Chapter 3
Professor McGonagall sat in front of the fire in the staffroom, staring into the fire and watching the glowing embers shrivel up and smoke. She was all alone as it was very late. All the other teachers had gone to bed. She sat there in silence. The only noise to be heard was a soft crackling coming from the dying fire. Suddenly the door creaked open and Professor Dumbledore stepped in. He adjusted his glasses and fixed his eyes on Professor McGonagall. She turned around slowly and their eyes met. "Whatever are you doing in here at this hour Minerva?" he asked her. Professor McGonagall looked annoyed, as Dumbledore had interrupted her thoughts. "Um, It seems I lost track of time" she said feebly. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow and walked over to join her on the soft velvet lounge in front of the fireplace. "Well I'll have you know it is half past one in the morning" he said as he sat down. Professor McGonagall sighed but did not respond. Dumbledore shot her a look of concern. "Is there anything troubling you, Minerva?" he asked gently. Professor McGonagall shifted uncomfortably. "You are right Albus, it is late and I best be getting some sleep now" she said without meeting his eye. She politely wished the Headmaster goodnight and walked towards the door. Her fingers twisted the knob and pulled the door towards her but it would not open. "Minerva" said Dumbledore slightly amused "That is the door which leads to my office" Professor McGonagall froze and went red. "Of course" she said, blushing deeply. She turned around swiftly and walked out the other door, down the corridor.
Neecholi Leech twisted her hands around her firebolt. She shut her eyes tightly and began muttering to herself. It was five minutes until the beginning of her first ever Quidditch game against Hufflepuff and she felt extremely nervous. She had landed the position of chaser on the Slytherin team and was determined to do the job well. "C'mon Leech, you'll do fine" said Ma-ark the Slytherin Quidditch captain, slapping her on the back. Neecholi gave him a weak smile but felt like she was going to throw up. (From nerves and also because Ma-ark had just touched her.) Her insides were churning and she felt like a thousand butterflies were flying around inside her stomach. Her heart was racing at a million miles per hour and her hands were all clammy and sweaty. Neecholi wiped her brow with her sleeve and took a deep breath. Her fellow team mates were walking around casually looking very relaxed. Draco Malfoy walked up to her with a box of Bertie Botts every flavour beans. He offered them to her. Neecholi looked relived. A sugar hit was just what she needed. She thanked Draco and took a handful. Neecholi looked at the beans in her hand. There was a pink one, a green one, a brown one and a white and black spotted one. Neecholi picked up the brown one. It was a caramel flavoured bean and Neecholi especially liked them. She always sifted through the other flavours to find them. Neecholi put the bean in her mouth and chewed it. Suddenly her lips puckered up and she felt like she was going to hurl. This jellybean was not caramel like she had thought; it was a vomit flavoured one.
Dinner that night was a happy occasion at the Slytherin table while the Hufflepuffs were miserable with defeat. They had lost the Quidditch match to Slytherin and the worst part of it was they hadn't even scored once! Felix Buttersworth toyed with the food on his plate. "I can't believe Hufflepuff sucked so badly out there!" he said to the girl sitting next to him who was named Lorraine Vain. She was a flabby girl with an absolutely disastrous haircut. "No we didn't!" she said with false kindness. "It was the first game of the season there are plenty more Hufflepuff can win!" Felix didn't respond. Eventually he spoke. "I guess you are right. What's the use in being down about it, there's always next time" he mused. "Exactly!" she said cheerily. "So come on, eat up and be happy" Felix smiled and took a generous helping of potato bake. Lorraine screwed up her nose in disgust. "Felix!" she said horrified. "Do you know how much fat is in that?" Felix gave her an odd look and shovelled the potato bake into his mouth, totally disregarding her friendly advice.
After dinner, Professor McGonagall retreated to the staff room where Professors Snape, Flitwick and Trelawney were sitting in front of the wobbycusto watching a documentary about dragons. Their hair looked singed and their faces were blackened with soot. She presumed they had just viewed a scene where the dragon breathed fire. She considered joining them but decided against doing so. Instead, she sat down at the table and began to plan out her next transfiguration lesson. An hour later, the other staff had left and Professor McGonagall decided it was time for her to go to bed.
