The Transformation of a Scottish Lioness
Chapter 1, The Hazards of Dueling
February 1943 - Hogwarts Castle
A seventeen-year-old Minerva McGonagall sat in Headmaster Dippet's office, waiting for a disciplinary decision due to her attack on Tom Riddle. The office was dusty and smelled of old pipe smoke and ancient parchment and she had trouble keeping from sneezing. She heard raised voices from the staff room next door as she held her head in her hands, feeling miserable.
"I think the evidence is clear, Horace, that Tom acted dishonorably by casting a Body Bind spell after he had already disarmed her," Professor Albus Dumbledore stated to the Head of Slytherin House, pointing to the names of the last four spells that Tom Riddle's wand had cast. The names were written in the air in yellow, fiery lettering above the hovering Yew-made instrument.
Horace Slughorn, Headmaster Dippet, Gamekeeper Ogg and Albus Dumbledore stood in a huddle around the wand that now floated mid-air. Another wand, a 16 ½ inch oak piece, lay on a table next to them with the names of its last four spells floating above it.
"Minerva's last spell was Protego. I think we can rule out that she intentionally set him on fire, or threw him up in that tree." Professor Dumbledore added to his mounting argument. Only the Gamekeeper seemed to be agreeing with his logic and the Headmaster shook his head in aggravation.
"Then how do you explain Tom ending up there? Surely you don't think the girl could have physically done it? Throw a lad like Tom some 30 feet in the air?" This question came from the Headmaster while he scratched at his bearded chin and paced the floor.
Professor Dumbledore shook his head.
"Of course not. However, innate magic, especially when the caster is fearful, can produce such effects." In reaction to the Transfiguration professor's explanation, both Professor Slughorn and the Headmaster scoffed. The Potions master was the first to retort.
"Innate magic of that magnitude, from an eighteen year old? Albus, that's preposterous!" Horace threw up his hands and walked over to the fireplace and Dumbledore had the oddest sensation that the Potions instructor wasn't being entirely forthcoming.
"Is it really?" questioned Professor Dumbledore. "Perhaps we could use the perspective of a woman on this. Yes?" To this the Headmaster nodded, understanding that his Transfiguration instructor was considering a dangerous possibility, and summoned a house-elf.
A young, female elf Apparated into the staff room with a loud pop and was instructed to collect Professor Merrythought immediately. While they waited for the female professor to arrive, Professor Slughorn began ranting.
"I don't see the issue here. My prize student, a decorated Hogwarts hero, is in the hospital wing with a broken leg and was nearly scorched while your Gryffindor is without a scratch." Horace's eyes were wide as he looked over at the other men. Albus narrowed his gaze on Horace, moving swiftly across the room toward him.
"Miss McGonagall, who I would like to remind you is also your student, had her blouse torn open and is, quite likely, emotionally scarred. Are you insinuating that she was not injured during the event? I hope you're not suggesting that physical wounds are more significant." Dumbledore's voice had lowered, becoming quite dangerous. Headmaster Dippit stepped between the two, placing a hand on Albus' shoulder just before the house-elf Apparated back into the room holding the arm of a very confused Professor Merrythought.
"Ah, thank you Jubles. You may go now." Headmaster Dippet stated, and the house-elf Disapparated. "Professor Merrythought, I apologize for such theatrics, but we are in need of a woman's opinion on a sensitive matter-" the Headmaster stated and began to explain the situation. Professor Merrythought looked around the room quickly, catching the fleeting gaze of Slughorn, who turned abruptly to stare into the fire.
"We have a pair of students, a male and a female, who were practicing their dueling arts on the grounds. Both claim that it started out as a friendly practice, which isn't in dispute, however, we have some evidence that the boy cast a Body Bind spell on the girl after he had disarmed her…" he paused, noticing Professor Merrythought's expression grow dark. "After this happened, we know that the boy ended up stuck in a tree, and moments later, the tree was on fire. The boy was pinned, leg stuck around a branch, and apparently had dropped his wand in the process."
As the Headmaster explained the situation, the Potions instructor became more and more agitated, pacing the floor. The Gamekeeper clamped his fists and chewed on his lip. The Transfiguration professor stood quietly, focused on Professor Merrythought's face while the Headmaster explained the events.
"Mervin…" the Headmaster addressed the Gamekeeper "would you please relay what you witnessed again, for Professor Merrythought's benefit?" The Gamekeeper cleared his throat nervously and started sweating.
"Well, like I said, I was out patrollin' the grounds, 'cause it was gettin' late, and I see two kids down a ways from me hut, and they were hurlin' spells at each other. Flashes of light and whatnot. So I go down to tell 'em to get up to the Hall for dinner, see, but before I get there, I hear a boy cast Expeliarmus, then I hear him say and cast Petrificus Totalus, right?
"I don't hear any female voice at all, and then I hear this soft thump, so I'm thinking, the boy must'a done somethin', so I rush down, and by the time I'm ten paces away, the boy, who turned out to be Tom, is hurled up into a nearby tree and the whole thing goes up in a blaze.
"The girl, she was pullin' herself up off the ground. Poor thing is all wet, covered in mud from getting' knocked down and she's cryin' and I notice her over robe is ripped completely off 'er and her blouse is…" here he pauses and looks at the floor… "well, it's all ripped open and she grabs up her wand which was off somewhere, and runs toward the castle.
