Disclaimer: These characters are the property of J.K. Rowling except for one or two that I've made up myself… ~~~
In Potions that day, Severus Snape seemed colder than usual. He glared at practically everyone all period, even Minerva.
"… ingredients include powdered worm root, wolfsbane, vinblastine—Severus! Are you writing any of this down? Honestly! This is worth a huge part of our grade… what's gotten into you today? We were working fine last night…."
Severus shrugged and said nothing.
"Fine then! Give me the book, I'll do it myself, but don't think you're going to get any credit for my work."
Severus handed Minerva her potions book. As she took it, she noted that another slip of parchment fell out. It was another love letter:
Dear Minerva: You can't imagine the pain I go through daily when you're not by my side. I long for the day when I can draw up the courage to profess my undying love for you in person. Until then, I remain
Your Secret Admirer.
P.S. Werewolves are dangerous Minerva… very dangerous. You would be wise to stay away.
"Te nerve!"
Minerva crumpled the letter up and threw it in her bag. This made Severus react.
"What was that? A homework assignment with a nine out of ten?"
"For your information, no, smart aleck… it's a letter from someone telling me to—hey, that's none of your business! Are you going to get serious or not?"
"I'm as serious as a heart attack".
And he was as serious as a heart attack… but not just about the project.~~~
In the Slytherin Common Room that evening, Tom approached the lonely Snape who was doing Astronomy homework.
"Hey… you. Snape".
Severus continued to work.
"Snape! I'm talking to you!"
"I'm rather busy at the moment, if you don't mind".
"Actually, I do… but don't worry, I won't take up too much of your precious time. I'm just going to warn you: keep your greasy little hands off my girlfriend".
Severus looked up.
"Pardon?"
"You heard me, Snape! Stay away from McGonagall, you hear me, she's mine!"
"Minerva McGonagall wouldn't ever go out with you, Riddle, and you know it. She'd rather drop off the face of the earth. Besides… she's not your girlfriend, she's Lupin's girlfriend."
"What are you babbling about?"
"Minerva is Lupin's girlfriend, Riddle, not yours. I saw them kissing and holding hands in the corridor last night."
"If I find out that you're lying to me I'll-"
"Go and find out for yourself, Riddle. Leave me alone".
"I don't like your attitude, Snape".
"And I don't like yours, Riddle."
"You'd best stay out of my way."
"Or what?"
"Or else."
"Or else what? You're nothing but a coward. It's your sort that gives Slytherins a bad name".
With that, Snape got up and left the common room, leaving Tom Riddle alone to ponder what he had said. Could it be true about Minerva and Lupin? It couldn't be. Snape had to be lying. Minerva would never go to Lupin…. would she???
He decided to do as Snape had said and go find out for himself.~~~
That night, Minerva couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned until she finally decided to go roam the castle in her animal form. She changed under the covers and left her room. She was out in the hallway when she decided to go play a prank on Remus, who had not yet seen her in her Animagus form. She was just about to go back into the Gryffindor common room when she was picked up by someone.
"Good kitty…"
It was Tom's voice…. But what was he doing by the Gryffindor common room at this hour?
"Good kitty", he repeated.
"You'll help me, won't you kitty… keep an eye out for that naughty girl…"
What was he talking about?
Tom walked up to the portrait of the Fat Lady and mumbled a password.
Minerva meowed loudly. How did Tom know their Gryffindor password?
"You're wondering how I knew that, right cat? Easy. I have connections".
They went inside and Tom continued his search. He went up to the girl's dorm.
"Where is she… that naughty girl has to pay…."
He looked around but didn't find the object of his obsession. They left the common room and he headed towards the corridor with the mirror. All of a sudden, Tom dropped Minerva.
"This is where you get off, kitty. If you're looking for some nice mice, I suggest you try the dungeons".
