DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. If it wasn't created by the great J.K. Rowling, it was inspired by her.
SUMMARY: The most powerful dark wizard in centuries is defeated. A student and teacher commit the ultimate breach of protocol. A search for a piece of the school's past takes four individuals to the ends of the earth. Countless lessons in life, friendship, love, and Transfiguration are learned, and sometimes all at the same time. And much, much more... 1945 was certainly a year to remember.
A/N: This story shares a universe with another one of my fics, 'The Play That Must Not Be Named'. The main things in here that are also in that one are the story behind Albus and Minerva's relationship and the character of Indira Nay. I thought it would be fun to try and develop these two things and others in a seperate fic, so here it is. Also, I tried to make this story a lot different from 'Obsessions', which is set at roughly the same time ('Obsessions' starts and ends earlier), but there's one thing I couldn't resist having in common: Armando Dippet's resemblance to Humphrey Bogart. I hope you understand. (I thought it was funny) You know those random minor characters you like for no reason at all? Dippet's one of those for me. ^_^ All right, that's it. You may read now.
~~~
Chapter One: In which Minerva gains a new ability
- January 9, 1945 -
~~~
The first thing someone usually noticed about Minerva McGonagall was her eyes. From a distance, they appeared to be brown, but if one could stand her fierce, determined gaze long enough to get a good look at them, one would see that they were actually a very dark blue. The color was unique, but even more distinctive than that was the way they seemed to burn a hole in one's skin if one was out of her favor and unlucky enough to be in her line of sight at the same time. Minerva was eighteen years old, but could pass for twenty-five. She'd been able to pass for twenty-five since she was fourteen. Her friends often joked that when she actually reached twenty-five, she'd be mistaken for eighteen. She didn't think so because she hadn't acted like she was eighteen since she was ten. Maturity beyond her years was another noticeable trait about the seventh-year Gryffindor with the intense eyes. It came in handy when one was in a position of authority, like Head Girl of Hogwarts, or captain of a Quidditch team, like she was, but it could drive away those that weren't used to her mature, independent nature. She was a determined, hard worker who could keep her cool in almost any situation.
Almost.
"It's no use, Professor." Minerva slammed the thick book on the table in front of her shut and folded her arms across her chest in frustration. The sound echoed through the empty Transfiguration classroom, and when it died down, she said, "I can't do it."
Albus Dumbledore gave his star student an encouraging smile. "Yes, you can," he assured her. "You know I never would have started training you if I didn't think you were capable."
Minerva's dark blue eyes gave her instructor one of her famous don't-start-that-with-me looks. "We've been doing this since the beginning of the year, and I haven't sprouted so much as a whisker. I can't do it."
Dumbledore's eyes were blue, too, but while Minerva's were the blue of midnight, his were the blue of dawn, and they sparkled with an ever-present mix of patience and curiosity behind his half-moon glasses. He and another Hogwarts teacher were the only ones she knew who could beat her in a staring contest. "Training to become an Animagus can take years, Minerva. We've been doing it for four and a half months. You need to give yourself more time."
Minerva didn't reply. Magic had always come relatively easy to her, and combined with her strenuous work ethic, her magical ability rivaled that of wizards and witches many times her age. The only subject natural talent and hard work didn't give her results in was Divination, and that was because she believed the class was nothing but a hoax. She quickly discovered that she wasn't the only one, and on Dumbledore's advice, played along through the rest of the course. She ended up with the highest grade in the class, but hadn't learned a thing, which annoyed her to no end. Now, she was training to become an Animagus, and although she had been excited about it at first, her attitude now was very similiar to that of how she felt toward Divination.
Dumbledore gave her a few moments to cool off, and when he saw that she wasn't going to respond, said, "Don't ever tell me you can't do something, Minerva. I know you better than that."
A small smile cracked Minerva's face. "Except Divination."
"Well, yes, Divination, but the ones who get the highest marks in that course are the ones who B.S. their way through it, and admit it, you had fun with it."
"With it. Not in it." Her smile grew slightly wider. "You know, now that you mention it, it was kind of fun to think of all the different ways I could die."
"And you died no less than four times a week, every week," he said. "Professor Eckersley thought you were the most brilliant Divination student he ever had."
"Are you saying that because it's the truth or because you want to boost my confidence so we can get back to studying Animagi?"
Dumbledore smiled, too. "A little bit of both, I suppose."
"Fine." Minerva opened the book again and thumbed through the pages to find her spot. When she did, she read for a minute or so, then said, "All right, now here's what I just don't understand. It says that one must know in order to be. What does that mean?"
