Flames

[Hogwarts Duo]

Flames

Summary: Albus and Minerva have been happily married for many years. However, even the best of marriages take work, especially when friendly old girlfriends enter the picture and adventurous friends try to help.

Rating: M (for later chapters)

All done she sighed happily to herself as she put the finishing touches on the last Hogwarts letter to be delivered this summer. Minerva had been working incredibly hard, harder than usual, in order to get everything ready by the end of the week. The Quidditch schedules had been completed, the papers had been graded, owls had been sent with final grades for the year, and even the items accidentally left behind had been sent to their rightful owner. Now all that is left is to make sure Albus has finished his work and then we can decide on a time to leave for our vacation the day after tomorrow.

Albus sat in his office humming to himself as he tossed the various bits of mail he’d received that particular morning onto his desk. It had taken him nearly fifteen minutes to convince the ruddy owl to give him the parchments and then to actually leave his office. Albus chuckled at the memory of Fawkes squawking furiously at the insolent bird and how his feathers had ruffled as if he were in a true huff about the obnoxious visitor.

“There, there, old friend. He’s gone to the Owlery and we must give him some credit. He did his job, though perhaps he was a bit overzealous. And you, you deserve a few treats for helping me get rid of him so quickly.” Albus laughed as he watched the bird perk up at the mention of being rewarded for his valiant efforts. “Let’s see, shall I give you three lemon drops or perhaps one of Minerva’s ginger newts? I know how much you and she love those things, despite their lack of sweetness,” he shuddered slightly. Holding out the items mentioned, one in each hand, Fawkes looked from one to the other and then pleadingly back to Albus. “Alright, you win. Three lemon drops and a ginger newt for my protector.” Fawkes happily took the treats and bumped his head against Albus’ hand as a sign of deep appreciation. “You are most welcome, Fawkes. Now let’s see what was so important in this stack of mail.”

Years ago, when Minerva and Albus were dating, he came home from a rather lengthy and boring meeting to find Minerva sitting at his desk working diligently. When he had asked what she was working on at such a late hour, she informed him that she was tired of seeing him so drained and she missed spending quiet evenings with him. So, while he was away she decided to attempt to organize his desk, particularly his mail, which seemed to consume the majority of his time.

“In this stack you have the Ministry missives, boring, dull, trifle little things which any buffoon could answer for you,” she announced acerbically. “And in this stack, letters from parents or other individuals which would require a more personal touch but not pressing by any stretch of the imagination,” she winked. “Finally, in this stack we have the letters which impose deadlines upon their responses. This is the stack I would focus on first.” She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him soundly as she pushed his outer robe from his shoulders, letting it puddle on the floor.

“And this stack of letters?” he asked, pointing to a small bundle of notes in the very center of his desk. “Into which stack do these belong?” he managed to question while trailing his lips down the side of her neck.

“Oh, those…well, those are for you to decide. I do believe they are letters from your many women admirers who would love the opportunity to warm both you and your sheets,” she quipped as her hand slipped inside his robe and her nails lightly scratched his chest.

“Ah, kindling for the fire then,” he shot back.

“Not all of them. I have sent you at least two such letters just in the past week, and I know for a fact that they’re included among the other owls offering pleasures of the flesh.”

Albus head shot up from the particularly interesting spot just below her ear, and he raised one eyebrow as he looked down into her face. “Have I really been that distracted that I failed to notice a love letter from my one true love, my dear?”

She nodded her head and cupped his cheek. “You’ve been busy and I’ve missed you terribly. Hence, the reason for the organization of your desk. Maybe this will help you with your work, and then we can spend more time together in the evenings.”

Fifteen years later, Albus was still using her ingenious system of organization, and he constantly checked his love letters pile with great enthusiasm, tossing all of them away except the ones from his beloved wife, Minerva. Those he kept in a special drawer of his desk, and they were read more frequently than probably even Minerva realized, especially on his more dreary days.

“Albus Dumbledore, are you there?” a raspy voice sounded through the floo network, breaking into Albus’ thoughts. “I need to speak to you urgently.” Albus recognized the voice as the Headmaster from Beauxbatons in France. They had been working together on a project and his esteemed colleague was due to present their proposal at the International Wizarding Conference in two days time.

“I’m here Francois. What can I do for you?” Albus knelt in front of his fireplace and he could easily see that his friend wasn’t in the best of health.

“I hate to do this to you, but is there any way you could go to the conference in my place? It’s short notice but I’m simply not feeling well. The mediwitches tell me I have contracted a case of Scrofungulus and I’m highly contagious. You’re the only one I would trust to give an accurate representation of our work, and they need this information before they vote on anything this weekend.”

A coughing spell gripped Francois and immediately Albus knew he had no other choice but to agree. It was clear that his friend was ill and their work was too important to pass along to just anyone. “Of course I will. I have a few loose ends to tie up here but send me an owl with the conference schedule. When were you supposed to present our work?”

Francois downed another round of healing potion then followed that by a shot of Ogdens Firewhisky. “That’s the thing…I was to be the keynote speaker on Saturday, but then there is a ball, and I was supposed to make a presentation there as well on Sunday night. I’m afraid you’ll need to arrive on Friday morning, and you won’t return to your beloved Hogwarts until Monday. If there was any way…”

Albus held up his hand. “Think nothing of it. I know what it’s like to be ill and still have duties to fulfill. I’m sure it won’t be too bad and I will get to spend some time with friends I haven’t seen in ages.”

It wasn’t until Albus began thinking things over in his mind that he realized how much trouble he was about to cause in the Dumbledore household. He had promised Minerva weeks ago that they would take this coming weekend for themselves, and in the span of five minutes, he had agreed to spend his entire weekend at a conference. It wasn’t bad enough that he had already sacrificed so many nights without seeing her because of his work, and the occasional weekend, as well, for a sporadic trip to France to help his colleague with a particularly tricky facet of their project. Now, he was going to have to tell his enthusiastic wife that he was canceling their holiday for a conference, which he had sworn would not interfere with their travel plans.

The minute Minerva walked into their rooms, she could sense that something was amiss. Albus had her favorite meal prepared and a lovely table arranged on the balcony of their rooms. She could hear her favorite Mozart music softly in the background, as well as a bundle of flowers, no doubt freshly picked from the greenhouse, not to mention the chilled bottle of wine just begging to be consumed.

“Ah, I was about to come and get you for lunch, sweetheart.” Albus’ voice was soft and sweet, something which normally would send chills of delight coursing through her body. But today, there was more to this little luncheon surprise than met the eyes. “I thought we might enjoy a romantic lunch this afternoon.”

Minerva slowly turned and her face was a blank. No longer was their any excitement in her eyes at the scene before her. Her lips formed a thin straight line, leaving no trace of the smile that had once curled upon them as she planned their vacation in her mind. Even the blush of her cheeks was something debatable. It could easily have been flushed from excitement or from anger. Either way, the air began to fill with anticipation and tension, even before she spoke.

“Out with it!” Her voice was stern but unnervingly calm.

Albus ran his hands up and down her arms as he tried to get her to smile. “Out with what, love? Can’t a husband surprise his wife with a little afternoon romance?” Minerva’s eyebrow rose higher than he had ever seen before, even higher than the time he had to explain why he had come home from his brother’s bar in nothing but his underwear, his boots, and a ratty old nightshirt that no doubt had once belonged to Aberforth Dumbledore.

“We’re not going away this weekend, are we?” she asked quietly. Her ability to read her husbands actions was sometimes uncanny, though it was most likely due to the fact that they had been together for so many years and that this scene was one with which she was intimately familiar. “Tell me, Albus, what pressing matter is going to keep us from our holiday this year?”

