Saved (Minerva/Gandalf)

[mercifulheavens]

Saved

+13- Suicide is attempted

The time has come in Minerva McGonagall's mind to end the suffering she is living under...who will save her and how? MM with other character.

Chapter I

Steam rose from the bath and mingled with the floating scent of lavender. A soft sigh escaped the reclining woman in the large swirling water. Whispered words in Gaelic echoed through the large bathroom. It was neither a picture of peace nor contentment; but rather one of sorrow. Each word that Minerva whispered was one said in pain; a pain so deeply felt that not even her native tongue could fully say it.

Professor McGonagall hated baths. She hated being immersed in water, period. Showers in themselves were five minutes when she took them and water was only used to wash away the shampoo and soap. Therefore the reasoning behind the Transfiguration Professor’s bath had nothing to do with pleasure or even cleanliness.

Ironically, she had no plans to ever leave the faintly bumbling water. Although Minerva knew that no one at Hogwarts, or in the wizard world, would understand her desire to end her life; it did not faze her in the slightest.

She had taught more than three generations of students. Each year became harder for her as more and more of her former students joined the long list of dead. They seemed to all trust her with the task of teaching their children. It seemed ironic that the woman who had never even been on a date was a mother figure to more people than could be counted.
It was for a reason that none of her colleagues or students, neither current nor former, would ever even speculate…Minerva McGonagall had nothing left to live for.

The steam relaxed her slightly but still she remained resolved to finish what she had decided to start. Fear crept into her mind but what was left of her stubbornness drove it out. She would not die afraid. She had been afraid for too long.

Without taking another life giving breath, Minerva slipped under the water’s warm surface.

Her eyes closed as she became immersed in the water and at first the panic that naturally rose in her mind made it difficult to stay under the water. But she could make herself do anything. Logically she had not taken her final bath in her birthday suit, as Minerva knew that someone would have to have the dreary job of fishing her out of the water. Her heavy tartan robes weighed her light frame down and she sunk to rest on the bottom of the tub.
Faces flashed through her mind like too many choices on a menu. First flashed Albus Dumbledore, former Headmaster of Hogwarts. He had been Minerva’s first and only love; yet never more than her very best friend. Like so many before him, Albus was dead.

After Albus’ smiling face had vanished, James and Lily Potter both appeared. Minerva had taught them, given them detentions and even scolded them for snogging in the most inappropriate places and times. Then she had taught their son, Harry. It had always amazed her how much alike Harry and James had been. But they had one very large difference to help her keep them apart. James was dead and Harry wasn’t.

More faces flashed through her mind causing her great pain as she had witnessed many of their deaths. None had died peacefully in their sleep.

Suddenly as death disguised as darkness reached out to take her into its grip, Minerva decided to continue living. It was the memory, ironically, of all the dead that changed her mind. She found that as she remembered each person that they had all died valiantly or had died to save someone else. It seemed a waste to throw her life away.

Only one little thing hindered Minerva’s recanting…her robes were much too heavy.

[micha]

Oh thank you so much for "taking on this challenge" (which never was declared, but nevertheless ); I have read the one fic on ff.net with the MM/Gandalf-pairing, but it started great and ended just fluff...imho;
Your beginning is intriguing, too - I am so anxious to read how you'll continue....
But again: it is just amazing how fast your imagination started to work after deciding there is a need for a story about this pairing ( I thought so for years...but no sensible idea *points to avatar*)

[mercifulheavens]

Thank you, micha! I have read the only Gandalf/Minerva fic in ff.net as well and enjoyed it. Your avatar is lovely...did you make it yourself?

(note-can anyone see my banner for this fic?)

Chapter II

Gandalf's Catch

Gandalf walked down the path that Elves, an age pass, had carved from the tangled forest. His breathing was heavy as he had walked long, but perseverance drove him on. His long grey robes swished as the light wind blew through them. His tall pointed hat narrowly missed grazing a few overhead branches.

Soon he knew that the peace that encompassed the forest would be nothing but a long forgotten memory. The rumors of Sauron’s return to Mordor were indeed without lie and it weighed heavily on his heart that soon he would be deeply involved in a struggle to over throw the dark lord. But that would be later; now he had a few decades of peace.

