Post by dianahawthorne on Dec 28, 2007 15:07:54 GMT -5
With (Former) Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies?
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DISCLAIMER: This is a modified idea from a plot bunny provided by DancesWithWerewolves from FictionAlley. All characters (except Albus's wife, Albert, Annie, Abigail, and Albert's wife) belong to J.K. Rowling. There are some elements from Deathly Hallows included in this story, however, Dumbledore is NOT gay. Please read and review!
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It was Christmas Eve, but Albus Dumbledore was not with his wife and two youngest children at their home in Godric’s Hollow. He was at Hogwarts, the Wizarding School where he was Transfiguration Professor, Head of Gryffindor House, and Deputy Headmaster. He had volunteered to stay and supervise the remaining students. In past years, his wife and children would join him at the castle so that they could spend the holiday together, however, this year; he was spending the holiday with his seventeen-year-old mistress, Minerva McGonagall.
Minerva had completed all of her courses and taken the N.E.W.T. exams by the end of her sixth year. As a seventh year student, and Head Girl, she was apprenticing with Albus Dumbledore in order to become an Animagus. She resided in the Head Girl’s rooms, which were separate from Gryffindor Tower, and conveniently located just down the hall from his own. This advantageous fact was exploited many times when one of the pair needed to sneak back to their quarters early in the morning.
They had begun their affair at the end of her sixth year, when he had offered to give her Animagi lessons. She had thrown her arms around him, and their lips met. As they hungrily kissed repeatedly, they could not disrobe fast enough. The next morning, after they had talked over the options, they had decided that the risks were well worth the rewards, and had decided to continue their affair – albeit clandestinely. They had been together ever since.
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She ran a silver-plated brush through her long, thick hair once more before grabbing her Invisibility Cloak. She cautiously made her way to her lover’s rooms. Giving the password, she silently slipped into his dimly lit sitting room. Albus was sitting by the fire, staring into space, but he quickly responded when she dropped her Cloak to signal her presence. He stared at her, clad only in a red-and-green silk negligee, which was most obviously his Christmas present.
“I thought we were going to unwrap our gifts tomorrow morning, my dear,” he told her, eyes dilating as he hungrily eyed her.
“Well, I do hope that you will not get tired of unwrapping me, Albus,” Minerva coyly responded, giggling as her lover’s strong arms scooped her up.
“You know I will never tire of you, my dear,” he returned, a lustful twinkle in his eye as he swept her into his bedroom.
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Gellert Grindelwald had not been to this house for over fifty years, ever since the night he had killed Albus’s sister Ariana, signalling the end of their friendship. Now, he was going to take his revenge on Albus for his false promises and lies.
He broke down the door and quickly Petrified Albus’s wife and two daughters. Levitating them to the sitting room, which he knew had Silencing Charms to prevent neighbours from hearing anything, he tortured Albus’s wife and his oldest daughter until they broke, and making sure that the youngest daughter watched everything. He finally killed the wife and older daughter with severing charms, and put the younger girl under the Imperius curse, making her daub “Happy Christmas” on the wall in her mother and sister’s blood. Gellert then burned the symbol of the Deathly Hallows on the wall beneath the gory message, before binding the only living girl and Apparating to his stronghold in Germany.
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“We’re here!” Albert called into the echoing front hall as he and his wife entered Dumbledore Manor.
“Mother? Annie? Abigail?” he called, as he crossed over to the sitting room.
He opened the door and stood stock-still, unable to comprehend the scene before him. His wife’s inquiry snapped him out of his trance.
“Call the Aurors – quickly! I’ve got to get my father.”
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Albert Dumbledore did not bother to greet any of the portraits or ghosts he had been acquainted with during his time at Hogwarts. As he raced to his father’s chambers, he could think of nothing but the bloodstained sitting room and the absence of his youngest sister. He gave the password to the portrait that guarded his father’s quarters and barged in, looking wildly around for his father. He opened the bedroom door and was faced with another sight that stopped him in his tracks.
