Post by Alesia on Sept 24, 2005 11:50:45 GMT -5
AN: Alex - I hope this meets your challenge. I choose a 'fault' that wasn't a traditional one but I hope you can appreciate it. 
Oh and Hesita is the canon character Hestia Jones. (JK did say we should be asking about Albus's family.)
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Title: A Daddy’s Guilt
Or Because Daddies’ Love Their Little Girls, Sometimes Too Much
Summary: Albus volunteers to watch Hestia for the day.
Rating: everyone
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On the upper floor of his office, Albus Dumbledore stared out the large bay window designed for stargazing. He was in trouble and he knew it. He had been caught, confronted, reprimanded and was now in the midst of being frozen out. A defeated sigh escaped his lips. Turning towards the stairs to head down to his office, Albus’ ears caught bits of a rather lively exchange between the portraits of the former Headmasters and mistresses of Hogwarts.
“Her treatment of him was absolutely astonishing! When I was alive I would have never stood for such a thing.” Perched in his chair, Phineas Nigellus Black looked down his nose at his fellow former Headmasters.
“But Phineas, she is his deputy; it is her responsibility to make sure he does what is in the best interest of Hogwarts. Surely today’s activities weren’t in the best interest of the school?” Spoke up Headmaster Fortescue.
“Irregardless.” Countered Phineas, “She had no right, no right to say what she did and do what she has done. Clearly out of line, I say.”
“And as his best friend, she is merely helping him see he is not acting in his own long term best interests.” Offered Headmaster Everard.
“I repeat once again. I feel her behavior towards him was abominable. I would certainly have never stood for such abuse from a subordinate.” Former Headmistress Dilys Derwent let out an outraged shriek a split second after Phineas uttered the word ‘subordinate’.
“Subordinate? Subordinate! Phineas, how can you say that? She is his WIFE after all!”
Phineas cut off the ranting Dilys. “Exactly, his subordinate!” With a look of complete and utter disgust directed toward Phineas, Dilys abandon her portrait.
“You shouldn’t bait her that way, Phineas. I wouldn’t put it past her to be the one to figure out how to hex you even if she is just a portrait.” Albus commented as he came down the stairs.
“Hex him? Hell, Dumbledore, I am expecting her to return with Sir Cadogan’s sword and attempt to disembowel him,” remarked Alesia Gillefalyn, a Headmistress from the 1200’s. She shot a knowing look towards Phineas as she leaned back leisurely into her chair as if waiting for the show to begin. Albus chuckled.
Armando Dippet spoke up his voice a tad hesitant. “Albus…” Armando waited until the current Headmaster made eye contact before continuing. “Albus, you know, of course, Minerva was correct to be angry with you?” Albus sigh in a concession of defeat and nodded to his old friend.
“Yes, Armando, I know. I shouldn’t have let today happen. But how can I say no to one so beautiful? Especially when she looks at me with those precious green eyes? I am completely at her mercy Armando; I have no power to say no.”
The sweet voice of Ella de Lille, a petite Headmistress from the Elizabethan era, rang through the room. “Albus, I know you love her but don’t you think recreating the tea party from Alice and Wonderland using Minerva’s transfiguration animals was a bit of a mistake?”
“Perhaps, Ella, perhaps. I know I acted out of guilt today. I have so little time to really spend with her…either of them really. I feel I have spent so much of her life focused on my work and my obligations to our world and not enough time with her.”
Dilys, having returned to her portrait without Sir Cadogan’s sword - much to the disappointment of a number of the other Headmistresses, settled into her regal chair. “Albus, no one, especially Minerva, begrudges you anytime spend with Hestia. You love her. She is precious to you.”
Dilys cleared her throat and shot a glance at Alesia before she continued. “But don’t you think permitting Hestia to turn your beard hot pink right for your interview with The Daily Profit was unwise? If that wasn’t enough you then allowed her to attempt to transfigure everyone of the porcupines Minerva uses for the third years.
