The whole being pushed up against the wall, kissing thing always gets me. Sexy Dumbledore.

*snip*

 "Are you familiar with the poem?" he enquired.

"No, not at all."

"You should read the rest of it. I only included the most . . . pertinent section, but the remainder of it is quite startlingly erotic, even for a Petrarchan poet," he advised, ever the teacher.

"Only if you'll read it with me," she answered.

He smiled at her. "That, my dear Miss McGonagall, would be my pleasure." He kissed her again and said, "Now, the lesson . . ."

"Oh, all right," she said, getting out of his bed.

*snip*

Hahahahhaha

Her absolute gall still amazes me. She opens herself wide for his rejection, no fear of it at all. I know much of that is due to her inexperience and naivety but still ... wow.

*snip*

Albus had promised himself he would not allow himself to be too close to her physically again, as it had become painfully obvious to him that, despite his age, despite his power, he was not fully in control of himself when she was near. He had considered calling a halt to their private lessons, but he knew how hurtful that would be to her. If their attraction to one another impeded her development as a witch, it would be grossly unfair and his fault, he reasoned. He was the adult, and it was up to him to manage the situation appropriately. Moreover, he knew any excuse he could give for discontinuing their lessons would be transparent to her and would serve only to bring the thing out into the open. If that were to happen, he believed that what little control he currently exercised over the situation would fly away. She would fight him, and he wasn't sure he could win that kind of battle with her. But above all, he could not bear to hurt her.

*snip*

That right there, that's brilliant.

I can so feel this chapter. I know that ache.

*snip*

"Don't worry, my dear," he reassured her. "I would never practise Legilimency on anyone without asking or without the permission of the Wizengamot. Besides, if I were to attempt to enter your mind, you would most assuredly know it. It is a very unpleasant feeling when one is unprepared or unwilling," he told her. "Not that I believe for a moment that you have anything to hide," he added.

She was startled, until he grinned at her, and she realised he was teasing. Two could play at that game, she thought.

"You might be very surprised, Professor," she said.

"Would I?"

"Indeed. Shocked, even," she said.

He realised that the game had quite suddenly wandered into dangerous territory. He needed to steer it back on course, now.

"Well, as I'm sure you wouldn't wish to overtax the heart of an old man, we'll forgo the discussion of your wickedness for today," he said smiling congenially. "Perhaps it would be a good time to break for some tea. Would that please?"

*snip*

That is brilliant.

*snip*

"That's a shame. I, for one, have always enjoyed a bit of gossip; it can be most illuminating. For example, only last week, I heard that young Miss Borgin was planning to slip a Love Potion into your morning pumpkin juice," said Professor Dumbledore.

"That would be highly inadvisable," Tom said coldly.

"Yes, I imagine it can be quite tiresome to have to fight off unwanted advances all the time," said Dumbledore, looking directly at him.

The sodding old codger! Was he warning Tom away from Minerva? What business was it of his if Tom wanted to court her?

"Well, I must be off. Mr Riddle," said Professor Dumbledore, standing and nodding at Tom. "Miss McGonagall, always a pleasure."

*snip*

*snicker*

*snip*

As he accepted a second helping of trifle from Professor Merrythought, Albus watched Tom watch Minerva.

*snip*

Ooohhh.

*snip*

It wasn't so, of course. He was not free; he was a professor and more than forty years her senior. He should not have cared whether she believed him single, married, or gayer than a Maypole. But he did.

*snip*

Not sure if I mentioned before, that I love that.  Sadly, the smileys no longer work for me. *grumbles*

*snip*

As was his habit, he didn't make a fuss over Minerva's achievement. He simply pointed out to the class that she had managed it, and opined that, with practice, each of them would as well. Nobody was especially surprised that that swot McGonagall had done it first.

*snip*

Hehehehhehehehe

Here I go, re-reading this again. Not sure how many times I've read this yarn, twice, perhaps, this being the third? Ah well, its been a few years and I'm hungry for your Albus.

I had forgotten how naive your young Minerva was .... its so refreshing to find this tale again. I find when I am feeling blue, Epithalamium is just the right magic.

It also helps to spurn me on with my own work.

how do you WRITE so Well and ENTERTAININGLY?!! i usually prefer hgss, but having run out of them, i now resort to other ff pairings and you write so well! how do you do it!?

