The month of January passed without anything out of the ordinary occurring. Slowly, Hermione, Neville, and Harry had gotten back into their daily routine without worrying about an attack. On the 2nd of February, they were in Transfigurations class one day, fretting over a test, well, all except for Hermione. Minerva was walking through the desks, making sure none of the students were cheating when an owl knocked on the window. She made her way over and opened the window, making sure to give the owl a treat for flying through the cold weather. She sat down at her desk and after looking at her students once more, opened the letter.
Minerva
I am afraid that I have been called to the Ministry this evening. I should be back tomorrow afternoon at the latest. Make sure you rest tonight. I know you didn't sleep well last night. I love you and I will see you tomorrow.
Albus
She folded the note and threw it into the fire. One by one the students filed up to her desk, handing in their tests. Minerva pushed them to the side, making room for herself to grade the first year quizzes. After the last student was finished, she gave them their homework assignment, just as the bell rang. Minerva knew it was time for dinner, but the work that was piling up on her desk was more important. She decided to make an appearance at dinner, explain Albus' absence, and then come back to finish her work.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were walking down the hall when Harry heard three voices around the corner. He motioned for Ron and Hermione, who were once again argueing, to be quiet as they all slowed their pace. They recognized the voices to be those belonging to Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle.
"We have to let our dads know when is a good time."
"But Draco, Dumbledore has been watching all of us so closely." Crabbe's voice shook as he spoke.
"I don't care! My Dad said he wants to know when he can come visit the castle and he wants to bring your fathers too! Now shut up and help me figure out a good time!"
"Well, maybe when we know that Dumbledore will be out of the castle. Then McGonagall will take over and that old, ugly woman doesn't know how to take care of anything!" Goyle spoke with anger, obviously upset over the test he had just taken. Ron had to restrain Hermione so she would not run and hex Goyle for what he had said about her favorite professor.
"Good idea...I'm glad I thought of it!" Ron rolled his eyes at Harry knowing full well how much Draco thought of himself. "Let's go, it's time for dinner. I'm starving."
The trio heard the boys walk off and then resumed their walk to the Great Hall.
"We'd better talk to Professor Dumbledore tonight. Maybe we can ask him at dinner so that we don't get in trouble with Professor McGonagall for not going back to the tower after dinner." Ron and Hermione nodded at Harry's suggestion. They sat down to eat a few minutes later, but noticed Dumbledore's absence. They watched as the teachers all sat down at the head table.
"Where's Professor Dumbledore? What if he's not here tonight?" Hermoine was worried. If Dumbledore wasn't in the castle, it left them vulnerable for attack.
"I'm sure he's just late. Oh...maybe not." Ron had tried to calm Hermoine's fears but when Minerva stood up to speak, he knew that Dumbledore was not coming to dinner.
"May I have your attention, please?" She waited until the Hall had quieted before continuing. "Professor Dumbledore has been called to the Ministry of Magic on urgent business and will not be back before tomorrow afternoon. If you need to speak with him, you can do it then. Thank you." She sat back down after clapping her hands which made the food appear.
"Do you think she reads minds? She should take over for Professor Trelawney!" Ron shoved a spoonful of mashed potatoes into his mouth.
"What are we going to do now? Professor Dumbledore won't be back before tomorrow! And we have to tell him about what Malfoy said tonight!" Hermoine wasn't touching her food, which worried both Harry and Ron.
"Why don't we go and talk to Professor McGonagall? She is the next in line after Professor Dumbledore and since this entire situation deals with her, I'm sure she'll know what to do." Ron agreed with Harry's decision.
"It'll be alright, Hermione. Come on, eat something. If you don't, I'll have to eat your share." Hermione gave Ron a weak smile and started eating. Harry looked up at the head table after he was finished eating and found Minerva not at the table.
