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SURPRISE!
Chapter 7
Many of the teachers rushed back to their private chambers to shower and get changed for the ball. Many had rushed out to buy their robes at the last minute what with all the fuss over homework, course work and meetings to keep up with. Albus had warned them of a "snow" ball so they had naturally bought velvet robes and furs to keep them warm instead of the usual silks and fine materials that one would normally associate with balls. The students had been advised in their Hogwarts letters to wear warm robes too. Minerva had questioned Albus about this ball many times and Albus had just shrugged and said cheerfully, "At times like this, we all need a bit of cheer." So she had suspected nothing.
Poppy and Rolanda were getting ready for the ball in Rolanda's quarters. At Five to five, both women were ready having showered and done their hair up before the meeting. All they really had to do was put on their Make-up, dress robes and shoes. Poppy was finished first so she was off down the corridor to Minerva's chambers to prepare everything quietly. Rolanda took longer because she was hoping to impress a certain Potions Master. Poppy crept inside Minerva's chambers and laid her dress over the Italian-made couch. She gathered all her make-up and spread it over the dresser for Minerva to choose. Rolanda arrived a few seconds later who had bought Minerva's shoes and put them beside the couch joined poppy. After, she ran into the bathroom and started to run her a bath. With everything ready, Poppy began to stir Minerva.
"Min, wake up!" Minerva mumbled something incoherent.
"Come on Tab's!" Poppy coaxed and started to poke her friend in the side.
"Don't call me that either!" Minerva muttered and slapped her friends' hand. "Come on, were taking you out!" said Poppy firmly.
"You forgot my Birthday, you think I'm going to forgive you that easily?" she replied stormily.
"You will when you see what we've got in store for you Min!" called Rolanda from the bathroom. Minerva turned over and put her pillow over her head.
"Ro, I need help!" shouted Poppy to the flight instructor.
"I know that Poppy, I've been telling you for years!"
"NOT that sort of help!" Rolanda grinned at her friend as she plucked a quill from Minerva's desk and strode over to her bed. She started to tickle Minerva's neck and Minerva turned over and swotted her on the arm.
"Stop it, the both of you!" she said angrily to the pair of them.
"We shall only stop it when you get up and get in the bath!" retorted Rolanda and crossed her arms.
"Fine!" Minerva stormed over to the bathroom and shut the door with a snap.
"Don't be too long, the show starts at six!" shouted Rolanda through the door.
"Show?" inquired Poppy.
"It'll make her think were off to see something," she shrugged and started to make her bed. Ten minutes later once her temper had subsided, Minerva was out the bath. As soon as she saw them she stared at them. She never realised before when they awoke her that they were all dressed up.
"You both look great in those outfits," she commented. Rolanda was wearing a strapless deep red dress that hugged her curvy figure with a velvet shawl and her hair was done up in a French twist. Poppy was wearing periwinkle blue dress that hung on to her shoulders with a shawl, her hair done up in a plat at the back.
"We have one for you too, we thought you would look great in a dark velvety blue." said Poppy and she showed her best friend the dress on the couch. Minerva bent down and touched it. It felt so good!
"Come on, we've got to get you dressed and ready. You put the dress on in the bathroom and when you return, Poppy will do you're hair and I'll do you're make-up. We're going full out tonight!" Rolanda said excitedly. Minerva smiled a full smile for the fist time that day. She felt quite excited as to what they had in store for her. It was only when she sat down at her dressing table that she saw a younger version of herself appear in the mirror. Minerva gasped and asked what they had done to make this happen. Both women just smiled mysteriously and said that they would explain everything later. Once both women had worked their magic on her, Minerva simply looked divine.
"Swear you were a princess in another life!" admired Poppy and Minerva twirled around and admired herself in the long mirror.
At Ten to six, all three women made their way down to the great hall. Albus paced in his office. He too had taken the same potion Severus had made for Minerva and now he had to wait for another fifteen minutes until it was time to go down to the great hall. By now, all the teachers should be almost ready and are making their way down to the great hall with all the students in toe, he thought. Aberforth walked through his fire causing Albus to jump in fright.
"Sorry old man, didn't mean to scare you! I say you look fantastic! Minerva will love you more for this!" said Aberforth and slapped his big brother on the back.
"I sure hope so, I'm nervous that something will go wrong!" Albus confessed and started pacing again.
"Oh, Albus, there really is no need to be nervous! Everything had worked perfectly. The family is here, the kids are settled into the hall, Filius is ready and above all, Minerva's nearly ready. Trust me," said Aberforth soothingly.
