Flames

[furandfeathers]

what is Aurelia up to? And I really see Xiomara's plan backfiring on them, and causing more grief, but I have complete faith that everything will tie up nice and fluffy in the end Please update soon!

[harrypotter0609]

Your story is very good...

[Blue]

oh dear, this is very good and excellently written, but I don't like being left hanging.... write more soon, before I go insane, lol

[revolutionaryetude]

OOHHH what are they going to do? Minerva hopefully will ground Hooch and figure what is up herself!

[Herzele]

Oh oh ... Wonderful plan, Xiomara ... I, too, have the faint feeling that that plan might not necessarily work out the way they want it to work out ...

Excellent update! Can't wait to read more!!

[Hogwarts Duo]

CHAPTER 4--PART ONE 1 OF 2

It was less than an hour after Xiomara had arrived, bags packed. The three witches were sitting around discussing some final details and waiting for the appointed time to arrive.

“Just tell me we have reservations at a nice place?” Poppy asked for what seemed the hundredth time.

“The hotel is fine Poppy. It is clean, relatively spacious, and very near our targets,” Xiomara said, clearly aggravated.

“I wish you wouldn’t call Albus a target,” Minerva stated, though she had a grin on her face. She found she was actually in quite a good mood. This mission, as she called it in her head, had given her something to do rather than worry about her relationship, and she was more than grateful for the reprieve.

“Fine,” Xia relented. “Well, it is nearly time. Let’s be on our way, shall we?”

All three witches stood, one in obvious excitement, one who looked relieved, and one who looked very nervous. They all filed out Minerva’s door and walked without much talking to the gates of Hogwarts. Minerva ruminated on their plan. They were to pick up the invitations from an unnamed source at a place Xia would not divulge, take a Portkey, again procured from a person Xiomara would not name, and arrive at their hotel, a place that, as the others, had remained unnamed. For all the secrecy, which the flying instructor seemed to thrive on, Minerva found she was not at all concerned. She was a bit nervous about not getting caught spying on her husband, but the chances were very slim. They had already discussed applying strong glamours, something Minerva and Poppy both excelled at, and applying charms to their clothing to keep them from being noticed, something subtle just to ward off unwanted attention.

So it was with a light heart that Minerva crossed through the Hogwarts’ gates. The afternoon was beautiful, and she spared just a single glance at the tower where her rooms with Albus were located. She might not get her long-sought vacation but she would be going on an adventure. When they reached the apparition point, two sets of eyes turned to Xiomara Hooch.

“Pull up your hoods and meet me at the entrance to Knockturn Alley.” She disappeared with a pop before either witch could respond.

“What are we doing here?” Poppy whispered harshly.

Knockturn Alley was quite crowded as all three witches walked close together. Though it was a warm summer day, nearly every occupant of the street had on heavy robes with hoods pulled forward to hide their features.

“This is where we are going to get our invitations so stop complaining so much,” Xiomara snapped.

“Xia,” Minerva whispered, “Poppy has a point. You should have warned us. Some very terrible things have happened here in the last few years, and as we all know, this isn’t exactly the most reputable place in Wizarding Britain.”

“Well, what we are doing isn’t exactly above–board, so what would you expect. However,” she started before she was once again attacked verbally, “my source is completely reliable and the invitations we are about to procure are authentic.”

Minerva reached her hands into her robe and fingered the bag of Galleons she had needed to bring in order to pay the person. In the other pocket was her baggage, which had been shrunk before they left. She hoped wherever they were going would be a quick stop.

“Here we are.”

Poppy and Minerva looked above their heads to see a rather old and decrepit sign which read The Potion Peddler. Minerva shuddered. She had heard rumors about this place, though she had never been inside. Well, to be honest, she had never been this far into Knockturn Alley either.

Xiomara pushed the door open and made her way inside with Poppy and Minerva fast on her heels. Minerva was not surprised to find the rumors were probably true. The place looked like it had not been clean since the day it opened. Most of the occupants looked up at their arrival, but looked away in disinterest soon afterward. Every single person inside had hooded robes similar to their own, even if the newest guests’ robes tended to be of a higher, and cleaner, quality.

Xiomara led them to the dingy bar and took a seat. Poppy hesitated, but Minerva could not see her face to see what she was thinking. However, after one look at the bar stool in front of her with a sticky residue, she pulled out her wand, hiding it as best as she could, and cast a strong cleaning charm.

“Min,” Xiomara hissed, “try not to get us evicted before we even sit down.”

“She’s just being sanitary,” Poppy whispered. “I’d have done it if the barkeeper hadn’t looked our way just as I was debating.”

“I refuse to sit in whatever it was on my seat,” Minerva said in a low voice.

“Look, I know you two are not used to this sort of establishment, but you do not want the barkeeper to take offense. And if you keep up with that sort of behavior, the other patrons are bound to start noticing. We are trying to remain inconspicuous, in case you have forgotten.”

Minerva didn’t respond, as Xiomara was right about their intentions. She certainly didn’t want to draw attention to herself. She was bound to be recognized, should their faces be revealed. With a sigh of resignation, Minerva seated herself and leaned toward her friends.

“How long before your contact shows up?”

“It should be soon. When he arrives, I will handle everything. Minerva, you just need to hand him the money,” Xiomara answered.

“What would you three like to drink?” a gruff voice asked.

All three witches jumped at the unexpected intrusion. Minerva looked up to see the barman staring at them. He was older, with a large red nose and hard eyes.

“Hey, George,” Xiomara said calmly. “Business going well?”

“Xiomara Hooch,” George, as Xia called him, exclaimed quietly. “It’s been a long time since you visited.”

“Well, with working at the school and all…” Xiomara didn’t finish her sentence but Minerva noticed her head nod in the hood.

“No need to explain. Would you like your usual?”

“No, I think I’ll go a little lighter since it is early. I’ve got some business to take care of. How about a Flaming Phoenix?”

“Sure thing,” he said before turning to look at Minerva and Poppy. “And what can I get for the two of you?”

“I’ll take a Gillywater,” Minerva responded.

“Do you have a nice Merlot?” Poppy questioned.

“They’ll have the same as me, George,” Xiomara said quickly.

“Very well,” George said, with a curious but contemptuous look in his eyes.

“You don’t order Gillywater or wine at a place like this,” Xia hissed at them as soon as George was far enough away.

“Whyever not?” Minerva responded. “Gillywater is a perfectly civilized drink, especially for this time of day. And how often have you come here?”

“It was a….while ago and I don’t want to talk about it,” Xiomara huffed.

“Oh, don’t tell me you dated someone who frequented here?” Poppy questioned, knowing that most of Xia’s less tasteful stories always revolved around men.

“That is none of your concern at the moment,” Xiomara responded forcefully, causing her hood to nearly fall off.

Minerva almost laughed. It was very hard to have a conversation when you could see so little of a person’s face. Basically, she could make out hoods moving around and shadows of features. She wondered how the regulars managed.

