Chapter Ten
February 15th, 1945
Minerva had finished eating her dinner and had brought out one of her advanced transfigurations' books from which to study while her friends continued talking about the Quidditch match from the previous weekend in which Gryffindor had been soundly thrashed by their green-clad rivals. Minerva was almost glad that Albus had not been there to witness the massacre, which had put Daniel in the hospital for two days due to reckless and desperate flying. The Gryffindor seeker had been bruised up as well due to vicious cobbing by the Slytherins. No fowls were called, of course, as the referee, formerly of Slytherin house herself, had been biased in their favor. The game had not been a close one. Minerva followed the conversation as she studied.
Then Agatha Sprout leaned over from the Hufflepuff table and nudged her gently and whispered, "Take a look who just sat down at the head table."
Minerva looked up from her book and turned toward the front of the hall. She smiled with relief as she saw Professor Dumbledore take his usual seat next to the headmaster, which had been empty for what had seemed like weeks and weeks. He looked just a bit thinner than she remembered and perhaps more careworn or tired, and instead of being dressed in his customary midnight blue robes or in standard school robes, he was wearing warm traveling attire. As he took his seat, Dumbledore noticed her in the crowd of students and nodded to her, which made Minerva smile even more and blush just slightly too.
Dippet whispered something to Dumbledore that caused him to turn and nod in affirmation. Professor Krohn, who had seemed unusually smug since the Quidditch match, looked over at the two older professors curiously. Minerva envied them. They would certainly hear all the latest news from the continent before the end of the evening. She would have to wait.
"Minerva, you must go see him tonight." whispered Trudy Weasley. "He must have all sorts of news about the war and everything." she added.
"Things that aren't in the papers." said Vector, leaning across the table.
Over the previous months all of her friends had begun to show an increasing interest in the wizarding war in continental Europe, possibly brought about by the attention the conflict was receiving in all of the wizarding newspapers and Minerva's own enthusiasm in discuss the topic, including the inside information she received from Dumbledore. Daniel, Trudy, and Poppy were by far the most interested of all her friends because of what Dumbledore had been telling her and the incredible amount of respect that they had for their head of house.
"Really! He probably needs to rest after such a strenuous undertaking. I'm sure he'll send for me when or if he wishes to discuss his trip to France." she said quietly, attempting to return to her book.
"Min-er-va!" Daniel whined, tugging at the book.
"Hush." she said, pursing her lips.
"She's right." said Poppy more sensibly. "It wouldn't be fair to bother him tonight after such a long journey."
"He probably just apparated to Hogsmeade. It wouldn't have been all that ..." Daniel started to say, but the three young women, Trudy included, all glared at him. "All right, all right." he shrugged.
As Minerva left the Great Hall later the evening, leaving her friends to their never-ending Quidditch discussion, in which she usually took greater part, she heard the sound of quick and even footsteps behind her. Pausing and glancing over her shoulder, she smiled.
"Good evening." she said, waiting for Dumbledore as he caught up to her.
"Minerva." he nodded.
"How was your visit abroad?" she inquired.
Dumbledore gestured for her to walk with him down the corridor that would take them to his office. He shook his head slightly.
"Neither more nor less unpleasant than the last. The wizarding community, or what remains of it, is becoming increasingly desperate. But fortunately, Grindelwald's madness and the wavering of some of his less committed supporters are slowing him down at present. I think some of his minions may be turning on him, but I do not think that they will overpower him anytime soon if at all." Dumbledore informer her.
"And have they found his hiding place yet?" she questioned.
"No, and the muggle war delays the search. Even the few remaining seasoned Aurors are not inclined to enter the cities that are being bombed around the clock. The risk is too great. I hardly blame them."
"And the Ministry of Magic?"
"Indecisive as ever." he shrugged, opening the door to his office. "Lady's first." he said with a slight bow.
"Then nothing has changed."
"Very little has changed, but more people volunteer their assistance each day, and that is always something."
"Daniel and Trudy ..." she began, but stopped, shaking her head.
"Yes?"
"They've begun to feel as I do, that we shouldn't be sitting here idly."
"You've had a profound effect upon your peers then."
"No, you have, Albus. They see the lengths that you go to ... and they want to do the same. What should I tell them?" Minerva questioned.
