A/N: The title says it all. Happy birthday, Minnie McG. 4th October.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MINNIE
Minerva McGonagall awoke to the sight of the rising sun dancing across her bedroom floor. On any other morning she would have delighted in sitting by the window simply watching the sun awakening in the sky. However, today was no ordinary day.
Minerva knew that she really should be getting ready to face a new day but the warmth of her bed was just far too enticing to leave on this particular brisk October morning. As she nestled deeper down into her duvet, there was a loud rapping on the door. Did nobody want her to get some well deserved rest?
She yawned, pulled a thin red dressing gown over her shoulders and shuffled over to the source of the sound. It was probably another student without the common sense to check the time… or one on a death wish. She tried her best to make herself a little more presentable, despite her messy black hair, which flowed down to her waist, and her short, slightly low-cut, black nightdress. She might give a student the shock of their lives.
The incessant knocking continued until she opened her office door, revealing, not a student, but her best friend and mentor, Albus Dumbledore. He wore eye-poppingly, skull-crushingly bright orange and purple robes. If anything could give Minerva a migraine today, it was his dress sense. The man was too cheerful for his own good. How could he do that on a day like this?
"Good morning, Minerva," he said happily. Insufferable old coot.
"Seriously, Albus, I am not in the mood for this today."
"But today's your birthday, Min!"
"Piss off, Albus," she snapped.
"But there's someone special here to see you."
"What part of 'piss off' don't you understand?"
That, it would seem, was the worst thing to that she could have said, for just as soon as those words had slipped from her tongue, the four Marauders appeared behind the Headmaster, wearing rather astonished expressions. Mr Black was to busy gaping at her chest to speak much. No doubt this would be all over the school by the end of the day. But James Potter quickly plucked up the courage to drop in a cheeky comment.
"Now, now, McG, is that any way to be talking to Professor Dumbles, especially while you're still wearing your night clothes?" James asked slyly. That was it!
"Number one; stop calling me by all those insanely aggravating nicknames. Number two; my face is a little north of where you are looking right now, Sirius Black. And number three; I have things to do. So goodbye!" Minerva slammed the door shut in their faces before they could say another word. Though her mind could have been playing tricks on her, she could have sworn she heard James say something about "serious PMS problems". She sighed and got ready for a day of impending misfortune.
~**********************************************~
Once Minerva was restored to her normal pristine self, she walked slowly down to the Great Hall and took her seat next to Albus. She apologized for snapping and the pair were quickly consumed in their general conversations. But, for the entire duration of breakfast, she became increasingly uncomfortable. She was convinced that the Marauders, plus one Lily Evans, kept shooting conspicuous glances her way. Probably planning another of their little schemes, she thought.
Minerva turned back to her, now slightly cold, toast. As she rose from her seat at the staff table at the end of breakfast, she still couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched by the five young mischief-makers.
~**********************************************~
Minerva traipsed back up to her classroom in preparation for her first class of the day. It was the class with Potter, Black, Lupin and Pettigrew; the Marauders. Not that she would ever admit it to anyone, but it was her favourite class. It was entertaining, if nothing else. But also, the four always came to class with renewed anticipation (though that was generally due to the planning of one of their infamous pranks) and they reminded her of her own mischievous childhood.
The bell rang and the class filed in, sitting in silence, as years of experience in Minerva's class had taught them. After every student had their quill and parchment, Minerva flicked her wand, causing a set of complicated notes to scribble themselves on the blackboard. The next quarter of an hour was spent copying the theory work in silence. But four particular students had evidently not heard the 'silently' part. Those four students were, of course, the Marauders. They were not only hurriedly whispering, but passing a note around. It had reached Mr Pettigrew who seemed to find it quite extraordinary as he had stopped working and was just trying to comprehend the words on the note. Minerva silently summoned the piece of parchment from the boys grip and opened it out on her desk.
James and Sirius looked at each other and gulped. On the parchment was a sketch of a tall woman wearing a skimpy black nightgown, with long legs and rather large breasts. Along with the drawing was a series of notes scribbled in different handwriting. It read:
Who would have known that McG was hot?
