Post by Hogwarts Duo on Nov 16, 2004 14:19:55 GMT -5
Summary: Albus Dumbledore is turning 150 years old and it’s up to his best friend to make sure that he gets everything he wants.
A/N: This is our first attempt at posting something to the Board…so we hope we did it correctly! Thanks to Ginger Newts and Quill of Minerva for their help and support! ^_^
Birthday Wishes Come True ~ Part 1
The Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry could easily be described as the greatest wizard of the age by all who knew his name, and they would have been correct in their assumptions. He seemed to possess a presence that practically screamed power and yet his attitudes and demeanor contradicted that very theory that many had of the man. In truth, there was only one person who saw past all of the rumors, theories, and personas created for this man and she felt privileged to be among his closest confidants in matters of the school and of life.
Minerva McGonagall had been fortunate enough to know Albus Dumbledore for most of her life. Coming from a prominent family in wizarding Europe, their paths had crossed once or twice and she couldn’t have been happier when it was announced that he would be teaching Transfiguration in her final year at school. She had admired him from a close distance but now she would be allowed to learn from her hero, her idol, the man that all the girls dreamed of marrying, including herself.
Over the years since her graduation, Minerva and Albus remained close friends and had owled frequently. She had furthered her education and had risen to the top of her field in transfiguration by the time Albus had contacted her about taking a position at Hogwarts. Since the day she had entered the hallowed halls as a professor, she and Albus had become practically inseparable, much to her delight and wonder. Her schoolgirl crush had morphed into something that went beyond words and at the same time, prevented her from sharing her life with any other man. For her, there would only be one person she would allow close enough to win her heart.
Albus had always gone out of his way to make people feel special and important to the entire world. He had an extraordinary talent that allowed him to converse with the most intellectual of persons or the smallest of children and for that Minerva felt that he was underappreciated. And what better time to show someone your appreciation and adoration than a birthday?
Since she started teaching in 1956, she couldn’t remember a time when the Headmaster had officially celebrated his birthday with his staff. Sure, the two of them had enjoyed spending birthdays in quiet ways with simple meals or games of chess, but this year he was turning 150 years old and that warranted a superb affair. And Minerva was just the witch to make sure that he had one! It has become one of her priorities of late.
As the special day approached, Minerva worked herself to death planning every little detail, from the types of foods to the vibrant purple paper hats that he was sure to love. After all, he was just a big child at heart and even though these things were not her preferences, they suited him perfectly. She had gone to great lengths to make his birthday a memorable one and that was no easy task, considering the number of birthday memories he had already stored in his brain and pensieve with which to compare this one. But Minerva had one thing in mind that was sure to erase all other birthdays from his memory.
For starters, Minerva had arranged for the house elves to make him a chocolate cake that was sure to rot every single one of his teeth. They had, at her request, made a smaller version of the cake for her to test and the first bite had set her teeth on edge. In fact, it had been so incredibly sweet it had left her begging for a large glass of cold milk. But the more she ate of the small slice, the more she realized that this was the perfect cake for him. It was almost like pure sugar cane and the simple smell of the chocolate made her feel comfortable, just like being in the same room with him.
A simple look from Albus always made Minerva feel like she was the only woman in the world. Never had she felt such devotion from another person, aside from her parents. But then again, the feelings she wanted to share with Albus were not of the parental variety…far from it. They had grown extremely close over her years as a teacher and then as his Deputy, but there was more to their relationship than work. Over the past few months, they had started to date, informally of course in an attempt to keep the rumors and gossip at a minimum. They had shared so many wonderful evenings alone by a fire or walking under the stars at night but they had not progressed beyond very intense kisses and the heated exploration of hands over layers of clothes. Albus had said he wanted to take things slow and yet his actions betrayed his feelings sometimes when they were alone.
For some wonderful reason, Albus and Minerva seemed to gain strength from each other and each grew to rely on the other for support, comfort, fun, and laughter. Minerva has been convinced that if it had not been for the wit and eccentricity of Albus Dumbledore, she might smile far less frequently and view life way too seriously for even her tastes. But that was something she wouldn’t have to worry about as long as he was around to brighten her days. That was one of the many reasons she had fallen in love with him and he often told her how much she had enriched his life with her presence and love.
Along with the totally decadent chocolate cake and the silly paper hats, Minerva had enlisted the faculty into thinking up some ways to make the party livelier. Had it been a party for her, Minerva would have some type of music in the background, Scottish preferably, and then some time to mingle with her guests but this was a party for the outlandish Headmaster so that would never suit him. No, he would probably enjoy a more childlike theme and this day was all about him.
After rejecting Hooch’s offer for a game of ‘spin the bottle of firewhiskey’ and Aberforth’s idea of ‘pin the tail on the goat’, Minerva was almost at her wits end. Severus had been absolutely no help at all and she was almost too afraid to ask Hagrid for his input into the matter. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust and respect the overly enthusiastic groundskeeper, but sometimes his ideas just weren’t safe and she’d never want to hurt his feelings by rejecting his idea. Poppy had mentioned having the cake and presents first, followed by some dancing to his favorite chamber music. But that just seemed too ordinary for such a grand event as Albus’ birthday.
