The Marriage of a Minister

[dianahawthorne]

The Marriage of a Minister: by diana_hawthorne
DISCLAIMER: as always, JK Rowling owns everything!
Summary: Albus Dumbledore is made Minister of Magic and passes a "marriage law" to increase the pureblood population (because of that bit in DH).
Rating: 11+

Chapter One:

Albus Dumbledore’s fame rose to great heights after his defeat of the Dark Wizard Grindelwald in the year 1945. After the retirement of Millicent Bagnold following the end of both the wizarding and Muggle world wars, the position of Minister of Magic was offered to “the saviour of the wizarding world,” a wizard by the name of Albus Dumbledore.

Although Albus claimed that he wanted to stay at Hogwarts, he really wanted the power being Minister of Magic would afford him. So he accepted the position, although he let the magical community believe he took the job only because the magical world needed to be rebuilt after many years of war.

Upon his assumption of his new office, the Ministry of Magic released a new set of laws and legislation. Among these new laws, there was one requiring all Ministry employees to be married and to produce at least one child (or be expecting one) in the next two years. Albus claimed this was to “raise morale” by emphasising the need for family life, but really, it was to increase the population of purebloods- for most of the Ministry employees were pureblooded. He also sorted the wizarding community into categories based upon their levels of magic. Marriages must take place within the categories except by special dispensation.

Of course, those over a certain age and those who were physically unable to bear children were exempt from the law. The Ministry’s official standpoint on this exception was that depression would run rampant among those unable to bear children, yet were forced to marry and try to conceive for two years. However, Albus’s real reasoning was to create the maximum number of fertile, pureblooded couples to greatly increase the amount of purebloods in the world.

Although the Minister could exempt himself from his own law, he did not. He had three reasons to follow the law he created. Firstly, his marriage would encourage resentful members of the wizarding community to follow the law; secondly, the Dumbledore line would be able to continue (for he doubted that Aberforth would ever procreate, and, even if he did, Aberforth’s offspring would either be goats or an equal disgrace to the family name); and finally, as Minister, Albus could not afford the scandal that would develop if he was caught with a prostitute or caught keeping a mistress.

So, Albus Dumbledore began the process of selecting a bride. Of course, as he was the most powerful wizard in the world, there were very few witches who came near his levels of magical power. Among the handful of witches who fell into that category, only three were purebloods: Augusta Longbottom, the widow of one of his war buddies; Amelia Bones, an up-and-coming member of the Wizengamot; and Minerva McGonagall, a recently made Mistress of Transfiguration, former Auror, and the youngest Animagus since Albus Dumbledore himself.

Although Albus was acquainted with all three witches, he decided to convene them in order to make his choice. On the morning of the twelfth of December, Albus greeted his three guests and lead them into the vast parlour of Dumbledore Manor. Entering the room, he waved his hands, causing the room to become illuminated by the extraordinary amount of candles decorating the massive Christmas tree set up only that morning by the house elves. As the ladies seated themselves in the overstuffed cushions which formed a half-circle in front of the fireplace, a house elf appeared to serve tea for the four humans present.

After breakfasting with his three possible brides, Albus had a private chat with each witch individually. After he bid them adieu, Albus’s choice became clear. He began penning thank-you’s to all three women, adding dinner request for that evening to the bottom of the note that Fawkes was waiting for to deliver to the woman who would soon be Mrs. Albus Dumbledore.

[TheMaggieFan]

I like it
I wait the second part whitout patience ! lol

[laundry basket]

Ooh, I enjoyed that I liked the bit about Aberforth producing a goat. That entertained me for some odd reason. LOL. I hope for a second chapter soon!

[dianahawthorne]

Chapter Two: Dinner Invitations, part I

Minerva McGonagall screeched as a phoenix appeared on her nightstand in a burst of flame large enough to light up the entire room. Putting one hand to her speeding heart, Minerva apologised to the phoenix, who was looking quite miffed at his less than satisfactory greeting. Finally regaining her composure, she reached out and untied the scroll that was attached to the phoenix’s leg with a red and gold ribbon. She noticed that the purple wax seal keeping the scroll tightly wound was the Dumbledore crest. Wondering to herself if either Amelia Bones or Augusta Longbottom had received such an unusual messenger and wake-up call, she carefully unfurled the scroll while absently humming along to the tune the phoenix was crooning.

