a/n: please enjoy...I'm sorry if I take so long but I do try to make the story enjoyable...If it isn't i want to know and as always if it is I'd love to hear that to
Dress loving
~Aly~
P.S. The arithmacy teacher is in honor of any creepy teacher (if you've ever had one) cause they are out there... D:
12
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Minerva awoke that Monday morning twisted up in the bed sheets that were all pulled close around her. She sighed and knew he was gone and laid her head back down upon the bed, looking in the other direction. There in front of her was a rose, a white and red striped rose. She grabbed it and pricked her finger on a thorn or it seemed several thorns as more than one of her fingers was bleeding lightly. He looked closer at the rose and realized that the stem was covered in thorns, not heavily but more than a usual rose. She grabbed it once more and picked it up between two fingers gingerly, smelling it, “Chocolate.”
She laughed getting out of bed and ready for her day. She placed the rose in a glass of water upon the desk and headed into the bath to wake up for the day.
She came back out dressed in a simple black dress with a long skirt; the sleeves were tight to her arms. She held onto her emerald robe and looked disapprovingly at Fawkes who had his beak in her rose. “Am I supposed to feed you chocolate everyday now?” The bird looked up and just blinked, tilting his head while she rummaged in one of the drawers for a small piece of chocolate. She found some and left it on the desk for him to eat. “See you in a bit.” She put her cloak on as she walked out the door quickly towards breakfast.
The day went quick as she gathered the homework and returned the papers, all but the N.E.W.T.s class which were still unmarked on the desk in the study. She walked around her first year class going over spells and correcting the students’ wand movements. It seems even after six and a half months of teaching some still didn’t have the basics down.
She remembered the list her and Albus had made for her teaching technique improvements, one of them was more encouragement and another was to seem more approachable. Well her hair was partially down, the sides were pulled back to stay out of her face and she wasn’t yelling at them for matchboxes running around the desks with a nose and whiskers. The bell rang and the class was about to file out when she stood in front of the door assigning them to practice and an essay on how to properly perform the basic wand movements.
She stepped out of the way and let them go; frowning as she saw the mess a few had left of their mice-boxes scurrying around the room on the floor. They resemble mice quite well except for the square shape they had; she charmed the boards for the new notes and pounced at the closest one. Her silver tabby form landing on its tail perfectly as it squeaked trying to get away, she picked it up in her mouth and carried up to the front of the room and dropped it on her desk. She proceeded to catch the last few while her N.E.W.T.s class filed in to an ‘empty’ room. She appeared behind the desk and was spluttering from the hair in her mouth as she quickly placed a box over the mice.
“Don’t like the taste of hair professor?” It was Tom Riddle talking as he looked up from his note taking.
“I can’t imagine anyone enjoys the taste of hair Mister Riddle.” She stared at him, his eyes were cold and he seemed to know things. She felt a push at the edge of her mind; her wall was solid and impenetrable. Another shove came and this time she shoved back into his defenseless mind. She broke contact instantly, “Don’t try it again Riddle or it will not turn out well for you.”
The class looked up and stared at her, looking between the two of them as he smirked and she glared. “Notes.” She snapped and bent over her desk moving around her notes to see the day’s agenda, transfiguring inanimate objects into living creatures. This was always a fun one once people got the hang of the spell.
The N.E.W.T class ended and she gave them an essay on why this would be a useful spell and what they could use it for in everyday life. The assignment came from his notes.
She spent her free period preparing for the rest of her classes, when her friend Rolanda Hooch came in to talk to her, professor to student. “Professor?” she stared a little timidly, “I have an issue with booking the quidditch pitch for practice. It seems our team keeps getting erased from the schedule.”
Minerva turned to face her with an apparent interest on her face. “Just who is it that is taking the field from you?”
“Slytherin, the other contenders for the cup this year.” She didn’t look surprised but quickly headed out of the room with her student on her heels. By the time they reached the dungeon that he was teaching in at that moment the class was half over and he had the students brewing potions.
She grabbed several pins from her robe pocket before knocking on the door, pinning her hair up. “Come in, come in!” His voice was over exuberant as he saw who it was through the small window in the door. Everyone turned to see the young professor and student, the latter looking overly sick at the smell of potions. “What do I owe this special pleasure?”
“I was hoping for a quick chat Horace…May we?” She motioned to a small off room that they could talk in.
“Oh yes, come.” He turned and led the way. She turned to motion for Rolanda to follow when she spotted a student adding something that he shouldn’t to the cauldron in front of him. “Don’t do that Mr. McLuhan.” He stared at her and shrugged, dropping it in once she went in the little room.
“BOOM!” Horace and Rolanda flinched, Minerva didn’t notice, “It was Murphy McLuhan, he has a tendency not to listen or doing what he’s told. Maybe he will someday,” She sighed as he was a Gryffindor student, ”I can’t beat it into him though.”
“He’ll be cleaning the room once again, he’s the reason we’re using this room instead of the typical potions room with the nice office.” He shook his head before getting down to business and walking to the other side of the room. “What can I do for you ladies?”
“You can allow my house to practice for the quidditch cup.” Her voice was very cold, making both shudder ever so slightly.
