Still trying very hard to get the correct terms. Please forgive me if I occasionally get it wrong. I will do my best.

When they had finally come to a complete stop M's head was spinning to the point that she thought she would topple over except for the fact that Snape still had a firm grip on her.

"There that wasn't so bad was it?" he asked as he loosened his grip enough to pull back to look at her

"No" she managed to say just before her knees gave way sending her toward the ground

Snape quickly put his arms around her and caught her before she made contact with the floor. He effortlessly picked her up and carried her to the sofa in his office placing her gently on the cushions.

"Why don't you just sit for a moment and get you're bearings" he said as he called for his house elf "How about a nice cup of tea to settle your stomach?"

"That would be nice" replied M weakly as she desperately tried to focus on anything as the room was still spinning a bit. When she was finally able to focus what she saw quite honestly frightened the hell out of her. It was a little tiny creature carrying a tray with tea and biscuits.

"What is that!" she said in a somewhat alarmed tone as she pointed at the elf

"That is my house elf bringing your tea" replied Snape sharply. As soon the words had escaped his lips he regretted using such a sharp tone with her as she clearly didn't understand such things as house elves or magic for that matter.

"Please forgive me. I have forgotten that this is all new to you" he said as apologetically as he could as he sat down beside her and poured the tea.

"Where are Bond and Minerva?" asked M anxiously as she looked around the room

"I can only assume that they apparated to her office. Once you have you're bearings back and have finished you tea I will take you there" he said in his normal flat tone.

"Thank you Mr. Snape, but…"

"Severus please"

"Yes of course Severus. I'm feeling much better now and I would like to join the others if that's alright with you" she said nervously as she stood up.

"Certainly" he replied as he rose and extended his arm to her "Shall we" he said motioning toward the door.

As the two of them made their way up to Minerva's office, M couldn't help but stare at all of the beautiful and yet puzzling things in the castle. It wasn't until Peeves made an appearance with a bucket of water with the intent of dousing Snape that M was truly frightened.

"Peeves! Put that down this instant or I will hex you into next year" shouted Snape as he put a protective arm around M. "Can you not see that we have a guest and she is clearly not amused by your antics!"

Peeves quickly floated closer to get a better look at the very frightened M. "She's a Muggle isn't she?" he said with a wicked grin

"She is and it would be appreciated it you would take your pranks somewhere else!" replied Snape who was clearly unamused

"Very well Professor" replied the ghost as he floated off down the hall searching for his next victim.

"What was that?" asked M in a rather shaky voice as she clung to Snape

"That my dear lady was Peeves. He is our resident poltergeist. He's basically harmless however he does like to cause a bit of chaos now and again"

By the time they had reached Minerva's office M's head was spinning again only this time it was not from apparating, but more from all of the unbelievable things she had seen between Severus' office and this office. She was never so happy to see James than she was when the office door opened.

"M" said James sounding rather alarmed as he saw the petrified look on her face and closed the distance between them and put his arms around her pulling her close. "Are you alright? We were worried when you didn't arrive"

"I'm fine" she replied in a rather shaky voice as she held on to him for dear life. "You wouldn't believe what I have seen" she said sounding a bit bewildered as she looked up at him

"What do you mean?' asked James

"I'm not entirely sure but I think I saw a ghost" she said apprehensively

"Severus, just where did you apparate to?" asked Minerva sounding a bit irritated with him

"My office of course" he replied

"Why your office?'

"Because it occurred to me after you had left, that we had neglected to discuss where we were to meet so I decided to start with my office and work my way through the castle until I found the two of you" he said sarcastically

"And what is this about meeting a ghost? Which one Sir Nicholas or Peeves?" she asked angrily

"We had the misfortune of being accosted by Peeves on the hall on the way here"

"Well had you apparated to my office in the first place this would not have happened" she replied sharply

James and M just looked at each other while listening to the two professor's banter back and forth with each other.

"Sounds a bit familiar doesn't it" said James under his breath with a slight laugh

"James, I'm not sure whether I am in the Land of Oz or in the Twilight Zone, but anything you could do to speed this up would be greatly appreciated at this point" she said in the best no-nonsense tone she could manage

"Right" he said loosening his hold on her slightly "Excuse me, professors, but I believe we are here to look over some records" said James calmly

"Yes. You're absolutely right" said Minerva turning her attention back to James and M

"Professor McGonagall I would be happy to show Miss. M around the grounds while you and Mr. Bond search thru the records if you would like. It may take several hours and I believe that you could do with a bit of fresh air" he said politely as he turned to look at M

"Well…I…" M started to say before James interrupted

"I think it would be a good idea if we were to stay together, at least for the time being. It is standard protocol for her to have a body guard at all times and since I am the only agent available at the moment that would be me and since my presence is required here…"

"Yes. I understand" said Snape almost sounding disappointed

"Thank you" said M under her breath

"Actually Severus I think that is a splendid idea" said Minerva surprisingly cheerful "Why don't you take both of our guests on a tour of the castle and the grounds. I will be able to search the files much more quickly by myself anyway"

"As you wish" he replied dryly

M and James followed Snape to the door

"Would you excuse us for a moment" Said Snape as he stepped back in the office closing the door behind him

"Just what are you up to Minerva?" he asked curiously

"Severus. If I didn't know you better I would say that you are quite smitten with that M woman" replied Minerva rather bluntly

"And just what makes you way that?"

"You chose to apparate to your office knowing full well that I would go to mine and you made it painfully obvious by taking you place next to her that you intended for her to go with you" she said rather matter of fact "So one could assume that you wanted time alone with her"

"I did no such thing. I just felt it would be better…"

"There is no use denying it. She is an attractive woman for a Muggle."

"If your previous statement were true then why did you suggest that I take them both around the castle and the grounds?"

"Because she wouldn't go without him and I don't need him around asking a lot of questions about things that are of no concern of his at the moment" she replied sharply

"So you thought you would just foist them off on me while you play detective?"

"In a manner of speaking." She replied testily

"Unbelievable"

"By the way, did you find out what you wanted to know about her?" she asked curiously

"What makes you think I wanted to know anything about her?"

"I may be old but I'm not a fool Severus. Reading her mind would be rather easy as she has had no formal occlumency training"

"I found out that her name is really Olivia Mansfield not M, and I found out that she has had quite a colorful if not adventurous life. She has suffered a great deal of physical and emotional torture and, strictly speaking she should have died on several occasions but she didn't due largely in part to that Bond person"

"Olivia Mansfield? Why does that name sound familiar?" said Minerva as she paced about the room rubbing her forehead trying to remember.

"I have no idea" replied Snape

TO BE CONTIUNED...