Ch 4 Abandoning Minerva
"Hey Evans, do you want to hang out sometime? Maybe get a few butter beers?"
Minerva couldn't believe what she was watching. He was slowly replacing her with the young red-head and it took every fiber of her being not to storm up to the girl and rip her throat out. She was heartbroken that he would pursue another right in front of her when he knew how much he meant to her-she depended on him, he was the only thing that could keep her alive and he was throwing her to the side like a used piece of cloth.
"Of course, James, do you want to go study in the library?"
"Sure. I'll meet you there."
James waited for the girl to walk out of the classroom before he turned around and smiled at the Transfiguration Mistress. He could see that Minerva was close to losing control and it amused him. "Don't worry, I won't tell her about your whoring ways, Minerva, at least not yet." He walked out of the room and closed the door behind him only to hear glass shattering against the wood. Instead of walking back into the classroom, James began running towards the library in the hopes of beating Lilly there.
Minerva had no other choice but to throw something at the door when James left. Her anger was far too much for her to hold in. She needed a way to release all of her frustration and grief without harming anyone so she warded the door and began aiming at the various items that decorated her classroom. Once the room was nothing but pieces of books, desks, cages, and stone Minerva collapsed and let out the sobs she had been holding in for days.
"Why," she screamed. "How could he do this to me? I'm devoted to him. My very life depends on him yet he chooses some silly girl over me! What does she have that I don't?" Minerva curled into a ball and allowed herself to grieve for what had become of her. She was no longer the strong independent woman that so many look up to but instead she was a weak, pitiful shadow of that woman who depended on the will of a young man who only wanted to use her until he finds perfection. Minerva abandoned all of her responsibilities and just allowed the tears to flow.
Albus was extremely worried about Minerva. She hadn't appeared at dinner or her nightly patrol. Students had come to him and asked if he knew where Minerva was because her door was locked and the same for her office which wasn't like Minerva. Something had to have happened in order for her to disappear without a trace. He needed to find her before she destroyed herself.
He decided to check her office just in case but only found that it was in fact locked so he made his way to her classroom. Her classroom door was closed and upon closer inspection found that it had been warded which worried him further. Focusing on the thread work of the spell, Albus undid her warding and opened the door. The room was torn to pieces leaving evidence that Minerva had lost control of her temper and hadn't been able to regain her control but where was she? She was nowhere to be found. "Then why ward the door?"
"In order to keep people out, Albus."The response startled the Headmaster but he realized that the reply came from behind the oak desk at the back of the classroom. He walked carefully through the debris and made his way behind the desk only to find his beloved professor curled up in a ball on the floor, red-eyed and exhausted from crying for what appeared to be hours.
"Minerva, my dear, I have looked all over for you." Sitting next to the broken witch, "my dear, I'm concerned about you. You see, when one's dearest friend stops coming for nightly chess games-which we've done for longer than I'd like to admit-stops laughing at meals and stops eating which results in her becoming far too thin - yes I noticed, you're glamour cannot fool me for long dear –it is enough to raise alarm." He pulled her into is arms and held her for a while rubbing circles on her back before speaking again.
"Minerva, what happened between you and Potter? I mean other than what I already know." He knew she wouldn't answer but he didn't really care as long as she was safe in his arms.
"Minerva, I'm going to carry you to your quarters and lie you in your bed. But there's something you need to know first." He paused waiting for her to answer. She looked into his eyes while placing a tiny hand on his chest.
"What, Albus?" She whispered.
"He's going to abandon you in order to make Lilly Evans his bride. He won't turn her because he doesn't want a dependant bride but instead he will tell her about the consequence of turning you. He will tell her about how much suffering you're going to go throw once he leaves and it will make her not want to be changed." Once he had said this, he felt Minerva curl tighter into his body causing him to wrap his arms tightly around her in order to give her the protection she craved. "Minerva, stand up to him when he tells you about his plans. Fight back. You hear me, Minerva? Fight back and he'll leave you alone than I'll be able to save you. But in order to save you, you need to be strong and fight back. You are a strong, intelligent, beautiful woman. You can find your strength again, dear, I promise but you need to fight back."
"Alright, Albus, I'll fight back just be there when I fall."
At hearing her vow to fight back and then beg for him to save her, he pulled her even closer to him as a tear ran down his check.
"Always, Minerva."
"Thank you, Albus."
"Shh. Let's get you to bed, my dear, we'll talk more tomorrow once you're rested."
It was the day of graduation and that meant that today would be the day James would finally tell her about his plans to marry Lilly Evans. Of course she already knew in fact the entire school already knew. She was just waiting for him to tell her he was leaving her to suffer because he had found his perfect bride and no longer needed her.