Dearest Minerva, read the letter
Thank you so much, my dear, for joining myself and the two other ladies for breakfast at my home yesterday morning. I do hope that you enjoyed our private chat as much as I did. I am eagerly looking forward to getting to know you better, and I hope you feel the same way as me. I would be delighted if you could join me at Dumbledore Manor tonight, around seven-thirty for dinner and some light conversation, and perhaps a game of chess or two. Please send your reply back with Fawkes, my phoenix, and I eagerly await your response!

Yours most cordially,
Albus Dumbledore

P.S. I do hope that Fawkes did not manage to frighten you too much, my dear. Appearing in a burst of flames does have the tendency to shock people.

Minerva was beaming by the time she had finished reading the lovely message from Minister Dumbledore- no, from Albus. Quickly summoning a quill and an inkwell, she hastily wrote out a grateful and heartfelt thank you of her own, as well as conveying her elated acceptance of his dinner invitation for later that evening. Re-wrapping the scroll with the red and gold ribbon, Minerva sealed the letter with her own family crest in burgundy wax. Tying the note gently to Fawkes’s leg, she gave him one last fond pat on the head before he burst into flames again, this time not eliciting a startled reaction from Minerva.

She flopped back onto her bed and sighed with pleasure. Minerva had been quite taken with Albus- they had enjoyed a charming rapport that did not seem to exist between him and the two other guests. She hoped that she would be the only one joining him for dinner tonight- she longed for a chance to get to know him better, and for him to get to know her. Before she knew it, she had drifted off to sleep, dreaming of him.

[dianahawthorne]

Chapter 2: Dinner Invitations, part II
As Fawkes appeared on Albus’s desk in his study at Dumbledore Manor, Albus looked up from the dinner menu he was planning. Quickly untying the scroll, he unfurled it with much more impatience than Minerva had earlier that morning.

Dearest Albus, the letter began
I so enjoyed our meeting yesterday that it was all I could dream about last night. I very much savoured the chance to begin to get to know Albus Dumbledore, the man, rather than Albus Dumbledore, the Minister of Magic. I am so looking forward to getting to know you better, and for you getting to know me better as well. I am flattered to be invited to your lovely home again, this time, for dinner, and I graciously and excitedly accept. I shall arrive in time for dinner at seven-thirty. Chess sounds lovely, and I would be honoured to play with you. I am counting down the hours until tonight! Thank you so much, again, for inviting me.
Ever yours,
Minerva McGonagall
P.S. Fawkes did startle me, a little, but I hope I will have reason to anticipate his arrival and grow more used to his grand entrance.

Albus broke into a grin as he stroked Fawkes’s head gently with one hand, while rummaging in his desk drawer for a treat with the other. He was thrilled that Minerva had accepted his invitation- and by the sound of her reply, she had enjoyed the previous night as much, if not more so, than himself.

Albus continued writing out the dinner menu while silently congratulating himself on choosing the right woman to become his future bride. It had been a tough decision- certainly Augusta and Amelia had been closer to his own age, and none of the three lacked for looks, but Minerva had just stood out to him. Although Augusta was also in Gryffindor, and enjoyed Transfiguration; and while Amelia, too, was an animagus, Minerva seemed to complement him in every aspect in which he found himself lacking. He had never believed in love at first sight before, but he knew that he and Minerva had fallen in love with the other the moment he leaned down to brush her delicate hand with his lips.

[tartanmin]

very interesting..
good start please update...

[dianahawthorne]

Chapter Three: The Grey Lady

Minerva awoke with a start when her grandfather clock began to chime the noon hour. Luxuriously stretching her lissom limbs like the cat she was in her animagus form, she delicately extricated herself from her wrinkled bedcovers. She Summoned her dressing gown from her wardrobe with a flick of her wand; another flick straightened the bedding and pulled the curtains closed around her mahogany four-poster.