His father was in bed with another woman.
He vaguely recognised the girl as his sister Annie’s friend Minerva McGonagall, but he did not dwell on that now. Conjuring a spray of water, he thoroughly soaked both his father and his father’s lover.
“This is not what it looks like,” Albus stammered to his son, embarrassed.
“Like hell it isn’t,” Albert replied, “but I don’t give a damn about this right now. Grindelwald has murdered mom and Annie, and he took Abigail! You’ve got to get home now!”
Before Albert had even finished his statement, Albus had leapt out of bed and thrown on a robe.
“Tell Dippet I’ve gone after him,” his father barked to the woman, before turning to his son and saying, “Let’s go.”
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Minerva had gone to the Headmaster and told him that Albus’s wife and oldest daughter had been murdered, his youngest daughter had been taken, and Albus was going after Grindelwald. Dippet had then sent her to notify Alastor Moody, the Auror in charge of the search for Grindelwald. She had Apparated to the Ministry Visitor’s entrance, and when she had informed Moody of the situation, she left the same way. However, before she could Apparate back to Hogwarts, she was grabbed by a tall, blond man who Apparated her to a different place entirely.
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Gellert finally had the upper hand against Albus. Grinning, he took a quill and piece of parchment and began a letter to his former friend and current enemy.
Did you like your Christmas present, Albus? Time for part two! I have both your daughter and your lover – which one is more precious to you?
Before giving the letter to a large tawny owl, he cast a spell on the parchment, which glowed blue for a moment before returning to its normal appearance. Albus would make his choice sooner than he would think.
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Abigail was frightened of what Grindelwald would do to her. She had been forced to watch as he tortured her mother and sister before murdering them. She was horrified with herself – she had been under the Imperius curse, but that was not an excuse – she had written “Happy Christmas” on the wall with her mother and sister’s blood. Where was her father when they were murdered? According to Grindelwald, her father was sleeping with his “protégée,” her sister’s best friend Minerva McGonagall. She was here, too, but Grindelwald had kept her in a drugged sleep so that she could not escape. Today was the first day that Minerva had been awake, but Abigail did not have the heart to accuse Minerva of seducing her father. Minerva looked even more distraught than Abigail had felt when Grindelwald had told them that Albus was coming to choose between them. I hope he picks me, Abigail thought, just as a flash of blue light signalled her father’s arrival.
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How can I choose between my daughter and my lover, my own flesh and my own heart?
He could see both Abigail and Minerva’s eyes pleading with him.
He knew what he had to do.
“Abigail,” he told his former friend, “Release Abigail.”
He did not even look at Minerva to apologise. How could he ever choose over his own child? She must understand that.
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He had not chosen them.
That was all she could comprehend. He had not chosen them. She never had the chance to tell him that she was pregnant, and now he would never know. She had wrapped a gift for him, written a letter, but it was in her chambers. Would he even return to them? Would he ever find out? Tears began to run down her face, and then Minerva McGonagall and her unborn child were no more.
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His father had returned with Abigail after defeating Grindelwald. All Albert could think was that at least his father had chosen the right person – at least his father did not choose his mistress over his daughter.
Served her right, he thought, taking my father away from his family.
What he did not know was that it was Albus who started the affair, and that Minerva was just a girl who loved.
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He sat alone in her chambers, an unopened Christmas present from her resting in his lap. Unwrapping the box, he found a silver baby rattle engraved with the statement “It’s a Boy!” He slowly, mechanically, opened the enclosed letter and read the last words she had ever written to him.
Dearest Albus,
I love you so much and can only hope that this news makes you as happy as it has made me: in June, we are going to have a baby! It’s a boy! Oh, Albus, I have always wanted to start a family with you, and now we have. I love you so much, and I cannot wait to welcome our son into the world!
Yours always,
Minerva
XOXO
He hung his head and wept, tears causing the ink to bleed. He had not even given her any sign that he was sorry he could not choose her. What must her last moments had been like? He could never forgive himself.
