Let Me Introduce You~An Interactive Story

[Kacie]

I think I will choose A! It's better she learn early rather than late that things might be difficult at times. Kacie

[Kerin]

This is my very first review and I wanted it to be for this story. Since Kacie chose A I have to automatically choose B! ;D I thought you would distribute a sample of the drink along with the update. Kerin

[Jaya]

I guess I'll go with the flow this time and and vote for B... just to show that I'm not contrary all the time....

Jaya ;D

[LadyJolly]

I wanna vote for "A"!!! please ;D Love this story!!

Lady Jolly

[MiniPrincess]

Well interesting post, this story is getting more and more intriguing by the post! Anyways, as I am currently at odds with my significant other I am choosing A just so I have someone to sympathise with!!

[Krystal]

I vote B. I like the thought of experimenting.

[Kamdra]

I think I'd like to see excitement in a relationship so I'll vote A.

[Lady Lavendar]

Lets see I'll vote.... A! Love this story!

LL

[angeldust]

i vote for B and will email my object and sentance soon wehee!

[griseldalafey]

I can understand why Minerva was embarrassed, but that was *so* funny.

I vote for B

[Adrasteia]

Elephants? Well, I certainly didn't expect that. ;D
This chapter was so funny. This story is getting more and more intriguing.
I'll vote for B.

[JKMcGonagall]

I really liked the way you worked Karlie's elephants in. I admit I couldn't imagine how you could get elephants into this story in a way that would make sense, but you did! Congrats, ladies. Your story is super, and I can't wait til my turn. I am going to choose option B because I can't wait to see what they come up with in their research.

Thanks for so much fun. Kay

[Tartan Tabby]

Great update!
Oh, it's hard to decide this week... I think I will vote for A!

[Alesia]

Ladies - what a wonderful chapter. I would love to see what Albus does with information about Minerva's fascination with elphants.

Uggghhh, what a hard choice I can't choose, but I guess B.

Alesia

[Jaya]

I'm reminded of a gift a friend received at a bridal shower... not the bride, though... the groom. It was a g-string... shaped like an elephants head... and there were many jokes about how long the trunk could grow to be.....

Geez... Albus in an elephant g-string?

***vbeg**

Jaya ;D

[evagrace]

Wow, that was certainly a very funny chapter. I loved the elephants! ;D I think I'll vote for A. Great job girls!

-Mel

[tabbylvr77]

Hey! Wow, this is an awesome story!! Elephants?! That is just great! Wow, this is the most creative story I have read so far! I just simply adore Hooch! Wonderful! I go for........hmmmm.....B!! Great job you guys!!
Rae.

[Hogwarts Duo]

A/N: Another great round of reviews from everyone and we say “thanks” once again for your participation! This time we were pleased to welcome a few new reviewers and we hope everyone is still enjoying this little adventure with us. This week it was Angeldust and Tayryn’s turns to give us their input for the story. Angeldust wanted to see an old muggle record with something about elephants on it and the phrase “I was extremely flexible back then.” Tayryn gave us the phrase, “I can see my future in you,” and her object was a silk scarf in Minerva’s family tartan pattern. For this next chapter, we’re asking Ginger Newts and The Gryffindor Seeker to send us an email with your sentences and objects for this next round! We had 9 votes for A this week and 17 votes for B. Happy reading and voting!

~ Merging Hearts ~

Albus entered the main chamber of the research facilities, his eyes doing a quick search of the area looking for a certain emerald-eyed witch. However, the only thing that met his gaze was the main table piled with books opened at various points and a cold meal on a low table by the fire which appeared as if it had not been touched. He smiled and shook his head before moving further into the room. They were only a few weeks into their research and already Minerva was starting to skip meals in her excitement over their various findings.

