A/N: No copyright infringement intended. Also, I need to say thanks to lolwrwg for her useful tips and suggestions. Be sure to check out her wonderful stories as well.
Chapter 1: Getting acquainted
It was early December 1956 when a young Minerva McGonagall walked towards the gates of Hogwarts. She had left a profitable job and a promising career at the Ministry of Magic in London behind for a position as Transfiguration Professor at the school that occupied a special place in her heart.
From the moment Minerva had stepped through the imposing oak doors as a fresh-faced, exceedingly bright eleven-year-old, a sense of belonging had wrapped itself permanently around her like a comfortable cloak. Hogwarts had fuelled her passion for knowledge and it had given her the confidence and the courage to be who she was, for better or worse since she no longer had to hide the fact she was a witch for fear of being ostracised or discriminated against by the community.
And now, just a couple of years after having graduated from her beloved school, she was once again walking towards the majestic castle that contained her past and held her future. As the gates to Hogwarts came closer into view, Minerva couldn't help but think back to a conversation she'd had with Elphinstone Urquart, her former boss at the Ministry, shortly before she had left for Scotland – his voice echoed in the back of her mind.
"Are you certain you want to do this, Minerva? You have a bright career ahead of you here, at the Ministry. Why don't you stay on and help us shape the future of the Wizarding world? Hogwarts will still be there in a couple of years and I have no doubt Albus will have a teaching position available anytime you want."
"I am quite certain, Finn. My mind is made up," she had answered decidedly. "I believe I am better suited to teach the young witches and wizards who are after all the future of the Wizarding world, and going back to Hogwarts might be just what I need."
'Just what I need…' she pondered as the icy Scottish winds drifting in from the mountains made her shiver despite the warming spell she'd cast as a precaution. Perhaps it wasn't merely the winds that made her breath hitch and her fingers feel like icicles. As much as she loved Hogwarts, she could never have envisioned becoming a teacher here at the ripe old age of twenty-one. She was a scant three years older than the seventh-year students. How was she ever going to keep them in check?
Minerva suddenly felt a surge of anxiety coursing through her like a swirl of magic. Working at the Ministry and dealing with sensitive political issues from behind the safety of a desk was one thing, but to have to deal with hundreds of teenagers and their raging hormones on a daily basis while trying to impart knowledge onto them – the very thought of it made her want to turn around and walk back to the apparition point and travel to London to ask for her mind-numbing job at the Ministry back. Yet before she could let her nerves get the better of her, she was met by the imposing figure of Albus Dumbledore standing just beyond the gates at the grand entrance to the castle.
"Good morning, Miss McGonagall," Albus greeted her warmly, obviously aware of the ruminations that were racing through his former star pupil's head.
"Good morning, Headmaster," Minerva said in greeting her old Transfiguration Professor, when she was pulled back from her thoughts by the comforting sound of his voice, as she stepped through the gates.
She was grateful the newly appointed Headmaster had asked her to start her tenure at Hogwarts during the Christmas holidays. It meant she had the added benefit of two whole weeks without students roaming the corridors in which she could acquaint herself with the castle, her quarters, the curriculum and her fellow teachers – the same people she'd admired and looked up to when she'd attended school herself who were now going to be her colleagues. Once again she felt her body quiver and her heart beat faster at the thought of the challenges that lay ahead and the new adventure she was about to embark on.
"Welcome back to Hogwarts. Please do come in," Albus said invitingly. "I hope you've had a pleasant journey up here from London?"
"Yes, I did, thank you, Headmaster," Minerva confirmed while walking up the stairs and across the threshold of the castle, towards her future. She looked around as a small smile curled up the corners of her mouth, her mind going back to the time she'd first set foot on these ancient tiles. It was wonderful to be back in familiar surroundings, if a tad daunting.
Was she truly ready for a new beginning? How was she ever going to be a good teacher and guide impressionable young minds when so much in her own life still remained unresolved? Her mind was going a mile a minute and Minerva once again felt doubt and fear overwhelm her.
Seeing the pensive, far-away look on Minerva's face, emphasised by a pair of fiercely furrowed brows, Albus felt the need to assuage her apparent worries and provide some distraction.