The End
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DISCLAIMER: This is a modified idea from a plot bunny provided by DancesWithWerewolves from FictionAlley. All characters (except Albus's wife, Albert, Annie, Abigail, and Albert's wife) belong to J.K. Rowling. There are some elements from Deathly Hallows included in this story, however, Dumbledore is NOT gay. Please read and review!
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It was Christmas Eve, but Albus Dumbledore was not with his wife and two youngest children at their home in Godric’s Hollow. He was at Hogwarts, the Wizarding School where he was Transfiguration Professor, Head of Gryffindor House, and Deputy Headmaster. He had volunteered to stay and supervise the remaining students. In past years, his wife and children would join him at the castle so that they could spend the holiday together, however, this year; he was spending the holiday with his seventeen-year-old mistress, Minerva McGonagall.
Minerva had completed all of her courses and taken the N.E.W.T. exams by the end of her sixth year. As a seventh year student, and Head Girl, she was apprenticing with Albus Dumbledore in order to become an Animagus. She resided in the Head Girl’s rooms, which were separate from Gryffindor Tower, and conveniently located just down the hall from his own. This advantageous fact was exploited many times when one of the pair needed to sneak back to their quarters early in the morning.
They had begun their affair at the end of her sixth year, when he had offered to give her Animagi lessons. She had thrown her arms around him, and their lips met. As they hungrily kissed repeatedly, they could not disrobe fast enough. The next morning, after they had talked over the options, they had decided that the risks were well worth the rewards, and had decided to continue their affair – albeit clandestinely. They had been together ever since.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
She ran a silver-plated brush through her long, thick hair once more before grabbing her Invisibility Cloak. She cautiously made her way to her lover’s rooms. Giving the password, she silently slipped into his dimly lit sitting room. Albus was sitting by the fire, staring into space, but he quickly responded when she dropped her Cloak to signal her presence. He stared at her, clad only in a red-and-green silk negligee, which was most obviously his Christmas present.
“I thought we were going to unwrap our gifts tomorrow morning, my dear,” he told her, eyes dilating as he hungrily eyed her.
“Well, I do hope that you will not get tired of unwrapping me, Albus,” Minerva coyly responded, giggling as her lover’s strong arms scooped her up.
“You know I will never tire of you, my dear,” he returned, a lustful twinkle in his eye as he swept her into his bedroom.
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Gellert Grindelwald had not been to this house for over fifty years, ever since the night he had killed Albus’s sister Ariana, signalling the end of their friendship. Now, he was going to take his revenge on Albus for his false promises and lies.
He broke down the door and quickly Petrified Albus’s wife and two daughters. Levitating them to the sitting room, which he knew had Silencing Charms to prevent neighbours from hearing anything, he tortured Albus’s wife and his oldest daughter until they broke, and making sure that the youngest daughter watched everything. He finally killed the wife and older daughter with severing charms, and put the younger girl under the Imperius curse, making her daub “Happy Christmas” on the wall in her mother and sister’s blood. Gellert then burned the symbol of the Deathly Hallows on the wall beneath the gory message, before binding the only living girl and Apparating to his stronghold in Germany.
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“We’re here!” Albert called into the echoing front hall as he and his wife entered Dumbledore Manor.
“Mother? Annie? Abigail?” he called, as he crossed over to the sitting room.
He opened the door and stood stock-still, unable to comprehend the scene before him. His wife’s inquiry snapped him out of his trance.
“Call the Aurors – quickly! I’ve got to get my father.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Albert Dumbledore did not bother to greet any of the portraits or ghosts he had been acquainted with during his time at Hogwarts. As he raced to his father’s chambers, he could think of nothing but the bloodstained sitting room and the absence of his youngest sister. He gave the password to the portrait that guarded his father’s quarters and barged in, looking wildly around for his father. He opened the bedroom door and was faced with another sight that stopped him in his tracks.
His father was in bed with another woman.