She packed away her notes and gathered up her belongings. She exited the room and went upstairs to her sleeping quarters. A few minutes after she left Dumbledore entered the staffroom, searching for his glasses. He found them on a table near the fireplace. He put his glasses on and smiled to himself, happy he could see clearly once again. Just as he was about to exit the room he noticed a small scroll of parchment on the floor beside the table. He unrolled it and saw a most striking ink drawing. The drawing was of a cat sitting alone underneath the night sky. Dumbledore squinted and inspected the drawing closely. Then he saw it. The cat appeared to be crying, tears were rolling down its face. Then it hit him. Dumbledore understood who was behind this fine piece of art. But he did not understand why the artist had drawn such a thing. He rolled up the parchment and took it with him, back to his office.
Aleckseia Byrne sat with Jissikah and Licce in transfiguration. It was the last lesson of the day and all the students were incredibly tired and restless. Professor McGonagall was in a foul mood to top things off. Her patience was running short and she was not putting up with any rubbish from the students today, especially Licce the class prankster. Licce was born of muggle parents and was raised in the muggle world. She went to a muggle school before Hogwarts and learned every practical joke imaginable from her friends. Once she arrived at Hogwarts she could not adapt and learn to follow the rules, and was only encouraged when she saw all the different products available for practical jokers in the wizarding world. A born comedian she continued to cause mischief and mayhem and was famous for her clever pranks.
However, this lesson Licce had nothing prepared. She desperately needed a senior to buy her more supplies from Hogsmeade. Licce heaved a sigh and looked down at her notes. The class was supposed to be working on their essay but she did not feel like it at the moment. What she felt like was playing a joke. Lise searched around for anything that would be useful in causing trouble. There was nothing to be found so she decided to go back to basics. She tore a piece of paper from her notebook and began to fold it into a paper plane. "What are you doing?" asked Jissikah who was born a pureblood and had never seen such a thing. Licce gave her a sly smile then aimed the plane straight at Professor McGonagall's head.
It hit her directly on the nose. Half the class gasped while the other half smothered giggles. Professor McGonagall rose from her chair and picked up the plane. Then she did something unexpected. She threw the paper plane straight at Licce. Licce was stunned, but did not speak. "There" said Professor McGonagall quietly with a smirk. She paced back and forth then came to a halt. "You didn't like it either did you!" she roared. Licce looked very scared. She shook her head vigorously. "Well don't do it again" said Professor McGonagall quietly but in a harsh tone. Licce nodded but did not dare to speak. Professor McGonagall returned to her desk then smiled at the class. She clapped her hands together. "Now, get back to it!" she said. "It's not every day I give you time to do your homework in class!"
Harry Potter was staring longingly out his bedroom window again. He missed Hogwarts dearly. He had been living off mouldy cheese and crackers at the Dursley house and was craving a Hogwarts dinner. Harry looked up. He squinted. Was he seeing things!? Harry thought he could see a black shadow moving across the night sky. It was moving towards him. The shadow came into focus. Harry could see a massive black owl soaring towards him with a letter tied to its foot. Mail! He thought with glee. Harry was overjoyed, although he had never seen an owl quite like this one.
It landed on his windowsill and Harry gazed at it in awe. This owl was amazing. It had sleek jet black feathers and huge eyes, as red as rubies. The owl lifted its giant leg so Harry could untie the letter. Harry untied the letter and stroked the owl gently. Its feathers felt as smooth as silk. "So who sent this letter?" Harry asked the owl. It cocked its head, encouraging Harry to open the letter. He untied the red ribbon around it and tore it open. The owl watched the colour drain from Harry's face. Satisfied that Harry had received the letter he flew off into the night sky, leaving Harry in a state of bewilderment. He read over the letter to make sure he hadn't misread what it said. But the words stood out from the page as boldly as before, written in dried blood. "I'm going to kill you, Potter".
