Disclaimer: I don't own any of it and I never will. I don't own HP or Defying Gravity, which belongs to the people who wrote the play version of Wicked.

A/N: Thank you so much to those of you have reviewed. It means so much to me. Hope you all like this next chapter.

Chapter Two: Defying Gravity...

Minerva left her husband's office after retrieving a few more items. As she descended the stone steps she lamented knowing that this well might be the last time in a long time that she would do so. It might even be the last time if she did not succeed in killing Voldemort before he killed her. She wanted her revenge and she wanted blood.

Minerva's breath hitched as that last thought passed through her mind. She had rarely even wanted revenge for anything in her entire life, and she most certainly never wanted any6one's blood. There had been times when she would hex anything and anyone who had made her angry. Even Albus himself had been on the receiving end of her infamous McGonagall Scottish temper. But never could she remember seeking another's death for her own personal satisfaction.

Well, this was different. All her life she had been taught 'do unto others as you would have done to you'. So, if Voldemort killed her one true love and, in effect, kill her, then she would merely return the favor. Round about is fair play, after all. Is it not? When she reached the bottom, she was once again met by her three best friends. They all looked at her sorrowfully.

"Please don't do this, Min," Poppy pleaded.

"It's not worth it," Pomona agreed.

"Killing him won't help you or anyone else," Rolanda put in. Minerva's nostril's flared.

"If the same thing had happened to any of you, I know you would do the same thing I am doing now," she said, her eyes narrowed. "Wouldn't you, Poppy?" She looked at the school medi-witch. "If Alastor was killed instead of my Albus, wouldn't you attempt to go after Voldemort? Or what if it had been Frederick?" Looking at Pomona. "Or Aaron?" Looking at Rolanda. Then she looked at them all. "You know you all would look for revenge just as I am seeking it now." Minerva pushed past them and the others followed.

"Yes, we would," said Rolanda. "And you would be right here, stopping us from making the mistake of doing something so foolish."

"Foolish?" hissed Minerva as she turned around. "Foolish? Well, this may seem foolish to the three of you, and knows? Maybe it is foolish. But I am not one to sit idly by while my husband's killer is still on the loose! And even if I die while attempting to extract my revenge, then at least I will no longer have to suffer. At least I'll be with him again."

"Minerva, stop being so selfish!" hissed Poppy, finally growing angry with her friend. "Do you even hear yourself?"

"HOW AM I BEING SELFISH?" Minerva shouted through tears.

"JUST LISTEN TO YOURSELF!" Rolanda shouted back, somewhat startling Minerva. "All you can do is think about you and your pain. Well guess what, Minerva? We are all suffering! We are all in pain and in mourning. Look at Remus! He is not only a werewolf, but he has lost the only friends he has ever had! First James, then Peter and finally Sirius. Look at Sirius BEFORE he died. He lived his life in Azkaban for twelve long years for a crime he did NOT commit, and then the last few years he had as a fugitive, living his life as a common criminal instead of the free man he was. Neither one of them looked for him because they knew that they had to remain silent for as long as they had to for the greater good. And finally, look at Harry! Orphaned at one! Sent to live with relatives who hate him! Living from day to day, never knowing if he'd live throughout the school year! A boy like that should be busy covering up acne scars, wondering how to ask out girls, and worrying about passing his tests each year! Not spending every second of every day wondering if a dark lord is going to kill him while he sleeps!" She was growing more passionate with each word.

"HOW DARE YOU LECTURE ME WHEN I HAVE DONE NOTHING BUT CARE FOR OTHERS ALL MY LIFE!" Minerva screamed at the top of her lungs, tears still falling. "All my life, I've put others before myself. No matter how many bad things happened to me, I've always tried to look on the bright side. This became especially true when I started teaching! How often have you heard me in my early years of teaching say 'I am a teacher, first, last, and always!'?" She calmed down a degree in anger, but continued on with her passionate speech. "Then Albus came into my life and everything was fine. Even when things were horrible, he always found time to make me special... to put me before any other. And now he's gone." The last sentence was no more than a whisper. Pomona stepped up and placed her hand on Minerva's shoulder.

"We know you're in pain. And we understand your anger at V-You-Know-Who!" Minerva glared at her for still being so scared of saying a simple name. "But what you're proposing is suicide." Minerva's face softened slightly before she returned to her usual Minerva McGonagall mask.