Alesia took up Dilys left off. “Albus, I understand how much you would want to encourage Hestia in one of your many magical disciplines but was it necessary to turn the poor creatures into the guards to Hestia could pretend to be the Queen of Hearts?”
Dilys took up the mantle of chiding the current Headmaster once more. “This was, of course, after you and she decided it would be fun to see how Hagrid’s garden gnomes got on with the plants in Greenhouse three. And what were you thinking when you took her to Honeydukes way to Bill Weasley’s fifth birthday party and bought her YOUR weight in candy and proceeded to let her, Bill, and Charlie eat every bit of it!”
At this point Ella chimed in. “Albus, do you have any idea how long it is going to take Molly and Minerva to get those children to bed tonight? I wouldn’t be surprise to find out those kids have so much sugar running through their systems they levitate themselves out of their mothers’ reach!”
Albus shook his head as he thought back on his day spent in the company of his adorable six year-old daughter, Hestia. She was a perfect blending of Minerva and himself. She had Minerva’s looks and sensibility but Hestia was a perfect carbon copy of him when it came to the need for mischief and sugar.
The day had begun so beautifully. Minerva, Pomona Sprout, and Poppy Pomfrey had left for The Burrow early in morning to help Molly prepare for Bill’s birthday party. Molly left Arthur in charge of the children. Minerva, Pomona, and Poppy took Molly off to a Ladies day in London.
Poppy’s two boys along with Pomona’s youngest son, all already old enough to be preparing to leave Hogwarts had ‘escaped’ kids party duty by going to a quidditch match with their fathers. Instead of attending the Harpies vs Untied match with the other husbands and older children, Albus had cleared his schedule. The Daily Prophet interview, his only official obligation, Albus planned on spending the morning entertaining Hestia and taking her to the party in the afternoon.
Young Bill Weasley’s actual birthday had occurred eight months prior in November. The previous year on his third birthday – the coldest and direst day so far that year – Bill, who hated cold weather, defiantly declared he was moving his birthday to June 29th when it was warm and he could play outside.
In the early evening the four grown women returned from London full of giggles and laughter only to find Albus, Arthur, Bill, Charlie, Hestia, and baby Percy in the pond near The Burrow having a mud fight. Everyone, even Percy, was covered head to toe with dirt and mud. A steady trail of candy wrappers of all types led from the pond back to The Burrow and into every room of the house. The birthday cake Molly had made had been greedily consumed, but none of the other food the ladies had prepared had been touched. Minerva quickly concluded the children and the men had eaten nothing but sugar and sweets all afternoon long.
Albus and Arthur thought they just might escape the full wraths of their wives having volunteered to clean the kitchen the muggle way, until three owls arrived in quick succession. Minerva and Molly were bathing the mud off the children while Poppy and Pomona tackled the wrapper collection duties. Albus immediately recognized the first owl as the one owned by Pomona’s husband, Professor Marcus Kettleburn.
A high picked shriek from Pomona caught everyone’s attention. Minerva and Molly emerged from the bathroom, hair falling and covered in soapsuds. Marcus needed Pomona back at Hogwarts immediately. A fight had broken out in Greenhouse three between to variants of Venomous Tentacula due to a newly established community of garden gnomes. Pomona and Poppy quickly said their goodbyes and Apparated away.
“Albus, didn’t I hear Hestia say you promised her a trip to the greenhouses, today?” Minerva shot a suspicious look in Albus’ direction just as the second seemingly innocent owl landed on the Weasley’s coffee table.
The evening edition of The Daily Profit had arrived. Minerva’s lips disappeared when the headline caught her eye as she moved to catch a scampering child who’d escaped the bathtub. The headline read, “Headmaster of Hogwarts endorses extreme measures.” The interview, which Minerva had arranged, was supposed to highlight how safe the school was. The article featuring a huge picture of Albus with flaming pink beard, only quoted him sparingly and left one with the impression Albus was social radical and political crackpot.
