Chapter Sixteen
April 30th, 1945 - slightly later
Minerva ran until she reached Dumbledore's office. There she paused, caught her breath, and twitched her whisks slightly. That had been close. No one was certain what Tom Riddle was capable of doing. There were rumors that he was trying to learn all that he could about the Dark Arts, and not for merely defensive purposes. She had heard that he knew some of the unforgivable curses and was willing to use them on animals and so forth for his amusement and that of his friends. She imagined that she had narrowly missed a first hand experience with one of those curses.
Minerva knew that Albus would be returning to his office before he left the castle and hid herself accordingly. He had left his cloak there, and the night was growing cool. She also imagined that he had some letters and such to leave, but she didn't want to think about that. Minerva merely curled up behind a well-placed suit of armor and waited for her mentor to return.
She also sincerely hoped that he wouldn't be checking the dormitories before he left. She had confided to Daniel and Trudy that she intended to do anything she could to help him. They would not be able to make excuses for her if she was out of bed at this hour, but they would not be worried, at least not until morning, and they would not give her away. Minerva could trust her house mates to keep a secret. It has always been said that Hufflepuffs were loyal, but she would take her fellow Gryffindors any day.
Minerva's eyes were beginning to close when she heard the tread of familiar feet upon the stone floor of the castle. She was awake in an instant, watching Dumbledore as he walked up the stairs at the end of the corridor. The moon came from behind the clouds and the silvery light that shone through the high windows fell upon his face, bathing it in a cool glow. She sighed as Albus lifted his face and closed his eyes for a moment. Such a beautiful sight. Then he smiled and continued walking.
She waited patiently as she listened to him rummaging around in his office. It was not long before he stepped back into the hall with that purple cloak of his draped over his shoulders. He closed and locked the door before setting off down the corridor again in the direction of the Entrance Hall. He was truly leaving.
For an instant a certain pride in him filled her, and Minerva was grateful that she was a cat, for she experienced that emotion more clearly, more deeply in that form. It was almost so strong as the human emotion of love.
Then she padded quietly after him, careful not to be seen.
Professor Dumbledore left the castle silently, like a thief in the night, unaware of the small gray cat that haunted his footsteps as he crossed the grounds. Her feet did not make a sound on the grass and the path as she followed him in the direction of Hogsmeade and toward a place far enough from the castle to be free of its protective wards. He risked no light in the darkness, but she could see him quite well as she remained in the deepest shadows.
When they reached the apparition point, Dumbledore sighed softly. She could see his breath upon the cool early morning air. She tensed, wondering if he would turn and take one last look at the castle above them. But he did not turn as he drew his wand from his robes. Then as he raised the instrument, she transfigured back into a human and pulled her own wand from her robes.
Timing was everything, and Minerva McGonagall's was perfect. She latched on to Albus from behind, and they spoke at the same time.
"Apparate!"
It was a tricky and theoretical stunt the results of which she well knew could be dangerous and unpredictable. She was attempting to apparate in tandem with her mentor, going wherever he went and using his focus to transport them both. And the fact that she had never apparated before and had no idea where exactly they were going did not help matters.
But Dumbledore was strong and pulled her with him. He had no choice really. He could guess who had pulled the stunt and couldn't leave her to be splinched or otherwise harmed, though perhaps it would have served her right.
When they reappeared at his intended destination, Dumbledore yanked her around to face him with some force. She had the good sense not to smile or look smug as he shook her by the shoulders.
"Minerva! Why? Do you realize what you've done?" he asked.
She had seldom heard him sound so upset. She raised her head and could have sworn that there was fire in his eyes. Then she glanced around and realized that the fire was real, that they were standing in an alley between two smoldering buildings in a city that was in utter ruins. The smell of a great burning was in the air, and she could hear a most peculiar and disturbing rat-tat-tat sound somewhere in the distance. There were also infrequent rumbles from an even greater distance. She could not place the sounds.
Dumbledore shook her again to get her attention.
"I only thought ..."
There was a loud kaboom from somewhere no quite so faraway.
"We must find shelter while I sort this out." he told her, obviously finding some meaning in the strange sounds around them.
Minerva looked around again as he released her with a quiet word of apology. She had given him a bad fright. She could understand that. She knew that he had not wanted her there. And yet there she was. She imagined that he was quite furious. In his place she would have felt the same way, but no matter the cost she could not have allowed him to face Grindelwald alone and unaided.