“I have no inclination of what you mean Minerva…” He started to fiddle with one of the trinkets on the shelf in front of him.
“Yes, you do Horace, your quidditch captain has been erasing my team from the practice schedule for the field and taking their place.”
“They aren’t your team technically…” He added softly hoping she wouldn’t hear him.
“Technically…I am Albus’ acting replacement as Transfigurations Master and Head of Gryffindor and because of that technicality, they are too my team. So if my captain has an issue booking the quidditch pitch I am to do something about it.” He seemed to be ignoring her, which made her narrow her eyes in annoyance, “Horace, this isn’t one Transfigurations Mistress you want to see angry.”
“You are not the Transfiguration Mistress of this school.” He turned to face her, as she raised an eyebrow with a smug grin.
“Do you dare challenge me to my own specialty?” Horace saw no wand on her and simply nodded. “What is it then, a simple spell or my own animagus transformation?”
“The latter as very few can perform their animagus transformations without a wand.” He was looking smug at her from across the small cupboard. She shrugged and quickly changed into a silver tabby cat sitting on the floor, which jumped up onto the Potions Master’s robes growling and sinking her claws into him slightly. He shoved her off; she changed back and stumbled into her student. “Not possible for someone your age.”
“I carry no wand, and you shall do something about your quidditch captain.” She said her voice a cold growl.
“No, cause you had to have cheated somehow.” He turned from them and started to tinker with one of the jars on the shelf in front of him.
“Have it your way Horace, a great Slytherin can’t be beaten by a powerful Gryffindor like me huh?” She turned on her heels and grasped the handle, “Come Miss Hooch if he won’t take care of it I have my own solution.” She opened the door and added, “You best keep a closer eye on your students Horace.” He turned to see them leave, staring after her mouth open.
She swept past the stunned third years and quickly left in a flurry of her cloaks as Rolanda rushed to keep up with her.
Horace appeared a minute later looking a little like a whipped puppy and only the Slytherin half of the class felt bad for him, as he was their head of house.
Minerva made it quickly back up to her class room before the period ended and started to rummage around in the desk for something. “Here, you can use this to book the pitch. It is non vanishing ink; I use it when writing important responses. I need it back though, so bring it back tonight after you’ve booked the pitch for practice.”
“Thanks Professor,” Rolanda grabbed the small ink well and turned to leave.”
“And Rolanda,” Her voice was much softer as her friend turned to look at her, “You best win that match against Slytherin or Horace will be at me for pulling that.” She smiled and watched her friend go off to mark the schedule no doubt. The bell rang and the notes were soon writing themselves on two chalkboards.
The rest of the day passed at what seemed to be a slugs pace and it soon got around the school that she had gotten into an argument with the Potion’s Master. She listened to the students murmur as she trudged down to the stairs to dinner and took her usual seat next to Albus’ empty one.
Armando leaned over and looked at her as she focused on her dinner, eating rather quickly. “An argument with Horace, my dear?”
She looked up with raised eyebrows and swallowed the food in her mouth. “Oh just some friendly house rivalry before the big quidditch game next month, and making sure that my team received equal pitch time to practice as it seemed they weren’t getting it recently. So, no argument but just a few choice words is all.”
He stared at her in amazement as she had fallen into her roll of Transfiguration Mistress and Head of Gryffindor well over the year, almost as though she had been groomed for the position. “Well I know where to turn if I ever need someone that can think on her feet with a sharp tongue.” He smiled and returned to his meal.
She returned to her meal, finished, and left before most of the students had gotten halfway through. She quickly returned to her quiet study and started on her papers that she had collected and the ones that hadn’t gotten done from the previous week. Fawkes greeted her with a cheerful chirp when she opened the door, picking up and holding out the chocolate bar for her.
She laughed, “Really, thank you Fawkes.” She took it gratefully and stroked him gently before he hopped off the perch to sit with the curled up kitten on the couch. She looked at the two and smiled; Fawkes had his wing around the little kitten and was resting his head on her gently. “Fawkes, how sweet,” She piled the papers on the coffee table in front of the couch and grabbed a quill and ink well starting on her N.E.W.T. papers from the previous week.
A knock at the door and she looked up it was late, past bedtime for the students, and so she proceeded to get up and stretch before answering the door. It was Rolanda, muddy and holding onto her broomstick that had been a gift from Minerva a couple years back when she had been made quidditch captain. “Sorry Professor, but we had a scheduled practice tonight after dinner and you disappeared right away before I could return this.” She pulled an ink well out of her pocket and held it out for Minerva to grab.
“Come in.” Minerva turned and left the door open to the mud covered quidditch captain who cautiously stepped onto the plush carpeting trying not to get mud onto it from her muddy robes. “I assume the other players are bathing?” She only received a nod in return as she looked for a place to sit. “No, you’re going to bathe and as it is you are out after hours so I am responsible for you. Now follow me.” She led the stunned Rolanda Hooch through a master bedroom and into an elegant bath that had more kinds of soap than she had seen before.
She jumped at a loud crack and looked to see a bowing house elf, “Mistress.”
“Will you take care of Miss Hooch here for me while I go and find the rest of the quidditch team. Make sure that she doesn’t leave my study.”