It had been a long couple of months since Albus found her on the classroom floor wallowing in self-pity but he had saved her that night. He helped her find her strength to fight back but now that the moment they have discussed for weeks was getting closer she wasn't entirely sure she could do this. Her body had become so weak since James no longer came to her at night so much so that she had been removed from teaching in order to recover. Poppy couldn't figure out what was wrong with her and she wasn't willing to tell her friend what was causing her strange symptoms nor would she ever tell anyone about what happened to her. But after today, it wouldn't matter anymore because James would be gone and Albus would finally be able to save her from a horrible death. She didn't understand how he planned on saving her but she had faith he would figure it out if he hadn't already. She had loved Albus since she was fourteen but never had the courage to tell him but now that he was willing to help her, she would tell him once James was out of the picture.
There was a knock on her door which she didn't bother getting up to answer because she already knew who it was, she could feel him. Her body craved him but she refused to give into its desires, she was stronger than that. "Enter." She yelled, ready to get this meeting over with once and for all. The sound of the door opening and closing set her nerves on edge but she still refused to move from her vanity. He would have to come to her for once.
"Minerva, where are you?" His voice echoed throughout her quarters and it sent chills down her spine.
"I'm in my bedroom. I'm still getting ready for dinner so if you want to talk you'll have to come in here." She was trembling because she knew he wouldn't like what she said nor would he like that she was basically giving him an order. She stared at herself in the vanity mirror and wondered if she could actually go through with this plan. In the corner of the mirror she saw James standing in the doorway, watching her with his piercing blue eyes.
"What did you need Mr. Potter?"
"Now, Minerva is that anyway to answer your Master. But I'll let it slide considering today will be the last night I spend in this castle."
"Really?! Thank you for informing me. Now what do you need, I have a lot to do before tonight's dinner." Minerva noticed his change in mood once she had finished her statement. His eyes turned a brighter shade of blue showing her how angry he truly was with her tone.
"You will show me some respect! You are my slave and you will obey me and speak properly to me." He yelled from across the room causing Minerva to drop her bobby pins in fear. "Now, since you seem to be in a hurry I'll tell you what I came here for. After tonight I will no longer need an old whore like you to fill my appetite. Now don't get angry, you will listen and accept it. I will be marrying Lilly Evans this summer leaving you to die a horrible death because I will not continue feeding you and no one else's blood will fill your needs. I have won this game, Minerva. You are no longer high and mighty Minerva McGonagall. Now all you are is an old fool who actually believed a student desired you but all I really desired was a good screw and someone to feed on regularly…"
She watched him smiling at her through her mirror and it hurt to sit and listen to him belittle her but she would have her moment she just needed to wait for the perfect moment to strike.
"Good-bye Minerva." He turned his back to her and began walking to the door of her quarters but her voice stopped him in his tracks.
"I will survive without you, Potter. I promise you will regret the day you turned me into your mistress. Tell me, is she as good in bed as me?" She let out a giggle. "Does she know all the little tricks that excite you; doubtful considering she's probably a virgin because a vampire can't marry used goods. You'll just use her in order to have an heir but will she tire of your lack of affection and cheating? More than likely, you see James, we old women know a thing or two about pleasing a man even those who think so highly of themselves. You're nothing but a joke in bed. Do you think I enjoyed you hitting me or even choking me? You don't know how to please a woman." Now she was the one smiling. She had hit a sensitive spot that every man tried to hide and it tickled her pink to see him angry after everything he's done to her.
"You will…"
"I will what James? Come on be a man and tell me what I will do. I certainly won't bow down to you so please pray tell what I will do"
"You will pay for what you just said, you bitch!" James pointed his wand at her but she didn't flinch.
"Go ahead. You kill me before you marry Lilly and you die." She watched as the shock and horror displayed on his face. "Oh yes, it's interesting what you can learn from former Heads of Hogwarts. I find it interesting that you've spent the last few months neglecting me by not allowing me to feed only resulting in my weakened state when you needed me to stay alive. You didn't turn me to destroy me but instead you were the weak one and needed someone strong to keep you going so you could find the perfect bride. Like I said before, I will survive without you and you will regret the day you turned me because I will not rest until I have my revenge. Now, get out of my quarters and don't let the door his you in the ass on the way out."
She had won, it was written all over his face; he wouldn't be bothering her anymore. She was relieved that he was finally out of her life and that she could someone be saved but she was just so weak and all she wanted to do was crawl back into bed.
"Yes, bed sounds like a good idea. Albus can do without me for one graduation." She slipped out of her evening dress and crawled into her bed, loving the way the satin sheets felt against her skin. Before she could even turn the lights off she was unconscious.