"Perhaps they are suggesting that in order for you to become a cat, you must know what a cat thinks like."
"But over here, it says that before one can know, one must be," Minerva said. "It's a paradox. In order to be, one must know, but before one can know, one must be."
A twinkle appeared in Dumbledore's eye. "I think you may have just figured out the meaning of life, Minerva."
"I'm still trying to figure out Animagi, Professor. Let's take things one step at a time."
He did not reply verbally, but the knowing smile he gave her was all the response she needed.
Minerva stared straight ahead for a few moments, then blinked. "Oh."
"Are you ready?"
She nodded. "I am."
She stood up and walked a few steps away, all the while thinking, I am ready, I can do this. She stopped walking, and without turning back toward Dumbledore, said, "I am going to do this."
Dumbledore smiled and nodded. Minerva's biggest, and, in his opinion, only fault was her lack of confidence in her own abilities. She knew she was powerful, but she would never be satisfied with anything less than the best every time. Desire for perfection was her only weakness, and he wondered if she would ever realize that. "I know you are, and now that you know it, too, you can do not only this, but anything."
Minerva closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She tried to bring up every piece of information she had learned on becoming an Animagi in the last four and a half months. She thought about the animal she wanted to become, a cat. She had done all of this before, but now, she knew that the missing link between to know and to be was to become. That was what she had to realize on her own before she could perfom a successful transformation. It was time.
When she opened her eyes, the room seemed much bigger than it had before. Everything was also clearer, and her senses of sight, hearing, smell, and touch were going into overdrive as they analyzed her surroundings. Her heart began pounding with excitment. She did it. She was an Animagus.
Minerva transformed back into herself, and tears of happiness were streaming down her face. She was too overcome with elation to say anything. Dumbledore stood up and smiled proudly. "You did it," he said. "I always knew you would."
Her face was starting to hurt from smiling. Two strides each brought them together into a triumphant embrace. "I am so proud of you," Dumbledore whispered as they hugged each other.
"I couldn't have done it without your guidance," Minerva replied.
Just then, a knock on the door was heard. "Come in," Dumbledore called, too overjoyed to ponder the possible consequences of being seen in such an intimate position with a student.
The door opened, and a female voice said, "Professor Dumbledore, I-" She stopped talking, and what sounded like several books crashed to the floor, followed by the fluttering of loose paper and a shocked, "Oh, my."
Dumbledore and Minerva immediately let go of each other. "Professor Nay," Dumbledore said, trying to avoid sounding guilty at having been caught stepping out of bounds. Minerva kept silent and took deep, slow breaths in an effort to calm her racing heart.
Indira Nay was the Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, head of Slytherin house, and the other person besides Dumbledore who could beat Minerva in a staring contest. At twenty-seven years of age, she was the youngest person on staff, but like Minerva, Indira was far beyond her years in her magical ability and maturity level. Everyone in the school respected her. The ones that didn't because they admired her skill and the way she handled things did because she scared them to death. For most, it was a mixture of both. Indira had another trait in common with Minerva - her eyes. From a distance, Indira also looked like she had brown eyes, but they were actually a very dark, intense green. And they were very, very angry.
"Professor Nay, this is not what it looks like," Dumbledore said. It was all he could do to maintain his cool under her furious gaze. He wasn't afraid of Indira, but rather, afraid of what she might do to Minerva. He wanted to slap himself for not thinking before he gave his consent for the other professor to enter. Indira was a stickler for the rules, and something like this could get Minerva expelled if it was taken the wrong way.
"Indeed." Indira's voice was soft and serious, as it always was, but the slight red tint to her deeply tanned skin betrayed her anger. "Explain."
"Miss McGonagall just performed her first successful Animagus transformation," Dumbledore said. "I was congratulating her."
"You were congratulating her," Indira said supsiciously, arching a thin, dark eyebrow. "It appeared to me as if she was returning your embrace, Professor Dumbledore."
"Heat of the moment," was Dumbledore's calm reply. "Certainly you cannot think that an accomplishment of this caliber can be sufficiently congratulated by a smile and a nod."
No one at Hogwarts had ever seen Albus Dumbledore lose his cool. No one had ever seen Indira Nay lose control of herself, either, and when a conflict occured between these two, the tension was enough to make anyone nearby snap. Minerva held her breath and silently prayed for it to be over soon.
