Chapter Sixty: Perfect Timing

Warning: Contains an explicit ADMM lemon in the middle of the chapter, and a little fluffy bondage (no BDSM).

Chapter Sixty: Perfect Timing

Friday, 19 March 1999

Severus walked slowly up Bog End toward the high street. He didn't know precisely what was wrong, nor did he even understand why he had even kissed Helena as he had. She was attractive, he liked her, but . . . He thought that he had been looking for a stringless fuck, and whatever he might have had with Helena, if she hadn't stopped them, it wouldn't have been that. It couldn't have been. It would have been very hot, though. Until it imploded on them, as he was certain it would have.

But it hadn't been its potential messiness which had brought him into agreement with Helena, agreeing with her that it was not a good idea for them to engage in physical intimacy. It hadn't been worry that it might be messy or not "stringless." It had been the sense that it wasn't right. It had felt good, but it hadn't felt right.

Severus headed up the main street toward the edge of the village, not paying much attention to his surroundings. Perhaps it hadn't felt right because, no matter how many times he told himself that he wanted a meaningless tryst, no matter how strong his libido had become, he was no teenager, and he had been through too much not to value the relationships he had developed. Including his relationship with Poppy. He loved Poppy too much to have a meaningless tryst with someone else without first trying to save what they might have together. He loved her. He really did. It wasn't merely the product of his physical passion for her. He loved Poppy . . .

The realisation stunned him, and he almost stopped in the middle of the street. He stumbled over a clod of earth, but caught himself. As he straightened, a chill ran up his spine, and he suddenly had the sense that he was being watched. He took a step forward, and he heard a slight sound behind him. Staying still in the centre of the road was not an option. His mind raced. Danger or no danger, there was no point in providing anyone an easy target. Severus didn't even pause, he simply Disapparated with a sharp crack.

He arrived at the gates and looked around him. He heard nothing but the usual sounds of the night, and felt nothing, either. Severus shook his head. He had allowed his imagination to run away with him, no doubt. There was no danger to him. Even if there were some rabid anti-Death-Eater out there hunting down wizards and witches who he thought had escaped justice, it was unlikely such a person would waste their time on him. He had been a decorated hero who had helped to bring down the Dark Wizard, after all...and he was not easy to reach, either, since Hogwarts was one of the most secure places in wizarding Britain. He hadn't even had any anonymous hate mail in months, from either side. Not that that meant he was entirely safe, of course...and he knew better than anyone what evil he had committed...but nonetheless, there were far more likely targets than he.

Severus closed the gates behind him, feeling the nighttime wards click into place again as the gates latched. He would speak to Minerva about increasing the perimeter wards during the day, as well. If the madman attacking presumed or imagined Death Eaters ran out of good targets, he might try to target the children of Death Eaters, and there were a number of students whose parents had been genuine Death Eaters...imprisoned or dead Death Eaters, but real ones.

The danger to himself was negligible, Severus thought . . . he wouldn't worry Minerva needlessly, but the Headmistress was not a fool. She could figure out for herself that there might be someone who might seek revenge on him. Fortunately, whoever was behind the attacks hadn't killed anyone yet, although it sounded as if the attack on Malfoy that day...or the previous day, as he supposed it now was...had been a very near thing.

He glanced up at the castle. The lights in the Headmistress's quarters were dimmed, but there was a lamp burning in her office, probably her desk lamp. The infirmary windows that faced toward the front of the castle were dark, and Severus could not see Poppy's windows from where he was, as they were on the eastern side. The rest of the castle seemed peaceful, the only lights coming from dimmed lamps in the corridors, though the large lanterns burned brightly on either side of the main staircase leading to the great oak doors.

At the last minute, Severus veered away from the stairs leading up to the main entrance, deciding instead to walk around the castle toward one of the side entrances that led down into the dungeons. As he rounded the tower and came around to the east side of the castle, he looked up reflexively. There were lights on in only a few windows, those to Poppy's rooms; both her sitting room and bedroom were lit, though dimly. Severus paused beneath her windows, wondering about the realisation he had had whilst walking through Hogsmeade. He couldn't talk to Poppy about it yet, though, and certainly not at that hour, but if he did talk to her, he would need to be more certain of himself. He couldn't reconcile the feelings he had for Poppy with those he believed he had for Hermione. He felt like punching something. It shouldn't all be so difficult; it should be clearer.

