As, moments later, the door closed behind her back again, Minerva had a feeling she could cry with relief. The distance had not been that long, no- but she knew very well that she would never have forgiven herself had she been so stupid as to get caught now. For if she had been caught, it would have been because of her own stupidity; and she very well knew that. And for some reason, that thought bothered her more than the possibility to get killed. She did not want to fail. And so she wouldn't. It was that simple to her.

ooo

As, three days after having sent the notorious letter away, Minerva had still received no answer, she scolded herself for what she herself considered the stupidest deed of her entire life. He wouldn't reply- of course he wouldn't reply.

She had, not even two months earlier, thrown his own love right back in his face, ripping his heart out in the process. She could not feel sorry, perhaps, and yet she did. What she had done had been inevitable, needed even, and she knew that, should anyone ever find out about it, they would admire her because of it… and yet why couldn't she keep from blaming herself then?

She did recall the last speech Alastor had given her, after all. When she closed her eyes, she could literally see the scarred face of her mentor- she could still hear his words.

"Minerva, you are about to leave for a place which we know nothing about, but for that it's most probably the most dangerous place in our world. You will have to fight there, but not with your own fists, hexes or curses- but with the strength of your character. And I don't know, cannot know, for sure whether you're up to it. Only time can tell us that, and I hope it will.

Perhaps you will die. Perhaps you won't even survive your arrival. But know then, that our cause does not die along with you. Perhaps you will die and perhaps I will die, and maybe thousands of people will die along with us.

But goodness, Minerva, won't die. That, namely, is its one, unique, quality; that it never dies. Evil can reign and kill and torture, but goodness can heal, and so it will. Now, or in twenty years, or in a thousand years- but one day, it will. And that will be our day.

And therefore, Minerva, never back down.

Evil does not exist and despair is absurd, when hope stays in our hearts.

Never back down.

And if our fight demands us to change, if our battle leaves us scarred and broken, even if we have to sacrifice what is most dear to us in the world- well then we will.

That is our task. We will sacrifice and die, in order for the world to survive."

And as Minerva rose to her feet, putting on one of the beautiful, medieval dresses Grindelwald had given her, she looked into the mirror and noticed she was smiling.

For the first time in days, a true smile graced Minerva McGonagall's lips, and she saw her own green eyes shine as she nodded at her reflection, only to see that gesture- of course- repeated by the woman in front of her.

Of course I'll never back down, Sir.

I'd rather die.