"Where did Professor McGonagall go?" Hermione and Ron shrugged their shoulders. "Are you almost done? We have to be in the common room soon and we have to go and find Professor McGonagall. If we get caught, we'll be in even more trouble." Hermione and Ron quickly ate the rest of their meal and followed Harry out of the hall. They only had about ten minutes before it was time to be in the common room.
"Let's check her classroom. She's probably grading papers." Ron and Harry followed Hermione's lead as they made their way to the Transfiguration classroom. Sure enough, they found Minerva leaning over a pile of exams. They walked up to her desk and she looked up at them.
"Can I help you with something?"
"We have some information about when the Death Eaters might arrive." Minerva dropped her quill out of surprise. She cleared her throat and regained her composure.
"And what would that information happen to be?" Hermione stepped forward and took over the conversation.
"We were going to tell Professor Dumbledore but he isn't here, which cannot be good because of what we heard. We heard Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle talking after your class today. Malfoy said that they had to let their fathers know when was a good time to come to Hogwarts. Goyle suggested they come when Professor Dumbledore is not in the castle." Minerva stood up quickly, too quickly because a dizzy spell swept over her. She grabbed on to the desk for support and looked at the students in front of her. They were looking at her, a mixture of confusion and worry in their eyes.
"I will take the three of you back to Gryffindor Tower and then alert Professor Dumbledore. Everything will be fine tonight. I will also alert the Order. I do not think they will try anything tonight...Professor Dumbledore's absence is only for one evening. Also, the three students found out too late and will be unable to notify their fathers before morning." She motioned for them to follow and they obeyed, worried for their professor. She led them back to Gryffindor Tower. She walked them into the common room and led them to a corner, where no one could hear.
"I want you three to stay here tonight, not go lurking around the dungeons. I mean it. And please, be careful." She left quickly, hurrying to Albus' office. She scribbled a note to him and sent Fawkes on his way. She sent another note to Remus by owl, alerting the Order to Hogwarts immediately. She hurried back to the Great Hall and found most of the staff still there. She gathered them together and looked around to make sure they were all there.
"Where is Severus?"
"He hasn't come back from taking the Slytherins to the common room." Poppy answered.
"Well, someone else can tell him then. I have just received information that three Death Eaters are looking for a good time to come to Hogwarts. They are waiting for a time when Albus is out of the castle."
"But, he won't be back before tomorrow! What if they come tonight?" Xiomara questioned.
"They won't. The three students who are in connection with the Death Eaters received word that Albus was out too late. Even if they sent word to the Death Eaters, it won't get to them until tomorrow. We are safe tonight. But, just in case, I want everyone to patrol the castle and dungeons. Make sure nothing is out of the ordinary. There are some others who coming to aid us in our search. They should be here in a few hours. Please, let's not panic. Everything will be fine. Everyone search your classrooms and offices. Hagrid, will you make sure the forest is secure? And Mr. Filch, please accompany Professor Sprout to the gardens." Everyone set off to search their designated area. Minerva was almost out the door when Snape came in.
"What is going on?"
"There has been a warning of a Death Eater attack. Please check your office, classroom, and the dungeons. I will be down there as well after I have finished up here."
"Should you really be down there, Minerva?" Minerva was surprised at this statement. It seemed like he really cared.
"What?"
"Albus told me everything. He said if ever he was away from the castle, I should make sure you and...the baby are safe." Minerva was glad that Albus cared about her, but Severus? Oh well, he would have to do for now.
"I am fine, thank you."
"Well, if you insist upon inspecting the dungeons with me, I will meet you at the entrance in a half hour. I don't want you going in there alone." Minerva nodded her head, knowing that he probably worried just because she was Albus' wife. She made her way to her classroom, finding nothing out of the ordinary, except another stack of papers that still needed to be graded. She picked up the papers and hurried to her chambers. Again, everything seemed normal. She put the papers on her desk and made her way to the dungeons. She met Poppy on the way.
"Is everything alright in the infirmary?" Poppy nodded and placed a hand on Minerva's arm as she was about to go find Severus.
"Be careful Min. You are carrying precious cargo." Minerva patted Poppy's hand.
