Chapter Four, Thursday:

The next day, Minerva went down to the Great Hall for lunch. Albus was in her office somewhere, so she sat alone. As she ate, she heard two students talking about her-Albus' class.

"McGonagall's class was so fun today!"

"Yeah, I know. I wonder what came over her."

"Who cares. She's loads more fun than last year."

"Last year was dullsville! Same old stuff. Or at least it seemed that way."

"Someone must have told her she stank. She's definitely improved."

"I can't wait until tomorrow!"

Minerva swallowed the bite of her sandwich and frowned. She stank? She tried to suppress the hurt and decided to talk about Albus later.

Meanwhile she went up to the library to do some more studying. She took the book that had started all of the trouble with her. She decided to look at that first. She sat down at a table in the library and opened the book. She had just meant to flip through the pages, but since it was about Transfiguration, she couldn't help but read a little. After a couple of sentences, she frowned. This wasn't about Transfiguration at all. She closed the book and looked at the cover. It said "Transfigure your world." She took the dust jacket off and her eyebrows raised. The real title of the book was: "View-changing potions."

She quickly turned to the contents and looked at them. The chapters were all potions that you could make. They were seperated into two sections, Powders and Liquids. They were all potions like 'Erutuf', which let you see into the future, and the 'backwards view' potion, which let you see out the back of your head.There was even a potion that let you see from your feet's point of view. Minerva turned the page and read the ones under powders.The one in the middle said 'body switching powder.' Minerva's eyes widened. She quickly turned to page 453 and started reading.

'The Body Switching Powder is a very powerful potion-powder used in many government missions. It's similar to the Polyjuice Potion, except two people are switched, and generally they both agree to it.

This potion is not used very often due to the fact that the two people who are affected by the potion have to stay the way they are for exactly one week. There is no other way to reverse the potion; a reverse-potion is even now being researched.

The potion must be inhaled or touched by one person. The next person to touch the same batch of potion will be switched with them within a couple of hours. The process is completely painless, although it feels uncomfortable.

Research has proven that many people the potion was tried on experienced strange side-effects, like mind reading abilities; the ability to read the mind of the person they switched with. This happens often, and is completely normal. Some case-studies proved that it was a lot like legilimency.

Sometimes, if the two people are touching, they may see the same thing in their minds. Again, this is normal, although it doesn't happen as often. The only things that have ever been seen together, are flowers. One such sight is two roses, red in color, next to each other, with thorns. They can either be in full bloom or buds.

Another is two roses, one red, and one white, intertwined, with no thorns. These can be either in full bloom or buds. (See 'Meanings of Seeings' by Feltida Mansee, page 120.) These two have never been seen in female/female switches, or male/male switches.

The last is two black roses together, wilted with thorns. Again, either in full bloom or in buds.

To make this potion you will need...'

Minerva looked up in wonder. That was exactly what she and Albus had seen! She turned the page and there she could see in the center of the two pages, in the crack, a pale green powder. She touched it gently. She bent down and smelled it. It had no scent. That was how she and Albus had switched. She had inhaled the powder and then shown Albus, and he must have touched it.

Minerva stood up and going a few shelves away took 'Meanings of Seeings' of off the shelf. She took it back to her table and turned to page 120. She settled down in her chair and began reading again.

'There is a potion called 'the Body Switching Powder.' The unique thing about this potion is that the people who are affected by the potion can see things, both in each others minds and see a strange object together. The only things that have been seen together are flowers.

Two red roses together with thorns means this: Two red roses means love. But not necessarily true love. In other words, this means lust between the two people who see it. The thorns mean that they will probably hurt each other and their 'love' won't last for long. The fact that they aren't intertwined means that the love isn't true, they shouldn't really be 'together.' If one or more are in full bloom, that means that they have felt this way about each other for a long time, if one or more is a bud, that means the exact opposite; they haven't felt that way for long.

A red rose and a white rose intertwined together with no thorns means this: A red rose means love and a white rose means pure. So red and white together makes pure love. The fact that they are intertwined means that they should be together, if they aren't already. That they have no thorns means that they get along very well. If one or more is in full bloom that means that they have felt the way they do for a long time. If they are buds, they have not felt that way for that long.

Two black roses together, that are wilted with thorns means pure hate. This is not seen very often, because normally, if two people hated each other, they would not agree to take the potion. Again the blooms and buds mean the same things.

