Chapter Five

Just a bit later



"Professor, may I go back to the Tower? I don't feel well." Minerva told Professor Binns quietly as they approached the entrance to the Great Hall.

The old man looked at her sympathetically and said, "Certainly, Miss McGonagall, you've had a bit of a fright, I'm sure. Perhaps that would be for the best. I will ask one of your house's prefects to take you your things."

"Thank you." she said with a slight smile before beginning the walk back to Gryffindor Tower.

She certainly had not felt up to going back into the feast. The smell of the food alone would probably have made her sick after the very thought of Professor Krohn's macabre present. It was a horrendous thought. Why did Grindelwald wish to torture the professor like that? Wasn't it enough the he had murdered three people? Did he need to torture Krohn, a noncombatant, as well? The professor was not even a threat to Grindelwald!

As Minerva made her way past the Entrance Hall, she glimpsed a figure moving through the shadows. Stopping in her tracks and watching the robed and hooded form making its way toward the stairs to the hospital wing, her curiosity was piqued. Who would be out at this time of the evening, especially during the feast? The figure, she guessed, was a man, and did not appear to have noticed her position at the beginning of the corridor that led to the Tower stairs. Too thin to be Ogg the Gamekeeper and too tall to be Mister Pringle the Caretaker. Who was it then?

Minerva took a deep breath and chose to follow him. Strange things were afoot in the castle already. It was best to know what was going on instead of remaining ignorant, she decided, following at discrete distance.

The person moved with slow and labored steps and kept a hand on the wall as he moved. There was something decidedly familiar about him. Minerva frowned as she caught a glimpse of dark blue robes beneath the heavy hooded cloak. She moved from shadow to shadow, hoping that he did not turn.

"Minerva, a cat you may be in spirit, but since you are still in human form you would do well to remember that you are wearing heavy boots." said a familiar voice.

Her breath caught in her throat, and she froze where she stood. The figure turned and threw back his hood to reveal Albus Dumbledore. He looked incredibly weary. There were signs of light bruising on the right side of his face.

"Professor?" she questioned, finding her voice.

"I said that I would be home for Christmas." he chuckled, beckoning her forward.

"It slipped my mind." she admitted, wondering if she should tell him about the earlier incident. She shuddered involuntarily.

"The holiday season can do that, I imagine." he said, looking over his spectacles at her. "I am on my way to visit Madam Plummer ..." Dumbledore began to say.

"Are you hurt?" Minerva questioned quickly.

"It isn't serious." he assured her.

"Let me help you." she offered.

Professor Dumbledore nodded gratefully and put an arm around her shoulders. A slight blush crept into her pale cheeks as she began helping him down the corridor. Being so close to him, especially after such a horrid evening, very nearly made her giddy. She glanced up almost shyly into his blue eyes. They seemed more sorrowful than usual, but his eyes were still, were always quite lovely.

"Shouldn't you be in the Great Hall, enjoying the feast?"

"I got permission to go back to the dormitories." she replied, noticing that Dumbledore was favoring his right foot and ankle. She tried to help him compensate.

"Too much candy before mealtime? Of course, there really isn't any such thing as too much candy."

Minerva took a deep breath and said, "No, there was an incident at the feast ..."

"Ah, at last, we're getting somewhere." said Dumbledore with an approving nod. Minerva gave him a quizzical look in response. "Surely you didn't think that I was unaware that something was bothering my favorite student." he chuckled.

"You shouldn't call me that. Favoritism and all." she muttered, turning a distinctly rosy color.

"Very well." he agreed. "Now tell me what happened."

"Professor Krohn ... received his siblings' severed hands ... in boxes ... tonight at the feast." she said, having trouble with the words.

Dumbledore stopped in his tracks and looked at the floor. He had seldom appeared so astonished as he did at that moment. His grip on Minerva's shoulders tightened. They stood there for a moment in silence.

"Did you see them?"

"No." she whispered, shuddering and closing her eyes for a moment.

"And the other students?"

"They only saw the professor leave the Great Hall in a hurry. I imagine none of them saw or even know."

"You shouldn't tell anyone else then." said Dumbledore.

"I won't. It would only frighten them. There's no good in doing that."

They began walking again, perhaps a little slower. It was obvious that the news was a burden to the professor. He had not needed to ask who had sent them. Dumbledore knew quite well who had done the deed.

At the doors to the hospital wing, the professor paused and looked at the sad face of his escort. These days were supposed to be happy ones for his students, for all of the students and the staff, but the evil in the world outside their haven had intruded upon that in the worst sort of way.

"How long will we be able to keep them safe? How long?" he wondered, lifting Minerva's chin. "Thank you, Minerva, for seeing me here safely. I had best see Madam Plummer alone as she will not be pleased with my recent conduct." he told her.

"Yes, professor." she said, hesitating.

"Minerva?"

"Professor Krohn ... would you please make sure that he's all right? He was very sick earlier ..."

"Of course." answered Dumbledore. "You know, perhaps you could ask Madam Plummer for something to give him. I imagine that a dreamless sleep potion might be in order. The password for his rooms ..."

"Professor," she interrupted sternly, reading the expression on his face, "I hardly think that would be appropriate."

Minerva had the impression that Dumbledore believed that she fancied the blond Slytherin head of house, and possibly vice versa, which was far from the truth. She had difficulty even tolerating the professor in ordinary circumstances, which these were certainly not. She only had eyes for one man and that was Professor Dumbledore. And she well imagined that Krohn could hardly stand the sight of her either, especially in light of recent events.

"Of course. My apologies. I will pay Professor Krohn a visit before I retire for the evening." he assured her. Minerva could have sworn that his eyes twinkled with mild amusement for just a moment.

"Thank you, professor." she nodded before turning and quickly walking back down the corridor.

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A/N: I've got nothing.


Inca: Yeah, definitely some horrible stuff. Thank you for reviewing!

Serenity Raye: I don't know who could put up with this guy's attitude. Minerva isn't on the Quidditch team, not because I can't see her as having been a Quidditch player, but because of one of my failings as a writer: I can't write good Quidditch games. Some people can. I cannot. I know I wouldn't be obligated to write a game if she were on the team, but it would be tough to get around. I think she would have been a good keeper. Thanks for the review!

lilliana: Thank you very much for reviewing!

Michelle: Er, Grindelwald, I'm assuming? Thanks for reviewing!

Child-of-the-Dawn: Yeah ... a bit gross. Thank you for the review!

MK: Coal would have been vastly preferable to hands in my opinion as well, especially considering how long they were dead. Thanks for reviewing!