"Last time you said 'Trust me' we ended up with a pair of goats living in the spare bedroom," Albus said dryly.
"That was different. Anyway, it wasn't so bad." Aberforth replied defensively.
"Albus, you've fought wars and not blinked an eye! Stop being a wuss!" shouted Dilly's from the portrait behind his desk.
"She's right you know," agreed Everard standing up to take a good look at the man standing in front of his portrait. Albus sighed nervously.
"Well ladies and gentlemen, it is time." said Aberforth and the portraits started to cheer Albus on out the door.
Making their way down the stairs, Minerva kept asking questions about what they were going to see.
"Oh it is one of the best shows in town!" replied Rolanda giving Poppy a slight wink.
"Abserloutly, you will love it!" she joined on.
"But what is it about?" asked Minerva excitedly.
"Oh you will see. I need to pop into the great hall and ask Abby if she got me a camera yesterday in town" Rolanda lied to steer them into the Great Hall.
"Does Albus know about this?" she asked her two best friends.
"Oh yes, we asked him last week!" said Poppy airily.
"But I thought...Oh Merlin!" gasped Minerva as she saw the great hall roll in to view. Everyone was there. It had been transformed into an ice hall!
"Happy Birthday Minerva!" the two witches whispered in her ears as she stared around in amazement as to what her colleagues had done to the great hall. Ice chairs and tables that had different coloured candles which flashed different colours on them, Ice floor, snow piled up against the walls and over the trees, the enchanted ceiling was snowing; it reminded her of a crystal palace her and Albus had once visited years ago. And speaking of Albus, he looked 50 years younger... The students cheered once they had seen her at the door. Poppy and Rolanda stood either side of her and walked her up to the end of the isle where Albus, Aberforth and Filius were standing. Albus sucked in his breath at the sight of her. She looked beautiful. Once they had reached the top she walked over to Albus and kissed him. The audience had died down once they saw Albus was about to speak.
"Minerva my wife, I have been married to you for fifty years. You have stood by my side like a rock throughout the hard times; you have mothered my children and mentored all those who have passed through these doors. I wish for you to renew our vows of love and trust as your fiftieth anniversary gift," said Albus to the women of his dreams. "I love you,"
Minerva felt so over whelmed by the small speech. Looking around the silent crowd of students, staff and family, she saw the anticipation on their faces.
"Oh course I will you old fool!" she laughed and kissed him then they both turned to Filius who was standing on some books made of ice to lift him above their knees to their heads. Minerva laughed again when she saw the sculpture. Rolanda went to sit with their other colleagues on the nearest table. Severus had saved Rolanda a seat next to him and beckoned her to sit with him. Poppy went to sit next to her husband Alastor Moody on the table next to the staff.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today for the renewal of the wedding vowels." Filius started. Throughout the whole ceremony, the students sat quietly and watched the happy couple renew their vowels. The staff watched contentedly as they saw that everything had gone according to plan and that once again, Albus was right. Minerva was happy when she found out about her surprise. Although, the best bit was yet to come.
Once the ceremony had finished, Albus lead Minerva over to a secluded table to themselves while the crowd clapped and cheered. Over the din they could here the Weasley twins cat calling and whistling.
"Ladies and gentlemen, could I have your attention please. Thank you," shouted Aberforth over the noise and everyone immediately died down. "Thank you for being so patient with us, now let the feast begin!"
All at once the menu's appeared on the tables with the plates, knives and forks. Everyone sixth year and above already knew what to do as they had been shown at the previous ball during the triwizard tournament. Once the lower years had got the hang of it, they went back for more.
"Thank you so much for this Albus." Minerva said softy to him from across the table.
"You didn't really think I could forget our wedding anniversary let alone you're birthday," grinned Albus. "Pork chops, gravy, peas, carrots and mash potato's" he said to the menu and they appeared on his plate.
"So this is what the 'ball' was all about?" she asked mischievously.
"Abserloutly. I've been planning this for months and it has turned out perfect." Minerva smiled.
"Well who would have thought it, McGonagall and Dumbledore were married with kids!" said Ron with mash potato rolling around in his mouth.
"Ron do you have to eat while you're talking?" Hermione sniffed.
"Sorry, but really, who would have thought it?"
"I would have, I think it's sweet and what a way to say 'Happy anniversary' too" replied Hermione with a dreamy look on her face.
"I makes sense too, I thought they were just good friends." Harry piped up.
"I suppose. Did you too know anything about this?" Ron asked his brothers.
"What us dear brother?" grinned Fred while helping himself to some more carrots.
"Why yes little brother!" replied George with the air of surprise.