The sadness in both her eyes and her voice broke his heart into a million little pieces and he secretly cursed the Scrofungulus disease and the person who had so willingly shared it with Francois. “The International Wizarding Conference, my dear. Francois fire called a bit ago and he’s dreadfully ill. He can’t present the paper on our work, and he asked me to step in and do it for him. Normally, I would have told him I had other plans, but he was so sick, love, and this must be presented to our colleagues before they vote on issues next week.”

She stepped back and nodded her head. Her husband was generous to a fault, even if he worked himself to death to prove it. “I see. And how long will you be gone?”

Albus had a hard time swallowing the lump in his throat. “Until Monday morning, I’m afraid. You see, there’s the conference and then the…”

“I don’t need to hear the schedule. I’ve been to these things before and I know…there are the lectures, the seminars, the training sessions, and of course the ball at the end so everyone can congratulate themselves on another job well done,” she said sarcastically. “And to make matters even better, one can’t bring a wife or husband. Oh, no…that would be far too big of a distraction. No, one must sacrifice their personal lives so that they may fully devote themselves to the tasks at hand and to ensure that everyone is given a chance to mingle or do a spot of social climbing and networking at this bloody ball!”

It took Albus nearly half an hour to calm Minerva and to coerce her to settle down and at least enjoy the lunch he had worked to prepare for them. Though she wasn’t happy about the situation at all, part of her expected something to go wrong before they could get away.

In the early years of their marriage, Minerva had managed to brush aside the little delays in their plans, hoping to be an understanding wife and partner to him. She fully understood the demands their world placed on him and was even proud of him for being so willing to go the extra mile for friends, family, and even complete strangers.

However, as the years began to multiply, it became increasingly harder to sit back while the rest of the world took first place, or seemingly so, in his life. He had grown to expect her acceptance of their plight and it seemed to her that he no longer regretted the missed dinners, the romantic evenings away, the quiet strolls in the moonlight. And that was what hurt the most. It wasn’t just once in a while that these things occurred. With each new week, month, year, she felt she saw less and less of him despite sharing a bed.

Lately too many things had been going wrong between them, and she couldn’t help but feeling he was slowly slipping away, despite all her efforts to make him feel happy and loved. No matter what they had planned, work always seemed to interfere, and if it wasn’t work it was the Ministry or someone else who needed time with her husband. They had more broken dinner dates, evenings out and vacations than she cared to count. She had even half heartedly joked that she might need to send him an owl requesting a private audience with His Majesty, earning her a look of disappointment and displeasure from her husband, though her point had been made.

The rest of the night had been rather chilly, even though Minerva had assured Albus she wasn’t angry at him, merely disappointed. Even curling up in his arms that night, she didn’t feel nearly as happy and carefree as she had before their lunch together. There was something unsettling her, making it hard to sleep so she simply rested in his arms until daybreak, when she could slip from the bed and make a fresh pot of hot tea and watch the sunrise over the mountains.

Thursday passed in a blur for both Albus and Minerva. He spent most of his time in his office working on his keynote speech, using portions of Francois’ address as well as adding personal touches he hoped would enhance their ,the audience’s, understanding and appreciation of their efforts. Minerva, on the other hand, busied herself in their rooms. When Albus finally joined her, she had already started packing his bags for his trip.

“Do you want the purple pajamas with the flying dragons or the red ones with the gray kittens playing with the balls of yarn?” Her voice was somewhat cold and indifferent, much the way her heart felt as she packed his clothes for his trip. She had even considered tucking a little love note inside his bag, but had dismissed the idea as being childish and silly. After all, she was no longer a love-struck teenager, and she had to face the facts. She had married a very prominent and well-respected wizard and there was no denying that his opinions carried a lot of weight.

“How can you ask such a question?” he asked as he placed a kiss to the top of her head. “I want the red ones because they will remind me of you while I’m away. You know how much I hate sleeping without you by my side.”

“Right, the red ones it is, then,” she answered casually, not taking the bait he was dangling before her like a carrot. She had to give him credit for being so persistent since yesterday. He had been trying hard to make amends and to show her that he would miss her incredibly.

Socks, underwear, boots and robes all joined the pajamas in his bag. Albus tried to be helpful but found himself only getting in the way so he sat down on the end of the bed and simply watched. One by one, items he would need packed themselves into his piece of luggage as Minerva continued to flick her wand at first one article of clothing and then another.

“Looks like you have everything under control in here, then, my dear. How about I go and make us some tea? I’ll let you know when it’s ready, and we can sit outside and soak up some of the warm sunshine and the cool breeze.”

Minerva nodded her head as she made her way over to the wardrobe, never seeing Albus looking quite melancholy and lonely. Hmm, dress robes…he’ll need a nice set since he’ll no doubt be the center of attention. He always is at these function, she grumbled. Minerva instinctively reached for his royal blue robes with the silver trim and the tiny stars and moons lightly enhancing the silky material. They had always been her favorite out of all his robes and her heart seemed to stop every time he wore them. The way his eyes sparkled and seemed to be much brighter every time he wore them made her weak in the knees. On more than one occasion, these same robes had been left crumpled unceremoniously on the floor after a night of dancing, simply because she couldn’t wait for him to remove them properly before her passion for him overtook them both. Definitely not the blue ones then, she thought to herself. These maroon ones with the gold edging will be just fine. He wore these to his cousin’s wedding and received several compliments. No need in going all out for this evening since it’s supposed to be more business-oriented anyway. With the maroon robes carefully packed in his case, Minerva went to see about tea.

When she stepped into the room, Minerva found Albus sitting in his favorite chair reading an owl. Finding nothing odd about the situation, she began to pour their tea and put a few biscuits on his plate. “Anything interesting or more mundane things for you to deal with before you leave?”

Albus looked up, unsure of how to answer her question. This was sure to invite another discussion and most likely another long night, but the truth was always better when confronted head on, as he was about to do now. Handing her the letter, he sat back and waited for Minerva’s response.

My Dear Albus,

I was delighted to hear that you are going to be at the conference this weekend and even more pleasantly surprised to learn that my room is directly across from yours at the hotel. Your presence will no doubt make this boring affair much more enjoyable than I originally thought.

I do hope you won’t think this too forward of me but I would love the chance to treat you to dinner Saturday night. I have missed seeing you at several of these last few meetings and spending the evening in your company would make this entire weekend worth all the boring lectures we’re bound to endure.

I will leave a message for you at the hotel lobby and we can arrange a time to meet, if you’re agreeable to having dinner with an old friend.

As always,
Aurelia

Minerva’s face blanched then her cheeks began to burn as the color returned in full force. It was clear to see she was struggling with her emotions, both in her head and in her heart, as she read the note not once but twice, making sure to devour every single syllable. “Well at least you won’t be bored to tears, after all, nor will you be lacking for a suitable dinner companion.” Her words were meant to be neutral in nature, but there was an underlying hint of acid, unease and sarcasm all rolled into one.

“I don’t have to accept her invitation, Min. I’m sure she was merely trying to be polite, and we were, after all, old friends and…”

Minerva laughed softly. “That’s one way of putting it. I wouldn’t call the woman you almost married an old friend…but I trust you. Do what you want. I need to go and finish your packing. I will be sure to pack your favorite cologne as well,” she shot back as her slim figure vanished from his sight, leaving him alone once more with an empty chair and a pot of tea for two.

A/N: Thanks for taking the time to read the story and we hope you’ll take a minute or two more to tell us what you think!

[dianahawthorne]

ooh...great story so far. I can't wait to see what happens between Aurelia and Albus! Great job, and please update soon!

