Chapter 3:

The One Were Minerva Lives in a Bag

It took  Minerva some time to figure out where she was when she woke up the next morning. It seemed that Ginny had already left and she had left the curtains of the four  poster bed closed. Minerva yawned and remained curled up on the bed for a few minutes.

She had woke up in the middle of the night, because Ginny had kicked her of the bed by accident. Ginny had spend the best part of the night tossing and turning in her sleep. Soon Minerva had realised that she must be having a nightmare. "Please don't kill me!", Ginny had muttered at one point.

'Poor girl', Minerva thought, 'she's still not over what happened to her last year. She looked up startled when the curtains were pulled open. Ginny looked fondly at her and slumped down next to her on the bed. 'Did you sleep well?' she asked softly, placing a piece meat of in front of her.

Minerva who felt really hungry began to eat. When she had finished her breakfast Ginny said: "I don't feel comfortable leaving you here all day by yourself. She started to put books in her schoolbag. "Today we have Dumbledore for Transfiguration, because Professor McGonagall is away. Fred and George had a class from him yesterday and they said he was really wicked.

You know, rumours say that McGonagall is away because she is getting married in secret". Ginny grinned and Minerva meowed in surprise. "Really", Ginny said. "It would be nice for her though. When I came to Hogwarts last year I thought she and Professor Dumbledore made a very cute couple. But when I told Percy, he put me in detention. Idiot!"

Minerva's head was spinning. Did Ginny really just say that she thought she and Albus would look cute together?  "I'll make it forty points", Minerva decided.

"Come", Ginny said, holding out the bag, "Jump in my bag and you can come with me. Most teachers here a so stupid, they won't notice you're there". Minerva jumped in the bag, hoping Ginny wouldn't close it.

"First we have Potions, from Snape", Ginny told, "You'll have to keep quiet. If Snape finds out I have a cat in my bag, he's going to freak". Ginny walked to the dungeons and Minerva began to feel slightly naucence.

When they arrived at the dungeons, Minerva felt very sick. She was very glad when Ginny placed the bag under the table. She looked around the classroom. Unfortunately, the only thing she could see were shoes and socks.

She looked at her paw. It hurt when she woke up this morning and it still did now. There was a green spot too, which she couldn't wash off.

After class, Ginny walked to the girls' bathroom. She opened the bag and Minerva jumped out. "Next class is from Dumbledore", Ginny told her, while pulling a heavy book from her bag. "I haven't finished my essay yet. I hope he won't get mad at me, but every Transfiguration book from the Library was lend out. I borrowed this copy from Luna this morning, it's from the Library too, but Luna had already finished her essay'.

Minerva noticed that Ginny began to look more and more agitated. "We only have fifteen minutes, I hope I can finish it".

She sat down against the wall and started to skim through the book. "I only have to find three ways to transfigure a cow back into a carpet".


Minerva sat down beside her and looked in the book. 'She helped me out yesterday', she thought, 'so let's return the favour'. When Ginny reached page 486 she placed her paw on the book.

Ginny looked at her in surprise. "Don't ruin my book, Birdie", she laughed, "it belongs to the Library". But Minerva meowed and tapped the page.

Ginny looked down and shrieked in joy. "Oh Birdie, here it is!" She lifted Minerva in her hands and hugged her so tightly Minerva felt she might choke. "You're the best", Ginny told her and started to scribble down the answers on the parchment.

"Now I don't have to worry that Dumbledore will kick me out, because I haven't finished my homework", she said happily, "Come on Birdie, we have to go to class". Minerva smiled and jumped into the bag. She looked very much forward to the next class.

Luckily for Minerva, Ginny sat down on the front seats, next to Luna Lovegood. Ginny placed her bag on the table and turned to Luna. "I'm wonder what Dumbledore will teach".

"Yes, me too", Luna replied.

Minerva peered around the classroom, until she saw Albus enter with a smile on his face and twinkling eyes. 'He loves to teach', she thought.

Of course she didn't know that Albus laid awake for the best part of the night worrying about her. But he did like to teach again. He stood behind Minerva's desk and looked around the class.

"Good morning everyone", he said good natured, "I'm very honoured to teach you Transfigu¼

He stopped mid- sentence and the class looked at each other in wonder. Albus looked at Ginny's bag, knowing for sure he saw a pair of cat's eyes. 'She's in that bag', he thought, 'how did she get there?'

 'Oh no', Ginny thought worried, 'he saw Birdie'. Carefully she lifted the bag to place it on the floor, but Dumbledore said, "Miss Weasley, why don't you leave your bag on the table?" Turning scarlet, Ginny complied.

"Well, were was I¼" Albus continued, "Transfiguration".

Minerva tried very hard not to laugh. 'He'll wonder what I do here', she thought. Then she felt a pang of guilt. 'I've been with Ginny for one and a half day and no one of the teachers knows about it. They must be worried'.

Five minutes before the bell was due, Albus walked past the tables to collect the essays. Carefully Ginny pulled out hers, quickly scratching Minerva behind her ears. Luna was busy talking to the girls behind her and didn't notice anything. "Don't worry, class is over soon", she whispered to Minerva.

Then she almost jumped out of her skin as she heard Dumbledore's voice behind her. "May I have your essay, Miss Weasley?" Minerva saw his eyes twinkling and realised he must know that she was in the bag.

"Yes Professor", Ginny squeaked, turning beet red. She handed Dumbledore her essay. She blushed even more when he answered softly, "That's a nice cat there, in your bag".

 "Oh no!" Ginny howled, as soon as they were bag in the girls' bathroom. Minerva jumped out of the bag and rubbed her head against her leg. "He know you where there, Birdie", Ginny said miserably, while sliding down against the wall. "Maybe he will expel me! What should I do then? My parents will be so angry".

Minerva jumped on her lap and meowed. 'Don't worry, Ginny, he won't expel you'.


"Let's go to the Great Hall", Ginny said eventually, standing up again. She held out the bag. "Will you come with me, or would you rather stay here?" Quickly Minerva jumped in the bag. 'everything is better then being locked up'. Ginny grinned. "You're the best pet ever".

Meanwhile, Albus told the other teachers what happend during Transfiguration. They are all gathered at the Staff Table, waiting for Ginny Weasley to enter the Great Hall. Albus grinned as soon as he saw her entering. She was carrying the bag with great care. Carefully she placed the bag on the end of the Gryfindor table.

Jane, who was sitting next to him tried to hold back her laughter. 'Crazy woman', she thought, 'what on earth possessed you to let Ginny drag you around the castle in a bag?'

Albus noticed that Ginny secretly put food in the bag, when she thought no one was looking. "She's in good hands", Jane whispered to him and they both laughed.

After lunch, Ginny brought  Minerva to the Gryfindor Girls' dormitory. "I think it would be better if you stayed here, Birdie", she said, "before I really get into trouble".  Minerva nodded and meowed. 'You're right'.

Then she felt the burning feeling again and lifted her front paw. She eyed the green spot closely.

"Oh!", Ginny exclaimed, examining the spot too. "Where did you get that? Forget about next class, it can wait. I'll take you to Madame Pomfrey".

***

Will Ginny find out who 'Birdie' is? Will Albus ever stop worrying? Will they find out what the green spot is about? Will Michael Gambon's beard ever turn white? Read the next chapter!