Disclaimer: Same old, same old.
A/N: Thanks to all of the people who reviewed chapter one of my story. May the knob on your door never fall. ::bows head in respect:: DOUBLE DIGITS! Yay! This story has ten reviews; most I've ever had. Sorry this took so long, hopefully you enjoy it and leave your mark upon the review board. I've got some new stories that should be up and running in the next week. I'm going to see how I do on Action/Adventure fics, ::hem, hem:: bit of self promotion (CatWoman a Grindlewald era fic should have it's first chapter up in the next week maybe two.) NOW, without further ado, Chapter Two of A TALE OF TWO PEOPLE. . . . .
Flashback
"Congratulations, Miss McGonagall. It would seem as though you are now able the transformation."
"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore. . .for everything," answered the ebony haired seventh year.
"But my pleasure to teach such a wonderful young woman."
Minerva blushed a scarlet to make her house proud. He fought the overwhelming desire to move closer to her. . .to feel her hot breath on his face. Alas, it was too late.
He closed the distance between them with his lips. 'Her lips are superbly luscious,' he couldn't help thinking to himself.
He expected her to pull back straight away, but instead, he felt her deepen the kiss.
When they finally broke away from the kiss for a much needed breath, he muttered the most important words a person could hear: "I love you."
Her face instantaneously welled with tears. "I love you," she said audaciously.
Albus let a chuckle escape from his lips. "Then why are you crying?"
"You never were one to ask logical questions," she snorted.
"I guess not," he answered before kissing her fervently.
She quickly deepened the kiss, then pushed him onto his desk. Not allowing her to have total control, he eased her school robes over her shoulders and discarded them to the ground below. Flummoxed at his speed, she quickly disposed of his outer robes and shirt. Impatience clear on her face, she flicked her wand to leave the two of them completely. . .
End Flashback
'Don't you think on it,' thought a serene Albus Dumbledore. 'I do wish she'll take the position. . . I still love you, you know. . .'
"Mum! Mum, come on! Wake up!" shouted a fully-clothed Melissa McGonagall.
"Okay," answered a still abed Minerva McGonagall. "Go eat breakfast, and I'll be down in just a bit."
Melissa excitedly ran downstairs to the kitchen. Minerva sighed and changed into her flared jeans and low-waist teal halter dress. She slipped on her stilettos and walked down toward the kitchen.
"Finally!" exclaimed Melissa.
"Let me eat," teased Minerva.
"No one's stopping you," said Melissa with twinkling green eyes.
"Yes, I know that," said Minerva wistfully. She grabbed her pre-made bowl of cereal that her daughter made the night before.
"You do realize that this cereal is in all likelihood sodden?" asked Minerva, eyeing a spoonful of it.
"Aunt Poppy put a charm on it last night when I asked her to."
"All the better, then," she said sardonically.
[()] [()] [()] [()] [()]
"Firs' years over here!" exclaimed a booming voice.
"See you, Mum-er, er-Professor McGonagall."
"Miss McGonagall," Minerva tipped her head and made her way toward a horseless carriage.
'Empty,' she thought. 'Thank you.'
The carriage lifted off the ground and presented a breathtaking view of the quidditch pitch.
It was over almost as soon as it began; she soon was stationed on the ground in front of the oak front doors. She climbed out of the carriage with her mini messenger purse and fought her way through the horde of students. She got to the doors that adjoined to the Great Hall and started to enter when it hit her that she hadn't changed into her robes. . .
'Too late now,' she thought to herself. She walked into the Hall and up to the staff table where Poppy had secured her a seat.
"You look-" started Poppy.
"I know," said Minerva as she sat down. "I forgot to change into my robes."
Poppy disguised a giggle as a cough.
"I hope no one else notices," stated Minerva as she frantically looked through the Hall.
"Excited?" asked Poppy.
"A bit-Yes. Who are all of the professors?"
"That's Hagrid's seat down there; Xiomara, flying instructor-"
"Really? Xiomara's here?"
"Yep. Then there's Filius Flitwick, he teaches Charms; Professor Binns still teaches History of Magic, ghost Binns, anyway; Pomona teaching Herbology-"
"Pomona? I haven't heard from Pomona for. . .EVER!" exclaimed Minerva. "Pomona the Teacher. . .hmm?" she laughed.
"I know! Then, Albus; Victor Tyrann, Potions, Deputy Headmaster; Serena teaches Astronomy-Oh, Guinn, hello. What a pleasant surprise," she said blandly.
"Yes, yes. . . I surprised even myself by coming, but I Saw that an old friend would come back to Hogwarts."
"Hello. . . Guinn?" said Minerva with a fake smile.
"Oh, Minerva," said Guinn as if only just seeing her. She walked toward the only empty seat on the other end of the table.
"That's Guinn!" whispered Minerva.
