Disclaimer: Please see chapter one.
A/N: Many many thank-yous to allthesame, Alesia G, Lethal Lunacy, Quill of Minerva Angeldust-aka-Evilwoman, Siree, Mellypoo622, Spector'sGirl, secondhandroses, Subbulakshmi who reviewed chapter 6 and to all those who are still reading this story thank-you.
To allthesame - darling I would marry you in a heartbeat.
To Alesia G - The year in question here would be 1958, apart from that I ask that you make no assumptions on Albus's intentions.
And one last thank-you to my darling Bella thank-you for being you and being there for me. MA
This chapter is not quite as depressing as the last but that is not to say that it is much happier than the last because it is not.
In this chapter I try to show a little of the interaction between Minerva and Albus when they are both back at Hogwarts, all trying to show a state of mind that leads to the last event in this chapter. Morgana-Alex
The end of the affair or How Albus and Minerva became Friends
By Morgana-Alex
Chapter 7
The day before the start of term arrived at Hogwarts, as did the schools transfiguration professor in robes of her trademark green and a deep black velvet travelling cloak.
Minerva stood on the top step of the stone stairs leading to the front doors of Hogwarts – She had always found the description of front doors lacking in every regard, the doors were at least 15ft high and almost the same length wide, they were made of the finest oak gathered from the forests of Hampshire, they were then varnished with the finest golden brown stain glaze that could be found anywhere in the world, it helped that woven in to the mixture were treads of pure magic, and that they had been charmed by the founders to protect as well as to serve.
The witch hesitated to walk forward thus commanding the doors to open for her, it had been merely a week since she had all but thrown the headmaster out of her home, he had taken her heart with him and she had told him that they would be colleagues nothing more. Minerva didn't have the first idea how she was going to cope with that state of affairs and as she bid Hogwarts front doors open she felt almost afraid of herself or more specifically her heart.
Albus - dressed in robes of a purple so dark they were almost black, no twinkle in his blue eyes and his countenance wearing a sombre expression - was waiting on the staircase as the doors closed behind her, the transfiguration professor made her way to the stairs and as her eyes fell upon the headmaster her heart jumped and then sank just a quickly. She knew he was not waiting there to tell her he had changed his mind.
'And so it begins' Minerva muttered under her breath and the sentiment was not lost on the man on the stairs.
"Good day Headmaster" Her voice harsher than she had intended, but it would have to do it was better to be seen as harsh than to cry her heart out in front of him again.
"Professor McGonagall. I trust you had a pleasant journey?" He answered, polite and professional just as she had asked him to be.
"Yes thank-you headmaster, now if you will excuse me I have the first day of term to prepare for." Not waiting to hear his answer she resumed her assent.
Albus stood quietly on the stairs watching her until she was out of even his sight, for the first time it truly sank in, he realised just what he had given up 7 days ago.
Weary already, he began the walk to his private chambers unaware that the entire episode had been observed.
Once Minerva had arrived at her office she threw her shrunken luggage at the wall with all the force she possessed, she had been back all of 10 minutes and she was already rattled.
Colleagues, that's what they were now. They had gone from acquaintances, to lovers, to fragile friends, to colleagues, all within the space of a year; Barriers of uncertainty, of passion, of time, of grief, of silence, and of pain replaced by one of professionalism. It was the situation she had proffered hoping to save her heart from further sorrow and yet right now she would gladly have given anything to take back the event that led to such a harsh reality.
However the head of Gryffindor did not make decisions lightly nor did she back away from those she had already made.
Minerva set to work making sure her lesson plans were more than adequate for the days ahead, she made notes about on going detentions, punishments and projects as well as catching up on anything that may have befallen the school, its professors or students over the holidays. She ate lunch in her office - a custom she had perfected in her year at Hogwarts always claiming - should anyone ask - that she had far too much paper work to do to grace the great hall with her presence in the middle of the day.
Albus sat at his desk trying to make short work of all the letters he had received from the ministry; he didn't even stop for lunch an event almost unheard of in his years at Hogwarts.
He was having trouble concentrating when he noticed a folder on his desk the handwriting unmistakeable, his deputy had obviously activated the charm they had set up to prevent her from having to run to his office every time she finished a report.