"Follow me. I think we will be safe in one of these buildings for the moment. I must think." Dumbledore told her, getting his bearings. "I hope you're happy." he added in an irritated tone.
There was another round of sharp, quick sounds a few city blocks away. She flinched slightly.
"That's the sound of muggle weapons, isn't it?" Minerva questioned.
"It is indeed." he said.
She wasn't happy at all, she decided, but she had done what she thought was best. There was nothing else she could have done with a clear conscience
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A/N: I had to reorganize a couple of chapters a bit. Next one is longer. Editing. Gack!
Serenity Raye: I hinted a couple of times that Krohn was horrible womanizer. And Minerva was, I imagine, rather pretty when she was sixteen. How did Tom recognize Minerva? She had exotic markings (the spectacle markings around her eyes) and was registered. Everyone knew that she was an Animagus (see beginning of ch. 11). Krohn definitely knew by Albus' reaction. I think Minerva would be at the growing-cat/older kitten stage at this point (I'm just guessing). Cool question. And, yes, Krohn is Snape's potions' professor and head of house. And thank you for unleasing that plot bunny about their relationship upon me. Thanks for reviewing!
MK: Yes. Thank you for reviewing!
Whisper: About how Albus knew the cat was Minerva ... I could always tell (as a kid when there were always cats in the house) which cat was meowing at night. For example, my cat (Buster) had a very sweet, intelligent meow. My mother's cat had a complaining, annoying, scratchy meow. It was always very easy to tell which cat was making the noise. As her transfigurations' professor, Albus probably had had Minerva practicing changing for him and so forth when he was avaiable and would have been familiar with her meow. Plus doesn't he have that reputation for near-omniscience? Your idea about Fawkes isn't cheesy. It's rather cute. Dumbledore chose to ignore the comment from his much younger colleague (for many reasons). It was kind of hard to miss. I suppose a related question would be how does Krohn know about her feelings for Dumbledore? He's a shrewd man and has keen powers of observation (not for nothing is he the head of Slytherin house). Thank you for the insightful questions and for reviewing!
Freelancer: I didn't even think about your Lucius when I wrote that, but, wow, it kind of fits, I suppose. (I really love your Lucius by the way *hint, hint*). I'm glad you liked that conversation. Thanks for the review!
Child-of-the-Dawn: Yep, I sure do. Thank you for reviewing!
April 30th, 1945 - slightly later
Minerva ran until she reached Dumbledore's office. There she paused, caught her breath, and twitched her whisks slightly. That had been close. No one was certain what Tom Riddle was capable of doing. There were rumors that he was trying to learn all that he could about the Dark Arts, and not for merely defensive purposes. She had heard that he knew some of the unforgivable curses and was willing to use them on animals and so forth for his amusement and that of his friends. She imagined that she had narrowly missed a first hand experience with one of those curses.
Minerva knew that Albus would be returning to his office before he left the castle and hid herself accordingly. He had left his cloak there, and the night was growing cool. She also imagined that he had some letters and such to leave, but she didn't want to think about that. Minerva merely curled up behind a well-placed suit of armor and waited for her mentor to return.
She also sincerely hoped that he wouldn't be checking the dormitories before he left. She had confided to Daniel and Trudy that she intended to do anything she could to help him. They would not be able to make excuses for her if she was out of bed at this hour, but they would not be worried, at least not until morning, and they would not give her away. Minerva could trust her house mates to keep a secret. It has always been said that Hufflepuffs were loyal, but she would take her fellow Gryffindors any day.
Minerva's eyes were beginning to close when she heard the tread of familiar feet upon the stone floor of the castle. She was awake in an instant, watching Dumbledore as he walked up the stairs at the end of the corridor. The moon came from behind the clouds and the silvery light that shone through the high windows fell upon his face, bathing it in a cool glow. She sighed as Albus lifted his face and closed his eyes for a moment. Such a beautiful sight. Then he smiled and continued walking.
She waited patiently as she listened to him rummaging around in his office. It was not long before he stepped back into the hall with that purple cloak of his draped over his shoulders. He closed and locked the door before setting off down the corridor again in the direction of the Entrance Hall. He was truly leaving.
For an instant a certain pride in him filled her, and Minerva was grateful that she was a cat, for she experienced that emotion more clearly, more deeply in that form. It was almost so strong as the human emotion of love.
Then she padded quietly after him, careful not to be seen.
Professor Dumbledore left the castle silently, like a thief in the night, unaware of the small gray cat that haunted his footsteps as he crossed the grounds. Her feet did not make a sound on the grass and the path as she followed him in the direction of Hogsmeade and toward a place far enough from the castle to be free of its protective wards. He risked no light in the darkness, but she could see him quite well as she remained in the deepest shadows.
