AN/- was sick with viral fever when annoying dinner guest came to visit unannounced. Hate that man he's such a douche-calls me fat! Wish to live in society which does not incorporate sizist attitudes.
Summary: What would happen if Albus took Minerva to meet his family?
Disclaimer: JK, JK, JKR! (Jazz hands)
The Dinner Guest
Albus sat at his study, he didn't know why he had agreed for Minerva to come and meet his family.
"You've met my parents, it's only fair that I meet yours," she had said and he had agreed.
But Albus had already warned her since the beginning that his family was known to be 'odd'. But Minerva had insisted and now Albus was waiting for the doorbell to ring so he could greet his fiancée and possibly warn her once more about his odd family.
Kendra Dumbledore had been really pleased to know that Albus was going to bring his fiancée home for the first time. It had been a really long time since Albus had seen his mother so happy about something. This was actually the first time his mother had cooked dinner or cooked in particular at all. It had always been the house-elf, who had cooked, cleaned and served them and after Percival had been sent to Azkaban, Kendra had always been so depressed, but now that Albus was getting his 'friend' over her spirits had lifted. Personally Kendra wanted to meet this Minerva her son spoke so highly off.
But Aberforth had other thoughts, he never did care about Albus or Albus's feelings-he was the one Albus was worried about, he didn't want Aberforth to ruin this for him or Minerva and he could bet all the galleon in his account that Aberforth was going to do something on the very same lines-it would be something like always-something he dread happening.
Kendra had warned Aberforth to be on his best behaviour when Albus's friend came by but Aberforth had sulked and gone down to the neighbour's goat shed and he hadn't come out since then.
"Albus would be alright for Arianna to sit with us?" asked Kendra a little worried as she saw her son sitting at his study.
"Of course, if Minerva wants to meet my family she will meet everybody," said Albus getting up and walking to the window he was simultaneously looking out for Aberforth as well as waiting for Minerva's arrival.
"But—would Minerva like it?" asked Kendra, her mind thinking of things that Albus didn't see happening. Albus raised his eyebrows in anticipation; he didn't quite comprehend what his mother was trying to throw at him.
"I mean—wouldn't Minerva mind Ari—after all Albus your sister isn't very social," said Kendra, with a little heaviness in her heart.
"Mother, Arianna is my sister, if Minerva has trouble except that then—let her not, it doesn't change much, does it?" smiled Albus, briefly looking at his mother who nodded and left him alone to go look for Aberforth and dress Arianna up to be much more presentable for their guest.
Aberforth had been strolling near the country side, he was returning home when he came across two women and that blasted Gellert who his brother considered better company than him. Aberforth recognised one the women as Rebecca, he had always fancied her, but he was way too freakish for her. He spoke to goats and she was the village doctor's daughter. The other one didn't seem like she was from those parts, she looked like she had been lost or had possibly just apparated there by mere folly.
"Are you Ms. McGonagall?" asked Aberforth walking up to the lot.
Rebecca's expressions changed, she looked disgustedly towards Aberforth and shifted a bit more towards Gellert.
"What's it to you goat-head?" asked Gellert rudely. Aberforth blushed angrily and bit his lips, he couldn't possibly come out with a better come back.
"Yes, I'm—really sorry but are we acquainted?" Minerva asked walking up to Aberforth.
"My name's Aberforth, I'm Albus's brother," said Aberforth scratching his stubble filled chin.
"Right, pleasure to meet you," smiled Minerva as she started to walk along with Aberforth who unlike his name didn't seem very forthcoming.
"I got lost back there, that lovely girl said she'd help me—but seems like she got caught up," said Minerva trying to strike conversation.
"Lovely!—she's a bighead—right she is," barked Aberforth walking faster than Minerva.
"Right—of course, she is" agreed Minerva, as Aberforth smiled sharply at her.
They walked home and it started to rain. Albus had been terribly worried about Minerva getting wet and he was now worried further more of what Aberforth had actually conversed with Minerva on their way home.
"Oh dear, you're soaking wet-do go freshen up won't you— Albus help our guest," smiled Kendra.
Albus helped Minerva to his room and waited till she finished using his bathroom, she walked out dry and fresh, just like she had hoped to look like.
"Seems like you've met my brother," said Albus smiling and taking the towel from her hand.
"Yes, he's awfully nice," replied Minerva putting on her shoes.
