Chapter Thirty-Eight – Constriction

A/N – There is dialogue from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in this chapter.

May 1993

"You know, Minerva," Albus glanced up with a smile. "I think this all merits a good feast. Might I ask you to go and alert the kitchens?"

"Right," said Minerva, giving Ron Weasley and Harry Potter a serious look. "I'll leave you to deal with Potter and Weasley, shall I?"

Albus nodded. "Certainly."

Minerva left her office quickly. The moment she was in the hallway, she leaned back against the wall, taking deep breaths. She was not comfortable with how she reacted to the disappearance and eventual rescue of Ginny Weasley from the Chamber of Secrets at all. Her chest felt constricted and she still was having difficulty breathing.

But Minerva shook it off and briskly walked to the kitchen. Once the house-elves were happily preparing the feast, Minerva went to go check on Ginny in the Hospital Wing.

Ginny was sleeping in a bed, looking peaceful. Arthur and Molly were talking in low voices to Madam Pomfrey. When they saw Minerva, they beckoned her over.

"I'm just providing some recommendations of Mind Healers for Ginny. She could use someone to talk to," said Madam Pomfrey.

"She can talk to us, surely, can't she?" asked Molly, gripping onto Arthur's arm tightly.

"Ginny needs someone completely impartial who will listen and then help her towards recovery," said Madam Pomfrey, shaking her head sadly. "This is not something I would recommend for a family member."

Minerva noticed Arthur and Molly glance at each other nervously. She knew what their concern was. "Poppy, may I have a word with Arthur and Molly alone, please?"

Madam Pomfrey nodded and walked over to Professor Lockhart, who was staring at the portraits on the wall with interest.

"Because this happened on school grounds, Hogwarts would like to pay for any sessions Ginny has with a Mind Healer," said Minerva gently. It was, in her position of Deputy Headmistress, her right to offer these services. "Also, if Ginny needs to work with someone over the school year, we do have a Mind Healer that comes in one day a week to work with several students. It's completely confidential."

"That would be good, thank you, Professor McGonagall," said Arthur weakly.

The Weasleys still looked upset. Molly was wiping away tears while she looked at Ginny. "We waited so long for a girl…" said Molly. "And to think that this could happen…"

"I knew better than most how easy it is to lose your child to You-Know-Who," said Minerva. Both Arthur and Molly had been at Hogwarts when Netta started. Though she doubted they remembered her. "My daughter wasn't possessed, per say, but she did follow him during the war."

"Your daughter was a Death Eater?" asked Molly in surprise.

Minerva shook her head. "I trust you to keep that information confidential," she told the pair. They both nodded quickly. Then Minerva walked off to talk with Poppy regarding Professor Lockhart.

"We need to get him to St. Mungos," said Madam Pomfrey immediately. "He's going to need long term care until he gets his memories back."

Minerva sighed, thinking about how much paperwork would be involved. Hogwarts would need to pay for his care as well. "I'll take him," said Minerva wearily. "And Poppy, when I get back, I have something I want to ask you." She would ask about the pain in her chest.

Madam Pomfrey simply nodded and went back to the students who had been petrified. Professor Sprout was sitting next to their beds, as they were slowly gaining consciousness. They had already been given the Mandrake potion.

It took a great deal of less time than Minerva predicted to admit Professor Lockhart to St. Mungos. He would be stay in the long-term ward for now. Briefly, Minerva thought of Frank and Alice Longbottom. At the time of their torture, no one could have believed that fourteen years later that they would still be there.

But as quickly as the thought came, Minerva pushed it away. She needed to get back to Hogwarts. When she did arrive, instead of talking to Poppy like she planned, Minerva went to the Great Hall.

The feast was certainly underway when Minerva arrived at the Great Hall. She couldn't help but smile seeing the students who had been petrified talk with their friends. She also couldn't help but notice that young Luna Lovegood was sitting at the end of the Ravenclaw table by herself. Though the girl didn't seem to mind being left on her own.

Once Minerva went back to the Head Table, various announcements were given, such as the cancellation of exams and the fact that Lockhart would not be back next year. For the later announcement, Minerva knew that the professors where cheering just as much as the students.

Finally, the feast ended and Minerva and Albus made their way back to his bedchambers. Now she could ask the questions that had been on her mind since she first heard about Riddle's diary.

"Did you know all along that it was Tom who had opened the Chamber when I was at school?" asked Minerva quietly.

"I only had my suspicions, Minerva," said Albus wearily. The exuberance he displayed at the feast was gone. He looked old and tired. "I had no way of proving it, so I had to let him go free."

"Poor Hagrid," said Minerva. "Albus…"

"Yes, love," said Albus. He was already dressing for bed.

"Since we know that Hagrid is innocent now, should we allow him to finish his schooling?" asked Minerva. The more she thought of it, the more she liked the idea. Hagrid wouldn't go to classes or anything, but surely they could finish teaching him basic spells. Allow him to carry a wand, instead of hiding it in his pink umbrella.

"Why don't you ask him?" asked Albus gently.

"I think I will," said Minerva slowly. One more question. "When you mentioned your contacts in Albania…were you talking about Netta?"

Albus nodded. "Netta has provided some valuable information, Minerva. You should be proud of her."

Minerva stared at her hands for a moment. Pride was a feeling that she hadn't mixed with her daughter in decades. Minerva had been exceedingly proud of Netta when she was a child and a student at Hogwarts. But once Minerva discovered that Netta was a Death Eater, all she had felt was disappointment. It felt very satisfying to know that Netta was accomplishing some good.

88888

August 1993

"Ro, I am getting to old for this!" laughed Minerva as she leaned forward, causing the broom to fly higher. It had been quite some time since Minerva had been on a broom, but she remembered the techniques.

