The Girl Who Saw Tomorrow II » Harry Potter

2.41 | 'Tis the Season

"My sincere apologies that being my friend has caused you such grief."

The heavy voice laced with amusement was not Daphne's. In fact, she had paled next to a shocked Margaret.

"Professor!" Margaret gaped a Dumbledore, who looked fabulous as ever in velvet red robes adorned with little gold stars and matching hat. He was even wearing high heels. "Not at all, being your friend is awesome! I didn't know you'd be here though-I thought you were... travelling?"

Right, Margaret had asked him not to travel. What an interesting turn of events.

Dear oh dear... Her mind was racing.

"Change of plans," says Dumbledore. "Having a good party?"

"We've just arrived," says Margaret before noticed a shell-shocked Daphne who looked like she was still trying to comprehend what to make of a casual conversation with the freaking Headmaster. "Oh, by the way, this is Daphne Greengrass-though I'm sure you already know that-she's my guest."

"Hello, Miss Greengrass," greets Dumbledore without missing a beat. "Would you both prefer aged mead or butterbeer?"

Margaret waited for Daphne to answer, nodding at her encouragingly. Dumbledore was intimidating for sure, but he was not here having a conversation as Headmaster.

"Mead sounds excellent," says Daphne, sounding more like herself again. "Thank you, sir."

"No worries at all!" With a flick of his good hand, three glasses of aged mead floated towards them. Dumbledore raised his glass. "To the joys of festivities!"

"And to a new year," adds Margaret, clinking her glass with the Headmaster's and then Daphne's.

They chatted a bit about the decorations, the music, the lighting. Dumbledore was approached by some guests here and there that he introduced Margaret to. Their glasses had barely refilled for the second time when someone exclaimed:

"Albus Percival!"

Dumbledore choked on his mead. "Oh dear Merlin..."

A merry-looking old man with a potbelly, a few inches shorter than Margaret herself, had bounded through the crowd and up to them. He greeted Dumbledore with the warmest hug, which Dumbledore returned, laughing.

"Elphias, my dear old friend, I hope you realise you have just announced to the whole party that I am in attendance," says Dumbledore.

Elphias humph-ed, not much caring. "Couldn't let you slip away again, could I?"

"I would never dare, old friend," says Dumbledore good-naturedly. "Ah, Elphias, this is Margaret Xenakis and her friend Daphne Greengrass. They are both students here at Hogwarts. Margaret, Miss Greengrass, this is Elphias Doge; a friend of mine from when I was a student myself."

"Oho!" exclaims Elphias, pointing at Margaret then looking at Dumbledore before nodding. "Oho! Margaret Xenakis, oh I see! Great things I've heard about you, great things!"

"Nice to meet, Mr Doge!" says Margaret, feeling like she was getting electrocuted with how excited he was while shaking her hand.

"Please, call me Elphias! Any friend of Albus's is a friend of mine!"

"That is an honour indeed," says Margaret, grinning. His excitement was infectious. "You've known each other for so very long."

"Ah yes, that we have. Don't let that intimidate you!" he seems to say this to Daphne, who was shifting on her feet. "A great Headmaster as I'm sure he is, I've seen Albus here grow facial hair for the first time through all his extraordinary achievements to his transformation from crisp suit-pants and to kaftans!"