Post by TartanPhoenix on Sept 17, 2005 13:31:54 GMT -5
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, but I promise to return the characters in reasonable shape. No, really.
Rating: If you can read, then you're fine.
AN: I haven't got a clue where this came from, but it wouldn't leave me alone. I think I have offically gone around the bend.
Late night questions
Alastor quietly crept into the kitchen at Grimmuald Place, the slight glow of his wand the only light in the room. When he stepped through the door, he stopped for a second, before continuing on. He had barely been able to bite back the curse on his lips as he noticed Albus sitting alone at the small table.
Alastor simply smirked as he took in Albus’ disheveled appearance. Sitting alone in the dark was odd enough for his oldest friend, but Alastor rarely saw him in nothing but a dressing down, loosely tied around his waist, and bare feet. As the light danced across his face, Alastor could make out faint scratches across Albus’ chest and neck, a red circle also forming on the base of his neck.
With a wave, another chair slid next to the table and an empty cup appeared in front of Alastor as he plunked down, his wooden leg stretched out in front of him. “Shouldn’t you be in bed too?” He growled, dumping some of his flasks contents into the cup.
“Probably,” Albus replied, finally pulling his gaze back into the present.
“Then why aren’t you? It seems to have been a..productive evening,” Alastor said, nodding toward the marks on Albus’ chest.
Albus didn’t close his robe, but he did give a well satisfied smile. “Yes, very productive. I couldn’t sleep, and Minerva needs her rest.”
Alastor just grunted, but he kept his swiveling blue eye firmly fixed away from the ceiling. “I’m sure she does.” Alastor rolled the cup between his gnarled fingers, his eyebrows knitted together. His entire body tensed as he finally came to a decision, and th air in the room thickened before he ever opened his mouth. “Albus,” Alastor started.
“No, Alastor,” Albus cut him off quickly, his blue eyes flashing instantly.
Alastor had heard that tone before, knew what it meant, but he still pressed on. “Yes Albus. I’ve bitten my tongue for too long. She’s dangerous; to you, and to the Order.” The air around them charged and Albus’ fingers curled around his own cup, almost shattering the delicate china.
“Minerva is no more dangerous to me than you are Alastor, perhaps less. Don’t think for one moment I didn’t see your hand reach when you came in.”
Alastor had the decency to look abashed before pressing on. “That may be, but I’ve never had questionable taste in men.”
Albus looked amused despite himself. “Really Alastor, I never knew. What would Poppy have to say if she found out?”
“That was not what I meant, and you know it! None of my former paramours have turned out to be psychotics. That last family was lucky we were able to get through the wards he set before anything happened. You saw what happened to the four before them.”
“Alastor,” Albus signed, putting his head wearily in his hand. “We both know that Minerva lost all contact with Thomas Flannery long before this all began. It’s enough that she blames herself for not stopping him, I won’t let you do it as well.”
“Do you expect me to believe that she had no idea while they were in school, and after? How can you court a person for almost three years and not notice that they’re homicidal loons? And how,” he asked, deathly quiet as he leaned forward, “do you know she wasn’t aware and simply didn’t say anything? I was in the same year with them both, and even I noticed he wasn’t quite right. I’ll be the first to admit she’s sharper than I am; how could it have slipped by her?”
“She is only human Alastor, and affection can overcome a multitude of sins. Now,” Albus said firmly, “I love her Alastor, and if you are truly my friend, you will drop it now. I will not discuss this again. Please Alastor, you don’t have to be happy, but accept it. As long as she’ll have me, I will not let Minerva go.”
Alastor leaned back in his chair with a groan, throwing his hands up in the air. “Fine,” he grumbled, “but answer me just one question.” Albus stared for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. “Why her? Out of all the women you could have, why that one?”
Albus smiled as he stood, tightening the belt of his robe as he rose. “She is the only woman who could see me. How could I love anyone else? Goodnight Alastor. Poppy’s probably waiting for you; don’t keep her waiting.” Without another word, Albus turned on his heel and walked up the creaking stairs.
Silently he made his way through the halls and into the last room on the right. Dropping his robe, he slid between the warm sheets, and sighed as Minerva rolled into him, wrapping her arms around his waist.
She opened her eyes sleepily while he brushed away a loose strand of hair. “Albus?” she asked groggily.
He brushed his mouth over her forehead before dropping to her lips. “Shh love, go back to sleep.”
She sighed and burrowed herself into the crook of his neck. “Is everything alright?” She asked, already slipping back into slumber.
“Never better Min, never better.” He watched as her breathing once again evened out before joining her, never letting her go.