"You're doing great, Min," said Rolanda Hooch said merrily. "Just keep flying!"

So Minerva kept flying. Albus had been gone for close to two weeks, doing Merlin knows what. It had been some time since Minerva had questioned him. She simply accepted that there would be periods where they would be apart without him telling her where he was. It was still hard though.

They flew about the quidditch pitch for close to an hour when Minerva felt her chest constricting like the night when Ginny Weasley had been taken into the Chamber of Secrets. Immediately, she flew to the ground. Once off her broom, she knelt down and felt a pain in her left arm.

"Min? What's wrong?" asked Rolanda, who was at Minerva's side in an instant.

She looked up at Rolanda, and said, "I think I'm having a heart attack, Ro."

Rolanda didn't even flinch. She hopped back on her broom and raced off to the Hospital Wing to get Madam Pomfrey. Minerva desperately tried to remember the spell that relaxes the blood vessels in the heart, but it wasn't coming easily to her, and besides, Minerva wasn't a Healer.

She tried to steady her breathing and remain calm. Minerva was sixty-eight years old and she had never had any health problems before this. Then again, she thought guiltily to herself as she saw Rolanda flying back with Madame Pomfrey, Poppy had been telling her to come in for a physical for the last few years. But Minerva had always found something else more important to do.

"Minerva McGonagall!" cried Poppy as she ran up to where Minerva was sitting. Minerva could see the frustration on Poppy's face. "Let's see what's wrong."

Poppy opened her big black bag and started to run some tests. Then only three or four minutes after she arrived, Poppy pointed her wand at Minerva's chest and muttered a spell. Minerva immediately felt the pressure on her chest lifted and breath came easily again.

"I'm conjuring you a stretcher," said Poppy in a voice that demanded no questioning. "Then you're getting admitted right into St. Mungos. You could have died today."

Minerva closed her eyes. Rolanda helped her up and settled her into the magical stretcher that Poppy conjured. "It was a heart attack, then?" asked Minerva weakly.

Poppy's lips pursed together. "Yes," she said briskly. "But it was in the beginning stages and you should have no need for surgery. But that's my opinion. Let's see what the Healers say."

Relaxing against the stretcher, Minerva gave a slight grin. "You know I trust your opinion more than any Healer, don't you, Poppy?"

That seemed to mollify Poppy a bit as the stretcher started moving. Minerva simply lay there and chastised herself. If Minerva kept herself healthy, her life was only half way over. She would need to take much better care of herself from now on.

88888

"Minerva?"

"Hmm…"

"Minerva, love, wake up."

She propped herself up on one elbow and smiled. Albus was sitting in a chair next to her hospital bed. "When did you get back?" she asked sleepily.

"This evening," said Albus gently. He took her hands in his. Minerva looked around quickly and realized that there were curtains all around the bed, no one could see in. "I also used a silencing charm. No one can hear us."

Glancing at the clock on her bedside table, Minerva saw that it was eleven o'clock at night. "Won't people wonder why you're visiting me so late at night?"

"What could be more natural than the Headmaster of Hogwarts to be concerned about his Deputy Headmistress?" asked Albus with a smile.

She squeezed his hand and leaned back against the pillows. "I'm glad you're here."

Albus reached out and pushed a bit of her long black hair behind her ears. "This isn't the way things are supposed to be, Minerva."

"Whatever do you mean, Albus?" asked Minerva.

"I am supposed to leave this earth a great deal sooner than you are, my dear," he told her.

"Albus, don't say that," whispered Minerva. Though in her heart, she knew it was true. Even with an extended life span, even the greatest wizards rarely lived past one hundred and fifty years. Their time was running out, even if neither one of them wanted to admit it to the other.

"I'm going to be fine, Albus, from what the Healers tell me," said Minerva, trying to sound cheerful. "I need to watch what I eat and start taking more walks."

"Perhaps I could stand for a few more walks in the bracing fresh air myself," said Albus.

"Because what could be more natural than the Headmaster of Hogwarts helping the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts with her recovery?" smiled Minerva.

"Exactly the point I wanted to make."

A silence fell between them for a moment. It was a very comfortable silence.

"I wasn't scared," said Minerva.

Albus simply raised an eyebrow, encouraging her to continue.

"I'm not even seventy yet. I've never really thought of my own death before," said Minerva, shaking her head at her own ignorance. "But when I realized that it might be time, I wasn't scared at all. And I thought I would be."

"I'm very glad to hear that, Minerva," said Albus. "Death comes to us all. But now yours. Not for many years yet. I need you with me, Minerva."

Minerva grasped Albus' hand tighter. He would not say those words if he didn't mean them. Sometimes she simply couldn't believe that the greatest wizard of modern times could need her so.

"When it is my time to move on, I know I'll be ready," continued Albus. "Because I know that you'll still be at Hogwarts, ready to take my place."

She took a deep breath. Somehow, not once in all of the twenty years that she had been Deputy Headmistress, did she ever see herself in the role of the actual Headmistress. It was simply too much to think about. And she didn't want to think about it, because when that day happened…Albus would be gone.

"Albus…" Minerva trailed off.

He seemed to realize that she was becoming upset at the thought. "Until that day, Minerva," he said, moving his chair even closer, so that he was leaning his elbows on her bed, "we will have many happy years ahead of us."

"I know," whispered Minerva. She looked Albus right in the eyes. She wasn't quite sure, but there seemed to be a hint of nervousness there.

"When I was told you were here…I came to a decision, Minerva," said Albus gently. He cleared his throat. "I need to ask you a question that I should have asked you many, many years ago…"

Minerva grasped his hand tighter, if that was even possible. He couldn't possibly be thinking…

"Minerva McGonagall, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"