*burries head into hands and sobs*NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Its finished! *cries*WHYYYYYYYY? Why must these things have to come to an end? Why must you be faithful and stick to canon *groans* which of course makes me respect you all the more ... but ... but.... Albus .... *sobs*I wuved this, as if you couldn't tell, and while I must accept that all good things must come to an end ... well ... I don't have to like it! In fact, I loathe it!I absolutely love this piece and I thank you sincerely for sharing it with the rest of us - and for being faithful and finishing it and not going rogue like some of us and drifting off, leaving Minerva, Albus, Alastor and everyone else hanging ...Thank you Squibby.

This is easily my favorite (and the best) canon-friendly fic I've read. The characterizations were absolutely spot-on, and the course of their relationship was completely believable. You did a marvelous job of showing the depth of their feelings for each other and the way you wove Tom Riddle into the story really foreshadowed the doom to come.

I could have done without the epilogue, but that's because I prefer stories with happy endings (hence my preference for AU ADMM). There's enough sadness in real-life, I'd rather not deal with it in my fiction. That said, the ending was perfect for a canon compliant fic. Seeing (and feeling) Albus's death from Minerva's POV was heart-wrenching. You have a real talent for communicating the emotions your characters are experiencing, and allowing your readers to empathize with them. I am not ashamed to say I cried like a baby.

Thank you so much for sharing this with us.

Oh my I can't believe the ride is over. I don't want to get off. I had just watched the HBP on tv this evening so I think this chapter hit me extra hard. Minerva is so strong and stoic. I think you nailed what her response to Albus' death would be. Thank you for an amazing story. I've thoroughly enjoyed it.

*snip*

"I had . . . a visitor at Hogwarts. Someone I had not hoped to see. And then, downstairs, there were . . . Minerva, I cannot talk to you when you're half naked," he said, stalling for time.

Briskly she turned, retrieved her brassiere from the bed, stuck her arms through the straps, and fastened the back.

"Now. Talk," she said, placing her hands on her hips again.

"When I went downstairs, I saw some men in the pub," he began.

When he didn't continue, she said, "Yes, well, I believe men have been known to gather in taverns of a Saturday afternoon. Pray, continue."

"I recognised some of them as followers of . . ." He stopped again.

This was getting stale. "Followers of what?" she asked, with more patience than she felt.

*snip*

I just love this - I love the way you write their banter, did I ever mention that in the 400 odd reviews I've already submitted? Especially the bit about men often gathering in pubs on Saturday afternoons - tee hee! Sarcasm can be so fun!

*snip*

Gellert's wand flew from his hand to Albus' as the Swiss wizard's face fixed itself in the grimace of outrage and disbelief that all despots surely wear when they finally fall.

*snip*

I just love that line.

*snip*

Her lips thinned and a blush crept up from beneath her collar. "I . . . um . . ."

"I see," he said. "Well, certain mnemonics are more memorable than others," he said, the blasted twinkle in his eye scintillating at her. "Perhaps you'll share it with me one day."

*snip*

And I have been waiting for her to share that particular bit of info to our favorite professor - how long now? *grins*

I had forgotten just how brilliant this early work is in scientific, magical explanations - specifically biological - and you already know how much I enjoy your scientific magical theory - brilliant stuff here Squibby!Oh - and Dumbledore is especially sexy with his brain pron - and likely I'm the only loonie to find his intelligent explanations as anything like pron! I know ... I'm strange.

*snip*Einar was opal to Minerva's diamond, thought Thorfinn; no less rare and beautiful, but less sharply faceted and glittering, and consequently, less valued by some. Opals were more delicate and required gentler handling, whereas diamonds would scratch anything that came too close. This was a thought that sometimes kept Thorfinn up at night. His beautiful, brilliant daughter could sometimes be too hard for her own good. He wondered how much of it was innate, and how much was his fault. He had always asked a great deal of her, and growing up without a mother to soften the edges of Thorfinn's expectations had, no doubt, left its traces.*snip*Just love that paragraph - brilliant and such a good analogy - and you know how much I love analogies!

