Disclaimer: We would like this to stay a splinch-free zone so please remember that the world, life and characters of Harry Potter belong solely to JKR. We are merely borrowing them to satisfy the muse that guides us.

Beware-If flames are sent our floo powder is ready.

~~A New Breath~~

Soon the rising tide covered her nose and she was forced to hold her breath. She realized that she could no longer feel her fingers and caught herself just before she laughed. Tears that had been threatening since she had been sucked through the portkey in her room would no longer be held back. As they streamed out of her eyes they didn't have far to go and she somehow felt cheated. She forced her thoughts to turn to Albus holding her close while they sat by the fire in his sitting room. She remembered the exact feel of his warm lips on her own as the blackness descended.

Albus was thrown through the air by Theres' curse and crashed into the door, which slammed open from the impact. A yell of anger and rage issued forth from the younger man as he flung himself at Albus who had been winded by the blow. Theres' fist caught Albus squarely in the face and a sickening crunch rent the air. Albus felt as if his head had been split open and he knew his nose had been broken.

Deciding on a different course of action, Albus wrestled with Theres before finally throwing him backwards, catching the man by surprise. "Accio Minerva's wand."

Theres looked shocked as her wand went flying through the air. Albus caught it and immediately cast a body-binding curse. But Theres was ready and easily dodged the spell. Albus had to hurry before Minerva drowned and he was getting frustrated as they continued to exchange spells, few of which hit their intended target.

Looking around, Albus suddenly had an idea. Pointing his wand at a nearby corner rather than his opponent, he cast a spell under his breath. The wand began to glow a familiar golden color and the chair, which was leaning against the wall, turned into a life-size, roaring lion. Theres began to panic and started to back away. With his attention diverted, Albus rendered the man unconscious with a simple swish of Minerva's wand and then turned the lion back to its' original form.

Realizing he had no time to spare, Albus blasted a hole in the floor where Minerva had been with a wave of his hand. He ran over, knelt down and saw nothing but water. A cry was ripped from his throat and he chanted an incantation, which caused the cage to shoot up in the air so that it hovered before him. The sight of Minerva's limp form and blue lips caused his heart to stop beating. He gently lowered the cage to the ground and unlocked the door with a quick flick of his wrist.

He took Minerva in his arms and felt for her heartbeat. Albus' relief was so great when he felt a slow, unsteady beat that he nearly laughed with joy. Instantly he got to work with healing charms. From his protective cloak, he removed Fawkes' tears and emptied the contents down her throat. Minerva started to choke and sputter bringing up all the water she had swallowed.

Once she was able to find her voice and focus her eyes, she was shocked to see Albus kneeling beside her with a bloody nose. As she reached up to touch his face, he inhaled sharply, indicating an intense amount of pain.

"Oh Albus! What happened to you? Your nose is bleeding…I think it's broken." As she sat up unsteadily, Albus pulled her to him and began to briefly explain that he had suffered a broken nose and some minor scratches in his fight with Theres.

"It's nothing that time won't heal, my dear. My biggest concern is getting you safely back to Hogwarts so that the medi-witch can see to your needs." Albus gently scooped her into his arms and held her close. He brought her into another portion of the house and laid her on a transfigured couch while he flooed the Ministry for auror assistance.

A short time later, Albus, with Minerva encased once again in his arms, entered the gates leading to the great castle. She was snuggled against him sleeping peacefully. He studied every detail of her beloved face. Each curve and angle was precious to him and he had nearly lost her. His thoughts were interrupted when he looked up and saw Armando, Harold and Athena rushing toward him across the snowy lawn.

In mere seconds, the trio surrounded Albus and Minerva. She had regained some of her strength and Albus gently helped her stand on her own two feet just in time to be pulled into a tight embrace by her father. Athena kissed Albus on the cheek as she muttered a 'thank you' and then turned to engulf her husband and daughter in her arms.

Before Minerva could turn her attention back to Albus, she was being ushered towards the castle and Armando was pulling Albus in the opposite direction. Albus watched Minerva cross the lawn until she had entered the school, and then directed his full attention to Headmaster Dippet. He was sure there would be many questions and he wanted to answer them quickly so he could join Minerva and her parents in the hospital wing.

"Albus, that was a job well done! Would you join me in my office? I have some questions for you and I'm sure you will want to speed things along. I know Minerva's parents will want some answers as well but I would like to hear the story first."

Armando, who had been talking rather animatedly, paused in his walking when he noticed Albus' face. "Would you like to stop by the hospital wing first? It seems that you have a few bruises of your own.

"That is not necessary. I placed a few healing charms on myself and they will hold for a bit longer." Making their way to the Headmaster's office, they soon were seated in plush chairs as Albus began to recount the events from the day.

