Professor McGonagall was rushing down the Hogwarts grounds' slopping lawns. She was on her way to Hagrid's hut. She had requested a quick late-night meeting with the gamekeeper and he had heartily agreed to welcome her into his home. She had wanted to wait a week after the term had started before meeting with her colleagues individually but after seeing the changes that were being made in the school she had decided that it could not wait.
Professor McGonagall glanced up at the window that was once Dumbledore's bedroom. She missed being in her lover's arms and lying in bed together as he covered her with gentle kisses, the way Dumbledore would always look at her, their small outings in Hogsmeade and so much more. Even though it was dark in Dumbledore's room, Professor McGonagall couldn't help but feel that she was being watched by the room's new occupant, Snape. She secured the hood of her cloak and continued her way.
She reached Hagrid's hut and knocked on the door. Hagrid's boarhound Fang's booming bark tore at the night's silence, making Professor McGonagall jump. The door opened and the gamekeeper greeted her with a smile.
"Good evenin', Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said.
"Good evening, Hagrid," Professor McGonagall replied briskly. "May I come in?"
"O' course." Hagrid stepped aside and Professor McGonagall went inside and she was startled to see Professors Sprout, Flitwick, Trelawney, Sinistra and Slughorn in the crammed space. They were all either sitting in a chair or on the floor by the fireplace, looking tired but alert. Professor McGonagall eyed them all closely as she unfastened her cloak.
"What are you all doing here?" she asked as Hagrid slipped her cloak off her shoulders and hung it on the wall nearby.
"Hagrid has told us that you were meeting with him so we have decided to join you," Professor Sprout replied in a business-like manner.
"I was going to speak with each and every one of you individually in order not cause suspicion by having several people going to the same place at once," Professor McGonagall said, glaring at Hagrid.
"I can perform an impeccable Disillusionment Charm," Professor Flitwick piped up. "No one can detect us."
"Hm." Professor McGonagall pursed her lips into a thin line. Her colleagues really ought to know better than to sneak around at night so freely with Death Eaters running about. It did not matter that they were all adept at magic, it was too dangerous for everyone to do as they liked.
"What about you, Sybill? You hardly leave your tower and we are seven in this hut. Isn't an uneven number supposed to be bad luck?" Professor McGonagall remarked dryly as Professor Slughorn offered her his seat. "Thank you, Horace," she added as she sat.
"Hmph," Professor Trelawney huffed, pulling her shawls closer to her body. "My Inner Eye has told me to come here tonight and to warn you that you are in grave danger, Minerva!"
"Tell me that when the entire wizarding and Muggle worlds aren't in peril," Professor McGonagall snapped, earning a laugh that was hastily turned into a cough from Hagrid. Professor Trelawney scowled.
"What was it that needed to be discussed, Minerva?" Professor Sinistra asked.
"This school. It is only day one and it's already out of hand! The Carrows are forcing the students to practice the Cruciatus Curse on each other and anyone who dares to confront them will receive a severe beating as a punishment. When Neville Longbottom walked into my class he had a giant bruise on the side of his face. When I had asked him what had happened he told me that he had defended a couple if first-years and the Carrows had punished him for it."
Professor McGonagall noticed that Professor Sprout had curled her hands into fists. Professor McGonagall knew that her colleague was very fond of Mr Longbottom due to his affinity in Herbology. Professor Flitwick suddenly looked even tinier than one could possible imagine in Hagrid's enormous armchair while Professor Sinistra was tight-lipped. Professors Trelawney and Slughorn were white-faced as Hagrid kept pouring tea into an overflowing cup without noticing. Professor McGonagall, on the other hand, did.
"Hagrid!" she exclaimed shrilly. "Your tea!"
Hagrid looked down and gave a start. As he quickly set the kettle down and searched for something to mop up the scorching liquid, Professor Slughorn took out his wand.
"Never mind, Hagrid," he said. "Evanesco."
The spilt tea vanished and Hagrid thanked the Potions master.