“Yes, Mistress, old Dodger will take care of her.” Minerva turned and left promptly and went to find the rest of the team who were out and about in the school.
As she walked to the baths she gently pulled the pins from her hair letting it fall down her back as she reached them someone shouted, “Hey, shouldn’t you be in bed by now?!” She stopped and looked down, she had forgotten to put back on her outer emerald green cloak and so her black gown resembled the school robes.
“No, James I don’t have a curfew like the students.” She turned to her fellow professor who stared at her in shock spluttering. “Cat got your tongue James?” She flexed a hand and scratched the air in front of him before walking off to the bathe.
“Those are the student baths!” he called after her finally.
“Thank you for the obvious James, I know what I am doing.” She opened the door to hear some soft laughing and disappeared inside.
A red headed sixth year got out of the bathe and turned to see their professor standing there and turned a bright red to rival the red hair on her head. “Professor!” All the girls in the tub turned to look at her.
“Yes, Rosalie, we shared the same routine last year as students.” Minerva stood against the door and paused before continuing, “Rolanda is in my study, but the main thing is you are out late after curfew. Now I want you to wait here till I come and get you.” She turned and exited as some of the girls nodded slowly.
James was still standing there with his mouth going, “You are not needed…” To be honest he gave her the creeps especially when she had taken his Arithmacy classes. He shut his mouth finally and left, making the slight goose bumps that she had go away a little. The castle suddenly felt huge as she walked slowly to the guys’ bath and stood outside she could hear a few voices inside and rolled her eyes.
It was a several minutes before they came out to find her standing there against the wall waiting for them. The stopped in their tracks and stared at her, waiting for some punishment. “Come,” She turned and headed back to the girls bath. They reached it and she knocked and out came three girls, they fell in with the three boys and followed their professor all the way back to their common room.
She stood with them in front of the fire, “I realize that it isn’t your fault and I shall deal with your captain for keeping you out after curfew. I best hope that your homework doesn’t suffer for this though, now go and you,” she pointed to the six of them, “may seem to be getting off but you are not.” She turned and exited out the portrait hole.
Rolanda Hooch was looking around the master bedroom as she waited for her professor and friend to return. She wandered over to the closet, “Let’s see how eccentric his clothes can be…” she opened the half shut closet and her jaw dropped it was half full of Minerva’s gowns and half full of her eccentric professor’s colorful robes, one of which twinkled as though stars were sown directly into it. She grabbed a sleeve and pulled it into the light, it was a brilliant purple with winter blue, almost white, stars stitched into it that twinkled softly.
A wand was at her throat, “You are way too nosy for your own good Rolanda Hooch.” She dropped the sleeve of the robe and looked at her friend and started to laugh. She had put the handle end of her wand against her throat to scare her.
“That was a good one Minni.” She relaxed when her friend’s wand was placed on the bedside table of the master bed. “Are you going to explain why you two share a closet?”
“I can if you would like some tea before you head to bed, but then I truly don’t have to.” She headed back into the study and sat down on the floor behind her pile of papers that she had been grading. She piled them neatly on the floor by her as another crack sounded nearby. Rolanda followed and grabbed her friend’s wand off the nightstand.
“Ah but you will if you don’t want everyone knowing about it.”
“Your tea and hot cocoa Mistress,” The old elf was back holding a tray as she cleared a spot for it on the table in front of her. He set it down and bowed, disappearing with another loud crack.
Minerva nodded and glared at her slightly. “Hot cocoa? Since when did you drink hot cocoa?” Rolanda sat down opposite her with her back against an arm chair.
“Habit, we always have both brought up. Sometime we drink just the one other times we drink both.” She stared as her friend handed her back her wand. “Why-?
“You left it in Professor Dumbledore’s room.”
“Yes, I know, I am currently sleeping there while he is gone, it seems to be easier for me since it has the bath right there and a large enough closet for all my gowns and robes plus his.” Minerva took her wand and laid it in her lap before she poured herself a cup of cocoa.
“Minni are you going to tell me why your stuff is in there? I expect you didn’t move all of your dresses in there today.” She took some tea with just some milk.
“Ro, think about it, I take longer on average to get ready and he has the bath in his room.” She watched as her student nodded, making her wonder why she was explaining this but if it kept their secret safe… “You should know I take a hot bath every morning and so when I go in there he gets ready for the day leaving me the room when I’m done with my bath to get dressed.”
Rolanda stared at her tea that she had poured, thinking as it seemed odd yet reasonable. “Just odd is all…” She swirled her cup and looked at her friend who suddenly looked much older than she actually was.
“Now that I have that cleared up and you won’t share that with anyone.” She received a nod in confirmation, “Then I have another matter to discuss quickly before you return to your dormitory to sleep.” She glanced up at the clock, someone would be coming around for their nightly round soon. “You cannot keep your team out past curfew. Doing so can get all of you into detention if you are caught.” Rolanda made to speak, “Wait till I am done, as it is practice maybe important but so is your schoolwork and will not accept it late because you kept the team out late. So for tonight it is twenty-five points from your house, another night and it will be fifty.”