Of course all of the things can vary. For example, there could be a red rose and a white rose together, one could be in full bloom and one could be a bud. One could be intertwined, but the other might be straight. It all depends on the people who see them.'

Minerva swallowed hard. According to this, Albus and she were purely in love, SHOULD be in love, got along very well, and had loved each other for a long time. She stood up slowly, and took the two books back up to her office.

Meanwhile, up in the Transfiguration classroom, Albus was teaching Harry, Ron and Hermione's class. Hermione sat in front with her hands folded, and Ron and Harry sat behind her, whispering. But when Albus walked in the room, they were quiet.

Albus smiled to himself. "Hello class. Today we're going to be doing something very special."

Albus held out a large jar. "In this jar are the names of everyone in this class. One by one, I want half of you to come up and choose one. Then I'll explain further."

One by one he called on exactly half of the class. They each took a slip of paper and sat back down in their seats.

"Now, all of the people who chose a slip of paper line up on the left side of the room please."

The students looked at each other, but didn't move.

"Well?" Albus asked.

They stood up and lined up next to each other along the left wall. Of course Hermione was one of them. Harry was too.

"Now everyone else line up against the right wall," Albus instructed, tucking the jar away. "Now, I want everyone who chose a name to go over to the person they chose."

Giggling, the students all walked across the room and paired up. Harry was paired with Jerry Howard, and Hermione was paired with Ron.

"Now," said Albus, when they had finished. "I want you to take your partner and slow dance with them."

Harry looked at Jerry, his eyes wide, and Hermione turned pale and looked at Ron, who was bright red.

Albus laughed heartily. "I was joking."

There was a sigh of relief.

"No actually," said Albus, I'm going to have you teach your selves.In example...Hermione and Ron would you come up here please?"

Hermione and Ron looked at each other and walked over to him.

"Ok, Ron, transfigure your clothes into your pajamas. Do you know the spell?"

Ron nodded slowly.

"Ok, go ahead and try."

Ron swallowed and waved his wand over his clothes vertically, muttering "Majama figtrasno," under his breath. Immediately his clothes changed and he was standing in the middle of the room in his boxers.

The entire room burst into laughter. Albus himself tried to hold back a snicker. Hermione turned pink and covered her eyes.

Ron's boxer shorts were covered with little red hearts, as red as his face.

Albus quickly lifted his wand and transfigured him again, so he was back to normal.

"Aw, you should have left him that way! He was so cute!" called a girl named Jessilyn Markus, causing Ron to turn even redder, and Hermione to glare at her.

Albus raised one of Minerva's eyebrows but went on. "Anyways, I have appointed Hermione to teach Ron this spell. At the end of the class, you'll demonstrate. Come up to me one by one and I'll give you your assignments." He waved them aside.

Later, at the end of class, Albus watched from Minerva's desk with a smile, as his students attempted to teach each other the various spells. It was very amusing. Some got frustrated, some were very patient, but they all had fun. Albus stood up.

"Alright everyone, let's see what you learned."

There was groans, but everybody had a smile on their face.

"Ok, let's see Ron and Hermione first, since I used them as a demo before."

Ron covered his face, but followed Hermione up to the front of the classroom. Hermione whispered something in his ear that sounded like;

"Remember, swish in a circle!"

Albus reached into his pocket, pulled out a lemon drop and popped it in his mouth. "Well?"

Ron took a deep breath, stepped back, and held his wand in front of him, facing his heart. "Majama figtrasno," he muttered, swishing his wand in a circle, slowly and then faster and faster, and then, right before his eyes, his everyday clothes changed into his pajamas, which appeared to be long striped pants and an orange Chudley Cannons shirt.

Hermione grinned and clapped excitedly.

Albus gave Ron a round of applause. "Excellent!" He looked at Hermione. "Both of you." Hermione blushed and looked at her feet.

Albus smiled. He wished Minerva was here to see this. She would have loved to see Ron complete the spell that she mentioned he'd had trouble with. "Alright, next please!"

After class, as Harry, Ron and Hermione were getting their books together, the books they didn't use, they talked. "She called us 'Ron and Hermione,' instead of 'Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger.'"

"I liked that," Hermione spoke up.

"Well so did I," said Ron. "But don't you think it's a little weird?"

Harry slung his bag over his shoulder. "I wonder what's changed her so."

