Post by Hogwarts Duo on Nov 2, 2005 12:19:29 GMT -5
My Lucky Charm
Summary: Albus is late for an important meeting at the Ministry. But what could have detained him and how is Minerva involved?
Rating: Safe for everyone!
Albus Dumbledore was late. Uncharacteristically and unequivocally late. He had an extremely important meeting with Cornelius Fudge, the newly elected Minister of Magic, this particular afternoon and it would not bode well for appearances if he didn’t appear on time or a little before. It would be the first official meeting between the head of Hogwarts and the head of the Ministry since the overzealous man had been given the position. Albus had turned it down on more than one occasion so it was imperative that he not be late for the meeting, as appearances could sometimes say more than words.
But that was of no consequence to him at the moment. There was no way he could attend that meeting without finding his beloved lost treasure first. In his desperate search, he had turned his rooms upside down, inside out looking for the most important thing he owned. The books had been cleared from their shelves and neatly stacked. Though he couldn’t imagine the small object finding its way behind one of them, but no matter. His usually cluttered desk had been straightened, more than once, producing no results. Clothing, which usually littered select parts of his floor were placed either in the laundry bin or the wardrobe, but only after each and every secret pocket had been checked thrice. Even the area beneath his rather large bed had been swept clean, allowing him to further inspect the dark area but to no avail.
For the fifth time in less than an hour, Albus Dumbledore cried out for the object, hoping the simple summoning charm would produce the object he so desperately desired. Unfortunately, it yielded no results, much to his dismay. With the rooms a cluttered but somewhat orderly mess, he sank onto the sofa, searching his mind for any fragment of a clue as to the whereabouts of the object.
Let’s see…I had it with me when I met with the Wizengamot three weeks ago. I know this for a fact because I was instrumental in persuading them to see reason where the case against Frederick Barnes was brought up for discussion.
I remember taking it with me to the Ministry meeting, where I once again turned down the position of Minister of Magic. I distinctly remember holding it secretly in my hand as I gave my reasons for not wishing to leave my current job as Headmaster. It gave me a certain strength and the serenity needed to convince them I was right in my decision.
Minerva agreed to go out with me on a date not long after that so I’m sure it was in my possession then. After all, it was that delicate item which gave me the courage to face my fears of rejection. Without that, I am certain I would have failed, and miserably too.
Three nights ago, when I accompanied Minerva to her parents’ home for dinner, I tucked it away in my pocket. Her father and I hit it off quickly and her mother seemed rather amused with my jokes, no doubt thanks to my secret weapon once again. I returned to my rooms after walking Minerva to hers and I haven’t seen it since. But I’m positive I didn’t leave it in her rooms so I must have…oh wait…now I remember.
Albus glanced up at the clock. If he found the item quickly, he could still make an appearance at the Ministry meeting, though he’d need to think of a good excuse for his delay. It would not do to tell them the truth behind the matter, even though many of them already thought him a scatterbrained old fool. Rushing through the castle, he made his way towards Minerva’s rooms, hoping she would be there to greet him.
When he arrived and knocked briskly on her chamber doors, he was met with the greenest eyes, ones he could easily fall into and forget all space and time. But there was no room for pleasure at the moment. He had to find what he had lost, think of an excuse, and then dash to the meeting before too much was said about his tardiness.
“Albus, good heavens! What on earth is the matter?” Minerva ushered Albus into her chambers and steered him toward the sofa where she had been sitting.
“No time for explanations, my dear. Do you still have my outer robes from the other night?” His tone of voice was somewhat frazzled and Minerva wasn’t sure why but it made her a bit edgy too.
“Not any longer,” she said timidly as a blush crept into her cheeks. “I, well I realized you left it and had every intention of giving it back to you the next day. But, I ended up in your rooms that night instead of you visiting mine after dinner. When I woke up the next morning, it was gone, I’m sad to say.” Minerva smiled sweetly up at him. “I rather liked having something of yours in my rooms. It made me feel all warm and cozy inside,” she admitted freely.
“Believe me when I say I know exactly what you mean. But it’s crucial that I find that particular set of robes and immediately. Do you have any idea where they might be?”
