Carry my soul into the night, may the stars light my way
I glory in the sight, as darkness takes the day
Sing a song- a song of life -lived without regret
Tell the ones, the ones I loved
I never will forget
OZ-SPEED MY DEARIES!... wait.. wrong universe!
J.K. Rolling unfortunately owns Harry Potter... not me, though I do take credit for the OC's
Chapter 6 - Let it Begin
September 3rd, 1937:
Minerva awoke to the typical prodding of a certain, extremely persistent, fluffy creature. She giggled softly as his paws began kneading on her back and the little motor-like purr increased in sound, echoing through her ears. The young witch closed her eyes for a minute, enjoying the lovely massage and allowing her mind to relax. Yesterday had been chaotically long, not because of the classes, but what happened after. Damn those Slytherins and their anti-Muggle mindset.
Feeling Mico stop his prodding and jump to the floor, she frowned but got up anyway to feed the little rascal, then proceeded to wake her sisters gently. Both were not nearly as excited to wake up either, last night proved difficult to let sleep take over; all of them were thinking about their past and family. Minerva made sure Augusta was awake as well, she owed her that much, and sure enough Augusta was awake with her fat tuxedo cat was purring around her heels as usual. They all headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast and as predicted, the three Slytheirn boys were still busy spreading their tale of how Minerva attacked them- each retell being slightly different than before. To her relief, most of the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors realized it was the typical Slytherin hogwash and ignored it, though a few Ravenclaws were less inclined and the Slytherins were eager to devour anything and everything which made any half-blood's- especially one with a Muggle parent -reputation sour.
"Oh look, it's Gryffindor's feral cat!" Lestrange shouted so most of the Great Hall could hear.
"Don't listen to him, he's just looking for a fight to get you expelled," Poppy hissed in her ear as she pulled Minerva down to the table.
"I know that, but it doesn't make things any easier."
"True."
After breakfast, the first year Gryffindor's made their way to their Transfiguration class, followed by the Hufflepuffs. Minerva caught sight of Pomona again and waved before sitting down in her seat. Professor Dumbledore entered the classroom, his fluorescent robes flowed behind him gracefully as he strode down the rows of seated students with a smile.
"Good morning, everyone. Welcome to Transfiguration, and as you all know, I'm Professor Dumbledore. Now, before we begin," his warm smile vanished, replaced with a serious stare, "You must know that Transfiguration is one of the most dangerous and complex magic you will ever learn here. I can teach you to transform a desk to a pig, conjure furniture, vanish any object and- if you have the potential -transform your very body into an animal."
Minerva's eyes shot up. It can't be true, can it? I could really become a cat? Looks like poor Gracie will have to learn two new sides of me after all!
"Needless to say, anyone who fools around in my class will leave and never come back." His smile reappeared with a small clap of his hand. "Now, let's get started, shall we?
With a wave, several matches appeared on every desk. Looking down at her own, it took everything she had not to grin with a bit of confidence.
"Today, you will be attempting to transfigure your match into a needle. Now, repeat after me..."
Minerva mumbled the incantation, trying to appear as if she hadn't heard it before. The next step was the wand movement, which she just did with a flick of her wrist instead of weaving the rod though the air, then came the actual spell.
"The first student to transform their match to a quality needle will receive five points. You may begin."
Instantly, the young witch waved her long wand with grace, ease and perfection as she said the spell, "Lignum Acus."
The small wooden stick changed into a sharp, metallic pin. She smiled, looking around the room, noticing everyone was just getting started. She caught Professor Dumbledore's twinkling blue eyes staring at her.
He smiled, "Ah, I see Miss McGonagall has it on the first try, five points to Gryffindor!"
Had she been other student, he might have awarded ten, but he knew Minerva's extreme natural talent with magic, and awarded her by keeping that in mind
"How did you do that?" Rolanda gasped, her own match had only changed color. Minerva shrugged and watched Poppy wave her wand for the third time.
"Lignum Acus!" The match did exactly what it was suppose to do, morphing into the sharp, thin silver stick. "I did it! Min, I did it!" Poppy tugged at her sister's sleeve in excitement.
"Do I hear that we've had another success?" Dumbledore hovered near their desk, "I see you have indeed, congratulations, Miss Pomfrey. It's very rare for students to get this spell on the first few tries. See to it that you keep on track with Transfiguration, my dear, you have an aptitude for it."
Poppy blushed as Professor Dumbledore strode off to help a Hufflepuff who had managed to splinter his match and turned towards Minerva. "He's giving me more credit than it's worth, he should have applauded you like so, not me."
The green eyed witch rolled her eyes. "Oh please, he has a right to praise you. It took me a few tries to get mine right as well, so we're even."
Poppy chuckled, "Minerva, I don't think we could ever be even."