As he walked through the day filled forest, Gandalf felt a bit of his worries lift. A small smile graced his wise face and the solid staff that he had long had with him tapped on the ground in a steady rhythm.

Birds sang beautiful ballads all around his head, perched high in the trees. His quick pace slowly became less hurried as he began to enjoy the nature around him.

Gandalf finally stopped to rest as an un-named pond came into his view. The water was clean and inviting to the weary wizard. Slowly making his way to its bank, he knelt and reached down to cup some water. But as his arm plunged into the cool water of the pond something un-expectantly grabbed it.

Startled to say the least, Gandalf pulled his arm back, unwillingly bringing the something along with it.

A person was brought to the surface by his quick yank; but began to sink as weak fingers unlatched from his arm. Caring as always, Gandalf reached down into the water and pulled the person up and out of the pond.

Heavy from the water that soaked the person’s clothing, Gandalf set his catch down on the grass. Turning the person around, he found that it was a woman.
Soaked long hair, the color of night streaked with delicate silver, stuck to her pale skin. She was a tall woman, Gandalf quickly noticed, tall but delicately built with a very slender waist.

Her clothing was a dark green material that did not flatter her build in the slightest, but had become much more form fitting in its soaked state. Gandalf smiled slightly, thankful that he had paused to drink at the little pond. Evidentially, the woman had fallen into the pond. Whether her heavy robes had not allowed her to surface or if she had not been able to swim, Gandalf did not know.

Pressing a strong hand against her chest, Gandalf felt her heart beat. A sigh escaped his lips as her pale face had caused him worry. An additional check to her weak but nonetheless present pulse, allowed the wizard to smile.

A bird chirped above in a tree. Darkness was beginning to descend on the day. Not knowing what else to do with his recently saved damsel, Gandalf carefully picked her up and into his arms. Although her wet robes made carrying her a burden, Gandalf regained his normal pace easily finding the physical burden much lighter than any other he had every carried.

[Katheryn Mae]

Awwwww. xD No ... I can't see your banner. Although, I was able to get it ...



You put the direct link, select it and then click the little button below the strike through one to get it as a banner.

[micha]

;D Already another chapter - wonderful; so she is in Middle Earth now, not the other way around: great! There are far too few women in Tolkien's story, only one a powerful witch so to say, and not playing too big a role....

I'ld like to send you the banner, I choose my avatar from - I did it myself and it took quite some time to do....so I'ld love to share it with somebody who appreciates the effort ;D; just found your email and sent it along(I don't want to put it on the photobucket with the Maggie-Filmbanners, cause it doesn't really belong there )

[mercifulheavens]

Chapter III


Gandalf sat amid the darkness the night naturally evoked and puffed thoughtfully on the long pipe that had long been in his possession. Unknown to him, his dark eyes glowed in the small light thrown off by the fire a mere pace from him, giving him an almost sinister look. He was staring intently at the wrapped form of the sleeping woman, his mind trying to weave the labyrinth of her mysterious appearance in the pond into a properly understood explanation.
“Quite a riddle.” he muttered to himself, blowing a normally shaped smoke ring out to dance across the dark air. “Most odd just being there.”

After fishing the woman from the pond, Gandalf had walked until it had grown dark and then weary of walking and tired, he had made a small fire and laid his burden down wrapped nicely in his grey cloak. Her pale colour had caused him to remain awake, as he feared she might stop breathing in the night. The darkness had not allowed him to check her health thoroughly but he had already decided to rectify that at first light.

Soon the pale light given out by a few uncovered stars was replaced by a full complete darkness and Gandalf felt his eyes grow heavy with want of sleep. Finally after having sat for many long hours, the good wizard leaned back against a tree and rested.

It was early in the morning when he woke and the sun had yet to rise behind her haven behind the mountains and seas. Rising up from his position on the grass, the man stretched and sighed as he felt much better after his brief but nonetheless enjoyable rest. The small fire was now but a pile of glowing coals and due to the air being strong, Gandalf set to returning it to its former glory.

Suddenly as the fire leaped back into existence, Gandalf heard a gasp behind him. Turning, he found the woman sitting up staring at him with wide green eyes. Shock was written clearly in her face and for a moment he was not sure what to do.

“Where am I?” She demanded weakly, her manner of speaking immediately telling the wizard something about her. She had courage.