Everyone was busy feasting in the Hogwarts dining hall. Aleckseia helped herself to another slice of potato pie. Neecholi was amusing everyone by balancing her spoon on the tip of her nose. Aleckseia laughed to herself and shook her head. Jissikah was glaring at Neecholi. "What is she doing now?" Jissikah said with distain and rolled her eyes. Aleckseia smiled at Jissikah and shrugged. "It's just a bit of fun Jissikah". She said casually.
Up at the teacher's table Professor McGonagall was staring at her plate and slowly sipping from her glass goblet. Dumbledore, who had been noticing her strange behaviour, could feel her pain. He wanted to reach out and embrace her and tell her things would be alright. But he restrained himself from doing so. Dumbledore could see that Minerva was hurting. He did not know what the cause of her anguish was but desperately wanted to help her. Dumbledore turned to face her. "Minerva", he said with deep concern. She looked up to meet his eyes. "Would I be able to have a talk with you after dinner?" Minerva's face clouded over again. "Certainly, Professor Dumbledore". She said vacantly.
Dumbledore shut the door to his office. Professor McGonagall stood in front of him looking rather tense. He motioned for her to sit down. She took one look at the bed in his office and felt like she was about to faint. Instead she chose to sit on the plush settee which was as far away from that bed as possible. Dumbledore sat next to her. He took her hand soothingly and began to speak, then decided against it. He reached into his pocket instead and produced a piece of parchment. He unrolled it and handed it to Minerva. She was taken aback, but spoke calmly. "Whatever is this?" she asked Dumbledore. "My dear Professor, I think you know." He said to her. Her face misted up. Tears began rolling freely down her cheeks. Dumbledore seemed shocked, as Professor McGonagall was one of the most composed people he knew. He never meant to upset her and had not expected her to act this way. "Minerva"? She straightened up at once. "Ah, I am terribly sorry Professor" she gushed, wiping away tears. "This is quite unlike me, and I do apologise for being so emotional". Dumbledore smiled sympathetically. "But I do not understand Minerva" he said. "I never knew you were such a good artist! And why would you draw such a thing? Why are you so unhappy?" Minerva stood up and walked over to the window. She smiled wistfully. She leant against the windowsill and shook her head. She then turned around to face Albus who was sitting on the settee in a state of confusion. "If only you knew" she said sadly. Albus looked like he was about to start crying too. It pained him to see Minerva so upset. He knew he could help her, if she only opened up to him, if she could just trust him. Never had he felt so helpless.
Minerva pulled her legs up to her chest. She rested her chin on her knees. A lock of black hair fell into her eyes. She hated having messy hair but never went to bed with it tied up. She brushed away the hair quickly. Sighing heavily she uncurled her body and stretched out. She pulled her bedcovers over her body and rested her head on the pillow. Minerva knew she had no other choice. There was no other option. She had almost blown it tonight; she had almost told Albus she loved him. Now she had to leave. Before she did something she would regret. Minerva's feelings for Albus had grown stronger over the years. She valued her friendship with the headmaster more than anything in the world. After all, they had a special connection. But she knew he would never feel the same way about her and if anything ever broke their special bond Minerva undoubtedly knew she would not be able to go on. "Minerva you are so stupid! Stop acting like a hormonal teenager!" she scolded herself. But no matter what she told herself, her strong feelings towards Albus would not fade.
Minerva placed a letter on Dumbledore's desk. She knew this was the easy option and she felt craven, but this was her final decision and she knew it was best for the both of them. The sun was rising and she knew it would only be a few hours before Albus found the letter. Minerva sighed and left the office. She transfigured herself into her animagus form, a silver tabby cat and stalked out of the office, embarking on her new life.
Dumbledore yawned and put on his glasses. He got up out of bed and changed his attire with a flick of his wand. He walked to the door of his office and closed it as he left. A few minutes later he returned searching for his shoes. He found them beside his dark mahogany desk. Something on the desk caught his eye. It was a letter, neatly folded with "Albus" written in delicate handwriting. His stomach plummeted. He recognised this handwriting immediately. He seized the letter and tore it open. He read the letter and his worst fears were confirmed. Minerva had gone.