The final owl was the last straw. Caretaker Apollyon Pringle along with his apprentice, Argus Filch, had found Minerva’s Transfiguration classroom in ruins. All of the animals had been let lose and many were still half transfigured into something looking vaguely like playing cards with arms and legs. Minerva’s Scottish temper finally boiled over. In one swift movement, she grabbed up their daughter, hugged Molly goodbye while whispering her apologies, glared a death look at Albus, and apparated back to Hogwarts.
Returning to Hogwarts, Albus found his daughter happily zooming around on the Quidditch pitch with Rolanda Hooch in a futile attempt to help Hestia burn off some of the sugar she’d consumed during her day spent with her father. Rolanda quickly let Albus know he was wanted in his office and to delay was not the wisest move he could make.
“That Scottish temper only gets worse when ignored, Headmaster,” warned Rolanda as she and Hestia flew off to the other end of the pitch.
Minerva vented her anger on him for twenty minutes. She was furious with him for allowing Hestia to run amuck. Her voice still rang in his ears.
“You are spoiling our daughter, Albus. Your indulgence of her smallest whims now will only cause us problems with her later!” She paused to breathe. “How could you not think going to an interview with a pink beard wouldn’t make you look like an unhinged weirdo?” Her arms crossed over her chest she paced the length of his office. “We will need new animals for the Transfiguration classes, as some can no longer be used, and the expense would have to be approved by the Board of Governors, which <i> you will </i> have to request.”
Completely spent, Minerva’s last words shocked him. “I hope you made sure your office couch is comfortable because you aren’t allowed back in our bed until you start acting older then our six year old!”
Albus chuckled to himself. The thought of sleeping on his office couch for an undefined period of time brought him to his senses. He loved his little girl but he loved his wife more. Moreover, as usual, Minerva was right. Albus needed to explain that his indulgences of Hestia were merely a poor salve for the burning guilt he felt at leaving them both alone so often. Perhaps a family dinner away from Hogwarts, minus any sugar, followed by a romantic evening stroll and some honest conversation would get him back into his fabulous Minerva’s good graces. Leaving his office in search of Minerva, he wondered if Rolanda or Poppy would be willing to babysit.
~finis~
Oh and Hesita is the canon character Hestia Jones. (JK did say we should be asking about Albus's family.)*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Title: A Daddy’s Guilt
Or Because Daddies’ Love Their Little Girls, Sometimes Too Much
Summary: Albus volunteers to watch Hestia for the day.
Rating: everyone
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
On the upper floor of his office, Albus Dumbledore stared out the large bay window designed for stargazing. He was in trouble and he knew it. He had been caught, confronted, reprimanded and was now in the midst of being frozen out. A defeated sigh escaped his lips. Turning towards the stairs to head down to his office, Albus’ ears caught bits of a rather lively exchange between the portraits of the former Headmasters and mistresses of Hogwarts.
“Her treatment of him was absolutely astonishing! When I was alive I would have never stood for such a thing.” Perched in his chair, Phineas Nigellus Black looked down his nose at his fellow former Headmasters.
“But Phineas, she is his deputy; it is her responsibility to make sure he does what is in the best interest of Hogwarts. Surely today’s activities weren’t in the best interest of the school?” Spoke up Headmaster Fortescue.
“Irregardless.” Countered Phineas, “She had no right, no right to say what she did and do what she has done. Clearly out of line, I say.”
“And as his best friend, she is merely helping him see he is not acting in his own long term best interests.” Offered Headmaster Everard.
“I repeat once again. I feel her behavior towards him was abominable. I would certainly have never stood for such abuse from a subordinate.” Former Headmistress Dilys Derwent let out an outraged shriek a split second after Phineas uttered the word ‘subordinate’.
“Subordinate? Subordinate! Phineas, how can you say that? She is his WIFE after all!”
Phineas cut off the ranting Dilys. “Exactly, his subordinate!” With a look of complete and utter disgust directed toward Phineas, Dilys abandon her portrait.
“You shouldn’t bait her that way, Phineas. I wouldn’t put it past her to be the one to figure out how to hex you even if she is just a portrait.” Albus commented as he came down the stairs.
