Chapter 4

And the summer is green

The two women spent three very pleasant holiday weeks at Hogwarts.

They went for walks together, read books together and discussed them passionately. Occasionally they played wizards chess or repeated their picnic at the lake. Minerva appeared every second day at the hospital wing to be examined by Poppy and to fetch her potions which she took conscientious.

After the first week she could do without her walking stick; after the second week the crimson marks on her chest faded to soft pink and after the third weeks Poppy declared her for fully recovered and left it up to her to leave Hogwarts if she wanted to. And how she wanted to!

Minerva thanked Poppy for all her troubles, left the hospital wing and went to find Septima to tell her this news.

The two women had got much closer to each other during these last weeks they spent together even if the unclear erotic undercurrent which existed between them occasionally confused Minerva or even disturbed her. She wasn't sure if Vector felt an equal way and she felt a strange shyness to ask her about it.

Many times she caught herself staring absentminded at Septima's well rounded breasts until she pulled herself together and a blush crept up to her cheeks.

Another time she had felt the almost irresistible urge to touch Septima, to cup her face with her hands and to kiss her.

But she suppressed this wishes; she had denied her urges and quickly turned her mind to a different and harmless topic.

When she finally stood in front of Septima and told her that Poppy had allowed her to leave Hogwarts Septima frowned and gave Minerva a glance from her inscrutable eyes.

"I take it that you actually will leave?" she asked and watched Minerva.

"Yes", she replied simply.

"And where will you go?"

„Home. I just have to check that everything is in order at home."

And for her own surprise she heard herself adding: „Do you care to go along with me?"

Septima watched her for a moment thoughtfully bevor she nodded and smiled. „I'd like to come along with you, Minerva."

„Well, then that's settled. I'd like to leave tomorrow morning."

"Wonderful. Will you fetch me?"

"I'll be there at 10 o'clock."

"Then I'll chuck you out and bag a few things."

Minerva nodded and turned to leave. When she opened the door Septima called after her:

"By the way, how do we travel? Floo powder?"

„I thought we'd apparate."

„Ah. Where is your house anyway?"

„In the highlands."

„Where else?", Septima mumbled.

„I've heard that."

„I would bet. Generally speaking they say that cats have very good ears", Septima grinned.

Minerva playfully wagged her indexfinger at Septima and disappeared.

###

Exactly at ten o clock in the morning Minerva knocked at Septima's door.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes, I have been for a while."

Septima stepped out her rooms, a little travelling bad in her hand and had to grin when she saw the tartan counterpart in Minerva's hand.

"What are you grinning at?", Minerva asked bemused.

„Nothing", Septima quickly replied and linked her arm with Minerva. "Can we go?"

"I am ready."

With speedy steps they left the castle and crossed the grounds of Hogwarts. The sun shone warm on them and the air was filled with a soft scent of flowers and fresh grass.

"I could spend hours walking here", Septima said and lifted her face against the sun.

"Then I'm sure you'll like my home. Much of sunwarmth landscape and a hopefully not too savaged garden", Minerva replied cheerily and quickly squeezed Septima's arm.

"I'm sure I will like your home", Septima noted and glaced quickly at Minerva's face.

"You are?"

"Yes. A home always mirrors the personality of the owner and for that reason...", she shrugged, "...I am convinced that I will like it. I also like you. And that's no reason to blush again", she added when she noticed the soft redness in Minerva's cheeks.

„There ist the end of the grounds, from there we can apparate", Minerva quickly changed the subject.

Septima nodded.

„I entrust myself into your leadership", she said and grabbed stronger at Minerva's arm. "Although I hate Side-Along-Apparition."

„I don't like it either", Minerva admitted, "I prefer to rely on my own skills when it comes to magic."

"Then you should know what I mean."

"I certainly do. Ready?"

"Go ahead", Septima prompted.

The world became blurred with her eyes and the next time she could see properly she found herself within a little front garden, which was enclosed by a weatherbeaten wooden fence and in which the weeds led a successfull battle angainst the roses.

"It looks as bad as I thought it would", Minerva sighed and let go of Septima's arm. "That will employ me for a whole day at least. But it doesn't matter now, just come in."

Minerva released the complicated enchantments that protected her house and opened the heavy wooden door. Another movement with her wand caused the shutters to open themselves and let light into the rooms.

Septima stepped behind Minerva over the threshold and looked curious around.

A strange, but not unpleasant smell of dust, old wood and sunwarm stones invaded her nostrils and in the small hall she turned on her own axis.