“We no longer have a time keeper on the team.” Minerva smiled at her friend’s comment as she stood up and watched her quickly drink the tea. “Professor, if I gave you the schedule-“
“No, I don’t even keep track of time when doing papers as it is if you cannot tell.” She motioned to the table between them which still had papers, a quill and ink well on it. “You shall have to find someone else.”
“Um…okay…” She frowned as she got up and was ready to leave.
“Talk to Filius, Professor Flitwick about charming a watch so you have an alarm to know when to come in.” She received a nod as the girl left. Minerva sighed and proceed to get ready for bed, she wasn’t tired yet but it was more comfortable at least if she was going to grade more papers for another hour.
She sat back down behind her paper stacks and moved the tray to the floor. There was a ruffle of feathers as she leaned back against the couch half an hour later. Fawkes had readjusted on the couch and rested his head on her shoulder. “I know, it’s going to be a long while, while he is away.” She stroked the gentle bird as she muffled a yawn. He gave her a nudge which after a few of them and a couple minute cat nap she finally got up and went to bed.
The month dragged on slowly as the weather progressively got nicer and nicer. April came and the quidditch match for the house cup slowly drew closer, but so did O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s for seventh year students. There was no news from Albus and all the Daily Profit said was that Gridenwald was growing stronger every day, while Minerva started to sleep less though it didn’t show outwardly. She was back to her tight bun, stern faced, teaching style and she couldn’t help it. She felt there was too much chaos any other way for her.
Armando would visit her every Sunday night to discuss anything, everything and see how she was doing, but also because he was worried about his deputy and was hoping that he had returned to his chambers directly. Unfortunately, every week he was disappointed, though he was able to have a good chat with Minerva who had no marking left to do as she had done it all throughout the week.
Minerva had started to make herself some dresses again and was working on a very drab one at the moment for some reason. She just didn’t want to work with bright, eccentric colors. It was a steel grey dress of renaissance style, though the skirt was more raggedy than a smooth skirt. It wasn’t complete as it still had no sleeves and the skirt was only went down to her knees at the moment. Whenever she worked on it she always told herself that she could always change the color later if she really wanted to.
She awoke the Saturday morning of the big quidditch match between her cubs and Slytherin. She readied for the day and paused as she pinned up her hair, “Fawkes, when did I start to call them mine?” She had always been aware of running the house and being the Transfiguration Mistress but to actually think of them as her cubs. Fawkes bobbed his head back and forth before pointing to her hip where there was a gold lion stitched into it, “Thank you Fawkes,” She smiled, course they were always her cubs even though she wasn’t the head of house she was his understudy and also took care of them.
She finished pinning her hair and looked in the mirror, straightening her red dress; the top was very modest for once, not going very low. The dress itself was a typical renaissance dress with her sleeves covering her shoulders and tight to her arms to the elbow where they opened up to flow freely. The bodice of the dress fit her figure nicely, minus the fact it amplified it a little, but that was what her cloak was for. She grabbed her hooded, wool cloak and headed down to breakfast.
She walked past her team on the way to the staff table giving them a quick greeting, “Morning and good luck, better win or your Potions Master is going to be after me.” A few rolled their eyes and a couple others laughed, as they knew what had happened down in the dungeons with him.
She took her seat next to Albus’ empty chair and looked at it silently before filling her plate and turning to Filius who had been trying to get her attention about something or another. They talked and ate as slowly students made their way down to the pitch, teachers following in their own time. “Coming Minerva?”
“Hm…Oh, yes, sorry…” She smiled and got up realizing that she was the only one left at the table as Armando waited for her. He offered her his arm and she took it after putting her cloak on, not wishing to be rude.
“You may not need that today it is quite warm, but it looks like rain.” He looked up at the dark clouds overhead threatened to pour down on them.
“Maybe the game won’t take long.” She joked half heartedly and he could tell, something was bothering her today. He may not know her as well as his deputy but he knew her enough at this point to be able to read worry from their weekly chats.
He stopped as they were a short ways away from the stands, “Minerva what is wrong, you seem preoccupied.”
“Oh…it’s just…” She mulled over what to say,
‘oh, I’m just worried I’ll never see him again. I’m worried that he’s already dead or dying. I’m worried that my role is going to be permanent already!’ She finally figured it out, “I just think he should see the cubs win the cup this year after those last few years that kept them out because of injuries.” She remember the last time they were up for the cup, she had caught the snitch but they had lost because they didn’t have enough points, they needed ten more points to tie and twenty to win. Minerva had been a fifth year then.
Armando raised his eyebrows at her, “Yes, but unfortunately he isn’t, so you shall have to tell him all about the ‘cubs’ winning.”
“That is what young lions are called, cubs and the Gryffindor mascot is a lion, so they are cubs till they graduate.” He had taken her arm once more and was guiding her up to where they were to sit for the game. A few of the governors were there, all of them turned to look at her as she was guided gracefully up to sit by her hand to sit between Horace and Armando near the top of the box.
She could hear whispers from the governors, “She’s after his job you know.”
“She just graduated last year, Dumbledore’s protégé more like his puppet.” Some one scoffed.
“She only ever wears the finest dresses, you notice that. Someone has to be buying them for her if you know what I mean.”