"Only what I have told you, many times now." he chuckled. "Your generation will have its own conflicts, and if this one lasts much longer, you may all take part in it too, but for now your obligations are to yourselves, your families, and your studies. Let those of us who are older and perhaps a little wiser handle this while we yet may."
"So you're counseling noninvolvement?"
"Of course not, Minerva. I am merely counseling caution to my young students who have seen far too few winters." he told her gently. "Now, I want to hear about anything I might have missed during my extended absence." said Dumbledore, changing the subject.
"I take it that someone has already told you about the match on Saturday."
"Oh, yes, Professor Krohn wasted no time in informing me of the results. I imagine that he will be telling me the highlights of the game for weeks to come."
"And the team practiced every single day ..."
"I am well aware of that. And, despite what some people may think, Quidditch is only a game."
Minerva looked at him for a moment as though he had lost his mind entirely.
"But, Albus ..." she protested.
"A game, Minerva, brought to this school long before your time or mine to encourage students to strengthen their bodies as well as their minds, to enhance their skills on the broom, and to provide them with a competitive pastime that permits them to forget about their studies a few weekends out of the year. And it has done all those things well enough though at the cost of further dividing the houses."
"You're just disappointed that we lost."
"Perhaps."
"Well, maybe Ravenclaw will be able to beat them in a few weeks." shrugged Minerva, who would always prefer a Ravenclaw victory to a Slytherin one.
"Professor Flitwick seemed quite confident." Dumbledore agreed. "And how are your studies coming? I noticed that you were reading at dinner tonight."
"After dinner." she clarified, pulling a book from one of her robe pockets.
"That book is quite advanced." said Albus with pleased smile, taking the volume to examine it. "I was considering it for my seventh years next term." he added.
"Then I would be considerably ahead."
"Rubbish. You already are, Minerva." he commented.
"Thank you."
"Have you made any progress with your Animagus abilities?" he inquired, returning the book to her.
"You have always been the better judge of my progress."
"Then you haven't managed the transformation?"
"I've gotten light-headed several times." she shrugged with a small sigh. "But I can't find out if that's a good sign or not. None of the books mention that sort of thing."
"I would take it as a good sign. I attempted to cultivate the skill before choosing to concentrate on both transfigurations and potions instead of pursuing only one area of study. My professor mentioned nosebleeds prior to his own first successful transformation. If it persists, perhaps we should see Madam Plummer about it."
"Of course." Minerva acquiesced.
"Are you up for an attempt tonight? I would very much like to see you do it, but I won't press the matter if you are tired." said Dumbledore, leaning forward in his chair with a twinkle in his eyes.
"I don't mind at all. I just hope that you don't expect too much, Albus." she cautioned, rising from her chair and leaving her book on the seat.
"I always expect much from you, Minerva, and you never disappoint me." he chuckled as she closed her eyes.
"No pressure then." she muttered.
Minerva exhaled slowly and relaxed, turning all over her concentration inward and toward one goal: the transformation. She unclenched her hands and tried to tune out the crackling of the fire. She was keenly aware of Albus watching her and forced that from her mind, along with the fierce desire to please him and to make him proud. She focused all of her energy on becoming an Animagus.
For a moment she felt extremely dizzy and her ears popped as though the air pressure in the room had changed substantially.
"Well done!" laughed Professor Dumbledore as she opened her eyes.
Minerva frowned and looked up at him, noticing that the room seemed different, bigger somehow and certainly less colorful. Then she realized that she had whiskers and paws. She flopped onto her side in surprise and utter astonishment. She was a cat! Perhaps all she had needed all along was more pressure to perform to the best of her abilities.
Dumbledore chuckled as the gray tabby cat seemed to smirk up at him. There was a look of accomplishment in her eyes.
"I knew you were ready, Minerva. The transformation is perfect. Your markings are quite excellent too, especially those around your eyes. A very nice touch." said the transfigurations' professor. "I am very glad to have witnessed this. We will need to have you registered with the Ministry soon. That should be quite exciting." he added.
Minerva changed back and laughed as she looked up at Albus from the floor. There were tears of happiness in her eyes. She had been training for almost two years in preparation for the day when she would achieve her goal of becoming an Animagus.
