Post by minerva on Aug 25, 2011 16:34:33 GMT -5
The idea of portraits trying to find a murderer haunted me all day long. Unfortunately only this little bit took a proper shape in my mind so that I could write it down. Furthermore I'm not that much of a writer 
But I thought maybe you want to continue this.
Please feel free to send me a note if someone on this board already wrote a story like this one
Murderer
“What the-”
“Oh my goodness!”
“Someone has to get Albus, quick!”
Reluctantly Minerva opened her eyes, blinking into the dim light of a nearby torch. She felt so tired. Why was everyone making such a fuss?
“Ten points from Slytherin,” she mumbled. “If I again hear you shouting around, Phineas...”
Phineas?
Suddenly Minerva was fully awake. She looked around and to her surprise she found herself in the headmaster's office – her office – of Hogwarts.
“Phineas? Dilys... oh, my head...”
“Easy, girl,” said Dilys Derwent. “Don't rush things. The first few hours are always dreadful. Ah, Albus, there you are!”
“Minerva!”
In the next moment Minerva found herself pressed against what seemed like a soft, warm wall and she got the feeling of someone wanting her to suffocate under a mass of purple velvet.
After a few seconds the pressure on her body eased away and the view of the heavy fabric was replaced by the blue, familiarly twinkling eyes of Albus Dumbledore.
But how could that be? How could he hug her like he was alive?
“Albus,” Minerva whispered.
She raised her hand and carefully touched his face.
“How... how... I mean...”
“That's exactly what I wanted to ask you,” he replied with a gentle smile. “How? I didn't expect you sooner that at least thirty years. But I won't complain. What matters is, that we are reunited again.”
“Wait a minute,” Minerva protested and backed away. “What are you talking about? Heck... what happened? Right now I am supposed to be in London. How did I came here? What am I doing here and... why am I able to feel you, Albus?”
“Just as Albus said, you are the one who should tell us about the 'how',” Armando Dippet replied. “As for the 'why': may I remind you that you are – or rather have been – the headmistress of the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry the world has ever seen? My dear, you now have joined the fellowship of the former headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts. You are a portrait.”
~*~
“I... am a portrait,” she repeated with disbelief.
Her colleagues around her nodded.
“And probably the best-looking one, if I may say so,” Everard smiled.
Minerva gave him an irritated glance.
“Take your time, dear,” Dilys advised. “Believe me, we were all as confused as you are now. It takes a while until you get used to all of this. In case you need help, all of us will be there for you.”
But unlike Dilys had prophesied, Minerva felt more and more confused with every minute passing and searching her mind for answers was like fuel for her headache.
“Now, will you tell us how it happened?” Phineas' voice pulled her out of her thoughts.
Minerva wanted to answer but she found herself unable to do it. She tried hard to remember her last moments but thick fog seemed to be hiding them.
“I... I can't,” she answered weakly, getting more and more desperate. “I try to remember, but... I can't.”
“Ease down,” Dilys said soothingly. “Don't push yourself. It's nothing unusual. Why don't you just take a stroll and explore the castle from this new perspective? It helped me sort things out.”
Minerva nodded thankfully. Being mentored by Dilys Derwent was just the thing she needed right now.
She felt Albus' hand on her hip and she realized that she now was allowed to get used to his touch. Alive they hadn't been allowed to be together. He had been her superior and furthermore one of the most likely targets of Voldemort's. A relationship would have been both illegal and dangerous.
But now they were just fellows on canvas. Now they were free.
But Albus' touch didn't feel right.
“I guess I'll go and see Filius,” Minerva muttered. “As my deputy he should know first.”
“Permission to accompany you,” Albus smiled.
“Denied.”
“But-”
“I mean it, Albus. I know both of us have been waiting for this very moment but right now I... I just want to have my mind cleared before we start... anything... I'm sorry.”
Albus nodded.
“I understand,” he replied. “I really do.”
He took her hand, raised it to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on it.
“I'll see you later I guess.”
