They Say it's Wonderful

Rated T

A/N: This fic was inspired by a challenge on proboards to write an ADMM fic in which Albus and Minerva are introduced by the Flammels while Minerva is Nicholas' apprentice. I have decided to take up the mantel. The title and story are inspired by the song "They Say it's Wonderful" from Annie Get Your Gun.

In this story, Albus has been out of school for about 20 years, and Minerva has been out of school for almost 5 years. Albus has never taught Minerva, and does not know her. Please remember that he's still young and arrogant at this point.

Chapter 1: An Apprentice

Albus Dumbledore sat at his desk, it was October, the school year was well underway and the preparations for Halloween were almost in order, he tapped his quill against his inkwell and set about the task of answering his correspondence. Picking up a letter from the pile, Albus immediately recognized the handwriting of his old friend, Nicholas Flammel. Sighing Albus threw the letter into the wastepaper basket. Ordinarily Albus loved to receive letters from Nicholas, but of late, Nicholas's letters had all centered around one subject, a subject in which Albus had no interest, Nicholas's new apprentice, Minerva McGonagall.

Nick had taken many apprentices over the years. Albus had been one of them, that was how they had met. The Flammels had pulled him back to reality after the dissolution of his friendship with Grindenwald and the death of his sister, Ariana, and Albus had always treasured his time with them, but since the start of term they only seemed to be able to talk about their new protégé, Miss McGonagall. It was tiresome!

Nicholas had rushed into Albus's office in early September, begging him to come to dinner to meet the wonderful Miss McGonagall, and Albus had declined. Nicholas was too enthusiastic and too gullible. Albus was certain that this McGonagall could never be as wonderful as Nicholas made her out to be, Nicholas had even claimed that she was a better student than Albus himself. As if that were actually possible! Albus was certain that Pernelle had set Nicholas to the task and that the dinner was a set up. Albus had no interest in meeting anyone…no interest in women. He'd always longed for an equal, someone who could match wits with him, someone who shared his dreams and ambitions, and women, even the best of women were inferior by nature.