Disclaimer: Not mine. AN: This is AU from my fics Dolores Umbridge- Minerva's Thoughts, In the Eye of the Beholder, Convictions, and The Beginning of the End. Okay, lemme clarify a few things... Hem, hem.

In the Eye of the Beholder and the Beginning of the End are the big fics. Convictions is also in that universe. Minerva's thoughts is AU from that, as is this.

I'm thinking this is going to be a short chapter story... Tell me what thou dost think. ^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

"Great," she said sarcastically. "Just what we need. Another Black. I mean to say; Bellatrix and Narcissa simply weren't enough- now we have young..." she consulted the list of names. "Andromeda. And Sirius. Things just keep getting better and better..." Thirty-six-year-old Minerva McGonagall groaned.

"You know, Minerva, it might not be as bad as you would think," said Fillius Flitwick from his winged armchair across the staff room.

She turned to look at him; wispy white hair, feet dangling a foot from the ground... She smiled at the sight and turned back to the list. "Interesting student body, don't you suppose, Fillius?"

"What do you mean, Minerva?"

She sighed. "Children of Order members, children of Night Fiends... All together. Lucius Malfoy and Frank Longbottom, for one. James Potter, I see. Arnold Weasley, Severus Snape... A very interesting student body, indeed. And with Dolores Umbridge still here..." she gave a shudder. "One can hardly think that it'll be a good year."

"You know," said a voice from across the room. "I wonder why you seem to hate her so much." Cornelia Longbottom stepped out of the shadows and sat across the small table from Minerva. "Frank doesn't even mind being around the Malfoy boy, after all, and he knows who his father is."

"Good for Frank," Minerva said curtly. "But I have my reasons for detesting the child."

"She is hardly a child."

"All the more reason for me to hold her in abhorrence." She again turned to the list. "Oh. I see that we have a Lovegood..."

Fillius snickered and both Cornelia and Minerva gave him their carefully honed water-to-ice glares. Cornelia turned to Minerva. "Well. I suppose that you should go on and send"- she stopped at the look on Minerva's face. "What?"

Minerva's brow furrowed. Then- "Oh. I forgot."

"Forgot what?" Fillius squeaked.

Cornelia snorted. "She forgot which one of us is the Deputy head," she chuckled. "Cute, Min, very cute..." She continued to laugh.

"Oh, shut up. I mean it. Ah. Silencio."

Cornelia glared at her and Minerva left the room to send the letters to the first years.

"It's going to be an interesting year, Connie."

Unable to speak, the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher simply slapped him full in the face, sending his chair flying. "Note to self," he muttered. "Never, ever call her Connie."