A/N: Thanks again to our reviewers; hopefully this chapter will explain any questions from the last one. Can't tie them all up neatly in a little bow, you know. ;)
Chapter 5
On the fourth day of his estrangement from Minerva, Albus was intentionally five minutes late to dinner in the Great Hall. As he walked he hummed to himself and greeted the various portraits and ghosts he met cheerfully. His good mood may have seemed out of place to some since his best friend had spent the last four days studiously ignoring every attempt at conversation, but Albus had finally found a way to apologize that would be certain to catch Minerva's attention and make her talk to him at last. He had spent the better part of the previous night forming his plan and just that afternoon had received the final item he needed in order to put it into action.
When the headmaster strolled happily into the hall a few minutes later, many heads turned and students and staff alike turned red attempting to disguise snickers with coughs. Instead of his usual ornate and colorful robes, Albus was wearing a crisp white shirt over a green and blue patterned kilt; his long skinny legs visible from mid-thigh to mid-calf where his knee socks began. Every eye in the Great Hall was on him as he made his way to the head table.
Most of the staff had seen that particular pattern of tartan before and knew almost at once why he was wearing the peculiar outfit. For the most part, they were intensely happy to see the headmaster taking steps to get back in his deputy's good graces. When Albus and Minerva fought the whole staff felt the effects. Meals had been unusually quiet and conversations with either of the heads of the school over the previous three or four days had turned out disastrously for any who were brave or foolish enough to attempt them.
Albus reached his seat at the head table and remained standing, unnecessarily raising his arms for silence. The only noise in the entire room was a few muffled giggles and whispered questions between the students. His announcement did little to ease their curiosity, but Albus knew that the person for whom he intended his words would hear them and understand.
"No doubt you are all wondering about my unorthodox attire this evening," he began. "I'm afraid I can offer you very little in the way of explanation. I will tell you, however, that I am doing this for an old friend; a very dear friend who has been trying to get me into one of these contraptions for years now. I would encourage each and every one of you to find ways to show your appreciation for your friends every day, no matter how busy you become or what silly differences of opinion you may have. Your friends will always be the most important people in your lives; I for one know that I would be absolutely lost without mine. That being said, please enjoy your dinner."
Albus sat down and stole the briefest of glances at Minerva out of the corner of his eye as he helped himself to roast chicken and potatoes. He was pleased to see the twitch at the corner of her mouth that meant she was attempting to hold back a smile, and if he wasn't mistaken her eyes looked just a bit misty.
After dinner that night, Albus rose from his seat with a brief nod to Minerva and walked quickly back to his office. He was not surprised to hear her signature knock less than a minute after he settled in behind his desk. Smiling to himself, he called for her to enter.
"I'm sorry," they said together after Minerva had taken a seat in front of his large desk.
"I'm sorry I got so angry the other day, Albus," she continued. "I felt like you had no confidence in me as a head of house and was afraid that the students would follow your example and show me very little respect. You must remember back to the days when you first took over the job, there are students in Gryffindor who will always remember you as their head of house rather than myself. The sixth and seventh year students are the ones whose respect I have to work the hardest to obtain, I can't have you undermining my efforts.
"I had hoped to call the two students in question to my office and give them the opportunity to confess and thereby receive a very light punishment in hopes of forestalling any future pranks and rule breaking. It hurt my feelings greatly that you refused to support me and even pulled rank, but I should not have let myself get so angry. For that I apologize," she concluded.
Albus listened closely to her words and once again felt like an idiot. He had forgotten how difficult it could be to take over as head of house and without meaning to he had undermined Minerva's confidence. He had acted like exactly the kind of boor he always promised himself he would never become if given a position of authority. The woman sitting in front of him was strong and capable, she knew her own strengths and wasn't afraid to confront her weaknesses, but she was also human and as such needed reassurance and support from him. He silently promised once again to always remember that she was first and foremost his friend and that his role as her boss was secondary to that relationship. Minerva had always supported him no questions asked and would never unnecessarily punish her students or put them in jeopardy. He had to remember to trust her judgment even when he didn't agree with her, sometimes she was far wiser than he.
"No, Minerva, I'm sorry," he said after a moment. "I did not listen to you carefully enough on Saturday and I forgot that every head of house has a different method for teaching the students proper adherence to the rules. You are correct, I am also guilty of forgetting what it's like to take over those duties from another staff member, especially one who is still in residence at the school. But most importantly of all, I forgot that you are my best friend and that I trust you implicitly. I know you would never act rashly or arbitrarily punish a student. Can you forgive an old man his moment of stupidity?" He finished with a winning smile.
