinkle in her eyes, he realized it was an oh-so-dangerous one to say to Rolanda Hooch.
The woman stood up and frantically started to shake the slightly taken aback Headmaster's hand.
"Thank you! Thank you! It'll be so great- the students will love it, and don't worry, you will see Minerva on that bloody stage!"
With this, she pointedly winked. As she saw the slight blush on Dumbledore's cheeks, Sera practically dragged her friend out of the office, muttering under her breath things like "insane", "abnormal", "insinuations", "he's our bleeding *employer*", and last but not least, clearly audibly "Min's going to kill us!".
As the women had finally left, Albus fell back on his chair, an amused grin on his lips.
"I sincerely look forward to it, Madam Hooch." he muttered.
Unless Rolanda was right. Unless Minerva would really do anything because of her love for the Headmaster… And Rolanda had a point there- Minerva and Albus really HAD to realize their feelings for each other. But would Minerva really do something like… like this, just because the Headmaster approved it?
But, Serena came back to the point, that meant the Headmaster had to approve first. And would he?
Albus sat down behind his desk, slowly crossing his arms before his chest. A faint smile stood on his lips as he, taking his time, examined the faces of the two women before him.
The first one: Rolanda Hooch. Silver hair, yellow hawk eyes with a somehow "dangerous" twinkle in them. Notorious Quidditch addict- even more notorious prankster. Always been the wild child- as a student and as a teacher. Of course this idea had to be one of hers… Rolanda had always been slightly famous -or infamous- because of her… somewhat "creative" ideas. Yes, only she could have invented this little "show" she was planning to give. She, and not Serena Sinistra.
The Headmaster's eyes strayed off to the second person.
Serena. Brown hairs- touch of gold and grey in them. Blue eyes. She had an air of nervousness around her- an almost apologizing look in her eyes. Obviously felt quite embarrassed because of her friend's "plan". Poor Sera.
Albus almost grinned. He had known these girls- women- since they had been students. He had known them- them and their best friend. Sera, Ro and Min. Though Minerva had always loathed that abbreviation of her name. Yes, Minerva…
He had known her as well, in her school days, that tall, dark-haired girl with her great sense of duty. A wonderful Head Girl she'd been. She had always had everything under control. Everything- everyone, except her best friends. Especially Rolanda Hooch, of course.
But Minerva had done everything she could… it had been no use. It still wasn't.
Yes, Minerva in her 7th year. It was then, Albus recalled, that he had fallen in love with her.
He had oppressed his feelings, of course. He had acted as a responsible teacher. Never even had he looked at her longer than was strictly necessary. Yet he had loved her, and he still did.
But now? Now he was old- and even she wasn't exactly a girl anymore. And they got on well together, they were best friends even. He had learned to live with it. He had learned to live with the fact that he could never take her in his arms, that he would never kiss her. He could never send his love a card on Valentine's day.
He had learned to live with it.
Albus only awoke from his thoughts as Rolanda Hooch pointedly coughed.
"Er- Headmaster?"
Albus looked up, saw the yellow, mischievous-looking eyes of the Flying Instructor and suddenly took his decision.
He nodded.
Serena really thought Rolanda would have literally *hugged* the Headmaster, if she hadn't held her friend back with a firm hand. She couldn't stop her friend from hysterically hopping on her chair, though.
"Really? I mean… are you really serious? So we can do it? At the Yule Ball? The three of us?"
The headmaster chuckled and nodded at this enthusiasm.
"Yes. After all, why not. You have a point- our students need a bit of fun."
"And Minerva needs a bit of fun!" Rolanda interrupted the Headmaster, who smiled.
"Yes, that as well. But, Rolanda, and answer me honestly now, does Minerva know anything of this yet?"
Serena closed her eyes for a split second. Wrong question, Headmaster.
And indeed Rolanda immediately broadly grinned and nodded.
"Yes, of course we've told her."
"And did she agree?" the man asked matter-of-factly. Rolanda slightly hesitated. Sera determinedly shook her head.
"No, of course she does not, Headmaster! You know Minerva. She totally refuses to…"
"…but she'll change her mind eventually." Rolanda hastily finished her friend's sentence, casting Serena a pleading glance. She rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders.
"Perhaps, Rolanda, but as we all know Minerva…"
"…but we've got permission, haven't we, Headmaster?"
Rolanda cast her puppy-eyed look now in the direction of her employer, who raised his hands.
"I don't care, Rolanda. Do as you wish."
But as he'd spoken that sentence and saw the twinkle in her eyes, he realized it was an oh-so-dangerous one to say to Rolanda Hooch.
The woman stood up and frantically started to shake the slightly taken aback Headmaster's hand.
"Thank you! Thank you! It'll be so great- the students will love it, and don't worry, you will see Minerva on that bloody stage!"
With this, she pointedly winked. As she saw the slight blush on Dumbledore's cheeks, Sera practically dragged her friend out of the office, muttering under her breath things like "insane", "abnormal", "insinuations", "he's our bleeding *employer*", and last but not least, clearly audibly "Min's going to kill us!".
As the women had finally left, Albus fell back on his chair, an amused grin on his lips.
"I sincerely look forward to it, Madam Hooch." he muttered.