He vaguely recognised the girl as his sister Annie’s friend Minerva McGonagall, but he did not dwell on that now. Conjuring a spray of water, he thoroughly soaked both his father and his father’s lover.
“This is not what it looks like,” Albus stammered to his son, embarrassed.
“Like hell it isn’t,” Albert replied, “but I don’t give a damn about this right now. Grindelwald has murdered mom and Annie, and he took Abigail! You’ve got to get home now!”
Before Albert had even finished his statement, Albus had leapt out of bed and thrown on a robe.
“Tell Dippet I’ve gone after him,” his father barked to the woman, before turning to his son and saying, “Let’s go.”
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Minerva had gone to the Headmaster and told him that Albus’s wife and oldest daughter had been murdered, his youngest daughter had been taken, and Albus was going after Grindelwald. Dippet had then sent her to notify Alastor Moody, the Auror in charge of the search for Grindelwald. She had Apparated to the Ministry Visitor’s entrance, and when she had informed Moody of the situation, she left the same way. However, before she could Apparate back to Hogwarts, she was grabbed by a tall, blond man who Apparated her to a different place entirely.
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Gellert finally had the upper hand against Albus. Grinning, he took a quill and piece of parchment and began a letter to his former friend and current enemy.
Did you like your Christmas present, Albus? Time for part two! I have both your daughter and your lover – which one is more precious to you?
Before giving the letter to a large tawny owl, he cast a spell on the parchment, which glowed blue for a moment before returning to its normal appearance. Albus would make his choice sooner than he would think.
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Abigail was frightened of what Grindelwald would do to her. She had been forced to watch as he tortured her mother and sister before murdering them. She was horrified with herself – she had been under the Imperius curse, but that was not an excuse – she had written “Happy Christmas” on the wall with her mother and sister’s blood. Where was her father when they were murdered? According to Grindelwald, her father was sleeping with his “protégée,” her sister’s best friend Minerva McGonagall. She was here, too, but Grindelwald had kept her in a drugged sleep so that she could not escape. Today was the first day that Minerva had been awake, but Abigail did not have the heart to accuse Minerva of seducing her father. Minerva looked even more distraught than Abigail had felt when Grindelwald had told them that Albus was coming to choose between them. I hope he picks me, Abigail thought, just as a flash of blue light signalled her father’s arrival.
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How can I choose between my daughter and my lover, my own flesh and my own heart?
He could see both Abigail and Minerva’s eyes pleading with him.
He knew what he had to do.
“Abigail,” he told his former friend, “Release Abigail.”
He did not even look at Minerva to apologise. How could he ever choose over his own child? She must understand that.
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He had not chosen them.
That was all she could comprehend. He had not chosen them. She never had the chance to tell him that she was pregnant, and now he would never know. She had wrapped a gift for him, written a letter, but it was in her chambers. Would he even return to them? Would he ever find out? Tears began to run down her face, and then Minerva McGonagall and her unborn child were no more.
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His father had returned with Abigail after defeating Grindelwald. All Albert could think was that at least his father had chosen the right person – at least his father did not choose his mistress over his daughter.
Served her right, he thought, taking my father away from his family.
What he did not know was that it was Albus who started the affair, and that Minerva was just a girl who loved.
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He sat alone in her chambers, an unopened Christmas present from her resting in his lap. Unwrapping the box, he found a silver baby rattle engraved with the statement “It’s a Boy!” He slowly, mechanically, opened the enclosed letter and read the last words she had ever written to him.
Dearest Albus,
I love you so much and can only hope that this news makes you as happy as it has made me: in June, we are going to have a baby! It’s a boy! Oh, Albus, I have always wanted to start a family with you, and now we have. I love you so much, and I cannot wait to welcome our son into the world!
Yours always,
Minerva
XOXO
He hung his head and wept, tears causing the ink to bleed. He had not even given her any sign that he was sorry he could not choose her. What must her last moments had been like? He could never forgive himself.
The End