"Let me take you to your quarters to give you some time to unpack and get settled in," he suggested while walking up the grand staircase.
"Thank you, Headmaster, that would be most welcome," Minerva accepted gratefully, as she was brought out of her reverie, before following the Headmaster up the stairs.
Albus stopped walking and turned towards her. "I believe we can do without the formalities from now on, Minerva. Please call me Albus," he offered kindly in an effort to ease his new teacher's nerves.
Minerva smiled at him. "Thank you, Headmaster, but I am afraid that will take some getting used to," she admitted modestly.
Albus smiled back at her before turning back around and continuing his ascend, fondly remembering Minerva's humble and deferential disposition. As a student she had always taken great care in weighing out the pros and cons before making a decision, not ever wanting to offend or alienate people. It was a character trait he'd admired very much and he was sure it would aide her in her career as a teacher because it would allow her to make fair decisions based on facts rather than feelings.
As they walked along the corridors of the castle, happy memories of a time not too long ago came flooding back to Minerva. The comforting smell of the wood panels, the feel of the stone tiles underneath her feet, the moving staircases, the view of the Forbidden Forest, the lively paintings – it was as if she'd never left.
When they halted in front of familiar looking sturdy double doors, Albus turned towards her again.
"You may remember these used to be my quarters, but ever since Armando passed through the veil, I've moved into the quarters above the Headmaster's office. So this…" he said opening the doors and gesturing elaborately with his arm, "...is all yours now. Please feel free to change the interior to suit your needs and decorative tastes. After all, this is your home now."
Minerva felt her heart swell at hearing the Headmaster's words. Her home. She was finally home again.
"Thank you, Headmaster," she said stepping into the large room she had come to know so well during her years as a student. It had been some time since she had been in the quarters of the Transfiguration Professor, the last time having been in her final year at Hogwarts when she had been studying for her Transfiguration Mastery under Albus's guidance as well as training to master her animagus skills.
Minerva looked around and noted the room hadn't changed much. It still contained a wooden desk and chair, several book cases and an inviting seating area with a sofa, two plush chairs and a fireplace. Some of the paintings were new, but all in all the room appeared much the same as she remembered and more importantly, the atmosphere had remained unchanged – the room still exuded a comforting, encouraging and peaceful feeling.
"This will do just fine," Minerva said as she put down her suitcases, a broad smile gracing her features.
"I'm pleased you like it," Albus said cheerfully. "Now, if you would be so kind as to join me in the teacher's lounge in an hour to give me the opportunity of introducing you to the rest of the staff, some of whom might be able to help you find your way around the castle. Not that you don't know your way already, but you are a teacher now," he winked at her before walking towards the door.
Minerva felt her cheeks redden and her heart skip a beat. She was a teacher now. A teacher!
"Would that suit you?" Albus inquired kindly, turning back to look at her.
Minerva nodded. "Yes, that would be perfect. Thank you again, Headmaster. I mean... Albus," she quickly corrected herself, when he glared at her over his half-moon spectacles.
Albus simply nodded, his eyes twinkling. "Good. I'll be seeing you in an hour then, Professor McGonagall," he concluded, walking through the doors and closing them behind him with a small flick of his wrist.
"Professor McGonagall," she mused. "That actually has a nice ring to it. Now if I could only live up to the title." Minerva sighed deeply. There was no turning back now. She was here, at Hogwarts, as the new Transfiguration Professor.
"Well... a worried mind never accomplishes anything worthwhile," she spoke resolutely, remembering her mother's words before looking around the room and deciding to unpack first.
Minerva wandlessly levitated her suitcases and had them float behind her as she ascended the small spiral staircase towards her personal chambers. When she arrived at the door, she opened it to find to her delight another large room, which appeared to be a study with several more doors leading into it. When she went to open each of the doors in turn, she was thrilled to find a spacious bedroom with a fireplace of its own, a luxurious bathroom, a nice-sized guestroom and a small kitchen.
"This will do just fine, indeed," she reiterated her earlier words, a contented smile adorning her lips.