In History of magic, Professor Binns nearly talked the entire class to sleep, all but Minerva and Poppy, who had to consistently wake Rolanda up so she would take notes. The subject was fascinating, but having a ghost as the teacher made things dull, to say the least.
Thankfully, Charms was a much more active subject. They learned the hover charm, which Minerva perfected within a few tries. Augusta however, managed to explode her feather. It was relatively minor damage, mind you, but Augusta was in a foul mood the rest of the evening. Both Poppy and Rolanda showed promise in the subject, to their delight, and Poppy scoured the book with much excitement.
If there was anything that Rolanda was looking forward to today, it was their Flying lesson, not that she needed it, mind you, it was just an excuse to get on the broom without causing destruction everywhere. Minerva had to admit, it was good to escape the gravitational prison once and awhile. Poppy, however, barely managed to lift her feet off the ground, mainly due to her persistence of not allowing the broom to lose control.
As the sun began to fall, Minerva grew increasingly aware that her 'detention' time was near. With a slightly excited heart she left her sisters at the Gryffindor Common Room and made her way to the Transfiguration Department. When she got to the doors, however, she found them locked. Although the young witch knew the spell to unlock them, she decided against it since she was a student, and waited with her back against the door. A few minutes passed by and Minerva began to worry if she accidentally got the wrong time when she heard Professor Dumbledore's voice yell in the classroom, followed by another voice which sounded like it was from the Floo network, slightly crackled from the flames.
"What the hell are you doing, contacting me here?"
"I fount it, Albus, I found the wand!"
"So, why are you contacting me? I thought I made it very clear to you, nearly forty years ago, that I wanted nothing more to do with your plans."
Forty years ago? What happened that was so special forty years ago? Minerva wondered silently. Certainty nothing that's in our history books at-least...
"You're not the least bit curious? Come, come now Albus, you can't have changed that much."
"Don't toy with me, Gellert, you've done enough!" Dumbledore's voice spiked with rage, an emotion she hardly thought possible from the man...
"Ah, I see you still harbor resentment against me... a pity. I was going to ask you to join me, you know?"
Join him?
"Then you don't know me at all anymore, my friend. Now, I must bid you farewell, as I have work to do."
"Alb-"
That was the end of it, Dumbledore cut off the network. She could hear his footsteps quickly making way out of his office, then heard the door unlock. Minerva paused and gulped silently, feeling slightly embarrassed for hearing what seemed to be a rather personal argument.
"Come in, Miss McGonagall, I know you're there."
Minerva did as she was told, hesitantly opened the door and stepped through. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, Professor, I just came here for the lesson and noticed the door was locked so I waited."
"I know, Miss McGonagall, it's all right. I should have placed a Silencing charm on the room anyhow. You waited?" He smirked then chuckled softly, "I would have opened it at your age- and don't tell me you don't know what the charm is because I have a sneaky suspicion that you do."
Minerva realized her jaw was gaping open slightly and quickly closed it, knowing there was a small blush on her cheeks. "I didn't think it appropriate considering I'm a student."
Dumbledore merely shrugged and waved the door shut. "We should get started with your lesson. Tell me, Miss McGonagall, did your mother teach you on your magic before you came to Hogwarts?"
Minerva narrowed her eyes at the mention of Isobel and avoided eye contact with him as she responded shortly, "No, Sir, I learned on my own. My màthair didn't teach me, in fact, she condemned the use of magic."
"Is that so?" Dumbledore snorted in amusement, covering his mental thoughts, "So you rebelled against authority by figuring out your natural talents?"
Minerva nodded slowly, looking at the floor. She began to play with her hair; having not expected much talking about her personal life, it made her uncomfortable.
"How long have you been concentrating on your magic?"
"Most my life all I've done was controlling it, until this summer that is."
"Would you mind me asking what made you change tactics?"
"My family went to Loch Ness over the summer, Sir, and I hated it there."
"Loch Ness has a very powerful ancient ward placed around it, Miss McGonagall, are you sure that's where you went over the summer?"
Minerva looked at him with a slight glare in her sparkling green eyes. "I'm positive. I slept in the castle, swam in the lake and crossed over that dreadful ward."
"But that doesn't explain how you were able to practice, my dear."
"I-" the young witch bit her lip, "To be honest, Professor, I'm not sure you'd believe me, even if I told you."
Dumbledore smiled softly, his sapphire eyes twinkling as he did. "Miss McGonagall, I think you'll find that I have a very open mind. Try me."
Minerva sighed, now looking at her feet and twirling her hair as spoke quietly, "I created an anti-ward around myself." She waited for him to respond with a sound, an expression, anything, but there was none. He just stared at her, the twinkle in his eyes died out, and didn't he make a move, so she continued, "I couldn't let go of my magic, it was painful- and this is all guesswork -but I think my magic performed with what I needed to survive."