“I’m assuming the house elves came in and took them away with my laundry. They’re probably somewhere in the wash by now. What’s so important about those robes anyway, Albus? Surely you have dozens and dozens to choose from. Besides that, those were soiled anyway. Remember the lipstick smudge I left on the collar before you took them off?” Minerva’s eyes sparkled as she watched Albus’ face morph into one of happiness and remembrance.
“May I borrow a bit of parchment and some ink my dear? I need to send an urgent owl to the Ministry, alerting them to the fact that I have been unavoidably detained for my meeting today with the new Minister.”
“Oh and am I the reason for your absence,” she asked suggestively. Minerva had hoped when he knocked upon her door that he was there on a purely social call. Since they had started dating, he had often popped by her office, her classroom, or her private chambers just to tell her he loved her or to spend as much time with her as possible.
“Yes, in a way you are. You see, I left something inside those robes that I need before I can attend this meeting and since the robes are now in the laundry…well you see my dilemma.”
Minerva stared at him, somewhat puzzled for a moment before daring to ask the question burning the tip of her tongue. “And what was in the pocket of your robes, Albus that is so critical to your meeting this afternoon?”
“You’ll laugh at me and quite possibly be angry once you have your answer so I’d rather not say.” Albus’ cheeks had turned pink from embarrassment as he thought how silly his answer might sound when spoken aloud.
Minerva took his hand and led him over to the sofa, motioning for him to sit before she crawled into his lap. “Now, hear me and hear me well, Albus Dumbledore! There is nothing you could say that would make me laugh AT you, with you perhaps, but never at you.” She leaned forward and kissed the tip of his nose, then his lips. “Now, what on earth has you so upset that you can’t even attend a silly meeting with Mr. Fudge?”
“I lost something terribly important to me. It was something of yours, I’m ashamed to admit.”
“Mine? What on earth could you possibly have of mine?”
“Had, my dear…had. I’ve lost it. Remember? It was your tartan handkerchief, the one with your initials and the lacy fringe. I kept it with me as a sort of good luck charm and in my carelessness I have misplaced it.” Albus dropped his head and waited for Minerva to scold him for, in essence, stealing something of hers.
“So you’ve had my handkerchief all this time? Albus, I lost that nearly five years ago. I had given up hope of ever seeing it again, though I was able to replace it with another.” She placed her fingers beneath his chin and lifted his head, forcing him to look her in the eyes. “But I still don’t understand. What made that specific handkerchief a good luck charm to you?”
“You probably don’t remember but it was Christmas Day night and we were in my rooms. You looked so beautiful with your hair down, your shoes off, the form fitting crimson robes,” his voice took on a poetic tone as he plunged deep into a memory. “We had just finished a game of chess, which you won as per usual. We had been sipping tea and cocoa, just enjoying the quiet moments and speaking for myself, the company.”
“I remember that day vividly, Albus. It was the first time you kissed me. You had helped me with my outer robe and were about to walk me to my chambers when a sprig of mistletoe appeared over my head. I didn’t remember seeing it hanging from the ceiling when I came in, though I wasn’t about to say as much.” She rested her head upon his shoulder, her breath tickling his neck. “Your lips were so soft against mine, yet determined. You tasted of a mixture of chocolate and peppermint, no doubt from the box of ice mice you had consumed. I felt so warm and tingly as you hugged me to your body and whispered Happy Christmas in my ear.”
“That moment has to be the happiest I had ever felt in my life, and my days have only gotten better since we started dating. I’m just sorry it took me so long to ask you out after that,” he said pressing a kiss to her temple and tightening his arms around her waist.
“So, how does my handkerchief fit into this scenario?”
“You left it on my sofa when you got up to leave. It must have slipped from your robes at some point. I kept it at first because it still held a trace of your sweet perfume and it reminded me of our kiss. Then, I was ashamed to return it because I had kept it for so long. For the longest time, I carried it in my pocket, with the intentions of returning it to you.” Albus shifted so he could look her directly in the eyes. “I had a particularly intense meeting at the Ministry regarding some rather serious matters and I found myself clutching your handkerchief in my hand. Somehow it gave me a peaceful feeling, knowing that I had a small part of you with me and suddenly my entire outlook changed for the better. I have carried it with me every day since.” He stopped and his eyes took on a sad look. “That is…until today.”
