Chapter Ten:

It Never Lasts

"By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes."
-Macbeth

A couple of hours later, Minerva said goodbye to Poppy ("tell Skipper I'll be there as soon as I can!") and took the Portkey that Albus had set up for her a few days earlier to the magical hospital. The Portkey was a small handbag.

She went to her appointment (booked under the name Hallie Harrington) wearing a blonde wig, dark glasses and a shade of lipstick that Minerva McGongall would not be caught dead in. Her healer was a man named Justiss Burke. He examined her briefly, asking a great many questions (For example, "Your husband was unable to accompany you today?" To which she answered, "he is at home, in Dublin. I am here visiting my mother.") then he sent in a midwife. The witch she had been temporarily assigned was perhaps twenty years Minerva's senior, with long, shimmery white-blond hair. "Emmarie Black," she introduced herself. "And what can I do for you today, Miss, er–"

"Harrington. Mrs." said Minerva confidently.

"Yes," the witch Black said. "Call me Emmarie. And you are...how far along, exactly?"

"About eighteen weeks."

"About."

Minerva forced herself not to shudder when the midwife touched her shoulder. There was something rather unsettling about the woman, they way she spoke, the way she looked at Minerva.

"You were born in England? You said you were visiting you mother, did you not? That is what Healer Burke said."

"Yes, I am. But I married an Irishman and moved to Dublin four years ago."

Emmarie Black raised an eyebrow. "Four years? You look so terribly young." All this time while they were conversing Black was examining the patient. She seemed satisfied by her findings.

"Have you any children?" Asked Minerva, trying to be friendly.

"I have a daughter. She's ten. And two younger boys. It is not easy being a single mother."

Minerva perked up a little. "You are a single mother?"

Emmarie sighed. "A widow. My husband worked at Hogwarts until the birth of our first child. He was killed six years later, just after our youngest's first birthday. Did you go to Hogwarts?"

Minerva shook her head slowly. Ten years ago was before she started her education there.

"My grandfather was headmaster there, years and years ago."

"Oh?" Minerva made a mental note to ask Albus about the Blacks.

The midwife nodded. "Well, everything seems to be in order. Tell me, have you a midwife chosen in Dublin?"

Minerva froze.

"Dear? I said do you have–"

"Yes! I came here before I knew that I was, but my husband, Sean is his name, Sean sent word that he found someone he thought I would like. I have not met her yet."

"I know a magical midwife who lives in the Dublin area, Sinead Carrigan. If you do not like the one your husband has found, send her an Owl. She's very talented."

"Thank you, Emmarie."

"My pleasure, Mrs. Harrington. Have a good pregnancy."

"Good luck with your children."

Emmarie Black smiled. "I fear that I need it."

Minerva apparated directly to the bathroom of the Three Broomsticks, where she vanished her wig and removed her makeup. It was almost two hours before she was to meet her friends, so she decided to take a walk.

Meanwhile, Poppy and Rolanda were just leaving the sweets shop when they spotted someone familiar about to enter.

"Poppy, Skipper," he said cordially. Even so Rolanda felt her muscles tighten and Poppy stood up a bit straighter.

"Hello, Tom," said the Quiddich player. "Keeping busy out of school?"

He smirked. "Busy as I can. Where is Minerva? Is she with you?"

"How dare you speak of Minerva!" Snapped Poppy.

"I would rather speak to her than of her, Pomfrey."

"Well, I am sure that she would rather not like to speak to you! She has someone new now, as a matter of fact, and she has all but forgotten you."

He scoffed. "Who would want her? Some sixth year thrilled at the notion of dating a witch who's of age...and with her reputation..."

Rolanda felt her hand clench into a fist, but she used all the control she could she muster not to hit him. At least not yet.

"Anyone with any decency would–I mean–he's a very respectable man!" Snapped Poppy defensively. "And a man too, not a little boy who can't get any on his own and has to force innocent young girls to–"

"She's with that muggle-lover isn't she?" He sneered.

"He is not a muggle lover, he's–"

Rolanda did not like the look in Riddle's eyes. "Poppy, shut it. Let's go."

