CHAPTER 4

It was less than an hour after Xiomara had arrived, bags packed. The three witches were sitting around discussing some final details and waiting for the appointed time to arrive.

"Just tell me we have reservations at a nice place?" Poppy asked for what seemed the hundredth time.

"The hotel is fine Poppy. It is clean, relatively spacious, and very near our targets," Xiomara said, clearly aggravated.

"I wish you wouldn't call Albus a target," Minerva stated, though she had a grin on her face. She found she was actually in quite a good mood. This mission, as she called it in her head, had given her something to do rather than worry about her relationship, and she was more than grateful for the reprieve.

"Fine," Xia relented. "Well, it is nearly time. Let's be on our way, shall we?"

All three witches stood, one in obvious excitement, one who looked relieved, and one who looked very nervous. They all filed out Minerva's door and walked without much talking to the gates of Hogwarts. Minerva ruminated on their plan. They were to pick up the invitations from an unnamed source at a place Xia would not divulge, take a Portkey, again procured from a person Xiomara would not name, and arrive at their hotel, a place that, as the others, had remained unnamed. For all the secrecy, which the flying instructor seemed to thrive on, Minerva found she was not at all concerned. She was a bit nervous about not getting caught spying on her husband, but the chances were very slim. They had already discussed applying strong glamours, something Minerva and Poppy both excelled at, and applying charms to their clothing to keep them from being noticed, something subtle just to ward off unwanted attention.

So it was with a light heart that Minerva crossed through the Hogwarts' gates. The afternoon was beautiful, and she spared just a single glance at the tower where her rooms with Albus were located. She might not get her long-sought vacation but she would be going on an adventure. When they reached the apparition point, two sets of eyes turned to Xiomara Hooch.

"Pull up your hoods and meet me at the entrance to Knockturn Alley." She disappeared with a pop before either witch could respond.

"What are we doing here?" Poppy whispered harshly.

Knockturn Alley was quite crowded as all three witches walked close together. Though it was a warm summer day, nearly every occupant of the street had on heavy robes with hoods pulled forward to hide their features.

"This is where we are going to get our invitations so stop complaining so much," Xiomara snapped.

"Xia," Minerva whispered, "Poppy has a point. You should have warned us. Some very terrible things have happened here in the last few years, and as we all know, this isn't exactly the most reputable place in Wizarding Britain."

"Well, what we are doing isn't exactly above–board, so what would you expect. However," she started before she was once again attacked verbally, "my source is completely reliable and the invitations we are about to procure are authentic."

Minerva reached her hands into her robe and fingered the bag of Galleons she had needed to bring in order to pay the person. In the other pocket was her baggage, which had been shrunk before they left. She hoped wherever they were going would be a quick stop.

"Here we are."

Poppy and Minerva looked above their heads to see a rather old and decrepit sign which read The Potion Peddler. Minerva shuddered. She had heard rumors about this place, though she had never been inside. Well, to be honest, she had never been this far into Knockturn Alley either.

Xiomara pushed the door open and made her way inside with Poppy and Minerva fast on her heels. Minerva was not surprised to find the rumors were probably true. The place looked like it had not been clean since the day it opened. Most of the occupants looked up at their arrival, but looked away in disinterest soon afterward. Every single person inside had hooded robes similar to their own, even if the newest guests' robes tended to be of a higher, and cleaner, quality.

Xiomara led them to the dingy bar and took a seat. Poppy hesitated, but Minerva could not see her face to see what she was thinking. However, after one look at the bar stool in front of her with a sticky residue, she pulled out her wand, hiding it as best as she could, and cast a strong cleaning charm.

"Min," Xiomara hissed, "try not to get us evicted before we even sit down."

"She's just being sanitary," Poppy whispered. "I'd have done it if the barkeeper hadn't looked our way just as I was debating."

"I refuse to sit in whatever it was on my seat," Minerva said in a low voice.

"Look, I know you two are not used to this sort of establishment, but you do not want the barkeeper to take offense. And if you keep up with that sort of behavior, the other patrons are bound to start noticing. We are trying to remain inconspicuous, in case you have forgotten."

Minerva didn't respond, as Xiomara was right about their intentions. She certainly didn't want to draw attention to herself. She was bound to be recognized, should their faces be revealed. With a sigh of resignation, Minerva seated herself and leaned toward her friends.

"How long before your contact shows up?"