Minerva nodded shortly. Then she turned around and left her frame.
~*~
Moving from one frame to another was weird. Minerva felt like wandering through a strange labyrinth.
But being a portrait indeed had its benefits. She now was faster than ever. This, of course, didn't leave her much time to think about things but Minerva wanted to have this issue sorted out first.
An old gray-haired warlock courteously cleared his frame as Minerva walked in.
Filius Flitwick was currently busying himself with what seemed like a score. Standing on his usual stack of books and humming to himself he obviously looked for new songs – next to his main job as Charms teacher he had taken over the conductorship of the school choir about two decades ago.
Minerva cleared her throat in order to gain his attention but the tiny professor didn't hear her. Only when she called out his name, he looked up. With a shriek he fell off his books and hit the ground with a thumping sound.
“Filius, are you okay?” Minerva asked worriedly.
“I'm fine,” Flitwick squeaked, climbing up onto his books again. “But... Merlin's beard, Minerva! Since when are you a portrait? What is this supposed to mean?”
Minerva had planned to give a simple answer but right now things didn't look as simple anymore. She was here to tell him – and to show him – that she was dead. But just now she was acting like she wanted to tell him about students breaking rules.
Suddenly Minerva realized that this was just one of the things she would never do again – this and so many other things as well. Giving points to hard-working students. Correcting homework and tests. Helping decorate the Great Hall for Christmas. Standing on the Astronomy tower, watching the Hogwarts Express leave to bring the students home at the end of the year. Chasing Peeves away. Sitting in the Three Broomsticks, having a glass of gillywater together with the other teachers and Madam Rosmerta. Taking strolls across the territory of Hogwarts...
'Now, this is the price I have to pay,' she thought bitterly. 'And it's so high I almost feel like I paid more than the ware's worth.'
“That I'm dead, obviously,” Minerva replied with a faint smile. “No, please don't ask. I don't know how or when. I... I wanted you to... well...”
“Tell me,” Flitwick ended, his voice trembling. “Oh, Minerva... As if we hadn't lost so many good witches and wizards. The Potters, Sirius, Dumbledore... and now you.”
With the sleeve of his cloak he tried to wipe away the upcoming tears.
“I promise, I will get you buried next to Albus. Maybe... maybe the two of you... can even... share... a...”
Seeing Filius burst into heavy sobs tore Minerva's heart apart. At the same time she felt strangely thrilled at the thought of her real body finally lying next to Albus'.
“Filius,” she croaked. “Filius, please-”
But Flitwick jumped off his books and ran away.
~*~
~*~
“Feeling better, my dear?”
“Very much, thank you Albus.”
She smiled sadly.
“This is weird. All the time I've been waiting for this moment and now that we are finally allowed to do as we please, I just... don't feel like doing it. Please, don't get me wrong, I still want it... want you. But... I don't know...”
Albus kissed her cheek.
“Don't worry. You just have way too much on your mind right now. A good night's sleep makes the world look completely different the next day but I guess this business will take more than just one night.”
On the other side of the room Phineas Nigellus rolled his eyes.
“Hey, won't you roll your eyes on them, Phineas?” Dilys scolded.
In the next moment the two of them were entwined in a heated argument.
Minerva and Albus grinned.
“I know now when it happened. I remember walking through London and suddenly getting a terrible headache. Then everything turned black. But I can't get rid of the feeling that something is wrong.”
Albus gave Minerva's shoulder a gentle squeeze. But he, too, looked worried.
“Unusual, indeed,” he agreed. “As I said yesterday, I didn't expect you that early.”
“Yes, unusual indeed!” someone barked.
Filius had entered the office, accompanied by Pomona Sprout whose face was as white as chalk. In her hands she carried the Daily Prophet.
“Have a look at this,” Filius growled and pointed at the newspaper.
Pomona hesitated.
“What are you waiting for? It won't kill her...”
