So the next day, a spectacled young woman with a long, black plait tumbling down her back, gathered her courage, balled her fist and knocked on Alastor Moody's office's door. She had no idea why she had been summoned- she just hoped it wasn't to be too bad news. Of course it could hardly be good news, but still. What if it was bad news… bad news about her Auror training, perhaps? Minerva McGonagall wasn't a fool- she knew very well she was a smart witch and she knew as well that she had finished her second training year gracefully. But one did never know, after all. There had already been rumors circulating about a plan to close down all trainings, because of the quickly increasing risks.
Risks! Minerva McGonagall mentally snorted. As if she hadn't realized the risks when she'd started, three years ago. The war had been on for three years, then, and, as Minerva McGonagall always knew everything, she'd very well known she was risking her life.
Oh how well she remembered Albus Dumbledore's- he Head of House's- "warning talk", as she'd inwardly put it. And how did she remember her own, very typical and very clear answer
"Professor," she had smiled. "I am not a silly little school girl anymore. I am a calculated little cat, as you very well know."
Her Animagus form had once more come in handy, and Albus, dear Albus, had chuckled and supported her. He always had, in fact. Yet, he had kept on warning her, in every single letter he wrote to her. And he had written many of them.
But what he didn't get was, that she wasn't frightened. She really was not. And whether that was then the so-called Gryffindor bravery, or just plain rashness… Did it matter, after all?
Minerva was, and that was just plain true, always been a girl who was on her best in crisis situations. She always had been, with her steel nerves, her cold logic and her calm intelligence.
But perhaps it was just rashness, the recklessness of a young, idealistic girl.
But she wasn't idealistic! She most certainly wasn't- Minerva's ideals had all been wiped away four years earlier- she'd just been sixteen when both her parents were ruthlessly murdered by the Dark Lord Grindelwald… she'd just been sixteen, but suddenly, she'd felt like sixty. Or not, perhaps. Because after their death, she knew she was alone on the world, and that was a sad thing, but it also allowed her to absolutely do as she wanted. She had no responsibilities left whatsoever. She'd been the only child of her mom and dad, and all left of her family were a few old aunts in Scotland. She could do as she wanted, young Minnie McGonagall had realized, and she, as the only girl in years, had inscribed herself for the Auror training.
Albus had always guarded her, though. Dear Albus.
A sudden "Enter!" awoke her from her thoughts, and with a last, firm nod, Minerva pushed the door, and found herself standing before three man, of whom she knew two very well.
"Hello, Miss McGonagall."
"Good day, Mr. Moody, good day Professor D-" Minerva began, in her usual, composed way, but she was interrupted by a stifled cry, and as she looked up, she noticed the nothing less than horrified look in her ex-teacher and good friend's eyes. Though it quite worried her- what could ever make Albus look at her like that?- she managed to calmly continue
"Good day, Professor Dumbledore, good day, er-"
She looked at Alastor Moody questioningly, and the man smiled as he introduced her
"This, Minerva, is Nicolas Flamel."
Nicolas nodded and friendly smiled, and Minerva smiled as well.
"Good day, Mr. Flamel. I am very pleased to meet you, I-"
But she was interrupted again by Albus, and as the man turned towards Alastor, he mutter with great difficulty
"Please, Alastor, please tell me this is a mistake. Please tell me…"
But Alastor frowned and shook his head, as he questioningly glanced at his very oddly behaving friend.
"No, Albus, it isn't, actually. I have invited Miss McGonagall here, because I think she's the best person for this task, that is, if she accepts. She must be aware of…"
"ALASTOR MOODY!"
Albus stood up now, towering over his still sitting friend and he had never, never ever looked so dangerous before.
"Alastor Moody, are you trying to say that you want Miss McGonagall, this Minerva McGonagall, over here, to-"
"Albus Dumbledore!" the younger man objected, though, as he stood up as well and looked the other wizard straight in the eye.
"As a matter of fact, I have, because, whatever you might think of Miss McGonagall's abilities, I trust them! And though you are older and perhaps more powerful, this is in fact my responsibility, and if you don't agree…"
With this, the soothing hand of Nicolas Flamel on his arm made him hush, and with fiery red cheeks, both wizards sat down.
"Perhaps," the oldest of the three men calmly stated. "Perhaps we'd best tell Miss McGonagall first about our idea and her possible task. Then she can decide for herself."