Minerva couldn't help herself, she laughed at his last statement. "I forgive you," she said and then paused briefly. "Albus, why the kilt? And where did you get one in my family's tartan?"
"Ah, I wondered when you would ask that," he said, blue eyes twinkling again. "I borrowed this from your very kind brother and I wore it to dinner tonight because I had to get your attention. You've been ignoring me for days, you know. I decided it was either do something drastic or lose your friendship forever." Albus stood and walked around the desk to kneel in front of her, taking one of her slender hands in both his own and becoming suddenly very dramatic.
"Without you I am nothing," he exclaimed passionately. "A doddering old fool who could not choose his own socks much less run a school. Oh, my fair lady, let us put this unpleasantness behind us and move forth side-by-side. As it has been in years past, let it be forevermore."
By the time he finished, Minerva had tears in her eyes from trying to hold back her laughter in order to play along. In the end, she failed the battle with her own will and gave in to the laughter, shaking her head and batting Albus on the shoulder with her free hand.
"You crazy old fool," she exclaimed. "Get up, get up. I give in, you are forgiven kind sir."
Albus smiled and kissed her hand before slowly standing back up. He had to flex his knee a few times to loosen it back up after having supported the weight of his body for even just a few minutes. He knew that melodramatics would get them back on track; Minerva could never resist a chance to laugh at him. If she didn't play along that was. She really had a wonderful sense of humor when she allowed herself to show it.
"I was very touched by that speech you made at dinner," Minerva admitted once he was seated behind the desk again. "Thank you," she added quietly.
"I meant it, my dear, I couldn't do half the things I do without you and I hope to never take you for granted again." He smiled, "Luckily, you have a way of reminding me when I forget certain things."
Minerva blushed slightly and cleared her throat. "Yes, well you've admitted now how much you rely on me so don't expect me to let you off easily in the future," she said with a small half smile. "I don't suppose you'd have time for a game of chess?"
"For you, my dear, I always have time for a game of chess," Albus answered, getting up to lead the way to the more comfortable chairs in front of the fireplace where a chess board was always set up and waiting for them.
They settled into an old routine, born of decades spent playing chess together. Tea and hot chocolate were summoned before the game began and then both players sat back in their chairs to concentrate, hardly ever lifting their eyes from the board to look at each other. A few friendly barbs and threats were exchanged across the board, but most of the communication occurred silently, without either party being consciously aware of the thoughts that passed between them.
Albus went to bed that night heady from his double triumph. He had succeeded at winning back his best friend's trust and had then soundly defeated her in their chess game. Sleep came easily and his dreams were happy ones, largely featuring a certain dark haired green eyed witch who was beginning to occupy his waking thoughts more and more as time went by.
For the next week Albus and Minerva's relationship was as close as ever, much to the faculty's delight. For now dinner was enjoyable, and most any topic of conversation would not be accompanied by a glare or a rebuke, unless of course Quidditch or a new theory in Transfiguration was discussed.
However the Wednesday before Halloween, which fell on a Friday this year, Albus was unusually quiet over dinner. Picking at his food Minerva could almost literally see the wheels in his head turning, and though many would miss it the slight clench to his jaw alerted Minerva to the fact that something was wrong.
"Albus," she whispered leaning closer to him, "is something wrong?"
"Meet me in my office after dinner, Minerva."
Minerva gave a succinct nod before returning to her meal, only to hastily finish it and excuse herself from the table. When Albus made his way back from dinner Minerva was already seated across his desk.
"Let's adjourn to the sitting room, Minerva. We will probably be late, and the least we can be is comfortable." Wordlessly following it wasn't long before they were both seated on the couch facing the fire.
"Trouble is stirring, my dear. I'm not sure there will be a time when true peace can reign over our world for long, but if it is to be that time has not come. I fear that within the next few days we will receive a message, and by the end of the year we will be preparing ourselves for war."
Minerva's hand had flown to her chest while Albus spoke, "Can you be sure?" Albus' downcast eyes were all the answer she needed to that question. Reaching her hand across the little divide between them Minerva grasped Albus' hand.
"You know you have my support, Albus. Anything you need just ask."
"Thank you, my dear. You don't know how much that means to me. I have been getting strange reports for over a year now about powerful dark arts and rituals being performed in forests in various countries. Only lately has it started to make sense. The ministry has not released this information so I ask that it goes no further than this room."