Perhaps the next day, he could spend some time with Poppy and then some time with Hermione, and he might have a clearer sense of his own feelings for each of them. If he visited Poppy before breakfast, he might even be able to . . . to at least kiss her and hold her on her couch.

Severus glanced once more up at Poppy's windows before starting around to the lower entrance near the docks. He saw Poppy's silhouette behind the curtains covering the sitting room window. Even her shadow was beautiful, Severus thought. Then her shadow was gone as the lights went out in the sitting room. He could barely discern her moving about in her bedroom, but then that light was out, as well.

Despite entering the castle so close to the dungeons where his rooms were, Severus didn't go down, but turned a tight corner and went up a set of narrow stairs that brought him up to the ground floor, then he trotted up the stairs until he reached the second floor, where the entrance to the Headmistress's Tower now resided. He gave the password...Badb, this time. He did hope Minerva moved on to a new inspiration for her passwords before the next school year, at least. He hadn't a clue what most of the ones she chose even meant.

Severus mounted the spiral staircase, walking up the steps as they corkscrewed higher. He wasn't entirely sure why he felt he needed to speak to Minerva immediately; the next morning would surely do to tell her about the attack on Malfoy and his concerns about the school. She was apparently still up working, though, despite the late hour, and he might be able to talk to her about Poppy. She was the only other person who knew about them besides Gareth. Minerva might have some wisdom for him. She so often did. And she was one person whose care for him...whose love...he no longer questioned, even if he didn't understand it.

"So Poppy is out with Quin this evening," Albus remarked as they entered Minerva's office after dinner.

"Mmhm."

"Your idea?"

"Poppy needed cheering up. Quin is very good at cheering people up, especially witches. And he'll enjoy himself, too."

"And Poppy needs cheering up precisely why?" Albus asked.

"Oh, just the early springtime blahs," Minerva replied evasively.

"I hope that they enjoy each other's company, then," Albus said.

"I'm sure they will, or I wouldn't have suggested it."

"It didn't work the last time they tried dating. I think Poppy's better suited to someone different."

"I don't think either of them is looking at this as a date tonight," Minerva said, sitting down behind her desk. "They've been friends for a long time and have gone out before...even after they tried to date. Besides, that was when Poppy was still getting over Murdoch. Rebound relationships are not usually lasting ones."

"Mmm, perhaps," Albus said, leaning back against her desk and looking down at her. He reached over and unclasped the fastenings at the top of her outer-robe. He ran a finger up her throat and under her jaw to her chin. "I always thought it was because once Quin had fallen in love with you, he couldn't fall in love again...at least not with one of your own friends."

"Pish! Quin wasn't and isn't in love with me," Minerva said, pushing her chair back. "You are too much of a romantic, Dumbledore."

He smiled lightly. "I thought that was something you liked in me."

"I do, when it concerns us, but not when you're bringing in some third person." Minerva rolled her eyes.

"I just like the thought, I suppose, of some wizard pining after you for decades, nobly hiding his feelings for you out of respect for the bond you share with me. And I get to keep you."

"Not a very kind thought," Minerva said, "wishing someone to suffer from unrequited love."

Albus shrugged. "I don't suppose I would actually wish him to suffer from it, but it does make a very pleasant fantasy."

"Your fantasies have become rather dull, if that's where they're headed," Minerva replied with a laugh. "I remember when you had some very exciting fantasies, indeed. In fact, I remember very clearly some of the fantasies you've wanted to act out...to great effect, I should add. I wouldn't mind hearing one of those, and perhaps acting on it."

Albus grinned. "I was afraid I was becoming inconsequential in your life, Headmistress. Always such a busy witch! No more time for sharing fantasies with your Defence teacher."

Minerva raised her eyebrow. "Do you forget New Year's Eve? I thought that was a nice fantasy you played out."

Albus's grin grew. "Oh, it was! Very, very nice, indeed!"

"And it's not as though we haven't spent intimate time together since. We made love just the other night. And last weekend."

