Hope you enjoy this chapter! Maybe there will be another post this week ;) Possibly on Friday

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2 September 1993

"Well, I have been promised an exciting trip to a bathroom shop," Pomona said, as she and Minerva continued to walk down the corridors. They were discussing their plans for the evening. While Minerva's consisted of some marking and perhaps a quick catch up with her niece via the floo network, Pomona's evening was looking far busier after a leak had been discovered in her small cottage the previous evening.

"How thrilling," Minerva said.

Pomona sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Quite. Albert prefers to get thing sorted the 'proper' way. Without magic, I mean," she explained. "I mean I could fix it in a matter of seconds, but" she trailed away. "Well, anyway, I shouldn't grumble," she said, stopping herself from saying any more.

Minerva looked at her friend carefully, but Pomona wasn't paying attention. The witch straightened and attempted to readjust her features so that she looked less unhappy.

"Coming?" she asked Minerva, as she pressed her hand on the staffroom door.

"No, you go on ahead," Minerva said waving her hand vaguely. "I am en-route to see Sybill."

Pomona raised her eyebrows. "Has this got something to do what happened to Potter this morning?"

Minerva smiled humourlessly. "How did you guess?"

"You've been quite tense all day, dear," Pomona said, causing Minerva to roll her eyes. "Don't get carried away."

"I do not get "carried" away, Pomona," Minerva said, a little haughtily. "I am merely going to remind Sybill that imposing a death sentence on a child on their first day back at school is perhaps not the wisest of choices."

"Hm," Pomona said. "Well, enjoy yourself." She smiled then slipped into the staffroom leaving Minerva feeling quite irritated — not the best way to feel before talking to Sybill, she thought to herself.

In an attempt to calm down, Minerva took a breath then continued down the corridor.

"Put that away, Weasley," she barked at Fred Weasley who was playing with some odd-looking slime. Fred jumped and quickly blushed when he registered who had told him off.

"Sorry, Professor," he called after her.

Minerva gave him a stern look before continuing her way briskly through the crowd of students and towards the Divination corridor. Briefly, she admonished herself for not confiscating whatever product Weasley had been inspecting — possibly an action that she would later come to regret. Clucking her tongue, Minerva rounded the corner and marched briskly until she stopped underneath the silver ladder. This time she took another deeper breath and steeled herself - Pomona was right, she thought, she really was in a bad mood today.

Putting one hand on the ladder she began to climb it. When she reached the top she knocked twice on the trapdoor.

"Enter."

Minerva opened the door and stepped up into the room. Instantly the smell of perfume hit her so strongly she had to step down for a minute to recover. She had forgotten how many diffusers Sybill kept up here.

"Ah, Minerva," greeted Sybill, putting on a mystical voice. "Are you here for a reading?"

"I am afraid I am going to have to disappoint you there, Sybill," Minerva replied. "I have actually come to discuss something with you."

"Yes, I can tell. Your aura is very troubled Minerva," Sybill said importantly, waving her hand vaguely around Minerva's body. "Evidently you were born in the month of March. Ares' have been predicted to be tense today."

Minerva felt rush of irritation towards Albus who had gifted Sybill with an astrology book he had found in a market - he had though Sybill would find it most 'illuminating'. "My birthday is in October," Minerva replied flatly.

Sybill blinked. "Libras have been predicted to be tense today as well."

"Have they now?" Minerva said, before taking in a deep breath - relax, she told herself, stay calm. "I actually came to discuss one of your new students Harry—"

"Potter?" Sybill finished. "I thought it might be that."

Minerva pursed her lips and breathed in again. "Of course you did."

"An intelligent boy."

"Indeed," Minerva said swiftly, not wanting to beat about the bush; the fumes in the room were making her feel dizzy. "I would just like to remind you of what we discussed last year. I do not believe it is in the best interest of the students to have their death predicted on their first day of term."

"I only say what I see and I saw the—"

"Grim, yes," Minerva interrupted. "But perhaps you could keep that information to yourself? I would not want students to be put under undue stress like Mr Silvertongue last year," she said pointedly. "As I recall Silvertongue is still alive and well to this day."

Sybill scowled however before she could answer there was a wail from down below. Minerva instantly thought of Potter. However, no sooner had that thought cross her mind did she shut it down. What would her father think, knowing that she had almost believed the superstitious nonsense Sybill seemed so intent on spouting, she thought. He would ceaselessly tease her, no doubt.

The two witches looked down and as if on cue a knock sounded on the door. Pomona poked her head through the trapdoor.

"Oh, goodness," she said, her head moving automatically backwards to escape the strong smells. "Erm, afternoon, Sybill. I'm afraid I'm going to have to steal Minerva from you." She looked at Minerva and grimaced. "You're needed at the Hospital Wing I'm afraid."

"A student has been taken ill," Sybill said gravely, shaking her head sadly. "I predicted there would be an admission today."

"Seeing as we are in a school full of underaged wizards, I do not think that is very hard to imagine," Minerva said.

Pomona caught her eye and rolled her eyes. "It is quite a pressing matter, Professor," she added.

"I'm coming," Minerva said, walking towards the trapdoor.

"I shall consider what we have discussed Minerva," Sybill called after her.

"Thank you, Sybill," Minerva replied as she left. "Your efforts are much appreciated."

When Minerva finally got down the silver ladder she was met by an unimpressed Pomona who was wearing very much an "I told you so" expression.

"Successful trip?" she said. "What did I tell you?"

"I did not say anything out of order," Minerva replied defensively.

"But you were thinking it."

Minerva shot her a dark look. "I thought Hufflepuff's were meant to see the good in everyone."

Pomona shrugged mildly.

"So, who was that we heard upstairs?"

"Draco Malfoy," Pomona replied. "The situation isn't as desperate as it sounded," she added, to reassure Minerva. "But from what I have gathered there was some sort of incident during the care of magical creatures class. Anyway, Lucius is on his way to the castle, in a complete rage I might add, and Hagrid is utterly distraught. I don't know all the details but it appears it has something to do with that Hippogriff—erm—Buckbeak."

"Is the injury serious?"

Pomona shook her head. "Poppy fixed it before the boy even reached the hospital wing. I think it's Lucius we are going to have more trouble dealing with."

"Merlin give me strength," Minerva muttered tiredly. "This is all we need."

Pomona patted her sympathetically on the arm as they rounded the last corner and entered the Hospital Wing.