Minerva sat back with a deep sigh. She looked beside her and all of a sudden she saw a box of chocolates lying next to her. She picked up the piece op parchment that lay on top and read it.
'For during the journey
Love, Albus'
Then she allowed the tears to fall from her eyes.
It seemed to take forever before she reached London. Someone of the Project was supposed to pick her up, but Minerva waited for over half an hour on the station and saw no-one. All she kept thinking was 'I can go back, I can still go back…'
"Minerva McGonagall?" the voice of a woman asked behind her. Minerva turned around and saw a woman standing behind her. She had a pretty, kind face.
"That's me", she answered. The woman shook her hand.
'Sorry to have kept you waiting", she said, "but I was a bit delayed".
'Don't worry about it", Minerva replied reassuringly.
Suddenly the woman jumped. "Oh, I'm sorry. I totally forgot to introduce myself. I'm Sheila Fitzgerald".
Minerva looked at her in surprise. "You are Shaun's wife?"
Sheila nodded. "But at the moment it seems like he is married to his work than to me", she said with a wink. She pulled a watch out of the pocket of her robes. "The other carriage will arrive in a few minutes. If everything goes as planned, we will arrive in Finland in two hours".
And two hours later indeed Minerva stepped out of the carriage. "Oh, it's cold here", she said shivering.
Sheilla nodded. "That's why I told you to bring an extra cloak. We'll get you're trunks later. Let's go inside first".
Minerva looked at the immense Manor in front of her. 'Well, here I am', she thought wearily. She followed Sheila through the gate, feeling more tired with every step she took.
***
Albus Dumbledore stared out of the window of his Office. He spent the best part of the day thinking and worrying. He felt miserable. And lonely. He planned on writing her a letter as soon as she had left, but he couldn't find the words. 'I will have to wait four whole months before I see her again', he thought sadly. 'And then it will only be for two weeks. After that she will leave again'.
He looked up when someone nodded on the door. After he called enter, Jane entered the room. "What can I do for you, Jane?" he asked.
"Nothing…" Jane answered a bit insecure, "I just wanted to know… how you… how you where doing"
"I appreciate the gesture, but I can assure you that I am fine", Albus replied, trying to hide his true feelings. "We will see her again in four months and in the mean time we will have our work at Hogwarts".
'Did you already find a replacement teacher for Transfiguration?" Jane asked.
"Not yet", Albus answered, rubbing his temples. "I have placed an advertisement in 'The Daily Prophet but I have only received answers from nutcases. SO no, I have not been able to find a worthy replacement yet".
"Did you tell Minerva about this?" Jane asked curiously.
"Of course not", Albus muttered, "Do you honestly think she would have left if I had told her?" Cursing himself now for not telling her, he added, "If I can't find a proper replacement, I will teach Transfiguration myself".
***
Minerva looked around the enormous laboratory. Desks, cauldrons, potions and ingredients were all over the place. Next to her was Sheila, talking excitedly about the Project. It took Minerva a lot of effort to listen.
"Right", Sheila continued, "I will show you the dinning room now. You can meet everyone there. And then I will show you your rooms. Every member of the Project lives here. It's a lot of fun, you'll never feel lonely'.
'Great!' Minerva muttered under her breath.
There are about ten people present in the dinning room. Minerva recognised Shaun at once. He walked up to her and shook her hand enthusiastically. "Minerva, it's been such a long time!" he exclaimed. "I'm so glad you are here".
Minerva nodded and tried to smile. She looked around the room and saw several stuffed animal heads hanging on the wall. 'I want to leave', she thought desperately again.
Shaun introduced her to the other members of the Project. The last person she met was Charles Winwood. Having read a few of his articles, Minerva knew he was an expert on Medical Potions.
"Well", Charles began when they were having dinner, "and where do you come from?'
Annoyed by his patronising tone of voice, Minerva replied coldly, "Hogwarts, I was Transfiguration teacher there". His eyes narrowed while he watched her.
"Hogwarts?" he asked slowly, "Albus Dumbledore is currently headmaster, am I right?"
Minerva nodded proudly.
"I went to Hogwarts myself", Charles told her, taking a sip of his wine, "but I heard the standards have dropped increasingly since Dumbledore is headmaster".
Minerva felt the anger rise inside her and she fought to keep her temper. "That preposterous" she said angrily, chopping her meat. 'I don't know who told you that but let me assure you, I've worked with Albus Dumbledore for years and he is the best thing that ever happened to Hogwarts".
She felt the heat rise to her cheeks and caught Sheila's eye. Sheila winked at her. Minerva felt glad when dinner was over and she could retire to her room.
"Don't let Charles Winwood get to you" Sheila reassured her when they walked upstairs. "Charles criticises everything. He drives us all crazy'".
She opened one of the doors. "This will be your room", she pointed at the doors. "On your left is your bedroom and on your right is your bathroom. You're trunks have already been brought up".
"Thank you" Minerva smiled.
"You're welcome", Sheila replied, "I will leave you alone now. You must be very tired. Good night".
After Sheila had left Minerva pointed her wand at the fireplace and lights the fire. Then she sat down on the comfortable armchair. Staring into the flames she felt the tears rise again. Never in her life had she felt so lonely.
She remembered her leaving that morning. She thought of what happened before breakfast. Finally the reality began to sink in. Albus had kissed her. A very light kiss, but still… he had kissed her.
Suddenly the fire began to roar. Minerva looked up and then she saw Jane's head appear in the flames. Her heart bolted up in joy.
"Jane!" she exclaimed. She almost hugged her, but then she remembered that was impossible.
"How you're holding up?" Jane asked grinning. "Are they treating you nice? If not, I will come personally to get you back!"
Minerva laughed. "Everything is fine here. It's still strange of course. I think it will take some time for me to adjust".
Then she told Jane about the journey, the manor, the laboratory, Shaun and Sheila and eventually about Charles Winwood and what he had said about Albus during dinner.
"I can't believe it", Jane growled, just as angry, "he has no idea what he talking about. Good thing you snapped at him".
They continued talking for an hour and Minerva almost told her about Albus kissing her, but then she decided against it. 'I will tell her some other time', she promised herself.