PARTIES TO REMEMBER

PARTY 1

Albus Dumbledore had never enjoyed the Ministry of Magic gatherings. They encouraged communication within different branches of it and were usually full of stuffy, stuck-up, old prudes who enjoyed talking meticulously about themselves or their dull office jobs. No, an office job would never have done for Albus.

He sighed, smoothed down his midnight blue robes, which had intricate silver trimmings, and pushed open the thick wooden door to a ballroom on the third floor. It was an enormous, airy room with several small tables dotted around and a huge window looking out onto the tranquil courtyard below. The cold stone walls were draped in golden cloth, shimmering in the light of the chandeliers on the ceiling. Over by the window, on a low timber stage, a string quartet (along with a short, balding conductor) were setting up their instruments.

Men and women floated around in a sea of different coloured dress robes but Albus' eyes were immediately drawn to a table near to the centre of the room.

There was a ring of witches and wizards encircling the table, at which sat a slim woman clad in a long, flowing, red dress with an open back and nipped-in waist. He edged closer and closer to the table, finally joining the circle just as a bout of raucous laughter erupted from the people surrounding him. The woman sat at the table merely smiled brightly and took an elegant sip of her red wine.

Albus recognised her straight away. Okay, so she had left Hogwarts a decade ago, but he could never forget that face; those long ebony tendrils, the full lips covered in scarlet and those striking emerald eyes which glistened in the light. He could never forget her.

Eventually, the ring of people slowly began to disperse and, as Albus was unwillingly dragged into a conversation with the Head of Magical Law Enforcement, he witnessed a tall, well-built, blonde man place a hand on the shoulder of the witch in the red dress. He bent down to whisper into her ear, causing her to smile softly. She grabbed his pale hand, drew herself up to her full (and considerable) height and spun around to face the man.

"If you ever even consider coming anywhere near me ever again," she threatened, her wand at his throat, "I will hex you into next century. Do I make myself clear?" Her silky voice was filled with venom and her sweet smile had vanished completely, substituted by a furious glare.

The man scuttled off to the opposite end of the room, looking thoroughly abashed, and she sat once more, her face the picture of composure. Those who had been watching the aforementioned exchange between the two people turned back to their respective conversations and the ballroom was once again consumed by chattering voices. The room seemed to have been shocked by the woman as she was now the topic of the majority of their chit-chat. 'But then,' thought Albus, 'Minerva McGonagall had never been one to pass unnoticed or take any nonsense from anyone, for that matter.' Maybe it was due to her infamous Scottish temper, but her very nature just seemed to command respect. He had always loved that.

He excused himself from listening to the droning monologue spewing from the mouth of the Ministry official to his right and made his way towards Minerva. She exuded glamour and sophistication as she sat, straight-backed, occasionally being drawn into some rather interesting-looking conversations. Albus had heard that she had become an Auror, it suited her really; courage by the bucket load, too stubborn to ever give up on anyone and compassion for all those around her.

"Minerva?" He called after straightening out his long auburn beard, "How are you, my dear?"

"Professor Dumbledore! Oh, how lovely to see you again," she exclaimed gleefully, encasing him in a back-breaking embrace, "I'm good, how are you? How is everything at Hogwarts?"

"Ah, all is well. Would you care to dance?" The string quartet had begun playing a slow rhythm in the background, unnoticed by many of the chirruping guests.

She looked into his twinkling eyes and replied: "Of course I would, Professor." Minerva took his outstretched hand and smiled. Her long crimson dress brushed the oaken floor, which had been worn by many years of many feet grazing the grains, as they made their way to the dance floor.

Albus gazed into her gemstone eyes as they took their place in the ballroom and began to slowly revolve on the spot. He placed a hand on Minerva's waist and the other held her hand. He savoured the touch of her hand on his shoulder and the smell of cinnamon lingering on her skin.

The opening bars passed; Albus found himself lost in his own thoughts, gazing at the beaming woman before him. He was encapsulated by her scarlet smile. The tempo of the song increased, as did that of Albus' heartbeat. They moved perfectly in time with the music, and with each other. With every spin and every lift, Albus became more and more entranced by her; the swirl of her gown, the smile painted on her porcelain skin, the swish of her waist-length ebony hair. The world around them seemed to melt into obscurity. She was all he could see.

Albus dreaded the moment that the song would draw to a close and, when it inevitably did, he ceased Minerva's wrists to prevent her from leaving.

"Minerva, I-I…" Before he knew what he was doing, Albus found himself instinctively closing the gap between their lips and he relished in the soft ones that met his own in a gentle kiss. It ended far too quickly for his liking. Minerva pulled away from him, totally shocked.

"I-I… h-have to g-go…" the witch managed to stutter, avoiding his glittering sapphire eyes.

Albus could do nothing but watch as he saw her retreating towards the heavy wooden door. He could not bring himself to wrench his eyes from the spot where she had disappeared only seconds later. Albus heaved a deep sigh.

"Until next time…"

A/N: next chapter coming very shortly… just hold still!