"Freedom, yes," Albus seriously interrupted his Deputy. "But they do not need their beloved Transfigurations teacher to die. I will not have you sacrificing your life for… for probably just nothing."

Minerva looked sternly at her husband and sat up straight.

"I believe," she then answered, in what was her "official" tone. "that that matter is not yours to decide. But-" she quickly added as her husband opened his mouth again. "I can assure you, Albus, that I don't plan on running out of the castle and throw myself at the Dark Lord."

Albus grinned.

"Then it is okay, my dear."

Minerva nodded and cleared her throat as she stood up.

"Yes it is. By the way- I think I must be going, I have lessons to prepare."

Albus raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Lessons, Minerva? You do know, don't we, that…"

"Yes," his wife hastily interrupted him. "yes, I know that classes have been cancelled for the duration of the siege. But you know, Albus, it is not good for our students to have so much spare time. So I have decided to… well, keep on teaching, just for those who want to come. And actually, my idea proved to not be that wrong. There are really quite a few students who don't just want to sit around all day. I don't only teach them some more Transfigurations, of course- I thought some more Defense against the Dark Arts would come in… quite handy."

"You're the Queen of Understatements, my dear." Albus commented dryly. "And yes, I think it's a good idea as well. But what about Remus?"

Minerva softly coughed.

"It is full moon, Albus."

"Oh."

"But,"

Minerva resolutely grabbed her dark green cloak.

"I really must be going now, Albus."

Albus smiled and stood up as he offered her his arm.

"I'll walk you to your rooms, my dear, if you don't care. I have had enough sad thoughts for today…"

"Good."

As Minerva gracefully clung to his arm, the couple started walking through the corridors of what seemed to be a very deserted Hogwarts. They both knew t it wasn't. The students all were in their Common Rooms, seeking in each other for the confidence they themselves did not feel.

As the Headmaster and his Deputy reached the dark, ebony door that lead to Minerva's room, a small, stone gargoyle -which looked slightly like a cat, actually- shrieked

"Password?"

"Odi et amo." Minerva responded quickly, as the door swung open.

"Are you coming in, Albus?" she then smiled with an inviting gesture.

As her husband entered the beautifully decorated rooms, he teasingly raised his eyebrows.

"I did not know your knowledge of Latin, Minerva?"

As Minerva fell down on her comfortable chair, dropping her cloak carelessly on her desk, she snorted.

"Albus, you know very well I know Latin."

Albus had the grace to blush and sat down next to her.

"Okay. Okay, I indeed did know that. But why "odi et amo"?"

Minerva sighed.

"It comes, as you know, from a poem of a Roman poet called Catullus. It means "I hate and I love", and that is… that's a quite appropriate sentence for the situation I am in at the moment."

Albus smiled but frowned playfully.

"And who is that very lucky person whom you love?"

Minerva sighed and raised her hands.

"My god, you are probably the wisest wizard of this time, but sometimes you're just an idiot Albus. You just want me to actually "say" it, don't you? Okay then- it's you whom I love. Yes, Albus, I love you, adore you, am utterly and completely mad about you. Are you satisfied now?"

Albus grinned.

"I quite am, thank you."

"But you still are an idiot." Minerva muttered mockingly as her husband chuckled.

"And the one you hate- is Lord Voldemort, I suppose?" he then added in a way more serious tone.

Minerva didn't say a word, but stared piercingly into Albus's bright blue eyes, as she slowly and in a somewhat strange tone muttered

"It is not that easy, Albus. Love and hate. You and Voldemort. There is more in that one little sentence- and you know what I am talking about. I hate and I love, Albus…"

Albus nodded curtly, but carefully laid an arm around her shoulders.

"I know, Minerva."

"I know you know. But sometimes-" she then said heartily. "I think it really would be better to just go outside and face him. To fight, to battle, to…"

"Don't. We need you too much, Minerva. We…"

Minerva opened her mouth to respond rather sharply; but a soft knock on the door interrupted her, and she stood up.