"Not a problem," Professor Slughorn said. He turned to Professor McGonagall. "How will we protect the students? I can tell you right now that the Slytherin students are more than fine; the Carrows favor them."
"Of course they do," Professor McGonagall replied irritably. "I wouldn't be surprised if the Carrows are secretly teaching the Slytherins a few extra tricks in the Dark Arts."
"They are," Professor Sinistra chimed in. "I caught Misters Crabbe and Goyle trying to cast a Fiendfyre in an empty classroom as I was making my rounds before coming here. Those two aren't intelligent enough to come across such a curse by themselves."
"Dear Lord! A Fiendfyre! It can't be worse than that," Professor Trelawney said faintly.
"Oh, it will become worse. I sense a Killing Curse lesson in the works," Professor Flitwick said gravely.
"An' without Dumbledore around, yer guaranteed that this won't be sorted out anytime soon," Hagrid added. "Next thing yer know there'll be killins' next!"
Professor McGonagall's eyes pricked at the sound of Dumbledore's name and she shook her head. She was not going to cry here in front of everyone.
"No," she replied, her voice trembling. "No one else will die on these grounds."
Professor Sprout, who was sitting at Professor McGonagall's feet, patted the Transfiguration teacher's hand in a sympathetic manner.
"Albus's death still hurts, doesn't it, Minerva? We all know how special you were to one another," Professor Sprout said gently.
"It still does, Pomona. It still does," Professor McGonagall replied.
"Do not worry, Minerva. We will make sure Snape pays for what he has done. Until then, we are all here for you," Professor Flitwick added kindly as everyone else nodded.
"Thank you, Filius, and everyone else as well," Professor McGonagall said, touched. She turned to Professor Slughorn. "I haven't forgotten your question," she added apologetically. "I do not know how we can help the students without making the situation worse, Horace. If we heal them, they will return with worse injuries. If we defend them, the abuse will become worse and we'll be putting them in bigger danger along with ourselves. I am truly at a lost at what to do."
"So am I," Professor Slughorn sighed. "I have thought of everything during the summer when I had heard Snape was now headmaster and that the Carrows would be in charge of discipline and everything kept leading to having the students harmed further. I want to protect them but what is the point if it will just result in having them in a worse condition than they had started?"
"I can't ask the centaurs to help us. They think helpin' us is servin' us and they're quite rowdy. The Acromantula in there are workin' for You-Know-Who too," Hagrid said sadly.
"All monst – creatures are working for You-Know-Who now," Professor McGonagall replied, catching herself as she remembered Hagrid's abnormal view of what was dangerous. "Especially the Dementors. They believe that they will have a better life with You-Know-Who in charge. I strongly doubt that; they are just pawns in his plans. He really couldn't care less about them."
"That's not fair! They have feelins' too!" Hagrid roared angrily.
"We've noticed," Professor McGonagall said briskly. "Keep your voice down, Hagrid. Who knows what could be lurking around outside."
"The Inner Eye senses more danger to come," Professor Trelawney said in a mystified voice, gazing into a crystal ball. Where she had produced such an object was anyone's guess.
"Sybill, kindly put that thing away," Professor Sinistra said, annoyed.
Professor Trelawney looked affronted.
"There is no need for insult, Aurora," she replied coolly. "The Inner Eye predicts everything! It –"
"No one needs to be a Seer in order to predict danger in these dark times!" Professor Sinistra snapped. "The only thing that crystal ball of yours shows is white mist which can only mean that there's going to be a lot of fog tonight."
Forgetting about being discreet, everyone but Professor Trelawney laughed. Professor McGonagall was the first to recover and she quickly urged everyone to follow. Once they did, she readdressed the matter at hand.
"Can anyone find a way to protect the students without causing more damage?" Professor McGonagall.
The other professors remained silent. Slightly disheartened, Professor McGonagall sank into her chair. What were they going to do? Any form of rebellion (or common sense for that matter) would most likely get them all killed. If only Snape could be removed from his position as headmaster; then some progress may be made. Speaking of Snape –
"We need to besiege Snape as quickly as we can," Professor McGonagall declared abruptly. "Any ideas?"