Minerva looked down at them before leaning over to Armando, “They don’t like me do they?”
“What makes you say that? I have only heard them talk highly of you, well excluding Malfoy and the other Slytherin governors.” She raised an eyebrow at him, “I’m being honest.”
“Well they seem to think I want Albus’ job and that I’m nothing more than his puppet. Oh and the two women closer to us there,” She motioned subtly to a couple women who kept glancing back at her but were no longer talking as the teams were walking onto the pitch, “believe that someone is buying me my dresses because they are so high end. Which in turn to them means I have some kind of lover.” She rolled her eyes as Armando processed this information.
“Really?” She nodded, “Well I assume none of its true.” She just looked at him which told him, ‘just shut up and watch the match’. “Ah, alright then.” He leaned back slightly and noticed how she remained sitting rigid with a straight back and her hands folded neatly in her lap. “Could be a long match Minerva, relax a little.”
“Armando is right dear, relax a little.” A sly voice came from behind her and she didn’t need to turn around to look at the owner to know who it was.
“No, thank you, I will relax once the ‘puppet master’ is back.” Her voice was cold as she continued to stare forward, the quaffle was up in the air now and Gryffindor had it in their possession.
She felt a snake mouth on her shoulder and looked at it; the head of a walking stick was a silver snake head. “I want you to relax, cause I doubt your puppeteer is coming back.”
Gryffindor had scored and Slytherin was now racing towards her friend Ro with the quaffle. “Well then, if he isn’t coming back maybe you should stop harassing the Transfiguration Mistress.” Armando sat up and turned to face the platinum blonde haired wizard who was bothering his young teacher. Horace was also facing him, staring at him. He always had a feeling that Malfoy was no good.
“What are you going to do to me? You aren’t even out of school a year yet, I don’t see what harm you could possibly bring me.” He started to laugh, something awful as he sounded like a goose. Slytherin had missed; Ro was a really good keeper and now a Gryffindor chaser was flying towards them.
“Mr. Malfoy, there is a reason I am teaching at Hogwarts a year out of school. How many people can put that on their resume along with perfect N.E.W.T. scores. I not only know the spells but I can perform them flawlessly, so if you don’t feel threatened then you are a very foolish man.” She glanced up as her cub flew over head holding the quaffle tight to his chest, she didn’t realize that he had caught that entire bit.
“That means nothing to me Minerva McGonagall, you are only eighteen years old, a child will not scare me.” He pushed down on her shoulder with his cane, hoping to sink the snake teeth into her shoulder.
She glanced at his cane and brushed it off her shoulder with a wave of her wand hand. It fell and crashed into the seat onto which she sat, the wood it was attached to cracked audibly. “Oh was that also your wand?”
She heard a growl from behind her as something slid from its hiding position in the cane. Gryffindor was winning by thirty, Slytherin had yet to score. “You shall pay for this you wench!” His wand was only cracked, not broken and so was still useable.
Her change was swifter than his spell casting; she spun around to face him her fur standing on end as she arched her back and one paw extended with four very sharp claws pointed out at him. He stared at her wide eyed as the people around them started to watch them instead of the game. The announcer a fourth year, Corey Jones from Hufflepuff was having trouble concentrating on the game as his professor was arguing or fighting with a school governor.
She changed back and stood in front of him, removing her cloak she handed it to Armando. “You’ll stand no chance Mr. Malfoy.” She was treating him as though he were her student even though he was at least thirty years her senior. A wand was pointed at her throat and Corey forgot the game and brought this to everyone’s attention.
“School governor Malfoy is threatening Professor McGonagall and is currently pointing his wand at her throat. Though earlier it cracked when it hit the bench.” The players in the air stopped and Rosalie hugged the quaffle as she flew closer to watch.
Minerva laughed and soon just pushed his wand off her throat easily with her hand. “Like to know where my wand is wouldn’t you?” She dropped her hand and it fell into it gently as though it had always been there in her hand.
“So your wand is always on you?”
“No, it’s only on me when I go out in public places.” Their wands now touched gently, though she had the upper hand with footing and knowledge. She in truth had never really dueled anyone other than her friends and they were never a challenge for her.
“Professor McGonagall now is holding her wand up against his, looks like they may duel!”
“Don’t sound so excited, Mr. Jones.” Horace quickly yelled at him, remembering that was his job when he received a gentle kick from Minerva.
Malfoy rose to meet her, standing taller than her simply because he was one bench up, but not much, she was wearing heels that day that were a few inches tall.
“She is supposed to duel in that dress, what is she thinking, she’ll ruin it.” The two female governors, one from Hufflepuff and the other from Ravenclaw were discussing her dress again which made her roll her eyes causing her to almost miss his first move. She moved to that it missed most of her bit it just touched her shoulder and spun her up in the air back a few rows.
"Governor Malfoy cast a spell that nearly hits Professor McGonagall in the chest, but with her catlike reflexes she dodged it for the most part and it only nicked her shoulder. And she lands on her feet!" No one was paying attention to what Corey Jones was saying if they could see the action.