"How about a little sightseeing?", she asked cheerily.

Minerva carelessly let her bag fall down at the from rough rock made floor and nodded.

"Well. To your right the dinig-room, behind that the living-room. Straight ahead is my study, to its left the kitchen. Behind the kitchen a little hall which lead to the bathroom."

Septima shambled behind Minerva and soundly watched around in the rooms.

In the dining-room a large table surounded by some chairs prevailed. IN one edge of the room she noticed the fireplace, bricketed with rough cobblestones which had a counterpart in the living-room. The small, but cosy living-room was almost completely occupied by a comfortable looking settee and matching armchairs; two little shelves stood in a corner and at the wall was a portrait of a young lady who had a striking resemblance to Minerva.

"Is that you in the picture?"
Septima stepped closer to the painting.

"No, that's my grandmother. The painting was done by my grandfather."

"She looks like you."

"Yes, I've heard that some times."

„She was beautiful. And her eyes were as blue as yours are."

Minerva shrugged and stepped closer to the picture. Softly she touched the frame.

"My grandmother was a very special woman", she said softly. "I loved her very much."

For an instant both women remained silent and watched the portrait. Then Minerva turned around.

"I'll show you the rest of the house."

Septima followed her. With every step they took the old floorboards creaked under her feet. She liked the plain, a little crooked wooden boards and the simply whitewashed askew walls

"For a right angle one certainly looks in vain", she noted in a good mood.

Mionerva rose her eyebrows.

„It is an old muggle house, what do you expect?"

„I am sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. Actually, I like it very much." Septima caressed the nearest wall with her hand and smiled. "It has such a vintage charme, don't you think?"

"That's why I live her", Minerva replied. "This is my study."

She led Vector into a low-ceilinged and narrow, but therefore very elongated room with dark wood at the walls.

Septima looked around and decided that working in this room must feel like working in a tramway. However, after another minute she decided that this long and narrow room reminded more to a ship and the soft hills in front of the lattice window resembled frozen waves.

"Nice", she noted.

Next to the study was the kitchen; with a huge old-fashoined coal-burning stove and cute credenza. A low-ceilinged door led into a small dark hall from which they got into the bathroom. The cast-iron bath tub with the clawlike lion feet delighted Vector particularly.

"That is so beautiful!" she enthused herself thrilled.

"Do not make a mistake there. During winter that thing is as cold as ice if you have forgotten to use a warming spell before bathing", Minerva warned.

„Why didn't you replace it then?"

"Because it's beautiful", Minerva admitted and little smile crossed her lips.

"Do you want to see the first floor as well?"

"Of course."

Minerva led her back trough the kitchen and into the entrance hall and from there up a rampant wooden stair which led into a light hall with two lattice windows. She opened the door across the stairs and waved at Septima to follow her.

The room was scarcely furnished, but instead the walls were covered with books shelves which made Vector whistle in appreciation. They crossed the room and Minerva opened another door.

„This ist the spare room in which you will sleep."

"That is nice!" Septima declared and settled down at the massive broad bed to try it. Caressingly she stroke with her hand over the massive carved bed-head and looked around.

At the well-worn floorboards in front of the bed was a wool carpet, at the lattice windows hung gauzy drapes; a massive wooden wardrobe stood ready to take Septima's clothing and an old armchair with a matching table in one corner invited to sit and browse.

"And the library is next door, I call that luxury." Cheerily she teetered up and down on the bed.

"I like your home, Minerva. And it suits you pefectly well."

A fine smile appeared on Minerva's face.

"I'm glad you like it here. Do you like to see my bedroom as well?"

"Why certainly!" Vector called and jumped off the bed.

"We quasi sleep wall to wall."

"I hope you don't snore."

"I don't think so. Come on!"

She led Septima back through the library and to a small door at the other end of the hall.

"Mind your head, the door is pretty low."

The door opened with a quiet creaking and unblocked the view at Minerva's bedroom.

A bed, not unsimilar to Septima's guest bed, stood in the middle of the low ceilinged room, a wardrobe dominated the left wall and across the door were two white painted lattice windows. To both sides of the bed lay sheepskin rugs at the old wooden floor; in one corner stood a rocking chair and above was a shelves on which books stood lined up.

Minerva seated herself on the bed and looked at Septima.

"Now. What do you think?"

Septima took place in the rocking chair and softly swayed up and down.

"I find this absolut terrific, Minerva! I'm afraid that I will regret it very much when we must return to Hogwarts."

