Dear Reader,
You know how I said that it wouldn't take me long to update? Well, obviously I lied. I'm sorry; I thought I would be able to update soon. But it's taken me a month. I, of course, have all of the usual excuses (band, school, getting my temps, not enough time in a day, etc.) but you really don't want to hear those. All you really want to do is read the chapter. However, it's not that brilliant. It's crucial to the story and interesting, but it could have been written better. The only thing I really can say about it that justifies the time I took to write it is that it's long. The next one I hope to have up soon, but I'm not going to make any promises. I'll do my best, though. At least I'll have more time soon when band is over. Also, the previews at the end of the chapter kind of ruin the final effect, so I'm going to post them at the beginning of the chapter. Hope that works better.
Please do enjoy this chapter,
-LunarLitLover
Preview: (for next time) the end of the ball and Minerva's flight
Recap: Grindelwald ordered Riley to raid pureblood businesses while Minerva recovered from the disastrous Slug Club meeting and is ready to go to the ball with Albus.
Chapter 9: The Ball
Minerva descended the grand staircase, her purple velvet robes trailing behind her. At the base of the stairs people waited. They were all looking up at Minerva. In awe.
Minerva was clothed in deep purple velvet accented with silver vines. The robes were drawn up tight around her bodice and up high on her neck. Down the center was a row of silver clasps to hold the two sides together, and the division of two sides continued to the bottom of the outer robe. Underneath the robe's skirt was a slightly lighter purple skirt which met the outer robe at the floor. Minerva pushed her long, wavy, red-brown hair behind her ear, and her large purple sleeve slipped down her arm. She adjusted it and continued down the stairway, blushing and looking down.
At the base of the stairs someone came forward from the masses of staring people. But he too was staring in awe. In an awe that wasn't exactly appropriate for a teacher.
"Your hair is out of your usual bun, I see," Albus stated, not taking his eyes off her. His compliment wasn't quite what Minerva had expected; it fit neither her gorgeous look nor her date's awed reaction, yet she blushed anyway. But Albus continued, "It looks beautiful. As do you." He looked at her, emotion in his bright blue eyes, and she knew he was speaking sincerely.
Minerva quietly thanked him, and he seemed to snap out of whatever crazy feeling he had just experienced. "Ready, then?" Albus asked, offering his arm, which was covered in eye-matching bright blue.
Minerva smiled and took the arm. "Of course."
On their very brief walk from the staircase into the Great Hall, Minerva and Albus encountered many disapproving glances from students and staff alike. At this – again - overwhelming response, Minerva began to grow anxious and started to pull back, away from Albus. He calmly but confidently, gently but assertively urged her forward through the crowd.
Upon entering the Great Hall Minerva found her friends; Lilac (dressed in, of course, lilac) was suspiciously eying her date, Will Prewett (4th year Gryffindor). Samantha, being Will's older sister, had set a single Lilac up with him for the ball. Unfortunately, Will was a testosterone-filled youth whose eyes were strangely drawn to any attractive feminine life-form that moved. And sadly for Lilac, she wasn't one of these creatures under Will's microscope eyes. Samantha stood next to Lilac with her boyfriend, Bryan (a 6th year Hufflepuff); yet Samantha kept glaring at her brother with almost as much fierceness as her red robes conveyed. Poppy and Irma were also there; Poppy was clad in a plain set of navy and white robes, while Irma was draped in the yellow color of her house. Only Poppy had an escort: her cousin, Sean (a 3rd year from Slytherin), who'd she'd been forced into going with by her aunt and mother.
Minerva was the odd one out; she wore the fanciest robes, not to mention the fact that she'd brought an older guy (and a teacher) to share dinner with her and her friends. Minerva hadn't thought of this complication over a meal, and she was dreadfully afraid that Albus would not feel comfortable among her young, student friends. But once the group was seated, it was clear that Minerva had been wrong about Albus's people skills.
There were eight seats at each of the small dinning tables on the side of the hall opposite the doors. Despite the awkwardness of the group, they all fit comfortably around the table. Dinner went very well; the food was wonderful (as always), the company good and the conversation entertaining. Albus did not act at all "above" the other students, nor did he seem tense, shy or embarrassed to be in their company. He fuelled much of the night's interesting conversation and carried on without sounding superior to his company; however, he did not lower himself back to a teenage mentality to identify with the students.
