Disclaimer: Not mine
Chapter Six: Attacks and Mood Swings
A week into the school year, the staff knew that all was not well. The top sixth year student, Lily Evans, was an emotional wreck; Minerva was not doing much better than her favorite student, and the headmaster seemed beyond stressed. Though Albus always had a gentle smile for all of them, it was obvious that current events were playing on his mind.
Over the past week, there had been an attack on another muggleborn witch. She and her muggle husband were murdered. The Ministry insisted that the attack was random, but the situation was beginning to spin out of control for the government. They were running out of excuses and the wizarding world wanted answers that no one was willing to give.
Rumors were spreading about a man who was declaring himself "the Dark Lord." Of course, the professors already knew all about the man calling himself Voldemort. Most of them believed Albus months ago when he shared his thoughts that this man could be a great threat to the world. The couple that had not immediately believed were beginning to come around though.
Lily had, of course, been upset that she was not welcome at her parents' funeral. She refused to take time off from her studying, however. She was now working harder than ever and in spite of that, her grades in several classes were falling.
At one breakfast during the second week of school, the Daily Prophet arrived carrying news of another attack. This time, it was the family of the current Muggle Studies teacher, Professor Harden. The truly tragic part was that Harden had received no news from the Ministry regarding the attack. She read about the deaths of her parents and blind sister in the newpaper. It said that this too had been a random attack and no one should be alarmed.
"Headmaster?" Hilary Harden asked.
"Take all the time you need." He answered. "We are truly sorry about your loss."
"Yes, Professor." she answered listlessly as she left the Great Hall.
"No one should be alarmed!" shrieked Minerva. "Are they insane? What could they possibly be thinking?"
"Now, Minerva. You mustn't appear upset. The students need to be kept calm, even if there is a danger." Albus reprimanded gently.
"Are you just going to sit there? Surely you are going to do something. Can't you bring the subject up at the Wizengamot?"
"We are meeting again soon. I will broach the subject then." Albus assured.
"I need to get to class. I have Lily again today."
"How is she doing?"
But there was no need for an answer; for at that moment, Lily herself demonstrated how she was.
"James Potter." the girl yelled. "You have got to be the most arrogant, selfish bastard I have ever met."
Then she slapped him before stomping out of the hall. Sirius said something that could not be heard, but which made Remus and Peter laugh. James gave them all a rude hand gesture and stood to leave the hall. His friends quickly followed behind him.
"Not well." answered Minerva, rubbing her temples. This promised to be a very bad class.
As though she herself were a seer, Minerva had accurately predicted her class time with the sixth year Gryffindors. When she arrived, Lily and her two friends were on one side of the room, while the Mauraders were on the other. Each group was whispering amongst themselves while glaring across the room at the others.
"All right, class. Today we will continue with double animal transfiguration. Instead of starting with an inanimate object and turning it into two different animals, we will began with a live animal. If you would each come take a toad."
The class filed up and took their toads. They returned to their desks and began transfiguring them into quills. From there, they would have to change it into a completely different species of animal. All the students worked for about fifteen minutes until the first interruption. It came from the boys group and all of them were nearly hysterical with laughter.
"What is the problem, Mr. Potter?" Minerva asked.
"Um, nothing Professor McGonagall." he said, even as Sirius snickered again.
"Give it to Lily." Peter whispered.
"Give what to Miss. Evans?" Minerva asked.
"Nothing." Sirius answered, while trying to cough back another laugh.
Minerva approached the group of desks so she could see what was so humorous. In the middle of the desk was a matching black bra and panty set with the words "sex kitten" embroidered on them in flashing gold letters.
She heard a gasp behind her and turned in time to see Lily begin to cry and run out of the classroom.
"My office now, Potter." Minerva screamed. "Class dismissed."
The remaining students fled in a hurry. None of them could ever remember seeing their head of house so angry, and that was saying something considering that she had dealt with the Mauraders for the last five years.
James went into his professor's office and sat in front of her desk. Minerva followed him into the room and slammed the door behind him.
"What were you thinking?" she yelled.
"It was just a joke, Professor. I didn't mean anything by it. I mean, sure, it might have been a little ill-timed, but it was just a joke."
"Just a joke? A little ill-timed?"
"I know her parents died a couple of weeks ago, but if she continues like this she is going to become depressed. The way she is living now can't be healthy." James rationalized.
"And you thought she would enjoy your little joke, did you?"
"Yes. I mean, we always joked before about how uptight she is. She even laughed about it herself several times last year. I thought if we could remind her that she used to have a sense of humor, she might laugh again."