"It should be indeed!" she said, accepting a hand up from Dumbledore. She swayed slightly, feeling both quite exhausted and incredibly dizzy.
"I will be looking forward to the day. I intend to go with you, if that's all right. You are my first student to have been successful, and I can't wait to see the look on the faces of those fellows down at the registration office." he said, steadying her.
"Of course you must come!" she laughed giddily. "Could we go tonight?"
"Thank you, Minerva, but for now I think you should return to the Tower and rest. I imagine that took quite a bit out of you." said Dumbledore, smiling at her. "I'll escort you." he added.
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A/N: I was planning to update earlier, but other stuff got in the way. Does anyone know why everything looks shorter in html?
Sanguine Quill: It is always a great relief to hear someone compliment my characters and/or characterizations. Thank you for reviewing!
Child-of-the-Dawn: Thank you very much for the review!
MK: I'm glad you enjoyed that. Thanks for reviewing!
auroraziazan: I have read stories with the age difference between Tom and Minerva ranging from + 3 (Tom older) and - 7 (Minerva older), so apparenty I am not the only one. Not that excuses inaccuracy. I just can't quite find a perfect standard age for Minerva like the one for Riddle (graduates in 1945, therefore born in 1928/29). Math is not my strong suit. But thank you for pointing that out and for reviewing!
Isis Malfoy: *blushes* Thanks for the very positive review!
Whisper: Weird reviews are often my favorite. And a weird review *wink* deserves a weird response. So as for the 'pervert' question/thing ... um, well, how to answer that without giving anything away ... I can only assure you that I will be careful. My HP writing background (as far as romantic pairings go) is entirely teacher-student, but as I know of at least one of those relationships that worked out in real life, I usually don't feel too guilty writing them. I don't really like OC's myself, but I have read one too many stories (MWPP era especially) where the canon characters seem like they are the only ones in existence (a school of five to eight students and professors) and didn't want to do that. Trying to find a happy medium. I try very hard to keep Albus and Minerva reasonably in character while still recognizing that fifty years ago is a long time. I will attempt not to disappoint (especially regarding the Dumbled and Grindelwald thing *starts sweating*). Your review was very entertaining. Thanks!
February 15th, 1945
Minerva had finished eating her dinner and had brought out one of her advanced transfigurations' books from which to study while her friends continued talking about the Quidditch match from the previous weekend in which Gryffindor had been soundly thrashed by their green-clad rivals. Minerva was almost glad that Albus had not been there to witness the massacre, which had put Daniel in the hospital for two days due to reckless and desperate flying. The Gryffindor seeker had been bruised up as well due to vicious cobbing by the Slytherins. No fowls were called, of course, as the referee, formerly of Slytherin house herself, had been biased in their favor. The game had not been a close one. Minerva followed the conversation as she studied.
Then Agatha Sprout leaned over from the Hufflepuff table and nudged her gently and whispered, "Take a look who just sat down at the head table."
Minerva looked up from her book and turned toward the front of the hall. She smiled with relief as she saw Professor Dumbledore take his usual seat next to the headmaster, which had been empty for what had seemed like weeks and weeks. He looked just a bit thinner than she remembered and perhaps more careworn or tired, and instead of being dressed in his customary midnight blue robes or in standard school robes, he was wearing warm traveling attire. As he took his seat, Dumbledore noticed her in the crowd of students and nodded to her, which made Minerva smile even more and blush just slightly too.
Dippet whispered something to Dumbledore that caused him to turn and nod in affirmation. Professor Krohn, who had seemed unusually smug since the Quidditch match, looked over at the two older professors curiously. Minerva envied them. They would certainly hear all the latest news from the continent before the end of the evening. She would have to wait.
"Minerva, you must go see him tonight." whispered Trudy Weasley. "He must have all sorts of news about the war and everything." she added.
"Things that aren't in the papers." said Vector, leaning across the table.
Over the previous months all of her friends had begun to show an increasing interest in the wizarding war in continental Europe, possibly brought about by the attention the conflict was receiving in all of the wizarding newspapers and Minerva's own enthusiasm in discuss the topic, including the inside information she received from Dumbledore. Daniel, Trudy, and Poppy were by far the most interested of all her friends because of what Dumbledore had been telling her and the incredible amount of respect that they had for their head of house.