"But–"

"Now." She took Poppy's arm and began to lead her away. Rolanda ignored Tom Riddle when he called after them, "Tell Minerva I'll see her soon, will you?" When Poppy spun around to retort, the future Lord Voldemort was gone.

Albus, meanwhile, was busy at Hogwarts, answering a great many letters from the Ministry and talking to Fawkes about a certain someone he seemed to be falling rather hard for.

"I just wish she wasn't keeping something from me, Fawkes," he said with a sigh as he tied a bit of parchment to one of the Ministries owl's legs.

"Minerva!" The young witch heard a voice call out from behind her. She tensed up immediately, trying to convince herself she imagined it, but a moment later she heard again, "Minerva!"

She swivelled around in the street, bringing her face to face with the one person she hoped she'd never see again: Tom Riddle.

"Hello, Tom," she said, cooly polite. "Fancy running into you."

"You look well, Minerva. How would you like to go to dinner with me this evening?"

She shuddered inwardly. "No, Tom, I'm sorry. I can't."

"Well that's alright," he said, oddly chipper. "I mean, I suppose next to the Great Albus Dumbledore, I'm not really worth a second glance, is that it?"

Her eyes widened, but she said nothing.

"I reckon he's a real gentleman, eh? All sweet and calm and patient." With each adjective Tom stepped a little closer to her.

"He's...a friend, Tom."

"You sleep with him?"

Her cheeks flushed red with both embarrassment and anger. "I have to go, Tom. Goodbye."

But he grabbed her arm and whispered something in her ear. It was the last word she head as everything suddenly got so dark...so very dark...

She awoke in a field sometime later. Perhaps minutes. Hours. Days? She did not know. It was starting to get dark outside, that she could see, though perhaps the look of evening could be attributed to the huge trees surrounding the clearing that successfully blocked out most of the sun. She was not alone in the little field.

There was a man standing over him and she recognized him; Alcapricious Malfoy. "Tom!" He yelled when her eyes fluttered open. "Lord Voldemort!"

Lord What? She thought, putting a hand up to her throbbing temple. Instinctively she reached for her wand, but it was gone.

"Looking for this, Minnie-kins?" Riddle's harsh voice questioned, holding it up. With a malicious grin he snapped it in two. Several of the men who had joined the trio laughed at this. She did not recognize them, as they were wearing masks.

"Interesting, eh, Minerva? I call them my Knights of Wulpurgis, but I'm thinking of changing that to something more ominous. Death Soldiers or the Blood Purification Squad or something of that nature.

"Who–" she stammered. "What?" He head was still throbbing.

"I don't know if you are aware, Miss McGonagall," Malfoy said, glaring at her. "But your muggle loving ex-professor," under his breath he added, "and from what I hear, current bedfellow," she cringed as he raised his voice and continued: "Destroyed our leader Grindelwald, leaving us followers without a leader. But luckily for all of us in favor of keeping magic all-magic, Tom Riddle here, or, shall I say, Lord Voldemort, the Future Darkest of Dark Lords, has stepped up to continue this most necessary work."

"Of making sure all wizards are pureblood?"

"That's right." Tom grinned.

"Oh, so he's telling you he's pure blood, is he? I hate to have to inform you, but his father was as muggle as–" SLAP.

His hand connected hard with her face as the pain in her head intensified. She felt tears form in her eyes but she refused to permit herself to cry in front of them.

Riddle pulled his wand from his pocket and pointed it at Minerva. He whispered a few words, and as she could not hear what he said she was unable to prepare (as if she could) for what he was about to do. A moment later her body forced her to stand, walk over to a tree...

Stand against the tree. Put your back to the tree.

No! Why do it? He's going to tie you...tie you to the tree...

Stand against it. Put your back against the tree.

Riddle could see that she was fighting him. This time, he did not bother to whisper. "Crucio!" He shouted, his voice echoing in the small clearing between the trees.