As Minerva tossed and tumbled in her bed, images of Albus floated around in her head. His smile warmed her heart and as she drifted off towards sleep, she tried to think of what would make him happiest. Just as she was about to fall asleep, something that he had once told her while they were visiting muggle London popped into her head. It was something about a silly sport called bowling. Bolting from the bed, she quickly wrote an owl to the proprietors of Gambol and Japes in the hopes that they might be of some much needed assistance. She now had a way of bringing the party to life, at least for the man of the hour.
As the mail arrived the following morning, Minerva was pleased to receive an owl in response to her letter from the night before. Seems Gambol and Japes didn’t know too much about ten pin bowling but they had given her the contact name and address of a shop in London that would be able to help her properly set up a working bowling alley in Hogwarts for a day and they also sent along several items as a birthday gift for the Headmaster. Tucking the items and parchment into her pocket, she noticed Albus watching her with twinkling eyes but she didn’t give him time to question her. Making her excuses, she darted off to her office in the hopes of contacting the London shop and having everything settled by nightfall.
After making her final check on her Gryffindors for the evening and soundly defeating Albus in chess, Minerva settled down in her favorite armchair and went over her notes regarding his birthday. She sighed happily as she looked at the list. Things were coming together perfectly and there was just one more thing to take care of, but that was something she would take pride and pleasure in handling. It was her special gift to the man of the hour.
With little fanfare the big day arrived and after the usual round of pleasantries from his staff, Albus felt that the rest of his day would be spent quietly. With any luck, he hoped to persuade Minerva to accompany him to Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour in Diagon Alley after dinner for a celebratory sundae. But as far as he knew, that would be the extent of his birthday celebration and he couldn’t think of a nicer way to end the day…ice cream and the woman he loved.
Minerva had sent Albus a special birthday owl before sunrise. She wanted to be the first one to wish him a happy birthday and she had been successful. She smiled mischievously as she mentally ran down her plans for the day and as she reached the end of her list, her smile had completely overwhelmed her face. This was going to be a birthday to remember for decades to come. So, when Albus asked her to go to Diagon Alley after the evening meal, she practically jumped at the chance to go. That would remove the last of her worries…how to get Albus out of Hogwarts long enough for Madame Hooch and Madame Pomfrey to put the finishing touches on the Great Hall.
A/N: This is our first attempt at posting something to the Board…so we hope we did it correctly! Thanks to Ginger Newts and Quill of Minerva for their help and support! ^_^
Birthday Wishes Come True ~ Part 1
The Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry could easily be described as the greatest wizard of the age by all who knew his name, and they would have been correct in their assumptions. He seemed to possess a presence that practically screamed power and yet his attitudes and demeanor contradicted that very theory that many had of the man. In truth, there was only one person who saw past all of the rumors, theories, and personas created for this man and she felt privileged to be among his closest confidants in matters of the school and of life.
Minerva McGonagall had been fortunate enough to know Albus Dumbledore for most of her life. Coming from a prominent family in wizarding Europe, their paths had crossed once or twice and she couldn’t have been happier when it was announced that he would be teaching Transfiguration in her final year at school. She had admired him from a close distance but now she would be allowed to learn from her hero, her idol, the man that all the girls dreamed of marrying, including herself.
Over the years since her graduation, Minerva and Albus remained close friends and had owled frequently. She had furthered her education and had risen to the top of her field in transfiguration by the time Albus had contacted her about taking a position at Hogwarts. Since the day she had entered the hallowed halls as a professor, she and Albus had become practically inseparable, much to her delight and wonder. Her schoolgirl crush had morphed into something that went beyond words and at the same time, prevented her from sharing her life with any other man. For her, there would only be one person she would allow close enough to win her heart.
Albus had always gone out of his way to make people feel special and important to the entire world. He had an extraordinary talent that allowed him to converse with the most intellectual of persons or the smallest of children and for that Minerva felt that he was underappreciated. And what better time to show someone your appreciation and adoration than a birthday?
Since she started teaching in 1956, she couldn’t remember a time when the Headmaster had officially celebrated his birthday with his staff. Sure, the two of them had enjoyed spending birthdays in quiet ways with simple meals or games of chess, but this year he was turning 150 years old and that warranted a superb affair. And Minerva was just the witch to make sure that he had one! It has become one of her priorities of late.
As the special day approached, Minerva worked herself to death planning every little detail, from the types of foods to the vibrant purple paper hats that he was sure to love. After all, he was just a big child at heart and even though these things were not her preferences, they suited him perfectly. She had gone to great lengths to make his birthday a memorable one and that was no easy task, considering the number of birthday memories he had already stored in his brain and pensieve with which to compare this one. But Minerva had one thing in mind that was sure to erase all other birthdays from his memory.
