Minerva made her way out of the infirmary and into the still empty corridor, but she didn't notice where her feet took her. Thoughts were swirling relentlessly through her mind, each more upsetting then the one before. 'He didn't come back. If it wasn't Albus, than who was it? Who would want to do that?' There was one thought though that kept pounding in her head, no matter how much she tried to push it aside. 'He didn't leave me.'
It had taken Poppy an hour, and several trips into her pensive before Minerva was willing to believe what she was being told. She saw first Albus returning late from his meeting, and she watched as he grilled every member of the staff about her whereabouts. From there they went six months later, and Minerva couldn't hold back the gasp when she first saw him. He was a different man. Dark circles had taken up residence beneath his cold, emotionless eyes. She watched as Albus taught the last Transfiguration lesson for the term, he had taken over her classes, not willing to hire a replacement.
The memories continued, each showing the man she cared for growing older and more distant from everything he cared about. The final memory was one that Poppy, at first, didn't want to share with her, but Minerva had insisted. Minerva watched as Poppy came bursting though his chamber doors to find Albus passed out on his couch. Minerva took in the room that had become his prison, and she couldn't help but notice the sheet number of empty bottles strewn about. Minerva knew she would never forget the sight of Poppy crouched over him with a look bordering on sheer panic written on her face. Minerva hadn't been able to watch anymore, and they returned to the present.
Even with Minerva's vivid memories of the day and their combined efforts, they couldn't come up with a theory as to just what had happened. Nothing made sense, each theory more implausible then the one before. Dejected, Minerva had made her excuses and left, promising to return later that afternoon. It was time to talk to Albus, only now with a slightly different purpose. She still had no idea how she was going to manage, but there was one thing that was certain. Minerva wasn't leaving the castle again until she had his forgiveness. She knew that after everything that had happened, she couldn't dare ask for his love, not after all the time that had passed, but perhaps they could again be on good terms. Perhaps, just perhaps, it could bring back some semblance of the man she remembered, the one with an easy laugh and kind smile.
Minerva continued to walk, watching students laugh and move around her before fading out of existence again. Hundreds of faces and situations played out in her imagination as she moved. The happiest days of her life were lived in these very walls, and that only made her current situation all the more painful. She knew she shouldn't have been surprised when her feet carried her toward her old classroom.
She stood staring at the open door in front of her before quietly moving beside it, listening in on the lesson. She hadn't kept up on appointments within the castle, and so she had no idea who had taken her place. It was unusually quiet inside, there were no student voices or that of the professor. Even the rapid scratching of quills, signaling an exam, was absent. There was only silence before.. "That's it! If you brats can't be bothered to listen, then you can sort yourselves out. I've had enough!"
Minerva stood back, shocked, as a tall, burley man with silver hair and no chin, came barreling out of the classroom, oblivious to her presence. "Bloody brats only taking up space, don't know why I should bother." He continued to mutter to himself. Minerva watched the stranger, her irritation growing. Teaching the children was trying on the worst of days yes, but you just can't leave them on their own. They were only children after all.
"Excuse me," Minerva snapped. For the first time, Professor Travers turned, his sneer gone and replaced with a polite smile. Minerva watched with disgust as his eyes traveled the length of her, coming to rest slightly below her eyes. "I'm up here," she said dryly.
"And who would you be beautiful?"
'Could this man be anymore of an idiot?' she wondered before replying. "My name is Minerva McGonagall. Is there was something wrong with the students?"
" Well Minerva, I'm Jeffery Travers, the Transfiguration professor, and as for those brats, I say leave them as they are. If they can't be bothered to follow basic instructions, then they deserve what they get." He looked rather smug at his deceleration.
Unfortunately for him, he missed the subtle clenching of Minerva's hands. "I see," she managed between clenched teeth. "Well, Mr. Travers, just how do you expect the students to learn if after every mistake, you walk out on them? They are only children; mistakes do happen."