Minerva concentrated hard on the image of her newly found item. “Accio tartan handkerchief.” Minerva held out her hand and to Albus’ amazement, the delicate item he had spent hours searching for floated through the air and landed gently in her hand. “Is this what you were looking for?” He nodded his head, unspoken questions forming on his lips. “The house elves found it in the laundry and sent it back to me this morning with my things. I wondered where it came from so I went to ask. Wizzles told me she found it among your robes when she sorted the laundry.”
“Are you angry with me?” Albus could feel a fresh wave of uneasiness taking hold in the pit of his stomach.
“Why on earth would I be angry with you? I quite like the thought of being the calming force in your life, not to mention your good luck charm. I only wish I had learned of this earlier.”
“And why is that?”
“Well a knight carries his lady’s favor into battle and this lady would have been more than willing to grant a kiss to accompany the token item. Think of how much easier those meetings would have been with a kiss and my handkerchief,” she giggled.
“So does this mean I get to keep it?” Minerva nodded her head and gave him a wink.
“I find it rather romantic that you carry a representation of me with you wherever you go. As a matter of fact,” she said reaching into her robes, “I know exactly what it means to have something that belongs to the one you love.” Minerva pulled out a small purple bag from her pocket and dropped it into Albus’ palm.
“I remember this. I used to keep my sherbert lemons in it and then one day it was gone.”
“We were playing chess when you emptied it one night and like you, I decided to keep it.”
“I’ll make you a deal then, my dear. I’ll continue to carry your tartan handkerchief with me if you’ll promise to carry my candy bag with you.”
Minerva leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips, her arms wrapping around his neck as she deepened the kiss. When they broke apart, she rested her forehead against his. “I love the way you compromise, love.” He chuckled softly as he trailed kisses along her cheek towards her ear. “Mmmm, does this mean the meeting is cancelled with the Minister of Magic?” she purred.
“What meeting?” were the last words uttered for quite some time that afternoon.
The End.
A/N: This little plot bunny was born one night while Meredith and I were watching Perry Mason on the Hallmark Channel. Seems Perry carries a lucky handkerchief in his coat pocket whenever he tries a case and of course that sparked a discussion about whether or not Albus might do the same. And of course, it could only be Minerva’s handkerchief that he uses! Hope you enjoyed it!
Summary: Albus is late for an important meeting at the Ministry. But what could have detained him and how is Minerva involved?
Rating: Safe for everyone!
Albus Dumbledore was late. Uncharacteristically and unequivocally late. He had an extremely important meeting with Cornelius Fudge, the newly elected Minister of Magic, this particular afternoon and it would not bode well for appearances if he didn’t appear on time or a little before. It would be the first official meeting between the head of Hogwarts and the head of the Ministry since the overzealous man had been given the position. Albus had turned it down on more than one occasion so it was imperative that he not be late for the meeting, as appearances could sometimes say more than words.
But that was of no consequence to him at the moment. There was no way he could attend that meeting without finding his beloved lost treasure first. In his desperate search, he had turned his rooms upside down, inside out looking for the most important thing he owned. The books had been cleared from their shelves and neatly stacked. Though he couldn’t imagine the small object finding its way behind one of them, but no matter. His usually cluttered desk had been straightened, more than once, producing no results. Clothing, which usually littered select parts of his floor were placed either in the laundry bin or the wardrobe, but only after each and every secret pocket had been checked thrice. Even the area beneath his rather large bed had been swept clean, allowing him to further inspect the dark area but to no avail.
For the fifth time in less than an hour, Albus Dumbledore cried out for the object, hoping the simple summoning charm would produce the object he so desperately desired. Unfortunately, it yielded no results, much to his dismay. With the rooms a cluttered but somewhat orderly mess, he sank onto the sofa, searching his mind for any fragment of a clue as to the whereabouts of the object.
Let’s see…I had it with me when I met with the Wizengamot three weeks ago. I know this for a fact because I was instrumental in persuading them to see reason where the case against Frederick Barnes was brought up for discussion.
I remember taking it with me to the Ministry meeting, where I once again turned down the position of Minister of Magic. I distinctly remember holding it secretly in my hand as I gave my reasons for not wishing to leave my current job as Headmaster. It gave me a certain strength and the serenity needed to convince them I was right in my decision.
Minerva agreed to go out with me on a date not long after that so I’m sure it was in my possession then. After all, it was that delicate item which gave me the courage to face my fears of rejection. Without that, I am certain I would have failed, and miserably too.