"And you never told us?"
"If we had have told you, I would have gone around the school like wild fire and ruin the whole surprise. Besides we swore on our future prank shop to Madam Hooch."
"That explains why you never told me!" said Lee Jordan in mock anger and the others laughed.
"I'm so happy it turned out all right! I wonder what song their going to sing," sighed Sophia happily as she finished her chicken leg. The staff had been wondering about this other song that The Flyers were supposedly going to sing ever since Albus mentioned it in the great hall that morning.
"Perhaps it's a new song?" suggested Severus.
"What after all these years? I thought they stopped releasing records," replied Marcus while finishing his fine red wine.
"Perhaps it's a song we never herd of? One the never released at all?" said Rolanda thoughtfully.
"Could be."
Aberforth stood up once again to make an announcement once everybody had finished their meals. Once he had caught everyone's attention by standing in an odd position (Imagine an old rock star pose), he called upon everybody to sing Minerva 'happy birthday'.
"Ahh thank you very much everybody and now, for some much more satisfactory music, we have The Flyers!" he announced and four old wizards and one witch dressed in Christmas gear walked onto the stage behind the book statue.
"Oh my Albus! You did this for me?" squealed Minerva happily to her husband.
"I certainly did!" and he got up, kissed her on the cheek then walked onto the stage and picked up the microphone.
"I dedicate this song to my beautiful wife, Minerva."
The crowed went wild at the prospect of their headmaster singing a song for his wife. Minerva couldn't believe it. Her heart was beating so fast she thought she might faint! The band stuck up behind him and Albus began to sing.
"You're just too good to be true,
Can't take my eye's off of you,
You'd be like heaven to touch,
I want to hold you so much,
At long last love has arrived,
AndI thank god I'm alive,
You're just too good to be true,
Can't take my eyes off of you."
Under the staff table, Severus inter-twined his hand with Rolanda's and she blushed which made her look even more pretty. Minerva looked at her husband as he sang in a deep rich voice to her as tears of happiness rolled down her cheek.
"Pardon the way that I stare.
There's nothing else to compare.
The sight of you leaves me weak.
There are no words left to speak.
But if you feel like how I feel.
Please let me know that it's real.
You're just too good to be true.
Can't take my eyes off you."
Many of the students had got up to dance and soon there was not enough room for everyone else to dance so Aberforth made half of the tables disappear near the stage.
"May I have this dance?" asked Severus quietly to Rolanda.
"You certainly can,"
"I love you baby,
And if it's quite all right,
I need you baby to warm a lonely night.
I love you baby.
Trust in me when I say:
Oh pretty baby,
don't bring me down I pray.
Oh pretty baby,
now that I found you, stay.
And let me love you baby let me love you..."
Albus walked to the edge of the stage and offered his hand to his wife. Minerva smiled gracefully and climbed up onto the stage as he sang to her.
"You're just too good to be true,
Can't take my eye's off of you,
You'd be like heaven to touch,
I want to hold you so much,
At long last love has arrived,
AndI thank god I'm alive,
You're just too good to be true,
Can't take my eyes off of you."
Fred and George started going around levitating pieces of mistletoe above couples, teachers in particular. So when they spotted Snape and Hooch dancing closely together, they decided they would catch them out.
"I love you baby,
And if it's quite all right,
I need you baby to warm a lonely night.
I love you baby.
Trust in me when I say:
Oh pretty baby, don't bring me down I pray.
Oh pretty baby, now that I found you, stay.
And let me love you baby let me love you..."
"Oh look, I wonder who could have put that mistletoe above us?" said Rolanda sarcastically. Severus smirked in amusement.
"You know, sometimes, I swear they can read my mind!" he replied and kissed her in front of everyone. Whispers spread throughout the great hall like a wild bush fire roaring out of control. Albus gave Minerva a long kiss and told the band to
"Take it away," which they did. Loud cheers resounded throughout the great hall once he had finished and they both walked down to congratulate Severus and Rolanda. Poppy came running over with Alastor and gave both the headmaster and his wife a big hug. They spent the remainder of the night on the dance floor with their memories and their Friends and family just waltzing through the crowd.
At the end of the evening, Albus took Minerva outside to watch the stars as the sky had cleared from snowing all day.
"Thank you Albus for the second best night of my life!" Minerva sighed happily into her husbands' robes.
"Second?" Albus' eyebrows shot up.
"Well, I loved the first night we were married" she giggled and gave him a wink.
"Ahh! Well there's plenty more where that came from!" he grinned, winked back and carried her off to their chambers.
The End
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