Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, not am I making any money from this little side-story I've dreamed up.

Enjoy!

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CHAPTER 16

(Spring 1996)

After Minerva had concluded Harry Potter's career advice session, and Harry had fled the classroom, Minerva and Umbridge continued what had begun as a debate and had escalated into a full-fledged argument.

"Raving, am I?!" Umbridge raved.

"Yes!" Minerva returned in a tone of triumph.

"You cannot deny, Minerva McGonagall," Umbridge spat the name out as though it had burned her mouth, "that I caught you returning from an illicit liaison in Dumbledore's office!"

"Rubbish!" Minerva returned.

"I know what I saw!" Umbridge practically shrieked back. "And I know how you have gotten what you've gotten all these years! A level 4 transfiguration mastery, Head of House, Deputy Headmistress! Ha!"

"What are you implying, Dolores?" Minerva's tone had become icy.

"I am saying that you have spent years bestowing sexual favors upon a man who has been able to boost your career, Minerva McGonagall!" Umbridge's tone was triumphant now. "But no more! Dumbledore is finished!"

"Hardly!" Minerva rejoined. "I think you'll find that Albus Dumbledore has much more staying power…" Minerva enjoyed her double entendre. Two can play at that game! "…than Cornelius Fudge, Dolores."

Umbridge seemed to swell with indignation. The skin on her face and neck was mottled with red and white splotches. She looked like a swollen, speckled toad. "You think you're so clever, don't you! Always have done! Prefect, Head Girl, captain of the quidditch team! So high and mighty and superior!" She bellowed.

At that moment, the bell rang for classes.

Minerva simply stared at Umbridge, a mask of calm indifference on her face.

"Well, you're going to fall off your high horse, Minerva McGonagall!" Umbridge hissed. "You are going to fall! Hard!" And she stormed out of the room.

On the night before the O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. examinations began, Professor Flitwick approached professor McGonagall.

"Minerva," Flitwick said "I don't know what Umbridge has got against you personally, but you'd better watch out! I just overheard her badmouthing you to Madam Marchbanks and the other examiners in the staff room."

"Indeed?" Minerva said with a weary sigh. "What was it this time, Filius?"

"She was implying very strongly that you aren't nearly as accomplished as you are purported to be, but that—" he gave an embarrassed cough, "—ahem! That you are involved in some sort of sexual quid pro quo with Professor Dumbledore."

"Oh, not that again!" Minerva said impatiently. "The woman seems to think that men and women cannot possibly be dear friends without some sort of illicit liaison!"

"Precisely!" Flitwick eagerly agreed, then chuckled. "You should have heard the examiners' reactions though! There was a lot of coughing and spraying of tea and spittle!" He laughed harder.

"And Madame Marchbanks threatened to hex Umbridge if she ever again implied that you were undeserving of your reputation for excellence. 'I examined her myself, for both her O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s'," he said, in an excellent imitation of Madame Marchbanks, "'and I have never encountered a more talented or a more powerful witch!'"

Minerva laughed with him and said, "And I'll just bet that went down a treat!"

"Umbridge looked like she'd swallowed a mouthful of stink sap!" Flitwick was chuckling so hard now that he had tears squeezing out of the corners of his eyes.

Minerva watched him in amusement. They'd had precious little to amuse them in the recent past, and laughter was very good medicine. "Humor Therapy" her mother called it.

"Just be careful, Minerva," Flitwick said when his laughter had finally subsided. "That toad of a woman has really got it in for you, and she can be very devious."

"Thank you, Filius." Minerva patted his shoulder. "I shall certainly take care."

Minerva had not been going home to her family during the two weeks of examinations. There were always students coming to her with questions and concerns and stress-induced melt-downs at all hours of the night and day, and she needed to be there for them.

Minerva was stretched out on her sofa, reading a book and waiting for her Fifth year Gryffindors to finish their astronomy examination. She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep until they were all safely back in bed.

When she heard a commotion out on the grounds, she tossed her book aside and rushed to the window. The moonlit shadows of several dark figures were clearly visible in their assault on her friend outside his home.

"Hagrid!" She shouted and ran from her rooms.

Transforming into her cat animagus helped her to reach the entrance doors in a matter of moments. She quickly transformed back into her human form, threw the doors open, and sprinted across the grass toward Hagrid's hut.

How dare they attack him! She raged. He's done nothing wrong or illegal! Even if Umbridge wanted to sack him, that was not grounds to assault him!

She was mid-sentence, demanding that they cease their unwarranted attacks on Hagrid when, without warning or provocation, four stunning spells shot at her. It was as if it had been planned all along. Knowing Umbridge, it probably had.

Minerva didn't even have her wand out. She had no time to cast a shield charm, to dodge, or even to react. The stunners slammed into her chest with the force of four sledgehammers, crushing the air from her lungs and burning her flesh like fire.

Then all was darkness.

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AN: I'm still debating what to do about notifying MM's family about the attack. Who will tell them? Will they be smuggled into St. Mungo's to see her? What would you like to see happen? I'd love some comments and suggestions!