Minerva nodded and stood up.

„I will do some dusting in the house and whip the garden into shape. I'm sure that you want to unpack your things."

„That's nothing, pretty fast done. I will help you dusting, even I can do that."

"If you want to. But you're not here for working."

"I know. But many hands make light work and we have much more time for pleasant things, have we?" Full of spirits Septima jumped off the rocking chair and run twinkle-toed into her room where she made her bag appear with an "Accio".

Minerva looked after her and let slip a soft sigh. Compared to the lively and agile Vector she sometimes felt a little old, even though Vector was just ten years her June.

Sie stood up, somewhat more measuredly as her friend, also made her bag appear and started to unpack her few belongings. Wihtin minutes she was finished and left her bedroom. At the stairs she almost run into Septima who stood in the bending and conducted her wand with far-reaching movements.

„What are you doing?"

"Dusting. I'm almost finished."

„From here?"

"Yes. From here I can reach all rooms at once. At least it is one useful spell I can manage."
She dropped her wand and looked up to Minerva who stood a stair higher than her.

"I hate housework and the faster I'm done the better", she explained and wiped her fringe from her eyes. "But I think that you can teach me a lot about gardening. I'm an urban child."

"Really?"

"Yes, born and bred in London. Everything I know about plants I have learned at Hogwarts. But Professor Tofty restrained himself to magic plants. I think I've seen that you have normal non-magical plants in your garden?"

"Yes, I have some roses, hollyhocks and clematis. I have no great need for magical herbs and so I've chosen to restrict myself to simple things. Besides, I don't spend much time here."

Septima seccessfully finished her witchcraft.

"So, your house is clean. And now I want to learn how to fix a garden."

She beamed at Minerva and walked down the remaining stairs. Minerva followed her in front of the house.

In the middle of the savaged garden stood a weatherbeaten wooden bench on which they sat down. Minerva explained the elementary motions and charms to Septima with which she could get rid of the weeds while she herself took care of the more challenging spells.

"I just need to take care of the roses manually", she added.

With the accomplished swing of her wand the bigger, urgently from downfall threatened plants became fixed to bars, the wild-growing rampant Clematis curled gracefully up in its lane and Minerva aslo directed the scythe which mowed the high meadow round the house whilst Septima concentrated at her magical weed pulling.

After a while Minerva nodded satisfied and used "Evanesco" to make the garden rubbish disappear.

"It looks quite neat by now", she found, sat herself back and looked at the trimmed garden.

"And your roses?"

"Hold your horses, I will take care. Can't be everyone as agile as you are."

She smiled at Septima who cheerily replied her smile before she leaned back, closed her eyes and pleasurably forged her face to the sun. It looked so tempting that Minerva imitated her and for a while they just sat in harmonious silence enjoying the sun; each at one with the world and safe and secure in their quiet togetherness.

Eventually Minerva opened her eyes and stood up to take care of her roses. Septima twinkled lazily and strightened herself a bit.

"Can I help you?"

"No, not yet. But you could go and make some tea. I'm sure you will get along."

Septima disappeared at the kitchen and Minerva went to her outrageously neglected rose trees to look closely at the damage.

That was how Septima found her when she returned from the kitchen. For a moment she stood unnoticed at the front-door and watched Minerva who hunkered over her roses, cut a stem here and there or removed a leave. Her severe bun had untightened and some loose wisps fell into her forehead or softly framed her face.

Septima found her - this new Minerva – enormously soft and appealing and a soft smile curved her lips.

After a while Minerva noticed her, straightened up and pinched the loose wisps of hair behind her ears.

"How long have you been watching me?", she asked and slowly went to Septima.

„Long enough to recognize that this is an unusual sight. The strict and adamant Professor McGonagall taking lovely care of her roses. It's rare to see you so soft and vulnerable."

Minerva shrugged.

„I hope you're aware of that privilege", she replied in her usual strict manner.

Vector refused to be offended.

"I just came out to tell you that tea is ready."

"I'm coming."

Septima had set the small living-room table.

„I hope this is convenient for you? I find this more comfortable than the dining-room."

"Wonderful", Minerva replied, left her earthy shoes at the front door and followed Septima into the living-room.

"I thought I could prepare some sandwiches as well. I don't know about you, but I am hungry."

"You're always hungry", Minerva murmured and sat down in an armchair, with view to the portrait of her ancestor.

Septima sat herself opposite and smiled at her.

"Enjoy."

They ate in satisfied silence and after lunch Minerva said that she would like to take a nap.