"I will be." She continued to the dungeons, finding Severus waiting for her. "Everything alright, Severus?"
"So far." He allowed her to go into the dungeons first and followed close behind. All talk ceased between the two as they made it to the corridors. They each took one at a time, making sure all the rooms were safe. They reached the last two corridors and Severus took the one on the right. Minerva stopped. She had reached the corridor she hated more than anything in the world. Severus noticed her hesitation and stopped before going down the last corridor.
"Minerva? Are you alright?" She nodded, not wanting Severus to know of her weakness. She walked slowly down the corridor, checking the rooms. She reached the last room before the barrier. She took a deep breath and opened the door. Everything was the same, the chairs, desk, and fireplace. She knew that she had to check beyond the barrier. She gripped her wand tightly as she tapped the bricks.
Walking down his corridor, Snape found nothing unordinary in any of the rooms. He walked briskly back to the main hall, waiting for Minerva to return from her corridor. It had been ten minutes and she was still not back. He was beginning to grow worried. He knew, after what Albus had told him, that Minerva was not very comfortable in the dungeons. Of course, after being kidnapped, who would be? Five more minutes passed and she was still gone. He headed down the corridor she had begun searching. He saw no sign of her as he reached a barrier.
"Oh no...why did I have to send her down THIS corridor?!" Enraged at himself, he opened the nearest door and looked for a way to get through to the other side. Albus had not told him how to get through. He stepped into the fireplace, looking for a clue. He pounded on the bricks and nothing happened. He rested his head against the wall and sighed. How was he going to get to her?
In the Great Hall, the rest of the staff had gathered after searching their areas. Poppy was looking around at all the faces, finding everyone but Severus and Minerva.
"Has anyone heard from Severus or Minerva?" No one had any information. Just as they were about to go down to the dungeons themselves, a group of people burst into the Great Hall, wands gripped tightly. Remus, Alastor, Arthur, and Molly were ready for anything.
"Has anyone found anything?" Remus asked as Poppy stepped forward.
"No...but Minerva and Severus are still in the dungeons." Molly grabbed hold of Arthur's arm in shock.
"The dungeons?! But...Minerva shouldn't be down there!" The rest of the staff looked confused at Molly's outburst. However, they did not yet know that Professor McGonagall was expecting. Poppy sighed.
"I know, but she wouldn't stay here. They should be back any moment. And Albus has been contacted so hopefully he will be here shortly." Xiomara stepped forward.
"We have checked ever last inch of this castle and Hagrid has checked the grounds and forest. Everything seems to be in its rightful place." Alastor nodded.
"That is good. However, we never know when an attack may happen. We will need to take posts tonight at all the entrances to make sure no one gets in. We will work in shifts. Let's make a schedule." The staff and Order joined heads and began to plan who would keep watch over the castle first.
"I hope everything is alright. Do you think Professor Dumbledore will make it back in time?" Ron put his arm around Hermione and squeezed her shoulder gently.
"Of course he will. He's Dumbledore! Nothing to worry about, Hermione." But he wasn't so sure himself. No one had come to check on them since Professor McGonagall had left them a few hours ago. Professor Sprout poked her head in once, checking to make sure everything was alright. Harry knew that the staff was checking the castle thoroughly.
"I'm sure Ron's right Hermione. Everything will be fine." She looked up at Harry sadly.
"But you saw the way Professor McGonagall looked in her office! You both saw it right?" The two boys couldn't deny their worry for the Professor. She had seemed unbalanced and looked very pale. They nodded their head at Hermione's question, unable to supply her with words on encouragement. Neville walked over and sank into an arm chair.
"Something's wrong, isn't it? You three have been sitting over here for ages. What's going on?" As they were about to explain what had happened, Poppy rushed into the room and pointed at them.
"You three, Potter, Weasley, Granger, come with me." They quickly got up and followed the frazzled mediwitch out the portrait hole, leaving Neville upset and confused at what had just happened.