When she returned to the bedroom, she proceeded to unpack her suitcases and put away her clothes and the few personal belongings she'd taken with her from her flat in London. London... up until a few months ago it'd looked like she would be building a future there. Minerva slowly sat down on the bed before immediately rising up again.
"Oh, this mattress is entirely too soft. That will never do!" she stated disapprovingly before transfiguring it into the type of mattress that suited her needs and high standards. 'There now. That is much better,' she thought as she settled herself on the bed again.
The life she'd led in London seemed so far away right now. Mere weeks ago she had been on her way to becoming one of the top officials at the Ministry of Magic with a brilliant career to look forward to. The move to London had helped her put her life in perspective and it had strengthened her belief that she had made the right decision when she'd called off her engagement to Dougal McGregor.
Dougal had been her first love and the day he proposed had been the happiest day of her life. However, she'd soon come to realise the reality of being married to a Muggle would be far different from the way she'd imagined their life together to be. Minerva had loved Dougal and she would probably always love him but she knew their relationship had been ill-fated from the start with the secret of her identity as a witch looming over it.
So it had been after much deliberation and with a heavy heart that she had broken off their engagement and moved to London. After she had left, Dougal had written countless letters, imploring her to return and marry him, but she had never replied – too fearful of being convinced to move back to Scotland. Back to him.
When she had first arrived in London, Minerva had been heartbroken but gradually things had started to look up. She was excelling in her work and gaining the respect of both her colleagues and her boss, and she'd allowed herself to let love back into her life. Minerva felt her heart tighten when she thought back to her time in London, causing her to quickly dispel with the nuisance of emotions and instead get on with the task at hand. She needed to press on if she were to be on time at the teacher's lounge.
Half an hour later Minerva found herself standing in front of the doors to the teacher's lounge deciding on whether to knock or simply enter the room. She opted to knock for fear of disturbing a private conversation, after which she was promptly greeted by the doors opening and Albus walking towards her.
"Please come in, Minerva. You are right on time. And for future reference, you do not need to knock to enter. This is the teacher's lounge – you belong here," he reassured her.
"Thank you... Albus," she gratefully accepted.
When she walked in, the heads of all the teachers present whipped round to look at her as though they were one. Not quite accustomed to being the centre of attention, their curious glances made her blush for which she immediately scolded herself internally. 'For Merlin's sake, Minerva, get a hold of yourself! These people are not your teachers anymore, they are your colleagues. Stop this foolish behaviour at once and act like an adult!'
She straightened her back, took a deep breath and went to stand next to Albus with her head held high. She was happy to spot Poppy Pomfrey who had joined the staff as a mediwitch-in-training at the beginning of term. They had been friends during their time at Hogwarts and Minerva was relieved to see a familiar face that wasn't attached to a former teacher. Albus proceeded to lead her around the room introducing her to the staff, all of whom greeted her warmly which made her feel instantly more at ease.
Finally, Albus guided her towards a woman who did not quite seem like a teacher at first glance. She was rather muscular with short spiky hair and piercing yellow eyes, and donning a black robe that was unfastened to reveal a Quidditch outfit. Minerva would have recognised her anywhere: Rolanda Hooch. Former Beater for the Montrose Magpies, award-winning coach and all-round celebrated expert in the field of Quidditch.
Albus gestured towards Rolanda. "Considering your passion for Quidditch, Minerva, I'm certain I do not have to introduce our flight instructor and Quidditch referee," he said with a knowing smile, looking at both of them.
"Most certainly not!" Minerva beamed as she extended her hand. "It is an honour to meet you, Madam Hooch. I have been a huge admirer of yours even before I was old enough to mount a broom."
"Well, thank you, Minerva. That's very flattering, even though your compliment has managed to make me feel rather ancient," Rolanda said scoldingly, taking Minerva's hand and shaking it firmly.
"Oh, Merlin, I am so... I didn't mean.. I'm..." Minerva felt her cheeks flush pink.
Rolanda let out a hearty laugh, "I was just teasing you, Minerva. There's no need to get flustered. And please call me 'Hooch'. Everyone does."