"The kidnapper was Theres, Grindelwald's son. Apparently he has been watching me for years and when Minerva and I started dating, he saw her as a way to exact revenge for killing his father. He managed to slip a portkey into Minerva's bags while she was doing her Christmas shopping in Hogsmeade.

"I entered The Three Broomsticks as the note requested and Theres had a portkey delivered to my table by owl. When I arrived at the house, I was hit with a spell, which rendered me unconscious before I could act. I woke up in the room where Minerva was being held.

"She was imprisoned in a cage that was hardly larger than her. She was in awful shape." Albus decided to leave out the part about her flinching at his touch and the torn dress. It was Minerva's place to tell what had happened and he had no wish to divulge any more than was necessary even to such a close friend.

Armando sighed, he could see the pain etched in Albus' eyes and he knew there was nothing he could say. He couldn't imagine seeing someone he loved in such conditions. However, he needed to hear the rest of the story and urged Albus to continue after providing him with a cup of tea.

"Before we could speak, Theres returned and sent the cage which held Minerva plummeting into a well which was filling with water. The top of the hole closed with stone and we began to fight. I tried to reason with him but I believe his mind just snapped. He was in a horrible rage."

"I did have one advantage. He believed he had snapped my wand and thought I was defenseless. However, he didn't count on my being able to call to Minerva's wand, which he had simply confiscated, much to my luck. And don't worry. My wand is safe and sound in my rooms. I brought my spare wand from the war along with an enchanted cloak."

Armando remembered the cloak well and nodded his head. Albus would have made a great inventor if his passion hadn't been to teach. "I think I know the rest as I was contacted by the Ministry, letting me know that aurors had been sent to your aide. They also mentioned that Theres would be brought to Azkaban for evaluation and trial. You will probably be called upon in the next week to testify. Possibly earlier but I will update you on anything I hear. Until then, I believe there is a young lady in the hospital wing that might need you." Offering a weak smile, Albus banished the cup from his hands and made his way swiftly to the infirmary.

As he opened the door to the hospital wing, Albus could see that Minerva was being examined rather thoroughly by the medi-witch and her mother. They were attempting to assess the extent of her injuries and heal them as quickly as possible so that she could lie down and rest. A lump formed in his throat as he finally felt the impact of the last few hours. Even hurt and dirty, Minerva was the most beautiful witch he had ever seen and he knew more than ever that he wanted to shield her from future harm.

Minerva's father had been confined to a far corner of the room while the witches worked with his daughter. When he noticed Albus, Harold quietly rose from his seat, called to Athena that he would be in the hallway if needed and then ushered Albus through the doors into the corridor.

Albus swiftly conjured two chairs from thin air and the two men passed several minutes in complete silence, each lost in thoughts centered on a very special young witch. Moments of inner struggle were playing out in Albus' head as he debated on broaching a subject close to his heart. But he knew that it must be discussed and now seemed like the perfect opportunity. Clearing his throat and summoning his Gryffindor courage, he slowly began.

"I had intended to have this conversation with you later this evening but that was before Minerva was kidnapped. I am an old-fashioned man and I believe in doing things in the proper order." A bit confused, Harold's wrinkled brow spurred Albus into speeding things along.

"I love Minerva with every fiber of my being and I wish to make her happy for the rest of my life. I am seeking the blessings of you and Athena. I am asking for Minerva's hand in marriage." As Harold leaned back against the plush cushioning of the chair, his mind began to swirl. The man that had almost cost his daughter her life was now asking for her hand in marriage. Before he gave a second thought, Harold spoke from the heart of a grateful but concerned parent.

"First of all, thank you for returning Minerva to us. We could never begin to repay you for saving her life. However, as her father, I must confess to you that I have serious reservations about your relationship with her. Albus, please try to understand. We love Minerva with all of our hearts and we almost lost her today. I don't even want to think of the horrors she was subjected to as a result of her kidnapping. By her ragged appearance, it must have been a complete nightmare. The medi-witch is tending her wounds and soon she will be resting. We still do not know how hurt she really is at this point."

Albus could feel the heat in his cheeks. He knew that Harold's words were spoken out of love but there was so much more that he didn't know. Swallowing hard and choosing his words carefully, he attempted to calm the fears of an angry father.

"Believe me, Harold. I am the last person that would wish any harm upon Minerva and what is worse, I realize that I am the reason for the recent events. However, as I stated earlier, I would gladly give my life for her. I cannot offer enough apologies to you or to her for what has happened but I saw something today. Harold, I love your daughter more than anything in this world or the next and I caught a glimpse of my life without her. I, like yourself, thought I might lose her and when faced with that possibility, my future looked bleak."

Again, silence descended upon the deserted corridor and the moments slowly ticked by before Harold was composed enough to quietly speak to the man before him. "Albus, what makes you think that Minerva will want to continue a relationship with you now that she has seen a glimpse of what her future might hold? In some small way, I can't help but blame you for what has happened to my only child. It was a vendetta against you that allowed her to become a pawn in the hands of a deranged man. I want my daughter to be happy but I do not wish her a life of always looking over her shoulder for the next attack. Can you understand that?"