Minerva was slowly calming down. Perhaps it all had been an innocent mistake.
"Are you this upset because your animagus form is a cat?" James asked.
When he saw the look his professor was giving him, he spoke again.
"Is it because I chose to turn my frog into women's underwear instead of a quill?"
"No, it was not. It was simply because it appeared that you were making a highly inappropriate joke at the expense of one of your fellow students, which you were. I suppose I can understand your reasoning, though."
James sighed gratefully before she continued.
"Was she too quick to become angry this morning also, or were you deserving of the smack she gave you?"
"Well, I may have deserved that." he answered.
"I see. Go apologize to Miss. Evans. You may want to do it in a letter if you are concerned about how she will react. I will talk to her as well and try to sort out this situation."
"Thank you, Professor." James said. He stood to leave but stopped at the door.
"Professor?"
"Yes, Potter?"
"Is Lily okay?"
"She is dealing with a loss. It will take time."
"Yeah, I know about her parents, but-" here he hesitated. It was an odd thing to see the great James Potter at a loss for words. "I just get the impression that there is something else going on."
"I'm not at liberty to discuss this with you, James." Minerva said softly.
"Will you do something for me, then? When you talk to her, just let her know that I am worried about her. Tell her that if I can help her then all she has to do is ask. Please, Professor."
Minerva nodded and watched as the black-haired boy left her office. She had known for a while that James liked, maybe even loved, Lily. Like most, she also knew that Lily thought he was a complete prat. Still, if the two had been on speaking terms she would talk to the girl about the boy's request. It would have to wait until tomorrow, though. Minerva had detentions to supervise after dinner.
"How was your day, my dear?" Albus asked his wife as the two met in their quarters that night.
"Long and emotionally exhausting."
"So, the usual then?" Albus questioned.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing." Albus assured before Minerva had a chance to wind up. "Just that I know what you are dealing with and that it is quite stressing on you."
"I love you." Minerva suddenly said.
"I love you too, my dear."
She went back to marking essays, leaving her husband to wonder what was going through her head.
He would never use Legilimancy on his wife, but at times like this he was sorely tempted. One moment, she was up in arms about the Ministry and the next she was quiet and contemplative. At the next moment, she could be loving and gentle. Her mood swings were driving him mad.
There was also the fact that they had not made love in close to two weeks. Albus was perfectly capable of being patient; he had indeed waited much longer than this when Minerva was working through her own rape. However, he was a man. He understood his wife was very worried about Lily and that her ordeal had reminded Minerva of her own, but he wanted to help her with it. It wasn't even the sex he missed as much as just being close to his wife. As it was, he felt utterly useless to her.
Minerva sat thinking at her desk. She knew she had pushed Albus away. It wasn't that she was angry at him; she wasn't. She had just become busy with her duties as teacher, head, and deputy. With the added worry regarding Lily, Voldemort's rise, and thoughts of her own rape that accompanied those of Lily, she was normally so tired at night that she didn't have energy for anything else. This, sadly, included her husband.
Perhaps she was sinking into depression, too. She, as a teacher, knew the signs to look for. "It is often easier to see the same thing in someone else that you can not see in yourself." she thought. Loss of interest in one's habits and hobbies was a definite red flag.
"My dear, it is late. Are you considering going to bed soon?" Albus asked.
"Albus-"
He waited several minutes for his wife to continue speaking. When she didn't, he finally did.
"What can I do for you, my dear?"
"I don't know." Minerva said, then explained how she was feeling. She also told him how she felt bad because she was neglecting him and his needs.
"Do not worry about me, my dear. However, I think a day away from the castle could be quite advantageous to you."
"Can you come, too?"
"Would you like me to come with you, my dear?"
"Yes." Minerva whispered.
"Then yes, I will accompany you."
"Let's go to the cottage." Minerva said, referring to the home they shared when school was not in session and they could get away.
"Are you certain that is where you wish to go?"
"Yes."
"Very well. This Saturday we shall go. Let us go to bed, now. It is late, and I fear tomorrow will be another long day." Albus said as he gently pulled Minerva up and led her to their bedroom.
Just as she was on the edge of sleep, Minerva reached over and grabbed Albus' hand. He squeezed it reassuringly, and the two fell immediately to sleep.
A/N: I am becoming one of those authors I hate because they never update. I deeply apologize, and will not bother to give excuses. Thanks to everyone who reviewed and has stayed interested in this story. Please keep it up. I am going to try and get the first chapter of the LE/JP story that coincides with this up within the next two days. It is called Another Dark Lord; Another Perspective and will be rated M. Please review.