Chapter One

It was about four weeks later when the school saw the headmaster next.

Albus came walking through the doors that led into the Great Hall the day after Halloween. The whole room fell silent and watched as the oddly grim-looking professor made his way up to the Head table and sat down at his chair. And they continued to stare as he dished himself some scrambled eggs, and speared some bacon. They watched as Albus filled his goblet with pumpkin juice, added something a little extra from a hidden pocket in his robes, and took a sip. They just stared as he started to eat his bacon and eggs, finished and stood. And they all watched as Albus slowly walked back out of the room.

Luckily, they saw him again at lunch. But like before, they only stared at him, as if he was telling some sort of fascinating story. Once again, Albus stood and walked out of the room without a word.

Then he arrived at dinner, and some of the sane few at Hogwarts managed to stop staring and actually eat something. Or maybe it wasn't really their sanity kicking in, but rather their stomachs making a loud protest; indeed it sounded like a grumbling orchestra, for barely anyone had eaten that day because they were too busy watching the fascinating creature known as Albus Dumbledore.

After dinner, Albus stood, but he didn't make a move to exit the room. Instead he cleared his voice, and the few who were eating stopped instantly.

"I have discovered some rather shocking information." His old, raspy voice rang out over the completely silent, completely curious room. "It seems that there are a few- affairs- going on at Hogwarts that I wasn't aware of. Indeed, it shocks and worries me. I will, of course, be looking into these stories and I'm sure everything will be sorted out shortly. I will not name names, you know who you are." At this point Albus narrowed his eyes suspiciously and glared around the room, but gradually he regained his composure. "I will see you all in the morning."

And he once again walked out of the room, but now everyone was whispering to each other, wondering what, or who, he was talking about.

The students would find out soon enough. Some students would even get firsthand experiences, and so would some of the teachers.

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Albus paced the length of his office.

He had sent Professor McGonagall an owl asking her to meet him after breakfast the next day. She would be here any minute. He knew this would be difficult- almost painful- to tell her. She'd be heartbroken. Crushed.

There was a knock at the door. "Enter." Albus called.

Minerva McGonagall walked into the room, looking both worried and hopeful. "Is everything alright, Albus?"

"No, everything is not alright, Minerva. I have found out... Maybe you should sit down." Albus sighed and his shoulders slumped slightly, as if he had been put under a weight too great.

Professor McGonagall sat down in one of the plush chairs facing Albus' desk, perching on the edge as if afraid to relax. "Yes, Albus?"

Albus sat down next to her and rested his hand on her knee. "Minerva, I have found out... I've learned that you've been harboring a secret crush on me for the last several years."

"What?!" Minerva cried out in surprise. "Albus, where did you get that absurd-"

"I can't tell you my source of information. I must tell you, though, Minerva... I'm married." Albus told her gently.

"Albus! I know you're married! I was at your wedding, for Godric's sake!" Minerva glowered, "you don't actually believe this- this source over me?!"

Albus sighed, "I knew this would be difficult for you."

"Albus!! Who fed you such- such-" Minerva started, but was interrupted.

Someone had knocked on the door.

Albus frowned slightly. His discussion with Hagrid wasn't scheduled until 11 o'clock. "Enter."

The door slid open and Snape stalked in. "Headmaster, I have rather urgent news for you-"

"Oh! Severus, my boy, I know why you're here!" Indeed, Albus suddenly felt enlightened. "I read all about it."

Snape faltered, "you did...? When? Where?!"

Albus smiled a mysterious smile. "Oh, I have my- sources. But you have nothing to fear. I wasn't stealing Minerva from you! Goodness, no. I was telling her we could never be. I think you two would make a splendid couple!"

Minerva and Severus had the same reaction, "WHAT?!"

Severus had gone white with shock, only to turn red with embarrassment and anger, "I'm NOT in love with Minerva, Albus! Where did you get that ridiculous idea?"

"And I'm not in love with Severus- wait, why's that such a ridiculous idea?!" Minerva turned suddenly to face Severus.

Snape stared at her in shock. "Oh..." He scowled then, "stop being a female, Minerva! We're completely incompatible, is all I was saying!" He growled.

Minerva glared at him, before she realized how immature she was acting. She sighed, "I apologize, Severus. I honestly don't know what's gotten into me."

Dumbledore frowned thoughtfully at Snape. "I suppose it makes sense. I didn't really understand why you would be boffing Harry if you were in love with Minerva." His frown became even more severe. "Which is something we really need to discuss Severus. You know very well that-"

Snape was starring at him in horror. "Bo-bof." He couldn't even say it. It was too terrible to even imagine. "I'm not! I wouldn't- with POTTER? ARE YOU INSANE?"

Albus shook his head. "It's alright Severus. There's no need to try hiding it. Most of my sources agree that's what's going on between the two of you. All that tension, it had to mean something didn't it?"

"Yes!" Snape snarled. "It means we hate each other, Headmaster!"

Meanwhile, Minerva was looking back and forth between the two. She didn't want to believe Albus, and he'd already gotten two things wrong in one go, but it did make a sort of sense. "Severus, you didn't! Your aren't..?"

Snape scowled. "No."

The headmaster smiled gently. "It's alright, I told you. If you had let me finish earlier, Severus, you would've heard me say: you know very well that while student/teacher relationships are allowed as long as the student is at least sixteen, it is highly frowned upon, which is why I want you and Harry both to come to me on Wednesday to discuss things, though if everything is mutual I see no reason to stop your flourishing relationship."

The two teachers were gawking at him.

"Headmaster," Snape said slowly, "the only relationship I have with Potter is a teacher/student relationship."

Albus smiled jovially at him. "Of course Severus, of course. You and Harry will still be required to see me on Wednesday, but Minerva and I won't breathe are word about your relationship if that's the way you want it, will we Minerva?"

Minerva nodded faintly, feeling as if she'd just been run over by the Knight Bus.

Albus gave her a concerned look. "I do care for you a great deal, Minerva. You're a very dear friend to me, but I'm afraid we could never be more than that. I'm sorry, my dear. Will you be alright?"

She opened her mouth to try again to explain she wasn't in love with him, but just closed her mouth and nodded again. Finding her voice, she said, "I-I'll be fine, Albus. Don't worry about me."

Albus gave a sad smile as Minerva and Severus left the room.

"What was that all about?" Snape glared at the wall as they rode the moving stairs.

"I don't know." Minerva shared a look with Severus.

"Seems the Headmaster's finally gone around the bend." Snape muttered.

Minerva nodded vaguely. "Merlin knows, what's he going to do next?!"

Back in the Headmaster's office, Albus lovingly stroked his silver laptop. Where would he be without it?

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A/N: I had to post this, but it won't be updated regularly, but since there is no plot and really no cliffhangers, it shouldn't matter too much. Anyway, my story "Ravenstar" is my first priority, and comes before this fic.

Still, tell me what you think!