He didn't know how grateful Minerva was for this. She had watched the rant of the two wizards she considered her friends, and in fact, she hadn't got a clue what they were talking about. It wasn't anything about her training, she realized, and that was alright, but what was it, then? It seemed to be about some task, but why had she then been summoned in private? A whole bunch of questions whirled through her head, but Minerva McGonagall wasn't a person who asked many questions. She listened, and then she usually understood things without further explanations needed. It was one of her many merits.
But now? She really hadn't got a clue, but what she understood the least was Albus's reactions. He? Not trusting her abilities? He had in fact always been the person to defend her abilities! He always, always had trusted her!
With a head that felt like exploding, Minerva turned her clever green eyes towards her three superiors, expecting an explanation, which Alastor Moody immediately provided.
"You see, Minerva… I am going to say things as they are: the wizarding world is collapsing. Grindelwald has almost free play. All left of the Ministry is a dozen of frightened and threatened wizards and witches. Our last hopes have almost faded… Our only chance is a spy."
He explained it very clearly, very quickly, but clearly indeed, and Minerva understood.
"And that should be me?"
Alastor nodded.
"That should be you, indeed. It's not- well, you know it is dangerous. You know there are many risks. But it is our last hope. Mind you, you do not have to accept. We can't expect that of you- of course we can't!. But I'll be honest, it is possibly our last hope. Your task would be to peer around and try to get hold of as many of Grindelwald's plans as possible. You should- er… try to gain his confidence, and…"
He slightly stammered, not exactly knowing how to put it, but Minerva grimly smiled.
"I should try to *seduce* Grindelwald into trusting me. Isn't that what you were truly trying to say?"
Alastor opened his mouth- and closed it again, looking very much like a fish, and then, he quite defeatedly nodded.
"Yes, that is what I was trying to say. You are an intelligent girl indeed, Minerva, very intelligent, and thus I hope you perceive the dangers. Grindelwald knows no mercy. You know what happened to our other spies, and you know what can possibly happen. But it's our last chance- you…"
A bang of the door interrupted him, though, and as he looked up, he saw a fuming Albus Dumbledore had left the room. An uncomfortable silence fell as Alastor noticed the confused look in the young woman's eyes. Nicolas saved the situation, though. He cleared his throat, then matter-of-factly spoke
"Of course you don't have to answer right away, Miss McGonagall. I am-"
But with another grim smile and a firm nod of her head, Minerva McGonagall interrupted him.
"Thank you, Mr. Flamel, but I already know what I must do."
Risks! Minerva McGonagall mentally snorted. As if she hadn't realized the risks when she'd started, three years ago. The war had been on for three years, then, and, as Minerva McGonagall always knew everything, she'd very well known she was risking her life.
Oh how well she remembered Albus Dumbledore's- he Head of House's- "warning talk", as she'd inwardly put it. And how did she remember her own, very typical and very clear answer
"Professor," she had smiled. "I am not a silly little school girl anymore. I am a calculated little cat, as you very well know."
Her Animagus form had once more come in handy, and Albus, dear Albus, had chuckled and supported her. He always had, in fact. Yet, he had kept on warning her, in every single letter he wrote to her. And he had written many of them.
But what he didn't get was, that she wasn't frightened. She really was not. And whether that was then the so-called Gryffindor bravery, or just plain rashness… Did it matter, after all?
Minerva was, and that was just plain true, always been a girl who was on her best in crisis situations. She always had been, with her steel nerves, her cold logic and her calm intelligence.
But perhaps it was just rashness, the recklessness of a young, idealistic girl.
But she wasn't idealistic! She most certainly wasn't- Minerva's ideals had all been wiped away four years earlier- she'd just been sixteen when both her parents were ruthlessly murdered by the Dark Lord Grindelwald… she'd just been sixteen, but suddenly, she'd felt like sixty. Or not, perhaps. Because after their death, she knew she was alone on the world, and that was a sad thing, but it also allowed her to absolutely do as she wanted. She had no responsibilities left whatsoever. She'd been the only child of her mom and dad, and all left of her family were a few old aunts in Scotland. She could do as she wanted, young Minnie McGonagall had realized, and she, as the only girl in years, had inscribed herself for the Auror training.
Albus had always guarded her, though. Dear Albus.
A sudden "Enter!" awoke her from her thoughts, and with a last, firm nod, Minerva pushed the door, and found herself standing before three man, of whom she knew two very well.
