Chapter Fifteen

Two weeks after our wedding, my newly wed husband and me returned to Hogwarts again, this time both as teachers. A position as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher had all of a sudden gone vacant, and the Board of Governors had, despite my young age and to my and my husband's great pleasure, accepted me as the most qualified of candidates.

It was due to my high NEWT score, I suspected- and I was very glad that the Board had apparently managed to look further than just at that ridiculous number that was called "my age". It was true, of course, that I would have to teach students who were barely one year my juniors- but I daresay that I always managed- even during those first years- to make clear to them exactly who was the teacher and, more important, who was not.

Albus always called- and calls- me "the infamously efficient Professor McGonagall", but contrary to how his teasing self means it, I have always regarded those words as the greatest compliment any teacher can get. I always knew I was meant for teaching, after all… as soon as I entered Hogwarts, even before I had spotted the man whom I would fall in love with like never before, I knew that it was there that I would stay and live. I, who never believed in sixth senses, have to admit the existence of that one. It felt like my fate.

I was delighted when, finally, I could enter the gates of Hogwarts again- this time hand in hand with my lawfully wedded husband, my old, schoolgirl trunk floating somewhat behind us- even though somewhere deep down there was still this feeling of uncertainty which she, Anne, had caused within me two weeks earlier. I still did not know what my- our- quest was- I still did not know how to soothe Anne- how to grant her the rest she so desperately seemed to crave.

As Albus softly squeezed my hand, though, I stopped worrying and simply smiled a soft, happy smile as, with that almost child-like enthusiasm which I always so adored about him, he started introducing me to the castle as if I had not just spent the seven previous years of my life there.

The portraits even recognized me as Albus- for the very first time in my life- actually told me their full names. I had always been used to their faces of course- but their names and histories were quite new and quite interesting to me.

An elderly wizard- "Alberic Grunnion"- kindly nodded at me under a ridiculously high hat- as Albus told me his story- and the plump, fair-haired woman in the next portrait- "Elizabeth Aegnor"- furiously started to blush as he narrated about how she was the very first Headmistress of Hogwarts- a direct descendant of Helga Hufflepuff. I simply smiled and nodded at her and the numerous other portraits and people I was introduced to, before finally, I could happily sink down in both Albus's arms and the fluffy couch of our new, shared apartments.

As I brought up the subject of Anne again, though, I found my husband's clear blue eyes being filled with the uncharacteristic ignorance I, too, felt.

"And she told you we had a task to fulfil- a task for her?"

He frowned, deep in thought- and I nodded, my long, black plait bobbing up and down against my back, causing Albus to gently finger it- the way he always did when he was thinking.

"Do you have any clue- any idea-"

And all of a sudden, I had. It was strange- wondrous, even- how all of a sudden, as if by magic, the kaleidoscope inside of my head turned and twisted- until a clear picture all of a sudden showed up in front of my eyes. A clear picture of the truth- for that I knew- I knew it was the truth.

I did not know which had started it all- the realization- but mere seconds later, I all of a sudden did. It struck me almost as heavily as the realization itself did- and I knew-

It had been a mere name.