One of the more appealing subjects of conversation that came up was of the recent raids on many of London's pureblood business owners.
"I guess they have kind of been asking for it," Minerva commented on the subject. "With all these acts being passed against half-bloods, it's a wonder that these are the first responses to the discrimination."
"But Minerva, these pureblood business owners are not the ones passing the laws," Poppy said. "It's not fair that they should suffer for the deeds of the Ministry."
"Poppy, there have only been raids directed at the purebloods who are involved in the persecution," Irma argued. "The raiders have not touched a single one of the purebloods who leave them alone."
"But does that make it right?" Albus interjected unexpectedly. "The purebloods may dislike half-bloods but that does that justify vandalism against them? Just because someone has a certain opinion - even if it's not a popular one – does that mean they should have their businesses destroyed and reputations ruined?"
"It's a prejudice, Albus! It's not an opinion!" Minerva debated vigorously. "I'm not saying that the purebloods necessarily deserve it, but they certainly should be expecting some kind of retaliation after the way they treat all the half-bloods!"
At this point dessert was served and the conversation turned instead to the fluffy French chocolate truffles, the blood pudding, and all the other amazing treats.
Following dessert, Bryan took Samantha's hand and led her to the dance floor. On her way from the table she glared back at her brother who then begrudgingly asked Lilac to dance. Irma was picked up by a nerdy-looking first year, who seemed more likely to stumble over his own feet than dance with an older girl. Then Poppy and her cousin decided to go out onto the dance floor and dance crazy.
This left only Minerva and Albus at the table, and for the first time in a long time, Minerva felt awkward around him; she was quite aware of the fact that they were the only couple not dancing and wondered of Albus was regretting asking her to the ball.
As if reading Minerva's mind, Albus rose from the table and held out his long-fingered hand to her. "Care to dance?" he grinned at her happily.
"Why of course, Professor," she teased. "I'd be delighted." Minerva responded with a flourish as she daintily placed her hand in his open one. Rising, she followed Albus to the floor.
The music playing was a lively, popular, muggle tune. The dance to accompany it, the jive, was not well known by wizarding folk, but Minerva knew it. Surprisingly, Albus did too. The other couples were simply making up moves to the unfamiliar music, yet Albus and Minerva jived flawlessly across the hall.
"I didn't think you could dance," Minerva teased again. "Especially not to muggle music."
"I'm a surprising fellow," Albus responded, grinning from ear to ear, like all the other teenagers in the hall.
"Well, maybe a bit surprising," Minerva conceded. "But you still dance like an old man."
"You think this is all I've got?" Albus asked as he whisked a giggling Minerva across the room in a storm of fast-moving feet.
Albus and Minerva's dancing was so fast, so good and such a novelty, that most of the hall quit dancing to watch them. Minerva and Albus continued to dance in their circle of admirers, who were furiously clapping and cheering. They jived together for another song until collapsing in exhaustion. The crowd erupted in cheers following their finale. Despite their fatigue, the tow were laughing hysterically together and grinning like none other.
"You look like you're 18!" Minerva commented.
"Wait; you just told me I was old!"
"I changed my mind," she laughed.
"Well, I haven't felt like this since I was eighteen," he responded, tugging at Minerva's hand. She complied and followed him once again onto the floor.
Upon reaching the mass of dancers, a slow song began to play. Minerva became aware of her arms reaching up to Albus and his hands encompassing her waste. They looked at each other and then leaned in to rest their heads on each others' shoulders. For a moment, Minerva's brain registered that this was her professor, not just any guy, and that she should be careful. However, her conscious, analytical self drifted away and was lost when she followed Albus outside to an empty terrace.
The music could still be heard out here, and the strange couple continued to dance. However, they were closer now, skin to skin. Albus held Minerva close; she felt her arms wrapped tightly around his slim but strong shoulders. They danced and danced, through at least three more songs. Yet when they stopped, the two pulled apart slowly. Minerva felt only a flicker of protest within herself as she gazed deeply into Albus's lively blue eyes.
But the flicker was gone in an instant, quite like the wind that blew autumn leaves and roved in Minerva's hair. Minerva looked one last time into the eyes of her professor; she took one last look into her old life. For when Minerva looked again into those blue eyes, they were the eyes her lover.
Then she closer her eyes and gave herself fully to the kiss.