"Um… well, I don't think… I mean…" Minerva stammered, feeling embarrassed as she found herself once again struggling to form a coherent sentence.
Hearing Minerva stumble over her words, Rolanda held up her hand, wanting to put the poor woman out of her misery. "Just 'Rolanda' will suffice as well," she offered friendly.
Minerva sighed in relief. "In that case, it is a pleasure to meet you, Rolanda," she said shaking her hand confidently.
"The pleasure is all mine, Minerva," Rolanda replied, returning the compliment before letting go of Minerva's hand.
"Well, that's the formalities done," Albus said as he clapped his hands together. "I believe it is time to adjourn to the Great Hall for lunch. Professors? If you would be so kind as to join me?"
It was already past midnight yet Minerva lay wide awake on her newly transfigured mattress staring at the ceiling. The excitement and anxiety that had come with her first day back at Hogwarts had made it impossible for her to fall asleep. She decided she needed to release some of the energy that had been building up since early this morning.
Minerva got out of bed, put on her dressing gown and transfigured into her tabby cat form, which allowed her to travel longer distances in a short amount of time. 'Being an animagus sure does have its perks,' she thought as she dashed out of her quarters and sped along the corridors of the castle, trying desperately to get rid of any lingering tension and excess energy.
As she rounded the corner towards the grand staircase, she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks when she was nearly trampled by a pair of boots. She let out a loud meow before looking up at the person attached to the boots: Rolanda Hooch.
Rolanda shrieked, startled by the unexpected figure of a small cat with distinctive features colliding with her. She looked down at the cat that was trembling slightly.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, little one," she said endearingly as she crouched down and petted the cat on the head. "I hope I did not frighten you. I didn't see you there. In fact, I don't think I have seen you here before. Where did you come from?"
Rather than running away from Rolanda, Minerva quickly transfigured back into her human form hoping to prevent any more embarrassing situations, but ending up scaring Rolanda instead.
"Minerva?! Merlin's beard! That was you?" Rolanda exclaimed, taking a step back and putting a hand to her chest.
Minerva nodded, somewhat ashamed at having been caught roaming the castle in the middle of the night and even worse, frightening the one person she had looked up to ever since she was a young girl.
"You nearly scared the Quidditch pants off of me. That was the last thing I expected to happen," Rolanda blurted out.
Minerva looked at her apologetically. "I did not mean to scare you, Rolanda. I thought it best to transfigure back into my human form to avoid any awkwardness but I seemed to have made things worse. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I'm alright now," Rolanda assured her. "As a matter of fact, I thought that was rather brilliant! I didn't know you were an animagus."
"Yes. I have been for a couple of years now," Minerva proudly acknowledged, feeling a tiny blush creep up her cheekbones. "Albus helped me with my training in my final year at school."
"Well, it looks like he taught you well. That was quite impressive. Next year, you should surprise your first-year students with your skills. It would scare them out of their wits, much like it did me," Rolanda snickered.
"I just might," Minerva chuckled before turning serious again. "I am sorry I bumped into you, Rolanda. I simply could not stay in my room any longer. Today has been quite the eventful one and I needed to let off some steam."
Rolanda shook her head knowingly. "No need to apologise, I know exactly how you feel. In fact, I was on my way to the Astronomy Tower to get some air myself. Care to join me?"
"I would love to," Minerva agreed, pleased to have someone to talk to. "How long have you been working at Hogwarts?" she asked as they climbed the stairs.
"For a little over a year now."
"And do you still sometimes feel..."
"Out of place, overcome, unworthy, insecure?" Rolanda interrupted her with a smile.
Minerva nodded.
"Yes, on occasion. Though it gets better as time goes by."
"Really?" Minerva was surprised at the flight instructor's admission. "But you seem so put-together and in control."
Rolanda smiled, tilting her head. "Well, I can't have my students think I'm doubting my own abilities when I am teaching them the intricate skills required for riding a broom, now can I?" she stated as they entered the Astronomy Tower.
"No, I suppose not," Minerva sighed, looking out into the darkness over the grounds surrounding Hogwarts. "I just wish I could know for certain I will be doing right by my students."