“Three Flaming Phoenixes,” the barman said as three drinks of blood red and swirling yellow were levitated in front of them.

“Thanks,” Xia responded as she slid him the required amount of money along with a generous tip.

“Whatever is in this drink anyway?” Poppy inquired while she sniffed at the contents.

Minerva had heard of the drink and was interested to try it. Supposedly it was a blend of liqueurs with a fruity flavor that made it easy to drink. Taking a sip she realized it was even better than she would have imagined, smooth as silk and creamy.

“This is excellent,” she commented.

“It is good, but watch yourself because it will knock you on your arse if you have more than one.” Xiomara paused before adding, “Maybe you should only drink half of yours Poppy.”

“I’ll have you know I am perfectly capable of holding my liquor,” Poppy said, obviously affronted.

A softly muttered hmmm was Xia’s only response.

Within minutes of them falling into a comfortable silence, the door to the pub opened and a large figure entered. His cloak was dark, but not black, perhaps a blue, Minerva thought to herself just as Xia stood. Minerva followed her lead, after taking one more sip of her drink for fortification.

The giant of a man moved toward them and nodded his head. “Xia,” the voice behind the hood said as he discreetly cast a few charms around them. Presumably ones which would hinder those trying to listen in on their conversation.

“Thank you for coming,” Xia responded. “My friends,” she said as way of introduction as she nodded first toward Minerva and then Poppy.

“A pleasure,” the deep baritone voice responded.

“As you are on a tight schedule,” he said as he removed a large envelope from his pocket and handed it to Xiomara.

Minerva found the whole situation to be odd, but said nothing as Xia confirmed the contents. “Everything’s in order.”

That was Minerva’s cue, and she removed the bag of galleons and handed it to the robed figure. “Thank you,” she whispered.

The covered head nodded before moving past them and calling out his drink order to the bartender. It was as if he had never stopped to speak with them at all.

“Can we go?” Poppy questioned.

“Yes, let’s get back to Diagon Alley before catching our Portkey to the hotel.”

All three witches exited the bar as quickly as they could. Minerva’s nerves, which had been dormant while they were in the pub, began to attack her full force. The plan was moving forward, and she realized, as they entered into the relative safety of Diagon Alley and took hold of the Portkey, that there was no going back now.

[Hogwarts Duo]

CHAPTER 4--PART 2 OF 2

Albus looked around the extravagantly appointed room and sighed unhappily. Even in the midst of all this splendor and comfort, he found it very hard to relax or to even enjoy the scenery afforded by the large windows. His bag sat at the foot of the bed, empty. It had taken him hardly any time at all to unpack and afterwards, he thought a nice rest would do him some good after an uneasy night. He tossed and turned, but, unable to turn off his mind, he decided to take in some of the city from the comfort of his room by staring out the window.

His mind was muddled with all sorts of conflicting thoughts, and his heart was certainly troubled. Never in all their years of marriage had Minerva let him leave for a trip without a goodbye kiss and a cuddle the night before. But this time…oh, this time he had not been so fortunate. He had spent a restless night, hoping she would return before dawn and then when she did appear, he waited on tenterhooks for her to reveal her current state of mind and mood. To say he was disappointed would have been an understatement, but in truth he wasn’t surprised that she was still angry with him.

Even now as he stared out the window and down on the busy street, he tried desperately to think of some way to make amends despite the distance between them. Flowers never seemed to work on her. Ginger newts were too common for such a grievous error on his part. A love note most likely would not be as well-received as he would like, especially since she knew that Aurelia was also in attendance at this conference.

Ah, yes, Aurelia. The one part of his past that Minerva had trouble accepting was this one particular woman. He had tried desperately, over the years, to convince Minerva both through actions and words that she was the only woman who held his heart. At times, he felt utterly successful but then Minerva’s path crossed with Aurelia’s and all his work would be undone faster than a snitch streaking across the sky. He had discussed all of this with Minerva, and each time she would brush aside his concerns in a feeble attempt to placate him or to set her own mind at ease.

He had never truly understood Minerva’s dislike for Aurelia. He had known her longer than he had almost anyone in his circle of friends, and he had certainly known her better. His thoughts turned to their time spent together and how carefree and simple life had seemed back then. She had made him laugh at even the simplest of things, and yet with one look, she could stop him in his tracks as the suspense in the air grew thick around them. But as with most things, it had ended and he had moved on and so had she.

It had been a shock to read of her husband’s death in the Daily Prophet, and for hours, he had struggled with the idea of what was an appropriate course of action. He wanted to send an owl, offering his condolences, but at the same time he didn’t want that simple gesture to be misunderstood, both by Aurelia and also by Minerva. Even then, he had felt caught in the middle, despite there really being no middle ground upon which to stand. In the end, he’d done what his heart dictated and sent her a lovely note expressing his sorrow at her loss, and even attended the funeral. Ever since that time, he had seen Aurelia occasionally, and their friendship had been renewed.

As his trip down memory lane continued, he was roused from his thoughts by a quiet knock on the door. He smiled softly. He’d recognize that knock anywhere. He should, for he’d heard it plenty of times. Yes, there were some things never forgotten about past loves and romances. He quickly walked to the door and paused for a moment to smooth down his robes and to run his fingers back through his hair, hoping to look his best. A quick glance around the room revealed his crumpled bedding and his pyjamas hiding under the pillow, but another rap at the door distracted him before he could cast a charm to rectify the disheveled bedding.

“Aurelia, what a wonderful surprise,” he exclaimed as he opened the door to find a beautiful witch standing before him in shocking red robes that clung to her curves. “Looking as beautiful as ever, too, I see,” he added with a wink as he leaned in for a hug. But before he could complete the embrace, Aurelia had already stepped into his arms and planted a soft kiss upon his lips.

“Still indulging on those sherbet lemons I see. I would have thought Minerva would have stopped you from that habit by now since she’s not really the sweet sort,” Aurelia commented. “I don’t honestly know what her objection was to the little things. I quite enjoyed your lemon flavored kisses…and all the other ones too,” she added with a slight sway to her hips as she entered his rooms.

Albus closed the door behind him, blushing furiously at her compliment and at the kiss she’d bestowed upon him immediately. He certainly hadn’t expected that.

“Oh, I’m so insanely jealous. You have such a marvelous view of the city from your suite. I am afraid I have a view of nothing more than the back side of the hotel,” she groused as she stepped out onto the balcony and leaned against the rail.

Albus joined her on the balcony and drank in the sites and sounds of the bustling city below. “I’m sorry you’re unhappy with your rooms. The view isn’t that important to me, so perhaps we could switch rooms. I’m sure you’d get more enjoyment out of the view, and you know how noises keep me awake. It might not be a bad idea for both of us,” he suggested.

It was true. Ever since he was little, he’d been a light sleeper and, though some noises could keep him awake for hours, some actually lulled him to sleep. Unfortunately, the sounds from busy cities only interrupted his dreams, and he never felt quite rested in the morning. The only exception to that was when he was in Minerva’s arms. The Hogwarts Express could barge into their bedroom at full steam, and as long as she never stirred, he was content to sleep right through it.