He turned his back to her and magically unlocked the mirror. Minerva quickly darted in after him and his in a dark corner. The noted that there were two other Slytherins in the room. She recognized one of them as Lucius Malfoy but had no idea who the other one was.
"Did you find her?" asked Lucius.
"Find who", asked the fat Slytherin.
'McGonagall, you imbecile!", said Lucius.
"No", answered Tom, "She wasn't in the girl's dorm… such a shame too."
"We can wait until tomorrow, Tom", said Lucius. "Just think of how good it'll be if you wait another twenty-four hours."
"Are you going to drug her like you did the last time", asked the fat Slytherin.
"No, I can't. I was only able to drug her because it was the night of the feast."
"What was it that you gave her? Polyjuice?"
"No, you moron! I took the Polyjuice to take the form of that stupid werewolf!".
"Oh."
"Honestly! You're so stupid! I don't know why we keep you around. In any case, I… dammit! I know why I didn't find her in the girl's dorm."
"Why?"
"Because she's Head Girl… and the Head Girl has her own bedroom… we'll meet here again tomorrow, same place, and tomorrow I'll have our treat. Now everybody out".
Minerva watched from her dark corner as all three Slytherins left. She wanted to do nothing but cry, and had she been in her human form, she would have. Then nit hit her: had she been in her human form, Tom Riddle would have violated her again, and not just by himself this time. Being an Animagus had saved her.
She waited five minutes after the Slytherins had gone before leaving herself. She wanted to talk to Remus. She concentrated on Remus and thought of a technique that Professor Dubois had taught them to send someone a message in their sleep. She concentrated on that all the way back to the common room.
The doorway was still open, the Fat Lady asleep, so she went back in and transformed back into her human form. As soon as she did, she felt faint and collapsed onto the floor. At almost the same time, Remus came down the stairs, haven been woken by Minerva in his sleep.
"Minerva!"
He went over to her and picked her up. He lay her down on the couch and spent the next five minutes casting spell after spell to try to revive her. She finally came to.
"Remus, I've just seen… I just heard…he-"
"Hey, calm down, calm down… take it easy Min, you don't want to faint again…". He took her hand in his. It was ice cold.
"I was out taking a stroll because I couldn't sleep and one thing led to another and I… is to say… Tom Riddle and Lucius Malfoy and some other creep were talking… you were right about the Polyjuice and… he was looking for me but he didn't find me and her went back and he said he's going to look for me tomorrow and do it again and--"
She burst into tears once more as Remus gathered her up in his arms. He gently stroked her back and ran his fingers through her hair.
"Minerva…"
He didn't know what to say. He then remembered the key that he had found that morning- Tom Riddle's key.
"Wait a sec, Minerva, did he see you?"
"No… is to say, yes, but he didn't know it was me".
"Explain that little bit to me…"
Minerva sighed.
"Remus, I really should tell you this, let alone show you, considering that Professor Dumbledore hasn't yet trained me to do this and I learned it behind his back on my own… so you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone… at least, not until Professor Dumbledore shows me how to do this…"
She freed herself from Remus's embrace and transfigured herself into a tabby.
"Woah! You learned to do that own your own?!"
Minerva changed back with the usual 'pop'.
"Yes… I did… and not only am I doing this behind Professor Dumbledore's back and breaking school rules, but it's illegal for an Animagus not to be registered with the Ministry…"
"Your secret is safe with me… are you going to go to Dumbledore about this? Wait… going to Dippet would be better…"
"And say what, Remus? "Umm, Professor Dumbledore, I'm an unregistered Animagus and I was spying on Tom Riddle after hours?" No… I can't Remus. What's done is done...."
"Minerva, you have to tell Dumbledore!"
"I can't do that…. not now anyway. I don't think I'd ever be able to look him in the eye ever again."
With that, Minerva rested her head upon Remus's shoulder. Remus summoned a blanket and wrapped it around her. Within minutes, they were both asleep, snuggled up on the couch of the Gryffindor common room.