"Don't worry, Minerva. You will get the hang of it," Rolanda said moving to stand next to her and laying a reassuring hand on her arm. "From what I hear, you have made quite a favourable impression on the other teachers and I have no doubt the students will grow to respect you as well. It will take some time but I believe you have the makings of a brilliant teacher."
"Thank you, Rolanda. That is very kind of you to say," Minerva turned towards her with a grateful look.
"So I understand you used to be an avid Quidditch player yourself?" Rolanda inquired, wanting to move on to a more light-hearted subject and one she just happened to be extremely knowledgeable about. "I never did see you play, but I have heard you were quite the Chaser, if you'll excuse the pun."
Minerva threw her head back and laughed. "You are forgiven and yes, I was. I loved Quidditch – still do as a matter of fact."
"Why did you stop playing?"
"That wasn't actually my choice. In my final year at Hogwarts, I sustained some injuries during a heated game between Gryffindor and Slytherin, which prevented me from playing at the level I was used to. I was heartbroken but I suppose I had to give up playing sooner or later since I was about to graduate and I did not aspire to a career in Quidditch. Not that there's anything wrong with that, mind you," she hastened to add seeing a miffed look appear on Rolanda's face.
"What about you, though? Why did you become a teacher at Hogwarts?" Minerva swiftly changed the subject for fear of putting another foot in her mouth. "I remember reading you were doing quite well as coach for the Montrose Magpies with having won the British Quidditch Cup for five years running and coaching several players into becoming international superstars. I believe you were even asked to be the head coach for the National Team during the next Olympics, weren't you?"
Rolanda gleamed with pride. "I see you really are an admirer, aren't you? What did you do, memorise the entire 128 pages of Quidditch through the ages?"
Minerva laughed shyly. "Perhaps. I already told you, I love Quidditch."
"So it seems," Rolanda nudged her shoulder making Minerva chuckle. "But in answer to your question, I thoroughly enjoyed my work as a Quidditch coach. When I was no longer in a position to play for the Montrose Magpies, I was asked to join the coaching team instead and it suited me even better than being a player. There is just something about guiding people and having them perform to the best of their abilities and even beyond that."
Minerva nodded in agreement.
"However," she continued, "I am of the opinion that one should never linger too long for fear of overstaying one's welcome. And to be frank, I got rather fed up with travelling up and down the country playing anywhere and everywhere. So after last season's victorious outcome, I decided to hang up my boots, so to speak, and seek other employment. That's when Albus offered me the position of flight instructor and Quidditch referee."
"And how do you like it so far?" Minerva questioned.
"Honestly? It still takes some getting used to, even after having been here for an entire year," Rolanda confessed. "There are times when I have to keep reminding myself I am teaching and refereeing children, as young as eleven-year-olds, and not professional Quidditch players. But I do believe I have made the right decision in coming here to teach."
"That's comforting to hear. I hope I feel the same a year from now," Minerva said sincerely.
Rolanda observed her young companion and was struck by the level of worry on her face. How could someone with such a brilliant mind and apparently a sheer abundance of talent be this insecure? She decided from now on, she would try and look after Minerva whenever she could. 'After all,' she mused internally, 'everyone needs someone on their side to help them along.'
"So tell me, why did you return to Hogwarts so soon after having graduated?" Rolanda inquired, curious as to why someone as young as Minerva would choose to be cooped up in a Scottish castle for nine months out of the year. "From what Albus had told us before you joined the staff, you were well on your way to becoming a high-ranking Ministry official. What changed?"
Minerva looked Rolanda in the eye, unsure as to whether or not she should tell her the truth. For now, she chose to be truthful without revealing the whole story. There would be plenty of time for that later on, she figured.
"When I started working at the Ministry, I was completely in awe. It was truly an honour to be able to contribute to the many developments in the Wizarding world. However, slowly I became aware of the fact that not only was I not cut out to spend the entire day behind a desk trying to juggle political issues with moral ones, but I also recognised that all this time I had been running. Yet instead of running towards my future, I had been running away from my past and I knew that needed to change if I was ever to succeed in life. Then when I did focus all my efforts on looking towards the future and becoming the person I believed I could be, I..." Minerva suddenly stopped and looked away.
