Chapter Four – The Chamber of Secrets

"Meow?" Minerva said aloud. A tabby cat? All of those months of work, and she turned into a tabby cat?

"Excellent work, Miss Duncan. Try moving about, you might have some difficulty walking at first," Professor Dumbledore told her.

Minerva stretched out her front paws and leaned forward. Oh, that feels good, she thought. She tried taking a small step. It felt so odd having to balance on four legs instead of two. Then she took another step, and fell over on her side. She was going to have to learn how to walk all over again!

"Miss Duncan, you've been in you Animagus form for long enough for the first time. Concentrate on your higher emotions. And don't worry about the mess you will make on my rug," he said, smiling.

Minerva thought with all of her concentration, and could suddenly feel herself growing larger. She was herself again, and as Professor Dumbledore told her she would, she immediately threw up on the rug.

"I'm sorry," she told him weakly, casting a quick breath-cleaning spell.

"Not a worry," he said cheerfully, vanishing the mess.

He helped her to sit down in a comfortable easy chair. "Tell me how you felt," he said gently.

"I'm a cat," she said bitterly.

"We never know what we're meant to be, Minerva," he told her, patting her hand. "When I first started training, I realized early on that I would be capable of flight."

Minerva listened carefully. He had never shared anything about his Animagus form with her. "I was hoping to be an Eagle. Image my surprise..."

There was a small creak. Professor Dumbledore disappeared, and a small hummingbird fluttered around the room. Minerva couldn't help but smile.

He then was himself again. "I wouldn't trade my form for anything now. I expect that someday, you might feel the same way."

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"Try it again, Hagrid," Minerva said gently. Hagrid was one of the students she tutored. He seemed to struggle with every subject, no matter how hard he tried. Minerva admired him though, no matter how hard a lesson was for him, he refused to give up. She told him proudly that was why he was in Gryffindor.

"The cheering charms are makin' me upset, Miss Duncan," Hagrid said sadly. Even though she was only three years ahead of him, he always called her Miss Duncan.

"Don't worry," she said encouragingly. "We'll get them sorted out."

He cast the spell on her again, and Minerva promptly burst into tears. "Blimey," he said.

Minerva quickly cast the counter-spell and wiped her eyes. "Well, we'll try that again, shall we?" she said weakly.

Suddenly there was a scream down the hall. "What was that?" Minerva cried, jumping up. "Hagrid, you stay here, I'm a prefect, I'll try to handle this."

Minerva ran out of the library, followed by several other people. One hallway away was a terrible sight; a student was lying on the floor. He looked like he was dead.

"He's not...dead?" someone screamed behind her. Minerva kneeled down next to the boy, who she recognized as a second year Hufflepuff. She felt his pulse. It was there. Barely, but he was alive.

"Someone get Professor Dippet!" Minerva said with authority. She sounded so in control of the situation that no one questioned her.

Just a few minutes later, Professor Dippet and Professor Dumbledore parted the ever-growing crowd around the boy. The two professors checked him over.

"Back to your dormitories!" Professor Dippet said shrilly. "Go on now!"

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April 1942

Tom and Minerva walked through the hallways in silence. Even though he wasn't speaking to her, they still had patrols together.

"Isn't it funny how no one in Slytherin has been attacked?" Minerva asked him. She was hoping to get a rise out of him. Maybe they could argue, and get back to speak terms.

"It's obvious why," Tom said quickly.

"Explain it to me," Minerva shot back. In total, seven students had been attacked.

"Everyone who's been attacked has been muggle born. There are no muggle borns in Slytherin," he answered easily.

"Really?" Minerva asked. She hadn't realized. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm next," she confessed to him.

"Why?" Tom looked shocked. "You were born from a respected wizarding family."

"But I was raised by a squib," Minerva told him. "Isn't that just like being a muggle born?"

Tom shook his head. "Completely different," he said finally. "You're a full-blood witch. I doubt that you'll be attacked.

Minerva smiled, happy that they were speaking to each other at least for the moment. "Do I have your word on that?"

"You know what, Duncan?" he said, a grin slowly spreading on his face. "I think you do."

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May 1942

Minerva walked briskly into the library and sat down across from Hagrid. "Today," she said, opening up her Charms book, "Is the day that you are going to master cheering charms."

"Really?" Hagrid asked, pleased.

"Really," Minerva said confidently. She decided that Hagrid needed some confidence. If she told him that he would master them, instead of simply trying to master them, then maybe he would believe it himself.

"I'm not in a good mood, Hagrid. Cheer me up," she said, trying to sound gloomy.

Hagrid pointed his wand at Minerva and said the incantation. Minerva was pleased. This was the first time she hadn't started crying after he cast the charm.

"Good job!" Minerva said happily. "Try again!"

He waited until Minerva looked very grumpy. He waved his wand, and suddenly Minerva found herself laughing out loud in the middle of the library.

"You did it!" Minerva cried.

"Blimey!" Hagrid said, looking very pleased with himself.

"This is a library!" Madame Sonora yelled at them, looking furious.

"Sorry!" Minerva yelled back. Students at the table around them started giggling softly.

They continued to work until Hagrid said he had some work to do. Minerva stayed in the library for another hour, before finally deciding to take the rest of the night off.

She started walking, deciding that she deserved to have a fly on her broom tonight. But first, she needed to go to the bathroom. She hated flying on a full bladder.

"I wouldn't go in there if I were you," Abby said to Minerva, just outside the girl's bathroom. Tabby, who was standing on the other side of Abby, nodded in agreement.

