Ch.12

A/N: Sorry I took so long to update, I was waiting for motivation. I am also quite sorry for my horrid spelling, I tried to fix as many as I could in this chapter, so I don't think it will be so bad. Enjoy, and don't worry I have quite a plot lined up for you later. :)

In two years time Minerva McGonagall was well renowned at Hogwarts School, renowned no longer just for her beauty but also for her austere teaching methods. This gradual change in attitude was due to the enormous amount of stress that had been suddenly established on her shoulders. This affliction was put on by her colleges, her students, her job, and most importantly her child. All of these things in some way or another were suddenly distracting her from herself, and she began to lose complete focus in her own existence. What was she but a tool, a tool to provide knowledge and work, teach and work. The stress became so much that Minerva had to apply to the Ministry of Magic for a time turner only two years after her initial teachings.

"And she's only 19! I mean for goodness sakes I feel sorry for the girl, she'll be running herself in the ground if she keeps this up." Said Professor Flitwick sympathetically.

"Well I don't like her! Coming in here as young as she is and thinking that she runs the place-"

"Well she is the deputy in charge…." Countered Madame Lewis the divination professor gently.

"Even more reason to disslike her! I mean we all taught her didn't we! And yes she's bright, but there is something disrespectful about a girl who takes charge of those who taught her! Its simply unfitting! And besides its not like she worked up for the job, and got it because she has shown the years of expert experience that back it, its simply because she is Dumbledore's little pet and the only Gryffindor that's available!"

"Hmph! Well if you disapprove of the goings on around here why don't you do us all a favor and pack your bag Slughorn!" Said Flitwick who was never on particularly good terms with the potions master anyway.

"Maybe I will! Follow in Merryweather's example! After all the Gryffindor's are taking over the school anyway, why should I stay and watch as all the little children, pregnant and all, come deck the halls. No experience, no anything! All under are new and noble muggle loving Professor Dumbledore." Slughorn did a little bow dramatically at Dumbledore's name. "I'd just about rather go and join up with old Tom, at least he seems to have the right idea about things." The others blanched at this statement. Tom Riddle was a delinquent subject with the staff, if not with everyone at Hogwarts. No one really knew what to make of him or his new little group of followers. Some claimed that they were crusaders, crusading for peace and people rights, unity in the wizarding world and dramatic changes in the way the Ministry was running things. Changes they claimed that no doubt were very much needed. While others firmly believed that Tom and all his 'minions' as they called them, were a group of conspiracers, a group of organized criminals. And that this 'fake' depiction of peace and unity was nothing more than the calm before the storm, a delision to win more followers and trust. Well delusion or not, more and more people were certainly turning to them, with upturned hearts and hands, pleading for help and guidance.

The staff, tried its best to avoid the issue of Tom Riddle, for there was many different opinions in that small group, and no one wanted to ruffle feathers. Besides to speak out against Tom, would bring anger and talk, people would suggest that you liked the government and the way it was operated, and that would never do. But if you said anything positive about Tom, that would bring on even more talk, and suspicion. No it was best not to say anything at all.

Finally someone broke the silence,

"Come come Horace, don't be ridicules, join a teenage boy and his friends on some mad and unrealistic idea, I think you're a bit to old for that. Besides, Miss McGo- excuse me Professor McGonagall is the same age as Tom!" Professor Everhart laughed merrily, "I think your eating your own words Horace."

Slughorn looked livid, but instead shifted uneasily in his chair, either because he was frustrated, or perhaps because some of his gigantic bottom was hanging off the end of the chair awkwardly.

"Oh!" He said finally, and everyone chuckled a little at his loss of words. "Alright fine, but if that crackhead does one more thing I swear I'll..."

"Professor Dumbledore is not a crackhead!" Flitwick squecked miniesly standing up on his chair, in attempt to loom over Slughorn in an intimidating manner. The room erupted once again in angry chatter, and Slughorn stood up too towering over Flitwick with ease, even in his own diminutive height. Professor Everhart hastily separated them, and whispered a few encouraging words to Flitwick, but Flitwick would not budge.