Dumbledore's mouth was dry. His hands were shaking as he tapped his goblet with a spoon to get the students attention. He rose from his seat. "I have a very important announcement to make." He said, his voice quavering. "Professor McGonagall has resigned from her position as Deputy Headmistress and Transfiguration teacher." The hall fell silent. "I will be taking her classes until we can find a suitable replacement". He finished. "No further questions please". He sat down in his chair again. There. He had said it. Professor Trelawney came up to him and sat herself in Minerva's seat. Dumbledore could have slapped her. She was the teacher Minerva disliked the most and he had a suspicion she had something to do with Minerva's departure. But did she have to sit in her seat! Dumbledore composed himself. "Yes Sybill?" he asked. "Albus, I am very sorry to hear of Minerva's departure but I must tell you I knew it was coming." She boasted. "I could see it all along that Minerva did not have the strength, and I do hope you find a replacement with the true qualities of a transfiguration teacher". Dumbledore was outraged. He reached for his wand and gripped it tightly but then thought of Minerva. His anger melted into misery. He did not respond to Trelawney who made her way back to her seat. He had come extremely close to blasting her. He cleared his mind of all things but the lesson we was about to teach and headed off to prepare for class.
Professor McGonagall's paws began to ache. "If only I had learned to apparate!" she thought heatedly. She had been walking since sunrise away from Hogwarts and away from Dumbledore. She had reached the muggle world and was ready to begin a new life. "Ah, maybe I'll find a nice tom cat to settle down with soon" She thought scornfully, although the thought made her laugh. Tired and hungry Minerva decided to rest for a while. She found a nice spot under a tall tree. She had never seen such a tree before but it provided shade and the ground below looked very soft. Just as Minerva was making herself comfortable a tree branch snapped and came crashing down to the ground. Minerva looked up but was not fast enough to run away. She felt helpless and all of a sudden her world went black.
Professor McGonagall sat in front of the fire in the staffroom, staring into the fire and watching the glowing embers shrivel up and smoke. She was all alone as it was very late. All the other teachers had gone to bed. She sat there in silence. The only noise to be heard was a soft crackling coming from the dying fire. Suddenly the door creaked open and Professor Dumbledore stepped in. He adjusted his glasses and fixed his eyes on Professor McGonagall. She turned around slowly and their eyes met. "Whatever are you doing in here at this hour Minerva?" he asked her. Professor McGonagall looked annoyed, as Dumbledore had interrupted her thoughts. "Um, It seems I lost track of time" she said feebly. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow and walked over to join her on the soft velvet lounge in front of the fireplace. "Well I'll have you know it is half past one in the morning" he said as he sat down. Professor McGonagall sighed but did not respond. Dumbledore shot her a look of concern. "Is there anything troubling you, Minerva?" he asked gently. Professor McGonagall shifted uncomfortably. "You are right Albus, it is late and I best be getting some sleep now" she said without meeting his eye. She politely wished the Headmaster goodnight and walked towards the door. Her fingers twisted the knob and pulled the door towards her but it would not open. "Minerva" said Dumbledore slightly amused "That is the door which leads to my office" Professor McGonagall froze and went red. "Of course" she said, blushing deeply. She turned around swiftly and walked out the other door, down the corridor.