[MMADfan]

Oh, I was so torn! To read or not to read! I came by to read reviews for RaM and saw you'd posted yet another story. After having resisted reading A Night in the Headmaster's Chambers, or whatever the correct and intriguing title of that fic was, I thought I could resist reading Flames. But I gave in. I broke my fanfic-restriction diet! Aaack! It will be all your fault if my Muse flees me for a few days, you know! But I thought I deserved a bit of ADMM romance . . . so I clicked. And where's the romance!? (I'm sure it's coming! LOL! Just Kidding!)

But Albus . . . I can tell he's trying to be sensitive here, but he's a bit clueless. And Minerva . . . I can't blame her for being upset, since it seems that she and her plans for them -- their plans for themselves -- have been shunted aside repeatedly. But she should have spoken up WAAA-AAY before this! Of course, then there'd be no story, would there? (I often remind my own readers of that, so I'll keep trying to remember that here!)

And that Aurelia . . . she sure is, um, friendly, isn't she? I have no doubts about Albus, but I can understand Minerva's feelings here. A time that Albus was supposed to be spending with HER, and this Aurelia-person writes and is all warme-and-gushy and issuing all kinds of little come-hither signals. If she's like that in the letter, what on earth will the broad be like in person? Don't answer that . . . I'm sure we'll meet her! Haha!

Of course, Albus will take Minerva's "Do what you want" at face value. Of course she trusts him . . . but I really don't think she meant, "go ahead and spend time with your former fiancee during the time we were supposed to be together." But he probably won't get that . . . sigh!

I look forward to the update and finding out if Albus and Minerva smooth things over before he leaves!!! (Now I've got to go and send out a search party for my Muse . . . .)

[EloquentPhoenix]

As soon as I started I thought 'Oh God no it can't be this simple, something will go wrong' and I was so worried I nearly stopped reading, then I realised it was you who wrote it. So I continued and poor Minerva... She really needs to tell him. He can't go to dinner with his ex-fiance! She's bound to want him back!

And madam is completely correct, Albus is clueless and useless. She's going to be hurt, because obviously he's trustworthy but Aureila... well... is she aware he's married? And Minerva knows she can trust him, but that's not going to make it easier, is it?

Oh she's going to have an absolutely horrible weekend. So is he, but her more so. He has to make things right and start putting her first, I'm mad at him!

Update soon.

[Deleted]

NO, NO, NO this is the ROMANCE part! Minerva and Albus so much in love and make lot's of sweet love!

Please make everything happy again! "Lately too many things had been going wrong between them, and she couldn’t help but feeling he was slowly slipping away, despite all her efforts to make him feel happy and loved. " - It seems that they had problems from long but oh please make everything happy!

"Definitely not the blue ones then" - ;D Great one!

"why he had come home from his brother’s bar in nothing but his underwear, his boots, and a ratty old nightshirt that no doubt had once belonged to Aberforth Dumbledore" - ;D Loved this, loved so much!

[Orion's Guard]

Awesome stuff. It's good to see something new from your mind to ours.

I can't help but wonder though, why doesn't she go with him? I understand her anger, and I know a boring conference is hardly the same as a romantic weekend for two, but wouldn't she want to spend the time with him anyway? (unless she's just too angry)

Chapter stories make me happy inside, so I can't wait for more!

EDIT: Ahh yes, thanks for seeing that for me (I totally missed that line, shows how well I read). Though, I think I do agree with you that one of them would say "Screw it," but it is there. Still looking forward to more!

[MMADfan]

bogus7 said:

Awesome stuff. It's good to see something new from your mind to ours.

I can't help but wonder though, why doesn't she go with him? I understand her anger, and I know a boring conference is hardly the same as a romantic weekend for two, but wouldn't she want to spend the time with him anyway? (unless she's just too angry)

Chapter stories make me happy inside, so I can't wait for more!

I think I remember reading something in Minerva's rant about how spouses aren't invited because participants are supposed to focus on the conference. Of course, if Albus were really with it, he'd just say, "to hell with the way things are 'supposed' to be -- you're coming with me, anyway, Minerva! And anyone who doesn't like it, can stuff it!" But he doesn't. *sigh* But if he did, there wouldn't be a story, I remind myself!

[Herzele]

Yay, a new story from you!!

That is such a great beginning!! Can't wait to see what will happen with that Aurelia ... Cause I'd guess something is bound to happen, even with Minerva knowing that she can trust him completely ... ;D

I'm so looking forward to an update!

[maritelske]

Yahoo! A new Hogwarts Duo story

This one reminds me of the quote... 'Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many demands on his time' and so it seems entirely in character to me. I can absolutely imagine Minerva re-arranging his desk, trying to spend more time with him while also trying to be a supportive wife - and Albus, not really understanding and simply trying to be a good person, being willingly to fill in at the conference...

/ sigh.

This was just lovely (in a round about way. Not lovely that Minerva is hurting, of course, but you know what I mean) and I am looking forward to seeing where it goes.

[revolutionaryetude]

I'm so glad you are doing a new story. This is such a promising story. Minerva needs to show up at that conferance and take her man back!

[Hogwarts Duo]

Hey!

Thanks for all of the lovely reviews. We really like hearing what readers think!

You might be interested to know that the fun has just started in this story. Albus might be popping off to the conference but Minerva isn't the type to stand around and sulk...wink wink. Just wait until Minerva shares her woes with her friends and wait for the mmadness to ensue. ;D

The story has been completed so it's just a matter of getting it polished and uploaded to the board and on ff.net. And for those of you old enough and interested enough, there will be a lemon section to this story.

We should have the next chapter posted early next week!

Have a great weekend!
Ang & Lisa

[QuillofMinerva]

Well, something tells me that Aurelia wants more than just dinner and a catch up - maybe she wants to find a way back into the bed so she can snuggle up to those red pjs Poor Minerva - it is going to be hard for her to be left alone for the weekend and knowing an ex fiancee is there.

Looking forward to reading more ladies.

[TartanPhoenix]

Another story from one of my favorite groups! Unfortunately for Albus, he's just as dense as most men seem to be in this situation. I can only hope for his sake that he keeps his wits about him and doesn't end up in a *ahem* compromising position. Great start so far.

[Hogwarts Duo]

CHAPTER 2

*Because of the chapter length, this is being posted in two parts. This is part one!

Albus sighed and closed his eyes while his fingers rubbed at his temples. He wished, as he had many times since Francois had contacted him, that the Headmaster of Beauxbatons had not become ill. However, it did little good, as he was committed now, and while he knew Minerva understood, he also knew she didn’t have to like it. A sentiment she was expressing quite loudly, though she had not said a word against it. And now with Aurelia owling that she would be attending…well, things couldn’t get much worse.

He knew Minerva would need time to herself to work through her feelings before she would be able to speak with him on the matter. If he went after her now, they would have a terrible row. Or maybe his staying seated was more for his own benefit. He had no wish to be hexed into the next week. Though on second thought, it would solve his current dilemma. A strained laugh escaped his throat at his own bad humor.

Opening his eyes, Albus looked at the two cups of cooling tea. He picked up the one which was meant for him and took several sips of the lukewarm beverage before allowing his brain to once again contemplate his situation. He would need to make this up to her, but for some reason he didn’t think flowers, chocolate or dinner out would placate her anger at his latest work-related crisis.

Beyond that, he had to admit that he was a bit surprised by Minerva’s reaction to Aurelia’s letter. He knew his wife was not fond of the other witch by the way she had reacted the few times they had all gotten together for drinks or dinner. However, until today, he never realized to what extent Minerva disliked Aurelia.