Three nights ago, when I accompanied Minerva to her parents’ home for dinner, I tucked it away in my pocket. Her father and I hit it off quickly and her mother seemed rather amused with my jokes, no doubt thanks to my secret weapon once again. I returned to my rooms after walking Minerva to hers and I haven’t seen it since. But I’m positive I didn’t leave it in her rooms so I must have…oh wait…now I remember.
Albus glanced up at the clock. If he found the item quickly, he could still make an appearance at the Ministry meeting, though he’d need to think of a good excuse for his delay. It would not do to tell them the truth behind the matter, even though many of them already thought him a scatterbrained old fool. Rushing through the castle, he made his way towards Minerva’s rooms, hoping she would be there to greet him.
When he arrived and knocked briskly on her chamber doors, he was met with the greenest eyes, ones he could easily fall into and forget all space and time. But there was no room for pleasure at the moment. He had to find what he had lost, think of an excuse, and then dash to the meeting before too much was said about his tardiness.
“Albus, good heavens! What on earth is the matter?” Minerva ushered Albus into her chambers and steered him toward the sofa where she had been sitting.
“No time for explanations, my dear. Do you still have my outer robes from the other night?” His tone of voice was somewhat frazzled and Minerva wasn’t sure why but it made her a bit edgy too.
“Not any longer,” she said timidly as a blush crept into her cheeks. “I, well I realized you left it and had every intention of giving it back to you the next day. But, I ended up in your rooms that night instead of you visiting mine after dinner. When I woke up the next morning, it was gone, I’m sad to say.” Minerva smiled sweetly up at him. “I rather liked having something of yours in my rooms. It made me feel all warm and cozy inside,” she admitted freely.
“Believe me when I say I know exactly what you mean. But it’s crucial that I find that particular set of robes and immediately. Do you have any idea where they might be?”
“I’m assuming the house elves came in and took them away with my laundry. They’re probably somewhere in the wash by now. What’s so important about those robes anyway, Albus? Surely you have dozens and dozens to choose from. Besides that, those were soiled anyway. Remember the lipstick smudge I left on the collar before you took them off?” Minerva’s eyes sparkled as she watched Albus’ face morph into one of happiness and remembrance.
“May I borrow a bit of parchment and some ink my dear? I need to send an urgent owl to the Ministry, alerting them to the fact that I have been unavoidably detained for my meeting today with the new Minister.”
“Oh and am I the reason for your absence,” she asked suggestively. Minerva had hoped when he knocked upon her door that he was there on a purely social call. Since they had started dating, he had often popped by her office, her classroom, or her private chambers just to tell her he loved her or to spend as much time with her as possible.
“Yes, in a way you are. You see, I left something inside those robes that I need before I can attend this meeting and since the robes are now in the laundry…well you see my dilemma.”
Minerva stared at him, somewhat puzzled for a moment before daring to ask the question burning the tip of her tongue. “And what was in the pocket of your robes, Albus that is so critical to your meeting this afternoon?”
“You’ll laugh at me and quite possibly be angry once you have your answer so I’d rather not say.” Albus’ cheeks had turned pink from embarrassment as he thought how silly his answer might sound when spoken aloud.
Minerva took his hand and led him over to the sofa, motioning for him to sit before she crawled into his lap. “Now, hear me and hear me well, Albus Dumbledore! There is nothing you could say that would make me laugh AT you, with you perhaps, but never at you.” She leaned forward and kissed the tip of his nose, then his lips. “Now, what on earth has you so upset that you can’t even attend a silly meeting with Mr. Fudge?”
“I lost something terribly important to me. It was something of yours, I’m ashamed to admit.”
“Mine? What on earth could you possibly have of mine?”
“Had, my dear…had. I’ve lost it. Remember? It was your tartan handkerchief, the one with your initials and the lacy fringe. I kept it with me as a sort of good luck charm and in my carelessness I have misplaced it.” Albus dropped his head and waited for Minerva to scold him for, in essence, stealing something of hers.
“So you’ve had my handkerchief all this time? Albus, I lost that nearly five years ago. I had given up hope of ever seeing it again, though I was able to replace it with another.” She placed her fingers beneath his chin and lifted his head, forcing him to look her in the eyes. “But I still don’t understand. What made that specific handkerchief a good luck charm to you?”
