Post by Jestana on Aug 30, 2004 18:33:25 GMT -5
Under Quarantine
Minerva McGonagall eyed the empty seat beside her. The Headmaster's presence was not required for all meals, but he should at least attend the evening meals. Come to think of it, she hadn't seen Albus since dinner last night, and he hadn't had much of an appetite, not even for his usual desserts: lemon meringue and chocolate silk pie. Deciding that it was her duty, as Deputy Headmistress, to check on the Headmaster, she finished her meal and headed up to the Headmaster's office. She rapped the doorknocker three times, as was her wont, and waited for permission to enter. She frowned when no permission was forthcoming. Testing the doorknob, she found it unlocked and slipped into Albus' outer office, where he conducted meetings with Ministry officials, students, and most of the staff. The fireplace was cold and Fawkes was nowhere to be seen. "Minerva, hello!"
"Hello, Armando," Minerva replied, smiling at the portrait of the Headmaster who'd preceded Albus' predecessor. "Have you seen Albus today?"
The other portraits were disturbed from their slumber by Minerva's question. "No, I haven't, but I tend to be a heavy sleeper. How about you, William?"
"No, he hasn't been in all day," William Triton, Albus' predecessor, told her.
Minerva felt worry begin to hammer in her chest, but thanked the portraits before moving to the door leading into Albus' private study, which she'd only visited once or twice before. Rapping on the door with her knuckles, she waited a few moments before slipping inside. The fireplace was roaring in here, but no one was present. Puzzled, Minerva turned to go, but was stopped by a coughing fit from behind the door she could only assume led to Albus' bedroom. After a short debate with herself, Minerva crossed to the door and slipped inside. The drapes were drawn shut against the sunset and a large four-poster bed dominated the room. She edged towards the bed. "Albus?"
"Mmm?" The lump under the deep purple and gold covers twitched to reveal a head of sleep-tousled silver hair. "Minerva? What are you doing here?"
She stepped closer to the bed. "Checking on you, Albus," she replied as he rubbed his eyes with the back of one hand. "You missed breakfast, lunch, and dinner today."
"I did?" he stared at her with a vaguely puzzled look.
She nodded, reaching out to feel his forehead. "You feel warm, but that might be because you were buried under your blankets."
"I feel awful, Minerva," he admitted, producing a handkerchief to blow his nose.
She noted the sheen of perspiration on his face and he seemed to be having trouble seeing. "Perhaps I should get Poppy."
"No, Minerva, I'm sure it's just a cold. Nothing to worry Poppy about." Albus caught her hand before she could move away. "I've a potion in my bathroom that I can take."
Although skeptical, Minerva nodded and left to get the requested potion. Once she'd handed it over, she stayed until he'd taken it. "Is there anything else I can do for you, Albus?"
"Could you read to me?" he requested, his face and voice so pitiful, she gave in and did as he requested.
* * *
Minerva woke up with a stuffy nose, but decided she'd caught Albus' cold, only in a milder form, and went about her day as usual. She didn't worry when he didn't show up for breakfast or lunch, but she worried when he didn't put in an appearance for dinner. Apparently, she wasn't the only one to notice. "Minerva, have you seen Albus?"
"I saw him last night when he didn't come to dinner," Minerva told the school nurse as they left the Great Hall together. "He has a cold."
Worry immediately appeared on Poppy's face. "Are you sure?"
"Well, he felt a little warm," Minerva admitted, "but that may have been because he was buried under his covers when I arrived."
Poppy frowned. "Did you notice anything else wrong?"
"He seemed to be having trouble seeing," Minerva commented after thinking for a few moments. "He asked me to read to him after he took a potion for the cold."
"Perhaps I should pay him a visit," Poppy remarked thoughtfully.
Minerva sighed. "Just don't mention that you heard from me."
"Heard what from you?" Poppy asked, her voice innocent, but gray eyes impish.
Minerva smiled slightly. "Thank you, Poppy."
"You're welcome, Minerva." The women parted as Minerva headed to her rooms to relax a bit before going to bed. She had a horrible headache.
* * *
"Minerva, wake up." Poppy's voice intruded on Minerva's dreams. "Wake up!"
Minerva slowly opened her eyes, wondering why she was curled up in her chair instead of in her bed. "Poppy? What is it? What's wrong?"
"I need to examine you," Poppy explained as Minerva sat up and stretched.
Minerva scratched her head, puzzled. "What?"
"Albus has the measles, Minerva," Poppy explained, sounding tense. "He visited Aberforth this weekend and managed to catch it from one of Aberforth's neighbors."
Minerva blinked, still trying to process what Poppy was saying. "So, Albus has more than a cold?"
"Yes, now let me examine you and see if you have the measles, too." Poppy waved her wand and murmured the charm. Her face turned grave. "You've caught it, too."
Minerva stared at Poppy for a few moments. "Obviously, it's bad, but what do you want me to do?"
"I want you and Albus under quarantine," Poppy responded, moving into Minerva's bedroom. "The measles are highly contagious and I don't know how many of the students have already had it."
Minerva followed Poppy at a slow pace, feeling as if she had no energy at all. "Once you've had it, then you can't catch it again?"
"Right." Poppy nodded, casting spells to decontaminate the room. "It would be easier for me to monitor you and Albus if you were in the same place."
Minerva nodded her agreement. "Is there a quarantine ward of the hospital wing?"
"Yes, but I don't want to risk the students at all." Poppy thought for a moment. "I know!"
* * *
By the time Poppy got Albus and Minerva settled in the Room of Requirement, Minerva was feeling too awful to care that she would be sharing a room with Albus Dumbledore, the one man who'd made her consider taking a chance on love again. For the first few days, the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress spent most of their time sleeping or talking with each other.
Three days into their confinement, Albus developed a rash and Poppy gave him a lotion to treat it. The first time he used it, Minerva had watched his attempts to spread it on his back for several minutes, before offering her assistance. Albus gratefully accepted and Minerva found herself applying the lotion to his back each morning and evening once he'd succeeded in applying it to the rest of his body.
By the time Minerva developed the rash, Albus' was mostly gone and he offered to do her back for her, since she'd done his back. Blushing profusely, she accepted his offer and decorously covered her chest with her nightgown while Albus applied the lotion to her back. She wondered if he enjoyed smoothing the lotion into her back as much as she had enjoyed smoothing it into his.
Despite reprimanding herself for such thoughts, she found herself enjoying those moments when his hands were on her skin, the lotion soothing the itch in her back while his touch seemed to create an altogether different itch deep inside that lotion could not help.
* * *
... I loved the part about "I'll show you little"... it got me giggling like an idiot! Go you!