Minerva had made a few comments on how lovely Aurelia was, with a warm, intimate nature about her. And Albus knew sarcasm when he heard it, especially when it came from Minerva. And perhaps Aurelia was a bit touchy on occasion, but he had always chalked it up to familiarity from their shared history together. After all, the two of them had been friends since they were very young. At this point in their lives, however, he was at best a passing acquaintance. However, as with all childhood friends, some form of attachment was always present that made it seem like only yesterday that you were spending whole days together as the best of friends getting into untold amounts of mischief.

Aurelia’s family had moved into a manor near theirs when her father had been hired by the Ministry. A fast friendship between their parents had developed, particularly between the two young mothers, to the point where one or the other would spend whole days at the other’s house as company. They were even known to vacation together on occasion.

When Aurelia was young, Albus had found her little more than an irritant. He had been a couple years older than she and found his own company, and those of his books, to be far superior to that of the little witch. But as time passed, he had found her to be more and more intriguing, and when he left for Hogwarts that first year, he found himself missing her company more than he would have imagined.

She started at Hogwarts shortly after he did, and their friendship continued, though they were sorted into different houses. His Gryffindor friends would tease him mercilessly about his fond attachment to the younger Hufflepuff. And her friends would giggle and blush whenever he came around, at least for the first couple of years. But friends they remained, never even going on Hogsmeade weekends alone, until after they had both graduated.

It had taken Albus years to realize he loved Aurelia, and when he asked her out that first time, his heart had been dangerously close to stopping as he waited for her answer. When she had responded with an enthusiastic “yes,” he could have danced with joy. They began to date casually, and then much more seriously, to the immense satisfaction of their families, who still remained as close as ever.

Their careers started to pull them down different paths, but both made sure to leave room for the other. Albus proposed on a warm spring night in the presence of family and friends, and she had accepted with tears in her eyes. Neither knew that from that point on, everything would conspire to pull them apart. First it was her promotion that required long hours, then it was his opportunity to do research which took him out of the country. Albus never lost his feelings for Aurelia, but Aurelia had found a new source of affection for hers.

When she broke things off between them, Albus thought his life would not go on. Of course it did, and after some of the pain had faded, they had even become friends once again. Looking back, Albus thought it was fate that had torn them apart. Had he married Aurelia, he never would have met the true love of his life – Minerva.

Minerva was the very reason for his existence, and he had often told her so. These statements would elicit everything from a blush to a smack at his arm depending on her mood. But he could tell she was always pleased to hear him say so. And for him, he was really only speaking the truth. He could not imagine his life without her. She held his heart in her hands and always would.

Pulling himself from his ruminations, a corner of parchment caught Albus’ eye as he took another sip of his now cool tea. He bent over and picked up the letter of invitation from where it had fluttered to the floor. He wasn’t sure what to tell Aurelia. He would like to catch up with her, but he also did not wish for Minerva to be upset with him. Perhaps he should hold off on making a decision either way until he spoke with Minerva before he left.

While Albus was wrapped up in his thoughts, Minerva was fuming in their bedroom. She had stormed into their rooms after abandoning the tea and her husband. Of all the times for the overbearing witch to enter the picture, this seminar, taking place during what was supposed to be their vacation, was too much for Minerva to bear. She wanted to hex something or rather someone, either Aurelia or Albus would do at this point. But as she had been doing since she had found out the news that Albus was canceling their time together, again, she restrained herself and instead set about wearing a path in her favorite rug.

Aurelia was the last person Minerva would want Albus to see at this conference, or at any other conference for that matter. Minerva remembered the first time she had heard Aurelia’s name. Albus had just returned from a seminar shortly after they had begun dating and had mentioned having dinner with the witch and a few of his colleagues in passing. His description of her specifically was that they had been childhood friends and then sweethearts, and he had said it so casually that Minerva had never given it a second thought.

It was over two years later when they were in the final stages of planning their wedding that Minerva found out the whole story. Aberforth had arrived at the castle with their wedding gifts, since all of them were being sent to the manor, and mentioned to Albus that Aurelia had sent a card and present. Curious, Minerva remarked on it since she did not recall sending her an invitation. It was then that the entire tale had spilled forth.

Her first emotion had been hurt. She considered it a pretty significant event in Albus’ life for him not to not have mentioned it earlier, especially since the opportunity had presented itself when Aurelia’s name had been brought up when he had gone to dinner with her. However she pushed it aside as the tale progressed, and much to her displeasure, she found herself curious and a bit jealous of the witch who had broken Albus’ heart. However, with gifts to open and Aberforth as entertainment, Aurelia was forgotten for the time being.

It wasn’t until later when she had was lying next to Albus in his bed, with him sleeping soundly next to her, that she began to wonder if Albus still had feelings for the witch. She knew she was being silly, after all it had taken place a long time ago, and Albus had spoken as if the events had happened to someone else. It was only Aberforth’s personal interjections and funny stories which had given life to the relationship and eventual break up. Still, first love was a strong emotion, and Minerva could never dismiss the unease she felt anytime Aurelia’s name was mentioned, even though it was a scarce event.

So it was with great curiosity and a bit of trepidation that Minerva agreed to meet the woman at dinner during their third year of marriage. The evening had been a disaster by her account. Aurelia had been friendly in the extreme and so touchy with Albus that Minerva had resorted to behaving in a frosty manner toward the witch. Albus, on the other hand, seemed to think nothing of it, which infuriated Minerva all the more.

Huffing in remembrance, Minerva’s eyes alighted upon Albus’ bags. In a fit of pique, she changed the purple material to a muddy brown, one of her husband’s least favorite colors since he complained it did not have much personality. Realizing her actions were not of the most mature variety, she nearly relented. However her hurt feelings and recent unpleasant memories caused her to turn away from the offending items instead. Minerva had months if not years of pent up frustration to deal with and it was all coming out as a result of their spoiled vacation.

Minerva considered herself to be an understanding wife. She had played second fiddle to Albus’ career, both as the Hogwarts Headmaster and as a member of the Wizengamot, and to his academic hobbies, since they had dated. That is not to say that Minerva was unaware that Albus cared for her above all else. Albus often remarked on how she was his one and only. However, his words and actions had been at cross-purposes of late, and it was infuriating her to no end. She had even begun to wonder if he really did love her as much as he confessed.

Even thinking the words caused Minerva’s heart to contract painfully. She didn’t know what she would do if Albus ever told her that he no longer loved her. Realizing she was being morose, Minerva retired to a plush chair by the window and curled into it. She lost herself for a while in feeling very sorry for herself. She couldn’t remember the last time they had been on a planned vacation, nor the last time they had even spent an entire day together with no interruptions. She supposed today could have been one of those days, but it had been ruined by the previous day’s events and the work involved with preparing for the conference. And most importantly, it had now been forever tarnished by Aurelia.

Hearing Albus moving around in the adjoining room had Minerva on her feet in an instant. His packing was not yet complete, but she had no wish to deal with him at the moment. Instead, she made her way to their bathroom. She locked the door behind her, something she was not in the habit of doing. However, she wanted to make it clear to her husband that she was not to be interrupted.

The tub looked inviting, and Minerva decided soaking in some sweet smelling, warm water was just what she needed. She tapped the faucets she wished to activate, and the tub filled quickly as she removed her robes and undergarments. As she sunk into the inviting warmth, she decided to let go of her anger for the time being. As much as she wished to hex some sense into Albus, it would do them no good whatsoever. Well, Minerva might feel better but it would only widen the chasm between them. Perhaps something could be salvaged before he left in the morning. Minerva would give Albus the chance to apologize, though she felt in her heart that she could never forgive him completely.