Her body felt like it was on fire; she was in so much pain. Riddle let up a moment later and nodded at Malfoy, who pushed her roughly against the tree. Ropes shot out of Riddle's wand and her wrists were tied together above her head, against the tree. He legs were bound as well.

Riddle laughed and stepped over to her, gesturing for Malfoy to get out of his way. The other men, all in masks, stood silently, watching. She tried not to let them see that she was afraid.

"I have done nothing to you," she said, fighting to keep her voice steady.

"Oh, but you have, Minerva. You have betrayed me. I had you first, I own you–"

"You sure as hell do not own me, Riddle–"

He hit her again across the face. He paused, thinking, then punched her in the stomach. Were she not tied in a standing position she would have doubled over with pain.

"I was speaking, Minerva. Dumbledore killed Grindelwald, which was most unfortunate. I've felt nothing short of hatred for him for some time, and when I found out that you and he were–are–more unprofessionally involved, why, I was seething! I am seething. Luckily, I ran into you shortly after, and decided to do something about it. I knocked you out, brought you hear, and contacted some of my most loyal followers to join me. With any luck, Dumbledore will show up soon enough to save you, and we will avenge Grindelwald–"

"He would kill you, Tom. He is a better wizard that you will ever be–"

"Shut it! I do not want to use the killing curse on you, Minerva, but I will if I need to!" He stepped back. "Crucio!"

Pain.

So. Much. Pain.

The men around her laughed. It was only seconds, but it felt like hours before he stopped the curse. He stepped very close to her and whispered in her ear:

"How does he feel, Minerva? When he's beside you? When he's inside you?"

"I wouldn't know," she replied, still shaking from the after-affects of the Unforgivable Curse.

"Feel free to just hang around and think about it awhile, Minerva," he said smiling, stepping back again. "Then the real fun can begin."

Her eyes narrowed. If she was going to die there in that clearing she would not do so easily. "You are a sad, lonely, pathetic little wizard...Or, in other words, a perfectly typical Mudblood."

His eyes flashed. She heard a couple of his masked followers gasp..

"You will pay for that, Minerva," Lord Voldemort said harshly. "You will most certainly pay."

Minerva was supposed to join Poppy and Skipper in Hogsmeade...But she never arrived. Around seven-thirty PM, after hours of searching for her, Poppy returned to Hogwarts, Rolanda by her side. When the future medi-witch told her mother of Minerva's disappearance, she was hardly nervous.

"She is a grown woman now, Poppy," Prudence had pointed out. "Perhaps she just changed her mind, came back here, or met up with another old friend."

"Thanks, ma'am," Rolanda said and pulled Poppy quickly from the room.

"What's the matter with you, Skipper? Minerva would not just stand us up–"

"An old friend, Poppy? Can you htink of anyone we saw today who may want to see her again? Someone who told us to tell her he would?"

"Tom Riddle?" guessed Poppy.

Rolanda nodded. "Let's check her room, just in case–"

"–But if she's not there," Poppy supplied, "We're going straight to Dumbledore."

They checked her room. She was not there.

And Night had fallen.

"Come, Minerva," Tom Riddle's voice echoed through the darkness. "You do not want to sleep outside here, do you?"

She felt the ropes around her legs and feet disappear and she fell weakly into his arms. Too tired to fight, she allowed him to carry her to a little shack located about twenty feet into the woods.

The other "knights" conjured up tents and slept outside.

Every so often, the silent night would be cut into...The silence would be broken when Minerva would scream.

Until she was too tired to move.

A/N

Sorry I did not update sooner. I was away all week and was unable to upload before I left. As you can see, this chapter was not too nice to/for Miss Minerva. But don't worry, she'll be okay! (Eventually). Like I said before, the next chapter will be angsty too, maybe even more so, depending on what you classify as angst. It will be sadder too, at least I think so. I hope you liked it anyway; I'm really conflicted about it b/c I hated doing it to her, but like everything else it does have a purpose! I promise!

So please review for me, even if you hate it. (But please, no flames...if you hate it, just tell me why, k? Thanks! And if you like it, tell me that too...tell me whatever...just review!)

AL