golden snitch forum - prompt of the day - (Dialogue) "How did you know to come here?" / "Just following a feeling."

August 10th 1971

Minerva wrapped her cardigan more tightly around her shoulders as she walked slowly to the garden wall where she could faintly see a vague silhouette in the darkness.

As she approached the small girl turned around. "Oh," she said, failing to disguise her disappointment.

Minerva sighed but didn't say anything. Instead, she took a few steps closer and sat down on the rickety wall her father had built when she was a young girl.

A gust of wind lifted fallen leaves off the ground and sent them swirling in the air, floating gently in circles. Minerva shivered, feeling goose bumps rise on her pale skin. Massaging her arms she stared out into the distance, the McGregor's house blocking the last few rays of the sun as it slowly sank behind the moors of Scotland.

"How did you know to come here?"

Minerva sighed, "Just following a feeling," she replied simply, "I used to come and sit here a lot when I was younger."

"I don't want to go back inside," stated the girl, folding her arms stubbornly.

Minerva almost chuckled; her niece was a McGonagall all right, stubborn as ever and sharp as a pin. Crossing her ankles together she watched a sparrow land daintily on a branch, before flying away again, the shaking branch the only trace of it having been there.

"I won't," added the young girl after a few minutes of silence.

"I am not asking you to," stated Minerva, "I've just come out to sit with my niece if that's allowed," she added.

The girl sighed, "Sorry, I didn't mean anything by it before… I just… Oh, I don't know," she trailed off and brought her knees up to her chest, "I just – I just needed some fresh air, I suppose."

"Well, the boys have been banned from eating the cake until you come back so you need not worry about that," answered Minerva, turning her head so that she caught a glimpse of the orange light, which seemed to be seeping out from behind the living room curtains.

"I'm not very hungry for cake," murmured Chloe, resting her chin on her knees.

Minerva bit her bottom lip and wrapped her arms around her waist, "What's going on Chloe?" she asked gently, turning to face the young girl whose eyes seemed to be brimming with tears.

"I'm just being stupid," mumbled the eleven-year-old, wiping her eyes with her sleeve and turning her head away from Minerva.

"If you are this upset about something then it can't be anything stupid," said Minerva.

Chloe didn't answer and Minerva sighed. Shuffling a little closer she reached out and tucked the young girl's hair behind her ear, "Look at me Chloe, please," she said gently, very much aware that she was being watched from within the house.

Chloe turned her head slowly, a tear sliding slowly down her left cheek, leaving a trail of glistening water brightened by the moonlight.

Reaching deep into her pocket, Minerva retrieved her handkerchief and handed it over to her niece, "Here you go," she said, pressing it firmly into the girl's hand.

"Thank you," sniffed the other, wiping her tears away with the tissue.

"Listen to me, Chloe," started Minerva, trying to choose her words carefully, "I'm not here to force you to tell me anything because I'm not your mother. However, I am your aunt and I am family and if something is making you this upset then I think it important you're able to tell people about it so that we can sort it out. Now," said, Minerva slowly, "You don't have to tell me, you don't have to tell your brother or your cousins if you don't want to but," Minerva took a deep breath, "But I think you should tell somebody because it's your birthday and you should not be upset like this."

Minerva stopped and did not say anything else, instead, she smoothed out her skirt and got ready to leave and walk back up the uneven path her father could no longer smooth out due to his back problems.

Just as she was about the get up and leave,

"What would happen if I never get my Hogwarts letter?" said Chloe suddenly, her voice croaky and muffled.

Minerva sat back down and almost laughed. She had received about five letters from Florence in the past week. Her sister-in-law pulling her hair out with worry about her eldest daughter whose normally cheerful and fiery attitude had changed for the worse.

Inhaling deeply, Minerva folded her hands on her lap, "We would still love you to pieces."

"That's not what meant Aunt Minerva," began Chloe, her shoulder slumping forwards so much that her back now made a perfect curved shape.

"Chloe, whether or not you get your letter should not change anything. You are family and you will always be no matter what," stated Minerva firmly, taking Chloe's hand into her own and squeezing it tightly into her own.

"Yes, but –"

"No ifs no buts," interrupted Minerva sharply, "And anyway, I know for a fact that isn't going to happen."

"How?" demanded Chloe.

Deciding to ignore the rudeness Minerva nevertheless still answered, "As a teacher at Hogwarts I know all of the names of the new students coming in September."

"You do?" exclaimed the girl loudly.

"Of course I do and, just to clarify, not all letters arrive on your eleventh birthday," explained Minerva, not truly knowing why everybody was convinced their letters would arrive precisely on their birthday.

The wind around them picked up speed and Minerva shivered, "Now, cake or no cake because I don't think I can stay out here a moment longer?"

"Cake," replied Chloe, jumping up and already running towards the house, the return of her cheerfulness apparent in her movement.

"Don't mind me," muttered Minerva however, she was already smiling. Getting up stiffly from her sitting position she curled up her toes in her shoes, trying to regain feeling in them.

"Thank you, Aunt Minerva!" came a loud shout ahead of her.

Minerva smiled, wrapped her cardigan around her shoulders and started to make her way back up to the house where the rest of the family were waiting.

Ah, I know I've been away for a long time and that my writing isn't great but I promise the next chapters will be better. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this story. Sorry for the massive delay (so much schoolwork). Please tell me what you think! :) have a great day! :)