She lazily made her way into the kitchen where she made herself a sandwich and a hot cup of Earl Grey tea. She mentally flipped through her wardrobe in preparation for tonight’s dinner with Albus, and could not settle on anything that she felt was suitable to the occasion. After finishing her light luncheon, she made her way back into her bedroom and dressed in a pair of her everyday robes, preparing to visit Madame Malkin’s for a new set of robes.



Emerging from the alleyway behind the Leaky Cauldron, Minerva nimbly dodged children and adults alike as she quickly made her way to Madame Malkin’s store. As she entered, she was immediately asked if she needed any help finding anything. Minerva usually never used the saleswitches, preferring to come in quickly and buy what she needed. Today, however, she acquiesced, knowing that the saleswitches were able to quickly find something that would be perfect for tonight.

Staggering towards the dressing rooms with an armful of robes that were something that she normally would never wear, Minerva prayed to any deities there were to help her to find something to make her stunning and irresistible to Albus. Halfway through the enormous pile of robes, Minerva stopped and gasped as she looked at the outfit she had just tried on. The light grey silk robe gently hugged the contours of her body, while making her eyes appear larger and greener than ever before. The silk felt so good against her skin, and for once, she wasn’t worried about how she looked. She emerged from the dressing rooms for the saleswitches’ opinion. Hearing the gasp, Minerva smiled to herself, pleased. She just knew that her outfit would capture Albus’s attention.

Glancing at her watch, Minerva panicked. It was already seven o’clock, and she promised Albus she would be there at seven. She asked the saleswitch if she could purchase the robes now and wear them out, and the saleswitch agreed. After paying for her new robes, Minerva quickly popped back to her flat to drop off her everyday robes and to add the perfect shoes and jewellery to complete her outfit. She slipped on a pair of silk flats and charmed them so their colour would match her new robe perfectly. She also slipped on a pair of black pearl earrings and matching necklace that she had inherited from her grandmother McGonagall. Minerva let her hair down, and, not having enough time to work it into a French twist, ran a comb quickly through the waist-length mass before giving her mirror one last satisfied glance. Almost forgetting her fur wrap and beaded clutch, she apparated onto the front step of Dumbledore Manor just as the clock back in her flat struck seven-thirty.

[dianahawthorne]

Chapter Four: Dining with a Dream

Pacing in front of the fireplace, the clock on the mantle struck seven thirty as a loud knock resounded through the marble foyer of Dumbledore Manor. Running towards the door so quickly he almost knocked over the house elf who was about to answer the door. Flinging open the door, he stopped, shocked to find such a beautiful woman standing on his doorstep. Before regaining his sense of self, Albus stared at her, open-mouthed, for a full minute while Minerva blushed under his unabashed scrutiny. Finally, Albus shook his head firmly and closed his eyes as if to get rid of the dream-like image standing before him. When he opened his eyes again, the same gorgeous woman was still in front of him. Suddenly, he came to and opened the door wider and invited Minerva inside. Taking her coat, his long fingertips brushed the soft skin of her shoulders and felt a tingle of electricity pass through their bodies. He heard her gentle sigh as a shiver ran through his own body. After gathering enough willpower not to sweep her into an embrace, he gently took her arm and led her into the dining room.

They enjoyed a lovely meal and good conversation as they got to know each other a little bit better. After dinner and dessert, Albus once again took her arm and lead her back to the parlour. He muttered “Incendio” while pointing his wand at the fireplace, watching as the flames leapt up from the dying embers. He felt Minerva squeeze his arm and he turned toward her, marvelling once again at the sheer gorgeousness of the woman in front of him- both inner and outer. He allowed Minerva to lead him over to the couch and he sat down, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She snuggled closer into his embrace, prompting him to wrap his arm tighter around her shoulders. Albus looked down at her beautiful visage as the lights from the Christmas tree reflected off her shining hair and luminous eyes.

“Minerva,” he said, as her face turned up to look into his eyes. “We’ve been getting to know each other over the past couple of days, but…I think I’m in love with you.” Albus finished rather quickly.

Minerva’s eyes shined. “Oh, Albus, I knew as soon as I met you that I loved you. I’m so glad you feel the same way!”

Albus delicately cupped her face in the hand not wrapped around her shoulder, bent down, and kissed her.