Neecholi Leech twisted her hands around her firebolt. She shut her eyes tightly and began muttering to herself. It was five minutes until the beginning of her first ever Quidditch game against Hufflepuff and she felt extremely nervous. She had landed the position of chaser on the Slytherin team and was determined to do the job well. "C'mon Leech, you'll do fine" said Ma-ark the Slytherin Quidditch captain, slapping her on the back. Neecholi gave him a weak smile but felt like she was going to throw up. (From nerves and also because Ma-ark had just touched her.) Her insides were churning and she felt like a thousand butterflies were flying around inside her stomach. Her heart was racing at a million miles per hour and her hands were all clammy and sweaty. Neecholi wiped her brow with her sleeve and took a deep breath. Her fellow team mates were walking around casually looking very relaxed. Draco Malfoy walked up to her with a box of Bertie Botts every flavour beans. He offered them to her. Neecholi looked relived. A sugar hit was just what she needed. She thanked Draco and took a handful. Neecholi looked at the beans in her hand. There was a pink one, a green one, a brown one and a white and black spotted one. Neecholi picked up the brown one. It was a caramel flavoured bean and Neecholi especially liked them. She always sifted through the other flavours to find them. Neecholi put the bean in her mouth and chewed it. Suddenly her lips puckered up and she felt like she was going to hurl. This jellybean was not caramel like she had thought; it was a vomit flavoured one.
Dinner that night was a happy occasion at the Slytherin table while the Hufflepuffs were miserable with defeat. They had lost the Quidditch match to Slytherin and the worst part of it was they hadn't even scored once! Felix Buttersworth toyed with the food on his plate. "I can't believe Hufflepuff sucked so badly out there!" he said to the girl sitting next to him who was named Lorraine Vain. She was a flabby girl with an absolutely disastrous haircut. "No we didn't!" she said with false kindness. "It was the first game of the season there are plenty more Hufflepuff can win!" Felix didn't respond. Eventually he spoke. "I guess you are right. What's the use in being down about it, there's always next time" he mused. "Exactly!" she said cheerily. "So come on, eat up and be happy" Felix smiled and took a generous helping of potato bake. Lorraine screwed up her nose in disgust. "Felix!" she said horrified. "Do you know how much fat is in that?" Felix gave her an odd look and shovelled the potato bake into his mouth, totally disregarding her friendly advice.
After dinner, Professor McGonagall retreated to the staff room where Professors Snape, Flitwick and Trelawney were sitting in front of the wobbycusto watching a documentary about dragons. Their hair looked singed and their faces were blackened with soot. She presumed they had just viewed a scene where the dragon breathed fire. She considered joining them but decided against doing so. Instead, she sat down at the table and began to plan out her next transfiguration lesson. An hour later, the other staff had left and Professor McGonagall decided it was time for her to go to bed.
She packed away her notes and gathered up her belongings. She exited the room and went upstairs to her sleeping quarters. A few minutes after she left Dumbledore entered the staffroom, searching for his glasses. He found them on a table near the fireplace. He put his glasses on and smiled to himself, happy he could see clearly once again. Just as he was about to exit the room he noticed a small scroll of parchment on the floor beside the table. He unrolled it and saw a most striking ink drawing. The drawing was of a cat sitting alone underneath the night sky. Dumbledore squinted and inspected the drawing closely. Then he saw it. The cat appeared to be crying, tears were rolling down its face. Then it hit him. Dumbledore understood who was behind this fine piece of art. But he did not understand why the artist had drawn such a thing. He rolled up the parchment and took it with him, back to his office.
Aleckseia Byrne sat with Jissikah and Licce in transfiguration. It was the last lesson of the day and all the students were incredibly tired and restless. Professor McGonagall was in a foul mood to top things off. Her patience was running short and she was not putting up with any rubbish from the students today, especially Licce the class prankster. Licce was born of muggle parents and was raised in the muggle world. She went to a muggle school before Hogwarts and learned every practical joke imaginable from her friends. Once she arrived at Hogwarts she could not adapt and learn to follow the rules, and was only encouraged when she saw all the different products available for practical jokers in the wizarding world. A born comedian she continued to cause mischief and mayhem and was famous for her clever pranks.
However, this lesson Licce had nothing prepared. She desperately needed a senior to buy her more supplies from Hogsmeade. Licce heaved a sigh and looked down at her notes. The class was supposed to be working on their essay but she did not feel like it at the moment. What she felt like was playing a joke. Lise searched around for anything that would be useful in causing trouble. There was nothing to be found so she decided to go back to basics. She tore a piece of paper from her notebook and began to fold it into a paper plane. "What are you doing?" asked Jissikah who was born a pureblood and had never seen such a thing. Licce gave her a sly smile then aimed the plane straight at Professor McGonagall's head.
