Ceilidh
A/N: Thank you so much for all your lovely reviews. I am so glad you are enjoying this story. Only one more chapter to go after this one so bare with me. Many thanks to my beta reader, Ang!
Chapter Nine: Alone?
Minerva made her way up the stone path that led to her family ancestral home. She had decided to apparate to the front gates so it gave her time to dry her tears and look presentable. Albus had really hurt her by making such a fuss about wearing the kilt. He wouldn't be the only man in a kilt at the gathering and he would look out of place if he wasn't wearing a kilt but he didn't understand that. She had made allowances for his family and she couldn't understand why he couldn't do the same for her. She never asked much of him and when she did, it was always met with stubbornness from him.
Minerva couldn't quite believe that she was turning up at her families Ceilidh alone again. She could just imagine the comments from her female cousins. They always reacted the same. They would tip the heads sideways and sigh in unison. Minerva would smile and quickly make her excuses. Once her back was turned they would begin to go on about her lack of a date and say that she wasn't getting any younger.
Minerva reached the front door and smoothed down her clothing. She could hear the folk music playing loudly and she had to smile. It was good being home again. She raised her fist and knocked on the door. Seconds later the door opened and she was greeted by her father.
Maxim McGonagall beamed at his youngest child and pulled her in a bear like hug. Minerva smiled as she embraced her father. He was slightly taller than her and he had wild grey hair. Her mother had tried to tame his hair with charms, potions and all sorts but it always managed to spring up in all directions. Minerva had always thought that her father's hair suited him and was secretly pleased when all her mothers' attempts of making it straight failed. Minerva had inherited her emerald green eyes from her father and her black hair and bone structure from her mother.
"Hello my wee petal," said her father as he let go and looked at her. "Ah you are the belle of the ball!"
"Thank you," she replied with a smile. She knew that he had already told his wife that she was the belle of the ball. "The dance seems to be in full swing!"
They slipped into a comfortable silence as the sounds of a flute, piano and harmonica floated out from the dance hall. Minerva could hear laughter and chatter and she suspected that rather a lot of alcohol had been guzzled.
"Could Albus not make it petal?" asked her father, who had been surprised to see Minerva standing alone on family's doorstep.
"No," she answered. She didn't want to go into too much detail about the prior events of the evening. "He unfortunately is snowed down with paperwork."
"Ah, well that is a shame," he replied as he offered her his arm. "I was looking forward to meeting him but I suppose it can't be helped. I promise to protect you from your cousins this evening."
Maxim led his only daughter into the dance hall. The sight that met Minerva's eyes could only make her laugh. There, on the wooden dance floor, was her Uncle Hamish dancing a lively rendition of some dance he had made up. Her family and friends were all crowded around the sides of the dance floor, clapping and cheering him on. By the look of it, Uncle Hamish was having the time of his life. In one hand he held a glass of whiskey and in the other he held a table arrangement of flowers. Minerva glanced curiously at her father who explained that Hamish had grown attached to that particular flower arrangement and had declared to everyone that it was going to be his dance partner for the evening.
"So who is tonight's caller?" Minerva asked.
The caller was an important job at any Ceilidh dance. They would announce each dance and then remind the dancers of the steps before commanding the band to play. The caller would also remind the dancers of the moves as the band played. The position of caller was passed down through the ranks of the McGonagall clan. Most of them wanted to be caller but some, like Minerva and her father, didn't want to be.
"Your brother Archie," explained Maxim. "He has been practising his caller's voice all week and has been driving me up the wall. Your mother, of course, is very encouraging and has been helping him."
"Oh Papa, I do feel sorry for you!" said Minerva as she gave him a sympathetic look. She could just imagine what it had been like living with her mother and brother in Ceilidh mode for a whole week.
"Minnie!" came a high-pitched voice from over the other side of the room.
Minerva sighed inwardly and forced a smile as her cousin Bonnie approached. She knew what was coming and she wasn't really in the mood for it. She felt her father pat her on the shoulder and Minerva braced herself for lots of questions.
"Una, Siobhan and I weren't sure you were coming," Bonnie exclaimed as she embraced her cousin. "It was getting late and we were worried."
"As you can see I am here Bonnie," replied Minerva with a halfhearted smile.
"Alone?" she asked as she looked behind her cousin for any sign of a date. "Oh I am sorry Minnie. Maybe next time."
Minerva could feel her blood boil. She hated that put on pity voice that Bonnie always used. It was sickly sweet but Minerva also knew that it put on and that Bonnie was feeling sorry for her.
"I, on the other hand, have a wonderful date," boasted Bonnie. "His name is Angus and he works for some top secret organization. He is divine, so handsome and very rich."
"Why don't you get back to him then!" urged Minerva.
Bonnie giggled and flicked her long brown hair behind her ears. She departed a few minutes later and Minerva breathed a sigh of relief.
"I have been informed by a reliable source," began Maxim in hushed tones "that Angus does indeed work for Flourish and Blotts, is not overly attractive and is not nearly as wealthy as he makes out."
"Oh dear," replied Minerva. "It seems that Bonnie's ideal man isn't that ideal."
Maxim and Minerva exchanged amused glances before making their way deeper into the dance hall. The dance floor was packed now and Minerva watched the couples dance 'The Highland Schottische'. The couples on the dance floor were in one large circle with the ladies on the outside. They looked like they were about to do a ballroom waltz only when the music started, it was clear that it wasn't.
The couple tapped there feet against the wooden floor and then brought one foot up in front the shin and then brought the same foot up behind their calf. They repeated the moves on the other foot before moving around in the circle with a hop and skip. Minerva watched with amusement as her Aunt Lorna and her Uncle Magnus tried to keep up with the fast pace. They looked like they were having fun trying though. The music faded and then Minerva heard the unmistakable voice of her brother boom through the room.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I hope you are having a wonderfully drunken time and if not, the bar is over in the corner. Now grab your partners and join me and the fine band in The Gay Gordans."
The sound of cheering exploded from the dance hall and there was a mad dash for the dance floor. Minerva took a step back and sighed sadly. This was one of the dances she had taught Albus. He had done so well in such a short time. She shouldn't have stormed out on him like she had, especially after all the work he had put into learning the dances. He hadn't really needed to wear a kilt to the gathering. She just thought that it would be nice to keep up with tradition. Her father had been dragged on to the dance floor by her mother and Minerva could see them both smiling and positioning their feet properly as Archie talked them through the steps.
Minerva looked down at her feet as the band began to play. She closed her eyes and let the music overtake her and she slipped into a memory of her and Albus dancing this very dance only a few evenings ago.
"May I have this dance?" asked a voice over the sounds of the guitar, piano, fiddle and melodeon.
Minerva barely heard the voice but something was familiar. She opened her eyes and slowly began to trail her eyes up from the shoes. Minerva noted the knee-high socks and then the family tartan. She also noticed a scar on one knee. A wide smile spread all over her face as she looked up quickly and saw the man that held her heart.
"Albus!" she mouthed. She was so happy to see him that she wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him to her.
"Hello darling," he whispered into her ear. "I'm here and wearing the family tartan."
"Thank you so much," she sniffed as she kissed his cheek "I am sorry I stormed off before."
"Ssshhh darling," he told her. "I am here and I believe one of our dances is playing!"
To be continued
