The New Era and a New Headmistress
The halls of Hogwarts were quiet and dark when Professor Minerva McGonagall-Dumbledore got out of bed to go check the Gryffindor dormitories. She paced the room trying to remember which students had already left the safety of the castle walls. She walked down the hall to the dormitories with an ominous feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was rare not to have it these days. Everything scared and worried her because Lord Voldemort was back and had killed the man she loved.
Minerva had arrived and the portrait of the Fat Lady and giving the password climbed through the hole behind the portrait as quietly as possible. As soon as her feet hit the floor on the other side she heard a student screaming. Heading towards the source of the sound, she cringed to think of the story she was going to hear in moments. Looking down on the student, Neville Longbottom, her heart went out to him, and she sat on the edge of the bed and shook him awake. "Neville, it's all right. It's just a bad dream." Minerva said trying to be sensitive.
Neville looked into Professor McGonagall's eyes and burst into tears. He needed a hug, and Minerva saw an opportunity to improve her image, and she reached out her arms to him and he fell into them and dissolved into tears. Minerva had been through this before, most of her adult life she'd lived in fear of dying, but these young kids had no idea what they were going to face in the time to come. She sat on the bed and rocked Neville and asked the question she knew she must ask, "Do you want to talk about it? It's okay to be afraid of things you don't know."
Neville looked up into the normally cold and severe eyes which somehow had mellowed, and smiled. "You'd be willing to listen to me and my irrational fears?" Neville asked with a sniff.
"Of course, that's what I'm here for. There are no irrational fears, if it's something you are truly afraid of then it's not irrational, it's real. I'm surprised that you don't feel you can talk to me. I know I can be harsh sometimes, but I'm always willing to listen to anything you have to say. I know I'm not as warm as Professor Dumbledore was, but I do all the same things as he did." Professor McGonagall knew she wasn't well liked but she wasn't Professor Snape, and that was saying something.
Neville sighed the deep sigh of a boy who was scared about everything, but especially about admitting his greatest fears. "Well," he said hesitating for a moment. "I think He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is trying to kill my parents in the hospital."
"Neville, this is not an uncommon fear nowadays. It's normal, just remember to tell yourself that it doesn't have to come true." Minerva identified with Neville on this one.
"Do you get scared still, too?" Neville asked hoping someone adult had fears, too.
"Of course I do, now more than ever. Professor Dumbledore's gone and I must admit I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment. He's a very difficult man to replace in times such as these. He did an amazing job as headmaster and I can't replace him, but I'm trying to do my best. I am scared now more than I was the last time Lord Voldemort was in power because I'm alone now, more than ever." Minerva poured out her heart to Neville and hoped that it helped him understand that he was normal.
"But, you're a good headmistress, perhaps a little strict, but you're doing the best you know how to do. I can see how taking over for Professor Dumbledore could be overwhelming. It's so wonderful that someone other than me has fears, too, I thought it was just me. Not that I like the fact that you're scared, but I like to know that I'm not alone." Neville took Professor McGonagall's hands so she knew that he cared.
"You're never alone, Neville, I want you to know that. Now are you all right? Can I go?" Professor McGonagall asked as she put her hands on Neville's face.
"I'm fine. You can go and check on the other students. I heard one of the girls screaming earlier, but I'm not sure who it was. Thank you for taking the time to listen, Professor McGonagall. I appreciate you taking the time, just promise that you won't write to my grandmother, she'll only call me a wimp. Please don't write to her." Neville pleaded with Professor McGonagall; his grandmother made him nervous and she was mean.
"Neville, I told you I don't mind talking to you. I'm always willing to listen to you. Every student in this school is important to me and so are their opinions. Even your opinion is important Neville, even if I have been harsh towards you. I'll see you tomorrow." Professor McGonagall stood up to leave, when suddenly Neville threw his arms around her waist and wouldn't let go. Professor McGonagall patted Neville's head, but was surprised at the sudden outpouring of affection from Neville. She wasn't sure how to react at first as such an event had never occurred in fifty years of teaching. "I know you're scared Neville, but please remember to be strong, you can fight Lord Voldemort so much better that way."