Chapter 4
Additional disclaimer: The characters of Jeff Cageman and Simon Stickfish are based on the characters from a Dutch comedy 'When happiness was still very normal'
A cold, frosty January morning, two days after Dumbledore's visit, found Minerva waiting at the small station of Hogsmede. It was still dark and she shivered despite the long, black Muggle coat she was wearing.
"It's still in the middle of the night", she muttered, rubbing her gloved hands together in an attempt to get them warm.
At 7.00 precisely the puffing and steaming Hogsmede Express rolled into the station. Minerva took her trunk from the platform and stepped on the deserted train.
She looked at the trunk with some annoyance. She had always prided herself on being a woman who didn't need to take much with her. And at first she had only packed a small suitcase. But during the last day no less then four letters had arrived from Dumbledore, asking if she could bring various instruments, books, pieces of clothing and other things with her. As a result she felt now as if she was carrying Madame Malkin's spring collection.
It didn't take her long to find a compartment and after levitating the trunk on a luggage rack she settled down.
The first part of her trip would bring her to the harbour of Aberdeen. Since that was still in the east of Scotland the trip wouldn't take longer then an hour. After that she would travel further by Muggle transportation, which explained her Muggle attire.
Underneath her calm, collected extensor, she felt a thrill of excitement. She had of course been to Europe before, but always in the Southern countries such as France and Greece. She had never been to Scandinavia and from what she had heard of it, she was looking forward to it very much.
She gazed out of the window and watched the sun rise from behind the hills of the Scottish countryside, biding a silent farewell to her home.
Perfectly on time the train arrived in Aberdeen. The harbour was much more crowded and she had just barely enough time to get from the platform to the quay were the ship lay.
Settling in a small restaurant on the upper deck she spend five hours reading and writing letters to Poppy and Rolanda. At noon she took a light lunch and then went outside.
Despite the fog she could see the coast of Norway in the distance. Checking her watch she realised that in half an hour she would arrive in Bergen, one of Norway's harbours. Breathing in the salty air of the sea she tried to shake off a feeling of loneliness that crept over her.
Barely twenty and she was about to join a mission against the darkest wizard of their age among a group of top Aurors. Would she be able to take her position between them? Without the support of her family, her friends?
She shook her head angrily, trying not to picture her family home, her father and Megara in her head. She would be fine. She would be strong. She had to be.
Once she got of the ship she decided to walk to the station of Bergen. From there she would take the train to Osterund, a village near the lake of Storsjön. Thankfully she didn't have to change to another train again. But on the other hand, it was a four-hour train ride and she was dreading it.
When she arrived at the Station of Bergen she paused for a moment looking around and studying the signs to see where she had to go.
"Good afternoon, Minerva", a cheerful voice spoke behind her.
She sighed deeply. This was the reason why she didn't look forward to this part of the trip.
Turning around she forced a smile on her face as she greeted "Good afternoon, Professor Dumbledore".
She eyed him suspiciously but couldn't find any fault at his appearance. He too was dressed in Muggle clothes. A suit and a knee-length, brown coat to be precise.
"We need to be at platform 12", he informed her. "The train will leave in fifteen minutes".
"Then we better hurry, Professor", she replied practical.
She reached out for her trunk but pulled back as if she had burned herself as her fingers came in contact with his hand instead of the handle of the trunk.
"Allow me", he said pleasantly, his eyes twinkling a bit more then usual.
But Minerva was never a person to accept gallantries. Especially not from Albus Dumbledore.
"I can assure you that that won't be necessary, Professor", she retorted crisply. "I am perfectly capable of carrying my own trunk".
In reply he made a courteous movement with his hand. "As you wish".
Dragging a full-packed trunk through a Muggle station was not Minerva's idea of fun and by the time they reached platform 12 she almost wished she had accepted his help.
Until she looked up in his still twinkling eyes. Straightening her back, she lifted her chin a little higher and stepped on board of the waiting train. Once again they managed to find a compartment to themselves and they sat down opposite of each other, next to the window.
After a second however, he got to his feet again and started to unbutton his coat. He folded it neatly and placed it on the seat next to him. Then he unbuttoned the jacket of his suit and sat down again.
Minerva closed her eyes briefly in sheer horror.. What on a first impression had seemed to be an innocent, crimson red tie, turned out to be a tie with the print of an enormous, violently yellow star on it. A star with a smiling face of course.
"You have no idea how difficult it is to find an amusing tie in a Muggle-store", he said smiling, catching her staring at it.
"Really now?" she asked, unable to hide the sarcasm out of her voice.
For the next hour she did little else then staring at the ridiculous tie, inwardly fuming with anger.