“Hex him? Hell, Dumbledore, I am expecting her to return with Sir Cadogan’s sword and attempt to disembowel him,” remarked Alesia Gillefalyn, a Headmistress from the 1200’s. She shot a knowing look towards Phineas as she leaned back leisurely into her chair as if waiting for the show to begin. Albus chuckled.
Armando Dippet spoke up his voice a tad hesitant. “Albus…” Armando waited until the current Headmaster made eye contact before continuing. “Albus, you know, of course, Minerva was correct to be angry with you?” Albus sigh in a concession of defeat and nodded to his old friend.
“Yes, Armando, I know. I shouldn’t have let today happen. But how can I say no to one so beautiful? Especially when she looks at me with those precious green eyes? I am completely at her mercy Armando; I have no power to say no.”
The sweet voice of Ella de Lille, a petite Headmistress from the Elizabethan era, rang through the room. “Albus, I know you love her but don’t you think recreating the tea party from Alice and Wonderland using Minerva’s transfiguration animals was a bit of a mistake?”
“Perhaps, Ella, perhaps. I know I acted out of guilt today. I have so little time to really spend with her…either of them really. I feel I have spent so much of her life focused on my work and my obligations to our world and not enough time with her.”
Dilys, having returned to her portrait without Sir Cadogan’s sword - much to the disappointment of a number of the other Headmistresses, settled into her regal chair. “Albus, no one, especially Minerva, begrudges you anytime spend with Hestia. You love her. She is precious to you.”
Dilys cleared her throat and shot a glance at Alesia before she continued. “But don’t you think permitting Hestia to turn your beard hot pink right for your interview with The Daily Profit was unwise? If that wasn’t enough you then allowed her to attempt to transfigure everyone of the porcupines Minerva uses for the third years.
Alesia took up Dilys left off. “Albus, I understand how much you would want to encourage Hestia in one of your many magical disciplines but was it necessary to turn the poor creatures into the guards to Hestia could pretend to be the Queen of Hearts?”
Dilys took up the mantle of chiding the current Headmaster once more. “This was, of course, after you and she decided it would be fun to see how Hagrid’s garden gnomes got on with the plants in Greenhouse three. And what were you thinking when you took her to Honeydukes way to Bill Weasley’s fifth birthday party and bought her YOUR weight in candy and proceeded to let her, Bill, and Charlie eat every bit of it!”
At this point Ella chimed in. “Albus, do you have any idea how long it is going to take Molly and Minerva to get those children to bed tonight? I wouldn’t be surprise to find out those kids have so much sugar running through their systems they levitate themselves out of their mothers’ reach!”
Albus shook his head as he thought back on his day spent in the company of his adorable six year-old daughter, Hestia. She was a perfect blending of Minerva and himself. She had Minerva’s looks and sensibility but Hestia was a perfect carbon copy of him when it came to the need for mischief and sugar.
The day had begun so beautifully. Minerva, Pomona Sprout, and Poppy Pomfrey had left for The Burrow early in morning to help Molly prepare for Bill’s birthday party. Molly left Arthur in charge of the children. Minerva, Pomona, and Poppy took Molly off to a Ladies day in London.
Poppy’s two boys along with Pomona’s youngest son, all already old enough to be preparing to leave Hogwarts had ‘escaped’ kids party duty by going to a quidditch match with their fathers. Instead of attending the Harpies vs Untied match with the other husbands and older children, Albus had cleared his schedule. The Daily Prophet interview, his only official obligation, Albus planned on spending the morning entertaining Hestia and taking her to the party in the afternoon.
Young Bill Weasley’s actual birthday had occurred eight months prior in November. The previous year on his third birthday – the coldest and direst day so far that year – Bill, who hated cold weather, defiantly declared he was moving his birthday to June 29th when it was warm and he could play outside.