"It should be soon. When he arrives, I will handle everything. Minerva, you just need to hand him the money," Xiomara answered.

"What would you three like to drink?" a gruff voice asked.

All three witches jumped at the unexpected intrusion. Minerva looked up to see the barman staring at them. He was older, with a large red nose and hard eyes.

"Hey, George," Xiomara said calmly. "Business going well?"

"Xiomara Hooch," George, as Xia called him, exclaimed quietly. "It's been a long time since you visited."

"Well, with working at the school and all…" Xiomara didn't finish her sentence but Minerva noticed her head nod in the hood.

"No need to explain. Would you like your usual?"

"No, I think I'll go a little lighter since it is early. I've got some business to take care of. How about a Flaming Phoenix?"

"Sure thing," he said before turning to look at Minerva and Poppy. "And what can I get for the two of you?"

"I'll take a Gillywater," Minerva responded.

"Do you have a nice Merlot?" Poppy questioned.

"They'll have the same as me, George," Xiomara said quickly.

"Very well," George said, with a curious but contemptuous look in his eyes.

"You don't order Gillywater or wine at a place like this," Xia hissed at them as soon as George was far enough away.

"Whyever not?" Minerva responded. "Gillywater is a perfectly civilized drink, especially for this time of day. And how often have you come here?"

"It was a….while ago and I don't want to talk about it," Xiomara huffed.

"Oh, don't tell me you dated someone who frequented here?" Poppy questioned, knowing that most of Xia's less tasteful stories always revolved around men.

"That is none of your concern at the moment," Xiomara responded forcefully, causing her hood to nearly fall off.

Minerva almost laughed. It was very hard to have a conversation when you could see so little of a person's face. Basically, she could make out hoods moving around and shadows of features. She wondered how the regulars managed.

"Three Flaming Phoenixes," the barman said as three drinks of blood red and swirling yellow were levitated in front of them.

"Thanks," Xia responded as she slid him the required amount of money along with a generous tip.

"Whatever is in this drink anyway?" Poppy inquired while she sniffed at the contents.

Minerva had heard of the drink and was interested to try it. Supposedly it was a blend of liqueurs with a fruity flavor that made it easy to drink. Taking a sip she realized it was even better than she would have imagined, smooth as silk and creamy.

"This is excellent," she commented.

"It is good, but watch yourself because it will knock you on your arse if you have more than one." Xiomara paused before adding, "Maybe you should only drink half of yours Poppy."

"I'll have you know I am perfectly capable of holding my liquor," Poppy said, obviously affronted.

A softly muttered hmmm was Xia's only response.

Within minutes of them falling into a comfortable silence, the door to the pub opened and a large figure entered. His cloak was dark, but not black, perhaps a blue, Minerva thought to herself just as Xia stood. Minerva followed her lead, after taking one more sip of her drink for fortification.

The giant of a man moved toward them and nodded his head. "Xia," the voice behind the hood said as he discreetly cast a few charms around them. Presumably ones which would hinder those trying to listen in on their conversation.

"Thank you for coming," Xia responded. "My friends," she said as way of introduction as she nodded first toward Minerva and then Poppy.

"A pleasure," the deep baritone voice responded.

"As you are on a tight schedule," he said as he removed a large envelope from his pocket and handed it to Xiomara.

Minerva found the whole situation to be odd, but said nothing as Xia confirmed the contents. "Everything's in order."

That was Minerva's cue, and she removed the bag of galleons and handed it to the robed figure. "Thank you," she whispered.

The covered head nodded before moving past them and calling out his drink order to the bartender. It was as if he had never stopped to speak with them at all.

"Can we go?" Poppy questioned.

"Yes, let's get back to Diagon Alley before catching our Portkey to the hotel."

All three witches exited the bar as quickly as they could. Minerva's nerves, which had been dormant while they were in the pub, began to attack her full force. The plan was moving forward, and she realized, as they entered into the relative safety of Diagon Alley and took hold of the Portkey, that there was no going back now.

Albus looked around the extravagantly appointed room and sighed unhappily. Even in the midst of all this splendor and comfort, he found it very hard to relax or to even enjoy the scenery afforded by the large windows. His bag sat at the foot of the bed, empty. It had taken him hardly any time at all to unpack and afterwards, he thought a nice rest would do him some good after an uneasy night. He tossed and turned, but, unable to turn off his mind, he decided to take in some of the city from the comfort of his room by staring out the window.