The Herbology teacher gave her colleague a blistering glance. Then she held the Daily Prophet up so Minerva and Albus could read the headline:
“Headmistress of Hogwarts Murdered
Minerva McGonagall's body found...”
But I thought maybe you want to continue this.
Please feel free to send me a note if someone on this board already wrote a story like this one
Murderer
“What the-”
“Oh my goodness!”
“Someone has to get Albus, quick!”
Reluctantly Minerva opened her eyes, blinking into the dim light of a nearby torch. She felt so tired. Why was everyone making such a fuss?
“Ten points from Slytherin,” she mumbled. “If I again hear you shouting around, Phineas...”
Phineas?
Suddenly Minerva was fully awake. She looked around and to her surprise she found herself in the headmaster's office – her office – of Hogwarts.
“Phineas? Dilys... oh, my head...”
“Easy, girl,” said Dilys Derwent. “Don't rush things. The first few hours are always dreadful. Ah, Albus, there you are!”
“Minerva!”
In the next moment Minerva found herself pressed against what seemed like a soft, warm wall and she got the feeling of someone wanting her to suffocate under a mass of purple velvet.
After a few seconds the pressure on her body eased away and the view of the heavy fabric was replaced by the blue, familiarly twinkling eyes of Albus Dumbledore.
But how could that be? How could he hug her like he was alive?
“Albus,” Minerva whispered.
She raised her hand and carefully touched his face.
“How... how... I mean...”
“That's exactly what I wanted to ask you,” he replied with a gentle smile. “How? I didn't expect you sooner that at least thirty years. But I won't complain. What matters is, that we are reunited again.”
“Wait a minute,” Minerva protested and backed away. “What are you talking about? Heck... what happened? Right now I am supposed to be in London. How did I came here? What am I doing here and... why am I able to feel you, Albus?”
“Just as Albus said, you are the one who should tell us about the 'how',” Armando Dippet replied. “As for the 'why': may I remind you that you are – or rather have been – the headmistress of the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry the world has ever seen? My dear, you now have joined the fellowship of the former headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts. You are a portrait.”
~*~
“I... am a portrait,” she repeated with disbelief.
Her colleagues around her nodded.
“And probably the best-looking one, if I may say so,” Everard smiled.
Minerva gave him an irritated glance.
“Take your time, dear,” Dilys advised. “Believe me, we were all as confused as you are now. It takes a while until you get used to all of this. In case you need help, all of us will be there for you.”
But unlike Dilys had prophesied, Minerva felt more and more confused with every minute passing and searching her mind for answers was like fuel for her headache.
“Now, will you tell us how it happened?” Phineas' voice pulled her out of her thoughts.
Minerva wanted to answer but she found herself unable to do it. She tried hard to remember her last moments but thick fog seemed to be hiding them.
“I... I can't,” she answered weakly, getting more and more desperate. “I try to remember, but... I can't.”
“Ease down,” Dilys said soothingly. “Don't push yourself. It's nothing unusual. Why don't you just take a stroll and explore the castle from this new perspective? It helped me sort things out.”
Minerva nodded thankfully. Being mentored by Dilys Derwent was just the thing she needed right now.
She felt Albus' hand on her hip and she realized that she now was allowed to get used to his touch. Alive they hadn't been allowed to be together. He had been her superior and furthermore one of the most likely targets of Voldemort's. A relationship would have been both illegal and dangerous.
But now they were just fellows on canvas. Now they were free.
But Albus' touch didn't feel right.
“I guess I'll go and see Filius,” Minerva muttered. “As my deputy he should know first.”
“Permission to accompany you,” Albus smiled.
“Denied.”
“But-”
“I mean it, Albus. I know both of us have been waiting for this very moment but right now I... I just want to have my mind cleared before we start... anything... I'm sorry.”
Albus nodded.
“I understand,” he replied. “I really do.”
He took her hand, raised it to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on it.
“I'll see you later I guess.”
Minerva nodded shortly. Then she turned around and left her frame.
~*~
Moving from one frame to another was weird. Minerva felt like wandering through a strange labyrinth.