“You probably don’t remember but it was Christmas Day night and we were in my rooms. You looked so beautiful with your hair down, your shoes off, the form fitting crimson robes,” his voice took on a poetic tone as he plunged deep into a memory. “We had just finished a game of chess, which you won as per usual. We had been sipping tea and cocoa, just enjoying the quiet moments and speaking for myself, the company.”
“I remember that day vividly, Albus. It was the first time you kissed me. You had helped me with my outer robe and were about to walk me to my chambers when a sprig of mistletoe appeared over my head. I didn’t remember seeing it hanging from the ceiling when I came in, though I wasn’t about to say as much.” She rested her head upon his shoulder, her breath tickling his neck. “Your lips were so soft against mine, yet determined. You tasted of a mixture of chocolate and peppermint, no doubt from the box of ice mice you had consumed. I felt so warm and tingly as you hugged me to your body and whispered Happy Christmas in my ear.”
“That moment has to be the happiest I had ever felt in my life, and my days have only gotten better since we started dating. I’m just sorry it took me so long to ask you out after that,” he said pressing a kiss to her temple and tightening his arms around her waist.
“So, how does my handkerchief fit into this scenario?”
“You left it on my sofa when you got up to leave. It must have slipped from your robes at some point. I kept it at first because it still held a trace of your sweet perfume and it reminded me of our kiss. Then, I was ashamed to return it because I had kept it for so long. For the longest time, I carried it in my pocket, with the intentions of returning it to you.” Albus shifted so he could look her directly in the eyes. “I had a particularly intense meeting at the Ministry regarding some rather serious matters and I found myself clutching your handkerchief in my hand. Somehow it gave me a peaceful feeling, knowing that I had a small part of you with me and suddenly my entire outlook changed for the better. I have carried it with me every day since.” He stopped and his eyes took on a sad look. “That is…until today.”
Minerva concentrated hard on the image of her newly found item. “Accio tartan handkerchief.” Minerva held out her hand and to Albus’ amazement, the delicate item he had spent hours searching for floated through the air and landed gently in her hand. “Is this what you were looking for?” He nodded his head, unspoken questions forming on his lips. “The house elves found it in the laundry and sent it back to me this morning with my things. I wondered where it came from so I went to ask. Wizzles told me she found it among your robes when she sorted the laundry.”
“Are you angry with me?” Albus could feel a fresh wave of uneasiness taking hold in the pit of his stomach.
“Why on earth would I be angry with you? I quite like the thought of being the calming force in your life, not to mention your good luck charm. I only wish I had learned of this earlier.”
“And why is that?”
“Well a knight carries his lady’s favor into battle and this lady would have been more than willing to grant a kiss to accompany the token item. Think of how much easier those meetings would have been with a kiss and my handkerchief,” she giggled.
“So does this mean I get to keep it?” Minerva nodded her head and gave him a wink.
“I find it rather romantic that you carry a representation of me with you wherever you go. As a matter of fact,” she said reaching into her robes, “I know exactly what it means to have something that belongs to the one you love.” Minerva pulled out a small purple bag from her pocket and dropped it into Albus’ palm.
“I remember this. I used to keep my sherbert lemons in it and then one day it was gone.”
“We were playing chess when you emptied it one night and like you, I decided to keep it.”
“I’ll make you a deal then, my dear. I’ll continue to carry your tartan handkerchief with me if you’ll promise to carry my candy bag with you.”
Minerva leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips, her arms wrapping around his neck as she deepened the kiss. When they broke apart, she rested her forehead against his. “I love the way you compromise, love.” He chuckled softly as he trailed kisses along her cheek towards her ear. “Mmmm, does this mean the meeting is cancelled with the Minister of Magic?” she purred.
“What meeting?” were the last words uttered for quite some time that afternoon.
The End.
A/N: This little plot bunny was born one night while Meredith and I were watching Perry Mason on the Hallmark Channel. Seems Perry carries a lucky handkerchief in his coat pocket whenever he tries a case and of course that sparked a discussion about whether or not Albus might do the same. And of course, it could only be Minerva’s handkerchief that he uses! Hope you enjoyed it!
love it! Great fic! 
I love it!