“In the middle of the wood, if I’m not mistaken.” He paused as her eyes glanced around her.

“A better question might be how did you arrive here?” Gandalf rose his bushy eyebrows and chuckled softly as the woman turned her questioning glare back to him.

“Very well. Then, how did I arrive here?” Her voice was almost breakable it sounded so cold and Gandalf immediately wondered who she was to have such an obviously regal aura about her.

“I was hoping you might tell me.” He sat not too far from her and pulled his pipe out once more. “I pulled you from a bog not far from here. Clear water, but quite deep. Swimming were we?” The woman ignored his subtle attempt at humour.

“A bog?” Her voice had lost most of its iciness and Gandalf nodded in reply. She attempted to rise from the ground, but her strength failed her.

“Who are you?”

“I am Gandalf the Grey. A traveller you might call me for now.” He pulled his pipe out of his mouth. “And your name, my lady.”

“I wouldn’t know what to tell you.” She stammered, seemingly out of character. “This place is different.”

Accustomed to people of the sadly, odd, category of people, Gandalf waited patiently for her to continue. And she did as he knew she would.

“Minerva.”

[micha]

Oh thank you so much!! You just made my day!! I am delighted and hope you continue soon...

[Katheryn Mae]

Loves.

BTW, micha, can I hug your avatar? It's cuteness. ;D

[princess6196]

I really love this story I Hope you continue soon

[micha]

Mercifulheavens, is there any chance, your muse has kissed you while you were away?? I so much crave for a new chapter of this fic!

[Katheryn Mae]

I think she's still away. Although, I'm be sitting here with micha, waiting for more!

[mercifulheavens]

Chapter IV


After becoming certain that Minerva was well enough to travel with him, Gandalf assisted the woman to her feet and they began to walk into the wood.

It had been a long time since the wizard had had a travelling companion and he greatly enjoyed the sound of the woman's slippered feet beside him.

His mind wandered over the vast possibility that the woman was rather eccentric. But since he was not one to judge at first glance, Gandalf decided to become better acquainted with Minerva.

But before he could ask his first question, Minerva stumbled over a tree root and fell to the ground. Rather sore at himself for not catching her, Gandalf helped her up.

"I didn't see it." she mumbled, softly. Gandalf looked back over the ground to find the root sticking up out of the ground. It was easily seen and he became worried about the lady.

Minerva's mind was having a hard time grasping what was going on around her. One moment she had been preparing to kill herself and then she had tried to escape the water only to be pulled out of her bath tub onto a pond's bank by a man who was obviously not from her world. Gandalf the Grey, what an odd name. she thought. Her glasses were not on her and she was having a rather hard time seeing somethings.

However she had not missed how much this Gandalf person looked like Albus. His voice sounded very similar as well and it brought tears to her eyes when he helped her up and offered her his steady arm. A perfect gentleman; just like Albus.

Gandalf did not miss the tears that sparkled in the lady's eyes. They did not fall, but he was certain that some great sadness had clouded her mind.

As they slowly moved along, he guiding her as one might help a blind child and her trusting him to not let her fall, Gandalf began to create a plan in his mind.

He would take her with him to Hobbiton. Along the way to Bilbo's birthday party, he could drop by a village, not a hobbit one, and pick up some needed items for her. Even though he hardly knew her and it didn't appear as though he would anytime soon, Gandalf already planned to keep her safe.

"Where are you going?" Minerva asked, rather embarrassed that she had just thought to ask.

"To Hobbiton. You may come with me if you like." His large bushy eyebrows lifted in a careful scrutiny and she felt she almost had to say she would go with him. He reminded her so much of Albus and if she had fallen into another world; didn't she deserve to be a little more happier?

"I will go with you." she said softly.

[micha]

You're back!! And you updated at once - oh how wonderful ;D
I love it - the new chapter is just as I hoped it would be. But poor Minerva if she is without her glasses now...needing some myself very badly I know about that. I suppose, she doesn't have her wand either? So no easy spell to get new ones...

[micha]

Hi again: I read your reply on FF.net....and I read the new chapter 5 times so far I am biting my nails - but don't feel any pressure ;D...it is just, well, exactly the kind of story, I always wanted to read

[mercifulheavens]

I am working on the next chapter. I shall post it very soon. =)

[mercifulheavens]

Saved
Chapter V

This chapter is for micha. Enjoy and pardon the many mistakes, I didn't check it for errors.