"Why not?" Minerva asked.

"I think there's been another attack," Tabby sighed. "Soon it'll be any witch or wizard in the school."

"I'll take a look," Minerva said finally.

"Suit yourself," Abby said.

Minerva walked into the bathroom and saw a girl lying on the floor. She recognized the girl right away, Myrtle Morgan, from Hufflepuff. Myrtle had just been assigned to Minerva for tutoring. They had their first session last week. Minerva kneeled down next to her, and automatically went to check for a pulse.

There wasn't a pulse there.

Trying to stay calm, Minerva tried the girl's other wrist. When no pulse was found there, she tried both sides of her neck. Only when she still couldn't find a pulse, did she allow herself to panic.

"Abby!" she cried to her friend who was just outside, in the hallway. "Get Professor Dippet now!"

"On my way," Abby yelled back.

"Tabby, keep watch over the bathroom. Don't let anyone in here!" Minerva instructed.

"Right-o," Tabby said good-naturedly.

"Don't be dead. Please don't be dead. You're only a third year. Oh, please don't be dead!" Minerva said, not fighting the tears. She looked at the girl. She had an expression of shock on her face. Could someone have used an Unforgivable on her?

After what seemed like ages, Professor Dippet and Professor Dumbledore ran into the bathroom. Professor Dippet kneeled next to Myrtle, while Professor Dumbledore took Minerva's hand and helped her to her feet.

After a minute of staring at the body, Professor Dippet gently closed Myrtle's eyes and shook his head. "She's gone," he said sadly.

"No!" Minerva screamed. Professor Dumbledore put his hand on Minerva's shoulder. Unable to believe what had happened, she threw herself in his arms and started sobbing.

Professor Dippet looked up at Professor Dumbledore. He shook his head sadly. "We'll have to close the school. I see no other choice."

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Minerva flung open the door to Professor Dumbledore's office without knocking. "You can't expel Hagrid!" she cried. "You can't! I was tutoring him when the first student was attacked. There was no way he could have done it!"

Professor Dumbledore looked at her sadly. He was sitting at his desk, grading papers. "I know, Minerva," he said softly.

"You know?" she shrieked. "Then why aren't you doing anything about it?"

"Hagrid was found with a very dangerous creature. A creature that has been classified highly dangerous. The Ministry feels it needs to blame someone. And since the attacks have stopped..." Professor Dumbledore sighed. He looked defeated, which made Minerva furious. He had no right to be defeated, not when it meant the future of one of his Gryffindors!

"I'll take Veritaserum," Minerva begged. "Please...please don't let them expel Hagrid. He just mastered cheering charms!" To her horror, she felt tears running down her cheeks.

"I have no power over the Ministry, Minerva," he said softly.

"It's not fair" Minerva yelled. "First Myrtle is killed, and then the student is expelled because of it!" She flung herself in a chair opposite of the professor.

"Life is often not fair, Minerva," Professor Dumbledore told her.

She stayed silent for a moment. "Did you know, Professor, that including Myrtle, three of the eight people attacked were my students?"

"Your students?" he asked.

"Well, not my students," Minerva said, chewing on her lower lip. "Wait. You know what? They are my students. I tutor them. I help them just as much as some of the teachers do."

"I hear that you're a wonderful tutor, Minerva," Professor Dumbledore said.

"Really?" Minerva asked, brightening for just a moment. "Thank you, sir. I really enjoy it."

"You might consider teaching as your profession," he said gently.

"I'm not sure," Minerva said, shaking her head. "After Hogwarts, if the muggle war is still being fought, I want to contribute. Help my brother in any way possible."

"Not many would be willing to enter a war they don't feel apart of. You're very brave, Minerva," Professor Dumbledore told her.

Minerva looked out the window into the Forbidden Forest. "This is everyone's war," Minerva said, echoing her brother's words without realizing it.

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Minerva knocked gently on the Headmaster's Office door. It opened suddenly, and Minerva stepped inside. "You asked to see me?" Professor Dippet asked in a warm voice.

She walked over to the desk the Headmaster was sitting at, and sat down across from him. "Yes, sir," she said. "It's about the summer holiday."

Professor Dippet shook his head. "I expect you want to stay here for the summer, just like Mister Riddle."

"Yes, sir," Minerva said.

"I will tell you, what I told him. Because of this dreadful business with the Chamber, I will not allow any student to stay here over the summer," he said forcefully.

"But, sir!" Minerva cried. "My brother, who raised me, is fighting in the muggle war. I have no where else to go!"

"I'm sorry," the professor said.

"Please. I have nowhere to go for the summer. I was here for a month last year. I won't bother anyone," Minerva begged.

"I can't take any chances with students lives," he told her.

"Where am I supposed to go?" Minerva asked quietly.

"You have relatives, surely?" Professor Dippet asked. Minerva thought about her small-extended wizarding family. How they ignored both her and Stewart until they realized that Minerva was the smartest witch at Hogwarts in more than a generation. How they still barely acknowledged her existence, all because her brother was a squib. She wouldn't lower herself to ask them for help.

"No," Minerva lied. That showed her how much Professor Dippet knew about her. Professor Dumbledore knew all about her family issues.

He stood up and started pacing behind his desk. "I can think of only one alternative," he told her.

Minerva sat up straight, and waited. Surely he would bend the rules for her?

"Tom Riddle stays in an orphanage during the summer break. I will ask if they can make arrangements for you to stay there during the summer as well."