I know, Padfoot. I wonder how old she is?
You two are seriously twisted, do you know that? She's old enough to be your mother!
But, Moony, honestly! You can't tell me you wouldn't…
That's because he would.
You two are so annoying.
It's our speciality.
Let's show Wormtail.
Don't! You'd scar him forever. I don't think he's ever thought of women that way, let alone McGonagall.
Let's see anyway! Don't you agree, Prongs?
I most certainly do, Padfoot.
Idiots.
The last sentiment by Remus summed up Minerva's thoughts exactly. She sighed and glared half-heartedly at the four boys.
"Potter, Black, Lupin and Pettigrew, you know what's coming next, don't you?"
"A congratulations on our fabulous artistic skill?" Sirius tried.
Minerva laughed mirthlessly. "Nice try, Mr Black. Detention. Now, don't you think it's time we were getting on with Transfiguring these mice?"
The remainder of the class passed without so much as a peep from the Marauders, which was actually rather worrying. The bell finally went and their was the usual rush to escape the classroom. Sirius, Remus, James and Peter stayed behind.
"Good morning, Minnie," said Sirius surprisingly chirpily.
"What are you up to?" Minerva asked.
"Why, Professor, I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Don't play the innocent with me, Potter. You had better tell me what, in Merlin's name, you are planning."
"Well, perhaps you had better ask Professor Dumbles."
Oh, so Albus was up to something? She would have to send in the inquisition at lunch.
~**********************************************~
After an unsuccessful quizzing of Albus Dumbledore at lunch, Minerva returned to her office and slouched on the sofa, yearning for a nice cup of tea. She clicked her fingers to summon her personal House elf, Tizzy, whom she had taught to read and write.
A few seconds later, Tizzy appeared wearing a bright blue tea towel like a toga.
"Good afternoon, Mistress Minerva. How is you today?" Tizzy asked.
"I am not too happy, Tizzy. Just in need of a nice cup of tea, please."
"Tizzy will be right back, Mistress."
Tizzy vanished, only to reappear seconds later carrying a large wooden tray. On the tray was a cup of tea and a large rectangle package.
"Tizzy brings Mistress Minerva a cup of her favourite chamomile tea. Tizzy also gives Mistress a present to mark Mistress' birthday." Tizzy said proudly.
"Oh, Tizzy, you didn't have to do that for me."
"But Mistress Minerva always remembers Tizzy's birthday. It is the least Tizzy could do."
"Thank you very much, Tizzy." Minerva accepted the package and carefully unwrapped it, unveiling a thick Muggle book named 'Sense and Sensibility'.
"Thank you again, Tizzy. It's very nice of you." Minerva repeated gratefully.
"Master Albus told Tizzy that Mistress Minerva likes to read Muggle novels, so Tizzy goes out specially to get this for Mistress," Tizzy said. "Also, Tizzy would like to remind Mistress Minerva about the parcel on her desk."
"Thank you, Tizzy." And with that, Tizzy disappeared.
Minerva hadn't noticed the parcel on her desk. It was a small square one with red wrapping paper and a golden ribbon. She unravelled the package and revealed a little black box, containing a pretty silver necklace with a red metal lily hanging from the end of it. Along with the box, there was a note which read:
Dear Professor McGonagall,
Happy birthday. I hope you like this present.
Lily Evans.
Minerva smiled and fastened the necklace around her throat. She drained the teacup and started to make her way back towards her classroom. She would have to thank Miss Evans for the beautiful jewellery later.
~**********************************************~
The rest of the day passed in a rather unremarkable fashion, that was, until she began to walk to dinner in the Great Hall. minerva hardly managed to get out into the corridor before Albus grabbed her by the arm and started steering her back towards her office.
"Albus, may I ask just what you think you are doing?"
"I am taking you back to your office so you can get ready," he said, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
"Why on Earth would you want to do that?" she replied.