The Professor didn't speak for a while. He began slowly pacing around the room, making Minerva slightly uncomfortable. She backed up against his bookshelf and stood there, watching him. The man was thinking, that was all very clear, but why he was pondering what she said so intently, she couldn't tell. Nearly five minutes passed, he still had not said a word and, against her better judgement, Minerva spoke up, "Professor?"
Dumbledore immediately stopped in his tracks and looked up at her, his eyes had nearly lost the twinkle she had started to become familiar with as he spoke, "Hmm? Oh, sorry, Miss McGonagall, I left you, didn't I?"
Minerva smirked softly, "For five minutes, Sir."
The Professor shook his head and sighed, "Forgive me, I tend to do that when in deep thought." He reached into his pocket and pulled out two small candy-like ovals. "Would you care for a Sherbet Lemon?"
The witch nearly fell out of her chair in surprise. "A what?"
"It's a Muggle candy that I've developed a fondness for. Here, try one."
Placing the candy within her mouth, she let the flavor soak through her senses. She didn't know what it was about the candy, but it made her smile. Dumbledore conjured a small chair then motioned for her sit.
"Have a seat, Miss McGonagall, we should get on with your lesson."
Minerva frowned, realizing that Professor Dumbledore changed the topic- deliberately avoiding questions about his thoughts -so, she sat down, still toying the candy with her tongue.
"Now, close your eyes."
The witch's brows furrowed in confusion, "Sir?"
"Close your eyes," he calmly repeated. Having never been told to do something twice, Minerva did as instructed as Professor Dumbledore began pace slowly around her. "Yesterday you showed me your prowess for levitating multiple objects, however I noticed that you had to see the object before moving it. So, today we'll work on moving an object you can't see."
"I don't understand, how does this help me control-"
"How well do you know the room, Miss McGonagall?"
Minerva nearly fluttered her eyes in confusion, though she recovered quickly and calmly replied, "Sir, it would all depend on what you want me to find."
Dumbledore laughed. "My dear, there was a reason the Sorting Hat took so long to sort you, full of clever wit. Now, focus that clever mind of yours to find something for me. I seem to have lost my quill and I simply can not grade your homework without it!" The young witch giggled, hearing the rather obvious sarcasm in his voice, "And you're the only one who can find it for me."
She heard the slight whistle of his wand weaving through the air, then felt a soft ribbon being tied around her head, covering her eyes. "But, Professor, how do I find an object I can't see?"
"Where is my desk to your relative location?"
"Behind and a little to my left."
"That's right," Dumbledore continued his circle pace around her, making her nervous again. "Did you know that your shoulders hunch up slightly, you fiddle with your hair and your fists clench when you're nervous."
The witch immediately sat up straight and snapping her arm down to her side, she could feel her cheeks flush in embarrassment. "You've been observing me?"
"Oh now, don't look too surprised, it's my job to gauge your reactions. It'll come in handy in our future lessons- but back to the task at hand." Again, Minerva noted his tendency to verge the subject away from his thoughts as the professor instructed her, "Use your mind to decide where to activate your magic."
She cleared her mind, focusing on the task at hand, and thought hard to remember the Transfiguration room's layout and where exactly she was from his desk, before igniting the warm spark that coursed through her veins and propelling it behind her, but nothing happened. She tried again, and again, but to no avail.
"Don't give up, McGonagall, nor fall to quickly into disappointment. This is a rather difficult task."
Minerva noted the drop of her title, and smirked. "Just because it's difficult, doesn't mean it's impossible."
She could swear that she heard him mumble something under his breath about having said the same thing at her age, before chuckling then telling her to concentrate. The young witch obeyed, trying again and again, until she could feel an object at her grasp. She tugged at it, using her hands to emphasize and aid the effect until a bundle of books tumbled to the floor. Minerva frowned and attempted to try again, but Dumbledore's voice distracted her and she gave up the attempt.
"Impressive," his voice hummed with approval as his hands untied the ribbon. "I'll admit, I didn't expect you to move anything tonight."
As the silky fabric slithered down to her hands, Minerva opened her emerald eyes and twisted her body around to face her professor, clutching the ribbon as she did.
"You didn't?" she asked.
Professor Dumbledore's auburn beard shook with his head as his eyes twinkled. "I should learn to expect the unexpected with you, shouldn't I, McGonagall?" Minerva giggled softly, glanced at the clock then her eyes widened in surprise of the time. Where it had gone, she wasn't sure. "Ah yes, it is about that time, isn't it? Come, I'll walk you to the tower."
They neared the exit of the Transfiguration classroom towards the door in silence and her face grew serious once more as multiple questions revolved in her mind.
This isn't normal training to keep emotions from interfering... The young witch wasn't sure what made her think that, maybe it was Professor Dumbledore's distant behavior before the lesson, she wasn't sure. It's not because of my magic losing control anymore, I can see it in his eyes. He tends to expect more from me, yet, he doesn't want- no -he can't say what it is. Fear? Maybe, though doubtful. He was surprised as what I accomplished today, not expecting it, but he accepted it graciously. Why? Why is he so pleased with what I accomplished?