“Still as chivalrous as ever,” she gushed as she wrapped an arm around his waist. “I might just take you up on that offer, but first we have some catching up to do. It’s been far too long since we’ve had a proper chat and one that didn’t involve work in some way.” She took him by the hand and led him inside the room, having him sit into one of the chairs by the empty fireplace. “So, tell me what I’ve been missing since I last saw you, dear.”

Albus couldn’t believe he was actually sitting in a hotel room with Aurelia and discussing his personal life and everything that had happened to him recently. The biggest laughs of the afternoon emerged when he began to share stories of Aberforth and his goats. That easily whittled away an hour, especially when she began to ask questions and then listened with keen interest to his answers.

“Sounds like he’s the same old adorable Abe,” she smiled, wiping away the tears of laughter from her eyes. “I can’t believe he actually thought you’d come to a wedding for his goats. I swear he comes up with some of the craziest ideas, but he has a way of making you sit up and take notice of his whims. I always enjoyed spending time with him, in a bizarre sort of way,” she laughed.

“He always found you enjoyable too. He loved it when you would take time to get to know his goats and learn their names. That makes him feel special and that you’re really taking him seriously, something which doesn’t happen too often for the old chap, I’m afraid.”

“All of your family, while eccentric, was wonderful. They were like a breath of fresh air, and sometimes I honestly miss having that connection with someone. It’s nice having family to rely upon, even if you rarely see them. In the case of your family, I always felt like they were only a Floo-call away for us if we needed them, and even at those family gatherings, they never made me feel like an outsider.”

He scoffed loudly. “You’ve never been an outsider and you know it. You’re as much a part of the family as anyone blood related. When we called off the wedding, I’m not sure who they were most concerned about…you or me,” he chuckled.

Aurelia and Albus sat in silence for a bit, each reminiscing about long ago times and places. “Do you ever wonder what our lives would have been like if we’d gone ahead and married? How many children we’d have or where our adventurous lifestyle would have taken us?” she asked softly.

“I used to think on that quite a bit, to be honest. But that was before I learned to move on and enjoy my life. I will always fondly remember our time together, and you know that. Some things are hard to forget.” Another silence descended upon them, growing almost too quiet.

“Right…well I’m not going to sit around here all day when there’s a city out there that we need to discover. But first, if you’re truly serious, how about we change rooms before we get too involved with our extracurricular activities?”

“An excellent idea, my dear. I’ll help you move your things over.”

In a matter of minutes, Aurelia and Albus had managed to gather all of her belongings in the hotel room and transfer them to Albus’ suite. “Give me a few minutes to freshen up and I’ll be ready to go. I am hoping I can convince you to buy me some gelato. I think it was you who introduced me to the delicious treat and it’s only fair that you buy me a generous helping of it,” she teased as she made her way into the bathroom. Just before she closed the door, she gave him a subtle wink.

“Albus…do me a favor and look in the wardrobe for the pale blue robes and bring them to me, please.” She had decided that she’d be much more comfortable in something lighter, something more fun for an evening of exploring the city with Albus. Remembering his love for shades of blue, she felt that would be a perfect choice.

“Here they are,” he said as he knocked on the door. She opened it slightly and took the robes, handing him the red ones.

“Just toss them anywhere. I’ll take care of hanging them up when we get back from our outing.”

Albus tossed the robes across one of the chairs near the foot of the bed but failed to see it slip to the floor carelessly. When Aurelia emerged from the bathroom, she went straight for the bed and slipped off her more boring boots and stockings, leaving them in a heap on the floor before slipping into her more comfortable sandals. “I’m ready when you are, dear,” she announced as she stood up and took Albus’ hand in hers.

“You look very pretty and the color suits you.” His eyes twinkled happily as he extended his arm.

She shook her head and wrapped her arm around his waist. “Can’t have you being stolen away by all the eager witches downstairs, now can I? Since it was announced that you were going to attend this conference, the number of witches attending has grown exponentially. And I do believe there was quite a large gathering in the lobby downstairs when I came back upstairs. You’d better hold on to me tightly in case they try to tear you away,” she teased, knowing how embarrassed he’d always been by the attention he received from women.

“I’m so lucky to have you here to protect me, then,” he chuckled as they made their way downstairs, arms wrapped securely around each other.

A/N: So, that’s Aurelia…for starters! Isn’t she just lovely!? You’ll get to see even more of her interactions with Albus as well as catching up with Albus’ Avenging Angels (as one lovely reviewer commented from the last chapter…you know who you are and we THANK YOU!). Thanks for reading and reviewing.

[revolutionaryetude]

I have sneaky feeling that switching rooms is going to be a very bad idea. I can't figure out of Aurelia is simply really friendly to him or hitting on him. Great chapter can't wait till Minerva comes back and protects her husband!

[Herzele]

Oh yes, Aurelia is just the nicest person in the world ... Simply gotta love her ...

I'm curious to know what conclusion the three Avenging Angels jump to, when they see the suite in that state ... Bad idea to just leave everything like it was, I think ...

Wonderful update! Can't wait to read more!!

[furandfeathers]

Oh no, they switched rooms. I can't wait to see what goes horribly wrong

[QuillofMinerva]

Oh dear! I'm thinking Albus (in hindsight) will regret swapping rooms with Aurelia. Of course, we know he is simply being a gentleman and he has no idea that Minerva is coming to spy on him. Yes, he is innocent but, he isn't helping the situation he finds himself in.

Not sure what to make of Aurelia yet so, I am looking forward to reading more about her. It was strange to read the part about Aurelia being popular with his family - kinda hoping she hadn't been *lol* I kinda like to think Albus hasn't so much looked at another witch other than Minerva. (Yes, I do live in a dream land).

I'm hoping the 'half' of the 'flaming phoenix' has an effect on Poppy.

Great update ladies

Toodles xx

[MMADfan]

I have to agree with the other reviewers who said it does not seem very auspicious that Albus has agreed to swap rooms -- are "the girls" going to show up at his door and have it answered by Aurelia? That would be awful for Minerva! Although right now she is happier than Albus.

Again, my heart aches for Albus. These lines just did it to me:

His mind was muddled with all sorts of conflicting thoughts, and his heart was certainly troubled. Never in all their years of marriage had Minerva let him leave for a trip without a goodbye kiss and a cuddle the night before. But this time…

Oh, *sniffle* for the hard heart of a woman *sniffle* -- a woman who feels neglected and unappreciated, but still, she must have known that would hurt him terribly. *sniffle* It seems she made things worse, not better. Now I hope that this plan of her co-conspirators doesn't continue the trend!

*sniffle sniffle* Poor Albus! And so oblivious about Aurelia, who does appear at least a little predatory. Or at least wishful and realizing what she missed out on, particularly now that she's a widow.

