All for a necklace

The party was, as expected, sumptuous and one of the best Hogwarts had ever hosted. The armours had been charmed to serve as waiters (Ron had insisted, supported by a very proud Hermione to let the house elves rest), the statues sung joyous songs to everyone passed in front of them, many lightning-bolts flew in the air, exploding from time to time in many golden confetti which fell on everyone who had the misfortune to be in proximity. In the Great Hall there weren't any tables anymore, besides the teachers' one, who had been transformed in a stage. Magic lights were moving around the room at the music's beat. Another thing – surely an idea of Augusta's – had been some posters which represented Harry Potter with a snitch on which there was written "VOLDEMORT IS A FINISHED ERA"

Augusta hadn't been joking, when she had said she had invited many people: it seemed they never ceased to come in from the gates. There were all the people from the Order, all the students, many from the previous years, almost every parent, almost all the people from the Ministry – except Pius O'Tusoe, who had preferred to stay at home – and of course all the teachers. So, as you can imagine, the school was quite full.

Minerva smiled watching admiringly the room. She had changed, after arguing with Augusta, and she had worn the one which Augusta herself had given her as a present the previous Christmas, hoping she would wear it (and Minerva had been convinced she would never do it). It was black (Minerva didn't wear anything else anymore) but it was tighter, and showed more the beauty Minerva had for long tried to hide. On a point, however, she had been inflexible: she wasn't going to let her hair down, for no reason.

"You're wonderful, Min!" exclaimed Augusta joyously seeing her while the woman was still admiring the changes of the castle. "The poster are a work of mine. I've learned from a perfect teacher" she whispered then, winking at her.

Minerva smiled back, maybe the first sincere, even if not too happy, of the day.

"That's my girl, Min! Come on, find a knight and dance!" she said running away.

Minerva laughed. She felt the need to be a girl once again, to forget him. She run after her, chasing her to the end of the room. The students watched her, positively surprised to see her so happy and human.

"You know no "knight" could ever want me" She told her friend.

"Why not? I've never seen you to a ball without a companion!" she noted maliciously. "Let's make a deal: both of us will invite to dance the first person we see, alright?"

"Nothing could ever stop you, could it? Alright, I'm in!" she answered decided. That evening nothing would stop her.

"Ah, here he is.." Augusta had already found her companion "Minister, would you care for a ball" she asked shamelessly. The new-appointed Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt turned a bit surprised, but accepted with a light bow.

"Your turn… If you're brave enough" she whispered to her friend.

"You can bet on it!" she bit back, then she groaned. "Oh no, tell me it's not him.. Damn it's him!" Augusta coughed lightly trying to suppress her laughter.

"Horace, would you care to dance?" She had done it. She'd really done it. Oh, this couldn't be real.

"You don't need to ask! Come with me. You know what? We deserve the stage. Come on!" was his enthusiastic answer.

"Oh no, really, there's no need.." she tried to say, without any success. She found herself on the stage, under the amused glances (oh, but she was going to kill them, if one of them tried to breath a word of this!) of students and professors.

Next to her there were Hermione and Ron, he trying not to walk on her feet, she trying to keep her feet away from him, Neville and Luna, the girl as distracted as ever, and Harry and Ginny, who were kissing at the end of a romantic song (her heart jumped slightly, she wasn't used to see her students kissing, nor did she particularly approve it).

"It's about time you notice me" said Slughorn, with his usual tactlessly manners. "As long as there was Dumbledore you only ever danced with him! I understand the school matters, but I'm more attractive, aren't I?" her tried to flirt. But he didn't really pick the right words.

Minerva said goodbye to a nice evening and cursed her luck for the dancing companion, while hot tears tried to make their way to her eyes.

They started to dance: incredibly, he was quite a good dancer. Suddenly, he tried to reach for her hair to let it down.

"No" she told him simply, calmly but decided.

He moved the hand, not very worried.

"You know, you're really beautiful. With a necklace you'd be perfect" he smiled at her gallantly.