She landed on her feet, typical of a cat, and responded with a spell of her own, hitting him on his own shoulder as she made her way back up towards him. She wanted him to squirm under her paw when she was finished. She couldn’t hear what Corey was saying anymore, her mind was too focused on the duel. They met in the middle of the stands and fought back and forth for several minutes before he made a fatal mistake that cost him his wand. It went flying in some direction and finally she changed him to a small rodent, as he was unworthy of even a snake in her eyes, and pounced. She let him squeak at her from under her paw for a short bit till Armando picked her up gently. Horace retrieved the rodent quickly before he disappeared from sight, holding him up by his tail.
Minerva changed back and frowned, “Fine, but we both know the board would be better without him.” She waved her hand and soon Horace was holding Governor Malfoy’s cloak back. Minerva busied herself with straightening out her dress, which was still in perfect condition much to the two ladies’ surprise.
“I’ll be going…” He left, retrieving his cane and cracked wand. His son who had been watching from the chaser position on the team was embarrassed and slipped out of sight.
She looked up as everyone was still staring at her, “Are we not here for a quidditch match? Mr. Jones, please back to the match.” There was a pause as no one did as she recommended, “Now!”
Michelle appeared out of nowhere and looked at her, holding her hand over her heart she breathed a sigh of relief. “Dear are you alright?”
“Yes, I’m fine, why wouldn’t I be?” Minerva looked at her confused.
“Cause your shoulder is bleeding through the fabric.” Minerva blinked and then looked from one shoulder to the other and sure enough her right shoulder was bleeding, yet the fabric was in one piece.
“I can still move it see.” She moved her shoulder and she raised it half way and soon it popped and rested funny. “Fine, my shoulder is not okay, but other than that I’m perfectly fine. Now can I watch the rest of the game?”
Michelle just stared at her in amazement, “Fine, but if it goes too late you are coming back with me to fix your shoulder.” She took the recently vacated seat of the defeated governor behind Minerva.
Corey all the while had been sharing this with everyone. “Professor McGonagall has what seems to be a dislocated shoulder from the cheap shot that Gov. Malfoy did in the beginning of the duel. Her shoulder is bleeding and is popped out oddly. Madame Williams isn’t happy about her demanding to stay for the duration of the quidditch match.”
“Mr. Jones if we don’t get back to the quidditch match I won’t be staying at all.” Minerva groaned as Michelle pulled her back to try and examine her shoulder.
“Sorry Professor. Well Gryffindor chaser Rosalie has the ball. I never noticed how it matches her red hair in such a cute way.” He waved up at her, making her blush a scarlet to match, “That’s cute to Rosalie.”
“Corey!”
“Sorry Professor, but whatever works.” The game had resumed as Rosalie was suddenly piled upon by the three Slytherin chasers wanting the quaffle.
The two seekers were circling the pitch from above, no matter who caught it first; Gryffindor was going to win unless they tied the score. The two houses were tied with points for the cup at the moment, minus the current points scored in game.
Michelle was gently prodding her shoulder to see if there was a tear somewhere in the fabric. “There is no hole, Michelle. To see the wound you’re going to have to get it off.” Minerva frowned as she mentioned this, knowing she wanted to see it now.
“Well then, Armando, give me your cloak.” She pointed to Minerva’s cloak that he was holding which he handed over slowly after Minerva nodded to him. “Here you go dear. Oh this is such a nice cloak w-?” She covered the front of Minerva as she started to ask the question.
“It’s mine Michelle, not Armando’s. Do you think I was going to duel in this? Ha, yeah right, I’d trip and kill myself.” Minerva felt her gentle hands on the buttons of the dress and soon she was trying to slide it off her right shoulder, but it was too matted with blood to do by feel.
Minerva gasped, “What? Did I do something?” Michelle worried but soon others were pointing and she realized what it was, the Gryffindor seeker had spotted the snitch and was after it in a steep dive straight for the ground. She looked away; he was going to break his neck. He didn’t instead cheering erupted and she felt Minerva stand up.
“Michelle, we can go.” Minerva was standing there smiling at the medi-witch who didn’t like the sport cause it caused people to end up in her care. Before Michelle could respond she felt an arm around her stomach and a broomstick under her butt. “Hey! Wait!” She turned and looked suspecting her friend Ro, but it was the new seeker.
Ro smiled as their Professor was brought out to celebrate with them. “You made this possible Professor, and you made it exciting.”
“You’re still a part of this team Professor,” It was Rosalie who was smiling at her, “Plus you kept us out of trouble and made sure we still had time for your school work.” Everyone laughed.
“Yes, well no matter how much a part of this team I may be, I won’t be your professor for much longer if I’m not put down anytime soon within Michelle’s vicinity she will kill me.” She turned to her student and the team seeker who was still holding onto her waist tightly. “No matter how much I may like spending time on your broomstick Mr. Potter,” The dark haired boy turned bright red at this idea, making everyone laugh at him. “I need to be brought back to Michelle right now.” He nodded and steered his broom back in that direction.
“I would, Mr. Potter like for the team to visit in the hospital later if you aren’t too busy celebrating.” He went to let her off by Michelle, “Thank you for the gesture, it was unnecessary but noted and appreciated.”