Please tell me you didn't mis-post this and it's not supposed to be in Angst! I've had a lousy day, and I need to know *sniffle* that Albus (and Minerva) will be all right! And together! With that Aurelia Person nowhere in sight! And, hopefully, with Minerva having shed "the girls," as well.

For all my pathetic sniffling (!) I really enjoyed this installment and am looking forward to the next one! It sounds as though the action will be heating up in the next chapter. I just hope that Minerva doesn't see anything that makes her jump to conclusions about Albus and Aurelia . . .

Thanks for sharing! (And the three witches are amusing in their conspiracy -- especially Poppy & Minerva, whom poor Xiamora has to put up with ordering inappropriate drinks. That was funny. Although I thought the "appropriate" drink was amusing, too -- I'd have thought some kind of liquor, neat, would have been in order! But the name was cute, and it sounded yummy.)

[Orion's Guard]

This is all very scetchy behavior for tickets to an academic conference...

The room switch thing is a bit obvious, but it will be funny anyway. I'm also confused about Aurelia's intentions, but I like it that way. She seems to be overdoing it with Albus, but some people just overdo it sometimes. Not everyone's evil (or has evil intentions), some people are just annoying.

[Jessabelle]

Aurelia has set that up the clothing so nicely, plus you only made mention of her stuff being moved, not Albus'; add to that the fact that his bed probably still isn't made and we have a fine mess that will only escalate with Aurelia herself in the room.
Please update again soon! I cannot wait to see what Minerva, Poppy, and Xia actually start getting right into the thick of things.
Great work, thanks for sharing it with us all!
- Jess

[Hogwarts Duo]

mmadfan said:

Please tell me you didn't mis-post this and it's not supposed to be in Angst! I've had a lousy day, and I need to know *sniffle* that Albus (and Minerva) will be all right! And together! With that Aurelia Person nowhere in sight! And, hopefully, with Minerva having shed "the girls," as well.

Awww, I'm very sorry to hear that you've had such a lousy day. But rest assured that this is in the romance section for a good reason. And it might help brighten your day a bit to know that it does indeed have a LEMONY ENDING!!! We have a lot more in store for the story and there will indeed be more "confusing" incidents and Minerva and Company will certainly spice things up a bit.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read and/or review the story. We have several more chapters before the ending but it's all written and just waiting to be posted.

Cheers!
Ang & Lisa

[Deleted]

Then why, WHY don't you just post the next chapters!? I'm really interested what is going to happen and I'm aware of some argument or crying scene when they found the clothes, but what is next?

Oh please more chapters!

[Hogwarts Duo]

CHAPTER 5

Minerva, Xiomara, and Poppy had just arrived at the Excelsior Hotel and thanks to some strong glamour charms by Minerva, they were able to walk freely among the guests without fear of being noticed. It had taken some strongly worded threats from Minerva before Xiomara would allow her to alter her spiky hair and place her in more feminine robes, but in the end, she’d given up. After all, this was for Minerva and the disguise would only be needed for a short period of time…just long enough to catch Albus…doing whatever it was he was doing.

“We have a reservation and are attending the conference,” Xiomara announced to the wizard behind the counter at the front desk. “I think you’ll find we’re on the seventh floor.”

“Indeed you are, ladies. Those are some of our best suites, and I can assure you, you’ll be in great company.” The brown-eyed man looked around, as if expecting someone to step around the corner and reprimand him at any moment. “I shouldn’t tell you this, but Albus Dumbledore…THE Albus Dumbledore, is staying on that very same floor! You wouldn’t believe how hard it was for me to hold this room for you ladies,” he said as he rubbed together his fingertips, indicating a little compensation for his troubles wouldn’t be refused.

Minerva picked up rather quickly on the man’s intentions, and despite several elbows to the ribs from Poppy and a very disgruntled Xiomara, Minerva slipped the man a few galleons and a winning smile. “Any chance you’d tell us the room number for a few extra galleons?” she dared to ask the wiry man.

After seeing that his palm was now glistening with gold coins, he smiled a very toothy grin. “He’s in room 717 and it has a lovely view from the balcony. Your room is located two doors down from his on the opposite side of the hall. If you play your cards just right, you might be able to catch him in between seminars or even in the hallway. He’s a pretty hard fellow to miss.”

“Indeed,” Minerva bit back sarcastically. She turned to Xiomara and Poppy as she took the key and headed upstairs, but was suddenly stopped in her tracks by Poppy’s firm hand on her arm.

“Look, Minerva…going across the lobby over there,” she whispered softly. Xiomara, having missed the initial pause caught sight of something that made even her heart break, and she turned around just in time to see shock register across Minerva’s face.

Albus and Aurelia were holding on to each other tightly as they laughed and crossed the main entranceway towards the street. Obviously Albus had said something rather charming for just before they stepped outside, Aurelia burst into a peal of laughter and smacked his arm playfully then leaned against him, her head resting on his upper arm.

Minerva’s knees went weak as she watched her husband and his former lover exit the hotel for the hustle and bustle of the city. “Let’s go get this over with. I’m beginning to feel ill, and I need to know where I stand, though from the looks of it, it’s not in my favor,” she said with a resolve unlike any other.

Xiomara had never felt the urge to hex Albus Dumbledore as much as she did at this particular moment in time. The look on Minerva’s face was almost unbearable, and it pained even her cavalier heart to know that love could be so fickle and so cruel sometimes. “The absolute nerve of him,” she announced through gritted teeth. “I ought to follow him and that…that…shameless git into the street and hex them in front of everyone. Hell, it would be worth all the trouble it would cause the Ministry and all the Aurors who would have to come in and Obliviate the Muggles!”

“Xiomara Hooch! You will do no such a thing. We are here to help Minerva, and hexing Albus and Aurelia won’t get us any answers. There may be a logical explanation for what we just saw, and there’s no need to go around stirring up more trouble. We’re not even supposed to be here, remember?” Poppy was trying desperately to keep her voice down so as not to draw unnecessary attention towards herself or their little trio.

“Can we please go upstairs now? I’ve seen enough already to make me even more suspicious than I was before, and if I’m to have any peace I may as well get it tonight rather than waiting for THE Albus Dumbledore to answer my bloody questions. It certainly didn’t take him long to forget that he’s supposed to be enjoying this time with me, his wife, on our holiday.” She paused and laughed bitterly. “I wonder if he even knows how much planning and time I put into arranging our little trip. No matter now, I suppose, since he seems happy as a lark with Aurelia,” she spat vehemently.

Xiomara grabbed Minerva’s hand and pulled her into the corridor leading to the stairs. “We came here to put this issue to rest, and we’re not going until we see it through. I promise you that, Minerva. We’re in this to the end and if we have to hex them both into oblivion, then I’m ready. We already know what room number he’s in, and THAT THING is staying across the hall. It shouldn’t be too hard for us to do a little snooping since we’ve already come this far.” Xiomara took a look at Minerva, and she felt a cold wave pass over her, seeing the fire beginning to bubble in those green eyes. “Min, I think you need to go upstairs and take a little rest. You’re not looking so well, dearie…no offense intended,” she added quickly upon seeing Minerva’s brow furrow even more.