They walked until they came to a small stream. Gandalf then turned in another direction, and they continued to walk.
As they walked, Gandalf began to ask Minerva questions and answer any questions she might ask him.

"What do you call where you came from?" He asked after finding out she could practice magic with a wand and that she taught said magic in a large school.
"I come from the country of Scotland, but the school is called Hogwarts." She then paused to consider what she wanted to know about him.

"What brought you to that bog?" Minerva asked finally, as Gandalf easily lifted her over a fallen log.
"Refreshment, dear lady. I had travelled long and was in need of rest."

They said no more until Gandalf led Minerva out of the wood and onto a small road.
"This road leads into Bree. It is a village on the outskirts of the Shire. Once we get my cart and horse, we will continue on through the Old Forest and then the Brandywine bridge. From there our travels will turn toward Hobbiton where my good friend, Bilbo Baggins, is having his 111th birthday. Naturally it is a special birthday and I greatly desire to see him again."

Minerva nodded silently and offered a brief smile. It was simple enough to follow what the wizard was saying, but the places were strange sounding and unfamiliar.

Gandalf then realized when Minerva said nothing, that she had no idea where those places were or who the people were. He began a rather lengthy narration of how he had met Bilbo Baggins and their journey to the Lone Mountain. Minerva asked every now and then for an explanation, but for the most part she listened in silence.

Suddenly just as Gandalf was explaining how Bilbo and the dwarves had stowed away in apple barrels; Minerva interrupted.
"What is a Hobbit?" Gandalf stopped walking as her words floated about his mind and then thought about his answer. Hobbits were a subject he rarely got the chance to converse on, but he always enjoyed it.

"Hobbits are little people, smaller than dwarfs. They love peace and quiet and good tilled earth. They dislike machines but are handy with tools. They are nimble but don't like to hurry. They have sharp ears and eyes. They are inclined to be fat. They wear bright colours but seldom wear shoes. They like to laugh and eat (six meals a day) and drink. They like parties and they like to give and receive presents. They inhabit a land they call The Shire, a place between the River Brandywine and the Far Downs."

They were silent after that, listening to the chirps and pleasures of nature around them.They continued down the road until they came to a small village, where Gandalf procured a wagon of sorts from someone who had been holding it for him and a horse to pull it.

Minerva silently watched, saddened by how fuzzy her vision was, as Gandalf and the unnamed peasant piled oddly shaped and coloured parcels into the back of the wagon and covered them neatly with a cloth. Raising her eyebrows, she silently as the wizard to explain himself, which he did while chuckling.

"Fireworks, my lady." he said simply, helping her up onto the wagon's shelf like seat and seating himself next to her. "For a friend of mine's very special birthday." He clicked at the horse and they started down yet another windy road.

"Who is your friend again?" Minerva asked, holding onto Gandalf's arm to keep from bouncing out of the wagon. The road was rather bumpy and obviously they had never heard of suspension. Minerva at that moment longed for her wand.
"A Bilbo Baggins of the Shire, same one as the one with the dwarves. It is his 111th birthday and I have known him long enough to attend gladly."

"That seems rather old for someone to be." Minerva exclaimed, shocked. From what Gandalf had told her of hobbits, they didn't sound long lived.
"Indeed." the wizard said, sounding mysteriously thoughtful. "Of course hobbits are a very odd bunch. Just when you think you know them, they surprise you."

Minerva had lived long enough to detect when someone was hiding something, and Albus, she winced at his constant memory, had been constantly hiding enough to make her almost desperate for truth.

Gandalf glanced over at the nearly blind woman beside him and felt his spirits drop. He had hoped that there would be something in Bree that he could get her, but there had been nothing. The traveling merchants that might have what she needed, had not been there and no one knew when they would be arriving. Sight was a precious sense and he would have struggled greatly without it. Of course, he figured, forcing his eyes back on the road, she was probably more than preceptive enough without her sight. She could barely even see him and yet those dark green eyes seemed to be peeling his mind into segments for her own pleasure.