Indira knew Dumbledore and Minerva had stepped over the line, but becoming an Animagus was a big thing, and of course they would be overjoyed by her triumph. What frustrated her, though, was that even though she knew protocol had been broken, she couldn't prove if it was a one-time thing or if it went deeper than it looked. The worst thing that could happen for them was a slap on the wrist and a "don't let it happen again" speech from the headmaster. She believed the rules must be followed and anyone caught breaking them must be punished. They broke the rules, but there wasn't enough evidence to make their punishment harsh enough to stop them from doing it again.
"Very well," she said. "You will both walk away unscathed this time, but I assure you that Professor Dippet will hear about this." She knelt down and began gathering the things she had dropped in her surprise upon entering the room. Once everything was in her arms, she walked over to them and handed Dumbledore a book. "Here's the book I borrowed from you last week. Thank you."
"You're welcome, Professor Nay," Dumbledore said, taking the book from her.
Indira wasn't biting. She gave both of them looks of warning, and left without saying a word.
Dumbledore sighed and looked at the book in his hand. "I'd almost forgotten that I let her borrow this."
Minerva felt it was safe to breathe again, and said, "Is she going to have me expelled?"
He gave her a reassuring smile. "Of course not. Professor Nay is not the most pleasant individual to walk the halls of this school, but she is fair, and she knows the difference between celebrating a victory and fraternization." Dumbledore knew as well as Indira did that he and Minerva stepped far beyond the boundaries for what was considered an appropriate student-teacher relationship, but he was so proud of her for performing her first successful transformation that he was willing to take a few hits.
Minerva wasn't convinced. "She said she was going to go to Professor Dippet."
"And I am sure she will, but Professor Dippet is much more understanding than she is," Dumbledore replied. "I will speak to Professor Dippet as well and assume responsibility for... this."
"I'm sorry," she said. She knew that it was just as much, if not more her fault than his, and she didn't like the idea of him taking all the blame, but she knew better than to try and reason with him when it came to things like this.
"Let's not worry about it anymore," Dumbledore said. "You're an Animagus now. Doesn't that make you even the least bit happy?"
She laughed and wiped at the wet stains on her cheeks left by her joyful tears. "Of course it does."
~~~
A/N: Indira may seem cold and heartless, but she's a good person deep down inside... really deep down inside. So what do you think? Want to see more?
SUMMARY: The most powerful dark wizard in centuries is defeated. A student and teacher commit the ultimate breach of protocol. A search for a piece of the school's past takes four individuals to the ends of the earth. Countless lessons in life, friendship, love, and Transfiguration are learned, and sometimes all at the same time. And much, much more... 1945 was certainly a year to remember.
A/N: This story shares a universe with another one of my fics, 'The Play That Must Not Be Named'. The main things in here that are also in that one are the story behind Albus and Minerva's relationship and the character of Indira Nay. I thought it would be fun to try and develop these two things and others in a seperate fic, so here it is. Also, I tried to make this story a lot different from 'Obsessions', which is set at roughly the same time ('Obsessions' starts and ends earlier), but there's one thing I couldn't resist having in common: Armando Dippet's resemblance to Humphrey Bogart. I hope you understand. (I thought it was funny) You know those random minor characters you like for no reason at all? Dippet's one of those for me. ^_^ All right, that's it. You may read now.
~~~
Chapter One: In which Minerva gains a new ability
- January 9, 1945 -
~~~
The first thing someone usually noticed about Minerva McGonagall was her eyes. From a distance, they appeared to be brown, but if one could stand her fierce, determined gaze long enough to get a good look at them, one would see that they were actually a very dark blue. The color was unique, but even more distinctive than that was the way they seemed to burn a hole in one's skin if one was out of her favor and unlucky enough to be in her line of sight at the same time. Minerva was eighteen years old, but could pass for twenty-five. She'd been able to pass for twenty-five since she was fourteen. Her friends often joked that when she actually reached twenty-five, she'd be mistaken for eighteen. She didn't think so because she hadn't acted like she was eighteen since she was ten. Maturity beyond her years was another noticeable trait about the seventh-year Gryffindor with the intense eyes. It came in handy when one was in a position of authority, like Head Girl of Hogwarts, or captain of a Quidditch team, like she was, but it could drive away those that weren't used to her mature, independent nature. She was a determined, hard worker who could keep her cool in almost any situation.
Almost.
"It's no use, Professor." Minerva slammed the thick book on the table in front of her shut and folded her arms across her chest in frustration. The sound echoed through the empty Transfiguration classroom, and when it died down, she said, "I can't do it."