*snip*She rose from her chair by the fire and started toward the dormitory to stow her book and retrieve her cloak. As she passed, a petite, red-haired witch quipped to the small cadre of sixth- and seventh-years she had been regaling with tales of her romantic conquests, "Seems we've upset the Cailleach beàrr," referring to the Scottish hag-queen of winter.Their giggling was aborted when Minerva said as she swept past, "I think you mean Cailleach Bheur. As the grand-daughter of the Muggle Duke of Argyll, I should think you'd know that, Finnonula Campbell."*snip*Oh how I had forgotten this clever bit of humor - and the jab at Minerva - good on her! And how awesome you made the little witch (pun intended) a Campbell! PERFECTION!

Had an icky day waiting for a certain someone to come see my son - anyway, I decided to read back through some of my favorite chapters of Epith - and I had almost forgotten how freaking AMAZING this chapter was - Filius is just stunning - I absolutely love the way you write him - how he's (in a different way) equally as brilliant as Minerva and perhaps, Albus, but doesn't quite get the credit for it.

Perfect for my gloomy mood! Filius grinning and blushing would brighten any dark, dismal situation!

I loved this chapter for many reasons - let me see if I can relay them accurately.First - I love the explanation - or rather, the imagry, of Fiendfyre - and how Squibby explains the way it forms inside the wizard (or witch). I also love how the author demonstrates how difficult it is to control - almost like it has a mind of its own - which, in fact, it might - its hard to say what is what in the world of HP sometimes - and the way she expresses Fiendfyre causes me to question the  subject of magic itself - which is good - I find its more enjoyable to find that there are still aspects to a subject (in this case, magic) that we don't yet understand.I also liked the curve ball Squibby throws us - which Albus also misunderstands - that Meadowes' curse had nothing to do with the necklace - while I love to see BAMF Dumbledore, and love his brilliance, I enjoy him even more when he is written more realistically - more humbly - more like a brilliant human - one who has flaws.I also think its realistic that Albus would contemplate destroying Riddle - I think anyone as introspective and protective as Albus is, anyone who is as advanced in his thinking, with as much history fighting against darkness, would have to question if it would be best to do away with a psychopath early - before he's had a chance to consume the free world. Albus knows all too well what Riddle could be capable of - he has that experience with Grindelwald.I also loved how Squibby shows us just how scared Riddle is of Dumbledore - which is one of the things I love most about Squibby's work - she doesn't TELL a story, she SHOWS a story - which makes it all so much more believable. And that Riddle's groupies don't even question his abrupt absence - that shows just how brainwashed they truly are - which makes me question - why would anyone subject themselves to such control - to such a constricted life - and that brings me to consider how fearful these people are, or how dim-witted they must be, or how much they crave a leader - one who will help them shed the responsibility of making decisions - which we know some people are terribly fearful of.Squibby writes Riddle and his goonies just the way I'd suspect many religious cults begin - and it really brings the possibilities - the vulnerability of humanity - to heart.As always, Madam Squibby, brilliant work~!

Oh, clever--so it was the DADA curse that did it!  I see Albus is quite the talented wizard w/ fire.  Scary moments there w/ the Fiendfyre.  Good chapter!

I'm repeatedly drawn to this story of yours, but it fills me with a longing so powerful it makes my heart feel as if it's going to burst. You write this so well. Every time I read a chapter, the tears well up in my eyes, and I'm reminded once again that I'm a virgin at 30 and a late bloomer due to mild autism. No man has ever kissed, caressed, loved, or needed me the way your Albus does Minerva. I'm not sure when, or if, I will ever know such joy and passion.

Loved this chapter - but then again, of course I would. The only thing that gets me reeling more than Dumbledore in a heated tryst with Minerva somewhere remote and cozy is some git challenging Dumbledore and getting his/her arse sorely kicked into next week - talk about a RUSH! *grins* Ain't nothin' better than that to get the blood boiling!And as you know, Squibby, I love the way you write Dumbledore - I also love the scientific mechanics of magic you show here in this chapter, and how you describe Albus' knowledge of his power and how he utilizes it - brilliant.I loved seeing Tom actually scared - for a change - and squealing like a stuck pig and loved (even though I'd have sorely loved it if Dumbledore throddled Riddle and hauled his arse to some dungeon) that Dumbles took the high road and tried his very best to avoid harming Tom.Even the short interaction between the Dumbledore brothers was interesting - its funny how Aberforth is so hateful toward Albus, but when it comes to dark wizards - his hatred is even deeper - and his alliance with his only living family member is solid.*nods* Thumbs up from me.