“Xia’s right, Minerva. You aren’t looking all that well, and maybe a little tea would help to calm your nerves. Getting angry won’t help anything. We will sneak around while you rest for a bit.”

Seeing the sense in Poppy and Xiomara’s suggestions, Minerva acquiesced, and the three witches headed upstairs. Once Minerva had a strong cup of tea and was sitting down, Xiomara and Poppy promised they’d be back soon. They were going downstairs to see if they could catch a glimpse of Albus and Aurelia, or at least learn more information about where they’d gone. But as soon as the door closed, Minerva was on her feet and headed across the hall to Albus’ room.

Using her cat like instincts, Minerva sniffed the air and was not surprised to find the scent of jasmine hanging in the air. Having never been overly fond of the scent herself, she found she wasn’t very surprised when Aurelia showed up wearing it when Minerva had met her for the first time. So, she’s been here already, though it could just be lingering in the hallway. As I recall, she did used to bathe in the stuff, Minerva thought as she reached out to touch the doorknob. Stealthily, she whispered a spell at the door and was surprised to find that Albus hadn’t even bothered to ward his rooms beyond the usual hotel security. Hmm, guess it’s hard to keep people out if in your heart you really want to let HER in, she mused as she began to grit her teeth, seething..

The door opened with no resistance and Minerva stepped inside. She could already sense Albus’ presence in the room and smell his wonderful cologne, her favorite. He must have packed it at the last minute, despite already knowing that Minerva had included her second favorite in his bag. Obviously he had packed both the cologne and his blue dress robes after the owls arrived from Aurelia. It fit perfectly with everything else going on in their lives and her growing suspicions. She cast a critical eye around the room and suddenly felt her heart leap into her throat, and not for the first time today.

Before her was a large bed with rumpled sheets. It looked as if someone had either had a struggle or a very good time. Quickly disregarding the first option, she was left with just the one, and it caused tears to well in Minerva’s eyes. She also noticed a woman’s stockings and dress thrown onto the floor, along with a pair of boots which certainly didn’t belong to Albus. Minerva had seen Aurelia a few times in her life, and each time she’d been wearing something red. It wasn’t hard to believe that the red dress belonged to her and that the boots and that sickeningly jasmine smell went along with it. But the moment she spotted Albus’ pajamas among the bedding, she lost all resolve and fled from the room. Her worst fears had been realized, for what other reason could there be to describe everything she’d just seen with her own two eyes?

The instant she stepped out into the hall and slammed the door, Poppy and Xiomara rounded the corner, excited that they finally had directions to the restaurant mentioned in Aurelia’s letter.

“Merlin’s beard, Min…what’s wrong with you? Do you want to get us caught or kicked out of the hotel for being rowdy? I mean, really. I am the one who’s supposed to be known for causing a ruckus in hotels, but you…never you!” Xiomara should have known better than to challenge Minerva when she was this angry, but the words had spilled from her mouth before she had a chance to think.

“I think it would be wise for you to get out of my way. I am going to hex Albus Perceival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore into the next year and his little tart of a former lover will be lucky if she makes it to the next century!” Minerva’s fists were balled and her anger was palpable. “So help me Athena and all the other deities, I will not stand by and let either of them make a fool out of me. I may have wasted my time planning a bloody vacation for the two of us, but I’ll be damned if they’re going to parade around the streets of Italy while I’m supposed to be back at home pining away for him to return. I am a Gryffindor, and by all means, I come by my Sorting honest. I’ll confront him in front of the entire conference if necessary!”

Minerva was well on her way to a full rant as Poppy pulled Minerva and Xiomara into their rooms, quickly locking and warding the door behind her to keep other guests from hearing her shouting. “Minerva McGonagall! Stop that this instant and tell us exactly what you saw to stoke your fires.”

“Rumpled sheets, clothes on the floor, and a certain red dress and stockings, which unless Albus has something else he’d like to admit, most assuredly don’t belong to him. It might be common for his brother to parade around with goats, Merlin love him, but if Albus has taken to wearing women’s clothing…well I may have bigger problems than Aurelia.”

“Holy Harpies, Min…you mean you actually saw the evidence with your own eyes? Sweet Nick’s Ghost…he’s a bold little bugger, but maybe you’re making too much out of this. There could be a logical explanation for it that we’re missing,” Xiomara stated.

It wasn’t like Hooch to be the calm and level headed one but in this case, she felt she had to be. Poppy wasn’t exactly the daring sort, and Minerva was more hell-bent on revenge for what she thought she saw in that room rather than seeking out the truth and hearing it from Albus.

“Oh, Minerva, I’m so sorry,” Poppy exclaimed as she hugged her friend.

Minerva felt tears start in her eyes as her friend squeezed her reassuringly. However, she wasn’t about to become a miserable mess. If Albus was cheating on her with that tramp, she would show him she was made of sterner stuff.

“Don’t coddle me, Poppy. At this moment, I would much rather just find the bastard and hex off his bits.”

Poppy jumped back and looked toward Xiomara, who was in the process of deciding what she could do to diffuse the situation. “Tell you what…let’s get ourselves some dinner and plot out our course for the morning. Poppy and I managed to get directions to the café where they are having breakfast tomorrow. If we can get close enough to their table, maybe they will give us either a logical explanation or more ammunition.” Secretly, she was hoping they’d find a reasonable set of excuses and explanations, because as angry as Minerva was at this point, it would not be pretty for Albus, Aurelia, or anyone else who got in Minerva’s path.

“Fine, but I know what I saw,” Minerva said, still furious.

“We believe you,” Poppy said reassuringly. “But I also think Xiomara has a point. Let’s not react too quickly. Best to have actual proof of them together than to go in with just a dress on the hotel room floor. That way they can’t lie to you. Besides, you wouldn’t want to throw out accusations that are not true, right?”

Minerva paced as Poppy spoke and her anger started to fade. Her heart hurt but she wouldn’t let herself think on it. As far as she was concerned Albus had broken their marriage vows. Though both Xia and Poppy thought there could be an explanation, there is nothing that she knew of which could explain having another woman’s clothes on his hotel room floor and rumpled sheets. Still, they did have a point about having visual evidence. It might kill her to see it, but if she went charging in now and he came up with some excuse where she had to forgive him, she didn’t know that she could ever trust him again.

Feeling suddenly very tired, Minerva sat down. “Let’s have dinner brought in. I’m not in much of a mood for traipsing around the city.”

Xiomara seemed to think this was an excellent idea and started to search for a menu. “And to lighten things up, I say we all get some Flaming Phoenixes. My treat!”

Poppy and Minerva looked at one another. It probably wasn’t the best idea with a busy day ahead. “Come on, live a little,” Xiomara prodded.

Well, they had been rather good, after all.