"I'm not counting, Minerva," Albus said. "It's not the frequency . . . it's just that we haven't taken much time to play recently. Not since New Year's, in fact."

"It's difficult when school is in session," Minerva said. "And it's not that much different from when you were Headmaster, you know...better, in fact, I would have thought."

"And I am beginning to appreciate why you would become cross with me sometimes," Albus said with a smile.

"Yes, well, you also had all those other demands on your time. We spend far more time together now than we were able to for years before this. I'd think you'd be happy with that. I am. I enjoy being able to openly share quarters with you, wake up next to you every morning, kiss you good-night every night, and just spend more time together than we used to. I thought you enjoyed that, too. It's one reason I'm not going on the witches' holiday with Pomona and everyone."

"I do enjoy it, Minerva. It is good. It's nice to have a quiet domestic life together . . . but . . ." Albus shrugged, then sighed. "I know that you wanted to finish your correspondence and such tonight so it wouldn't be hanging over you this weekend and we can have time together tomorrow, so I'll let you get on with it," he said, pushing up from where he had been leaning against Minerva's desk.

Minerva nodded. "All right. Come down and get me later, though. If I'm not upstairs by eleven or so, come down and remind me."

"I certainly will. I don't want you burning the candle at both ends of the day, and I don't want you getting more of those headaches...you haven't had one recently, have you?" He stopped, showing genuine concern.

Minerva shook her head. "They're much better, especially if I take regular breaks and keep the desk lamp bright enough." She grinned up at him. "I knew we shouldn't tell you about them, that you'd only worry and fuss over me."

"You need to be fussed over, my dear." Albus bent and kissed her cheek. "I'll see you in a few hours, then."

At ten forty-five, Minerva stood and stretched, rubbing her eyes. She hoped that Albus hadn't fallen asleep or forgotten that he was to come down and get her after eleven...and that he didn't arrive too early. She did want to be prepared for him; it would make it much more enjoyable for them both if he were a little surprised. She smiled. No time for play, indeed! Silly wizard!

Twenty minutes later, she heard Albus at the top of the stairs. He called her name, but she didn't answer or emerge from her dark corner. She almost meowed a laugh when she saw his fuzzy bunny slippers come into view, but she restrained herself. She was crouched in the corner, and she'd left the office dark except for the one lamp on her desk. She saw Albus pause when he got partway down the stairs and saw her desk and that she wasn't at it.

"Minerva?"

Albus crossed over to Minerva's desk and looked down at it, apparently looking for a note, then, as she had hoped, he noticed that the door to the Headmistress's Library was open a crack. He went over to it and opened it further.

"Minerva?"

She had lit a small lamp in the library down at the end of the bookshelves, just around a corner, and as she had planned, Albus stepped into the library and started toward the other end of the room.

Albus jumped, startled when the door behind him closed. He turned around, but it was too dark, and his eyes hadn't adjusted yet. Minerva's had adjusted quickly, though, and she trotted on four paws up to him and wound around his ankles, then stood behind him, bumping her head against his calf.

"Merrrrrrow!"

"Minerva!" Albus chuckled. "You startled me." He turned around and bent to pick her up, but she was faster. Before Albus knew what was happening, she was behind him, between him and the door again, and he heard the slight pop of her transformation into her ordinary form. Almost immediately, the small lamp at the other end of the library was extinguished, and Minerva had caught him from behind, putting one arm around his waist. She brought the other hand up and put it in front of his mouth, preventing him from saying anything else.

Albus felt her tugging at the sash that held his dressing gown closed, and he could feel that she was naked, or at least almost naked. He put up a mock struggle, but then allowed her to finish untying the sash. Her hand immediately went lower, touching his penis through his nightshirt. He was beginning to react to the unexpected assault, and when she began to stroke him, he moaned and he could feel the blood suffusing his cock.