It was quite a bit later than she had intended when she finally emerged from the bathroom. Minerva had spent her time indulging herself and felt not the least ounce guilty for it. It was quiet in their rooms as she dressed in a light robe but the smells from a delicious dinner had permeated the air causing her stomach to rumble. With a hint of a smile on her face, probably for the first time since Albus’ announcement, she made her way toward the inviting scents.

The scene which met her eyes when she finally found dinner and her husband caused her to stiffen. For the second time in as many days, Albus had set a romantic scene for their meal. However, it was the last thing Minerva wanted to see. She wasn’t feeling the least bit romantic and certainly was in no mood to be wooed. She felt angry, and justifiably so, at the situation, and she did not want Albus to smooth things over in his traditional way.

Albus’ smiling face made her even more upset. He should not be standing there looking for all the world like nothing was at all wrong. He should be as miserable as she felt, not standing by a candlelit table with flowers in his hand. Her feelings must have expressed themselves clearly on her face, for Albus’ mouth turned down and his eyes clouded a little. A feeling of triumph raced through her, and Minerva instantly felt horribly guilty. She should not be so uncharitable, especially after deciding to try and work things out.

Minerva forced a smile and moved toward Albus. “Thank you for the beautiful flowers,” she murmured as he pulled out her seat.

“I thought they might bring you some joy. I know my responsibilities weigh heavily on you, even more so than they do on me, I believe. I love you, Minerva, and I would never intentionally hurt you.”

Minerva felt tears spring to her eyes, but they were not in sorrow or sadness, but rather in anger. How dare he make her feelings seem so small? What about his responsibility to her? She wanted him to tell her she was angry with good reason, that he had been neglecting her and even that he would cancel the trip immediately so that they could spend the weekend together as planned, even though she knew it was fantasy. Wiping at her cheeks while he took his seat and wouldn’t notice, Minerva managed to say something appropriate to his words.

Dinner was a stilted affair, but Minerva gradually relaxed as the two began to discuss familiar topics. They talked about some concerns with the staff and about the families of some of the students who would be starting in the fall. The newest transfiguration journal had an article which they both ridiculed with relish. Albus even encouraged Minerva to write a rebuttal of it and submit it.

Minerva’s heart lightened, and by dessert she felt some of her anger at her husband and the situation diffuse. She was on the verge of inviting him back to their bedroom, where she intended to make good use of their last night together and to discuss her feelings with him a bit more when Albus asked a question. It took a while for his words to really sink in. And even after she understood what it was he asked her, she wished she had not. Surely he would not bring Aurelia back into their world at this point, not after everything they had been through that day.

“Minerva, did you hear me?” Albus questioned gently. “I just wanted to know for certain how you felt about me having dinner with Aurelia. I know you said to do what I wished, but you were obviously not happy with her contacting me.”

“I can’t do this again today,” Minerva said as her heart broke yet again.

“I don’t want to fight,” Albus declared. “Just forget I said anything.”

Albus looked concerned as Minerva moved shakily to her feet. “But that’s just it,” she said brokenly, “I can’t forget.”

Not giving him any time to detain her further, Minerva swept from the room before tears spilled down her cheeks. The faster she could get out of the school and away from her husband and his romancing ways, the better she’d feel and the easier she’d breathe. In the span of one afternoon he had taken her happiness and crushed it into a fine powder before letting it sift through the wind like a vapor. But what angered her most wasn’t the convention, for she knew he’d do anything to help a friend or colleague. And it wasn’t even really the fact of Aurelia spending time with him, though that did bother her as well. No, what really irritated and pained her the most was that he didn’t seem to give a damn that all her hard work and planning for their small holiday, the first in quite some time, had seemingly been for nothing. It seemed just a bit too easy for him to simply walk away from their plans and her for that matter.

Stepping out into the cool night air, Minerva cast her eyes skyward and noticed the blurry points of light now clouded by tears. This was supposed to be a happy night for them, sharing the starlight as they sipped wine and cuddled after a long day of exhausting work, not the tension filled evening that now surrounded them. Her steps grew slower as she walked aimlessly across the grounds, not even sure where she was going only that she needed to get away. No matter what Albus said or did tonight, she was sure it would only serve to make her even more upset. It was clear from his meal preparations and even the flowers that on some level he realized that he needed to apologize. And that was all well and good. But to punctuate their fragile happiness of the moment by another mentioning of Aurelia was simply too much to bear. It was hard enough knowing her husband so easily gave up time alone with her to attend a conference, but to know that his former lover would also be in attendance…right across the hall…sharing an intimate dinner for two…no, it was just too much.

On her third trip around the grounds and several tear filled hours later, Minerva decided she should probably return to the castle. She paused and looked up at the Headmaster’s chambers, seeing a small light still flickering in the window. Anger and determination gripped her heart, mingled with a hint of sadness. She silently wondered if Albus was sitting up waiting for her and if he’d planned yet some new attempt to seek her forgiveness for something she wasn’t even sure he understood.

She stood beneath the window, staring up at the dancing light and contemplating her next move. If she went back to their rooms, no doubt Albus would try to explain things away or to ignore the situation entirely. Neither option sounded particularly pleasant to Minerva at the moment. What would be worse could only be if he attempted once more to restore her happier mood, the one she had so begrudgingly given up in lieu of the one that currently filled her heart. Bitterly, she thought how easily she had slipped from extreme happiness to extreme sorrow, and suddenly her mind was made up in that moment.

Minerva stepped into the dark and cold rooms with little trepidation. She had the layout of the rooms memorized from years of living in them. Granted, it had been several years since she’d had to occupy them, but honestly, she saw no alternative. Perhaps a night apart would do wonders for her mood and hopefully give Albus some time to reflect on what had happened between them. With any luck, in the fresh light of day things would have improved, and at least he could leave while they were on more agreeable terms. The thought of him leaving while they were still at odds caused a dark cloud to settle over her heart and a cold chill to sweep through her.

For the first few hours after Minerva’s sudden departure, Albus paced back and forth. He realized that going after her while she was obviously so distressed would have been his fatal mistake and all hopes he had of mending their current status would be dashed rather quickly. Over and over again, he replayed the events from the time the Headmaster from Beaubaxtons contacted him until Minerva’s outburst and the quiet clicking of the door as she left.

Part of him understood her reasons for being angry. He had promised to take a holiday with her. No, it wasn’t a holiday with her. It was a holiday for them. Their hectic schedules, no make that his horrendous schedule, kept them apart more than he cared to admit. But what was he supposed to do? A friend, his colleague, needed his help on a matter of great importance. And how was he to know that Aurelia would be in attendance, much less directly across the hall at the hotel…while he was staying in the room reserved for Francois? That surely was a coincidence. Getting together with an old friend should not cause such a volatile reaction from Minerva, no matter their gender or former place in his life. Granted he wouldn’t be overly keen on her meeting with a former lover but he trusted her explicitly and he was secure in her love for him.

As the evening began to wane, he began to grow worried. Minerva hadn’t returned, nor had she sent him any sort of note to say she had stopped by Xiomara’s or Poppy’s for a cup of tea or for a friendly ear. He thought of sending Fawkes, just to make certain nothing had happened to her, but when she was in this sort of mood, which had been rare in their marriage, he learned that the best thing he could give her was time. Unfortunately, he had to Portkey away in a few hours time, leaving her behind and, no doubt, unhappy.

With his thoughts still centered on her and their current predicament, Albus paced until he grew weary, then collapsed into Minerva’s favorite chair in their sitting room. He desperately tried to stay awake so he could speak with her as soon as she returned but he quickly found his eyes drooping heavily as his mind whirled with thoughts and emotions. Slipping into an uneasy and nightmarish sleep, he spent the remainder of the night, waiting for his beloved to return while running from the demons in his dreams without ever leaving the chair that still held a hint of her perfume.

