Ridiculous. Minerva thought. Completely, utterly, irrevocably, ridiculous. But just ridiculously brilliant enough for this to work. She sent another curse at the masked deatheater, who missed by a few inches. In retaliation, he shot a killing curse back at Minerva who rolled to the side, and the green jet of light hit the marble pillar behind her. Albus better be right… she told herself while sending another neat jinx at the offending deatheater. This time, the jinx met its mark, and the hooded figure was thrown back, and slammed hard against the opposite wall, where he crumpled and was still. Minerva inwardly smiled. But, when, has Albus ever been wrong?

Okay, Minerva, she steeled herself, Albus said to activate the charm in the East Wing in order to trigger the castle's self defense mechanism. But where in the East Wing should she be looking? Merlin only knew how big it was, with a labyrinth of secret paths. Besides, Minerva didn't spend most of her time in the Eastern side of Hogwarts, in Professors Snape, Vector and Sinistra's territory. No, she stayed primarily in the West Wing, where the Transfiguration Classrooms were located. Well, that was not a main worry right now. What she should have been worrying about is the problem of activating the charm. Albus had said that the charm is activated when someone of real need and pure heart comes looking for it, of course provided said person knew the correct spell. It was ridiculous, in Minerva's opinion. Plenty of Hogwarts students, past and present, were dueling in the tower right this moment. All of them with real need. All of them with a pure heart. So how could this bloody charm NOT work? Again, Albus, she thought, some of your plans are just so bloody complicated and diverse no-one actually ever seems to know what to do.

Minerva rushed off in search of the East Wing's hallway. On her way, she passed many students fighting some of their own battles. Surprisingly, all of them were faring remarkably well. It was only when Lavender Brown, a seventh year student from her own house was felled by a badly aimed stunner, did Minerva stop her brisk walk to the East Wing and hasten to continue the duel with the deatheater.

"Oooh, lookie here. Minnie McGonagall's come to play! What d'you wanna play, Minnie? Hide and go Seek?" He taunted, as Minerva was force to duck from another killing curse with the sole purpose of ending her life. "C'mon Minnie! What's the matter? Cat got yer tongue?" He threw his head back and laughed. But it was not one of joy, but one of pure insanity.

"DON'T," Minerva roared, "CALL ME MINNIE!" Minerva flicked her wand in his direction and he was flung against the wall where his mask dropped off. Avery, Minerva thought. Hmmph, the boy never had much sense, even as a student. It would seem obvious, that when in a duel, one should never start laughing and give your opponent an opportunity to strike. With another flick of her wand, she immobilized him and levitated him onto a torch-bracket where she hung him by his clothes. Well, that's that. Minerva thought and rushed off to the East Wing.