On the lakeside, not long after Minerva's NEWT's

A female figure, in a beautiful dark green dress, was sitting on the lakeside, a little melancholic, and was staring at some point in front of her. She really didn't want to go back to the ball. As if there was the need to remember her she was probably the only girl without a boyfriend. Well, there was someone who wanted to go out with her, actually. Tom Riddle had been stressing her for months – actually it would be more correct saying years – to go out with her, but even if she couldn't deny that he was handsome and in some way attractive, she couldn't betray her love, even if it was obvious she would never have a chance with him.

" Minerva" she didn't breath. That voice. No, she was wrong. It couldn't be him. She didn't turn, she was scared that it was, once again, her imagination playing tricks on her mind.

Dumbledore sat beside her and gently took her chin in a hand, forcing her to turn.

"Why aren't you at the ball? One would say you deserve it, you've had extraordinary NEWT's. The only one who has had the same as you has been Tom Riddle, but I'd dare to say you have more... what is the world? Ah, yes, charm than him."

Dumbledore smiled.

"I woudn't say so, Sir, he's the most popular boy in the school" she answered.

"I prefer you thousand times, Minerva" For a moment she shivered and smiled under the pale rays of the moon, which had compared just in that moment from behind a cloud, as if to embarrass her, but he seemed not to notice it.

"I assume we won't see each other anymore after tomorrow, then?" he asked lightly.

"Oh.. well, actually I thought I could stay here to teach, now that the DADA teacher is retiring" she admitted.

"And may I know how this information is in your possession?"he asked amused.

"Oh.. I.. well" the girl hesitated "It was during one of Professor Slughorn's parties, Tom let something slip"

A stray lock fell from her bun. As she was going to fix it, he gently hold her wrist.

"Don't always torture them, they're so lovely…" saying this, with a swift move he let her raven hair down, letting them fall gently on her shoulders, beautiful and bright as ever. Minerva shyly smiled at him.

"Nobody has ever seen me like this" she admitted quietly. But why did she say that, she cursed herself. He didn't seem to mind, though, and smiled.

"I'm honoured to be the first.. but there's something that's missing" he added after a while, thoughtful. She held her breath for a second.

"Close your eyes, Minerva"

She followed his instructions without thinking. He went behind her and let something slip on her neck, touching her gently with his fingertips while doing so.

"Here we go, look at you: now you're perfect"

She saw herself mirrored in the water (indubitably another good work of his). She was wearing a silver necklace with a heart-shaped locket, which had a deep green stone in the mid.

"It's... beautiful..." she said breathlessly.

He took her hand helping her getting up.

"Oh no, my dear, it's you who makes it beautiful" he answered.

"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore!"

"If, as I assume, we'll soon be colleagues, you'll have to start calling me Albus, Minerva"

She didn't answer but just stared into his wonderful sapphire eyes.

Behind her, someone was observing the scene, but she wouldn't have know until long time afterwards...

"Yes, as I was saying, you need a necklace, hasn't Dumbledore ever thought to give you one, Mineva?" was continuing Slughorn. Minerva found herself running away, with tears at her eyes, hoping nobody had noticed her.

"But Minerva, where are you going?" shouted the wizard after her. Everyone in the room turned to watch, but they just saw her back while she was running towards someplace where she could finally be alone and close herself up again in the pain she had hoped to forget for an evening.

A huge thank you to grey-eyed-goddess, SylvaDragon, Devilish Twinz and JUJUChick16 (I hope I've spelled your names correctly ;-) ) for reviewing my fic. I also want to thank everyone who takes the time to read this and who has added this fic to his/hers favourites.

I'm really sorry it's taken me so long to update, I've been really busy.

I know in this chapter Minerva may seem a bit OOC, but she'll be more IC in the next chapters (provided I'll be able to update, someday!)

I hoped you liked this chapter. Please let me a little review, if only to correct some mistakes or to say you didn't like it. It can be very useful for me! (That reminds me to thank grey-eyed-goddess for having told me the title was spelled wrong! ;-) Thank you dear!)