"You what?" Rolanda asked compassionately, making Minerva focus her gaze on her.
"I...I... well... let me just say the choices I made, or rather was forced to make, did not aide my personal growth nor my quest for happiness and fulfilment."
"What do you mean by that?" Rolanda wondered, intrigued by the young woman's careful choice of words.
"It means that I realised my time at Hogwarts had been one of great joy and personal growth while my job at the Ministry was anything but. That's when I set out to apply for a job as a teacher and when I was offered one in the Transfiguration department working under Albus, I gladly accepted. I loved the idea of giving back to the school that had offered me a home, acceptance, knowledge and a safe haven. It's a privilege to have been given the opportunity to provide the students in my care with the comfort of knowing that Hogwarts is their home. A place to grow and learn without being judged."
Rolanda watched Minerva intently, feeling her admiration for the remarkable young woman grow by the second. "You sound awfully wise for a woman your age."
"Thank you. I really appreciate that coming from someone I respect as much as I respect you."
Rolanda chuckled. "I suppose that concludes the mutual admiration society for tonight," she said in jest, making Minerva laugh.
"I think we'd better retire for the night before we end up fawning all over each other," Minerva agreed.
"I enjoyed bumping into you tonight, Minerva. It has been quite interesting finding out more about you," Rolanda said as she went to hug her.
Minerva immediately froze when she felt Rolanda's arms wrap around her.
Rolanda, for her part, was rather taken aback and slightly hurt when she noticed her colleague stiffen in her embrace, causing her to quickly release her hold.
"Are you alright, Minerva?" she asked with noticeable concern in her voice.
"I- I'm sorry," Minerva stammered.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, really. It is just that I am not used to such public displays of affection," Minerva admitted hesitantly.
Rolanda let out a small chuckle. "I don't know about you, Minerva," she said looking around and gesturing with her hands, "but I wouldn't quite call this public, would you?"
Minerva tilted her head, one corner of her mouth quirking upwards into a half-smile.
"Well, you might as well get used to it," Rolanda continued with a mischievous twinkle in her eye, "because I am prone to obvious displays of affection, public or otherwise."
"I will certainly try," Minerva said confidently though trying to hide the small quiver in her voice.
"Good! Now, let's make our way downstairs and see if this little night-time outing will turn out to have been beneficial to our sleep-deprived minds," Rolanda concluded, offering Minerva her arm, who took it without hesitation, flashing her new friend a genuine smile before the two of them made their way downstairs to their separate quarters.
Three months later
After their first chance encounter, Minerva and Rolanda had quickly become close friends despite their vastly different personalities. Over the past couple of months, they had taken to discuss anything, from their students' achievements to the latest Quidditch results and their personal lives. Even though Minerva had always been a fiercely private person, Rolanda had a disarming quality about her that had made Minerva feel comfortable enough to let her guard down. She was rather grateful to have found someone she could trust and confide in, especially since she was just starting out at Hogwarts. Rolanda, in turn, marvelled at Minerva's intellect and the level of care she showed her students, and if she were completely truthful, it was also rather flattering to have someone around who admired her for her Quidditch accomplishments.
This evening, Rolanda was on her way to her quarters to retire for the night after having spent yet another exhausting day trying to teach innocent children how to handle a powerful broom, when she saw Albus leaving Minerva's classroom and walk in the other direction. The worried look on his face made Rolanda's stomach tighten and she quickened her pace. When she reached the classroom, Rolanda knocked on the door before opening it and popping her head round the corner, calling out to her friend.
"Minerva?"
Minerva was standing in front of her desk with her shoulders slumped and her head bowed down. As soon as she heard someone calling out her name, she lifted her head, straightened her back and quickly wiped away her tears, even though the last thing she was in the mood for was having to speak to anyone. After her talk with Albus, she simply wanted to get to her quarters, crawl into bed and cast an Obliviate spell to erase her memories. When she saw Rolanda's eyes staring back at her worriedly, she turned around as fresh tears began to cascade down her cheeks.