In the early evening the four grown women returned from London full of giggles and laughter only to find Albus, Arthur, Bill, Charlie, Hestia, and baby Percy in the pond near The Burrow having a mud fight. Everyone, even Percy, was covered head to toe with dirt and mud. A steady trail of candy wrappers of all types led from the pond back to The Burrow and into every room of the house. The birthday cake Molly had made had been greedily consumed, but none of the other food the ladies had prepared had been touched. Minerva quickly concluded the children and the men had eaten nothing but sugar and sweets all afternoon long.
Albus and Arthur thought they just might escape the full wraths of their wives having volunteered to clean the kitchen the muggle way, until three owls arrived in quick succession. Minerva and Molly were bathing the mud off the children while Poppy and Pomona tackled the wrapper collection duties. Albus immediately recognized the first owl as the one owned by Pomona’s husband, Professor Marcus Kettleburn.
A high picked shriek from Pomona caught everyone’s attention. Minerva and Molly emerged from the bathroom, hair falling and covered in soapsuds. Marcus needed Pomona back at Hogwarts immediately. A fight had broken out in Greenhouse three between to variants of Venomous Tentacula due to a newly established community of garden gnomes. Pomona and Poppy quickly said their goodbyes and Apparated away.
“Albus, didn’t I hear Hestia say you promised her a trip to the greenhouses, today?” Minerva shot a suspicious look in Albus’ direction just as the second seemingly innocent owl landed on the Weasley’s coffee table.
The evening edition of The Daily Profit had arrived. Minerva’s lips disappeared when the headline caught her eye as she moved to catch a scampering child who’d escaped the bathtub. The headline read, “Headmaster of Hogwarts endorses extreme measures.” The interview, which Minerva had arranged, was supposed to highlight how safe the school was. The article featuring a huge picture of Albus with flaming pink beard, only quoted him sparingly and left one with the impression Albus was social radical and political crackpot.
The final owl was the last straw. Caretaker Apollyon Pringle along with his apprentice, Argus Filch, had found Minerva’s Transfiguration classroom in ruins. All of the animals had been let lose and many were still half transfigured into something looking vaguely like playing cards with arms and legs. Minerva’s Scottish temper finally boiled over. In one swift movement, she grabbed up their daughter, hugged Molly goodbye while whispering her apologies, glared a death look at Albus, and apparated back to Hogwarts.
Returning to Hogwarts, Albus found his daughter happily zooming around on the Quidditch pitch with Rolanda Hooch in a futile attempt to help Hestia burn off some of the sugar she’d consumed during her day spent with her father. Rolanda quickly let Albus know he was wanted in his office and to delay was not the wisest move he could make.
“That Scottish temper only gets worse when ignored, Headmaster,” warned Rolanda as she and Hestia flew off to the other end of the pitch.
Minerva vented her anger on him for twenty minutes. She was furious with him for allowing Hestia to run amuck. Her voice still rang in his ears.
“You are spoiling our daughter, Albus. Your indulgence of her smallest whims now will only cause us problems with her later!” She paused to breathe. “How could you not think going to an interview with a pink beard wouldn’t make you look like an unhinged weirdo?” Her arms crossed over her chest she paced the length of his office. “We will need new animals for the Transfiguration classes, as some can no longer be used, and the expense would have to be approved by the Board of Governors, which <i> you will </i> have to request.”
Completely spent, Minerva’s last words shocked him. “I hope you made sure your office couch is comfortable because you aren’t allowed back in our bed until you start acting older then our six year old!”
Albus chuckled to himself. The thought of sleeping on his office couch for an undefined period of time brought him to his senses. He loved his little girl but he loved his wife more. Moreover, as usual, Minerva was right. Albus needed to explain that his indulgences of Hestia were merely a poor salve for the burning guilt he felt at leaving them both alone so often. Perhaps a family dinner away from Hogwarts, minus any sugar, followed by a romantic evening stroll and some honest conversation would get him back into his fabulous Minerva’s good graces. Leaving his office in search of Minerva, he wondered if Rolanda or Poppy would be willing to babysit.
~finis~