“You’re welcome Professor,” His voice was deep and gentle as he spoke; he was a seventh year that was graduating this year. He turned and sped off back towards his teammates to celebrate.
Michelle went to grab Minerva but Armando was already guiding her out of the stands gently as she walked gracefully behind him. Michelle scooped up the forgotten cloak and started after them quickly as they kept getting farther and farther ahead of her.
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Minerva sat on a Hospital Wing bed with Armando staring at her and Michelle gently working at the bloody material of her dress that was stuck to her wound. It was a bloody mess under the material as not all the blood shown through and she had popped her shoulder out of its socket.
Armando was only there to hold open the buttons on the back of her dress, they were self closing which was unfortunate for the medi-witch as she was trying to get the dress unstuck from her wound. Armando was holding down the left side of her dress making both Minerva and him feel awkward.
Michelle finally got it and the dress top just slid down, making Minerva quickly pull her left arm over her chest as Armando blushed when he realized what happened and caught a glimpse before she covered herself. He quickly turned and disappeared outside the curtain to wait.
“You popped your shoulder out, or the spell did. I would say the spell since this wound did a bit of tissue damage.” Michelle grabbed her arm and held it tightly, “Sorry dear this is going to hurt.”
On the other side of the curtain Armando walked over to a bed and sat down, Minerva was the only one in here at the moment, suddenly seven hyped up players walked in looking around. “Um…Can we see Professor McGonagall yet, Headmaster?” It was the team captain, Rolanda Hooch.
The rain that had been threatening to come finally started to hit the window panes. Armando blinked, “I don’t believe-“ He was cut off by a scream that came from behind the curtain a few paces down.
“BLOODY HELL MICHELLE! NEXT TIME JUST REGROW MY BLOODY ARM!” Minerva was screaming at the medi-witch and all eight of the people outside the curtain stared at it.
“5 galleons she throws something,” it was Rosalie to Rolanda who was smiling.
“You’re on, that’s her wand arm that she injured.” Armando stared wide eyed at the two.
“MICHELLE WILLIAMS WHERE ARE YOU GOING- I DEMAND YOU BRING-“ Sure enough there came a vase filled with flowers flying out from behind the curtain after the medi-witch race out of her sights. She had the yellow, blood stained dress in her arms.
“You best not get up Minerva, you have guests.” Minerva’s head popped around the curtain looking very feline, her eyes narrowed as she glared at Michelle’s back. If looks could kill Michelle would have dropped dead. Minerva’s head popped back behind the curtain as Michelle headed back towards her with some pajamas and a couple potions. “Just a few more minutes.”
“NO!” Minerva was yelling again as she pulled on pajamas, the sound was slightly muffled for a second. Everyone held their breath and listened to hear Michelle’s response.
“Yes, if you want your shoulder to be normal. You aren’t going to be able to sleep tonight.”
“OW! BLOODY HELL! YOU DON’T HAVE TO POKE IT!”
“Oh you damnable stubborn Scot!” Everyone looked around at each other, it was common knowledge that Minerva was one hundred percent Scottish and that she was quite stubborn, not to mention had a temper at times. No one had ever said that though, least to her face. They could only imagine her narrow eyes and thin lips as she glared at the medi-witch. No one dared venture a look to see if she was still alive.
Things were being uttered that were incomprehensible to anyone in the room; she spoke Gaelic very well and very fluently as she was demonstrating at that very moment. “Stubborn Scot,” She sounded calm, too calm after all that screaming and yelling at the medi-witch. “I'll take the bloody thing then.”
The rest of the exchange was lost until some retching was heard and few seconds later Michelle appeared with a waste bin that she was moving away from the bed. “You can see her now. She’s fine, just a reaction to the last potion was all, a very common reaction.”
The team crowded around her bed as she look like she was sleeping with a bandaged shoulder and her head resting back with her eyes closed. “Sorry I’m not fond of hospital clothes or potions.”
“I think we figured that out Professor.” They were laughing slightly as she looked very pale still from vomiting shortly ago.
“Can you blame me if a side effect is vomiting?” She opened her eyes and they looked a dull green as she looked at them. She was tired, she hadn’t been sleeping lately and likely wouldn’t tonight either without a potion.
“Minni you look tired,” Rolanda looked at her friend who narrowed her eyes but said nothing.
“Minni, now that is a cute name.”
“Yes, well Mr. Potter you ever use that name inside these halls as a student and I will dock points from my own house.” She looked back to Ro, who was gone. “Where did she go?” She looked around and no one knew.
“Minerva,” a groan came from the young professor’s throat as she heard Michelle, “I have a feeling you’ll be needing these tonight.” She watched as the witch looked the other direction, anywhere but at the two potions she held. “Alright, enough for visitors today, your professor is in good hands.” She shooed them out quickly and returned after shutting the door with Armando on her heels.
“I will not leave until you take them, Ms. Hooch is right, you look tired Minerva.” The young witch was frowning at her and stared at her two elders. “Albus wouldn’t be pleased if you were looking this tired.”
“Yes, well Albus didn’t get tossed into performing the duties of three different positions at once.” Armando made to speak, “Oh don’t tell me Horace is acting as deputy, he doesn’t even know what Albus does for the school as the deputy. Just go and ask him, he hasn’t added anything to his work load. I’ve been doing all the deputy duties that Albus typically does without anyone noticing.” He shut his mouth and looked at Michelle for support, she didn’t give him any.