The look on her face as she had entered the castle now consumed his mind, it had been a look of defeat and sadness, a look Minerva McGonagall should never wear, but he held on to his resolve he had done the right thing, if only she could see that.
They spent the rest of the day in their respective offices, without the company of the other, both knowing full well that they would need to confer before the students arrived the next morning.
A brown/white owl knocking at her office tower window took a while to catch the stoic Witch's attention and when she opened the window to let him in he made her aware of his annoyance by thrusting his leg towards her in a less than gentlemanly manner. Minerva gave him 2 owl treats and sent him on his way.
She took her seat again after recognising the loopy script as that of the headmaster, slowly she opened the parchment and read the message.
My apologies for the intrusion professor but could you please join me and the other head's of house in my office for a short meeting.
Kind Regards
Professor Dumbledore.
The head of Gryffindor was the last to arrive and as soon as she seated herself the meeting began.
It was the usual beginning of term conference, Quidditch, House points, the latest items Filch had banned were discussed and as usual Albus talked more than was necessary, but the tension between the headmaster and his deputy was palpable, their usual dynamic missing, as a result when the meeting was finally brought to a close the heads of Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin literally ran from the room leaving Minerva and Albus alone.
Minerva was not as quick as her colleagues so when she stood to gather her belongings she found herself in a situation she didn't want to be in, she was alone with Albus.
"Goodnight professor." She said as she turned and made for the door, she had walked no more than 5 steps when he called her back.
"Minerva." She stopped dead but refused to turn.
"I think this is yours." The witch turned to see him holding a neat stack of parchment. Pausing briefly to wonder why he didn't just send it by owl or house elf or any number of other ways that would not require her to be here at this time, she moved to take the pile from his hands, without a word of thanks or further acknowledgement of the wizard.
"Goodnight Professor McGonagall." Albus whispered as Minerva took her leave from his office, his eyes almost boring in to her back.
As she rounded the corner to her rooms she found the head of Slytherin waiting for her.
"Horace is there anything I can do for you?" The professor smiled.
"Always Minerva. But I am here to see if there is anything I can do for you, since your return this morning I have noticed that you are not your usual self, you seem distracted and after that meeting I would hazard a guess that it has something to do with our beloved Professor Dumbledore." He did not mention that he had witnessed their little frost bitten greeting this morning. Tonight she had no wish to rebuff further advances from the potions professor, while there was little chance of her giving in to him, she did not want to test her strength while in her current mood.
"Horace I am rather tired and while I appreciate your concern I must ask you to let me be. It has been a long day for those of us who went home for the holidays." Again without another word or further acknowledgement of the wizard in front of her, Minerva entered her chambers and dissolved into tears, leaving the wizard to listen to her heartfelt sobs on the other side of the door.
One month later:
The staff room had been busy less that an hour ago and now only 3 teachers remained, Albus, Minerva and Professor Bins.
"I bid you goodnight Minerva, Albus, see you at breakfast." The moment the history of magic teacher left Minerva sprang to her feet and made to leave.
"Minerva there is no need to leave just because there is no one else in the room, I am quite sure that we can work in the same room together for an hour or 2 even without a chaperone. " She considered his words carefully.
"Of course you are right Professor but I had just noticed the time and I have a very full day ahead of me tomorrow, so I will bid you goodnight." Minerva resumed the collection of her things and made once more for the door.
"Goodnight Headmaster."
"Good night professor." Albus replied to her retreating back and closing door.
Months past in this manner, and they finally settled in to a routine of professional courtesy, nods were exchanged in corridors and polite conversation could be found at the breakfast table. Meetings were no longer minefields and the tension dropped to a tolerable level.
However the headmaster and his deputy still could not be considered friends, acquaintances perhaps, colleagues definitely, but no more, and so past - for the most part - the spring and summer terms.
Sleep no longer came easily to the headmaster, since the beginning of the spring term he could be found walking the halls of Hogwarts at any time of the night.
Sleep had never come easily to the deputy headmistress; since she had joined the school - on the nights she had not spent in the headmaster's bed - she could be found roaming the corridors of Hogwarts at any time of the night.