"I know. But I must do it, if not for myself, than for my husband... The only person, aside from you three, of course, who truly cared for me." Poppy looked at the others before stepping up to Minerva.

"Please, Minerva," she pleaded quietly. "I am going to ask you one more time to reconsider. I will support you in whatever you decide, but I am begging you as a friend... as a sister... to please reconsider what you are doing. You can still finish his work. You can have all he ever wanted for our world." Minerva sighed as she set her hand on Poppy's shoulder.

"I know," she said. "But I don't want it. No, I can't want it anymore." Minerva took in a heavy sigh before continuing. "Something has changed within me. Something is not the same. I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game." Poppy nodded slowly before pulling her friend into a tight hug.

"You be sure to take care of yourself, Min," she whispered in her ear. Minerva nodded, not trusting her voice. "I don't want to read in the Daily Prophet that you went and got yourself killed." Minerva sniffed as she pulled back.

"I want you to take care of yourself as well," she said, smiling sadly. She looked at the others. "All three of you." Pomona walked up to Minerva and hugged her.

"I wish I could go with you, Min," she whispered. "I've never had an adventure." Although this was said in a light tone, Minerva could tell that Pomona secretly wished that she really were going. Pomona had always been the safe type. Never one to take a risk. This is why she had been sorted into Hufflepuff instead of Gryffindor.

"I know," Minerva whispered back. She pulled back and handed Pomona a scroll.

"What's this?" she asked. Minerva smiled.

"In case I do not return before the start of next term, this is a list of things that the acting Headmistress needs to have done." Pomona's eyes widened.

"You want ME to be the acting Headmistress while you are gone?" she asked, wide eyed. Minerva nodded.

"You are very smart, and I know you'll do a good job," Minerva replied.

"But-but-" Pomona sputtered.

"Don't worry so much," Minerva said, placing a hand on Pomona's shoulder. "You shall have plenty of help. Poppy and Rolanda are here with you." Poppy placed her other hand on Pomona's shoulder while Rolanda nodded. Minerva turned to Rolanda. The hawk-eyed woman merely folded her arms and attempted to look anywhere but at Minerva. "Please, Ro, don't be like this. This whole thing is hard enough on me as it is." Rolanda finally looked at Minerva with narrowed eyes.

"Well, fine, but don't expect me to come and pick up the scattered pieces that used to make up your body, because I refuse to do so." Minerva smiled slightly at Rolanda Hooch's off beat way to say that she would support Minerva in her decision. Minerva hugged her friend tightly before letting go, offering one final meek smile to her three best friends in the whole world, and turned on her heel and walked away. Pomona, Poppy, and Rolonda all watched after her, heaving sighs and praying that their dear friend would come out of this alright. If Minerva had looked back, surely she would have not gone, for she would have seen Poppy attempt to comfort a now crying Pomona, who had her face buried in her hands, and an equally hurt flying instructor, who punched her fist against the wall before swiveling around, resting against said wall, and falling to the floor, her arms hugging her drawn up knees and her head resting against her arms.

Ooooooooooo

Minerva was nearly to the double doors of the Great Hall when a figure stepped out in front of her. She reached for her wand but stopped when she realized who it was.

"Oh, goodness, Mr. Potter, you scared me." She placed her hand upon her chest to emphasize her point. Harry smiled and shrugged his shoulders apologetically.

"Sorry, professor," he said. Then, he straightened his shoulders. "I'm sorry, professor, but I do not think you should go out there alone. It is too dangerous for you." He looked genuinely worried and that touched Minerva a great deal. Her facial features softened as she walked up to him and placed her right hand upon his left shoulder.

"I am sorry, Potter, but I simply must do this. You don't understand."

"Actually, Professor McGonagall, I do. Or, should I say, Professor Dumbledore?" Minerva pulled back a few steps and dropped her hand, as well as her gaze.

"So you know?" she asked. Harry nodded.

"I just found out tonight, when I overheard you talking with Professors Hooch, Sprout, and Madam Pomfrey." He shuffled his feet a bit before continuing. "I miss him too, professor. And I understand your need for revenge. But I think there is a reason why Professor Dumbledore wanted me to find those horcruxes. And I think he would have preferred if I did everything myself." Minerva sighed.