Minerva's other hand, which she had removed from his mouth and placed on his shoulder, returned to cover his lips briefly, then she brought both hands to the shoulders of his dressing gown and pulled it back and part way off of him. Albus was puzzled as he felt her take hold of the sleeves, and he began to turn around, but she pushed his back with her palm, and he dutifully stood still for her. His erection grew as he realised that she was tying his sleeves around his arms, his wrists held firmly, though not tightly, together. Now she was pulling the sash from its loops, and she swung it over his head. Albus became slightly nervous, though he knew he could stop it at just a word to Minerva, or that he could simply use any number of nonverbal charms to release himself. He hoped she wasn't going to tighten the sash around his neck. They'd never discussed such erotic play, but it wasn't anything he wanted to try, even with Minerva, and he was up for almost anything with her.

It seemed Minerva had something else in mind, however, and the broad silk sash went around his mouth. He almost laughed, but stopped himself. A Silencio might be more effective than the sash, but it wasn't much fun. Besides, this way he could still moan, as he did when her hands returned to his erection, squeezing it and playing with it through his nightshirt. There was a pause, Minerva's hands disappeared, and Albus felt a whisper of magic, and his cotton nightshirt became silk. He let out a long, low groan as one of her hands returned to stroking him through the silk. She was rubbing against his back, her crux making repeated contact with his lightly bound hands. He could hear her breathing become more rapid as she became more excited herself.

Another pause, and he felt her magic sweep past him, then he heard her wand click as she put it back on the table at their side. She gently pushed the back of one of his knees with one of her own, and with her right hand on his right shoulder, she urged him to kneel. Beneath the sash, Albus smiled. She had conjured a very soft pillow for his aging knees. Such a very considerate abductress he had!

Now her hands were on his shoulders, and he felt her reach out with her magic through their bond into his magic, sensing whether he was in any discomfort. He loved the sensation of Minerva's magic coursing through his own, and since their magical binding a little over two years before, she had learned how, at will, to caress his magic with her own, and even how to "borrow" his magic, drawing on his strength, though she never did that without asking him first and had only done it a few times outside of the final battle.

She withdrew her magic, just leaving it to tickle at the edges of his, and she embraced him from behind, bringing him to sit back on his heels. Nipping at his shoulders, she began to move against him again, rubbing her breasts against his back and bringing her naked crux to rub against his joined hands. She breathed faster as she stimulated herself against him. He was just beginning to become slightly uncomfortable beneath her weight when he felt her Summon her wand from the tabletop. With a nonverbal spell, she split his nightshirt down the front, then she dropped her wand beside them, grasped his cock in her right hand, and cast the Apsterrere spell. His eyebrow rose, not because she had cast that particular spell, which he had taught her over forty years before, but because she had used the "naughty" variant of it. He would not be able to release the spell himself; only she could release it...although, as with the original version, it would wear off in a couple hours regardless of whether it was released or not. She must have something rather special in mind. Albus smiled again beneath his sash.

Minerva didn't let go of his cock. She was still straddling his legs from behind, but although she continued to press her breasts against his back, she kept her weight off of him. She stroked him quickly, squeezing and pulling expertly until Albus was moaning and rocking up in rhythm with her strokes. He came hard, panting and gasping against the sash covering his mouth. Minerva barely paused, however, this time bringing her other hand around to play with his cock lightly and gently as her right hand caressed his stomach and chest. Her fingertips found a sensitive nipple, and she flicked and tweaked and pinched until he squirmed. Good lord, it wasn't enough, he needed more, but her left hand on his cock just continued its gentle teasing as her other hand played first with one hardened nipple then the other. He moaned loudly through the sash, and Minerva nipped his shoulder then sucked at it.

Albus rocked up on his knees, pushing against Minerva's hand on his cock, but frustratingly, she removed her hand, first tickling one finger up his length and then over the soft skin of its head. She stood, tugging at the dressing gown wrapped around his wrists, helping him to his feet. Still behind him, so tantalisingly close that her nipples brushed his hair, but not close enough to meet his desire, she pulled his split nightshirt back off his shoulders to join the dressing gown bunched at his hands. He felt Minerva's fingertips gliding over his naked back, then she reached beneath his hands and squeezed his buttocks before repeating the soft, tickling touches to his back. Her hands withdrew, and he turned his head, but futilely, as he could not see in the almost pitch black of the library.

Minerva, however, had apparently cast her special charm on her eyes, and she was unhindered by the darkness. Albus heard a chair being pulled out from the table, scraping the stone floor as she turned it around, then her hands gently guided him to sit in the chair. She removed the sash from around his mouth, but pressed a cautioning finger against his lips, reminding him not to speak. For a moment, his hands were free, the dressing gown and nightshirt disappearing, but then he felt Minerva tying his hands loosely behind the back of the chair. Albus wasn't uncomfortable...there was a good deal of slack between his wrists...but he was definitely constrained from reaching out and touching Minerva.

Now she was gently, teasingly stroking his erection again, and he felt the warmth of her body and her magic close to him. There was a nipple at his mouth, and he obligingly parted his lips, taking her nipple between them, then flicking his tongue over it. He suckled more energetically, and as the pressure of his mouth increased, so too did the strength of the strokes to his cock. He strained toward her, and Minerva sped up, moving so that now her other nipple was at his mouth. She was breathing hard, squeezing his cock with one hand and gripping his shoulder with her other, when he came, whimpering against her breast as his penis twitched and jerked in her hand.

Massaging both his shoulders and upper arms, Minerva allowed Albus some time to recover, though he was still as hard as he had been when she had first cast the Apsterrere. She leaned forward and kissed his lips, sucking his lower lip and then flicking her tongue out to meet his. Her left leg went over both of his, and she sat on his lap, facing him and continuing to kiss him gently but sensuously. She slid forward, her crux meeting his hard cock, and she moaned and began to rub herself against him. Albus wished he could take her in his arms, urge her to mount him, and guide her up and down on his erection, but he couldn't do that without using magic to release himself from his bonds, and that would not be playing along with her.

So Albus took pleasure in the sensation of her damp folds sliding over his penis, her breasts brushing his beard and chest, her hands massaging his shoulders, and her lips teasing his own. When she began to move faster, though, breaking their kisses to pant and gasp, he almost couldn't restrain himself from releasing the sash from around his wrists. She came, pushing against him and moaning, and he followed, the suddenness of his orgasm taking him by surprise, and he groaned loudly.

Minerva rested her head on his shoulder, then she took a deep breath and stood. Her hands were at his wrists, and she untied the sash from one of them. She tugged gently, and he rose from the chair. She waved her wand and the door to her office opened, the light from the desk lamp seeming extremely bright after the utter darkness of the library. Albus squinted, but Minerva twitched her wand, adjusting her vision quickly, and led him into her office.

Still wordlessly, she drew him over to the small camelback settee by the fireplace and indicated that he should sit. This time, she did not tie him up, though she maintained a hold on one end of the sash. She pushed his knees further apart, then she knelt in front of him. Albus watched as she lowered her head and closed her lips around the crown of his penis. When he reached to touch her head, she jerked lightly on the sash, and he kept his hands to himself. Years of being with Albus had shown Minerva exactly what kinds of touches excited him, even driving him to the brink but not over it, until she would finally push him into ecstasy at the moment of her choosing. Her lips and her tongue alternated their teasing the head of his cock, and the fingertips of one hand caressed his balls. She never even lowered herself fully over his cock, only stimulating the crown, licking, kissing, sucking, flicking, and yet still he came, unable to keep himself still, rising up, legs trembling as he climaxed.

Minerva rolled back onto her heels, smiling up at him, eminently pleased with herself.

Albus broke his silence. "Saucy witch."

"Mmhm. Very." She joined him on the small sofa, settling on his knees, straddling him. She leaned forward and kissed his lips lightly. She slid toward him and whispered in his ear. "I'm going to fuck you mad, Dumbledore." As she finished speaking, she took his cock in her hand, rose up on her knees, then slowly lowered herself onto his erection. Her eyes closed, and she let out a long moan.

She bounced slightly, then began to rise and fall on his cock, taking her time, squeezing him inside of her, rubbing her clit against him as she moved up and down.

"Do you like being fucked by the Headmistress?" she asked. "Tell me, do you like being fucked by Hogwarts Headmistress?"

"Yes, yes, I do." At an insistent tug of the sash around his wrist, he said, "Yes, I like being fucked by the Headmistress."