"It isn't silly, I won't stand for it! Dumbledore is perhaps the greatest wizard of our time, if not ever! And I won't sit there and listen as he insults him like he was nothing !"

"Oh he's not nothing, I won't deny that he is a great wizard, but he is a crazed lone all the same, just because you look at him with stars in your eyes and you can't see it, is no fault of mine. After all hasen't anyone wandered who the father of McGonagll's baby is? Who else but the one who drools after her like a lost puppy."

"Why you!" Flitwick screamed in a shopranoe shreak, practically leaping at Slughorn, but was caught in mid air by Professor Everhart.

"It can't be Dumbledore's it looks nothing like him, and anyway its none of your busisness who the babies relations are." Madame Lewis said calmly.

"Oh? But I suppose you know all about that don't you? You would had surely 'foreseen' whose child it was, did you not?" Slughorn asked mockingly

"Of course, but I do not know willingly, it comes to me like the wind comes to the grass. I have no power on what I know and what I don't, and therefore I do not think it would be proper for me to divulge the information of others."

"Not proper!" Said Slughorn outraged.

But no matter how much the staff gossiped about her, or how many inquiring looks they cast her way, Minerva scarcely had time to notice. Only when she had something of importance to discuss with them did she feel a bit miffed about being treated so awkwardly, and with so much distance and in some cases intimidation. Minerva had no time to explain things to them, nor did she have any desire to, she was hurt and stricken like a wingless bird. Her problems were her own and it was not like her to hang up dirty laundry. Her students kept there distance too, most still remembering her from her school days, they could clearly see the change in her. Not that the boys still didn't flirt profusely with her whenever they had the chance, but flirting did not require extra time other than class time to do it. None of her students wanted to 'hang' around with Minerva, even if they used to be her friends. In fact these days there was only one person that Minerva could turn to for help, one lone constant, one last friend. Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore, was the one whose shoulder she could cry (not that she ever did), who she could chat with, laugh with, and share troubles with. It was so comforting after a long day to go to his office and play a round of chess, they often did this in fact. Chess was a good excuse to meet nightly, a good excuse to laugh and to chat. And so they did, sometimes for hours on end, completely neglecting their other obligations. The evenings were their time, and no matter how much work, or how trying times got, they always made time for chess.

When they first started this charade, Minerva had left Bella in the care of a house elf, or even Poppy, who had quite a lot of excess time, now that the chamber was cealed. Poppy had been made the new Co-Head Medi-Witch, for Madame Katz, who had been at the school for countless years simply could not be fired or shoved aside. But in truth she was the only Medi-Witch, for now with the aid of Madame Pompfrey, Madame Katz had seen little reason to keep troubling herself with nasty afflictions. So she more of less stayed glued to her chair snoozing. Poppy was more than happy to watch little Bella, who she thought a delight, and a darling, but as Bella got older, Minerva liked less and less the idea of leaving her alone and so began to bring her along to her chess matches whenever possible.

On one such chess night, Bella refused to sit on Minerva or Albus's laps and instead ran up to Albus's large high back chair behind his desk and said boldly.

" I sit in Daddy's chair!" Both Minerva and Albus had stared at the little green eyed girl for a moment without really knowing what to say, and then in perfect coordination blushed crimson and attempted to explain to the toddler who Dumbledore really was. To no avail however, for the little girl continued to call Albus, Daddy, and sometimes at highly inconvenient times, which did not help the rumors in the lest. The chess games did not cese however, and as Bella got older the pair began to attempt to teach her chess too.

In 1956 on a cold November evening, there was a particular chess match which neither Minerva or Albus could forget quite easily in later years. The pair had been siting at the little oak chess table for hours, so long that the once roaring magical fire, had slipped away to nothing but glowing embers, pinpricks of light in the dark and chilling room. It was an intense game, or rather a very uneventful game, for neither player had moved more than 5 times and that had been quite a while ago. They were caught, neither one could move without being gloriously slaughtered by the other, it was pointless to continue. Albus had suggested a draw, knowing better, for Minerva simply glared at him thinned liped, and said

"Over my dead body Albus."