He was on his afternoon break between classes and it had become his habit to stop by and visit with her before heading to his office to grade papers. He tried to keep his teaching duties concentrated during the school day in order to free up his time in the evenings to participate in their research. And more often than not, Minerva stayed with him late into the evening to catch him up and give him more piles of books to search through in his spare time. Not that he had much in the way of spare time these days.

Thinking of Minerva caused a warm shiver to spread across his skin. Their relationship had flourished in the past few weeks, even as busy as they both were. They always made time for each other every day. Even if it was only a few minutes to discuss the latest escapades in their lives. Minerva was fascinated with the behind the scenes workings of the school and had made several friends among the faculty during her few trips to join them for meals in the Great Hall.

Armando seemed to be very taken with her, especially her intelligence and work ethic. While others like Hagrid were especially fond of her caring nature. She had won over the youngest faculty member when she rescued a flobberworm, which had been stolen from the Care of Magical Creatures class for ill use by a group of seventh year Slytherins. She had run into Hagrid on her way out of the castle and had asked him to see that it was returned to its’ proper home. Since the incident, Hagrid had gone out of his way to help Minerva with anything she required.

As Albus strode to the door which led to her meditation chamber, as he now referred to it, he allowed the excitement of seeing her flood his system. He opened the door as quietly as possible and stepped inside. Minerva sat on a narrow cushion facing the large windows, the gauzy curtains pulled aside to allow her to view the beautiful sunny day. He eyed her form appreciatively, the thin robes not hiding much from his piercing eyes.

“Do you like what you see?” Minerva turned to face him with a teasing smile curving her lips.

“Nowhere have I seen a more pleasing picture.”

“Perhaps you would care to join me for a few moments. I am nearly done and then we can have some tea.”

“And perhaps a bite to eat since you did not touch your lunch.”

A blush covered her face as Albus crossed to stand beside her. He noticed she was in her usual pose, legs crossed in the lotus position. To this date he had not dared to try and replicate such an act but today he felt enthusiastic, perhaps a bit too enthusiastic as he would scold himself later. As Albus sat and began to cross his legs, he fumbled and ended up falling backwards, a small yell escaping his lips. He could only thank Merlin that he had placed a cushioning charm on the carpet as his head connected with the floor.

“Albus, are you okay?” Minerva was bent over his prone form, her eyes filled with worry.

He chuckled a bit at his clumsiness as he went about the task of sitting up. “I never remember being so uncoordinated when I was training to be an animagus. I was extremely flexible back then. I guess time has taken its toll.”

Minerva smiled in relief and helped him to sit. “Nonsense, you are simply out of practice.”

As the two stood, Minerva looped her arms around Albus’ neck and pulled him down for a kiss. As their lips met, the tension from the day seemed to melt away, leaving a sense of peace within her. “Mmmm…perhaps I can forget this whole meditation thing and just have you snog me senseless to relax.”

“I should hope that a snogging session would lead to something other than relaxation.” Albus’ blue eyes twinkled down at her and Minerva felt her legs go weak.

“Hmmm, perhaps we should test the theory.” Minerva angled her head and nipped at his lower lip which hovered just above hers.

“As much as I would love to test such a theory, I am afraid that work calls to me. However, after dinner tonight would be an excellent opportunity to prove myself to you, if you are not busy that is. And to encourage your agreement to my master plan, I will have a surprise for you.”

“A gift - that does sound promising. Hmmm, I suppose I can make some time this afternoon to be proven wrong.” Minerva brushed one last kiss across his soft lips before allowing him to lead her out to her cold lunch.

She curled into her chair, her eyes following Albus’ every move. He exuded such confidence and trust in his every step. As he had a house elf bring a fresh plate of food and some warm tea, she found her mind wandering back over their weeks together. How he spoiled her with his every word and action. How the brush of their fingertips would cause shivers of pleasure. How one look into his beautiful eyes would cause her heart to skip a beat. “Albus.”

“Yes, my dear?”

“I…wanted to let you know that I spoke with Maggie earlier today and we agreed to meet for dinner tomorrow night. The four of us, in case you were wondering. She seemed to think it is a good idea for all of us to be in one another’s company since they are getting rather serious.” Minerva’s stumble seemed to go unnoticed as Albus started to discuss their friends. Her heart beat painfully as she thought about what she had almost confessed. Surely it was too early to feel so deeply. And did she dare say what was in her heart? How would Albus react to such a pronouncement? Maybe her instincts were correct and keeping it to herself for now was best. After all, admitting love to someone was a large step.

Albus was getting up to leave when Minerva remembered her big discovery for the morning. “I can’t believe I forgot so quickly. Ancient Charms and Transfiguration: A Study in Perfection, one of the books that Nicholas lent to our collection, had an interesting tidbit of information. According to the author, there is a charm which is used to link two minds together when combined with a certain potion. It was very fascinating and I believe it would allow more people to become animagi.

Think of it, having to study one’s self so intensely to discover their other form is very tiring and trying, as we are both well aware. And many fail to even succeed in the initial stage of their training. To have another to help you pass those barriers would make the study that much easier. It is always good to have an unbiased opinion. And perhaps it has something to do with a second animagus form. Of course, complications could arise when linking more than one mind together.” Minerva paused to allow Albus to digest everything she had said.

[Hogwarts Duo]

He looked thoughtful as he contemplated her discovery. “I believe you may be correct. I think we should discuss more about it tonight since it might play a crucial role in our research.”

As Albus left the room in order to grade a few papers before his last class of the day, Minerva stood and walked over to the pile of books that never seemed to grow smaller. Looking at the leather bound volumes, she sighed heavily. “I can see my future in you.”

An entire hour later, Albus was still on his first set of papers, finding it increasingly hard to concentrate on his work. His mind, however focused, kept drifting back to the sight of Minerva sitting in front of the large windows. Her hair was loose and cascading down her back, shimmering in the sunlight. Her creamy complexion was being kissed by the sun’s rays as they streamed through the opened windows. Her slender body was barely hidden by the robe she wore, which only caused his mind to swirl with more intimate thoughts of her. Pushing aside his papers, he charmed the quill to finish his grading as he strode to the window in his office to peer across the expansive grounds of Hogwarts.

Albus wasn’t sure when he had first realized his feelings for Minerva. He has been attracted to her from first sight but the more he was near her, the more things he found to love about her. Every single thing she did managed to fascinate him and made him yearn to learn even more. In truth, he realized that he was in love with her and by the way she seemed to respond to his presence, he felt relatively certain that his feelings were returned.

He smiled as he watched a small group of third years huddled in one corner of the courtyard. There seemed to be an equal number of young men and women and two of them had been coerced into the center of the circle. Albus could not contain the chuckle that escaped his lips upon seeing the young man lean over and kiss the young lass on the lips. It was a cute scene to watch unfold and a part of him could sense the nervousness the young man must have felt. It was the same nervous twinges he got whenever he was around Minerva. She seemed to have the capacity to put butterflies into his stomach whenever she was near.

His brightly colored purple quill came to a stop and floated effortlessly to the desk, indicating that its’ work was completed. Glancing through the papers, he was pleased that his classes seemed to be absorbing the information he was giving them and as a small reward, he would give them no homework for the next few days. Of course, there were ulterior motives to his generous nature. It would allow him even more free time to spend with Minerva, assisting in the research project.

Her latest discovery was certainly a captivating thought. What would happen if two minds were truly linked together using the charm and the potion? Would it be possible to communicate without having to utter a single word? And would each individual be able to tell what the other was feeling as well? If they did decide to test the theory, Albus was certain his life would never be the same again. For if he entered Minerva’s mind, and she his, there would be very little left to confess. She would know of his feelings, his thoughts, his dreams, and perhaps even his fantasies of her. Then again, it would give him a privileged insight into her mind as well. He would be capable of sorting out for himself exactly where he stood with Minerva, not that she gave him any room to doubt her feelings for him. Either way, he was even more pleased with himself for offering her the chance in the first place. He couldn’t imagine working with anyone except her.

Dinner that evening had been an enjoyable affair. Minerva had chatted amicably with several of the staff members and had even participated in a rather heated debate over which house team would win the quidditch cup. Her devotion to her former house was unwavering and when she placed a 50 galleon bet that Gryffindor would most assuredly beat Slytherin, he took special note of the enchanting gleam in her eyes and felt a surge of pride engulf him. He was indeed lucky to be the one with whom this remarkable woman found happiness and pleasure.

Walking the grounds after dinner had become a habit for the new couple. They took solace beneath the starry skies and the quiet moments when nothing else seemed to matter except being alone together. Their adventures sometimes led them to the lake or to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. On one occasion they found themselves only a few feet from a rather amorous couple of seventh years seeking refuge in the Astronomy Tower. After deducting a fair amount of house points and sending the embarrassed duo back to their own rooms, Albus proceeded to demonstrate for Minerva the effects starlight, a beautiful woman, and the Astronomy Tower had on the male hormones.

Tonight, their feet took them to the rose gardens. The flowers were still in bloom, thanks to the Herbology teacher’s special charms and their petals offered up a heady scent for the chilling night air. Minerva snuggled close to Albus as a gentle breeze wrapped itself around them and when they were seated on the small wooden bench, she immediately burrowed into his arms and truly relaxed for the first time that day.

“I love it out here this time of year,” Albus admitted softly. “The slight chill coupled with the flowers and your warmth make for an intoxicating combination.”

Minerva turned her head and kissed him softly on the lips. “It does seem like perfection, doesn’t it?” Silence descended upon them but there was nothing uncomfortable about it. Albus rested his head on top of Minerva’s and it wasn’t until he felt her shudder against him that he noticed the temperature had dropped since their arrival.

“I think it’s time I get you back indoors. I won’t be the cause of you being confined to your bed,” he paused and wiggled his eyebrows, “unless it’s for a much better reason than the sniffles.” That remark earned him a playful slap across the chest and an impish expression from Minerva. “Seems I have hit upon something,” he teased as he helped her stand.

Back inside the castle, the two hurriedly made their way to the research room where Minerva’s mountain of books still stood, looking as if one tiny gust of wind would topple them all to the floor. “I had a chance to look into my theory after you left and I think, if you are interested, we can successfully brew the potion and attempt to merge our minds,” she said excitedly.

“I have been giving that some serious thought as well and there are a few things we need to discuss first.” Albus took a moment to drink half of his mug of cocoa. “Have you considered the idea that once our minds are joined, I will be able to read your thoughts?” He looked at her over the tops of her glasses, “all of them,” he finished with a smile. “And the same could be said for you and my thoughts. I am not sure we would be able to keep anything hidden from one another and there is a slight chance that if we truly concentrate, our feelings might be revealed too.”

[Hogwarts Duo]

Minerva stared into his eyes for a long moment, watching his expressions flash across his features. “I have not thought about that but in all honesty, I don’t think there’s any thought or emotion that I’d need to hide from you, nor would I want to,” she answered boldly. “But,” she hesitated, “if you are not ready then…”

“Minerva, I’ve never been more ready, willing, and able to merge with someone than I am you.” His words held a double meaning for him and from the flush now infusing her cheeks for her as well. “Oh, I almost forgot. I have something for you.”

Minerva leaned back a little from him, giving him room to search his pockets for the item. “Hold out your hands and close your eyes.” She did as she was instructed and she smiled when she felt something smooth and sensual touch the palms of hands. From the feel of the object, it was made of silk but had a firmness to it as well. Albus leaned forward and pressed a lingering kiss to the corners of her mouth and then her lips before mumbling “augeo” as he directed his magic towards the object she held.

