Disclaimer: It's not mine, okay?

Hey guys!

I know, I know…I took forever AGAIN! My only defense is that we were in final rehearsals for our most recent dance concert, Déjà Vu 3. Also, I tried to post this last night, but the site wouldn't let me! GRRRR! Anyway, I'll understand if you're mad at me, but I hope you'll stick with this story all the same.

I'm thinking that there will be only two more chapters after this one. I have a way to round it off nicely, but there are some people that want me to keep going. Any thoughts and/or ideas?

Thanks for sticking with me, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

saiyanwizardgurl

Chapter 11: Leaving Again

Minerva McGonagall opened her eyes slowly. A gentle streak of sunlight was seeping through the curtains, glazing the sheets with a lazy glow. The Transfigurations teacher sighed contently as she thought about finally getting a "good night's rest" with her husband. Stretching happily, she rolled over to…a blank space.

McGonagall blinked. "This has to stop happening," she sighed, rolling out of bed. The Transfigurations teacher sat up and pushed herself out of bed, pulling on a pair of robes that had been carelessly discarded the night before. "Albus? Albus, where are you?"

"In the office, Minerva," came a muffled voice.

"Well, at least he's still at Hogwarts," she muttered, opening the door.

The scene that met her as she walked into the Head's office was surprising. The usually clean workplace that her husband normally kept was in disarray: papers were spewed across the desk and on the floor; books that had been pulled off the bookshelves were lying open on the carpet; and many of the silver instruments that sat quietly on their shelves were humming, shaking, and vibrating. Dumbledore was sitting behind the desk reading a thick, black-bound book, his nose nearly skimming the pages.

"Albus?" she tried tentatively. He showed no sign that he had heard her. "Albus?"

The headmaster looked up. "Sorry, love, I didn't hear you come in."

The Transfigurations teacher walked over to the desk. "What are you doing?"

"Pardon?"

"What are you doing?"

"Oh. Finding a way to defeat Voldemort."

"Excuse me?"

"Finding a way to defeat Voldemort."

She sat down across from him. "You mean you don't know already?" asked McGonagall slowly.

"I've had an idea of how to ever since the end of the first war, but I was not entirely sure about the steps that Voldemort took to try to defeat death. I believe that now I understand his methods better."

"So you are merely confirming your assumptions?"

"Something like that. It has been difficult."

"Why is that?"

"Not many people who knew the boy Tom Riddle wish to discuss their experiences with him. Furthermore, those who knew him as the man Voldemort are even fewer and less willing to reflect upon him."

"Why do you want to know about Tom Riddle? You taught him when he was a student here. Surely you knew him then?"

"I did, Minerva, but I only knew him as a student that I felt I needed to keep an eye on. Not even I knew what he would grow up to be when we first met."

"You haven't answered my first question."

"I'm sorry, love, what was it that you asked?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Albus Dumbledore, you know what I asked! Why do you want to know about Tom Riddle? What is it about him that you're interested in?"

"All Dark wizards have a beginning. As you may or may not know, Tom Riddle was born in a Muggle orphanage, the son of a handsome Muggle from Little Hangleton and a witch descended from Salazar Slytherin."

"May I ask what that has to do with defeating him?"

"His lowly beginning laid the foundation for all of his current attributes: his friendless nature, his sense of independence, his disgust for his common name, his bullying tendencies, his habit of collecting items of significant value or importance – "

"Items of significant value or importance?"

"Yes, Minerva, items of significant value or importance. If I am correct in my thinking, I believe this attribute will be most important to discovering his weakness."

"How so?"

"All in due time, my dear."

"You are going to tell me, aren't you?"

"I wasn't going to at first," he began slowly.

The Transfigurations teacher narrowed her eyes. "And what about now?"

"Oh, don't look at me like that, Minerva, I only said that I wasn't going to tell you at first! I originally intended to find a way to destroy him on my own, but now I know that that cannot be the case. There are other factors that must be taken into account when it comes to Voldemort's defeat."

"Like Mr. Potter, you mean?"

"Precisely," said Dumbledore. "Harry's place in all of this is of the utmost importance."

"Because of the prophecy?"

"You can look at it like that. But in addition to Harry being involved in Voldemort's destruction, there are others that will need to assist him."

"I take it Severus is one of them?"

The headmaster smiled. "You know me too well. Other members of the Order may also be aiding him in his mission."

"Remus?"

"Perhaps, but as Remus is currently spying for us in the werewolf underground, he may be unable to help. But you, my dear, will also be required. If I am unable to help him, you will need to in my place."

McGonagall rose to her feet. "You had better not be suggesting what I think you are suggesting – "

"I am not immortal, Minerva."

"Neither am I, but you shouldn't go throwing your life away – "

"I am not – "

"You speak as if you are about to die – "

"Anything can happen during times like these – "

"We've lived through a war before this one – "

"I am getting old – "

"You are not – "

"My reflexes are not what they used to be – "

"You are still greater than most – "

"Minerva," said Dumbledore gently, rising and walking around the desk. "You do not need to argue with me," he said, taking her hands in his slightly larger ones.

"I do," she said, refusing to meet his gaze. "You are being foolish. And you are speaking nonsense."

"It is not nonsense. I really could die."

"I know," said the Transfigurations teacher, her voice cracking as she leant against the headmaster's chest, "but must you remind me of that now?"

"Of course not," he said, running a hand over her back. "I'm sorry."

Unfortunately, their peaceful moment was interrupted by a knock. "Enter," said Dumbledore, loosening his hold on his wife.

"Headmaster," said Severus Snape as the door swung open, "did you find – ?"

"I believe I did."

"Good. I looked into your suspicions – "

"And?"

The Potions Master hesitated. "Does Minerva – ?"

"You may say whatever you need to in front of her, yes."

"It is somewhere in Little Hangleton, and I believe that it is probably in the place you suggested."

"Excellent!" said Dumbledore, pulling out his twelve-handed watch. "I should be able to destroy it by nightfall if I depart now."

"You're leaving again!" asked McGonagall indignantly.

"I'll be back by tonight," he said, summoning his traveling cloak with a flick of his wand.

"But Albus – "

Before the Transfigurations teacher could say anything else, Dumbledore spun around, pulled her to him, and kissed her softly. When he finally released her, her cheeks were very pink. "I know you don't like it," he said, kissing her again as he ran a hand through her hair, "but I have to go." The headmaster brought her hands to his face and kissed them both. "Will you wait for me?"

"Of course I will," she said. "Just…please hurry back."

"I shall do all in my power to ensure a quick return. Severus, I may need your assistance upon my return, so would you be so kind as to wait for me also?"

The younger wizard raised an eyebrow. "Only if you promise to never snog your wife in front of me ever again."

"Thank you, Severus," said the headmaster, smiling as he shut the door behind him.

"Sometimes I do not understand him," sighed Snape. He turned around to see the Transfigurations teacher still glued to the floor. "And you…do I even want to know?" asked the Potions Master, spotting the apparent blush on McGonagall's face. "No, I do not want to know," he finally decided, exiting the headmaster's office and leaving the Transfigurations teacher standing alone.

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