"That is what I am afraid of, my dear, it simply wouldn't do for you or little Bella to catch your death of cold due to your stubborness." Said Dumbledore seriously, but with a smile paying on his lips.

"My stubborness! That's a bit rich of you Albus, when you played me last week until the sun came up, trying to figure out how to get out of check mate!" The raven haired witch countered astounded.

"Ah, but it wasn't check mate after all, don't you remember, I found a way out in the end, and besides Bella didn't accompany us on that particular game. And just look at the poor child Minerva, perhaps if not a draw you should forfit." Minerva opened her mouth immediately scandalized, but Dumbledore quickly extended his arm, his hand covering her mouth, "You'll wake her." He said simply, for Bella had gone to sleep in 'Daddy's' chair, her head was slumped slightly against her shoulder, so that her dark ringletts were falling down beautifully around her. She looked quite comfortable lying there in the deeply cushioned chair breathing heavily with only the soft glow of the embers caressing her lily white skin. Minerva immediately caught the words in her throat at the site of her little girl, and instead brought her eyes back to Dumbledore's with agreement. He studied her, but even when he seemed content that she would not speak did he remove his hand. How could he when the same beauty that was present in Bella was staring him straight in the eye, only with much more maturity and aged beauty. Her skin was like a rose petal under his fingers, and it took all the strength he could muster to keep from caressing her cheeck like the ember light was doing. Their eyes were in check, neither could move for fear of breaking the spell that must surround them. The silence was deafining and Minerva thought a shrill scream would be more comfortable, but she couldn't bring herself to speak or pull away. Minerva was so engrossed that she didn't realize that she wasn't breathing, fear ensnared her and she opened her mouth anxiously. Her lips rushing across his palm, Albus gasped and shivered at her action. His blue eyes were wide, and his heart seemed to be pounding loud enough for Bella to here. Taking a chance he bowed his palm and ran his thumb lightly along her lips. Minerva inhaled air so suddenly that her lungs that were seconds ago empty were overwhelmed with air, her head spun dangerously, and goosebumps covered her flesh, at Albus's actions.

What is he doing? What does this mean, why won't he stop? Do I want him to stop? Should I make him stop, will he kiss me? Minerva was afraid, afraid that her last confidence, her touchstone, was about to be gone forever. She trusted him, with all her life she trusted him, admired and accepted him. To her, Dumbledore was a bit like a god, she didn't understand him, not entirely, he was a merciful man of mystery and she liked him that way. For him to love her, as humans love others was an incomprehensible concept to her. A concept that scared her and taunted her, for she didn't believe in possible. So when Albus's lips were suddenly inches away from her own, she felt completely helpless. Unsure of what to do (something that didn't happen often), to let him kiss her would be a grave sin, but the idea as frightening as it was was also very exciting. The young 20 year old had only kissed two people in her life, two powerfull and intelligent people, but neiter as flawless in her eyes as Albus Dumbledore. Her idea of perfection, for Minerva didn't realize it but she was drawn to powerful men.

And then in an instant, his lips were on hers and not in some meak and chaste kiss that could only be of someone so superior and mighty, but a feverish and hungry kiss. In that second, Minerva was brought to a sudden terrifying discovery, he wanted her, he needed her, like an ordinary man, like an ordinary average man. There was nothing godly about the way his lips took hers again and again, or the way that his hands clung desperately to her face, as if afraid that she would slip from them without his support. However with this epiphany also came the sudden sensation of desire. No one had ever kissed her like this, not Alastor with his timid and fragial kisses, or Tom with his nasty hurtfull bites, this was amazing. And if it were not for the horrible ringing of alarm in her ears she thought she could melt away into his hands and kiss him forever more.

Eventually Minerva pulled away, not jerking, that was her first thought, she pulled away and looked at him long and hard. And them when the overpowering feeling of awkwardness and guilt consumed them, Miinerva stood up quickly and snatching Bella up feld from the office.

Thinking as she left, next time I shall remember to tell him just what I think about his spontaneous behavior! And then she blushed slightly, for she had been planning on the…next time.