A/N: And the plot thickens…dun dun dun! We hope you enjoyed this chapter! And as a special note…HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO LISA TODAY (August 21)…the other half of Hogwarts Duo!

[revolutionaryetude]

Yeah I knew switching rooms was going to be a bad idea. OH and what was Aurelia thinking putting her hands on Albus. Keep up the good work.

[QuillofMinerva]

I want to hex Aurelia. Her behaviour is terrible. She knows he is a married man.

Yep, I knew switching rooms would be a bad idea. Just asking for trouble, Albus.

Looking forward to reading more.

Happy Birthday Lisa.

Toodles

[MinervaMcGonagall]

Aggh!! I want to read more.

Excellent story. I can't stand Aurelia. Albus is acting like an idiot. I cant wait to see when Minerva confronts Albus.

[Herzele]

Yep, that switching rooms went very wrong indeed ... Albus should have known better ...

Wonderful update!! Can't wait to read more!

And HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Lisa!!

[Blue]

wonderful update, can't wait to read more. Can't help but feel a little sorry for Albus, after all he hasn't really done anything wrong, but still I feel terrible for Minerva Update soon!!!!

[MMADfan]

Cripes! It seems as though Albus's commendable impulses to be helpful and a gentleman are fated to bring him grief here! First, saying that he would present the paper at the conference (which he kinda had to do -- though he should have told Francois, or whatever his name was, that he had to talk to Minerva first; she still wouldh have hated it, but she would likely have agreed that he had to present the paper, and they could have worked something else out between them), and then so courteously offering to switch rooms with Aurelia (but then not taking care of his own stuff!!! *thunk* *head-desk*), also a very good thing to have done, in and of itself, but sheesh! the consequences!

And Aurelia -- she's too touchy-feely for even a warm, touchy-feely sort of person. It's one thing to be physically demonstrative, and another to essentially be groping and feeling up somebody -- especially another woman's husband. Sheesh!

However, as shocking and distressing as what she saw was, I am pleased that Minerva didn't entirely fly off the handle. It shows the depth of her faith in Albus (and justifiably so, too -- though she hasn't necessarily behaved like she trusts him up to this point -- though that could be her dislike of Aurelia coming through) that she did not immediately go ballistic. I'm proud of her here!

I have to say that I find Albus more than a little dense about everything, but I think he's just focussing on the wrong things -- if he doesn't recognize Aurelia's predatory leanings here, it's likely because he's thinking so much about Minerva and feeling so bad about the way they parted and all. Poor guy!

Well, as I was sick yesterday with a migraine, it was nice to get up and see you had posted this yesterday while I was lying on my back with a hot pack on my forehead! Started off my day very nicely! Now if my headache will simply stay away for the rest of today, I will be very happy!

[furandfeathers]

oh dear. He should be hexed. Just for being dumb! I love this story, and please update soon, I can't wait to read what happens next. I definitely think that Albus should suffer a little... or a lot... for what he's done! And Aurelia.... bat bogey hex perhaps?

[Hogwarts Duo]

CHAPTER 6—Post 1 of 2

Minerva woke up with a splitting headache and cracked open just one eye. Her head was pounding incessantly and in time to the loud snores emanating from Xiomara Hooch. Poppy, who was sharing the bed with Xia, had placed a pillow over her head as a sound barrier. Obviously she had not woken up long enough to cast a silencing spell on her friend or she had felt it would be wrong to do so. Having no such reservations herself, Minerva quickly picked up her wand and pointed it at the sleeping witch. When the blessed sound of silence filled the room, she let out a sigh of relief.

She placed her feet on the floor and stood. Note to self, she thought wryly, do not drink more than one Flaming Phoenix in a night. She moved to the liquor cabinet and nearly smiled when her blurry vision alighted upon a hangover potion. She broke the cap and downed the contents just as another unopened bottle appeared to take its place. Immediately her vision cleared and her headache receded.

Looking at the clock, she realized they had all overslept. They only had one hour to get three witches ready with one bathroom. Deciding the others could fend for themselves, Minerva entered the bathroom and took a very hot shower. Her thoughts were centered on the day’s events. They were going spying at breakfast, would have a nice lunch out, and perhaps attend a few of the seminars, and then finish with some more spying for dinner, or rather at dinner. Of course, the last part hinged on whether they could find out which restaurant the two were headed to.

Toweling off and moving to the mirror, Minerva realized she looked like hell. She had massive smudges under her eyes, eyes which were bloodshot, and her skin was pale and tired looking. It was a good thing they were going to use glamours to move around. If she didn’t, she might actually be mistaken for a hag. With careful precision, Minerva cast the spells she needed and smiled at the results. With brown hair, bright blue eyes and a nice olive complexion, she looked very nice indeed.

She exited the bathroom just as Poppy moved from the bed. Xiomara was still out cold, and luckily she was still silent. Minerva headed over to the bar and took out another hangover remedy, the one which had appeared to replace her own. She handed it over to a grateful looking Poppy.

“You’d best hurry, not much time until we need to leave. I’ll wake Xia,” Minerva said after Poppy had emptied the vial.

Poppy looked panicked and, with a hastily called thank you, headed into the bathroom herself. Minerva, for her part, was grinning madly as she headed over to Xia. Just because the sleeping witch couldn’t talk, it didn’t mean she couldn’t hear. And on top of it, though Poppy and Minerva had discussed their glamours extensively, Xia had been bored with the conversation and had left them part way through, therefore she really didn’t know what either of them would end up looking like. So while Poppy had shown no surprise at the ‘stranger’ in their room, Xiomara was sure to be quite put off.

“Oh, Xia, darling, it’s time to get up,” Minerva called out in a singsong voice, just before the sound of a rather loud gong rent the air.

Xiomara went shooting up in the bed only to grab her head a moment later as pain radiated through. She cracked one eye, just as Minerva had done earlier, and it looked murderously upon a grinning witch. Of course, less than a second later she had grabbed her wand and pointed it at her.

“Don’t worry, it’s just me,” Minerva said loudly between bouts of laughter. “I have already applied my glamour.”

Xia’s mouth began to move, but nothing came out, which was just fine with Minerva since whatever she was saying didn’t look very pleasant anyway. And when Xiomara grabbed at her throat and then lunged for her, Minerva doubled over laughing as she skittered out of the way. Quickly grabbing a hangover remedy and handing to her friend who was now on the floor, she released the silencing spell.

“…bloody kill you.”

“Are you through?” Minerva asked sweetly.

Xiomara downed the contents of the vial and took a deep breath. “Quite.”

“Well, you only have thirty minutes to get ready, so I suggest you hurry.”

Xia sprang up, her rude awakening forgotten, and sprinted for the bathroom. Chaos ensued when she entered, but things quieted down shortly, and Minerva was soon dressing in a pair of nice robes which had been charmed a different color. She looked down at her hand and the elegant gold band that adorned it. She had put it on the same day the students left. However, it would be necessary to take it off to complete her disguise.