"Really! He probably needs to rest after such a strenuous undertaking. I'm sure he'll send for me when or if he wishes to discuss his trip to France." she said quietly, attempting to return to her book.
"Min-er-va!" Daniel whined, tugging at the book.
"Hush." she said, pursing her lips.
"She's right." said Poppy more sensibly. "It wouldn't be fair to bother him tonight after such a long journey."
"He probably just apparated to Hogsmeade. It wouldn't have been all that ..." Daniel started to say, but the three young women, Trudy included, all glared at him. "All right, all right." he shrugged.
As Minerva left the Great Hall later the evening, leaving her friends to their never-ending Quidditch discussion, in which she usually took greater part, she heard the sound of quick and even footsteps behind her. Pausing and glancing over her shoulder, she smiled.
"Good evening." she said, waiting for Dumbledore as he caught up to her.
"Minerva." he nodded.
"How was your visit abroad?" she inquired.
Dumbledore gestured for her to walk with him down the corridor that would take them to his office. He shook his head slightly.
"Neither more nor less unpleasant than the last. The wizarding community, or what remains of it, is becoming increasingly desperate. But fortunately, Grindelwald's madness and the wavering of some of his less committed supporters are slowing him down at present. I think some of his minions may be turning on him, but I do not think that they will overpower him anytime soon if at all." Dumbledore informer her.
"And have they found his hiding place yet?" she questioned.
"No, and the muggle war delays the search. Even the few remaining seasoned Aurors are not inclined to enter the cities that are being bombed around the clock. The risk is too great. I hardly blame them."
"And the Ministry of Magic?"
"Indecisive as ever." he shrugged, opening the door to his office. "Lady's first." he said with a slight bow.
"Then nothing has changed."
"Very little has changed, but more people volunteer their assistance each day, and that is always something."
"Daniel and Trudy ..." she began, but stopped, shaking her head.
"Yes?"
"They've begun to feel as I do, that we shouldn't be sitting here idly."
"You've had a profound effect upon your peers then."
"No, you have, Albus. They see the lengths that you go to ... and they want to do the same. What should I tell them?" Minerva questioned.
"Only what I have told you, many times now." he chuckled. "Your generation will have its own conflicts, and if this one lasts much longer, you may all take part in it too, but for now your obligations are to yourselves, your families, and your studies. Let those of us who are older and perhaps a little wiser handle this while we yet may."
"So you're counseling noninvolvement?"
"Of course not, Minerva. I am merely counseling caution to my young students who have seen far too few winters." he told her gently. "Now, I want to hear about anything I might have missed during my extended absence." said Dumbledore, changing the subject.
"I take it that someone has already told you about the match on Saturday."
"Oh, yes, Professor Krohn wasted no time in informing me of the results. I imagine that he will be telling me the highlights of the game for weeks to come."
"And the team practiced every single day ..."
"I am well aware of that. And, despite what some people may think, Quidditch is only a game."
Minerva looked at him for a moment as though he had lost his mind entirely.
"But, Albus ..." she protested.
"A game, Minerva, brought to this school long before your time or mine to encourage students to strengthen their bodies as well as their minds, to enhance their skills on the broom, and to provide them with a competitive pastime that permits them to forget about their studies a few weekends out of the year. And it has done all those things well enough though at the cost of further dividing the houses."
"You're just disappointed that we lost."
"Perhaps."
"Well, maybe Ravenclaw will be able to beat them in a few weeks." shrugged Minerva, who would always prefer a Ravenclaw victory to a Slytherin one.
"Professor Flitwick seemed quite confident." Dumbledore agreed. "And how are your studies coming? I noticed that you were reading at dinner tonight."
"After dinner." she clarified, pulling a book from one of her robe pockets.
"That book is quite advanced." said Albus with pleased smile, taking the volume to examine it. "I was considering it for my seventh years next term." he added.
"Then I would be considerably ahead."
"Rubbish. You already are, Minerva." he commented.
"Thank you."
"Have you made any progress with your Animagus abilities?" he inquired, returning the book to her.
"You have always been the better judge of my progress."
"Then you haven't managed the transformation?"
"I've gotten light-headed several times." she shrugged with a small sigh. "But I can't find out if that's a good sign or not. None of the books mention that sort of thing."