"She din say anythin' to me, she's so upset I think. And I look up in the tree, an there's Tom, screamin' at me to get him out, apparently he's stuck and I done forgot me wand-" he admits a bit sheepishly "but I sees his wand there and I pick it up an cast Aguamenti to put the fire out - they were all ablaze yeh see, an then try to Levitate Tom out of the tree.
"Well, I ain't the best with spells, obvious, but I manage to jerk and wiggle him lose- I think his leg was stuck around a branch, maybe even tied, I ain't sure really, but he screamed bloody murder the whole time I was tryin to get 'im out. Once I did get 'im outta tha tree, well, I carried 'im up to the hospital wing and found Madam Alumno and let her take over." The Gamekeeper paused to look over his audience. Slughorn had his back turned toward Mervin, the Headmaster was watching Merrythought closely, Professor Dumbledore was glancing between Merrythought and the Headmaster, and Professor Merrythought was fixed on Mervin's face.
"From what I saw, the lad got grabby with Miss McGonagall and got his arse beat by some sort of magic he didn't expect." And the Gamekeeper might have gone on explaining his ideas and opinions, but Headmaster Dippet waved him down, telling him that was quite enough. Mervin shrugged. "That's all I seen. Is the girl a'right?" he asked worriedly.
Professor Dumbledore was the first to speak up.
"I imagine she's upset right now, but we-" and Dumbledore made a point to look around the room at each of the professors, as if insisting they do as he advised "-will be doing all we can for her. I do not feel she has any blame in this whatsoever." He turned his attention to Merrythought.
"Professor Merrythought, we were hoping to get a woman's perspective on innate magic in relation to fear. If Miss McGonagall was expecting to be sexually attacked…" to this, both Slughorn and Dippet gasped and started '"hey nowing"' and protested '"lets not go that far"' to which Dumbledore just waved his hand at them and continued, "would that sort of magical reaction be normal, or likely?" Albus was solely focusing on Merrythought and the room was as silent as a tomb.
With very careful dictation, Professor Merrythought explained how innate magic was uncommonly evident during the most intense of emotions; fear being one of the strongest causes of freak magical accidents. She then explained that, as a teacher of Defense Against the Dark Arts, she had learned of cases where unintentional magical outbursts, which could be quite violent, were aimed at the fear source. She also added that she had known personally, two witches who had been sexually attacked that had similar reactions as to what occurred between Miss McGonagall and Mr. Riddle.
Professor Slughorn sighed heavily and spoke with noticeable dread.
"This is Tom we're talking about, the lad who flushed out the criminal who opened the Chamber of Secrets. A very talented boy!"
Albus Dumbledore spoke up before Headmaster Dippet had the chance.
"A student who is credited with solving the mystery, however, as we've spoken at length on this subject, we both know that Acromantuli are not capable of Petrifying their prey," Dumbledore reminded the group, and the Headmaster began rubbing his forehead in dismay and insisted they not stray off topic. Dumbledore pressed his advantage before anyone could stop him.
"And let us not forget Miss McGonagall, an Outstanding student in nine subjects, Gryffindor Quiddich Captain and Prefect who also happens to be the youngest Transfiguration Champion of continental Europe, is a very talented girl," he countered Horace's defense of Tom. The Headmaster waved his arms in the air and demanded an end to the argument, anxious to hasten a resolution.
At last, after a heated discussion among the strained group, a decision was made, much to Albus Dumbledore's disapproval.
Headmaster Dippet and Professor Dumbledore reentered the Headmaster's office, seeing Minerva sitting crumpled in one of the large chairs, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She was shivering. She looked up at the pair as the Headmaster walked toward her; his thick, tan robes sweeping across the floor.
"Miss McGonagall," the Headmaster began, "we've discussed the situation and feel you broke no rules and your actions against Tom were unintentional. You're free to return to your house-" he stated very matter-of-factly. Minerva was looking up into his face as he stood over her when he turned to avoid eye contact, walking toward his desk. "If you should feel the need to talk to the mediwitch or would like to contact your family, you may do so." He then walked around the Headmaster's desk and sat down, thankful to be off his feet.
Minerva sat there, extremely uncomfortable with the situation. She felt violated and undefended, by the very people who, by all rights, were meant to protect her. She wasn't sure what she expected from the Headmaster, but his casual and displaced reaction was more than disappointing. She glanced at her Head of House as he stood, quietly, by the heavy wooden door. He looked extremely worried.
Minerva cleared her throat.
"Will Tom be expelled?" She asked timidly.
Professor Dumbledore sighed heavily as if he had been holding his breath and the Headmaster shifted uncomfortably in his large oak chair.
"I think that's a rather harsh punishment for a misunderstanding. No, he has not, and I do not wish to discuss this further-" was all Headmaster Dippet said before returning his attention to some paperwork in front of him.
Minerva stood up, clutching the blanket around her shoulders and rushed toward the door, nearly running into her Head of House. Dumbledore opened the door for her and followed her out to the hallway. She felt the threat of tears and wanted desperately to run away; to hide somewhere, but her Transfiguration professor was too quick. Before she could race off, she felt his hand on her shoulder and stopped. The door to the Headmaster's office shut with a loud thump.
"I think you deserve an explanation, at the very least, of what the Headmaster decided." He paused, hoping she'd turn around. "And I want you to know, I do not agree with it."
She felt her breath catch and turned to look up at him, seeing the look of regret in his eyes. She understood, for the first time that evening, since the whole scenario began, that someone was, indeed, in her corner. And that made all the difference.
Nodding up at him, she felt a tear slide down her cheek and straightened up, wiping her face quickly.
"Alright," she replied and followed him to his office.