[dianahawthorne]

Chapter Five: I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas…

Minerva awoke in her new suite at Dumbledore Manor on Christmas morning. Last night, when the snow had begun to fall, Albus had proposed. She looked at the ring now- it had been handed down through generations of Dumbledores- after his mother had died, Albus had inherited his mother’s engagement ring as well as the responsibilities of being the Head of the House of Dumbledore. She was startled out of her reveries by a house elf appearing at the side of her bed with breakfast. On the tray was a plate of fluffy, golden Belgian waffles with strawberries, a few rashers of bacon, a glass of milk (Minerva had never liked orange juice, milk was much more suitable for breakfast, she had always felt, probably due to her animagus form), a white rose, and a neatly penned note, presumably from Albus.

My dearest,

After finishing your breakfast, please get dressed in the new robe hanging in your wardrobe and make your way down to the parlour for a surprise!

Your Albus

Minerva, being curious, quickly finished her breakfast and flung open the doors to her wardrobe. She gasped as she saw the robe hanging on the back of the door.

It was a wedding dress.


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Albus paced nervously downstairs, awaiting Minerva’s arrival. He did hope that she wouldn’t be angry with him, but he really needed to marry her quickly so he wouldn’t have to worry about following the marriage law anymore. He also needed to have an heir to the Dumbledore name as quickly as possible- he knew that with himself and Minerva as parents, their children would be better than any other wizarding child alive. After all, they were both purebloods, Gryffindors, Animagi, extremely powerful (both magically and politically), and extremely wealthy. Their children would surely outshine any other wizarding child, thus proving the superiority of purebloods.


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Minerva gingerly stroked the silky fabric of her wedding gown with one delicate finger, amazed at how well Albus seemed to know her already. This would be the exact dress she would pick out if she had gone dress shopping. Slowly, she stripped off her nightclothes and unzipped the dress from the hanger. She slid into its cool silk, luxuriating in the way the fabric caressed her skin, much like how she though Albus would. Performing a spell to zip up the back of her dress, she decided to leave her hair down, because Albus liked it best that way. Then she made her way over to the vanity where she had laid out her vast assortment of jewellery. Picking out a pair of creamy pearl earrings and deciding not to wear the necklace, she took one more fortifying breath before opening her bedroom door and descending the staircase leading to the parlour.


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Albus looked at his watch which had twelve hands and no numbers for the seventeenth time, wondering if Minerva liked the dress. As he turned to begin his pacing of the room again, he saw a flash of white and looked up. He saw the most beautiful woman ever- at least in his eyes- descend the stairs as though she was walking through the clouds. Albus experienced déjà vu, for he was reminded of the first day they had spent together, and how it had taken him a full minute to get past his complete shock that he was lucky enough to be acquainted to the loveliest creature that had ever been within the grounds of Dumbledore Manor.

As Minerva reached the bottom of the staircase, Albus offered his arm after regaining his composure. Leading her through the doors which separated the staircase from the parlour, Albus introduced Minerva to the man standing inside. He was Albus’s deputy at the Ministry, and he was to perform their bonding ceremony.

[dianahawthorne]

Chapter Six: Doubting the Obvious and Hiding the Truth

As quickly as it had begun, it had ended. At least that was how Minerva perceived it. She was glad that they didn’t have a large wedding, which she had begun to dread yet expect- when one is marrying the Minister of Magic, pomp and circumstance seems a given. However, they had a quiet ceremony with only Albus’s deputy at the Ministry as a witness and bonder.

After awaking the next morning in his- no, their bedroom- she stood up and wrapped his dressing gown tightly around her. Sitting down on the bed, she made her way over to the slightly ajar door when she heard the voices of Albus and his deputy raised in an obvious argument- about her.

“You have to tell her that you only married her because she’s the nicest-looking pureblood of your power level, Albus! You can’t go on with this charade anymore!” yelled his deputy.

“That’s not true- at least, not anymore. As I began courting her, I fell in love with her.” Albus replied in a slightly lower decibel.

Minerva’s eyes grew bright with unshed tears and she quickly bit down on her trembling lower lip to stop herself from sobbing.