"I would take it as a good sign. I attempted to cultivate the skill before choosing to concentrate on both transfigurations and potions instead of pursuing only one area of study. My professor mentioned nosebleeds prior to his own first successful transformation. If it persists, perhaps we should see Madam Plummer about it."
"Of course." Minerva acquiesced.
"Are you up for an attempt tonight? I would very much like to see you do it, but I won't press the matter if you are tired." said Dumbledore, leaning forward in his chair with a twinkle in his eyes.
"I don't mind at all. I just hope that you don't expect too much, Albus." she cautioned, rising from her chair and leaving her book on the seat.
"I always expect much from you, Minerva, and you never disappoint me." he chuckled as she closed her eyes.
"No pressure then." she muttered.
Minerva exhaled slowly and relaxed, turning all over her concentration inward and toward one goal: the transformation. She unclenched her hands and tried to tune out the crackling of the fire. She was keenly aware of Albus watching her and forced that from her mind, along with the fierce desire to please him and to make him proud. She focused all of her energy on becoming an Animagus.
For a moment she felt extremely dizzy and her ears popped as though the air pressure in the room had changed substantially.
"Well done!" laughed Professor Dumbledore as she opened her eyes.
Minerva frowned and looked up at him, noticing that the room seemed different, bigger somehow and certainly less colorful. Then she realized that she had whiskers and paws. She flopped onto her side in surprise and utter astonishment. She was a cat! Perhaps all she had needed all along was more pressure to perform to the best of her abilities.
Dumbledore chuckled as the gray tabby cat seemed to smirk up at him. There was a look of accomplishment in her eyes.
"I knew you were ready, Minerva. The transformation is perfect. Your markings are quite excellent too, especially those around your eyes. A very nice touch." said the transfigurations' professor. "I am very glad to have witnessed this. We will need to have you registered with the Ministry soon. That should be quite exciting." he added.
Minerva changed back and laughed as she looked up at Albus from the floor. There were tears of happiness in her eyes. She had been training for almost two years in preparation for the day when she would achieve her goal of becoming an Animagus.
"It should be indeed!" she said, accepting a hand up from Dumbledore. She swayed slightly, feeling both quite exhausted and incredibly dizzy.
"I will be looking forward to the day. I intend to go with you, if that's all right. You are my first student to have been successful, and I can't wait to see the look on the faces of those fellows down at the registration office." he said, steadying her.
"Of course you must come!" she laughed giddily. "Could we go tonight?"
"Thank you, Minerva, but for now I think you should return to the Tower and rest. I imagine that took quite a bit out of you." said Dumbledore, smiling at her. "I'll escort you." he added.
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A/N: I was planning to update earlier, but other stuff got in the way. Does anyone know why everything looks shorter in html?
Sanguine Quill: It is always a great relief to hear someone compliment my characters and/or characterizations. Thank you for reviewing!
Child-of-the-Dawn: Thank you very much for the review!
MK: I'm glad you enjoyed that. Thanks for reviewing!
auroraziazan: I have read stories with the age difference between Tom and Minerva ranging from + 3 (Tom older) and - 7 (Minerva older), so apparenty I am not the only one. Not that excuses inaccuracy. I just can't quite find a perfect standard age for Minerva like the one for Riddle (graduates in 1945, therefore born in 1928/29). Math is not my strong suit. But thank you for pointing that out and for reviewing!
Isis Malfoy: *blushes* Thanks for the very positive review!
Whisper: Weird reviews are often my favorite. And a weird review *wink* deserves a weird response. So as for the 'pervert' question/thing ... um, well, how to answer that without giving anything away ... I can only assure you that I will be careful. My HP writing background (as far as romantic pairings go) is entirely teacher-student, but as I know of at least one of those relationships that worked out in real life, I usually don't feel too guilty writing them. I don't really like OC's myself, but I have read one too many stories (MWPP era especially) where the canon characters seem like they are the only ones in existence (a school of five to eight students and professors) and didn't want to do that. Trying to find a happy medium. I try very hard to keep Albus and Minerva reasonably in character while still recognizing that fifty years ago is a long time. I will attempt not to disappoint (especially regarding the Dumbled and Grindelwald thing *starts sweating*). Your review was very entertaining. Thanks!
