Well, sorry this wasen't up sooner, bu tI couldn't write this w/o a box of Junior Mints. LOL

SUMMARY: After Harry return from his adventure in "My Turn To Protect", Minerva contemplates the people in her life: Her husband, her students, Harry, and what may come. Hints are present.

Disclaimer: I don't own the lyrics Minerva mentions, neither do I own HP. If you thought I did, your a bigger moron than Lockhart! ^_^

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Minerva Mcgonagall sat in her office, two cups of Peppermint tea

on her long, mahogany desk. Harry had just left her for bed after a

long talk about thier shared pasts. It suprised her how much she

enjoyed talking to the boy now. Then again, for many years she had

only known him as her old school friend, Daniel. He had reminded her

of so many things that she took for granted. Especially Albus.

"What were the words to that Muggle song?," she said to herself,

"Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you got 'till it's

gone?" She had almost lost him to Voldemort of all people...or things..

and she had realized how lucky she was that they had had over 50 years

together. Albus mean't so much to her. And she'd never understood

before....Minerva cringed, recalling the fear she had known upon her

sudden collapse.....

FLASHBACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!

Minerva st the stack of graded essays down upon the endtable by

her fireplace.

'Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter must be picking SOMETHING up

from Ms. Granger.' she thought, looking at the essays on the top of

the stack. All of them got good marks and had the names 'Harry

Potter', 'Ron Weasley', and 'Hermione Granger' on them. They were

all destined for something great, that was for sure. As she turned to

sit in her favorite chair, a knock was heared.

"Come in." she said, suddenly dizzy. But she assumed it was from

turning so fast. In came Amanda (Hooch), smileing as usually. Minerva

tried to smile, but she only managed a grimance as she stumbled.

"Minerva?!" Amanda cried, rushing forward to hold her friend up.

But Minerva's mind was fading and her body felt numb. A 'poping'

noise announced a Floo user, and the last things she heared before

falling into nothingness was this:

"Albus and Potter have collapsed.And----Minerva!!"

END FLASHBACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!

Collasped. How the word had frightened her. Not even her own

pain stopped her from the terror of losing her husband. To wake up

a few days later by his side, feeling that his hand was warm under the

red glow of Phoenix magic, had been enough to send her into tears.

What would have happened to thier students, too, if both had perished

before they were meant to? The thought was terrifying. How was it that

she had never appreciated the students being there, until it seemed she'd

fail them, losing them forever?

"Muggle songwriter's must know something I don't.." She sighed, her

thoughts wandering to what now lay ahead of the one-man short

"Golden Quartet", as many students from her schooldays called them.

''Will all we've done be unmaid?", she muttered, resting her hand on

the glass window behind her desk. Outside, a storm was brewing in the

distance, beyond the mountain range.

' And will I be there to remake it?' A shiver went down her spin at

the thought.

' God damnit Tom...where did everything go wrong? When did you,

old friend, become the foul beast you are now?' Her eyebrows

furrowed.

' That's it. I'm becoming depressed...." She turned to a small endtable

on her left, opened the drawer, and took out a box. She shut the drawer

quickly to avoid the flash of a ring, and slumped back into her chair

once more. Then she popped a chocolate cany in her mouth.

' Mental note: Buy more Junior Mints. Your going to need them'

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tee-hee. Well, I hope all you got the few hints I dropped for the sequel to this. The next story is 'Marai' which is Japanese for future.

Marai---------Harry Potter is alone in a dark future. Headmaster at 19, now 20, he is the
protector of the last safe haven on Earth. Dumbledore is dead after he
sacrificed himself to save Harry and Ginny. But how can Harry fight, when
only Dumbledore had the wandless power to defeat Voldemort? Right now,
I don't even know that for sure. Exciting, ne? ^_^