When they reached the apparition point, Dumbledore sighed softly. She could see his breath upon the cool early morning air. She tensed, wondering if he would turn and take one last look at the castle above them. But he did not turn as he drew his wand from his robes. Then as he raised the instrument, she transfigured back into a human and pulled her own wand from her robes.
Timing was everything, and Minerva McGonagall's was perfect. She latched on to Albus from behind, and they spoke at the same time.
"Apparate!"
It was a tricky and theoretical stunt the results of which she well knew could be dangerous and unpredictable. She was attempting to apparate in tandem with her mentor, going wherever he went and using his focus to transport them both. And the fact that she had never apparated before and had no idea where exactly they were going did not help matters.
But Dumbledore was strong and pulled her with him. He had no choice really. He could guess who had pulled the stunt and couldn't leave her to be splinched or otherwise harmed, though perhaps it would have served her right.
When they reappeared at his intended destination, Dumbledore yanked her around to face him with some force. She had the good sense not to smile or look smug as he shook her by the shoulders.
"Minerva! Why? Do you realize what you've done?" he asked.
She had seldom heard him sound so upset. She raised her head and could have sworn that there was fire in his eyes. Then she glanced around and realized that the fire was real, that they were standing in an alley between two smoldering buildings in a city that was in utter ruins. The smell of a great burning was in the air, and she could hear a most peculiar and disturbing rat-tat-tat sound somewhere in the distance. There were also infrequent rumbles from an even greater distance. She could not place the sounds.
Dumbledore shook her again to get her attention.
"I only thought ..."
There was a loud kaboom from somewhere no quite so faraway.
"We must find shelter while I sort this out." he told her, obviously finding some meaning in the strange sounds around them.
Minerva looked around again as he released her with a quiet word of apology. She had given him a bad fright. She could understand that. She knew that he had not wanted her there. And yet there she was. She imagined that he was quite furious. In his place she would have felt the same way, but no matter the cost she could not have allowed him to face Grindelwald alone and unaided.
"Follow me. I think we will be safe in one of these buildings for the moment. I must think." Dumbledore told her, getting his bearings. "I hope you're happy." he added in an irritated tone.
There was another round of sharp, quick sounds a few city blocks away. She flinched slightly.
"That's the sound of muggle weapons, isn't it?" Minerva questioned.
"It is indeed." he said.
She wasn't happy at all, she decided, but she had done what she thought was best. There was nothing else she could have done with a clear conscience
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: I had to reorganize a couple of chapters a bit. Next one is longer. Editing. Gack!
Serenity Raye: I hinted a couple of times that Krohn was horrible womanizer. And Minerva was, I imagine, rather pretty when she was sixteen. How did Tom recognize Minerva? She had exotic markings (the spectacle markings around her eyes) and was registered. Everyone knew that she was an Animagus (see beginning of ch. 11). Krohn definitely knew by Albus' reaction. I think Minerva would be at the growing-cat/older kitten stage at this point (I'm just guessing). Cool question. And, yes, Krohn is Snape's potions' professor and head of house. And thank you for unleasing that plot bunny about their relationship upon me. Thanks for reviewing!
MK: Yes. Thank you for reviewing!
Whisper: About how Albus knew the cat was Minerva ... I could always tell (as a kid when there were always cats in the house) which cat was meowing at night. For example, my cat (Buster) had a very sweet, intelligent meow. My mother's cat had a complaining, annoying, scratchy meow. It was always very easy to tell which cat was making the noise. As her transfigurations' professor, Albus probably had had Minerva practicing changing for him and so forth when he was avaiable and would have been familiar with her meow. Plus doesn't he have that reputation for near-omniscience? Your idea about Fawkes isn't cheesy. It's rather cute. Dumbledore chose to ignore the comment from his much younger colleague (for many reasons). It was kind of hard to miss. I suppose a related question would be how does Krohn know about her feelings for Dumbledore? He's a shrewd man and has keen powers of observation (not for nothing is he the head of Slytherin house). Thank you for the insightful questions and for reviewing!
Freelancer: I didn't even think about your Lucius when I wrote that, but, wow, it kind of fits, I suppose. (I really love your Lucius by the way *hint, hint*). I'm glad you liked that conversation. Thanks for the review!
Child-of-the-Dawn: Yep, I sure do. Thank you for reviewing!