They rode in simple silence for a while. Minerva often found herself comparing the countryside with that of her beloved Scotland only to find that there was little lacking as it was stunningly beautiful. Fatigue from the long walk through the wood and to the village began to catch up with her as she struggled to not fall out of the wagon and soon Gandalf found himself holding her up with his arm and body.

Stopping the horse, he smiled at the sleeping woman and situated her so that each jolt from the wagon did not threaten to toss her. It was a strange feeling; someone sleeping against his shoulder. Yet not one that he found displeasurable.

Minerva awoke just as they entered a deeply cut road and Gandalf offered her his arm again as she yawned covering her mouth.
"You have nothing against music I hope?" Gandalf asked, kindly, hoping to hum and sing a song or two. She nodded that she didn't and listened intently as he began to hum.

"The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say."

He was on his way to beginning the song all over again when Minerva gasped softly and he heard a familiar voice say "You're late."

Rising his head and bringing the horse to stand still, Gandalf replied to the dark haired hobbit. "A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to." They tried to hold serious expressions for a brief moment until Frodo launched himself at the wizard, crying how happy he was to see him.

Minerva smiled as the young man embraced Gandalf. Obviously Frodo was a relative of the Bilbo Baggins she had heard so much about. It pained her though when she noticed how alike it seemed that Gandalf and Frodo... Albus and Harry. Tears came unbidden to her eyes as her mind tried to unscramble jumbled thoughts.

"Minerva, this is Frodo Baggins, Bilbo's nephew." She smiled at him and although he seemed surprised to see her, he returned the gesture.

[micha]

How very sweet of you, to present me with this new chapter - thank you so much!

"...when she noticed how alike it seemed that Gandalf and Frodo... Albus and Harry"
I really admire your effort to put it down in a story, what probably many of us have noticed and thought, but shy away from this enormous challenge

[lansburyfan1]

I absolutly love it but I feel so bad for her without a wand and glasses!

[mercifulheavens]

Thank you very much, micha and lansburyfan1! Your reviews are greatly appreciated. Next chapter is in the process of being written.

[mercifulheavens]

First of all, I must apologize to my dear readers. I suppose some of you missed the fact that Albus Dumbledore is indeed dead (Gandalf would not get Minerva is he was still around) and that the war is over. Now for Hogwarts POV.

Chapter VI

Argus Filch knocked on the Headmistress's door. His lips were curled in distaste and his cat, Mrs. Norris was licking her paws at his feet. He had only a five minutes before caught two Ravenclaws doing rather inappropriate activities in a corridor and was now anxious to find out what ghastly punishment he could give them.

"Maybe she's asleep." He said looking down at his precious cat. Mrs. Norris ignored him though and continued with some much-needed cleaning. Slightly annoyed at McGonagall for not answering the door, Filch turned and made his way down the hallway. Surely, he thought, she couldn't go to sleep that quickly. But that was it! She was ignoring him. Argus liked to think the worst of people.

Suddenly the whole hallway shook violently and Filch, thinking an attack was imminent dove to protect his beloved kitty. She hissed low at the undesired protection, but he remained over her until the shaking subsided. Getting back to his feet, Filch glanced back at the Headmistress's chambers. He didn't have to be Sherlock to figure out it had come from McGonagall's rooms.

Soon the patter of shoes against stone echoed down the hallway and Filch was almost happy to see several staff members come into view. Pomona Sprout, Rolanda Hooch, and Filius Flitwick, being the only actual teachers at Hogwarts, due to various reasons, hurried to see what had caused the disturbance.

"Did that come from Minerva's rooms?" Professor Sprout asked Filch. He nodded dumbly and watched as Rolanda Hooch beat her hand against the door.
"Open the door, Minerva!" she shouted. She muttered something about Gryffindor stubbornness and then chuckled when she discovered the door was unlocked.
"Well, look at that."

Looking worried, since Minerva never left her door unlocked, the three professors along with Filch, entered the Headmistress's chambers and looked around as if they expected Voldemort himself to be sitting on the couch having tea.
"Check the bedroom, Pomona." Rolanda suggested. "I'll take the bathroom." Filius continued to look around the sitting room and then made his way into the office, that adjoined the chambers.

Feeling rather useless, Argus leaned against the wall and tried to be inconspicuous.
"She's not here!" Pomona called from the bedroom, exited rather hurriedly. A slightly muffled call from Filius repeated what Pomona had discovered.