Pausing to receive Minerva's word Albus quickly picked up on his tale, "There have been three disappearances this year: one in July, September, and another only two weeks ago. Outwardly there appears to be no connection, but,-"
"You disagree," Minerva interrupted, "but who Albus?"
"Ever to the point; the first was Emily Scripsi, for the past twenty years she has worked as one of the secretaries to the justice department. She has two children which are both grown, and on their own. The second was a man who worked for the Department of Magical Trafficking. Zachariah Memini is sixty years old, and has no remaining family members the ministry can question. The last disappearance was Joseph Miles, a retired Auror."
"Yes, I know his name. They all worked in completely different fields, Albus; are you sure their disappearances are connected?"
"Positive. Each of these three has worked at their jobs for exactly twenty years, Joseph falling a bit short when he retired at nineteen, but they all started working within the ministry at the same time. Hired within the same week, along with Maxim Faveo (Muggle artifacts), and Katherine Abduco (who is the Minister's Deputy)."
Minerva looked at Albus confused, "I still don't see the connection beyond being hired at the same time.
"Of course you don't; I need to explain more, just bare with me Minerva. In 1947 a group of five witches and wizards were assembled to conduct experiments on how to control Magic in order to prevent another Grindelwald. These five members were known only to a select few individuals, but in 1950 the project was abandoned with no success. The groups name was: Safe Magic for All Mankind. If you look at the last names of each of the five people I have mentioned they become SMFAM. Emily disappeared first, and then Zach and Maxim died five years ago. The next is Katherine, but she is far more important and harder to reach than a retired bachelor, which is why I believe Joseph was taken out of turn.
Further if you look at their surnames all are Latin, and hold special meanings. Scripsi means to write, Memini to remember, Faveo inclined to do, Miles is short for Miles militis meaning Knight, and Abduco means to lead."
"All of which correspond to their current jobs, and most likely to their roles within the society," Minerva finished for Albus her eyes alight with the new knowledge.
"Exactly, my dear. Not even I know all that went on during the three years the group operated, but these disappearances are not random or coincidental. I spoke with the Minister today, and she is inclined to disagree with me. I fear Katherine will be next, and if I am correct her role as leader of the group and a key leader in our world would give the opposition whatever knowledge for which they are looking."
"I agree, Albus. Do you have a plan?"
"I have a meeting scheduled with Katherine next Monday, but I think I will be too late."
"Halloween," Minerva mumbled as she gazed into the fire still unawares of her fingers laced between Albus'.
"If something big is supposed to happen it would seem that would be the logical time, but Dr. Abduco could not see me any other time."
"Do you know who could be behind this?"
Albus cut his eyes at Minerva and then returned them to the fire, "I have an idea, but no concrete evidence to support it."
Minerva knew not to press further, when Albus felt he could give her a definite answer he would.
"Katherine's youngest is a first year in my house, Albus. Elizabeth is quiet, but very intelligent and she stands up for herself. The other children have learned not to pick on her."
"Are you prepared to speak with her if something happens? She might come to you, Minerva."
"I know. I doubt I'm prepared now, but I have at least a day to think of something to say should the need arise."
The two spent much of the evening lost in their own thoughts, their fingers still connected in the middle of the couch, but their bodies not moving any closer to the other. Close to midnight Minerva tore her gaze away from the fire, and turned to look at Albus.
A soft smile broke her serious expression as she gazed upon her best friend: His head had dropped to where his chin almost rested on his chest, and he was asleep. Minerva made to get up, and only then realized the position of her hand. Blushing slightly she gently removed her hand, and covered Albus with a blanket after laying him down on the couch. Removing his glasses, and brushing his hair from his face Minerva softly kissed him on the forehead before retiring to her chambers for the night.
Halloween arrived too soon for Albus and Minerva, and each slowly made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast. The students were uncommonly loud as ideas for pranks and mischief were spread throughout the houses.
Minerva was in the middle of a very excellent glare when Albus tapped her on the shoulder. Turning her head quickly Minerva moved her eyes toward the table at his indication. There in bold letters on the front page of the Daily Prophet read:
KATHERINE ABDUCO, DEPUTY TO THE MINISTER FOR MAGIC, MURDERED LATE LAST NIGHT!
Minerva's head snapped up as she met Albus' gaze, and then she immediately turned to find Elizabeth at the Gryffindor table. The child was looking at the Dailey Prophet her hands shaking slightly. Quietly Minerva watched as Elizabeth excused herself from the table.
"Go, Minerva. I'll cover your first class."
As Minerva walked toward Gryffindor tower she prayed to her namesake for exactly the right words, and tone of voice to use with the eleven year old.