As she slid it off and hid it in her baggage, she found her heart hurt even more. A little sleep had improved her disposition. Poppy and Xiomara had been right to state that Minerva should require more proof. There could be an explanation. She trusted Albus more than any other being on the planet, and he deserved to be innocent until proven guilty.

The two witches who had been bickering in the bathroom emerged looking quite nice in their glamours, and it distracted Minerva from her musings. Xiomara had long blond hair, gray eyes and a creamy complexion. She was quite the beauty, and Minerva knew she must be fuming at Poppy and Minerva for making her look so feminine. Poppy, on the other hand, had short silver hair and warm brown eyes, with a few more wrinkles than was usual. Her complexion was similar to that of Minerva.

After they had dressed, everyone headed out the door silently. There wasn’t much to talk about, and Minerva’s thoughts drifted to what was ahead. They had decided she would assume her cat form, and Poppy would cast a glamour on her. It would be easier for her to get close that way. Poppy and Xia would find somewhere to sit, but might not manage to get close enough. Still, their presence would help Minerva get through what needed to be done.

Soon, they had found the restaurant; Aurelia was not far off in her estimate of it being around the corner. They backtracked a bit into a deserted corner after seeing that their two targets had not arrived yet.

“I decided to make you entirely white, with blue eyes similar to what you already have with your glamour. Patterned fur would be difficult, and I don’t want to take any chances with it not holding. I’ll need to pick you up once you transform so that I can get an idea of your shape. I have never put a glamour on a cat before and being familiar with your features will help me a great deal,” Poppy stated.

“I fully expected as much. Are you ready?” Minerva questioned.

At the mediwitch’s nod, Minerva transformed. She felt her friend’s hands wrap around her as she picked her up off the ground. Once she was securely positioned in her arms, one hand wandered over her body as Poppy familiarized herself with Minerva’s cat form. It felt nice and she began to purr.

Xiomara snickered, but stopped when she realized Minerva was looking at her through narrowed cat eyes. “Now don’t forget, we will be around. Once Albus and Aurelia arrive, we will try to find a table as close as possible,” Xiomara stated as she confirmed their plans while distracting Minerva from her recent laughter. “Also, you might want to prepare yourself in case Aurelia gets a little too close to Albus. Based on your previous encounters, and what you saw last night, it is entirely likely that she will be quite friendly with him.”

At the mention of Aurelia’s name and her possible actions, Minerva’s claws dug into Poppy’s arm. She would scratch the witch if she so much as breathed in Albus’ direction.

“Do I need to declaw you?” Poppy asked threateningly.

Minerva’s ears flattened, giving her obvious opinion on the matter. However, she soon butted her head on her friend’s arm in a show of good will.

“Very well, but do be careful and don’t hurt anyone.” Poppy said as she set Minerva down. “No matter what you hear, just remember that Azkaban is not a retirement home.”

Minerva stretched as Poppy began to cast the glamour over her. The magic tickled her fur, and she felt the need to rub against the ground. However, before she acted on her instincts, Xiomara leaned down and gave her back a quick rub. “A little scratch never hurt anyone,” she whispered so Poppy would not hear.

Minerva meowed in agreement and trotted off toward the restaurant so she could place herself right in the middle of things.

She had only been milling about in the open café for a few moments when she sensed Albus’magic long before she ever heard his voice. In times past it would have been music to her ears, the sweet sound of his soothing voice as he spoke gently and with such compassion and emotion. If she’d been in her human form, she might have blushed as her mind filled with remembrances of softly whispered words in the dark of night as they lay together, naked and sated…so very happy.

Turning around and sniffing, as if detecting the delicious scent of salmon in the air, she spotted Albus. He was always easy to detect in a crowd, thanks to his rather outlandish style of dress, though these robes were among some of his less colorful ones. And of course, snuggling into his side was Aurelia, beaming as if she belonged there. Minerva could feel her hackles raising as she caught Aurelia looking intently at Albus as he procured a table for them and held out the chair for her.

As soon as Poppy and Xiomara caught a glimpse of Albus and the other woman, they made their move to secure a table nearby for themselves. They were most unfortunate to lose the only table close to their targets to a young couple, no doubt honeymooners, based on the way they groped each other in public…or so Xiomara remarked rather loudly, earning her a stern rebuke from Poppy.

The table they were given was situated more towards the street where the hustle and bustle of the city life kept them from overhearing a single word of the conversation. More than once, Poppy had to remind her cohort in crime that staring was not going to be effective and that they would simply have to trust Minerva to remain in control of her emotions. Neither witch truly believed it possible, especially if Aurelia started to make a move towards something more than friendship.

Minerva searched the café and quickly located her best friends. She smiled to herself as she overheard Xiomara grousing about the young lovers and how they should get a room if they wanted to have a good shag. Leave it to Xiomara, the one witch who had probably done more daring things in public, to pick this particular time and place to start pointing fingers at others. Comforted by the fact that Poppy seemed to be reeling her back into stealth mode, Minerva meowed and turned her attention back to her husband and his former lover.

She watched from a short distance away as they perused the menus leisurely. She did not miss how Aurelia seemed to want to continuously touch Albus’ arm or hand when she found something which sounded particularly enticing. However, she was pleased to note how the favor was not returned. Instead of initiating any flirtatious contact with her, Albus merely leaned over slightly and pointed to the item on the menu. That would have been all well and good if Aurelia had actually been looking at the menu. Instead, her full attention was devoted to the man sitting with her. It was the look of a woman very intrigued by the man and not the conversation.

After placing their order, the two old friends seemed to slip into a comfortable silence, at least that’s how it would look to Xiomara and Poppy. To Minerva, though, things looked much different. From her vantage point as a feline, she was able to see what went on beneath the table and her heart began to beat much faster than before. Be it from anger or hurt, she wasn’t exactly sure but she had agreed to spy on her husband no matter how painful it might become.

[Hogwarts Duo]

Post 2 of 2

As the light conversation started up once more, Minerva moved closer to her targets, milling about as if looking for a wayward mouse or perhaps a friendly diner. It was then that she noticed Aurelia’s legs beginning to stretch out beneath the table. That wasn’t so unusual. Often times sitting in one spot caused Minerva’s legs to grow restless, but she did not expect the witch to so openly flirt with a married man by rubbing her leg against his.

Albus jumped slightly as he felt Aurelia’s foot brush against his leg, and without calling attention to the movement, he simply brushed it off as an accident and continued on with his train of thought. When it happened again, he no doubt thought that perhaps she felt a bit cramped. Sliding his chair slightly back from the table and once again moving his own legs out of her way, he continued on with the conversation.

Minerva had seen more than enough. Stealthily she moved closer to their table and was pleased to hear Albus discussing Hogwarts and various colleagues Aurelia might have met during their time together. It wasn’t an intimate conversation at all, but one she would have expected to overhear between people who shared a common history of people, places and events. She was almost ready to return to Xiomara and Poppy when she noticed Aurelia’s restless legs once more.