He was mocking her and the entire mission they were on! Couldn't he just be serious for a day? Or for the four hours they were forced to spend in each other's company? How could they ever stand a chance in this war if this fool kept joking around?
He tried several times to engage her in a conversation but she responded with short, mostly one-word replies, wondering if it would be too rude to take 'Pride and Prejudice' from her purse and start reading.
Eventually the beautiful scenery outside managed to divert her attention. She began to think that Norway was hold together by bridges, so many rivers they passed. In quick order the train drove through Ardal, Dombas and Støren.
Around three o' clock they reached the boarder to Sweden at Storlien. After a short delay because of the Customs, the train began to pick up speed.
"Only two more hours before we reach Osterund", he told her. "Our camp is located in a field near the town".
A trolley entered the compartment and beside drinks and snacks the woman sold newspapers as well. Dumbledore bought a Svenska Times and started reading it. Minerva felt free now to take up 'Pride and Prejudice'.
Therefore the last hours of their trip were spend in a somewhat enjoyable matter.
In the last half hour they crossed two rivers that were both connected to the Lake of Storsjön. The Kallsjö and the Indalsälv.
In Osterund they got of the train and from a quiet, secluded spot outside the station they apparated to the Auror camp.
Minerva looked around her when she landed on a moist meadow. A few feet away she spotted a strange building. It looked somewhat like a tower, but it wasn't really high enough for it.
"There it is", Dumbledore pointed. "That's our camp. It used to be a mill, but the sails have come of some decades ago. I can assure you that it's more comfortable on the inside then it looks on the outside"
Looking once again the building, Minerva could see a mill in it now. Once inside she found to her surprise that the mill was much more spacious then it appeared to be on the outside.
"Upstairs are rooms for the Aurors", Dumbledore explained. "I believe your room is on the second floor. The stairs over there lead to the underground rooms. That is were we have our meetings and gatherings".
"Very well", Minerva nodded, taking in her surroundings with approval. They looked very practical.
"If you would follow me downstairs, there are some people I would like to introduce you to", Dumbledore said, gesturing to the stairs.
Minerva followed him and found herself in a large room. There was a fireplace with a couch and a couple of comfortable chairs around it on one side and a large table with a dozen chairs on the other side. Four men were present in the room and she recognised one of them as her friend and trainer Alastor Moody.
"Gentleman, allow me to introduce our latest addition to you", Dumbledore announced. "This is Minerva McGonagall. She has almost finished her Auror training and is very gifted with Transfiguration".
Despite her dislike of Albus Dumbledore and vexed with herself, Minerva found herself blushing a little at his words.
The sharp, unpleasant voice of a fat man sitting on the couch cut in. "What's that suppose to mean, Dumbledore?" he asked, coming to his feet with difficulty. "We can't have a woman here!"
He let out a sneering laugh. "A woman... that's just ridiculous".
"Minerva, this is Jeff Cageman", Dumbledore replied calmly.
"Please to meet you", Minerva said coldly, disliking the man immediately.
"Dumbledore you can't be serious", Jeff Cageman continued. "A woman as an Auror? That must be a joke. If she was here to cook or clean... alas... but as an Auror! Men are calling the tune over here!
'It were always the same, stupid prejudices', Minerva thought wearily. She opened her mouth to protest, but Dumbledore spoke first.
"That's enough Cageman", he said sharply. "Miss McGonagall is a very capable young woman and I have full confidence in her. You and everyone else here will treat her as an equal".
A little startled, Minerva looked at him, but when he returned her gaze she saw that the twinkles were back in his eyes and that he was smiling merrily again. And once again she felt a rush of the familiar annoyance.
"Furthermore over there is Mr. Simon Stickfish", he pointed at a short, almost bald man who was eating a plate filled with five or six meatballs. "Nice to meet you", he winked at her.
"It's my pleasure, Mr. Stickfish", she nodded back.
"Of course you know Alastor Moody", Dumbledore continued.
A genuine smile crossed over her face this time as she greeted him warmly. "Hello Alastor, it's good to see you again".
"It's good to see you too, Min", he answered in his low voice.
"Over there is Carl Dam and Elias van Detta isn't present at the moment. He is an undercover agent, trying to gain information from within the circle around Grindelwald", Dumbledore finished.
Two hours later, Minerva had unpacked her trunk and finished her dinner. She was just chatting amiably with Alastor who she hadn't seen for several months, when the door flew open and a tall, black haired man appeared on the doorstep. He looked dishevelled and his robes were dirty, but there was a triumphant look on his face.
"Elias, what is it?" Dumbledore asked, getting to his feet.
Elias van Detta threw off his cloak and looked around him with beaming eyes. "I have news about Grindelwald's plans", he announced.