Rolanda Hooch opened the bathroom door and poked her head in. Surprised she saw a fully drawn bath complete with bubbles. Knowing that Minerva disliked baths, she began to sweat. The dripping candles around the tub looked sad and rather forlorn, like ghosts of their former erect bodies. Rolanda entered the bathroom and went over to the tub, looking down into the bubbles.

For a moment, brief as a blink, she saw Minerva at the bottom and then as something was pulling her into the tub, she vanished. Rolanda's mouth dropped open and she reached into the water to grab her friend. Her arm went much further than the bottom of the tub and she touched some sort of cloth. Relieved that she had procured her friend, the flight instructor yanked up.

But instead of Minerva McGonagall, Rolanda pulled a short rather heavy young man out of the water.
"Who are you?" she shrieked. The man blinked and gasped several times, as he was dripping wet and freezing.
"Samwise Gamgee. Where am I?"

Short? yes... Review?...please

[micha]

Goodness - this is a surprise!!! What are you doing ? Sam away from Middle Earth in Hogwarts!?! That is terrible....poor Frodo!

No, seriously: a brilliant idea to make yourself leave the original LOTR-plot and change it into a different story ;D.

[Katheryn Mae]

Mar 30, 2009 2:35:06 GMT -5 mercifulheavens said:

First of all, I must apologize to my dear readers. I suppose some of you missed the fact that Albus Dumbledore is indeed dead (Gandalf would not get Minerva is he was still around) and that the war is over. Now for Hogwarts POV.

*coughcoughcough* I KNEW he was dead! *rolls eyes* Now that was all for the humor! *giggles* Mae Schultz is gonna find you! *giggle*

~Katheryn Rose

[lansburyfan1]

I was not expecting that at all. But does that mean that Sam won't join the fellowship?

[mercifulheavens]

You will all just have to wait and find out. But here is a tidbit. All will end the way it is suppose to...

[mercifulheavens]

Saved
Chapter VII

Rolanda stared speechless at the young man she had just yanked out of Minerva's bathtub.
"How'd you get in the tub?" she asked. It was a rather silly question, but she felt determined to get to the bottom of things. The Headmistress of Hogwarts was missing, having disappeared through the bottom of her bathtub and some Samwise Gamgee had taken her place. Needless to say, Rolanda was far from happy.

"What tub?" he asked, looking around, his eyes wide and full of fear. Rolanda grabbed his jacket by the back and pointed at the tub.
"That tub! Now what did you do with Minerva McGonagall?" Poor Sam just stood there, mouth hanging slightly open.

"Nothing, honest!" Sam returned. By then Pomona had entered the bathroom and two wands were pointed at the quivering hobbit's neck.
"What's this?" The Herbology professor asked, her wand gesturing toward Sam. Rolanda sighed.

"Minerva...disappeared into the bottom of the...bathtub." she explained. Pomona gave her a you-cannot-be-serious look and then glanced into the tub. Water had been splashed all over when Sam had been yanked out but she could clearly see the solid bottom of the tub through the soapy water.

"I don't see how..." Pomona murmured. Rolanda jabbed her wand into Sam's side.
"We'll soon find out." she threatened lowly.

***

Minerva sat quietly by Gandalf's side as the horse slowly made its way through what was referred to as Hobbiton. Frodo had bade them a good day, saying how glad he was to meet Minerva and how wonderful it was to have Gandalf back.

She took this to mean that Gandalf had not visited the hobbits in some time, but refrained from asking him about it. The blurry images about her were distorted and difficult to make out, but she felt from the bumping of the cart and Gandalf's encouraging words to the horse that they were going up a hill.

The cart came to a halt and Gandalf descended from the seat, helping Minerva down moments later. He led her through a gate and up a short walkway until they reached a round green door with a knob directly in the centre on it. Minerva blinked several times to be certain she was not seeing things, as most knobs were put in a different location.

Gandalf knocked on the door with his staff and immediately a rather grouchy voice responded. "No thank you! We don't want anymore visitors, well-wishers, or distant relations!"

Gandalf chuckled softly, although Minerva didn't see what was funny about what had just been yelled at him. "And how about very old friends?" the wizard asked, obviously still amused. The door opened soon after and an older hobbit emerged, overjoyed to see Gandalf and surprised to find that he had brought someone with him.