"Yes—yes—but really did he say anything inappropriate?" asked Albus worriedly.
"Well none that I can think off—well except he called Rebecca big headed—but then again she called him a goat head-I wonder why," ranted Minerva.
"What?" Albus asked baffled.
"Oh nothing, it's silly—truthfully he seemed quite normal—he's nothing like you told me," said Minerva plainly, as they both descended to the dining room for dinner.
"Yes, well my family isn't like any others, they're a bit odd," said Albus blocking Minerva's way into the room where everyone was already sitting.
"Albus—I'm sure I am going to love them, so stop being such a sourpuss," she said making him move out of her way, but she turned to look at him.
"—besides I like variety," she added smiling in an odd sort of way.
Albus smiled at her, the one she didn't see anymore which made her want to kiss him and she did heartily so that he returned her love with his mixed in.
They strolled into the room together and sat down next to each other, Aberforth was sitting next to Arianna while Kendra was sitting at the head of the table.
"Dig in," said Kendra smiling awkwardly at everyone.
They never really got several dinner guests and so this was the first real dinner party that she had managed to host.
Minerva smiled at the woman in front of her. No one had cared to introduce her to the woman in front of her. She kicked Albus from under the table and smiled as he looked at her calmly, she then slowly rolled her eyes towards the woman sitting opposite her.
"Right, umm...Minerva this is my sister Arianna," said Albus gulping.
"Pleasure," smiled Minerva, as Arianna looked at her a little disturbed on hearing her name being called out by her older brother.
"I apologise, Arianna is a little shy around strangers," said Kendra worried that this would surely not go down well with Minerva.
"Oh, no—please don't apologise—I'm have similar problems when it comes to meeting new people—I'm awfully shy myself," said Minerva smiling back at Arianna who mumbled some inaudible gibberish.
Everyone had finished with dinner and the house-elf brought dessert. Three trays full of apple crumble pie were sitting in front of them waiting to be sliced and devoured.
Albus helped himself with an extra large slice and wolfed it down in no time.
"Honestly Albus, I'm not going to kiss you if you lose all your teeth," whispered Minerva smiling and shaking her head.
Arianna had started laughing as Minerva blushed, a little embarrassed that her little comment had been overheard.
"So when are you announcing the date?" asked Aberforth grinning over his pie, making Albus choke on his.
"None of your business is it?" Albus snapped back, he knew Aberforth was trying to act his immature best.
Suddenly the calm and composed atmosphere had turned to a very frigid situation. Arianna's smile had dimed; Kendra looked over at her daughter. Arianna always had her fits when her brothers fought and it didn't seem like Albus or Aberforth ever let go off the opportunity for an argument.
"It is my business—I'm your brother—or have you forgotten that too like you forgot to introduce Ari to your city friend?" said Aberforth aggravated.
"Don't you dare talk about her like that," said Albus getting up from his chair.
"I will talk about who I like and what I like—this is my house too," snapped Aberforth.
"Doesn't seem like you care much to maintain it," said Albus, his anger taking control of him.
"Stop it! Don't you see this is bothering her!" said Minerva suddenly, she wasn't sitting in her chair anymore. While Albus and Aberforth were having their little trifle, Arianna had already got her fit with hysterics of sobs which made her go curl under the table, while Minerva and Kendra had tried to fish her out.
The two men shut up instantly, a while later Kendra managed to get her daughter out from under the table and she had embarrassedly looked at Minerva and helped Arianna up to her room. It pained Minerva to see that look on Kendra's face, so what if she didn't know the woman well enough; she was after all a woman too.
Minerva entered the dining room where the two men were still glaring at each other venomously.
"Sit," ordered Minerva loudly, as the two men looked at her. Albus walked up to her, he looked apologetically at her.
"Min—I'm really sorry—I shouldn't have got you here-"started Albus but Minerva looked at him bluntly.
"I don't want to hear an explanation for your behaviour Albus, I want you to listen to what I have to say. Now sit!" said Minerva as Albus sat besides his brother.
"Is Arianna alright?" Aberforth asked shamefully.
"Didn't care before you started this, did you?" Albus asked shoving his brother slightly and Aberforth shoved him back.
"Seriously stop it!" said Minerva stepping in between them, as they both shut up.
"What is wrong with you guys, you're family!" she started.
"I don't want to be his family," snapped Aberforth.
