To Be Worthy (He Deserved Better)

Chapter 1. Accountability

1960.

"I cannot believe you are bringing this argument to me yet again."

"Oh! So am I supposed to stay silent? Is that it?" Minerva put both hands on Albus Dumbledore's desk and leaned forward. Her eyes were fixed on his. He remained impassive. His expressionless face made her furious. "Am I really just a pretty trophy to you?"

"Minerva—"

"I am not a— a thing that you can show off. We're supposed to support and complement each other— this is ridiculous!"

"I did not think it relevant." He replied, calmly, "You were there, you were allowed to be part of this dinner, just like the rest of us. It's better to be cautious and you know that very well—"

"Caution" she interrupted "is very different from what happened tonight." His eyes narrowed, yet his voice remained calm and clear when he spoke again.

"You were a guest." He reminded her, "Surely you must know by now that the people I'm acquainted with are known be too quick to judge. It was just for one night, I could never have predicted—"

"Predicted!" She straightened and clapped her hands together over her chest while simultaneously letting out a clearly sarcastic, chilling, airy laugh. Magic irradiated from her, buzzing through the air.

Albus didn't want to admit it, not aloud nor to himself, but a slight shiver went up his spine. He looked right into Minerva's eyes, which were now ignited with cold fury.

"Why is it that everything has to be calculated?" The woman hissed. Her hands still clasped together, her posture being sly and her gaze rather dangerous. "Even I have to be predicted, examined, as if I were another one of your... projects! It rather seems I'm too dimwitted to comprehend that I'm but another one of your pawns; just another tiny little piece of this grand puzzle that you can easily manipulate, and that you very much enjoy watching over."

Albus did not dare to speak. He stared up at her, still sitting at his desk.

"Perhaps you enjoy watching me with a tad more affection than the other pawns" Minerva paused and looked straight into his eyes again. "but I'm still just that. A pawn." Though a deep anger was still burning inside her, a small tear showed around the corner of one of her eyes. A knot formed in Albus's throat. This was not what he expected when he figured an argument was coming his way.

"Minerva..." the headmaster stood up, not quite knowing what he should say next, but willing to try regardless. She, however, backed away almost immediately. Her guard seemed to crumble. She let out an angry sniff.

"And to think..." Minerva unclasped her hands and slowly wrapped them around her thin frame, hugging herself. "to think I rather believed we could raise a family together."

She whispered that last word shakily, in a uncharacteristically quiet voice. Albus shuddered. He was used to her screaming, her demanding voice, her thundering fury, her blazing anger. Seeing her crumble disturbed him.

"Are you really fit to be there for anyone else, other than yourself?" She continued. He offered no reply. Albus felt her pain, he saw it clearly through her glassy green eyes. Minerva sniffed again "I'm not sure if I want to keep being part of this... this charade." She almost choked while delivering that last sentence, and with that she turned on her heels and stormed out, blasting his office's door open without a word. Tears were burning in her eyes now, and she let them flow as soon as she was out of his office.

The headmaster remained standing, looking at the room with a mixture of hurt and bitterness. It was dark and cold inside; it had been snowing heavily throughout the day.