“Yeah, right, Albus. But come on- releasing an internal memo at the Ministry about how ‘pureblood children with exceptional parents, such as my future children with Minerva Dumbledore (née McGonagall) should be hailed as the standard for wizarding children everywhere’ doesn’t really give off an aura of love and affection surrounding your new marriage.” Countered his Deputy.

“Minerva is not some damned brood mare! I only released that memo because I don’t want the world to know she is my weakness- although we’ve only been married for a day, and known each other for a few weeks, I would not be able to live with myself if something happened to her because of me. Do you understand why I have to deceive the public about my relationship with her? Do you?” Albus yelled.

Minerva heard the other man mumble something in reply and slam the door. As Albus walked into their bedroom, he noticed Minerva sitting on their bed, biting her lip as tears streamed down her face.

“Albus…” she sobbed. “Was what that man said true?”

Albus’s heart broke as he saw the pain in her expression.

“No, dear heart, I am in love with you, and what he said about the memo was true, only because I want to protect you from getting hurt because of me.” He said, beginning to cry as well.

Minerva slowly raised her head and saw the silent tears streaking down his face. “Oh, Albus, I just love you so much that I couldn’t bear it if you didn’t love me too.”

Albus brushed the tears off of her face. “I love you, Minerva- please, don’t ever doubt that. I want nothing more than to raise children with you and spend the rest of our lives together, but wouldn’t be able to happen unless I had taken those precautions. I don’t want any of my enemies hurting my family, dearest. I wouldn’t be able to live knowing that my position or reputation caused any harm to befall you or our future children.”

Minerva allowed herself to be pulled tighter into his embrace, and let the rest of her tears soak through his shirt as he stroked her hair.

[Lady Lavendar]

I am really enjoying this story. It is out of the ordinary for me. I love how it's so fast paced, and you don't make people wait to see what is going to happen next! Well i can't wait till the next update!

[dianahawthorne]

Chapter Seven: Realisations and Regrets

Three years after Albus and Minerva were wed, they were spending the weekend in Godric’s Hollow with their two year old son Percival. As he ran around the expansive front lawn, Minerva recalled an argument three years previously with startling clarity, especially one line: pureblood children with exceptional parents, such as my future children with Minerva Dumbledore (née McGonagall) should be hailed as the standard for wizarding children everywhere. Minerva immediately felt the bile rise in her throat as she looked at her son playing in the yard.

Did Albus only create that marriage law to increase the pureblood population? Is that why he made having children mandatory? Did he even want his own child, besides wanting one to carry on the Dumbledore name?

Minerva pondered these questions until her head began to spin with the effort she was exerting to not belie her calm outer appearance when she fainted dead away.

Minerva came around to Albus’s sparkling blue eyes and her son’s green ones.

“Minerva? What happened?” asked Albus worriedly.

“Mama sick?” asked Percival in his baby’s voice.

Minerva tried to sit up, only to allow her head to drop back down as the world began to spin.

“Albus?” she croaked, wincing at the sound of her groggy voice. “Did you really want children? Was that marriage law only to raise the populations of purebloods?” she asked, her vehemence and disgust at the very questions she was asking increasing with each query.

Albus looked down at his son, one of the two loves of his life. He looked at his other love, his beautiful wife who was so full of hate for the racist ideas he had once believed to be true.

“Minerva, Percival is one of the two joys in my life- the other, of course, being you. Also, yes, the marriage law was initially started because of my desire to show pureblood supremacy. But I had always felt that idea was wrong, deep down. Falling in love with you has changed me- if you were a muggle, muggle-born, or a half-blood, I would have married you and wanted to have children with you just the same. I’m a different, hopefully better, person than the one I was when I first became Minister. Please believe me, I have come to my senses on how utterly wrong I was.”

Minerva sighed in relief. She never had thought that Albus believed the pureblood supremacy deep down in his heart, but now she was sure. She knew from Aberforth about the influence that Albus’s best friend, Grindelwald, had on his opinions of non-purebloods. But Albus had defeated Grindelwald, after all, even if he didn’t kill him.

“Why didn’t you kill Grindelwald, Albus, if you really don’t believe that purebloods are better? That’s was his entire life was about, after all!” Minerva yelled.