It was to the very unpleasant sound of a house elf bringing their standard morning order of tea and the paper that Albus woke. He winced from the pain in his neck as he jumped, thinking that perhaps Minerva had returned. Seeing the silver tray and the two cups of tea and no Minerva to share them with, his heart sank. He sighed heavily and pulled himself from the chair after glancing at the nearby clock. Time wasn’t on his side today, and he had very little of it left to shower, look over the things Minerva had packed for him, add anything additional and perhaps, he hoped, to see her, before he had to leave.

Minerva looked at her haggard appearance in the mirror and laughed bitterly. How she ever thought she could compete with the likes of Aurelia, especially on a morning like this, was beyond her. No doubt one look at Minerva’s dark circles beneath her eyes, rumpled clothing and pale complexion, and he would have no reason not to run back into Aurelia’s arms. Still, she had never let him leave the castle without at least some sort of goodbye, and her conscience would not let her commit that grievous error. Casting a few glamour charms on her appearance, Minerva felt somewhat better about her looks, but still dreaded seeing her husband off for the trip. She wanted to remain angry at him for hurting her feelings so, but quite honestly, she didn’t have the energy to fight him on this any longer.

“Ready to leave, I see.” Her cool tone belied the nerves in her stomach and the dreadful ache in her heart as she stepped into the bedroom where Albus was just closing his traveling bag.

Albus whirled around at the sound of her soft voice, just as he had given up hope of seeing her before he left. Now his mind was at war with his heart. He wanted more than anything to run to her side and scoop her into his arms. However, his head made it perfectly clear that she was still most likely upset and that could lead to another argument or worse…a hexing for him depending on the level of anger still surging within her. He opted for a small smile and a nod of his head.

“Then, have a safe trip and I will, as always, be here when you return.” She felt the tears beginning to form in her eyes but with a tightening of her jaw and a raising of her eyebrows, she managed to keep them at bay.

“When I get back we can…” Albus was stopped mid sentence by her slender but almost unnoticeable shaking hand, held up in protest.

“Don’t. Don’t make me promises. Go and enjoy your conference. I hope you have much success in your presentation and that you’re able to catch up with…old friends,” she added cynically. “No doubt you’ll be the toast of the party, as always,” she threw in quietly for effect.

[Hogwarts Duo]

Part Two of Chapter Two

Once again, Albus started to say something but he couldn’t think of a single thing to say other than “I love you and will see you soon, then. I will be back early Monday morning, I promise,” he answered then winced at the word promise.

“As I said, I’ll see you later. Now, I have to be off. I have a few things to do this morning that I had planned on doing when we returned from our trip. Suppose I shouldn’t waste my time with frivolity, eh?” And with that, Minerva turned and left, just as she lost her battle with the flood of tears now spilling down her cheeks.

Minerva only made it to an unused classroom just down the hall from their rooms before she collapsed. She slid down the back of the closed door as all of her emotions overwhelmed her. She cried for herself, for their relationship, and for their seeming inability to fix it. She didn’t know how long she had been crying but when she finally pushed herself up off of the floor her back ached and her neck felt stiff. All of this crying and emotional energy was draining her to the point of exhaustion. What she needed was a good meal, some hot tea and someone to talk to.

Minerva dreaded going back to their rooms. She didn’t want to face the emptiness she knew awaited her. However, her Gryffindor courage made her put one foot in front of the other even as her heart protested. Albus would be gone now, gone for three days. She knew she would think of him every moment of that time, while he was able to distract himself with his presentations, colleagues, and Her.

The rooms were as quiet as she feared, and she called a house elf quickly to bring her some sustenance and tea. It was nearing lunch, so some light sandwiches and perhaps fruit would have to do. She walked into the bathroom to freshen up while she waited. She looked even worse than she had earlier. She splashed some cold water on her face and applied some cream to help with the swelling around her eyes. She noticed Albus’ personal effects were missing, but did not dwell on it. Instead she moved to the fireplace and threw in some floo powder in order to call both Poppy and Xiomara, hopefully one would be able to come and visit.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who took the time to read the first chapter and to those who decided to leave us a review as well. We hope this second chapter sparked your interests and you’re curious to know what happens next. In Chapter 3, we will see the girls (Poppy and Xiomara) chatting with Minerva…then Xiomara Hooch has a plan…dun dun dun.

[Apocalypticat]

Ooh this is so wonderfully written it makes my own heart ache for the pair of them! I feel terribly sorry for both them; I would be angry at Albus for his failure to understand, but his earnestness somewhat redeems him. Poor Minerva, I hope Hooch or Pomfrey can cheer her up!

*will be waiting eagerly for updates*

[kankulex]

Yes indeed, wonderfully written, but also totally heartwrenching! I hope Albus comes to his senses!

[dianahawthorne]

oh, poor Minnie! I can't wait until the next chapter- I'm loving this story!

[Herzele]

Awwww ... I just feel so sorry for them ... Wonderful update!!

And oh oh, Xiomara has a plan ... Now I'm really curious to read more!! ;D

[EloquentPhoenix]

*Beats Albus with fluff bat repeatedly* Stupid.. thoughtless, careless.. Man! I'm furious with him, how could he do this to her?! Yes he has lots of responsibilities but he really needs to get his priorities straight. And I know he's trying to fix things, but he just doesn't seem to realise? And why won't she just shout at him? It would help, I'm sure. This chapter made me sad, and mad, and MMAD.

I'm very curious about Xiomara's plan, and for how things play out. Update soon.

[revolutionaryetude]

AWWWHHHHH why doesn't Albus understand? I aways read these and wish they can always be happy all of the time! But alas, they cannot which creates great fanfics! Can't wait till the next chapter

[Deleted]

Well now it seems to me that Minerva is the one who is not sure about there marriage, after Albus said "She held his heart in her hands and always would." I hope Minerva finish feeling sorry for herself and go take back her husband.

God I hope Albus doesn't do anything stupid.

[Rachel]

I love this story. It's brilliantly written!

[MMADfan]

Oddly enough, my sympathies lie mainly with Albus this chapter. Yes, he is a bit clueless, but he's trying the best he can, and he's not a mind-reader . . . well, I suppose he is, LOL, but he's not reading her mind. She needs to TALK to him. But she's let it go so long, trying to be a good wife & deputy, there's no way for her to broach it now -- at least, that's likely the way she feels -- even if she FELT like talking to him, which she clearly doesn't.

I empathize with Minerva tremendously in this chapter, but I sympathize more with Albus, particularly as he's waiting . . . and waiting . . . and waiting . . . and worrying . . . and worrying . . . and worrying! *sigh*

Well, since this is in the "Romance" section, I'm trusting that all will turn out well for them both! Together!

I'm very anxious to meet this Aurelia-person. Not that I think I'll like her, but . . . she sounds intriguing! (But I hope she is not too intriguing to Albus! But he is so completely in love with Minerva, I'm not worried about him getting at all carried away! But men can be such naive fools when it comes to women . . . and I suppose the reverse is true, too.)

Thanks for sharing! (BTW, my Muse did stomp off in a huff, but I fed her a little Dove Dark Chocolate Promises, and she agreed to come home. Now she's going to want treats ALL the time, you know, and those treats go to MY waist, not hers -- the unfairness of it all! ;D)

[QuillofMinerva]

I had to chuckle at Minerva's very mature stunt at changing Albus' robes brown. I wonder what he will say when he finds out.

Bless Albus, he did come across rather clueless in this chapter. Can't fault him for trying though. It is a shame that their parting was sour but I can understand Minerva's feelings, I wouldn't be happy or that comfortable with my partner meeting up with a ex - let alone ex-fiancee.