“Minerva that is beside the point we can fix that problem with Horace.”Minerva shook her head, “Oh you are so stubborn.” The medi-witch was slowly starting to fume over her patient.
“Just give me the bloody potions then.” She held out her left arm as her right was pinned to her body to prevent jarring and reinjury.
“Here, this one and then this one.” Minerva looked at them; she knew the first was a dreamless sleeping potion as she had taken it several times in her years as a student when she had ended up in the infirmary, but she couldn’t determine the other one.
She took the first one and then slowly drank the other one. Several minutes passed before Michelle and Armando turned and left as Minerva slipped into a dreamless sleep. “Dear what was the second potion?”
“A mild sleeping draught that I have Horace make every year, just before school starts. The potion can only be stored for a year but it will give her a full night’s worth of sleep, more if her body needs it.” Minerva was asleep and didn’t realize that the two had walked off together arm and arm.
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Minerva had slept nearly all of Sunday and was woken late by Michelle who, insisted that she had slept enough and was in need of food. Her arm was checked over to make sure that it was fine and she was ordered to be careful while teaching. Minerva nodded and groaned inwardly as she redressed in her now clean yellow gown.
She skipped dinner and went back to the study, lying down on the bed. She fell asleep again in her yellow dress. She awoke and it was still dark out, it was just after three in the morning. It was going to feel like forever till Albus came back it seemed.
Minerva started to work on her dress. The week was starting slowly and she dragged herself through the days as they continued on, sleeping a few hours every night. Her dress was getting much closer to being complete just missing a sleeve now. She finished it the Sunday before the last week of April, it was different than her other ones. She had changed the color to black, the sleeves were off the shoulder and the bodice was very stiff and was pointed in the front. The sleeves were her typical favorite with the ends flaring out, the inside of the sleeves were steel grey. Yet the skirt was a bunch of ruffles all the way to the bottom as she moved them around a steel grey color could be seen under them.
She made her way to breakfast in the new dress; a robe pinned over it at her waist, and she was early so she waited patiently for everyone to show up as she sat in her high backed chair quietly for several minutes. Finally people started to show up in groups, they were used to her being there early now after a month of it.
Breakfast passed and she made her way up to the classroom to find a frantic Fawkes flying around the front of the room, in and out of the office. “You can go you know.” He flew back into the office and out again as she started on her notes for her first year class. The class filed in and the bell rang for class to start. It progressed normally enough except for the frantic phoenix that annoyed Minerva at every chance he got. It didn’t seem to occur to the phoenix that this was the last week of class before O.W.L.s started the next week.
Fawkes was tickling her with his tail feathers as he sat on her shoulder, only to be batted off. Finally he flew off and disappeared in a fiery flash, she didn’t blink and was repositioning a first year’s hands on his wand. “It is an art, Mr. Diggory, not just something that you hope to accomplish by hopelessly waving a piece of wood at, now try again.” Her voice was somewhat soft as she watched him.
“Yes, but you didn’t need to seem to say words last weekend when dueling Governor Malfoy.” He looked up at her still holding his wand in correctly.
“That was more advanced magic that you will learn before you leave here, now proceed.” He nodded and worked on his chameleon, trying to turn it into a wallet.
She moved on and the bell rang, “Pactice! O.W.L.s start next week!” The students groaned at the reminder and left. She erased the notes and started on the N.E.W.T. class notes as they filed in, she pulled out the lesson plan, ‘Practice’. She rolled her eyes and looked around, waiting for the two that always made it just before the bell from arithmacy.
The homework was handed up and wands were out, for them to practice, though talking was aloud as it was also discussion based. There was another fiery flash that she ignored as she walked around the room; Tom Riddle was having problems with the last spell. “Can anyone – OW!” She looked around and saw the frantic phoenix flying away from her and her eyes narrowed but she didn’t do anything about it.
“As I was saying, can anyone correct Mr. Riddle on what he is doing wrong with spell?” No one would but everyone was staring and soon Minerva was rubbing her head again, “Bloody Hell Fawkes!” She glared at the bird as it circled back to her desk, “Do it one more time and I will rip out every single one of those tail feathers with my feline teeth and claws!” The fiery bird just snapped his beak back at her several times before turning his back on her.
She rubbed her head some more and looked back at Tom Riddle, “Your pronunciation is correct, Mr. Riddle it is the wand movements that you have off.” She turned and walked back to her desk, the bird wasn’t there. “Even if you are off the slightest with your movements it will cancel the spell.” This time she heard the bird as he came at her from behind and spun, grabbing his tail feathers. She was soon engulfed in a fiery wave.
The class stared; their professor had just vanished when she grabbed the bird. They looked about, but a moment later the Headmaster walked in to speak with the young witch. “What do you mean gone, she can’t be gone. It is impossible to apparate in school grounds, let alone the halls of the school.” He searched the office for her but she wasn’t there, letting her class go early for the day he spent the next hour and a half searching the entire school for her to no avail. The young witch was nowhere to be found.