Rolanda closed the door and proceeded to walk over to where Minerva was standing. She was crying audibly now, her head in her hands and her shoulders shaking.
Rolanda tenderly put her hands on Minerva's upper arms and gently turned her around so she was facing her again. "What is this all about, Minerva? What's wrong? Did something happen with Albus?"
Minerva shook her head. "No, he... he was trying to com... to comfort me," she uttered between sobs.
"Comfort you? Why?"
Minerva lifted her head from her hands, revealing eyes that were swollen and red-rimmed. "Because of this." She took a piece of parchment from her desk and held it out to Rolanda.
"What is that?" The concern in Rolanda's voice was evident as she took the parchment from Minerva and started to read its contents.
"It… it is a letter from my mo- mother. She... she..."
"What happened? Did something happen to your parents?" Rolanda gently touched Minerva's arm while looking up at her.
"No, no, none of that, thank Merlin," she sighed. "It's... it's just…" she started. "Dougal has gotten married," she finally uttered softly before covering her face with her hands again.
"Oh, Minerva, I'm so sorry," Rolanda said, enveloping her in a tight hug causing Minerva to break down and start crying uncontrollably as she clutched on to Rolanda and buried her face in her robes.
During one of their late-night talks Minerva had told Rolanda about her relationship with Dougal. At the time, Rolanda suspected Minerva had been putting up a brave front when she'd said she had put the past behind her and gotten over her feelings for Dougal, and seeing the state she was in now confirmed what Rolanda had believed all along – Minerva was still very much in love with Dougal and the news of his wedding had shattered her heart all over again.
Rolanda was at a loss as to what she could do to help her friend. The one thing she knew for certain was she needed to get Minerva to her own quarters to rest. She opted to use the floo network to spare Minerva the embarrassment of running into anyone in her current state of despair.
Rolanda slowly eased her arms away from Minerva and cupped the emotionally distraught woman's chin with her hand to lift her gaze upwards as she tenderly wiped away the tears from underneath her eyes. "Minerva? I'm going to floo you to your quarters now. You have a class to teach early in the morning and you need your rest."
Minerva's only response was a slight nod of her head as she allowed herself to be led to the fireplace.
Rolanda spoke the name of their destination, threw the floo powder into the fireplace, and within seconds they were standing in Minerva's first floor study. Rolanda promptly cleaned both of their robes of any remaining soot and helped Minerva walk towards her bedroom.
"Would you like to change into your nightgown?" Rolanda asked lovingly, after she opened the door and watched Minerva drag herself onto the bed.
"No, I am too exhausted," Minerva sighed, her voice soft and raspy, as she laid down burying her head in her pillow and closing her eyes.
Rolanda knelt down next to the bed and placed her hand on Minerva's arm. "Would you like me to stay with you until you've fallen asleep?"
"No, thank you, Rolanda," Minerva's voice was muffled by the pillow before she turned around to lay on her other side, her voice shaking now. "You must have more urgent matters to attend to."
Rolanda quickly stood up and moved to sit on the bed next to her. "Right now, you are my urgent matter."
Minerva peered through heavy-lidded eyes when she felt the mattress dip slightly and looked up at her friend whose arms were stretched out invitingly. She hesitated for a moment, but her sadness quickly overruled her inhibitions and she scooted over to Rolanda. "Thank you," she breathed as she allowed herself to relax in Rolanda's embrace, welcoming the comfort and solace her friend's warm and welcoming arms offered.
Minerva had come to know Rolanda as an outgoing person who wasn't afraid to show her emotions and act on her impulses, something she had gradually grown to admire. She had even gotten used to Rolanda's hugs and friendly touches, which she found to be rather endearing, and for which she thanked Merlin at this very moment since she needed the comfort of knowing she didn't have to go through this ordeal alone.
Rolanda held Minerva close as she gently rubbed up and down her back in a soothing motion. When she heard Minerva's breathing becoming slow and steady, signalling she had fallen asleep, she sighed in relief. Soon she felt her own eyelids become heavy and she let sleep take over, content in having been able to help her dear friend.
To be continued
A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing.