(Author's Note: Sorry for a short first chapter, but if this gets any positive reviews and people are interested in reading more of Minerva's year under Voldemort's rule, then I'll continue ASAP! Please review and please be honest, including criticisms; I'm always looking to improve!)
Bangs and explosions in the early hours were not uncommon at Hogwarts.
Many a night, Minerva McGonagall had been awoken by the shattering of chandeliers, or the slam of doors. That's why, at first, she assumed that Peeves was up to his usual mischief.
What is the pest up to now? she thought wearily, as a colossal crash came from downstairs. Dumbledore had improved the school in many ways, but allowing the poltergeist to stay was one of his worse moves; she resolved to petition the Ministry for his removal from the castle, preferably before the start of term next month.
Despite it being August, the corridors were draughty and she shivered through her thin tartan dressing gown as she ascended the stairs from what she could only think of as Dumbledore's office, although it was technically now hers.
The commotion had stopped, but looking out of the window, she could see the Front Doors. They were wide open, and the soft light of the Entrance Hall was spilling out onto the lawn.
McGonagall froze.
That door had been sealed with the strongest magic Minerva and her colleagues could muster. No one but her, Filius, Pomona and Horace returned to the school before the start of term, and no one but them could open that door. Horace was loath to get out of bed until midday at the best of times, so there was no way he would be in the grounds at night. Pomona or Filius might have business in the grounds, but there was no way they would leave the doors open considering the security measures that were imposed on the castle. Something was wrong - she could feel it in her bones.
It was just as she had come to that conclusion that a silver lynx popped into being before her; Shacklebolt's patronus, she was certain.
"The Ministry has fallen…" the deep voice of it's owner intoned. "They are coming…"
For a moment, Minerva McGonagall stared at the place where the auror's patronus had been a second ago in stunned disbelief. Even at the height of Voldemort's power last time, the Ministry had never faltered, not once. This only went to show how unstoppable he had become. She supposed though, without Dumbledore it had only been a matter of time. There were Ministry guards in the Grounds and stationed in Hogsmeade, Minerva realised. That explained the bangs and blasted open doors. No doubt they had received new orders from their head office to bring her in for questioning. If Voldemort now controlled the Ministry then… she shuddered to think what he would do to Dumbledore's old supporters. All the power that once had stood against Voldemort's influence was now either on his side or dead; they had lost.
But that did not mean those who remained would not or could not resist; Minerva whipped out her wand.
"Expecto Patronum!"
Three cats burst from the end of her wand, and all headed off in separate directions; one to each of her colleagues.
With another flick of her wand, she transfigured the suits of armour in the hall into snarling wolverines, the like of which could still be found in the mountains around Hogwarts. Strong, vicious and starving hungry, she once might have felt sorry for any who encountered them. But not now.
With the wolverines prowling in the shadows, her silent companions, the Headmistress of Hogwarts would show the intruders what happened to those who entered her school unbidden.