"Be that as it may, Potter, I am not one to stand by while my husband's killer lives." She walked past him and was only a few steps away from the door when she stopped and turned around. "Potter?" He turned around and looked at her.

"Yes, professor?" he asked, knitting his brow. She turned toward him fully.

"Come with me," she said. He looked at her, unsure of what to say.

"Professor?" She walked to him and placed both hands upon his shoulders.

"Think of what we could do, together." Harry looked around, as though he were still unsure of what he wanted to do or say. It was a tempting offer, and he didn't want to do this alone, either. But then again, he felt bad enough pulling Ron and Hermione into all this mess. He looked at her when she spoke again. "Unlimited. Together, we're unlimited, Harry. Together we'll be the greatest team there's ever been. Dreams the way you planned them. If we work in tandem, there's no fight we cannot win." Harry seemed to consider this for a second before stepping back and pulling something out of his pocket.

"I'm sorry, professor, but I cannot go with you," he replied. "This was something that was meant for me and me alone. I realize I cannot stop you from doing something you feel so strongly about, but at least I can help." He handed her a vial of blue liquid.

"What is this?" she asked as she eyed it cautiously.

"I nicked it from the potion's classroom. I thought it could come in handy, though there's only a little bit left. But it's enough. In cases of an extreme emergency, this liquid can bring a person back, even when he or she is within an inch of death."

"Unicorn's blood?" Minerva breathed as she took out the cork and sniffed it. Harry shook his head.

"No, no, of course not," he assured her. "That is silver, as I am sure you know. This is a specially mixed potion." Minerva corked the vial back and smiled at him.

"You know, Harry, you are a really intelligent young man. I see Miss Granger has finally rubbed off on you." Harry smiled.

"She does what she can," he smiled.

"Your mother would have been so proud," said Minerva, reaching out to touch his head. But he pulled back as if he were afraid that her touch would burn him. She pulled back her hand timidly and smiled. "Well, thank you so much, Harry." She turned and began to leave when again she was stopped in her tracks.

"Professor?" She turned around just in time to have Harry launch himself in her arms. Though she was slightly shocked at this sudden outburst of affection from Harry, she quickly recovered and hugged him back.

"I wish you the best of luck, Harry Potter," she whispered against his hair.

"Good luck, Professor Mc-I mean, Professor Dumbledore." He pulled back and they smiled. "I hope you're happy, now that you're choosing this."

"You too," Minerva replied. "I hope your future is filled with bliss. I really hope you get all you hope for and that you don't regret it."

"Same to you," Harry replied, obviously holding back tears. "You are sort of like a mother to me." Minerva felt her heart bursting.

"And you are the son I wish I could have had," she replied. "Good luck again, Potter. I hope you're happy in the end." He nodded.

"I hope you're happy... my friend." He held his hand out to her and she took it. Then, a worried look crossed his face.

"How might I get ahold of you in case I need you for something?" She thought for a minute before looking him squarely in the eyes.

"If you care to find me, look to the western sky. That is where I shall start my search. I hear Voldemort has some place up there that he sometimes uses for his headquarters." Harry nodded.

"Look for Hedwig," he said. She nodded.

"I will." So it was with a heavy heart that Minerva took her broom from her pocket, transfigured it to it's normal size, and with a final farewell to Harry, took off. Harry waved to her until he could no longer see her. She was defying the ministry, defying her friends... But more importantly, she was defying gravity, something she hadn't done in who knew how long?

Ooooooooooo

Minerva paused slightly to look back at Hogwarts, her home of so many decades. The sun was not due for another two hours, so that allowed her two hours to get as far away from Hogwarts as she could before she changed her mind. She was no coward and she would find Voldemort. Even if she was flying alone, at least she was flying free. Nobody in the entire wizarding world-no wizard that there is or ever was-could ever bring her down. Not even Tom Marvolo Riddle or, as he called himself, Lord Voldemort.

TBC...

A/N2: Okay, this shall be the last chapter, I hope, that will use Wicked lyrics. I shall continue now on foot by myself. Hope you guys liked it. Love you all to Delah Reeses Pieces. Read long and prosper. Always Hopeful