The small gift was not medium sized and when Minerva opened her eyes, she was caught completely by surprise. She was holding a silken scarf in her hand and it was patterned after her family tartan. Yet there was something wrapped delicately inside the scarf. “Albus, this is stunning! I’ve never received such a beautiful present before. Wherever did you find it?”

“I was in muggle London doing a bit of shopping and I ran across the scarf in the store and when I got it home I transfigured it to take on the appearance of your family’s colors and pattern. It’s my own personal touch.” He watched her finger the smooth material and when she rubbed it against her cheek and closed her eyes, he wanting nothing more than to take her in his arms and never let her go. “Might I suggest you take a gander at the other gift hidden inside?”

Minerva nodded her head and untied the ends of the fabric, only to find herself looking at an old muggle record. Her father owned a small record player and Minerva had spent hours as a child listening to muggle and wizard artists as her father read and her mother crocheted. But this was a group she was unfamiliar with and as soon as she looked at the album cover closely she burst into a fit of giggles. In bright yellow lettering were the words, Dizzy Pachyderms, and there were two pink elephants dancing across the cover. Minerva had to look extremely hard to make out the names Albus and Minerva, indicating the male and female elephant. Yet another testament to Albus’ charming abilities, both magical and personal.

“I also found this album in the muggle store and as soon as I saw the cover, I had to purchase it for you. I haven’t listened to the music yet. I thought that might be something we could do together,” he confessed, his eyes twinkling madly. “If they’re any good, perhaps we could seek out more of their work and make them ‘our’ band.”

“You, Albus Dumbledore, are a hopeless romantic and I…I think I’m falling in love with you.” Minerva had not meant to confess her feelings this soon in their relationship but the moment just felt right. Now, she inwardly cursed herself for revealing her last secret, the one that could ruin everything.

“I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear that because, Minerva, I know I’m in love with you,” Albus answered in a husky tone before taking the scarf and album from her hands, placing them on the nearby table and pulling her into his arms for one of the most powerful kisses either of them had ever experienced.

Options for this week are:

A) Stephen and Albus reveal how their friendship formed to Maggie and Minerva which leads to some discussions over their flirtatious pasts.

B) Maggie and Minerva become embarrassed during their dinner together by Stehpen and Albus and decide to plot a worthy revenge.

Voting ends on June 9th.

[Alesia]

oh my, what a great update and two fabulous choices!
I am not sure which to choose. How do I get both? ;D

Just kidding,.... well maybe, not really......... but if I have to choose I will say B.
Albus has to learn about her vengeful side somehow.

[angeldust]

yay pink elephants wicked! I had a really hard time choosing which choice to go for this time, so i just closed my eyes and pointed and get A!

[Herzele]

That was a really wonderful chapter !! This story just keeps getting better and better !

This time I vote for B.

[JKMcGonagall]

This story just gets better and better. I really love the way you are able to work in all the little details.

Hmmm....choices, choices, choices.....mmmmm.....well, I think I will pick B because revenge is sweet, saccharin sweet.

Great job!

Kay

[ginger newts]

What a great chapter, I love all the flirting. Hmm...I think I'll go with B for next week, have to love a bit of revenge. mwahaha

[Kandice]

I think I will choose A.

[Jaya]

How come you always come up with two such great choices!?!?!?!

Hmmm... I chose..... geez.... decisions, decisions....

B, I guess.

Okay... B

Jaya

[TheGryffindorSeeker]

B! B! B!, wounder what the boys did to make them embaressed lol, cant wait for enxt chapter. and thanks for letting me contribute

[LadyJolly]

Love the story as always and I choose

B!!!

[tayryn]

wonderful chapter, dears!

i loved Albus falling over while trying to cross his legs! hee! could so picture that!! lol!!

you used the "extra elements" beautifully!!

looking forward to the next chapter... and as such, my choice this week will have to be A!