Memories Chapter 2- 6th year
"Albus! Wait up!" Minerva called running to catch up and get to the Astronomy Tower.
She saw that he turned and smiled. His blue eyes seemed to reflect the light from the stars up above.
She could also see her reflection in his eyes. She was thin and had dark brunette hair that was almost black. Her green eyes shined with intelligence and she was at the top of her class.
"Minerva, don't worry we won't be late. We're almost there for heaven's sake!" laughing they stepped onto the astronomy balcony where they had a good view of the sky. They were the first ones there.
The night was a cool spring one that calmed the nerves of both tense students.
"It's a glorious night isn't it Minerva?" Albus chuckled
"It's wonderful. You can see all the stars. I've always loved Orion. It's my favorite constellation. I just love seeing the stars that make it up." She placed her hand on the railing and on top of Albus' without noticing his hand was there.
She pulled her hand away but Albus quickly grabbed her hand and held it.
"Your hands are cold," he smiled and blushed. "Are you nervous?"
Before she could answer Professor Maritime, the astronomy teacher came up the curved steps.
"Hello, Minerva. Albus." She smiled and walked past them to set up her displays and map of the stars.
When Maritime had come up, Albus and Minerva had quickly separated their hands and both turned a violent shade of maroon.
They didn't have the chance to talk and they both seemed very fascinated by their maps and their diagrams of the stars.
When it was time to leave, Minerva dropped her telescope and her maps scattered everywhere. She and Albus were the only ones still up on the landing because Professor Maritime knew they were trustworthy.
"Albus I th-th-think we need t-to talk." Minerva stuttered feeling nauseous because of how nervous she was.
Albus only smiled knowing that they would have time to talk on their way to the Gryffindor common room.
"Why did you grab my hand Albus? I thought…I thought that we didn't date because we didn't want to ruin our friendship. I thought-," she was silenced as Albus took her hand again and leaned in towards her.
Without thinking, Minerva jumped on the spot and quickly got to her feet.
"I'm truly sorry Albus, but I-I-I can't. Not now." She took her bags and hiding her face ran from the landing.
Albus had told her later that he had stayed up on the landing staring at Orion and feeling very down-trod shed a tear or two.
Minerva walked down the circular stairs, head spinning as she tried to understand what had just happened.
She felt guilty because she and her previous boyfriend, Alec Fairfield, had just broken up and she would feel guilty if she and Albus started dating. That, paired with the fact that her father had just passed away, left her feeling distraught and her emotions and energy was running thin.
The corridors at night were frightening and Minerva knew that it wasn't very wise because of the patrolling ghosts and teachers that would be sure that you were punished. Minerva knew that she should go straight to the common room, but she stopped in the hall and sat on a window ledge that over looked the ground. She started crying.
She had fallen asleep there because she woke up the next morning as the sun rose to the face of her Transfiguration teacher and Head of Gryffindor house Professor Tarrows. His yellowish eyes stared her confusion clearly lining his older face as he stared at one of his smartest students sleeping on a window ledge.
"Miss McGonagall, are you alright? What on earth are you doing sleeping on a windowsill?"
"Professor Tarrows, I-um-I was coming down from the Astronomy Tower and I-well-I was looking at the stars and thinking. This window has an amazing view of the grounds and I-I must've fallen asleep while looking at the stars. Am I going to be in trouble?"
"Fortunately for you, I trust that your story is true and I would like to express that you should not have stopped to look at the stars and should have gone directly to your common room. If I see that you have fallen asleep in anymore windowsills, I'll have to at least deduct 5 points from Gryffindor," he smiled at her and continued. "You are very smart witch Miss McGonagall. Head up to your common room and get ready for the day."
She got up from the windowsill, shoulder sore from sleeping on it incorrectly and hugged Professor Tarrows around the middle.
"Thank you, Professor! I promise I won't do it again! Goodbye! See you in class later!" and with that, she ran off to go prepare herself.
Arriving in the common room she quickly ran up the stairs into her room, which she shared with 4 other girls and quickly changed into cleaner robes. She quietly walked into the lavatory and fixed her hair that had become a giant tangle during the night. She brushed her teeth and then headed back into the common room.
She was hoping that there wouldn't be very many people awake yet and her wish was granted when she went back to the common room. There were only a few people who weren't fully awake yet.
Choosing a chair by the fireplace, she sat and took out her Transfiguration homework that was due the following week and quickly worked.
She was already a week or so ahead of the class and she asked her Professors for the work that the class would be getting a few days later. She was writing on Animagi when she heard someone cough quietly near her.
Lifting her head she saw that Albus was sitting in the chair directly next to hers, his electric blue eyes pleading for forgiveness.
"Minerva, I'm so sorry. I know that you and Alex just broke up and about your father. I'm so sorry that I tried to rush you. I was wrong and I beg your forgiveness. You're my best friend. Without you, I would get lost and be late. You're the glue that's keeping me stable. I'm sorry."
She smirked at him "I know you are. I just need some time to grieve for my father and get over Alex. I do love you though."
At that precise moment, the Head of Gryffindor house, Professor Tarrows opened the portrait hole and walked into the room. He usually never came into the common room unless something terrible had happened.
"I need you all to go wake up the rest of the house. I have an announcement." He announced very suddenly.
Many of the students hadn't noticed Professor Tarrows come into the room and they jumped when he addressed the room.
"What's happened, professor?" A seventh year student asked as he got up to go wake up the dormitory.
Minerva and Albus ran up the stairs and woke up their rooms telling them to dress immediately and meet in the common room.
They both met up in the common room again and looked at each other. They both knew something terrible had happened.