His mind was muddled with all sorts of conflicting thoughts, and his heart was certainly troubled. Never in all their years of marriage had Minerva let him leave for a trip without a goodbye kiss and a cuddle the night before. But this time…oh, this time he had not been so fortunate. He had spent a restless night, hoping she would return before dawn and then when she did appear, he waited on tenterhooks for her to reveal her current state of mind and mood. To say he was disappointed would have been an understatement, but in truth he wasn't surprised that she was still angry with him.

Even now as he stared out the window and down on the busy street, he tried desperately to think of some way to make amends despite the distance between them. Flowers never seemed to work on her. Ginger newts were too common for such a grievous error on his part. A love note most likely would not be as well-received as he would like, especially since she knew that Aurelia was also in attendance at this conference.

Ah, yes, Aurelia. The one part of his past that Minerva had trouble accepting was this one particular woman. He had tried desperately, over the years, to convince Minerva both through actions and words that she was the only woman who held his heart. At times, he felt utterly successful but then Minerva's path crossed with Aurelia's and all his work would be undone faster than a snitch streaking across the sky. He had discussed all of this with Minerva, and each time she would brush aside his concerns in a feeble attempt to placate him or to set her own mind at ease.

He had never truly understood Minerva's dislike for Aurelia. He had known her longer than he had almost anyone in his circle of friends, and he had certainly known her better. His thoughts turned to their time spent together and how carefree and simple life had seemed back then. She had made him laugh at even the simplest of things, and yet with one look, she could stop him in his tracks as the suspense in the air grew thick around them. But as with most things, it had ended and he had moved on and so had she.

It had been a shock to read of her husband's death in the Daily Prophet, and for hours, he had struggled with the idea of what was an appropriate course of action. He wanted to send an owl, offering his condolences, but at the same time he didn't want that simple gesture to be misunderstood, both by Aurelia and also by Minerva. Even then, he had felt caught in the middle, despite there really being no middle ground upon which to stand. In the end, he'd done what his heart dictated and sent her a lovely note expressing his sorrow at her loss, and even attended the funeral. Ever since that time, he had seen Aurelia occasionally, and their friendship had been renewed.

As his trip down memory lane continued, he was roused from his thoughts by a quiet knock on the door. He smiled softly. He'd recognize that knock anywhere. He should, for he'd heard it plenty of times. Yes, there were some things never forgotten about past loves and romances. He quickly walked to the door and paused for a moment to smooth down his robes and to run his fingers back through his hair, hoping to look his best. A quick glance around the room revealed his crumpled bedding and his pyjamas hiding under the pillow, but another rap at the door distracted him before he could cast a charm to rectify the disheveled bedding.

"Aurelia, what a wonderful surprise," he exclaimed as he opened the door to find a beautiful witch standing before him in shocking red robes that clung to her curves. "Looking as beautiful as ever, too, I see," he added with a wink as he leaned in for a hug. But before he could complete the embrace, Aurelia had already stepped into his arms and planted a soft kiss upon his lips.

"Still indulging on those sherbet lemons I see. I would have thought Minerva would have stopped you from that habit by now since she's not really the sweet sort," Aurelia commented. "I don't honestly know what her objection was to the little things. I quite enjoyed your lemon flavored kisses…and all the other ones too," she added with a slight sway to her hips as she entered his rooms.

Albus closed the door behind him, blushing furiously at her compliment and at the kiss she'd bestowed upon him immediately. He certainly hadn't expected that.

"Oh, I'm so insanely jealous. You have such a marvelous view of the city from your suite. I am afraid I have a view of nothing more than the back side of the hotel," she groused as she stepped out onto the balcony and leaned against the rail.

Albus joined her on the balcony and drank in the sites and sounds of the bustling city below. "I'm sorry you're unhappy with your rooms. The view isn't that important to me, so perhaps we could switch rooms. I'm sure you'd get more enjoyment out of the view, and you know how noises keep me awake. It might not be a bad idea for both of us," he suggested.

It was true. Ever since he was little, he'd been a light sleeper and, though some noises could keep him awake for hours, some actually lulled him to sleep. Unfortunately, the sounds from busy cities only interrupted his dreams, and he never felt quite rested in the morning. The only exception to that was when he was in Minerva's arms. The Hogwarts Express could barge into their bedroom at full steam, and as long as she never stirred, he was content to sleep right through it.