The smug smile had quickly disappeared as Jeffery stared down at the smaller witch, his beady eyes narrowing. "Well, thanks for the lecture miss, but I don't really see how this is any of your concern."
"Oh, I'm making it my concern. I will not stand idly by and watch you abuse the students. I suggest you rethink your teaching strategy before the other professor rethink it for you."
"Well," he said, puffing himself up. "Since I'm so substandard, would you be so kind as to deliver a message to the headmaster?" he sneered, turning and walking up the corridor. "I quit," could be heard reverberating all the way up in the astronomy tower. Minerva wasn't sure they hadn't heard it in the Three Broomsticks.
She stood stock still for a moment outside the classroom. 'I cannot believe it! He actually left; that prat! How could he..That little..' Minerva took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. There was only one thing left to do. With not small amount of trepidation, Minerva took the two steps forward and peered around the corner and into the room. She had never seen such chaos in a single room before.
It looked like the fifth year Gryffindor-Ravenclaw class, but that only added to the surprise. Ravenclaws, at least, shouldn't have had that sort of trouble. Half of the students seemed to be a cross of a barn animal and some sort of furniture, while the other half seemed to be sprouting various garden tools for appendages. They were all simply staring toward the door, not quite believing they had been left alone. The one's who still had their original head looked on the verge of tears. It had always been well known among the staff that Transfiguration was never one of Poppy's strongest suits, and Albus was rather indisposed at the moment, so, with a sigh, Minerva stepped around the corner. It was up to her to straighten everything out, and, for his sake, Minerva hoped that man had enough sense to get out of the castle before she could find him. There would be hell to pay for leaving her cubs in such a state.
"Can anyone tell me what happened here?" She kept her voice stern, but gentle; she didn't want to scare the students anymore then they already were. That would only lead to more trouble. One of the Ravenclaws stepped forward, gesturing with the small hand shovel that was hanging from her arm.
"Professor Travers was trying to show us a transformation, but something went wrong. There was a bright blue light, and when it faded, we all looked like this. Her voice was starting to crack and tears were beginning to prick her eyes. "No one knows how to reverse the transformation, and the professor just left."
'Oh yes, definitely hell,' she thought. "I see, and what's your name?"
"Emily Mickelson," she said, desperately trying to wipe away the tear sliding down her cheek, but she only managed to smack herself in the face with the blunt end of the shovel. Reaching into her robes, Minerva pulled out an oversized handkerchief, the one thing of Albus' she had taken with her, and dabbed the tear away.
"Well Miss Mickelson," she said returning the handkerchief and bringing out her wand. "Why don't we see what we can do about this, shall we?" With a flick of her wand, and a few muttered words, Emily looked down and found her hand again in its rightful place. She looked up in awe at the witch now moving to stand behind her, addressing the entire class. "Well," she said, almost impatiently, "Who's next?"
Within twenty minutes, it was all over. The students were put to rights again as if nothing had ever happened. "Well, now that's settled, I suggest you all return to your common rooms until the start of your next class. It doesn't seem as if your professor will be returning anytime soon." Minerva almost made it to the door before a brave student from the back of the room called out. "What's your name?"
Turning, Minerva looked over the group as if trying to weigh something. "You may call me Professor McGonagall." With that, Minerva stepped out into the corridor and headed back toward the infirmary. Taking the shortest route possible, it only took Minerva a few minutes to find her way back to the infirmary. Without bothering to knock, she flung the door open and came striding into the room. "Poppy, has this place gone insane! You won't believe what just happened in the Transfiguration class. I swear that man was a complete idiot. How he managed to get the post is beyond me, but.."
She never finished her thought as she came around the screens. Sitting up in bed, staring at her with a mix of shock and disbelief was none other than Albus. He had woken up, and she had run out of time. Unable to take her eyes off his, she said the only thing that came to mind. "Hello Albus."