Albus smiled as he passed them and overheard that part of their conversation. "Are you three headed to lunch?" he asked them.

They nodded.

"Good, then I'll walk with you."

As they left the classroom, the three students exchanged glances behind the grinning Albus' back, and fell silent. But Albus dropped back and started a conversation with them, and before they knew it, they were laughing and talking animatedly as they walked to the Great Hall. Albus learned a lot from them, had even when they were sitting quietly in the classroom. They were three very smart children with a very strong friendship. Inevitably he thought of Minerva. He wouldn't trade what he had with Minerva for anything.

Minerva sat up in Albus' office, nervously tapping the two books she'd brought from the library with her fingers, thinking. Should she tell Albus what she'd found out? He might laugh at her. Or maybe he wouldn't talk to her. Maybe he would think she made it up. Things would get so awkward. What if he didn't believe it and brushed it off? Maybe he'd-'Stop it Minerva!' she berated herself. 'You have to tell him. It concerns him too.' 'But what if it's not true?' a voice inside her asked. 'You're just making up excuses, so you won't tell him, and you have to tell him!' She buried her face in her hands. "You know what, Minerva?" she said out loud. "The only reason you're scared to tell him is because what you saw is exactly true; at least on your part." She stopped. She loved him. SHE LOVED ALBUS DUMBLEDORE.

A few minutes later she made her way down to the Great Hall, where she saw Albus sitting with Harry, Hermione and Ron, and she frowned. That was right. She had to talk to him about teaching. Possibly, the only reason she wanted to talk with him about that, was to avoid the subject of what she'd found in the library today. That was a very awkward thing to discuss with your best friend, especially the one you weren't supposed to be in love with.

She made her way over to him and grabbed his arm. Her arm actually. "Ahem, MINERVA, I need to talk to you in my office please."

He looked up at her. "Ok, alright." He nodded at the three students. "Excuse me please."

He followed Minerva out of the Great Hall silently, wondering what was up.

Hermione looked at the two boys. "I'm going to follow them," she whispered excitedly, and ran out of the Great Hall.

Ron and Harry looked at each other and shrugged. They jumped up and ran after her. They sneaked behind Dumbledore and McGonagall all the way to the entrance to Albus' office. "Doodlebug," Minerva said. The gargoyle opened and they disappeared inside.

A moment later, Hermione ran up to the gargoyle and whispered the password. The gargoyle opened and they raced up the spiral staircase to the door to Albus' office and pressed their ears to the door just in time to hear the opening of the conversation.

"We need to talk, Albus," they heard Albus' voice say.

Hermione wrinkled her brow.

"About what?" They heard Minerva say as a chair creaked.

Minerva sat in front of the desk. "Albus, you're really making me look bad.

Albus frowned. "What do you mean?"

"With the class you're teaching. I'm never going to be able to live up to the students expectations now."

"Look, I have a different way of teaching than you do, I can't help it."

Hermione looked at Ron and Harry, eyes wide.

"That's just it, Albus! You're SUPPOSED to help it. You're supposed to be me, remember? And that's not the way I teach! And sooner or later, whenever I get back in that classroom, those students are going to hate me!"

Ron raised a red eyebrow.

"But they're having fun, Min, don't you remember the way I teach?"

"Oh yes, Albus, I remember it very well. Unfortunatly, it's too good. Don't you understand what I'm trying to say?"

"Yes, I understand! But you are just being silly. You aren't a bad teacher."

"That's where you're wrong, Albus. The students may learn, but they don't enjoy the class."

"That's the point. They're supposed to learn."

"Can you please just tone it down a little? I feel so inadequate. I remember how you used to teach. I remember thinking that you were the best teacher in the entire world."

"Really?" Albus sounded delighted.

Minerva sighed. "Yes, I did .And I know I'll never be able to match that." She looked up into her face, wishing not for the first or last time that they were in their normal bodies.

"Min, listen, once you get back into teaching, the students will just accept it, you'll see."

"But it's not just in the classroom, Albus!" Minerva stood up and started pacing. "You've changed everything that's me! You let my hair down, walk me around in bare feet, eat food that I'd never eat, say things I'd never say, you've changed everything that makes me, me! You've got to stop."

Harry's eyes widened.

Albus felt his temper rising, as it always did when he and Minerva argued. "Well you aren't exactly perfect either you know. You couldn't be me if you took a class! For all the same reasons you said. And cleaning! I never clean!"