„Somehow I am a bit tired. I think I've done too much at once", she said and disappeared in her bedroom.

Septima tried to wash the dishes and to clean the kitchen without any noise and afterwards she crept upstairs and browsed Minerva's library for somehting interesting to read.

Finally she found something and took the book with her in her room to cuddle in her cosy armchair.

A peaceful stillness rested above the old house, only disturbed by the ticking of a clock, the soft rustle of Septima turning a page and the creaking of the old wood which had stretched itself in the summerheat.

After the first few chapters Septima took a look at the clock and noted that she spended more than an hour reading. She raised her head and listened, but the stillness of the house was absolute. There came no sound from Minerva's bedroom.

„At least she doesn't snore", she murmured with a little smile, but listened on if she couldn't hear anything.

„She wouldn't have worked herself too hard and relapsed?", she asked herself.

Again she listened and silence buzzed in her ears. She decided to make sure that Minerva was well and crept to her bedroom. Carefully she turned the doorknob and froze when it gave a loud noise. Holding her breath she opened the door and emerged through the door crack.

Minerva had neatly put her robes over the rocking chair and was resting on her bed. Her simple undergarment fell soft around her slender body, her greying hair fell loosely on her pillow, her face looked relaxed, the wrinkles less deep and a soft smile curved her lips.

Composed by the sight of the peacefil sleeping Minerva Septima wanted to retreat silently, but forgot the low doorframe and severly hit her head.

A "Bugger" escaped her lips, soft, but loud enough to wake up Minerva. With one movement she sat up and stared at Septima.

"What on earth are you doing? You scared me half to death!"

„Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." Septima tried to calm down her upset friend and rubbed fer forehead. "I just wanted to make sure if you're alright and smacked my head against the door frame. I really didn't want to scare you."

„It's okay", Minerva impatiently waved aside. „Let me see your head; it banged loud enough."

She stood up and went to Septima.

Septima felt how Mionerva gently stroke away the hair from her forehead and involuntarily she shuddered.

"What's wrong with you?", Minerva asked concerned.

"Nothing, I'm fine", Septima assured her hastily and was tempted to pull her head away from Minera's hands, but overcame this impulse. Again she felt how Minerva's hand softly brushed obver her forehead and her knees became weak. She closed her eyes and seeking for foothold she leaned against the doorframe while Minerva examined her injury.

"That will give a lovely bruise", she murmured and softly laid her wonderful cool hand against the injured spot. "I could try and prevent the worse, but I don't know if I am as good as Poppy concerning healing spells."

"Just risk it", Vector requested her and opened her eyes again.

The first thing she saw were Minerva's blue concerned eyes which were close above her face.

"You better lay down", Minerva decided and jockeyed the resisting Vector onto the bed.

"I do not have to lay down, I'm fine", she protested.

"Be that as it may, but I donÄt know how you will feel when I'm finished with you. And I don't want to take the risk. I don't feel the need to have you on the floor when I'm done. In the bed with you!", Minerva ordered in her strictest manner which she usually spared for her ostreperous students. Septima knew this spezial manner and decided to not start a discussion with her, the more so as her head felt like cracking.

Obediently she layed down and Minerva used her wand skillfully at Septima's forehead.

Septima's headache disappeared as suddenly as it had come and the tugging pain in her forehead lessened.

"I feel much better, thank you", she said and tried to sit.

"No dice! You will stay in bed for at least half an hour", Minerva instructed her and gently pushed her back to the pillow.

"But I'm feeling fine!", Vector protested.

„Poppy wouldn't allow you standing up either and she's much better with this issue than I am", Minerva replied matter of factly and sat down next to Vector at the edge of the bed.

"Is that your avenge that we spared you for weeks?"

Minerva smiled.

"I admit it has a little influence on me. But mainly it is about your health. Poppy once told me that this particular spell could affect the circulation. I have no need for you to suddenly faint."

"Al right", Septima sighed and surrendered. With wide eyes she looked up to Minerva and smiled lopsided. She watched her intensively and stated:
"I don't understand why you always hide underneath these wide robes."

"Sorry?" Minerva looked blank at her.

Septima rose a hand and tugged gently at Minerva's undergarment.

"How one – or me – can just state at the moment you have a really nice figure. Why do you always hide it?"

Minerva glimpsed down herself and realized her clothing respektively the flamboyant lack of such.

"I feel comfortable in my robes. And I see no point in changing my style and to dress in figure hugging clothes with low necklines in my age. Besides I don't want to compete with you ", she added smiling, "I think it is sufficient if there is only one teacher on which the students fantasise about."