That was it for Minerva. She had reached her breaking point and decided to teach the old woman a lesson she might not soon forget. Aurelia had just slipped her foot out of her sandal, probably for another pass at Albus, and Minerva, not willing to stand back and let her enemy successfully stalk her prey, unsheathed her claws and waited.

Not a moment later, Aurelia’s bare foot made a move and so did Minerva. Sharp claws met bare skin, causing the woman to scream in pain and shock. Albus, not knowing what had happened at all, jumped quickly to his feet as an unnoticed Minerva scampered off towards the table near the street. She paused in the shadow of a bush to watch with glee as Aurelia patted her foot with a napkin. She hadn’t meant to draw blood, but she wasn’t exactly sorry for it either. Maybe that would teach the hormonal old hag to dally with another woman’s husband!

As soon as she reached the table where her curious friends sat, she jumped into Poppy’s lap and gave a loud mew, signaling them that it was time to retreat and perhaps discuss their options.

“Merlin Min…what did you do to her? Wait, let me guess. You interrupted a game of footsie with those sharp claws of yours,” Poppy announced nervously.

“Good for you! ’Bout time someone dug their claws into the battleaxe and let her suffer a bit. You’ve certainly done enough of that at her hand. It’s time she had the favor returned. I’m proud of you!” Xiomara reached out and took Minerva from Poppy’s arms, giving her a big hug. “Now, how about we go to the bakery around the corner and you can tell us what you saw and heard. I dare say the tramp won’t try the footsie game any more today,” she giggled as they started down the street.

When they reached a safe alcove, Minerva transformed back and Poppy applied the appropriate glamours.

“Minerva, you must tell us what caused you to claw Aurelia,” Poppy demanded once they were back on their way.

“Did they say anything incriminating?” Xiomara asked curiously.

“Yes, I am fine after my ordeal,” Minerva huffed. However, she couldn’t stay upset long as she was still elated from giving some back to that gussied up witch. “Actually, nothing was said that wasn’t out of the ordinary,” Minerva replied.

“Really,” Xiomara said, sounding like she was a bit disappointed.

“Really,” Minerva answered with an edge to her voice.

“I didn’t mean that the way it came out.”

“Hmmm,” Minerva sounded as she eyed her friend. “They spoke about colleagues and Hogwarts…but Aurelia decided to throw in a game of footsie.”

“I knew it,” Poppy said gleefully. “Oh, and I didn’t mean that the way it came out either.”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say both of you want Albus to be found guilty.”

“Now, you know…” Xiomara started.

“…we would never…” Poppy continued.

“However,” Minerva interrupted loudly, “I will just chalk this up to the two of you enjoying spying a bit too much. Now, if I can continue.”

Both of the witches looked chastised and nodded just as they reached the bakery. “After a few attempts on her part, which Albus rebuked, she actually removed her shoe to try again and that is when I struck. It may have been a bit harsher than I had planned but she deserved it.” Minerva sounded positively gleeful and she repeated the story of her attack. “This does leave us with conflicting information though.”

“Yes,” Xiomara said carefully. “Albus rebuked her attempts of intimacy at breakfast but that doesn’t explain what you found in his rooms. And their conversation gave no hints to their current relationship. What do you want to do?”

“Let’s get some breakfast first, and then we can plan our next course of action,” Minerva responded.

After purchasing some bread and cheese, the three witches walked along the street not saying much as they took in the sights of an awakening city. They reached a pretty garden that had a fountain with some benches, and they all sat and began to eat. The bread was crusty and the cheese smooth. Minerva hummed her appreciation as the tastes mingled in her mouth.

“I think we need to do some more research,” Minerva said after a few more bites of breakfast. “I’m just not sure what is going on, with Albus anyway. Aurelia is obviously attempting to lure him into her bed.”

“I agree,” Poppy spoke up between bites of her own.

“What about attending his presentation?” Xiomara suggested. “Aurelia might attend, as well, and if you can get a seat close to her, maybe she will let something slip.”

“Unlikely,” Poppy responded.

“Still,” Minerva said thoughtfully, “if I could get her talking…”

“Oh, no, I can just see what a disaster that would be,” Poppy exclaimed looking horrified.

“I can stay calm,” Minerva quipped, defending herself. “And we don’t have many chances left. I need to use every opportunity I can.”

“I suppose,” Poppy agreed reluctantly.

“Look at him,” Xiomara suddenly whispered.

Thinking she had spotted Albus, Minerva glanced over to where Xia was pointing. She was disappointed to find that there was only a man walking his dog. Looking back at her friend to find out what the big deal was, she immediately noticed the spark in her eyes and sighed. This could only mean that Xia had found her next conquest.

“We are supposed to be helping Minerva,” Poppy said as she rolled her eyes.

“I know, but we have several hours until Albus gives his presentation, and what harm is there in enjoying ourselves for a bit?”

Not waiting for an answer, Xiomara was up and walking in the direction of the man in question. Minerva and Poppy watched as Xia struck up a conversation, though it looked stilted. When she leaned down and stroked the man’s dog, Minerva knew that they would not be seeing her for some time.

“Does she even speak Italian?” Poppy asked in amazement.

“I’m sure she knows enough for what she is after,” Minerva replied.

Both women looked at each other with horrified expressions on their faces from what Minerva said before they burst out laughing. As they peeled over in giggles, they missed Xiomara taking the man’s arm as he led her away.

“I can’t believe I said that,” Minerva gasped.

“Oh, I can.”

Poppy had tears streaming down her face, but was the first to compose herself. She held out a handkerchief to Minerva when she had recovered sufficiently as well. The two women sat in silence as they finished up their meal.

“I needed that,” Minerva spoke quietly.

“I think we all did,” Poppy responded. “You have handled everything so well.”

“I don’t feel like I have.”

“You are so strong, and much braver than anyone else I know. I think I would have just stayed home coming up with horrible scenarios and weeping,” Poppy said as she took Min’s hand.

“Without you two here, I probably would have” The two friends smiled weepily at each other.

“Let’s look around,” Poppy suggested. “We have hours until we have to return to the hotel, and I haven’t been here in ages.”

“That sounds like a lovely idea.”

A/N: And the games have begun! Hope this chapter lived up to your expectations. Thanks so much for all the reviews! We’re going to try to post the next chapter Tuesday or Wednesday! Have a great weekend!

[furandfeathers]

Yes! Go Minerva! Haha, I love that she clawed her... great update, I can't wait to read the next one

[Blue]

I really am enjoying this fic!! I can't believe how excited I was to see an update!! I really hope Min goes to the conference and talks to Aurelia, I'd love to know what that old hag would tell Min. Update soon! Not too soon though, I couldn't handle the excitement LOL

[revolutionaryetude]

HE HE yea Minerva should really sink more than her claws in that woman. I hope she gets cat scratch fever.

[Herzele]

Yay, you go Min!! Served Aurelia right ... ;D Even if she maybe is a nice person - I haven't completely made up my mind yet - she should soooooo not grope a married man like that and even play footsie ...

Great update!!