For starters, Minerva had arranged for the house elves to make him a chocolate cake that was sure to rot every single one of his teeth. They had, at her request, made a smaller version of the cake for her to test and the first bite had set her teeth on edge. In fact, it had been so incredibly sweet it had left her begging for a large glass of cold milk. But the more she ate of the small slice, the more she realized that this was the perfect cake for him. It was almost like pure sugar cane and the simple smell of the chocolate made her feel comfortable, just like being in the same room with him.
A simple look from Albus always made Minerva feel like she was the only woman in the world. Never had she felt such devotion from another person, aside from her parents. But then again, the feelings she wanted to share with Albus were not of the parental variety…far from it. They had grown extremely close over her years as a teacher and then as his Deputy, but there was more to their relationship than work. Over the past few months, they had started to date, informally of course in an attempt to keep the rumors and gossip at a minimum. They had shared so many wonderful evenings alone by a fire or walking under the stars at night but they had not progressed beyond very intense kisses and the heated exploration of hands over layers of clothes. Albus had said he wanted to take things slow and yet his actions betrayed his feelings sometimes when they were alone.
For some wonderful reason, Albus and Minerva seemed to gain strength from each other and each grew to rely on the other for support, comfort, fun, and laughter. Minerva has been convinced that if it had not been for the wit and eccentricity of Albus Dumbledore, she might smile far less frequently and view life way too seriously for even her tastes. But that was something she wouldn’t have to worry about as long as he was around to brighten her days. That was one of the many reasons she had fallen in love with him and he often told her how much she had enriched his life with her presence and love.
Along with the totally decadent chocolate cake and the silly paper hats, Minerva had enlisted the faculty into thinking up some ways to make the party livelier. Had it been a party for her, Minerva would have some type of music in the background, Scottish preferably, and then some time to mingle with her guests but this was a party for the outlandish Headmaster so that would never suit him. No, he would probably enjoy a more childlike theme and this day was all about him.
After rejecting Hooch’s offer for a game of ‘spin the bottle of firewhiskey’ and Aberforth’s idea of ‘pin the tail on the goat’, Minerva was almost at her wits end. Severus had been absolutely no help at all and she was almost too afraid to ask Hagrid for his input into the matter. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust and respect the overly enthusiastic groundskeeper, but sometimes his ideas just weren’t safe and she’d never want to hurt his feelings by rejecting his idea. Poppy had mentioned having the cake and presents first, followed by some dancing to his favorite chamber music. But that just seemed too ordinary for such a grand event as Albus’ birthday.
As Minerva tossed and tumbled in her bed, images of Albus floated around in her head. His smile warmed her heart and as she drifted off towards sleep, she tried to think of what would make him happiest. Just as she was about to fall asleep, something that he had once told her while they were visiting muggle London popped into her head. It was something about a silly sport called bowling. Bolting from the bed, she quickly wrote an owl to the proprietors of Gambol and Japes in the hopes that they might be of some much needed assistance. She now had a way of bringing the party to life, at least for the man of the hour.
As the mail arrived the following morning, Minerva was pleased to receive an owl in response to her letter from the night before. Seems Gambol and Japes didn’t know too much about ten pin bowling but they had given her the contact name and address of a shop in London that would be able to help her properly set up a working bowling alley in Hogwarts for a day and they also sent along several items as a birthday gift for the Headmaster. Tucking the items and parchment into her pocket, she noticed Albus watching her with twinkling eyes but she didn’t give him time to question her. Making her excuses, she darted off to her office in the hopes of contacting the London shop and having everything settled by nightfall.
After making her final check on her Gryffindors for the evening and soundly defeating Albus in chess, Minerva settled down in her favorite armchair and went over her notes regarding his birthday. She sighed happily as she looked at the list. Things were coming together perfectly and there was just one more thing to take care of, but that was something she would take pride and pleasure in handling. It was her special gift to the man of the hour.
With little fanfare the big day arrived and after the usual round of pleasantries from his staff, Albus felt that the rest of his day would be spent quietly. With any luck, he hoped to persuade Minerva to accompany him to Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour in Diagon Alley after dinner for a celebratory sundae. But as far as he knew, that would be the extent of his birthday celebration and he couldn’t think of a nicer way to end the day…ice cream and the woman he loved.
Minerva had sent Albus a special birthday owl before sunrise. She wanted to be the first one to wish him a happy birthday and she had been successful. She smiled mischievously as she mentally ran down her plans for the day and as she reached the end of her list, her smile had completely overwhelmed her face. This was going to be a birthday to remember for decades to come. So, when Albus asked her to go to Diagon Alley after the evening meal, she practically jumped at the chance to go. That would remove the last of her worries…how to get Albus out of Hogwarts long enough for Madame Hooch and Madame Pomfrey to put the finishing touches on the Great Hall.
freaky 
So very nice, and I definately needed some high-quality fluff this week! 
I'm so glad you've decided to join us here, welcome and well done as always!