AN: See, I told you I was crazy. I just hope it isn't contagious.
Rating: If you can read, then you're fine.
AN: I haven't got a clue where this came from, but it wouldn't leave me alone. I think I have offically gone around the bend.
Late night questions
Alastor quietly crept into the kitchen at Grimmuald Place, the slight glow of his wand the only light in the room. When he stepped through the door, he stopped for a second, before continuing on. He had barely been able to bite back the curse on his lips as he noticed Albus sitting alone at the small table.
Alastor simply smirked as he took in Albus’ disheveled appearance. Sitting alone in the dark was odd enough for his oldest friend, but Alastor rarely saw him in nothing but a dressing down, loosely tied around his waist, and bare feet. As the light danced across his face, Alastor could make out faint scratches across Albus’ chest and neck, a red circle also forming on the base of his neck.
With a wave, another chair slid next to the table and an empty cup appeared in front of Alastor as he plunked down, his wooden leg stretched out in front of him. “Shouldn’t you be in bed too?” He growled, dumping some of his flasks contents into the cup.
“Probably,” Albus replied, finally pulling his gaze back into the present.
“Then why aren’t you? It seems to have been a..productive evening,” Alastor said, nodding toward the marks on Albus’ chest.
Albus didn’t close his robe, but he did give a well satisfied smile. “Yes, very productive. I couldn’t sleep, and Minerva needs her rest.”
Alastor just grunted, but he kept his swiveling blue eye firmly fixed away from the ceiling. “I’m sure she does.” Alastor rolled the cup between his gnarled fingers, his eyebrows knitted together. His entire body tensed as he finally came to a decision, and th air in the room thickened before he ever opened his mouth. “Albus,” Alastor started.
“No, Alastor,” Albus cut him off quickly, his blue eyes flashing instantly.
Alastor had heard that tone before, knew what it meant, but he still pressed on. “Yes Albus. I’ve bitten my tongue for too long. She’s dangerous; to you, and to the Order.” The air around them charged and Albus’ fingers curled around his own cup, almost shattering the delicate china.
“Minerva is no more dangerous to me than you are Alastor, perhaps less. Don’t think for one moment I didn’t see your hand reach when you came in.”
Alastor had the decency to look abashed before pressing on. “That may be, but I’ve never had questionable taste in men.”
Albus looked amused despite himself. “Really Alastor, I never knew. What would Poppy have to say if she found out?”
“That was not what I meant, and you know it! None of my former paramours have turned out to be psychotics. That last family was lucky we were able to get through the wards he set before anything happened. You saw what happened to the four before them.”
“Alastor,” Albus signed, putting his head wearily in his hand. “We both know that Minerva lost all contact with Thomas Flannery long before this all began. It’s enough that she blames herself for not stopping him, I won’t let you do it as well.”
“Do you expect me to believe that she had no idea while they were in school, and after? How can you court a person for almost three years and not notice that they’re homicidal loons? And how,” he asked, deathly quiet as he leaned forward, “do you know she wasn’t aware and simply didn’t say anything? I was in the same year with them both, and even I noticed he wasn’t quite right. I’ll be the first to admit she’s sharper than I am; how could it have slipped by her?”
“She is only human Alastor, and affection can overcome a multitude of sins. Now,” Albus said firmly, “I love her Alastor, and if you are truly my friend, you will drop it now. I will not discuss this again. Please Alastor, you don’t have to be happy, but accept it. As long as she’ll have me, I will not let Minerva go.”
Alastor leaned back in his chair with a groan, throwing his hands up in the air. “Fine,” he grumbled, “but answer me just one question.” Albus stared for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. “Why her? Out of all the women you could have, why that one?”
Albus smiled as he stood, tightening the belt of his robe as he rose. “She is the only woman who could see me. How could I love anyone else? Goodnight Alastor. Poppy’s probably waiting for you; don’t keep her waiting.” Without another word, Albus turned on his heel and walked up the creaking stairs.
Silently he made his way through the halls and into the last room on the right. Dropping his robe, he slid between the warm sheets, and sighed as Minerva rolled into him, wrapping her arms around his waist.
She opened her eyes sleepily while he brushed away a loose strand of hair. “Albus?” she asked groggily.
He brushed his mouth over her forehead before dropping to her lips. “Shh love, go back to sleep.”
She sighed and burrowed herself into the crook of his neck. “Is everything alright?” She asked, already slipping back into slumber.
“Never better Min, never better.” He watched as her breathing once again evened out before joining her, never letting her go.
AN: See, I told you I was crazy. I just hope it isn't contagious.