"Yes," answered Poppy. "She teaches Divination, the despicable woman."
"Guinn, same year as us, except in Ravenclaw?"
"One and the same."
"I always hated her," whispered Minerva.
Poppy laughed. "Didn't we all?-Oh, here's Melissa."
Melissa sat on the three legged stool as Victor Tyrann placed the Sorting Hat on her head. "GRYFFINDOR!" it shouted throughout the Hall.
Melissa smiled at her mother and Poppy as she sat at the Gryffindor table next to a red-headed third year boy named Arthur Weasley.
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"I've forgotten how large this place is!" exclaimed Minerva as she sunk into a royal blue plush armchair in Poppy's office.
"Rough first week?" asked Pomona.
"Murder," answered Minerva darkly.
The group laughed. "Have any scotch?" asked Xiomara.
"I do," answered Serena. "Let me go get it. Be right back."
"I can't believe Guinn," stated Minerva. "She's worse than I remember."
"You don't know the half of it," stated Pomona. "She's always flanking the Headmaster. . . It's disgusting-"
Serena walked back into the room looking like she was going to be sick. "What's wrong?" asked Poppy.
"Guinn and the Headmaster are on their way here."
"Then I'll need something stronger than scotch," stated Xiomara.
"What do they want with us?" asked Minerva.
"I suppose Guinn was infuriated that we didn't invite her, so she thinks she can get us sacked," said Pomona.
"Whatever it is, they're already-" started Serena.
KNOCK, KNOCK!
"What should we do?" asked Pomona. "Should we hide?"
"I don't think," said Poppy. "Besides, there's nowhere to hide-. . . Hello, Guinn, Headmaster," she said as she opened the heavy oak door. "Won't you come in?"
"Thank you," said Albus.
Minerva's stomach gave a lurch. "What could we be of help with?" she questioned innocently.
"Just wondering how your first week went. . ." said Albus fondly.
"Fine," sneered Minerva.
"Have any trouble?"
"No-None at all."
"That's good. We best be going, then. Poppy, Pomona, Xiomara, Serena, Minerva; good evening."
"You go ahead, Albus. I have a couple of questions to ask," said Guinn sweetly. She kissed Albus passionately on the lips and bid him farewell.
"Minerva! If you dare do anything to jeopardize this relationship, I'll kill y. . . Or better yet, I'll kill your daughter!"
"Don't you dare lay a finger on Melissa," said Minerva sternly.
"Then, stay away from Albus," she shot back.
"Fine," said Minerva, raising her eyebrows.
Guinn walked out of the office with much added grace ('For dramatic effects,' though Minerva. 'The despicable. . .').
"That woman!" shouted Poppy.
"What are we going to do?" asked Pomona. "She's serious, you realize that?"
"I know," said Minerva quietly. "I best be off to bed, now," she sighed. "Good night."
"'Night," said everyone in reply.
Minerva stood from her overly-stuffed chair, and walked worriedly past Poppy's still open door.
Walking through the castle alone at night was nothing new to Minerva McGonagall, seeing as how she had nightly patrols through it as Head Girl. What was new to her though, was the feeling that she was being followed. Feeling someone else's presence, she quickened her pace until she made it past the old Charms classroom. She stopped once around a corner and breathed through her nose.
"ARGH!" she exclaimed as Victor Tyrann emerged from around the corner. "What are you doing following me?"
"Oh, just drowning in your perceptible beauty," he answered timidly. "Shall I escort you to your rooms?"
"No, thanks; I'm fine."
"Ah, but I think you'd rather enjoy my company-"
"You really must think a lot of yourself," interrupted McGonagall.
"Actually-Most women find me rather attractive and charming-"
"I'm sure."
He apparently thought it the ideal time to make a move, as he leaned into her and gave her what would have been to most women a body-melting kiss. Minerva wasn't 'most women', and decided to throw him off of her.
"What the hell's wrong with you, Tyrann?" she exclaimed.
"You don't feel the same way?" he asked, astonished.
"No!"
"Oh, then-Well, I guess I'll have to win you the hard way." He backed her into a solid rock wall and trapped her with his arms on either side of her, leaning on the wall for stability.
As he began kissing her, this time with renewed vigor, she finally came up with an idea. . . She turned into her Animagus form and traipsed back to her room in inaudible haste. Once back into her room, she cursed the darkness for ever letting Dumbledore hire that overly zealous man.
She changed from her accustomed scarlet robes, into a pair of yellow pajama bottoms covered in frogs and a lime green racer-tee. She silently took her soft-bristled brush from her rosewood nightstand and glided it through her hair several times before replacing it on the nightstand and putting her hair up in a high pony tail.
As she slowly began to slip into unconsciousness, the only thoughts left with her were of how that horrid man, Victor Tyrann, would make an ideal match for the equally equate, Guinevere Arnold.