Well, time to address some of the more official duties then, Ignan thought as the dancing began. Minerva McGonagall had brought the previous headmaster, Herschel Reid with her to the dance, and Ignan had failed to bring anyone. He'd not felt able to - and knew nobody of an age that would seem polite to ask - Melanthe and her friends were of an age that he would be frowned upon to take out on an evening. ... Pity.

There had been some tittering in the staff room which he had interrupted the other morning over the dancing at the Yule Ball, and the fact he'd failed to announce a partner so far - it was more over any prowess to dance, having managed to avoid teaching it to any of the students (Deputy Head's advantage).

Well, now was time to put the snickering aside at last.

Outstretching his hand to Minerva, on his feet, he asked,
"Headmistress, would you care to dance?"

The Champions Dance was over. Hogwarts had once again enforced Minerva’s pride and shown just how regal and superior they could truly be. The opening remarks had been spoken and now was time for the dancing to begin. Minerva, though getting on in years, was excited about the chance to twirl around the floor with a fine gentleman. Few things could make one feel like a young girl again, but dancing brought Minerva directly to her youth, a time when things were much simpler.

Herschel did not disappoint. He moved across the floor with the grace of a much younger man, and Minerva hoped, that just for a moment, his grief would be assuaged and that he was enjoying the night as much as she. One song passed, then two, and eventually it was time for Minerva to branch off and take a break. Herschel understood that Minerva had other obligations; as headmistress and host, she had numerous restraints on her time and Herschel would just have to fend for himself for parts of the evening.

It was in a lull, when Minerva had sat to rest her aching feet that a hand presented itself to her, attached to an elegant and well-groomed man. Ignan Storm cleaned up well. She let a small smile cross her features as the deputy head offered his services and she took his hand regally, using him to pull her to her feet.

“Professor, I would be delighted,”

The tittering began on the edge of the student body sat near the dance floor as he led Minerva gently to the floor. Had it been Azorma, it would have been a rough tango that would have taken their breath away, but as it was his boss, and he wasn't as young as he once was, he'd settle for something tamer. No, he'd not revised his dance steps from a book found discarded by a colleague in the staff room who had been teaching lessons, well he'd not been spotted anyhow.

"Herschel looks well in himself tonight," Ignan remarked as they faced each other, "I rather believe he finds dancing with you rather fun." Her Deputy smiled, and took Minerva in the customary hold before they set off in time to the music. His assumption about Herschel might not be true, but Minerva was a rather good dance partner - age no obstacle. Laughter, a wolf whistle and a flashbulb of a camera belonging to a student made Ignan shoot a firm, but not angry look across at them. Thank Merlin they were off home tomorrow.

"Are you enjoying your evening, student hilarity aside?" He asked Minerva, guiding them both further into the dancers, and away from the giggles.

Though she’d been brought up in poverty, Minerva could make her way through the dance floor with all the style and grace of a wealthy pureblood. As the music took hold of their bodies, the Hogwarts headmistress allowed it, and her more than capable partner, to sweep her deeper into the floor. Though she was enjoying herself tremendously, she kept her face in a tight, and professional, demeanor. The only hint that she was enjoying herself was the twinkle of humor in her eyes.

“Herschel is a handsome man, to be sure,” Minerva said, as she twirled under her deputy head’s arm. “My only concern is that his glee is a façade. He did only lose his child a few short weeks ago,” The headmistress’s eyes darkened momentarily and she took a quick moment to glance around the hall to see if she could spot her aforementioned date. “Regardless, I enjoy his company. He’s a capable wizard and an even more capable companion, I couldn’t have asked for a more gentlemanly escort,”

“Honestly, Ignan, I’ve had very little issue with student frivolities tonight,” She said, the sound of the student populace fading to be replaced by the soothing tones of the music. “If only I could escape the clutches of the esteemed guests, the evening would be divine,” She said, catching Ignan’s eye knowingly. Though Minerva stood by her decision to allow visitors to attend the ball, she couldn’t help but feel a bit annoyed at their insistence to take up her evening with their pointless babble. Minerva had never been one for idle chit-chat and the gilt-tongued politicians held no sway over the aged Gryffindor.

