Chapter Ten
She looked different, Melanie realized as she saw Minerva pacing outside the prison, in her own clothes and not the oversized male garments she had on when they first met.
She wore a long, emerald green pea coat with beautiful little brass buttons. Her boots were tall, reaching to just below her knees and tied up her shins, making her seem taller. She wore long dark pants underneath the jacket, though she couldn't tell the shirt underneath. Her hair was down and long around her face, her eyes still the most captivating feature about her.
"Think they had an affair?"
Both Melanie and Shacklebolt turned to look at their teammate with a less than impressed look. Parks smirked and shrugged slightly. The blonde headed, rag tag Auror always made everything a mess.
"I'm just sayin'. It's obvious there's something going on. I mean you've been him look at her. The touches, the little whispers in her ear. Mel you've been with the McGonagall girl this whole time, has she said anything else?"
"Leave the girl alone, Parks," Melanie answered sharply moving away from him and walking towards Minerva. The raven haired girl was running her fingers along the ragged, grey stones on the outside of the prison.
"What is she doing?" Kingsley asked quietly as they approached.
"Saying goodbye," Melanie replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "Good morning, Minerva," Melanie greeted her cheerily with a smile. "Happy to be going home finally?"
Minerva's eyes were still fixed on the stones as she nodded. "Yes."
Melanie gave her a smile and waved at Dumbledore who was talking over near the side of the camp with the Healer. Since her visit from her friends, Minerva's mood had improve and her sentences had lengthened significantly.
"I finished the maps," she said, turning to look up at Kingsley, her large green eyes intently watching him.
"Excellent, I'm sure they'll prove helpful," he said charmingly with a smile. "Hello Professor."
"Mister Kinsley, Miss Ramirez," Albus greeted them. "Almost ready to go, Minerva? Alastor said he's just about ready with the apparation line if you and Auror Ramirez are ready?"
The auburn haired man smiled at her and Minerva's finger's danced against the stones again as she glanced back at the camp tents and the outlying forest. "Lewis left yesterday," she said, her voice soft and smooth like silk.
There was a pause and Melanie opened her mouth to reply, but Dumbledore beat her to the punch. "He needed to make amends with his wife and go home," Dumbledore said gently. "It was time for him to begin to heal, to move on."
Minerva's eyes found his face and the twinkling in his gaze seemed to settle her. "I think I am ready to leave now."
Dumbledore put a smile on his face and extended an arm, which she took without hesitation, not glancing back at the prison, but burying her face in Albus' robe.
*The Great War 1944*
When they landed in front of the open Hogwarts gates, the first thing Albus saw was Minerva kneeling in the grass, struggling to breath and Moody standing over her, looking at a loss of what to do.
"Take it easy lass, just breathe," Alastor was saying as Albus jolted towards her. "She must have been knocked loose in the apparation. We should have taken a porkey." He sounded guilty, though Albus wasn't sure why.
"It's already done. Minerva?" Albus said tentatively. Her green eyes moved to focus on him. "Can you say something for me?" She coughed and moved to stand wobbily. "It's all right, you're all right," Albus said, rubbing her back.
She nodded, breathing deeply. "'m okay."
"What happened?" Melanie said, rushing towards them from the bushes behind them.
"Nothing," Moody said shortly, walking down towards the path. "Let's keep it moving you lot. I don't wanna be caught outside in this bloody cold." The snow was beginning to pile up in the much colder Scotland.
As the four walked up the barely paved path towards the castle, Minerva stopped abruptly, Albus almost knocking into Alastor. "What is it?" he asked quickly, his blue eyes searching her for injury.
"Are you hurt? What's wrong?"
She turned to face him, her green eyes wide and alight. "I want to take my O.W.L.S.," she said seriously.
Albus blinked once, shocked, then chuckled. Loudly.
"Do not laugh at me, Albus Dumbledore," she snapped with a fiercely.
The laughing immediately ceased and the rest of the party stared at her wide eyed. The falling snow caught in her hair and eyelashes, making her look even more ashen, as if she too was a part of the landscape.