"Sir, I completely understand your point of view and I truly respect your opinion. But, I feel that Minerva should make those decisions. I am merely asking for permission to broach the subject with her at a more appropriate time. I love her and want to make her happy for as long as I draw breath. Is that so wrong?"

Harold had managed to control his anger thus far and he was determined to keep things that way. However, his McGonagall temper was rising fast and he felt the need to put an end to this business quickly. There were more important things to deal with at the moment. In his haste, he hoped his last remarks would squash the conversation until each man had been given a chance to think.

"Albus, I haven't seen anything to make me doubt your love for my daughter, quite the opposite in fact. But even if she was willing to spend the rest of her days under such conditions, have you even considered what she might be giving up for you? You are so much older than she. Could you possibly make her happy?" Pausing slightly to let his words seep deeply into Albus' mind, he continued.

"I cannot give you an answer at the moment. I will need to speak with Athena but you shall have your answer before we leave. Is that fair enough?" Nodding his head and agreeing that he would patiently wait, Albus decided to leave Harold and Athena alone with Minerva while he went to his own chambers to consider the things Harold had said.

Back in his own private living quarters, Albus was able to breathe a sigh of relief, coupled with apprehension. He knew that Harold McGonagall could be a stern man and he considered himself lucky to have escaped with such a light verbal attack. In fact, Albus had expected much worse from her father but now that everything was out in the open, all he could do was sit and wait.

What he really wanted to do was make his way to Minerva's side and stay there until she awoke. However, he knew that her parents needed some time alone with their child and he had given them a lot to discuss. And he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer to a question that had been haunting him since he first saw her in the cage. She flinched at my touch. What in the name of Merlin did he do to her?

Albus spent the next two hours muttering to himself and Fawkes as he paced his office. He knew he loved Minerva beyond all measure but her father's words kept ringing in his ears. Albus, what makes you think that Minerva will want to continue a relationship with you now that she has seen a glimpse of what her future might hold? All he had wanted, since he first realized she was his entire world, was to make her feel happy, safe, and loved. Now, in less than two days he had seen that, in some ways, he might make her happy and loved but definitely not safe. Sighing, he knew what he must do and he slowly made his way to pay her a visit in the hospital wing.

To Be Continued…

A/N:  We LOVE reviews and are so happy with all of you who continue to take the time to tell us what you think. You never know when something you say will spark us on to greater writing. So, as always, Thank You!!!

We had someone ask, how long will Worthy Undertakings be? So far it is around 20 chapters. We are finished with the basic story line but are always editing so you never can tell :-) We do have a planned ending that involves a very important event…and that is all we will say for the time being. We hope you will stick with us and that you enjoy reading all our future updates.

Jestana:  Ebil…yes we were bery ebil…but we hope this chapter made up for that! Now, you just have to figure out what Albus has decided to do….ahhh…the suspense.

Evilwoman: We agreed with you. Minerva didn't deserve to drown and we're glad that you like our story. Keep reading, though. There's more in store for our happy (?) couple!

Kemenran: Hope that answered a little bit of your question…but NOW what happens??? There's more in store for our couple, so please keep reading and reviewing.

Palanfanaiel: Yay! Pal and Smeagol are still kicking!! But what about Voldie and Gollum? Go Gollum! Lookie Gollum…we found another chappie just for you…fresh and shiny…a new precioussss…plus several more in the works! Hope the hiding is going well and that you'll be able to read and review our next chapter too. And how's the school project going?

Liz O'Brien: It's not a fluffy chapter but at least Minerva has survived because of her Knight in Shining Armour, or should we say…magical robe?? Thanks for reviewing and hope you'll enjoy our future chappies.

Punurple: You're so smart! Yep, we couldn't have Albus lose Minerva at the hand of Theres now could we? That would just be wrong! But what does Albus have to say to her and how will it affect their relationship? Ahh, another minor cliffie…

LinZe: Thanks for the compliment and for reviewing. We hope you will continue to follow our story to the conclusion.

Petriebird18: We hope we didn't keep you waiting too long. And yes, we're almost finished with the next chapter so another update should be posted soon.

Chicken13: We couldn't have a great reviewer go and die on us so we hope this chapter prevented that! Now, be on the lookout for our next update…in a day or three. ^_^

PrincessWitch: 1)We did as you requested…no drowning for MM.  2)How about we stick with 'small' cliffies that we promise to resolve quickly?  3)Cute and fluffy might be right around the corner, but we're not telling. And we're looking at approximately 20 chapters. We hope you'll stick with us to the end. Please!

Minni: Chocolate chip or peanut butter cookies please! Here is the next installment and we hope we didn't disappoint you and that you still have your sanity. A least we didn't make you wait too long for it.