Epithalamium (Harry Potter for grown-ups)

Chapter Forty-Five

Minerva Apparated to the tiny wizarding high street in Inverness, conjuring an umbrella and Transfiguring her cloak into a plain mackintosh before she stepped beyond the street's concealing charms and into the rain that had been falling steadily since noon.

She walked quickly to the Muggle bookseller where she had asked Albus to meet her so she could Apparate them back to Caithness. She was a little early, so she spent a few minutes browsing through the stalls and was surprised to find a book entitled Alchemy, by an Eric John Holmyard. She leafed through it for a few minutes and decided to buy it; a Muggle perspective on the magical science might be very interesting. She took the book to the desk and paid the Muggle money—"one pound, twelve and two," the clerk said—and took the package.

She was looking at a shelf of poetry when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Albus, his hair and beard shortened by a glamour, wearing a long Muggle coat. Her heart gave the by-now familiar flutter, as it had done every time she'd seen him since around the time she'd turned seventeen.

"Hello," he said.

"Well, hello," she answered.

"Find anything interesting?" he asked, looking at the shelf in front of them.

"Not really. Just the usual—two rows of Rabbie Burns and a half row of everything else."

"No Willie McGonagall?" he asked, earning himself a glare. "But you did find something," he said, indicating her parcel.

"Yes. A book on alchemy, actually."

His eyebrows went up. "That's a surprise," he said.

"Yes. Have a look through it when we get home. I think you'll find it interesting."

"I will, thank you."

"You may have to fight my father for it, though. It's right in his line"—she lowered her voice—"mixing Muggle and magical ideas."

"I don't think I'll be looking for anything over which to fight your father," answered Albus. "He'll be liable enough to want to thump me as it is."

"Are you nervous about telling him?"

"Aren't you?" he asked, in lieu of answering her question. This time, she found it more endearing than annoying.

"A bit, I suppose," she answered." But I don't think he'll thump you, or even hex you. I just think he'll be surprised."

"Pleasantly or unpleasantly?"

"Pleasantly, I should think. It's just that we've never really talked about my getting married."

"Not even when Mr McLaggen proposed?"

"No," she said. "That wasn't something I discussed with my father. I knew right away that I couldn't marry Doug." After a moment she added, "I was still in love with someone else."

He looked around briefly, and seeing nobody nearby, he kissed her quickly.

"Shall I assume everything back in Hogsmeade is all right?" she asked.

"No sign of trouble," he answered.

"Good. Shall we go?"

They left the bookseller's and walked two blocks until they found a deserted alleyway from which to Apparate. When they emerged just outside the barrier created by the charms that protected the McGonagall home and its grounds from intruders, magical or Muggle, Albus didn't let go of Minerva's waist but pulled her to him and kissed her again. He cast a wide Impervious Charm to keep the rain off them and said, "Wait just a moment, Minerva."