"On the ione hand that is quite interesting."

"Interesting? What do you mean?" Minerva asked.

„Well, look at me. I am a woman of sixty years, I don't fool myself. I have wrinkles in my face, grey hair and certain parts of my body submit the law of gravity. But my image is still, how should I say..." She thought about it.

Minerva prompted:
"... erotically supercharged?"

"Yes, apparently, isn't it?"

"And where is the problem?"

„The problem is here, always within my reach, in fact here, at my chest. What you can imagine here - and what you have already seen yourself: A pair of still impressive breasts! Today I wear a plain robe, nothing that would underline my sex appeal, but I was never able to hide my bosom, not even under a robe like that. One the one hand I always like it..."

"That sounds like a confinement." Minerva asked interested.

Septima laughed.

„Well, there is someone really curious! But I don't mind. On the other hand it can be quite annoying if people staring permanently on my breasts instead of listening to me. Especially pubescent students. Or men I was dating and who spent the whole evening staring at my cleavage instead of talking to me."

She threw an amused look at Minerva.

"And now you're trying not to stare at my bosom and that despite I'm talking about. You don't want to expose yourself to any suspicion. Somehow I find this cute. During time I've learned to handle it and I can and could always live completely well with erotic advances and projections. "

She looked interested at Minerva. „I hope I didn't shock you too much."

"No, you didn't. But this is a point of view I never considered. And I'm fascinated by your attitude."

Septima tried to shrug what seemed to be quite complicated in her position. „The trick in life is to deal with it. You should know that as well."

„Certainly, that's no question. We just handle it on a different way. But that's what makes our friendship so interesting, our differences."

Minerva took a look at her watch and smiled.

„You're already done, that half an hours is lamost gone and you're allowed to get up."

"At least meanwhile we had an interesting discussion", Vector grinned, before she opened her eyes wide and pointed accusingly at McGonagall. "You provoked that intentionally, did you? To make me stay in bed!"

„No, not really. You started that discussion, I just kept you on talking."

She lightly clapped Septima at the shoulder and stood up.

"I think you can get up now."

Septima sat herself and turned her head as an experiment.

„How do you feel?`"

"Like new-born." She swung her legs of the edge of the bed.

"Slowly, take it easy", Minerva warned her when Septima wanted to jump up. Obligingly she got up slowly.

„How's your head doing? No headache? No dizziness?"

„No."

"Well, now you're allowed to leave the room and to do whatever you were up to before you collided with the doorframe."

Minerva went over to the rocking chair and pulled over her robe.

"I had no special inetention. I just borrowed one of your books and spent some time reading."

"Alas, that's why they are there. Which one did you choose?"

„'Well of loneliness'. I didn't know that you're interested in Muggel books."

„Why yes, there are some quite fascinating books. Why did you choose that one?"

"I don't know. Coincinedence, I guess." Septima shrugged and strechted out her arms. „Lucky coincindence, it's well written."

Minerva nodded approvingly.

„I know, I read it myself."

"And not only once, I guess. The book is quite well-thumbed."

„As you already said: It's well written. What do you think of taking our books out in the sunshine?"

"It's the best offer I had all day long. Go on then, I'll follow in a minute."

Septima hurried back in her roome, changed her longsleeved robe against a thinner fabric, grabbed her book and hurried past Minerva.

Minerva rose her eyebrows at Vector's sight.

„Do you want to underline your sexappeal now?"

Vector grinned.

"Possibly?"

She sat down on the bench next to Minerva, reopened her book and started to read for the remaining afternoon.

Around evening clouds approached, the wind freshened up and tugged at the dresses of the women.

Minerva shut her book and looked up to the sky.

"I'll go in, it looks rather rainy. I guess we're having a thunderstorm coming up."Minerva klappte ihr Buch zu und spähte zum Himmel hinauf.

„Yes, it's getting uncomfortable out here. It's getting chilly."

Septima followed Minerva back into the house. From the window she observed how the sky grew dark and threatening dark clouds built up at the horizon. Shortly after flashes twitched about the sky, thunder rumbled and the sky opened its sluices to drown the landscape in torrential downpours.

"What a crappy weather!"

"Absolutely", Minerva agreed and lifted her shoulders shivering.

"It's getting chilly, perhaps we should biult up a fire?"

„No a bad idea at all. It has something cosy."

Minerva lit up a fire at the living-room and the both women made themselves comfortable in front of it.