It hit her directly on the nose. Half the class gasped while the other half smothered giggles. Professor McGonagall rose from her chair and picked up the plane. Then she did something unexpected. She threw the paper plane straight at Licce. Licce was stunned, but did not speak. "There" said Professor McGonagall quietly with a smirk. She paced back and forth then came to a halt. "You didn't like it either did you!" she roared. Licce looked very scared. She shook her head vigorously. "Well don't do it again" said Professor McGonagall quietly but in a harsh tone. Licce nodded but did not dare to speak. Professor McGonagall returned to her desk then smiled at the class. She clapped her hands together. "Now, get back to it!" she said. "It's not every day I give you time to do your homework in class!"
Harry Potter was staring longingly out his bedroom window again. He missed Hogwarts dearly. He had been living off mouldy cheese and crackers at the Dursley house and was craving a Hogwarts dinner. Harry looked up. He squinted. Was he seeing things!? Harry thought he could see a black shadow moving across the night sky. It was moving towards him. The shadow came into focus. Harry could see a massive black owl soaring towards him with a letter tied to its foot. Mail! He thought with glee. Harry was overjoyed, although he had never seen an owl quite like this one.
It landed on his windowsill and Harry gazed at it in awe. This owl was amazing. It had sleek jet black feathers and huge eyes, as red as rubies. The owl lifted its giant leg so Harry could untie the letter. Harry untied the letter and stroked the owl gently. Its feathers felt as smooth as silk. "So who sent this letter?" Harry asked the owl. It cocked its head, encouraging Harry to open the letter. He untied the red ribbon around it and tore it open. The owl watched the colour drain from Harry's face. Satisfied that Harry had received the letter he flew off into the night sky, leaving Harry in a state of bewilderment. He read over the letter to make sure he hadn't misread what it said. But the words stood out from the page as boldly as before, written in dried blood. "I'm going to kill you, Potter".
Everyone was busy feasting in the Hogwarts dining hall. Aleckseia helped herself to another slice of potato pie. Neecholi was amusing everyone by balancing her spoon on the tip of her nose. Aleckseia laughed to herself and shook her head. Jissikah was glaring at Neecholi. "What is she doing now?" Jissikah said with distain and rolled her eyes. Aleckseia smiled at Jissikah and shrugged. "It's just a bit of fun Jissikah". She said casually.
Up at the teacher's table Professor McGonagall was staring at her plate and slowly sipping from her glass goblet. Dumbledore, who had been noticing her strange behaviour, could feel her pain. He wanted to reach out and embrace her and tell her things would be alright. But he restrained himself from doing so. Dumbledore could see that Minerva was hurting. He did not know what the cause of her anguish was but desperately wanted to help her. Dumbledore turned to face her. "Minerva", he said with deep concern. She looked up to meet his eyes. "Would I be able to have a talk with you after dinner?" Minerva's face clouded over again. "Certainly, Professor Dumbledore". She said vacantly.
Dumbledore shut the door to his office. Professor McGonagall stood in front of him looking rather tense. He motioned for her to sit down. She took one look at the bed in his office and felt like she was about to faint. Instead she chose to sit on the plush settee which was as far away from that bed as possible. Dumbledore sat next to her. He took her hand soothingly and began to speak, then decided against it. He reached into his pocket instead and produced a piece of parchment. He unrolled it and handed it to Minerva. She was taken aback, but spoke calmly. "Whatever is this?" she asked Dumbledore. "My dear Professor, I think you know." He said to her. Her face misted up. Tears began rolling freely down her cheeks. Dumbledore seemed shocked, as Professor McGonagall was one of the most composed people he knew. He never meant to upset her and had not expected her to act this way. "Minerva"? She straightened up at once. "Ah, I am terribly sorry Professor" she gushed, wiping away tears. "This is quite unlike me, and I do apologise for being so emotional". Dumbledore smiled sympathetically. "But I do not understand Minerva" he said. "I never knew you were such a good artist! And why would you draw such a thing? Why are you so unhappy?" Minerva stood up and walked over to the window. She smiled wistfully. She leant against the windowsill and shook her head. She then turned around to face Albus who was sitting on the settee in a state of confusion. "If only you knew" she said sadly. Albus looked like he was about to start crying too. It pained him to see Minerva so upset. He knew he could help her, if she only opened up to him, if she could just trust him. Never had he felt so helpless.