"Well—you don't have much of a choice do you?" Minerva snapped back.
"Albus, this is no way you treat your brother and Aberforth it is absolutely ridiculous that you won't even give your brother a chance at being understanding," she said, while the two brothers looked at her.
"Do you want to be fifty and hate each other so much? I don't think this is what your father would want would he?" she added, as the two men shook their heads.
"So, why don't you guys compromise something for each other and form some sort of mutual bond, instead of going after your own blood?"
"Why should I compromise anything, if Albus can't deflate his head a bit—he wants the better good—he's a nutter! I can't strike no deals with nutters!" said Aberforth.
"Try and make something of your wretched self and then speak of calling me a nutter," said Albus his wand out and pressed it on Aberforth's throat.
"Albus put your wand down," said Minerva.
"Yeah, Albus listen to your missus," grinned Aberforth.
"Put the wand down or I'll never speak to you again," snapped Minerva, she was about cry now. She didn't know what had been going on with Albus since those past few months, she was worried about him. But seeing him pointing his wand at his brother, his own blood, she knew he was hiding something and that the Albus she knew, that she was engaged to was lost somewhere. She had to bring him back some way.
Aberforth's expression had changed as well, this wasn't like their usual fights, Albus never lifted his wand at Aberforth be it the coarsest thing he had said. Aberforth looked into his brother's eyes possibly trying to convey an apology but he couldn't see his brother anywhere in those sharp blue eyes. All Aberforth saw was something frightening rising out of his brother, something that was very much present on Grindelwald's face whenever he saw Aberforth or possibly any one less intelligent than him.
Albus couldn't contemplate the situation very well. On one side there was Minerva asking him to stop and one the other side there was Gellert's voice saying "Do it, he's just one fool in your way—a village idiot that's all he'll ever be, what's the use of such a life-and think of it this way if you get famous people are going to mock you for having such an arse for a brother,"
"Albus, he's your brother," said Minerva softly trying to lower his arm.
"He's no brother of mine," snapped Albus, his wand let of red sparks. Albus looked over at Minerva before he'd finish off with Aberforth. The look she threw him, the look of disgust, mixed with shock was all it took for him to let go of Aberforth.
Albus sat down on his seat, breathing deeply. He could hear Minerva checking on Aberforth.
"Are you alright?" she asked him, as Aberforth nodded.
"Right, why don't you go get some rest?" she asked carefully, but Aberforth was adamant on talking to his brother. He never wanted Albus to say what he had—even though Aberforth knew extremely well of the amount Albus hated being his brother, he had never in his whole life thought Albus would say it out loud so easily.
"I'm sorry," said Aberforth looking at Albus apologetically, Minerva smiled from behind.
"I'm sorry too," replied Albus looking at Aberforth who nodded.
"I know you'd rather have Gellert as your brother—but I—I- love you and Arianna loves you-I hope you would consider that too," said Aberforth wiping his tears as he dashed off to his room.
Albus sighed in his seat, as Minerva sat next to him.
"Albus—I know I have absolutely no place to be telling you this-" started Minerva as Albus looked at her and shook his head in disbelief. She had every right to say what she wanted, he had ruined everything for her and if she wanted to break it off, she had every right, but he wouldn't be able to live with himself if she left him.
"Please don't say that Min, you have every right to say what you desire to me," he replied helplessly.
"Well then Albus— if Aberforth and Arianna have problems with this Gellert bloke than why do you need to be friends with him at all?" said Minerva.
Albus opened his mouth to say something but she quickly added,
"And I met him, when I got lost on my way here, I met him and he isn't very pleasant-it's like he has some sort of evil plan against every one," she said her face contorted in a worried expression.
Albus nodded as she smiled and kissed his cheek, he didn't know why or how he'd be breaking it off with Gellert but Minerva was right he did have evil plans and what Albus hadn't realised till now was that those evil plans included his own siblings.
"I think I should leave now," she said walking towards the door.
"I'll drop you home," he said walking with her.
"No, Albus I think they need you more than I do-besides I'll see you at work tomorrow they won't," she said kissing him as he deepened it.
"Goodbye," she said walking away from the doorway.
The darkness scared Albus but a faint pop and he knew she would be just fine, he had to make amends and he was going to make it a point to see that they were, perfect!
AN/- hope you liked it. Hope you'll review. Thanks for reading anyways.