“Minerva, I told you that Grindelwald and I were best friends, and we were. However, on the night that we became enemies, he was using the Cruciatus curse, and so was I. One of the curses hit my sister, and she died. I didn’t kill Grindelwald because I wanted him to stay alive so he could think on all of the horrible things he did to promote pureblood supremacy. Death was too good for him, he needed to suffer for what he had done- not only to me and my family, but to everyone else whose lives he had damaged.” Albus finished his statement with a regretful sigh. “Minerva, my dearest, I didn’t ever really believe in what he was saying, although I pretended that I did. Not just pretended to him, but to myself as well.”

Minerva closed her eyes, trying to process all of this information. When she opened them, she saw Albus with his head bent over, tears still dripping down his cheeks onto his folded hands. She slowly prised his hands apart and held them in her own. “I forgive you, Albus.” She whispered, knowing that was what he needed to hear her say. “I forgive you.”

[dianahawthorne]

Chapter Eight: When One Door Closes…

Another five years had passed since Minerva and Albus’s confrontation. They had welcomed their daughter, Kendra, into the world two years previously. Now that the dog days of summer were upon them again, the Dumbledores were staying in their manor at Godric’s Hollow, far away from the heat and humidity of London.

As Minerva and Albus put their two children down for a nap, a great black owl soared into the room through the open window above their children’s beds. Minerva felt fear grip her heart, because she knew that the black owl meant that someone had died. Albus untied the letter from the owl’s leg with shaking hands, and silently led Minerva out to the porch before unsealing the letter. As she stood over his shoulder to read it, she gasped. Armando Dippet had died.

The letter was sent by the current Deputy Head of Hogwarts, Filius Flitwick. He himself had no desire to run the school, but he knew that Albus’s dream was always to be Headmaster of Hogwarts. In his letter, he offered Albus that position.

Minerva knew how much Albus longed to be Headmaster of Hogwarts. It had been his dream his entire life. And she never wanted to be married to the Minister of Magic- she just wanted to be married to Albus. Although he would have equal numbers of claims on his time, he wouldn’t have to worry about politics, and neither would she. They could just focus on cultivating young minds, which is what she always wanted to do as well. Yes, Minerva thought to herself. I will do everything I can to make sure he takes this offer.

Albus knew how much Minerva despised being the wife of the Minister of Magic- which was not to say she despised being his wife, but rather that she despised his position. He knew that she had always wanted to teach, and his lifelong dream had always been to be Headmaster of Hogwarts. He had made up his mind. I will take this position, Albus thought to himself. It’s better for everyone if I take it- my family, the students, Filius, and the world. We should have a Minister of Magic who does not have an agenda similar to Grindelwald’s.

Albus began drafting his resignation letter to the Ministry, citing his reason for leaving as “the chance to attain his lifelong dream of becoming Headmaster of Hogwarts.” He specified in his letter that his Deputy, Cornelius Fudge, was to become the new Minister of Magic, as he felt Fudge was sufficiently unbiased and open-minded enough to do a quite admirable job.

And so the Dumbledore family moved to Hogwarts. Minerva reverted back to her maiden name, so as not to confuse the students with two professor Dumbledores. She began teaching Transfiguration, which had always been her favourite subject in school. Filius was relieved that Albus had jumped at the opportunity to become Headmaster, and Cornelius Fudge was more than thrilled when Albus had announced that Fudge would replace him as the Minister of Magic. Albus’s last act as Minister had been to abolish the marriage law, because the beliefs that had spawned the law were not those which he felt were suitable to live by in life.

Albus and Minerva, along with their two children, later founded the Order of the Phoenix during the rise of Voldemort, whose pureblood supremacy ideals mirrored so closely to Albus’s past ideals. When Albus had left office, he swore he would never follow those ideals again, and he didn’t. That was why the Order of the Phoenix was born, and thus named after Fawkes. Albus, like a phoenix, had risen from the ashes of all that he had thought right, which was, however, wrong. He emerged first defenceless, then matured into a formidable, powerful being, rising from the ashes of his past mistakes.

THE END

[ιady ταвz]

THIS WAS VERY GOOD =) oops sorry for CAPS

[MinervaMcGonagall]

Excellent story!

[Mandy McGonagall-Dumbledore]

Lovely story!!