"Still as chivalrous as ever," she gushed as she wrapped an arm around his waist. "I might just take you up on that offer, but first we have some catching up to do. It's been far too long since we've had a proper chat and one that didn't involve work in some way." She took him by the hand and led him inside the room, having him sit into one of the chairs by the empty fireplace. "So, tell me what I've been missing since I last saw you, dear."

Albus couldn't believe he was actually sitting in a hotel room with Aurelia and discussing his personal life and everything that had happened to him recently. The biggest laughs of the afternoon emerged when he began to share stories of Aberforth and his goats. That easily whittled away an hour, especially when she began to ask questions and then listened with keen interest to his answers.

"Sounds like he's the same old adorable Abe," she smiled, wiping away the tears of laughter from her eyes. "I can't believe he actually thought you'd come to a wedding for his goats. I swear he comes up with some of the craziest ideas, but he has a way of making you sit up and take notice of his whims. I always enjoyed spending time with him, in a bizarre sort of way," she laughed.

"He always found you enjoyable too. He loved it when you would take time to get to know his goats and learn their names. That makes him feel special and that you're really taking him seriously, something which doesn't happen too often for the old chap, I'm afraid."

"All of your family, while eccentric, was wonderful. They were like a breath of fresh air, and sometimes I honestly miss having that connection with someone. It's nice having family to rely upon, even if you rarely see them. In the case of your family, I always felt like they were only a Floo-call away for us if we needed them, and even at those family gatherings, they never made me feel like an outsider."

He scoffed loudly. "You've never been an outsider and you know it. You're as much a part of the family as anyone blood related. When we called off the wedding, I'm not sure who they were most concerned about…you or me," he chuckled.

Aurelia and Albus sat in silence for a bit, each reminiscing about long ago times and places. "Do you ever wonder what our lives would have been like if we'd gone ahead and married? How many children we'd have or where our adventurous lifestyle would have taken us?" she asked softly.

"I used to think on that quite a bit, to be honest. But that was before I learned to move on and enjoy my life. I will always fondly remember our time together, and you know that. Some things are hard to forget." Another silence descended upon them, growing almost too quiet.

"Right…well I'm not going to sit around here all day when there's a city out there that we need to discover. But first, if you're truly serious, how about we change rooms before we get too involved with our extracurricular activities?"

"An excellent idea, my dear. I'll help you move your things over."

In a matter of minutes, Aurelia and Albus had managed to gather all of her belongings in the hotel room and transfer them to Albus' suite. "Give me a few minutes to freshen up and I'll be ready to go. I am hoping I can convince you to buy me some gelato. I think it was you who introduced me to the delicious treat and it's only fair that you buy me a generous helping of it," she teased as she made her way into the bathroom. Just before she closed the door, she gave him a subtle wink.

"Albus…do me a favor and look in the wardrobe for the pale blue robes and bring them to me, please." She had decided that she'd be much more comfortable in something lighter, something more fun for an evening of exploring the city with Albus. Remembering his love for shades of blue, she felt that would be a perfect choice.

"Here they are," he said as he knocked on the door. She opened it slightly and took the robes, handing him the red ones.

"Just toss them anywhere. I'll take care of hanging them up when we get back from our outing."

Albus tossed the robes across one of the chairs near the foot of the bed but failed to see it slip to the floor carelessly. When Aurelia emerged from the bathroom, she went straight for the bed and slipped off her more boring boots and stockings, leaving them in a heap on the floor before slipping into her more comfortable sandals. "I'm ready when you are, dear," she announced as she stood up and took Albus' hand in hers.

"You look very pretty and the color suits you." His eyes twinkled happily as he extended his arm.

She shook her head and wrapped her arm around his waist. "Can't have you being stolen away by all the eager witches downstairs, now can I? Since it was announced that you were going to attend this conference, the number of witches attending has grown exponentially. And I do believe there was quite a large gathering in the lobby downstairs when I came back upstairs. You'd better hold on to me tightly in case they try to tear you away," she teased, knowing how embarrassed he'd always been by the attention he received from women.

"I'm so lucky to have you here to protect me, then," he chuckled as they made their way downstairs, arms wrapped securely around each other.

A/N: So, that's Aurelia…for starters! Isn't she just lovely!? You'll get to see even more of her interactions with Albus as well as catching up with Albus' Avenging Angels (as one lovely reviewer commented from the last chapter…you know who you are and we THANK YOU!). Thanks for reading and reviewing.