I am looking forward to seeing what Aurelia is like. I'm thinking she is probably the exact opposite to Minerva. If she resembled her, it would be a little freaky.

You know, it always makes me nervous when I hear Xiomara has a plan!!!

Looking forward to the next chapter.

[Leaves of Green]

Wow. What a complex, well-written story. I don't know who I want to sympathize with more, Albus or Minerva. And I can't wait to see what plan Xiomara comes up with. Please update soon!!!!!!

[Hogwarts Duo]

Chapter 3

“Poppy, are you there?” Minerva called out.

A figure moved into view, and much to her mortification, she felt a few tears slide down her cheek. She couldn’t seem to find her voice now that one of her best friends stood before her. What could she say?

“Whatever is the matter, dear?” Poppy asked with concern etching her voice. “You should be gone on your vacation by now.”

Another voice spoke up from beyond Minerva’s view. “Don’t tell me he cancelled yet another vacation.” Xiomara Hooch came to stand beside Poppy with a cup of tea in her hands.

Minerva could only nod, which had the result of both friends looking shocked and speechless. Minerva’s tears began to fall more earnestly and her best friends both began to speak soothingly, trying to reassure her that everything would be okay.

“I can hex him for you,” Xia finally volunteered when none of their platitudes seemed to be working. However, her remark only caused Minerva to cry all the harder.

“We’re coming right over,” Poppy announced as she grabbed Xiomara’s arm.

“You don’t have to manhandle me,” Xiomara’s voice called out as Minerva’s two friends disappeared from view.

Minerva pulled back and wiped at her eyes as she stood. Her first thought was she couldn’t let them see her looking like this. It certainly wasn’t dignified, and she quickly made her way to the wardrobe to pull out some fresh robes to wear. She felt comforted by looking through her clothes and calmed enough that her tears stopped once again.

It was while she was rummaging for the light green summer robes that she had bought just a couple weeks ago that she noticed them. The dress robes she had packed for Albus were hanging on his side at the far end, and the blue ones she liked so much were missing. At first she thought she was simply tired but after a thorough search she had to admit he had switched out the robes. But why?

As she charmed her hair back from her face, Minerva’s temper once again began to grow. Gone was the overwhelming despair and sadness that had gripped her earlier. The only reason she could find for Albus to switch out his dress robes was that he wanted to look particularly nice at the ball. And there was no reason he should want to look particularly nice unless there was someone to impress. And that someone, since Minerva would not be in attendance, had to be Aurelia.

The more she thought on it, the more her mind began to spin out possibilities and the more furious she became. So when the knock sounded on her door that signaled the arrival of her friends, it was an irate Minerva who answered the door, a rather dramatic change from the crying mess she had been when they had seen her last.

“Darling, are you okay?” Poppy asked as she flew through the door.

As was her nature, and probably a good part of why she had become a mediwitch, the sturdy woman took charge and had Minerva seated and a hot cup of tea in her hands in no time. In fact, Xiomara was still standing by the door and deciding where to sit when Poppy took her own seat and began her questioning.

“Tell us what happened. I can’t imagine what could be so important that he would cancel your vacation. You worked so hard on it after all. And I know he was looking forward to it as much as you were.”

“Perhaps if you let her speak we could find out,” Xia said as she sat down and Summoned her own cup of tea, and a sandwich.

Poppy huffed but stayed quiet to allow Minerva to speak. For her part, Minerva was not really sure where to start. She was still so angry over the robes that everything else was being pushed out of her mind. The banter between her friends had helped ease the tension she felt, but she was still thrumming with energy. She took a deep sip of tea and allowed it to warm her. The two sets of eyes never strayed far from her face.

“On Wednesday, Albus spoke with the Headmaster of Beauxbatons. The two of them have been working jointly on an important research project. The results were to be presented at the International Wizarding Conference this weekend. Unfortunately, Francois, who was going to be the presenter, became ill and Albus had no choice but to take his place.”

Xiomara snorted before taking a sip of tea while Poppy tsked in sympathy.

“On top of that, Aurelia owled to ask him to dinner. It appears that her room will be across the hall at the hotel, so there will be plenty of opportunities for them to visit.”

This had both of her friends’ attention. Minerva had shared a few stories of Aurelia and they both were very aware of her history with Albus.

“Oh dear,” muttered Poppy.

“Bloody hell,” cursed Xiomara.

“My thoughts exactly,” said Minerva calmly, though her voice shook ever so slightly.

“Tell us everything from the beginning,” Poppy encouraged as she took Minerva’s hand.

And Minerva did, from the romantic lunch where he broke the news until right before they arrived when she discovered the switched dress robes. To her credit she never broke down. There were a few tense moments, and Poppy had even handed her a handkerchief at one point when her eyes became moist, but Minerva never wavered because she wasn’t sure that she could ever get through it if she did.

“I know he was just trying to make it up to me with the romantic meals and flowers, but everything he did just made it worse and now he is gone,” Minerva concluded. “Was I too harsh on him?”

“There was a reason that all of his romantic notions upset you Minerva. He has done this entirely too many times. He can’t expect your feelings and expectations to be trumped time and again and for you to forgive him because he hands you a bouquet of flowers,” Xiomara stated sympathetically.

“She’s right dear. Albus may be brilliant, but sometimes he can be a bit thick where you are concerned.” Poppy squeezed Minerva’s hand before letting go.

Minerva went over everything in her mind again as the two witches refilled the tea and requested some chocolate confections from a house elf. Her anger was nearly gone, and she found that she was truly exhausted. Just having someone listen to her and support her had made a large difference in her handling of the events. However, one thing was still bothering her.

“What about the dress robes?” Minerva questioned.

Poppy and Xiomara both stopped what they were doing before looking at Minerva. Neither one said anything until they had both taken their seats. The tension in the air seemed to thicken until Poppy broke the silence and spoke.

“I am sure there is a reasonable explanation. Perhaps he just prefers the blue.”

“True,” Minerva said. “But he doesn’t usually go through his bags so thoroughly. And he has never had a problem when I’ve packed those robes before. And what about the owl from Aurelia? That arrived a bit faster than I would have expected. How did she know he was suddenly going to be there?”

Minerva was sitting forward in her seat now and she was obviously agitated.

“I am sure…” Poppy began again.

“There is a reasonable explanation,” Minerva finished for her with a frown. “Yes, I realize that but what could it be?”

Xiomara had remained quite through the whole exchange and when Minerva turned her attention to her she visibly winced.

“What do you think Xia?”

“Well,” she began, “It is a rather odd set of circumstances. What do you think?”

“What if Albus is actually seeing Aurelia…for more than dinner?” Minerva blurted out.

There she had said it. Of course saying it made it all the more real. Minerva felt her heart constrict painfully, but she couldn’t hold it in any longer. Of course Albus loved her, of course she was being silly, but she needed confirmation of it from her friends.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Poppy said instantly, as Minerva knew she would. “Albus loves you completely. Besides, he never would have showed you the letter in the first place if that were the case.”

Xia frowned. “Yes but that still doesn’t explain it. How do we know that it is all innocent? And even if Albus is innocent, then how do we know that Aurelia is not setting things up to lure him into a trap to try and win him back? Her husband did die a few years ago, right Minerva?”

“Yes,” Minerva answered faintly.

Her original intention of making her ideas seem ridiculous were now flying out the window. What if that was Aurelia’s intention? How could she stop it when she couldn’t even be there to witness it? And could Albus resist his childhood sweetheart who had broken his heart, especially considering he had left an upset and unhappy wife behind?

“I am sure we are overreacting,” Poppy said suddenly as Minerva started to look very pale. “Xia you should be ashamed. How do we know it wasn’t a friendly note? She has invited both of them to dinner and drinks before.”