"Yes, it's obvious," Minerva said, folding her arms.

"I'm trying to please you!" Albus said. "But no matter what I do, it never works!"

"Are you saying that I can never be pleased?" Minerva frowned.

"Hmm," said Albus. "Actually, YES I AM!"

"Well you're not any better!" she spat back."No matter what I do, it's never good enough for you!"

"I could say the same thing about you!" Albus shot back.

"All I know, Albus Dumbledore, is that you had better start cleaning up your act. Someone's going to find out, then we're really going to be in a fix.And frankly, I'm going to blame YOU!"

"Why, you spiteful old cat!" Albus glared at her.

Hermione covered her mouth with her hand.

"Everything's my fault is it? Well maybe you should take a look at yourself! You're not so great either!"

"I HATE your body!" Minerva said in a low voice."I hate it! It's big and heavy, and it's just downright uncomfortable!" She wriggled around as if trying to get out of a tight bodysuit.

"The feeling is entirely mutual," Albus said. "Your body is..." a million negative thoughts raced through his mind, but none of them were true.

"Yes?" Minerva glowered, folding her arms across her chest.

"Your body is horrible!" Albus said truthfully; it was horrible without her in it.

"Oh really? Well you know the reason why I hate your body so much? It's because everytime I see it, it makes me think of its owner!"

Ron's mouth was the shape of an 'O'

Albus' mouth dropped open. "You know what? I'm glad I'm not really you, I don't think I'd be able to live with myself!"

Harry winced.

Hurt flashed across Minerva's eyes, but she covered it up. "Oh! Just get out! Out!"

Hermione's eyes paniced, and grabbing Ron's shirt, pulled him behind her back down the stairs, Harry in tow.

"You can't kick me out, this is my office!"

"Have you forgotten, Albus?" Minerva said sweetly. "I'm you now. And I say get out! I can't stand being around you anymore!"

"Fine!" Albus snapped. "I'm glad, because I feel exactly the same way!"

"Fine, then leave!"

"I will, gladly!" He turned and stormed out of the room, stomping as loudly as he could.

Minerva sank into Albus' chair and took a deep breath to keep back the tears. She hadn't had a fight like that with Albus for so long, she couldn't remember the last time.

She was so preoccupied though, she didn't realize that she had neglected to show him what she'd discovered in the library.

Outside of the Great Hall, Hermione, Ron and Harry looked at each other, eyes wide.

"What was that all about?" Ron asked, breathless.

"I'm not sure." Hermione looked thoughtful. "It's almost as if they weren't in the right bodies."

"But that's impossible, isn't it?" Harry asked, frowning.

"Harry," Hermione said. "NOTHING is impossible. I just don't know how it happened that's all."

"Maybe," suggested Ron. "There was some sort of accident."

"Maybe." Hermione's eyes narrowed in thought. "I'm going to go to the library and look up spells and potions that cause people to switch bodys."

"I'll go with you," said Ron. "I'm starting to get really worried about those two."

"Yeah, me too," said Harry. "I've never heard them fight like that before."

"I've never heard them fight at all!" said Ron.

"They must be really tense," said Hermione. "Come on Ron."

Meanwhile, in the teachers' lounge, Snape was calling a meeting to order.

"As you all might know, this meeting is about the Headmaster and Headmistress," he said, sitting down.

"Are they alright?" Professor Sprout asked.

"They sure have been acting strange lately," said Madame Hooch.

"That's the point of this meeting," said Snape. "Is to find out what the problem is."

"Do you think they're sick?" Madame Pomfrey asked.

"Both at the same time?" Snape asked. "Not likely."

"They've been acting out of ther character," said Hagrid, his chair creaking.

"Yes!" said Professor Sprout. "It's very odd."

Snape held up his hands. "Does anybody have any ideas of what to do?"

Hagrid raised a hand. "We could jus' ask 'em what's wrong."

"But really!" said Madame Pomfrey. "Do you actually think they'd tell us? Whatever the problem is, they're keeping it a secret."

"We could spy on them!" said Madame Hooch.

"No!" said Hagrid. "We canno' spy on tha Headmaster."

"He's right," said Snape.

"Well then what do we do?" asked Professor Sprout.

"I don't...know." said Snape, at a loss, "I really don't know."