"Did I really surprised you that much, Sir?"
Dumbledore nodded, though he didn't look at her and continued to walk her towards the Gryffindor Tower. Minerva bit her lip, not entirely sure how to ask what was going through her mind properly.
"If you don't mind me asking, Sir, why are you doing this?"
Now he looked at her, but didn't stop walking, "I beg your pardon?"
Minerva swallowed, hoping she didn't sound too argumentative. "I don't mean to sound unappreciative, because I really do appreciate you taking the time Professor, but why me? There are multiple other students that are brilliant with magic in my year, why me?"
Dumbledore slowed his walk, and to the young witch's relief, he finally stopped his pace then looked at her again. His sapphire eyes stared into her own as if he was reading her thoughts and deciding what to say that could calm her worries. She held his gaze for a few minutes before she realized she had begun to twist her hair with her fingers again and quickly put her hand back at her side.
"Maybe in time, I'll be able to tell you, my dear, as I'm not sure if you'd understand, with you being so young." Minerva opened her mouth to speak, but closed it, thinking it best not to retort his decision. Her professor seemed to pick up on her doubts and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know this is alot to ask, considering you haven't known me very long, but I plead you to trust me, Miss McGonagall, because one day these lessons could be life changing."
Minerva's brow furrowed with confusion, yet, she found her head bobbing in agreement. What is it about this man that makes me trust him so easily?
Dumbledore sighed softly in relief and added a soft smile. "Thank you, your trust means more to me than you know. However, it's getting late and you still have a busy day tomorrow. Good night, Miss McGonagall, until next week."
The dark haired witch nodded in agreement, then said her farewell, "Good night, Professor Dumbledore."
She watched him strode away for a moment, before muttering the password to the Fat Lady and began crawling through the hole when she placed her hand upon the cold stone wall and she felt the soft fabric still in her hand. "Oh- Professor!"
Minerva dashed down the hall, her heals softly clicking as they hit the stone floor. "Professor Dumbledore!" She skidded around the corner, nearly crashing into him in the process.
"What ever is the matter, McGonagall?"
Minerva lifted her hand, dangling the red ribbon in her open palm, "I- uh... I forgot to give your ribbon back, Sir."
Dumbledore smiled with an emotion the young witch couldn't understand seeing the two ends of the ruby fabric frame her face. It complimented her emerald green eyes perfectly. And there he went again, lost in the abyss of deep thoughts.
"Is something wrong, Professor?" The wizard's sapphire eyes blinked and he came back to reality.
"Nothing, Miss McGonagall." He clasped his hand around her own, closing her fingers around the ribbon. "Keep it, my dear, I think you'll get more use out of it than I do. Besides, it contrasts your eyes beautifully." He lowered her hand softly "Now, you really must be off to bed and I really must get back to my office. Good night."
Minerva stood there for a moment, just watching Dumbledore walk away, then looked down at the ribbon and smiled, his words echoing in her mind, '...you fiddle with your hair and your fists clench when you're nervous... you'll get more use out of it than I will... it contrasts your eyes...'
She didn't hesitate. In a swift movement, she floated the fabric in the air as her hands rounded up the long ebony mane, pulling it into a tail which swished like a cat's. The ribbon levitated into her free hand, as she looped it around, tying it into a small bow. Satisfied, she walked back to the hole.
"My, my, don't you look pretty," sweetly chimed the Fat Lady as she opened the door. Walking down the steps, Minerva could hear her sister's thoughts ignite upon hearing her footsteps.
She's back! Rolanda sang gleefully.
She knows she'll have to tell us everything, right?
No, but I do now. Thanks for the warning, girls.
She heard their laughter echoing down the stairwell from their dorm room. Rolanda, of course, was in the lead and tackled Minerva as she sprung off the last step, "We finished our Transfiguration homework while you were gone!"
Minerva raised a brow in disbelief. "All by yourself?"
"Er... yeah, well..."
"She really needed the help, Min, you should have see her. It was rather amusing, she couldn't make the match stop splintering!" Poppy chuckled. "So how was your 'detention' with Dumbledore?"
Minerva pursed her lips. "It was rather frustrating to be honest, I had to make an object, that I didn't know the location of, move by magic, while under a blindfold."
Rolanda whistled, "Bloody hell."
"He didn't expect me to move anything tonight, but I managed to topple over a few books."
"Always the over achiever," Poppy said with a smile, "And as proud as we are, it's getting late and we have school tomorrow!"
I found the title rather appropriate and amusing, you'll eventually see why! I love Dumbles, he's so fun to write!
Happy Holidays everyone, and please review!
~LinK