Albus Dumbledore gave his star student an encouraging smile. "Yes, you can," he assured her. "You know I never would have started training you if I didn't think you were capable."
Minerva's dark blue eyes gave her instructor one of her famous don't-start-that-with-me looks. "We've been doing this since the beginning of the year, and I haven't sprouted so much as a whisker. I can't do it."
Dumbledore's eyes were blue, too, but while Minerva's were the blue of midnight, his were the blue of dawn, and they sparkled with an ever-present mix of patience and curiosity behind his half-moon glasses. He and another Hogwarts teacher were the only ones she knew who could beat her in a staring contest. "Training to become an Animagus can take years, Minerva. We've been doing it for four and a half months. You need to give yourself more time."
Minerva didn't reply. Magic had always come relatively easy to her, and combined with her strenuous work ethic, her magical ability rivaled that of wizards and witches many times her age. The only subject natural talent and hard work didn't give her results in was Divination, and that was because she believed the class was nothing but a hoax. She quickly discovered that she wasn't the only one, and on Dumbledore's advice, played along through the rest of the course. She ended up with the highest grade in the class, but hadn't learned a thing, which annoyed her to no end. Now, she was training to become an Animagus, and although she had been excited about it at first, her attitude now was very similiar to that of how she felt toward Divination.
Dumbledore gave her a few moments to cool off, and when he saw that she wasn't going to respond, said, "Don't ever tell me you can't do something, Minerva. I know you better than that."
A small smile cracked Minerva's face. "Except Divination."
"Well, yes, Divination, but the ones who get the highest marks in that course are the ones who B.S. their way through it, and admit it, you had fun with it."
"With it. Not in it." Her smile grew slightly wider. "You know, now that you mention it, it was kind of fun to think of all the different ways I could die."
"And you died no less than four times a week, every week," he said. "Professor Eckersley thought you were the most brilliant Divination student he ever had."
"Are you saying that because it's the truth or because you want to boost my confidence so we can get back to studying Animagi?"
Dumbledore smiled, too. "A little bit of both, I suppose."
"Fine." Minerva opened the book again and thumbed through the pages to find her spot. When she did, she read for a minute or so, then said, "All right, now here's what I just don't understand. It says that one must know in order to be. What does that mean?"
"Perhaps they are suggesting that in order for you to become a cat, you must know what a cat thinks like."
"But over here, it says that before one can know, one must be," Minerva said. "It's a paradox. In order to be, one must know, but before one can know, one must be."
A twinkle appeared in Dumbledore's eye. "I think you may have just figured out the meaning of life, Minerva."
"I'm still trying to figure out Animagi, Professor. Let's take things one step at a time."
He did not reply verbally, but the knowing smile he gave her was all the response she needed.
Minerva stared straight ahead for a few moments, then blinked. "Oh."
"Are you ready?"
She nodded. "I am."
She stood up and walked a few steps away, all the while thinking, I am ready, I can do this. She stopped walking, and without turning back toward Dumbledore, said, "I am going to do this."
Dumbledore smiled and nodded. Minerva's biggest, and, in his opinion, only fault was her lack of confidence in her own abilities. She knew she was powerful, but she would never be satisfied with anything less than the best every time. Desire for perfection was her only weakness, and he wondered if she would ever realize that. "I know you are, and now that you know it, too, you can do not only this, but anything."
Minerva closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She tried to bring up every piece of information she had learned on becoming an Animagi in the last four and a half months. She thought about the animal she wanted to become, a cat. She had done all of this before, but now, she knew that the missing link between to know and to be was to become. That was what she had to realize on her own before she could perfom a successful transformation. It was time.
When she opened her eyes, the room seemed much bigger than it had before. Everything was also clearer, and her senses of sight, hearing, smell, and touch were going into overdrive as they analyzed her surroundings. Her heart began pounding with excitment. She did it. She was an Animagus.
Minerva transformed back into herself, and tears of happiness were streaming down her face. She was too overcome with elation to say anything. Dumbledore stood up and smiled proudly. "You did it," he said. "I always knew you would."
Her face was starting to hurt from smiling. Two strides each brought them together into a triumphant embrace. "I am so proud of you," Dumbledore whispered as they hugged each other.
"I couldn't have done it without your guidance," Minerva replied.
Just then, a knock on the door was heard. "Come in," Dumbledore called, too overjoyed to ponder the possible consequences of being seen in such an intimate position with a student.