"We'll speak of this later."

Meeting her frightening gaze, Albus couldn't help it- he softly chuckled. Luckily, Minerva had already turned towards the door and slowly opened it.

At first sight she saw nobody, but when she heard a soft sob, she looked down and saw a very small, auburn-haired girl standing before her. It was one of her first year Gryffindors, and the child was crying.

"Miss Moonseed?" she said briskly, but her tone slightly softened as she noticed the state the girl was in. She invitingly opened the door a bit more.

"Come in."

Slightly hesitatingly, Rosalena Moonseed entered her teacher's rooms.

Once she'd closed the door behind the girl, Minerva asked quite curtly

"Now tell me, Miss Moonseed, what is wrong?"

Staring at her feet, the child stammered

"Professor, Robin said- he said, he said we were all going to die and when I started… when I started… when I…"

"Yes?" Minerva asked somewhat impatiently.

"When I told him I was… frightened, he said…. he said I wasn't… I wasn't a Gryffindor…"

With this, the inevitable fit of weeping came, and as girl hid her face in her hands, Minerva looked at Albus, clearly asking for help. As he shrugged her shoulders, she sent him an angry glare. Albus could hear her softly hiss "Men!" as she sat down on her chair again and pulled the crying girl on her lap.

Softly- and slightly uncomfortably- Minerva softly patting the girl's back.

"Come on now… now, now, Miss Moonseed, don't cry… Rosalena… come on…"

But the girl kept crying and crying- and Minerva perfectly understood why she cried. In fact, she felt she could cry herself as well. But she didn't. Stern old McGonagall did not cry. But stern old McGonagall was right now having a crying child on her lap. Which she'd not done often before as well… Yes, she was- or better, had been- the oldest of three children, but since she had been at Hogwarts during most of Malcolm and Maia's early childhood, she really hadn't much experience with kids. Except with… But that was another story…

"Come on…" she soothed the child as the girl hid her wet face in Minerva's robes. "Mr. Coral doesn't know what he's talking about. Do you hear me, my dear? Robin Coral doesn't know what he is talking about. We are all frightened and that is bloody normal!"

With a last soft sob, Rosalena lifted her head towards her teacher's.

"You as well, P-Professor?"

"Yes, Rosalena, I as well. And you are as well a Gryffindor as… as every Gryffindor is! Bravery is good, but we have to acknowledge there are things one has to be frightened of."

Oh my god, look who's talking now, Minerva secretly thought. I, Miss I-am-never-frightened, am actually telling this child…

But she did realize how confused this little one had to feel. Minerva knew Rosalena Moonseed was muggle-born, and how very disturbing this whole situation was- she felt it probably was way worse for muggle-borns, children of barely eleven years old, like this one. Who had never heard of Voldemort Death-Eaters before they received the Letter from Hogwarts. Who…

As the girl had stopped sobbing, Minerva slowly released her and smiled comfortingly as she laid a hand on Rosalena's shoulder.

"Are you sure you're alright now?"

The girl nodded and shyly smiled.

"Yes…"

"Shall I then walk you to your Common Room?"

The girl quickly shook her head.

"No… no, Professor, I can do that myself… I am sorry I was so…"

"Don't be. It's okay."

As Minerva opened the door and Rosalena stepped out of the room, she smiled again.

"And thank you, Professor. Bye, Professor McGonagall. Bye, Professor Dumbledore."

"Bye, Miss Moonseed." the two teachers said in unison, as Minerva closed the door again, wiping the imaginary sweat of her forehead.

She then sat down again and looked sternly at her husband.

"Well, thank for helping me out, Albus!" she said sarcastically.

Albus grinned.

"Again your razor sharp sarcasm, my dear. But seriously- I think you could perfectly manage this on your own."

"Yes…"

"They need you, Min. She needs you- they all need you."

"Yes…"