"It is your birthday and I am taking you to dinner in Hogsmeade. And you can't very well wear your teaching robes, can you?"
"What do you suggest that I wear then, Albus?"
"I have just the thing." He pulled a small piece of cloth from his pocket and restored it to its original size. "It was a gift from someone special." It was a beautiful, figure-fitting navy dress with a golden waistband.
"Oh, Albus," she said, astonished, "it's gorgeous. There really was no need to get me a gift like this."
"I didn't," he said bluntly. "Er, what I mean is, I didn't get this for you?"
"Then who did?"
"Someone special."
"No, really, tell me. Who was it?"
"I already told you -"
"Yes, I know, someone special."
"Well, don't just stand there, go put it on!"
Albus waited outside her office for a few moments before she resurfaced. The dress was absolutely perfect; it fitted her form beautifully and brought out the emerald in her eyes.
Well, he thought, the man has taste.
"Wow, Min, you look... wow!"
"Um, well, should we be going?"
"Ah, yes."
The two talked animatedly to each other, thankfully not meeting any students, all the way down to the entrance to the Great Hall.
"Ah, Minerva," said Albus, "it would seem that I have left my travelling cloak in the Great Hall. Would you mind coming with me to get it?"
"Not at all, Albus." Minerva pushed open the doors to the Great Hall and almost keeled over with shock.
Within was gathered every student in the school, all wearing their finest dress robes. On the walls were huge moving photographs all starring Minerva. There was one of her holding the Quidditch cup, in her seventh year, on the shoulders of all of her team mates. There was one of her on her wedding day, dancing with her husband. One of her and her husband holding their eldest child on the day of its birth, she clutched her little daughter and, despite looking far less than presentable, radiated joy.
There were also pictures of her with the rest of her family; one of her playing Quidditch with all of her brothers, one of her standing with her father on her Graduation night and one of her mother holding her as a child.
Then she spotted him. The tall man with ivory hair and silver speckles, grassy eyes and a soft face. It was her father, Adric. She ran over to him and embraced him tightly.
"Hello, kitten," he said in his thick Scottish accent. But that wasn't all. She then spotted her four brothers; Oliver, Bryce, Kai and Grayson.
After greeting all of them, she felt a soft hand on her shoulder and she turned to see the man she had been yearning to see all day. Xander McGonagall, her husband.
She couldn't prevent herself from grinning and gazing into his deep oceanic eyes.
"Happy birthday Min."
"Oh, Xander. I can't believe you're really here."
"Maybe this will convince you," he said as he leaned down to her, a feat not many could achieve, and placed a soft kiss on her lips that quickly grew in intensity. They ignored the wolf whistles coming from the crowd and began to revolve slowly on the spot as a soft melody began playing in the background.
The two seemed to be lost in each others' eyes and it was breath-taking to watch. When the song ended, three adults swarmed the dance floor. All three had thick raven hair. There was one man and two women. The eldest was tall, trim and slightly curvy with impish features. Her name was Anneliese and she was 23 years old.
The second was muscled with sharper facial features. His name was Giles and he was 20. The final one was lithe with a slightly rounder face. Her name was Astri and she, as Giles' twin, was also 20.
They crowded around their mother and father and began to sing sweetly. The song was the family favourite and it warmed all of the spectators' hearts.
~**********************************************~
After hours of singing and dancing, the only people left were the McGonagall clan, Albus Dumbledore, Lily Evans and the Marauders.
"You enjoyed the party, then, Minerva?" Albus enquired.
"Yes, very much. Thank you so much."
"There is no need to thank me, Messrs Black, Potter, Lupin and Pettigrew put all of this together with the help of Miss Evans, here. I merely supplied the venue and embarrassing photographs."
"So that's what you were up to?" Minerva asked.
"And weren't we just awesome at it?" said James confidently. "Anywho, only one thing remains to be said:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MINNIE!"
A/N: Very sorry for any delay on my stories, but my memory stick imploded itself and back-up copies are non-existent. As always, I own nothing... apart from OC's.