After a few exchanged greetings, Gandalf led Minerva into the home with a warning to watch her head. Ironically he bumped his own head only moments after entering.

Soon the three of them were carefully seated around a low table in the kitchen, with Bilbo constantly bustling about getting tea or some other treat. It was apparent to Minerva that hobbits ate a great deal.

"You mean to go through with your plan then?" Gandalf murmured, looking at Bilbo. The elderly hobbit nodded. Whatever was said next, Minerva missed as her mind fell into a daydream.

She saw Harry Potter so valiantly fighting Voldemort; Molly Weasley crying over her dead son; Hagrid carrying Albus' limp body... the images swirled about her and she slipped from the chair.

[lansburyfan1]

I have to resond even though i already did on fanfiction.net but I absolutly love the story and can't wait till you update again!

[minervammcg]

This is wonderful!! I can't wait for another update.

[minnie313]

please...... update soon ;D

[mercifulheavens]

Saved
Chapter VIII

*Note: I made a new banner... it is posted in the first chapter...*

"You expect me to believe that you were 'just collecting reeds'!" Rolanda all but shrieked, her face centimeters from Sam's nose. The small man nodded, holding tightly to a wet dripping hat of sorts and looking as though he had died and gone to the fiery abyss.

"Rolanda, do try to be polite." Filius whispered, smiling apologetically at Sam. "Now just ask him nicely and do stop being so cross."
"Cross?! I'm not cross yet. Samfool Gambee just sucked Minerva through her bathtub and you are telling me to be polite. I say we do him in." Her yellow eyes lit up with fiery passion and Sam swallowed hard, attempting to back up but finding the wall rather unrelenting.

"Stop it, you sound so petulant." Pomona sighed. "I don't think young Samwise here is to blame. I mean look at the poor child, shaking like a leaf."
"You would too if you'd just murdered someone!" Rolanda snapped back, nevertheless having to mentally admit that her colleague had a point.

"Where am I?" Sam asked, daring to pose a question now that the wild grey haired witch with yellow eyes had stopped poking him with her pencil.
The smaller man, who had smiled, suddenly looked flustered as he and the round woman with messy hair exchanged glances.
"Scotland. At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft." Pomona offered.

At "Witchcraft", poor Sam's eyes widened. All he knew of magic was that told in stories and fireworks. He knew better than to bother those who studied it and knew most normal folk lived by the same principle. Now he had fallen into a pit with them.
"Where are you from, lad?" Filius asked.
"The Shire." Sam replied, feeling a bit more confused but at the same timed trying to be respectful.
"Oh I've had enough!" Rolanda shouted, stomping out of the bathroom. Filius and Pomona hurried after her, gently dragging Sam along.

Only one thought was flitting through Samwise Gamgee's mind at that moment and that was survival.

***

"My goodness!" Bilbo gasped, nearly dropping the cup he held. Gandalf rose in a swoop of grey to catch Minerva, but the table stood in the way and her head made a rather nasty thump against the stone floor.

Kneeling beside her, Gandalf gently lifted her up into his arms as Bilbo motioned toward one of the many guest rooms, that had been fitted with a larger or more so longer bed for the strange big folk who lived outside the Shire.
"I'll get a cool cloth." Bilbo offered, hurrying out to find the materials.
Gandalf nodded, laying his newest friend out on the soft bed and gently covering her lithe body with the coverlet.

"Weary are you..." he murmured, catching himself only after he had brushed her hair from her face. "So very weary." he repeated, setting his large hand against her cheek, glad to feel its warmth.

She was beautiful in his eyes. Not the sultry beauty of many mortal women, or the doelike mystery of the elven maids, but a beauty of her own. She was aged, that he knew by her deep eyes and soulful manners. The delicate wrinkles around her eyes and the tighter lines about her thin mouth.
He knew very little of the "Scotland" she came from; but was certain that she was no doubt a descendent of their royal house, her bearing being too regal.

"You have bewitched me." Gandalf chuckled, finding it odd that his weary lips muttered such words.

[micha]

;D I just found the update on FF.net, too! I am sooooooooo glad, that you continue.... and in such a promising way
The banner is beyond marvellous - absolutely fantastic!
Lots of love,
Micha