Albus took in the sight of the young woman before him, hair pulled back into a bun and clad in emerald robes. She's even lovelier than I remember. "Yes. After Armando decided to retire, he felt that I would be an acceptable replacement. I felt I could do more good here than as Minister."
Minerva nodded absently, still absorbed in the fact that the one man she was trying to forget, that she would never be able to attract, was right in front of her, and would be her boss. How will I be able to work with him each day? I'll end up blurting out my true feelings and making a fool of myself.
Albus noticed his former student was distracted, and wondered what she was thinking. She was looking at him, but her expression was vacant, as if she was arguing with herself. Heeding an impulse, he met her eye, and used Legilimency to enter her mind, to see what was bothering her. What he found surprised him. How will I be able to work with him each day? I'll end up blurting out my true feelings and making a fool of myself. I love him, but he would never love me. I'm so plain, so ordinary. He noticed that her thoughts began to change going from sadness to determination. I'll do my job, if I get it, and will keep my dignity. Nobody noticed when I was in school here, and they won't now.
"Do you really feel that way Minerva?" Albus whispered, unable to believe what he had just heard. Minerva's eyes focused, her internal debate forgotten. How would he know what I was thinking, she thought, as her eyes narrowed, unless... "You used Legilimency on me!" Albus took a step back as he took in the dangerous glint in her eyes and her soft, deadly voice. "I was worried..." he started to say, truthfully, but she didn't let him finish. "You used Legilimency on me, without my permission, and you expect me to believe that you care about me?" She felt tears burning behind her eyelids as she closed her eyes, trying to stay in control. Albus's next words, however, shattered her fragile control. "Yes I do, because..." he didn't get to finish. Minerva whipped out her wand, and before he could blink had turned him into a rat, before turning and running out of his office, unable to stop her tears. "I thought he actually cared for me, deep down. I was a fool."
Minerva's words and tear-stained face were too much for Albus. As the door slammed shut behind Minerva, he used wandless magic to regain his human form. He hadn't expected her to use magic, and so hadn't had time to block her spell. He wished he had, at least then she would have stayed, if only to fight, and he could tell her that he loved her, that he wanted to be with her. As he stared at the door that Minerva had fled through only minutes before, he got an idea. Smiling, he went to his desk and began to fill out the papers for the Transfiguration position. This has to work, she has to know how I feel!
*****Author's Note: I'm really horrible at coming up with chapter titles, so if you have an idea for a better name, I'm all ears.*******