"Mmm, good, good, because I'm enjoying it. Are you going to come, Dumbledore, are you going to come? Be a good boy and come for me, come for the Headmistress!"

"Ah, ah, yes, I will...I will come for the Headmistress!"

She tugged at his sash. "More," she whispered into his ear, "and dirty, very dirty!"

"Fuck me, please fuck me, Headmistress! Fuck my cock! Please, I can't bear it! Fuck me hard!" He could feel his orgasm approaching. He hadn't climaxed this many times in a row in many months, and the lack of ejaculation was beginning to frustrate him as he was driven to the edge again, but he couldn't release the spell on himself. "Fuck me, fuck me till I come, oh, please, please, please, oh, gods, fuck fuck fuck!" Albus's orgasm was even stronger than the last one, and Minerva's followed it, her continued movement on his cock drawing out his orgasm and making him moan.

Minerva's breathing was heavy, and she went limp against him, kissing his shoulder and tasting his sweat on her lips. After resting a few minutes, she turned her head and whispered in his ear. "I do believe I still have your penis in me, Professor Dumbledore." She squeezed around his erection. "Am I correct?"

Albus nodded. "You are correct, my dear Headmistress, in this as in so many things."

She squeezed again, causing him to let out a shuddering breath. "You feel as though you still need another fucking, Dumbledore. One more good fuck?" Her words were warm in his ear.

"Yes," he replied, shivering at the sensation of her lips and tongue now moving over his ear.

"Yes, what, Dumbledore? Yes, what?"

"Yes, please, Headmistress, I need one more good fuck."

Minerva leaned back slightly and her mouth found his lips. She kissed him as she rocked, then she pulled away and smiled at him. "What about moving, then?"

"Where to? Bed?"

"Where is your sense of adventure, Professor?" She stood, and he immediately missed her wet warmth around him.

Minerva tugged at the sash, and Albus stood. She Summoned her wand from where it had rolled under the couch, then she waved it. All the furniture in the room moved back to the edges, leaving a large empty area in the middle. Another swish of her wand, and a large, thick down mattress appeared. Hands at his waist, she urged him to lie down, and she joined him, lying on top of him, kissing his lips and face.

"There's one more thing I want to do first," she whispered, "then I'll fuck the living daylights out of you."

Albus felt goosebumps come over him as they so often did when she used the word "fuck," which she used freely when she chose, although not every time they made love.

"I hope that is a promise and not just an empty threat, Headmistress."

"Oh, it is a threat! It is a threat I will make good on. But first . . ."

She moved to straddle his face, then she lowered herself to kiss the tip of his penis. Albus raised his free hand and cupped her buttocks, pulling her closer. His tongue flicked out, tasting her briefly, and he was rewarded by a moaning and swallowing around the head of cock. He flicked again, pulling her closer, soon licking her hard and fast, stimulating her clit until she literally screamed as she came, her mouth still around his cock as she shouted. His own buttocks clenched and trembled as his orgasm was suddenly upon him, cascading from his balls to his penis, then seeming to rush in waves back through his body as Minerva reached out with her magic and extended her orgasm into his. Everything went black for a few seconds, and when he was aware again, Minerva had rolled off of him. Now her crux was hovering just a hair's width from his still erect penis.

"Now, Professor? You want to be fucked mad now?"

"You're already driving me mad, completely mad! Don't stop, don't stop now!"

He hadn't finished speaking before she lowered herself, sheathing his cock inside her; she rode him until she was close to coming, her sweat rolling down her breasts to bead at her nipples, her eyes closed, her breath just gasps, and then he felt the Apsterrere released as she began to come, and this time, he exploded with his orgasm, his ejaculation strong and hard and pulsing. All he could do was hold on and try to remember to breathe through his ecstasy.

Minerva collapsed on top of him, her heart beating wildly and her breathing gradually slowing. With some effort, she turned her face and kissed his cheek.

"Playtime for Albus," she said. She smiled weakly. "I hope that showed you that I haven't lost my sense of play, my gorgeous one."

"That was unexpected and marvellous," Albus said, then adding teasingly, "I do admit to being a bit worried about that spell, though. I was wondering whether you were ever going to release it or whether I was just going to have a hard-on forever."