But being a portrait indeed had its benefits. She now was faster than ever. This, of course, didn't leave her much time to think about things but Minerva wanted to have this issue sorted out first.
An old gray-haired warlock courteously cleared his frame as Minerva walked in.
Filius Flitwick was currently busying himself with what seemed like a score. Standing on his usual stack of books and humming to himself he obviously looked for new songs – next to his main job as Charms teacher he had taken over the conductorship of the school choir about two decades ago.
Minerva cleared her throat in order to gain his attention but the tiny professor didn't hear her. Only when she called out his name, he looked up. With a shriek he fell off his books and hit the ground with a thumping sound.
“Filius, are you okay?” Minerva asked worriedly.
“I'm fine,” Flitwick squeaked, climbing up onto his books again. “But... Merlin's beard, Minerva! Since when are you a portrait? What is this supposed to mean?”
Minerva had planned to give a simple answer but right now things didn't look as simple anymore. She was here to tell him – and to show him – that she was dead. But just now she was acting like she wanted to tell him about students breaking rules.
Suddenly Minerva realized that this was just one of the things she would never do again – this and so many other things as well. Giving points to hard-working students. Correcting homework and tests. Helping decorate the Great Hall for Christmas. Standing on the Astronomy tower, watching the Hogwarts Express leave to bring the students home at the end of the year. Chasing Peeves away. Sitting in the Three Broomsticks, having a glass of gillywater together with the other teachers and Madam Rosmerta. Taking strolls across the territory of Hogwarts...
'Now, this is the price I have to pay,' she thought bitterly. 'And it's so high I almost feel like I paid more than the ware's worth.'
“That I'm dead, obviously,” Minerva replied with a faint smile. “No, please don't ask. I don't know how or when. I... I wanted you to... well...”
“Tell me,” Flitwick ended, his voice trembling. “Oh, Minerva... As if we hadn't lost so many good witches and wizards. The Potters, Sirius, Dumbledore... and now you.”
With the sleeve of his cloak he tried to wipe away the upcoming tears.
“I promise, I will get you buried next to Albus. Maybe... maybe the two of you... can even... share... a...”
Seeing Filius burst into heavy sobs tore Minerva's heart apart. At the same time she felt strangely thrilled at the thought of her real body finally lying next to Albus'.
“Filius,” she croaked. “Filius, please-”
But Flitwick jumped off his books and ran away.
~*~
~*~
“Feeling better, my dear?”
“Very much, thank you Albus.”
She smiled sadly.
“This is weird. All the time I've been waiting for this moment and now that we are finally allowed to do as we please, I just... don't feel like doing it. Please, don't get me wrong, I still want it... want you. But... I don't know...”
Albus kissed her cheek.
“Don't worry. You just have way too much on your mind right now. A good night's sleep makes the world look completely different the next day but I guess this business will take more than just one night.”
On the other side of the room Phineas Nigellus rolled his eyes.
“Hey, won't you roll your eyes on them, Phineas?” Dilys scolded.
In the next moment the two of them were entwined in a heated argument.
Minerva and Albus grinned.
“I know now when it happened. I remember walking through London and suddenly getting a terrible headache. Then everything turned black. But I can't get rid of the feeling that something is wrong.”
Albus gave Minerva's shoulder a gentle squeeze. But he, too, looked worried.
“Unusual, indeed,” he agreed. “As I said yesterday, I didn't expect you that early.”
“Yes, unusual indeed!” someone barked.
Filius had entered the office, accompanied by Pomona Sprout whose face was as white as chalk. In her hands she carried the Daily Prophet.
“Have a look at this,” Filius growled and pointed at the newspaper.
Pomona hesitated.
“What are you waiting for? It won't kill her...”
The Herbology teacher gave her colleague a blistering glance. Then she held the Daily Prophet up so Minerva and Albus could read the headline:
“Headmistress of Hogwarts Murdered
Minerva McGonagall's body found...”