The door opened, and a female voice said, "Professor Dumbledore, I-" She stopped talking, and what sounded like several books crashed to the floor, followed by the fluttering of loose paper and a shocked, "Oh, my."
Dumbledore and Minerva immediately let go of each other. "Professor Nay," Dumbledore said, trying to avoid sounding guilty at having been caught stepping out of bounds. Minerva kept silent and took deep, slow breaths in an effort to calm her racing heart.
Indira Nay was the Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, head of Slytherin house, and the other person besides Dumbledore who could beat Minerva in a staring contest. At twenty-seven years of age, she was the youngest person on staff, but like Minerva, Indira was far beyond her years in her magical ability and maturity level. Everyone in the school respected her. The ones that didn't because they admired her skill and the way she handled things did because she scared them to death. For most, it was a mixture of both. Indira had another trait in common with Minerva - her eyes. From a distance, Indira also looked like she had brown eyes, but they were actually a very dark, intense green. And they were very, very angry.
"Professor Nay, this is not what it looks like," Dumbledore said. It was all he could do to maintain his cool under her furious gaze. He wasn't afraid of Indira, but rather, afraid of what she might do to Minerva. He wanted to slap himself for not thinking before he gave his consent for the other professor to enter. Indira was a stickler for the rules, and something like this could get Minerva expelled if it was taken the wrong way.
"Indeed." Indira's voice was soft and serious, as it always was, but the slight red tint to her deeply tanned skin betrayed her anger. "Explain."
"Miss McGonagall just performed her first successful Animagus transformation," Dumbledore said. "I was congratulating her."
"You were congratulating her," Indira said supsiciously, arching a thin, dark eyebrow. "It appeared to me as if she was returning your embrace, Professor Dumbledore."
"Heat of the moment," was Dumbledore's calm reply. "Certainly you cannot think that an accomplishment of this caliber can be sufficiently congratulated by a smile and a nod."
No one at Hogwarts had ever seen Albus Dumbledore lose his cool. No one had ever seen Indira Nay lose control of herself, either, and when a conflict occured between these two, the tension was enough to make anyone nearby snap. Minerva held her breath and silently prayed for it to be over soon.
Indira knew Dumbledore and Minerva had stepped over the line, but becoming an Animagus was a big thing, and of course they would be overjoyed by her triumph. What frustrated her, though, was that even though she knew protocol had been broken, she couldn't prove if it was a one-time thing or if it went deeper than it looked. The worst thing that could happen for them was a slap on the wrist and a "don't let it happen again" speech from the headmaster. She believed the rules must be followed and anyone caught breaking them must be punished. They broke the rules, but there wasn't enough evidence to make their punishment harsh enough to stop them from doing it again.
"Very well," she said. "You will both walk away unscathed this time, but I assure you that Professor Dippet will hear about this." She knelt down and began gathering the things she had dropped in her surprise upon entering the room. Once everything was in her arms, she walked over to them and handed Dumbledore a book. "Here's the book I borrowed from you last week. Thank you."
"You're welcome, Professor Nay," Dumbledore said, taking the book from her.
Indira wasn't biting. She gave both of them looks of warning, and left without saying a word.
Dumbledore sighed and looked at the book in his hand. "I'd almost forgotten that I let her borrow this."
Minerva felt it was safe to breathe again, and said, "Is she going to have me expelled?"
He gave her a reassuring smile. "Of course not. Professor Nay is not the most pleasant individual to walk the halls of this school, but she is fair, and she knows the difference between celebrating a victory and fraternization." Dumbledore knew as well as Indira did that he and Minerva stepped far beyond the boundaries for what was considered an appropriate student-teacher relationship, but he was so proud of her for performing her first successful transformation that he was willing to take a few hits.
Minerva wasn't convinced. "She said she was going to go to Professor Dippet."
"And I am sure she will, but Professor Dippet is much more understanding than she is," Dumbledore replied. "I will speak to Professor Dippet as well and assume responsibility for... this."
"I'm sorry," she said. She knew that it was just as much, if not more her fault than his, and she didn't like the idea of him taking all the blame, but she knew better than to try and reason with him when it came to things like this.
"Let's not worry about it anymore," Dumbledore said. "You're an Animagus now. Doesn't that make you even the least bit happy?"
She laughed and wiped at the wet stains on her cheeks left by her joyful tears. "Of course it does."
~~~
A/N: Indira may seem cold and heartless, but she's a good person deep down inside... really deep down inside. So what do you think? Want to see more?