At that moment a snowy owl came flying in the window and dropped a letter on the table beside Minerva. Surprised, it took Minerva a minute before she was able to procure a treat and as such was nipped rather harshly by the impatient owl. When it left again, Minerva picked up the note and nearly dropped it when she read the outside. Her laughter, when it burst forth, had an eerie quality to it.

“Who’s it from?” Xia questioned with concern and curiosity.

“Who do you think?” Minerva spat, not in reaction to her friend’s question but rather at the witch who was invading her life so thoroughly.

“It can’t be,” Poppy exclaimed.

“It most certainly is,” Minerva responded as she tore open the missive.

“My Dear Albus,

I hope this reaches you – the owls here are most unreliable and I was not sure what your departure time would be.

I came across an old diary yesterday from when the two of us had traveled to Italy for a holiday. I was reading through it and was reminded of a little cafe that served the most exquisite coffee and Pane Uva – perhaps you recall how much we loved Indulgenza Di Mattina. It turns out our accommodations for the seminar are around the corner and I was hoping we could meet in the hotel lobby, say around 7, and perhaps enjoy a delicious breakfast on Saturday morning before the dreary lectures begin.

Since learning you’d be here instead of Francois, I’ve been looking forward to catching up on old times and extremely fond memories with you. And who can resist the pleasures of a delicious cappuccino. I hope you will join me.

Until tomorrow,
Aurelia”

“Oh my,” Poppy said quietly.

Minerva, for her part, was trying to decide whether to hex the paper before tearing it into bits and throwing it in the fire or to simply breakdown crying. However, neither happened as the paper was unceremoniously pulled from her grasp. She looked up to find Xia studying the paper intently.

“This seals it,” she announced.

“Seals what?” questioned Poppy.

“Well, obviously Aurelia must be up to something,” Xiomara stated as she rolled her eyes. “Why else would she bring up all that rot about their trip and old times?”

Minerva wasn’t sure what to think, and obviously Poppy felt the same way for neither spoke in response to Xia’s statements. A rising panic began to take hold of Minerva’s emotions, and her stomach started to churn horribly. How could she stop this witch from stealing her husband’s affections from so far away? She could send a letter, of course, but she knew Albus would think she was simply being paranoid.

“What do I do?” Minerva questioned quietly.

“We’re going to the conference,” Xiomara stated as she began to fold the letter and place it in her pocket.

“What?” both Minerva and Poppy exclaimed in shocked tones.

“You’re suspicious of Aurelia, and her intentions toward Albus, and with good reason, Minerva. Rather than waiting to see what happens or fretting over this Aurelia witch, why not go to the conference and see for yourself what is going on?”

“Really, I think that is going a bit too far,” Poppy said quickly. “Minerva trusts Albus implicitly, and though he has been distant and not very considerate of late, that is hardly a reason to go spying on him and this woman. I am sure he can take care of himself. ”

“Poppy, just look at Minerva. She is a wreck, and she just told us she is worried about his actions. And how do you explain the switched dress robes and how Aurelia knew Albus would be there in the first place? We don’t know for certain that Aurelia is the only one with plans.” Xiomara said, the last sentence spoken more quietly than the rest. “I trust Albus, as well, but sometimes wizards get odd ideas in their heads, and this Aurelia witch seems to be playing her cards carefully. This will help Minerva, and Albus will never even know we are there.”

Poppy took a moment to look at Minerva, who had stayed quiet through the exchanges. “But if we are wrong. After all, I am sure there is a perfectly reasonable…”

“Oh bollocks! That’s a load of tripe and you know it.”

“The only load of tripe in this room…” Poppy started to say, her face flushed.

“Now, now, you two, the last thing I need is my two best friends fighting over what I should do. I think the decision is mine to make after all,” Minerva stated calmly, calmly enough that her friends were eyeing her warily. “How would you propose we get invitations to the symposium?” Minerva questioned Xia.

“Surely you’re not considering this?” Poppy asked, her voice filled with disbelief.

“I am,” Minerva said as she turned to look at the mediwitch. “If you do not wish to be a part of it then I understand. But I just have to know.”

Poppy shook her head. “I don’t know why I let you two always talk me into these things.”

Xiomara gave a whoop of laughter while Poppy glared at the overzealous witch. Minerva gave a slight smile at their antics. She felt her spirits lifting. She was going to do something, something that did not involve wallowing in self-pity while she waited for her husband to return. She might be angry and frustrated with Albus and his work, but she still loved him and she was damned if she was going to allow Aurelia to come between them.

“So what do we need to do?” Minerva questioned.

“You need to take a nap,” Xiomara said sternly. “Poppy, give her some Dreamless, but only enough so she can catch a couple hours of rest. We leave this afternoon, so be sure to pack appropriately. I will take care of everything else, including the invitations, after all, I am the one with the appropriate connections,” she stated slyly.

“But…” Minerva started.

“No, no questions or excuses. I will be here by 3 o’clock to go over our plans.”

Xiomara rushed for the door, leaving Minerva and Poppy standing there, expecting them to follow her orders.

“Oh, and wear a dark traveling cloak with a hood,” she managed to announce just before the door clicked shut behind her.

A/N: Once again, thanks for all the reviews. Up next…the girls head off to the conference and you’ll finally meet Aurelia…dun dun dun!

[QuillofMinerva]

Only Minerva would think about changing her robes after a crying fit. Bless her. I've got visions of Poppy manhandling Xiomara now in my head (not sure if that is a good thing or not)

Oh dear, it is never a good thing to jump to conclusions about things but, I would be exactly like Minerva was after finding out about the robes. Women, we are our own worst enemies at times.

“She’s right dear. Albus may be brilliant, but sometimes he can be a bit thick where you are concerned.” Poppy squeezed Minerva’s hand before letting go.

Well, I wouldn't call him thick.....just a little misguided!!!

I wonder if that second letter from Aurelia was sent on purpose to wind Minerva up.

Oh, how I love Xiomara in this chapter. Something tells me that the Quidditch Mistress has done something like this before - she has it all planned out.

Looking forward to the next chapter ladies. Great writing from you both.

[Leaves of Green]

I can't wait for the next one, ladies. This is very intriguing. I can picture Popy and Xiamora... Thanks for the great update!!!!!

[MMADfan]

Oh, my. I don't know whether this is a bad thing or a good thing! It's great that Minerva is going to take action . . . but the idea that Hooch came up with. I'm not so sure about this <gets an uneasy feeling> . . . All this sub rosa stuff can really backfire on a witch! I don't know if being sneaky comes as naturally to Minerva as it does to Hooch. Dark travelling cloaks? Where the heck is she taking them? Sounds dicey to me. How much should I worry about Minerva and Albus?

And the second letter from Aurelia -- bad enough that the owl was dim enough to deliver it when Albus was already there, but that Minerva read it . . . well, I'm glad she read it, or we'd never know how . . . "come hither" Aurelia was being. This letter was worse than the last one!!! This does not bode well for poor Albus, having to deal with that one! Oh, I hope Minerva doesn't see anything that breaks her heart! *sob!* But you did put this in "Romance," not in "Angst," so I'll trust you, I guess . . . .

I'm really looking forward for the next update! Now I've got to go and jolly my Muse out of her sulks because I've read another ADMM story and interfered with her inspiration -- fortunately, the next chappie I'm writing only needs a little polishing, so the Muse can sulk a bit! And I'm not going to tell her, but the next update of Flames, and I'll be rushing to read it even if I haven't finished a chappie! I can't wait to see what unholy plans Hooch unveils. Or whatever. Thanks!