Author's note- yay, im back. I love this story the best, so I'm continuing this one first.
The day after Christmas was a day off from all the lessons of the students staying over the holidays. Minerva found this was the only thing she had to be happy about. She lay in bed and hadn't moved since the night before. She wasn't truly asleep, she wasn't truly awake. She lay there, half thinking, half dreaming.
Minerva could hardly comprehend what was going on, and what was happening in her life. Her future had been bright, her future, and Tom's. She was in love with Tom. And now, there was a bond between them which could never be broken- another human life. She had cast a spell to make sure, and it was true. Minerva was to have a child.
And what tom was now- that made her truly ill. A monster, a true, evil monster. She wondered how long he had been like that. Was he like that when they were in school together, young and innocent, when they had the whole world in front of them? When she leapt into his arms in the fall, so happy to see him, did he have those evil intentions? When he held her, late and night, and kissed her hair and called her his one and only lady love, was he thinking his evil thoughts? Who was Tom Riddle? Who was Voldemort? And what was she going to do? Albus was right, she suddenly thought.
"Knock knock" the door opened, and Minerva sat up. Tom Riddle came in. "Oh, Darling, you're ill." He said softly as he sat down on the bed beside her. Minerva could not utter a reply. "Christmas feast not agree with you?" he whispered. She nodded.
"Go, Tom, I'm sure the students need you. I'll be fine." She murmured to him. It took much convincing, but he left. Minerva then fell into a deep sleep. She couldn't tell how long she slept; it was dreamless; all she knew was when she woke it was sunny and bright out, and it was Aberforth awaking her.
"Professor? Are you alright? my brother sent me to see you. We were to begin lessons an hour ago. Whatever is the matter?" she stared at him for several minutes, but then got up and somehow when about the day.
It was difficult to pretend everything was as it was before, but not as difficult as she had imagined it would be. She was merely civil to Albus, and pretended to continue to be in love with Tom. Except she thought she might not be pretending, that she might still actually love him. And that made her more frightened then she was of dating him and having the baby. She was going to have the monster's baby. Minerva had considered getting rid of it, but found for some reason she did not want to do it. she wanted to keep the baby.
Christmas break seemed to go on forever that year, but it finally ended, and the rest of the students returned. It was noticed by all that Tom had a circle of students, of followers, all of the Slytherian house. It was said that he taught them Slytherian genealogy, since their families were longtime members of the Slytherian house, but Minerva knew the truth. There were sessions, training, for something, just like over Christmas. But for what she did not know.
Albus watched Minerva's actions with concern. She ate little at meals, was paler then usual, and always looked tired. He tried to catch her eye, but she would never meet his eye, merely concentrating on the meal in front of her, which she was not eating. She never spoke to Albus outside of the dining hall.
"Have you noticed anything unusual about Professor McGonagall?" he asked his brother one night when they played chess in his chamber.
"Why do you ask?" Aberforth replied.
"I am concerned, she does not seem herself lately." Albus admitted. Aberforth nodded deeply.
"I see." He said, "You really do care for her." Albus didn't reply. His silence said everything.
January turned to February, and February into March. Minerva began to wear her teaching robes everywhere, even to dinner, when she would normally wear a gown. She and Tom were not as close as they had been, though still dating. Tom's Slytherian Genealogy Society was taking up all of his out of class time, and Minerva became dedicated in a project of her own. Despite her thoughts earlier in the winter, Minerva decided to begin Aberforth in his Animagus training now, so that he had more time to become one. He was happy to be taking such a big step, although his extra lessons took up all of his out of class time.
Tom hardly ever came over for chess any more, and Minerva kept a few Monkshoods for her hair, but threw out the bouquet, the snake and all. She did not notice the green glowing eyes. But others had. Aberforth was always an observant individual.