Minerva pulled her legs up to her chest. She rested her chin on her knees. A lock of black hair fell into her eyes. She hated having messy hair but never went to bed with it tied up. She brushed away the hair quickly. Sighing heavily she uncurled her body and stretched out. She pulled her bedcovers over her body and rested her head on the pillow. Minerva knew she had no other choice. There was no other option. She had almost blown it tonight; she had almost told Albus she loved him. Now she had to leave. Before she did something she would regret. Minerva's feelings for Albus had grown stronger over the years. She valued her friendship with the headmaster more than anything in the world. After all, they had a special connection. But she knew he would never feel the same way about her and if anything ever broke their special bond Minerva undoubtedly knew she would not be able to go on. "Minerva you are so stupid! Stop acting like a hormonal teenager!" she scolded herself. But no matter what she told herself, her strong feelings towards Albus would not fade.
Minerva placed a letter on Dumbledore's desk. She knew this was the easy option and she felt craven, but this was her final decision and she knew it was best for the both of them. The sun was rising and she knew it would only be a few hours before Albus found the letter. Minerva sighed and left the office. She transfigured herself into her animagus form, a silver tabby cat and stalked out of the office, embarking on her new life.
Dumbledore yawned and put on his glasses. He got up out of bed and changed his attire with a flick of his wand. He walked to the door of his office and closed it as he left. A few minutes later he returned searching for his shoes. He found them beside his dark mahogany desk. Something on the desk caught his eye. It was a letter, neatly folded with "Albus" written in delicate handwriting. His stomach plummeted. He recognised this handwriting immediately. He seized the letter and tore it open. He read the letter and his worst fears were confirmed. Minerva had gone.
Dumbledore's mouth was dry. His hands were shaking as he tapped his goblet with a spoon to get the students attention. He rose from his seat. "I have a very important announcement to make." He said, his voice quavering. "Professor McGonagall has resigned from her position as Deputy Headmistress and Transfiguration teacher." The hall fell silent. "I will be taking her classes until we can find a suitable replacement". He finished. "No further questions please". He sat down in his chair again. There. He had said it. Professor Trelawney came up to him and sat herself in Minerva's seat. Dumbledore could have slapped her. She was the teacher Minerva disliked the most and he had a suspicion she had something to do with Minerva's departure. But did she have to sit in her seat! Dumbledore composed himself. "Yes Sybill?" he asked. "Albus, I am very sorry to hear of Minerva's departure but I must tell you I knew it was coming." She boasted. "I could see it all along that Minerva did not have the strength, and I do hope you find a replacement with the true qualities of a transfiguration teacher". Dumbledore was outraged. He reached for his wand and gripped it tightly but then thought of Minerva. His anger melted into misery. He did not respond to Trelawney who made her way back to her seat. He had come extremely close to blasting her. He cleared his mind of all things but the lesson we was about to teach and headed off to prepare for class.
Professor McGonagall's paws began to ache. "If only I had learned to apparate!" she thought heatedly. She had been walking since sunrise away from Hogwarts and away from Dumbledore. She had reached the muggle world and was ready to begin a new life. "Ah, maybe I'll find a nice tom cat to settle down with soon" She thought scornfully, although the thought made her laugh. Tired and hungry Minerva decided to rest for a while. She found a nice spot under a tall tree. She had never seen such a tree before but it provided shade and the ground below looked very soft. Just as Minerva was making herself comfortable a tree branch snapped and came crashing down to the ground. Minerva looked up but was not fast enough to run away. She felt helpless and all of a sudden her world went black.