"You, my dear, are a marvel," he said shaking his head, and putting an arm around her waist, pulling her close, "let's get you inside before you freeze to death."
The trek to the castle was quick but cold, Moody grumbling the entire time back his bad leg and the openness of their position for enemy fire. They were greet at the front gates by the Headmaster in his customary tipping black hat.
"Miss McGonagall, it's truly wonderful to see you," Dippet said, taking her hand with a cheerful smile. Minerva gave him a half smile, but didn't say anything. "Albus, ol boy."
"Good to see you Armando. You know Alastor Moody, this is Melanie Ramirez, she's been on Miss McGonagall's guard," Albus introduced with polite smiles.
"A pleasure," he said, shaking her hand with a smile. "Shall we go inside? I'm afraid it's still a bit chilly here compared to Germany."
The group moved back inside where they were greeted by Professor Merrythought and Slughorn, both who didn't hesitate to greet her warmly. "Now, we tried to stem your welcoming party, but despite our best efforts, I'm afraid quite a large amount of people refused to go back to their common rooms—"
"MINERVA!"
The party of friend, Edward, Xiomara, Pomona, and Poppy, were joined with a handful of others. Minerva jumped slightly at the noise, but smiled quietly none the less.
Poppy embraced her first, kissing her fiercely on both cheeks. "You look better," she declared matter-of-factly. "How do you feel?" Before she could answer, the rest of the people caught up to Poppy and greeted Minerva.
Her cheeks were pink from the sudden warmth of the castle and the overwhelming number of people. She stepped back a little towards Melanie and Albus.
"Can she come to the common room?" Edward asked quickly, looking up at Dumbledore, "Everyone's waiting up to see her."
Albus paused for a moment, his eyes meeting Minerva's before nodded. "Not too much excitement now, Mister Potter," he called after them as Poppy took Minerva's hand.
"Don't worry, I'll watch her," Melanie said, moving quickly to follow the chattering party.
"It's so good to have the two of you back, Albus," Slughorn said with a smile. Even from the few feet away, Albus could smell his familiar scent of Potion cork rubber and old butterbeer. "It's been a hell of a year without you here."
Albus gave him a strained smile as he watched Minerva's form down the hallway. "Actually I think we ought to speak in Armando's office."
*The Great War 1944*
"You cannot be serious!"
"Galatea, calm down."
"You cannot expect that child to be able to withstand that kind of trauma and then go straight out into another battlefield! You're setting her up for a break, Albus Dumbledore and I refuse to let you do it to her!"
Galatea continued to angrily pace the office as the three men sat around the crackling fire in the sitting room.
"This is something she wants," Albus said slowly, "I don't want to take her back into the war, but …"
"Is she even recovered enough to go back to Germany and the warzone so quickly?" Slughorn asked, taking a large sip of scotch.
"The Healer says the critical injuries are mainly healed, but they're linked with her magic and when her progress is damaged and set back, so is her body."
Galatea growled in frustration, a few hairs coming loose from her tight knots of a bun. "You have no idea what this girl needs. If you did, you wouldn't even consider taking her back to the war."
"And you do?" Albus shouted, "Minerva is not you, Galatea. She's not going to try and slice her wrists or drown herself in a bathtub. She's stronger than you. You don't know what she needs."
The Defense Professor's glare was fierce.
"She is not your wife, Albus, no matter how far your little affair goes on. She's in no state of help to anyone," she hissed.
There was dead silence.
"Of no use? The Auroring Department seems to have a different opinion," Albus snapped smugly.
"Perhaps it should be her decision," Armando said diplomatically, eyes flickering from his two best professor and their cat fight. "Minerva is sixteen, going to be seventeen. She's seen and experienced more than any adult should have to. She should have the right to make her own choices. Enough freedom has already been taken from that child."
A silence invaded the room, interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. "Excuse me," Melanie said tentatively peeking her head around the corner of the door.
"Miss Ramirez, what is it?" Albus said, turning towards her.
"Minerva isn't here with you, is she?"
Albus' eyebrows puckered. "She isn't with you?"
There was a pause. "Er, no sir."
"You mean you've lost her?"