“And you, professor?”

“If only I could escape the clutches of the esteemed guests, the evening would be divine, and you, professor?”

Ignan was amused by the comment, partly because he hadn't expected to Minerva to really dislike that sort of formal occasion, and the social aspect that came with it. What he'd witnessed, she'd always seemed at ease. They shared a common approach, so it seemed.

Ignan was tolerant of having to put up a front, his family did it every time someone got married, died, at Christmas, and when one of them felt obliged to have a large family gathering to celebrate some intolerable achievement. He'd need adults do it as a child, and found himself using the same techniques these days. As such, he'd so far appeared cordial and rather well tempered to the guests, even if his scowl reappeared whenever a student deigned to cross his path too closely or get in his way.

"That makes me feel a little better for not meeting your expectations on bringing a guest from outside the castle," Ignan replied, the pair negotiating the dance floor which seemed to swell with new dancers. "Not that I would have let them bother you." He smirked, glancing out of the corner of his eye to navigate them out of the way of an enthusiastic pair of students whose elbows were going to sink into someone's ribs sooner than later.

"We'll have to agree a signal, so I can come and rescue you," The wizard suggested, "Not that I think you need rescuing, Minerva, but because I feel I should offer such a service as your Deputy." He afforded a wink and a genuine smile, which as usual just ended up looking a little sinister.

"Nothing like a formal event to draw in the bureaucrats, hmm? Oh!" Those two with the elbows were back, this time sinking one into Ignan's shoulder-blade. One look from both the senior Professors and they hastily dropped their arms and wriggled through the rest of the dancers to get some clearance before Professor Storm could draw his wand to shrink their shoes.

The music played beautifully and the two danced in harmony. The headmistress couldn’t help but smile at the gruff gentleman’s individual brand of professionalism and friendliness. She couldn’t help but wonder if she and Ignan would have been friendly with each other had they met outside Hogwarts, with their personalities so differing – but life was a fickle thing and threw people together who weren’t necessarily meshable and made friends out of them.

“That expectation, Ignan, was obviously not adhered to by most of the staff. Not that it matters overmuch, I suppose it’s not within my rights to ask such a personal request of the staff.” Minerva had thought long and hard about it – asking the staff to bring outside guests had been a mistake. They hadn’t had this issue during the last tournament, though that was mainly because there weren’t many outside the castle that had been permitted to attend. Times were changing, and everyone was entitled to their own mistakes.

“As for a codeword, I’m afraid it would be pointless. It’s these people that I need to talk to. The high and mighty of society are the ones that keep our coffers happy. I never thought, when I sat under Albus, that being in charge would be so much… diplomacy,” She offered the man a small smile as she thought back to the days where she was in his position. She couldn’t ever remember asking Dumbledore if he’d wanted a codeword – but their relationship had been close enough to where Minerva simply knew when she needed to step in. Whether her superior thought so or not.

Minerva laughed slightly as the elbows flayed in a youthful attempt at dancing. She was sure she’d never been so ungraceful in all her years. “And with that, professor, I’m afraid I should go. I’m sure Herschel is waiting and I’m worried for your health if we stay,”

Could it be that for one brief moment there, the grumpy deputy was a little more lighthearted than his senior? Though Minerva was also no-nonsense, she wasn't always as grumpy-looking at Ignan, and he felt himself a tad regretful of his earlier humour, though he tried to keep it upbeat. It would be the only way to tolerate this evening. That, and alcohol.

With an amused chuckle, Ignan graciously halted the dance at the end of the piece and gave Minerva a respectful half bow, according to her wishes to rejoin Herschel.

"I shall steal you away no more. Do enjoy the rest of your evening's diplomacy, Headmistress. I'm sure Reid will be a most suitable accomplice in your plight, but I will be about." He gave her a gentle smile before letting her go.

End