The astronomy tower loomed high over the battlements of the castle its dim lights a welcome, if slight relief from the gloom of this stormy night, rain lashed against stone walls and enchanted windows, Minerva had seen a night like this before.
The transfiguration professor wandered the hallowed halls in search of exhaustion, hoping that a long walk would allow her to finally fall asleep, her unplanned route lead her to the foot of the stairs to the astronomy tower, feeling that the climb could be just what she needed Minerva placed her right foot on the bottom stair.
The equally frustrated insomniac Albus sat watching the raindrops run along the windowpanes, join others and then collect at the base, order or chaos he could not decide but they were soothing the chaotic noise in his head and so he continued to stare.
Step by step she ascended when a thought hit her what if someone, a student or a professor already occupied the tower? What if she interrupted a tryst? Would she be able to brazen through or would she fall to pieces as she had done when she had discovered the head of Slytherin with the care of magic creatures teacher in the staff room late one evening, true months had passed since that incident but the thought of anyone happy and in love still only served to remind her of her loss.
Footstep after footstep he heard, only one person he was sure but what if they belonged to a student? What if they belonged to a member of staff expecting to meet another for an assignation in the solitude of the place he now occupied? Would it do to hide? There was nowhere to go, the echo of the footsteps told him that whoever it was they were getting closer by the second.
Tentative pace followed pace and to her own ears the echo's sounded loud enough to wake the castle, surely whoever was up here could hear her approach? She mused as the final stairs came in to her line of sight, perhaps humming would warn anyone - foolish enough to be out here in this weather - as to her presence in the tower, Minerva thought and began with the first few notes of Mozart's 40th Symphony.
Footsteps surely he should recognise the footfall of anyone of the current professors; Albus's ears pricked up and he turned his head as a melancholic tune reached said ears, he tried to place it, both the melody and the voice were familiar to him…it took him only seconds longer to realise that he was familiar with the music as it was Minerva favourite muggle classic and the voice was that of his former lover.
As Minerva reached the final step that hindered her view of the platform that was the highest inside point the tower her voice caught in her throat as her eyes fell upon the only person she did not expect to see sitting on the cold, hard stone floor.
He did not have time to move or to consider what he might have done to avoid causing the woman - now staring wide eyed at him with more than a shocked expression on her face - any more pain.
Minerva was the first to react she did not want to be anywhere near the man in front of her, not like this and not on a night like this one.
"Minerva wait." Albus rose to his feet and with a speed that belied his age he was behind the retreating witch in seconds, he took her arm in an effort to halt her withdrawal.
Minerva did not turn to face him; once again he would have to earn that courtesy.
"Please Minerva." The Witch turned around slowly, trying not to meet the wizard's eyes.
"Minerva please look at me." Tears had already formed in her eyes; to let them fall would be a weakness the head of Gryffindor was not about to show in front of their cause.
The Witch met his eyes and saw that he too had been crying, the lines running from his eyes to his chin were testament to that, it was obvious he had not made any attempt to interrupt their flow. Without thinking Minerva raised her right hand to wipe the offending drops of water from his left cheek, cautiously making sure his eyes never left hers he raised his hand to cover hers clasping it to his face and her tears begin to fall in earnest…
"Albus?" Minerva whispered, as her tears began to stop and her eyes once again met his.
"Hush my dear." Albus replied before lowering his lips to hers. They were a millimetre from their target when he heard the faint pop and felt his hand give way to empty air; Minerva was now in her Animagus form fleeing from him, her fear evident in her speed, the world weary Wizard stood motionless watching her back disappear into the shadows, a view he was become far to familiar with…
End Chapter
A/N: Alright I know it jumps around a bit in this chapter but as much as I wanted to I could not write 2 terms worth of moments so I just picked the ones that would make my point. Which I hope by the way you understand, if you don't then email me and I shall try to explain it in a better way.
Chapter 8 is going to be the fall out of the last scene, but do not fear it is not nearly as dire as the facts suggest.
If you got this far then please just go that little bit further and hit the little button to leave me a review, even if it is just to say I'm still reading.
See you soon. Morgana-Alex