"Hello, Miss McGonagall."
"Good day, Mr. Moody, good day Professor D-" Minerva began, in her usual, composed way, but she was interrupted by a stifled cry, and as she looked up, she noticed the nothing less than horrified look in her ex-teacher and good friend's eyes. Though it quite worried her- what could ever make Albus look at her like that?- she managed to calmly continue
"Good day, Professor Dumbledore, good day, er-"
She looked at Alastor Moody questioningly, and the man smiled as he introduced her
"This, Minerva, is Nicolas Flamel."
Nicolas nodded and friendly smiled, and Minerva smiled as well.
"Good day, Mr. Flamel. I am very pleased to meet you, I-"
But she was interrupted again by Albus, and as the man turned towards Alastor, he mutter with great difficulty
"Please, Alastor, please tell me this is a mistake. Please tell me…"
But Alastor frowned and shook his head, as he questioningly glanced at his very oddly behaving friend.
"No, Albus, it isn't, actually. I have invited Miss McGonagall here, because I think she's the best person for this task, that is, if she accepts. She must be aware of…"
"ALASTOR MOODY!"
Albus stood up now, towering over his still sitting friend and he had never, never ever looked so dangerous before.
"Alastor Moody, are you trying to say that you want Miss McGonagall, this Minerva McGonagall, over here, to-"
"Albus Dumbledore!" the younger man objected, though, as he stood up as well and looked the other wizard straight in the eye.
"As a matter of fact, I have, because, whatever you might think of Miss McGonagall's abilities, I trust them! And though you are older and perhaps more powerful, this is in fact my responsibility, and if you don't agree…"
With this, the soothing hand of Nicolas Flamel on his arm made him hush, and with fiery red cheeks, both wizards sat down.
"Perhaps," the oldest of the three men calmly stated. "Perhaps we'd best tell Miss McGonagall first about our idea and her possible task. Then she can decide for herself."
He didn't know how grateful Minerva was for this. She had watched the rant of the two wizards she considered her friends, and in fact, she hadn't got a clue what they were talking about. It wasn't anything about her training, she realized, and that was alright, but what was it, then? It seemed to be about some task, but why had she then been summoned in private? A whole bunch of questions whirled through her head, but Minerva McGonagall wasn't a person who asked many questions. She listened, and then she usually understood things without further explanations needed. It was one of her many merits.
But now? She really hadn't got a clue, but what she understood the least was Albus's reactions. He? Not trusting her abilities? He had in fact always been the person to defend her abilities! He always, always had trusted her!
With a head that felt like exploding, Minerva turned her clever green eyes towards her three superiors, expecting an explanation, which Alastor Moody immediately provided.
"You see, Minerva… I am going to say things as they are: the wizarding world is collapsing. Grindelwald has almost free play. All left of the Ministry is a dozen of frightened and threatened wizards and witches. Our last hopes have almost faded… Our only chance is a spy."
He explained it very clearly, very quickly, but clearly indeed, and Minerva understood.
"And that should be me?"
Alastor nodded.
"That should be you, indeed. It's not- well, you know it is dangerous. You know there are many risks. But it is our last hope. Mind you, you do not have to accept. We can't expect that of you- of course we can't!. But I'll be honest, it is possibly our last hope. Your task would be to peer around and try to get hold of as many of Grindelwald's plans as possible. You should- er… try to gain his confidence, and…"
He slightly stammered, not exactly knowing how to put it, but Minerva grimly smiled.
"I should try to *seduce* Grindelwald into trusting me. Isn't that what you were truly trying to say?"
Alastor opened his mouth- and closed it again, looking very much like a fish, and then, he quite defeatedly nodded.
"Yes, that is what I was trying to say. You are an intelligent girl indeed, Minerva, very intelligent, and thus I hope you perceive the dangers. Grindelwald knows no mercy. You know what happened to our other spies, and you know what can possibly happen. But it's our last chance- you…"
A bang of the door interrupted him, though, and as he looked up, he saw a fuming Albus Dumbledore had left the room. An uncomfortable silence fell as Alastor noticed the confused look in the young woman's eyes. Nicolas saved the situation, though. He cleared his throat, then matter-of-factly spoke
"Of course you don't have to answer right away, Miss McGonagall. I am-"
But with another grim smile and a firm nod of her head, Minerva McGonagall interrupted him.
"Thank you, Mr. Flamel, but I already know what I must do."