Professor Slughorn shook his head.
"I still can't believe that Snape murdered Albus," he replied miserably. "I taught Snape! I thought I knew him!"
"We all taught him, Horace. Well, all of us except for Sybill and Hagrid," Professor Flitwick said, nodding his head toward Professor Trelawney and Hagrid.
"An' I'm glad I didn't," Hagrid growled angrily. "I remember watchin' 'im skulk around the grounds and hang around bad influences like Avery an' Nott. I shoulda known he was goin' down the Dark path."
"What has Albus ever seen in Snape? What has Snape ever done to earn his trust?" Professor Sprout inquired.
"That… remains a mystery and probably will be that way forever. The only two people who can provide us the answer are unavailable: one is dead and the other is our enemy," Professor Sinistra replied grimly.
"I sense –" Professor Trelawney began but she was silenced by Professor McGonagall's deadliest glare. Clearing her throat, Professor Trelawney said," I think that we ought to lay low for the moment. We need more and stronger defenses. Snape is incredibly powerful and very knowledgeable in the Dark Arts; our forces aren't strong enough to face the terrifying vastness of Dark Magic in these grounds yet."
Everyone stared at her. Had Professor Trelawney just acted normal? She was sitting upright in her seat and her dreamy expression had gone. The tone she had used had been clear and steady. Professor McGonagall couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"G-Good point, Sybill," she stammered. Professor Trelawney looked satisfied and she returned to gazing into her crystal ball.
"What point? To do nothing? Minerva, you can't be serious," Professor Sinistra said in disbelief.
"Aurora, the Dark forces have invaded us! We are not strong enough; we need bigger numbers on our side," Professor Sprout answered in Professor McGonagall's stead.
"But –"
"I don't think it'll do yer any good to argue, Professor Sinistra," Hagrid said reasonably. "We don't wanna do anythin' that might risk the students' lives."
Professor Sinistra fell silent and Professor Slughorn turned to Professor McGonagall.
"Anything else, Minerva?" he asked quietly.
"No, I believe that is all," Professor McGonagall replied.
"So, all in all, tip toe around Snape and the Carrows?" Professor Flitwick summarized.
"Well, I came here looking for answers but we couldn't find any. My suggestion is that we try to help the students as much as we can without putting anyone in more danger if possible," Professor McGonagall said.
Everyone muttered in agreement and began rummaging around for their cloaks. Professor Slughorn got to his feet and offered his hand to Professor McGonagall. She took it and he helped her to her feet. He then went to fetch her cloak and returned. Professor McGonagall watched in astonishment as Professor Slughorn draped her shoulders and fastened her cloak before putting on his own cloak. Soon, everybody but Hagrid was ready to leave.
"Who wants a Disillusionment Charm?" Professor Filtwick asked, taking his wand out.
"No, thank you," Professor McGonagall said as most of her colleagues surrounded the tiny professor. "I'll go on ahead."
Biding everyone goodnight, she left the hut. As she crossed the grounds, she heard someone running toward her and linked their arm to hers and grasped her hand. Professor McGonagall permitted a small gasp to escape her and she turned her head. Much to her relief, it was only Professor Slughorn. Professor McGonagall stopped in her tracks and gazed at him questioningly.
"The night Albus died," Professor Slughorn said softly, gripping her hand, "he had asked me to take care of you. I did not understand why he would ask me such a thing at first but the events of that night had given me the answer. It was like he knew, Minerva. He knew he was going to die that night; why else would Albus ask this favor from me?"
"I think you are right," Professor McGonagall whispered. "Thank you," she added meaningfully.
Professor Slughorn smiled and together they returned silently to the castle undetected.
PLEASE READ: Okay, before anyone says it, yes I know Dumbledore was gay in the actual story. But remember, this is a fanfiction so not everything will be identical to the series. I've always liked the idea of Dumbledore/McGonagall anyway. :)