"Of course I was!" she said with mock indignation at his exaggeration. "I just had to make sure you really, really wanted it and would really appreciate it." She pushed up on one arm and looked down at him with a teasing grin. "Did I succeed in fucking you mad?"

Albus sighed contentedly. "Completely. I wonder if someone can expire from over-orgasming. That would not be an unpleasant end." He pulled her down into his arms and kissed her. "Mmm, it feels so good to hold you like this, naked in my arms in the Tower office."

"We're putting on quite a show for the portraits tonight," Minerva said, smiling.

"We can only hope that the future residents of the Tower are this obliging when we're hanging up there."

"Mmmm. Good thing it's not really going to be us, though, just our portraits," Minerva said. "I can imagine that there might be some very unappetising things that take place here in the future."

"True. Even for the portraits as portraits, they aren't always pleasant, I'm sure." He kissed the side of her head. "Phineas Nigellus hates anything carnal going on. He claims to, anyway." He kissed her again.

"Eliphelet loves it, I should think," Minerva replied. "He was a randy sort, in a tasteless kind of way, when he was alive."

"That's what Dilys reports."

They lay there drowsily for a few minutes, Albus's fingers playing with Minerva's hair where it curled around the nape of her neck.

"We should begin to think about a shower and bed," Minerva said with a yawn.

"Mmm."

"Oh, no!" they both said in unison, looking at each other. The tingle from the gargoyle had reached them simultaneously.

"Who could it be at this hour?" Minerva asked standing and looking around in consternation. She had banished all of their clothing to the bedroom but Albus's fuzzy slippers, and even those were still in the library.

"Severus, your devoted Deputy, I imagine," Albus replied. "I really do not want my bits hanging out on display for the boy." He waved his hand and Summoned an old teaching robe that Minerva kept in the back of the office. He draped it around himself, though it didn't fit him, then Minerva's wand flew into his hand. Albus waved her wand, Transfiguring one of the chair cushions into a long, heavy dressing gown. "Here, put this on, my dear."

He stepped up to the door and leaned on it with one hand on the door handle as Minerva pulled the dressing gown on and tied it close around her.

"Your 'bits' are still hanging out, Albus," Minerva said with a nod toward the front of the robe, thinking that he would Transfigure it into something more suitable.

"Oh!" He pulled it closed, buttoning a few of the buttons across his stomach. It was a tight fit, but he was decent...just. "I can simply disappear, my dear."

There was movement outside the door as someone tried to use the door handle. The brass knocker thunked.

"Oh no you don't, Albus! You aren't going invisible and leaving me with all this here," Minerva said in a loud whisper, gesturing toward the mattress.

"Minerva?" Severus's voice came from the landing outside the door.

"Just a tick, Severus!" Minerva called. "Albus! Give me a hand or I swear I'll transform and leave you here to deal with him!" she whispered vehemently.

Albus chuckled and tossed her her wand, which she immediately waved, ridding the floor of the sweaty down mattress. She was just restoring the furniture to its usual positions when Albus pushed the door handle and opened the door.

"Oh, Albus! I was looking for Minerva." Severus looked past him at furniture sliding into place. A puzzled frown crossed his face, then he took in Albus's odd garb, his eyes stopping when they reached the long blue sash tied around one wrist. "Um, perhaps I ought to return in the morning."

"No, no need, Severus, come in, come in." He opened the door all the way and stood aside. "Your timing is perfect."

NEXT

Chapter Sixty-One: Late Night Advice

Saturday, 20 March 1999, in the wee hours of the morning

Severus receives some personal advice from Minerva.

Rated T.

Characters: Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall

Author's Note: For anyone wondering why Minerva uses a bright desk lamp when she has a charm that helps her to see in very dim light or near-darkness, it is because the charm does not provide her with the kind of near vision and good resolution that she would require in order to read letters, books, and other documents. Imagine night-vision goggles.

I hope the ADMM fans out there enjoyed this slight digression! I have also recently posted two new fics, "A Light at Dusk," a non-RaMverse ADMM one-shot, and "A Momentary Madness," a short non-RaMverse ADMM fic, complete in five chapters.