Minerva sprinted through doorway after doorway, pausing barely long enough to throw the door closed before continuing on. She finally reached her rooms, isolated from those of the other students, and realized she was at a dead end. She threw the door to the Head Girl's quarters shut with the same slam that the other doors had made and quickly turned the key and cast a locking charm on it. Panting with fear and the exertion of running so long she pressed up against the door, ears straining for some indication that she wasn't alone. Minutes ticked by with agonizing slowness and as the fifteen-minute mark floated unhurriedly past her she allowed her tense body to slump to the floor in relief, tears flowing freely down her face.
Tom Riddle. The boy who had started this whole problem. She had had a crush on the Slytherin for ages but he was taking it a step too far. They had begun dating, an unprecedented Slytherin/Gryffindor pair, and she had found him charming up until a year ago. That was when he had started to tell her of his plans for world domination. She had laughed it off at first but the plans began more and more persistent and his eyes had begun to take on a fanatic gleam at the mere mention of his plans. She had tried to escape from the monster he had become but it was futile; she was trapped.
"Join me Minerva. Together the two of us can challenge Creation itself, come with me and become my queen."
She took a step back from him in horror. Tears sprang unbidden to her eyes as she realized that her boyfriend was truly gone. "No Tom. I am not that person and I never will be. You've changed Tom; you're going down a road that I can't follow you on. You never were this person, why be him now?"
His eyes burned in anger. "Silly girl," He spat. "I have always been this person, since the moment of my birth I have been destined for great things. You have always known me for what I am but now you run from the knowledge. You say you don't know me anymore when you're the one who has changed. A year ago you would have been at my side in a hearbeat, my queen forever. A queen, as cold and impassionate as you were when we first met, snow white against the dark and wrongness we fight. Why can't you realize it Minerva? You are that person already, to deny me is to deny yourself."
"I'm sorry Tom, but my answer is no. Goodbye." She whispered. Her eyes lowered to her hands, clasped calmly at her waist. She turned to go, blinking back tears but was forced to face him as his hand encircled her wrist like a vice and spun her around.
"You are mine, Minerva. Never forget that." His handsome face twisted into something horrible and she recoiled in fear, breaking free of his grasp and running towards the castle. When she ventured a glance over her shoulder he was in hot pursuit.
The door behind her exploded in a shower of splinters, throwing her forward to collide painfully with her bed. She sat up, hand flying to her bleeding forehead as he entered the room.
"Why did you try to run Minerva? You could have made it so simple if you hadn't run. Was it so hard to follow your instinct and say yes? You'll always belong to me; you can't go anywhere where I won't follow." He was barely inches away from her by now and her eyes couldn't help but travel from his kneecaps to the green eyes she had found so beautiful and mesmerizing. They were hard now, hatred rising to the forefront as he crouched down to her level to grab her wrist with bruising force. He hauled her to her feet and backhanded her across the face when she struggled. She went limp then, shock and horror making it impossible to move anymore.
He started laughing, softly at first before rising louder, the sound resonating around the room evilly. From the ruined doorway the red light of a spell flashed across the room to catch his squarely and throw him across the room. Its caster, none other than Albus Dumbledore, her Transfiguration Professor, crossed the room to catch the unsuspecting boy before he could escape. With one hand the auburn haired man pinned Tom to the wall by the throat, wand pointing threateningly in his face. Others flooded into the room in a swirl of chaotic colors. Professor Evans, the Defense against the Dark Arts Professor, and Madame Sorora, the school Healer, hurried to her side while the others swarmed around Tom. They both knelt next to her, Professor Evans helping her to sit up gently while Madame Sorora cast diagnostic spells. Minerva's shock had worn off by then and she started crying once more and clinging to Professor Evans like a lifeline. Sorora had found nothing wrong with her so Evans pulled Minerva closer and held her tightly while tears soaked through her robes and her hands rubbed small circles on the seventh year's back.
When Minerva had stopped crying the Professors had already dragged Tom from the room and fixed the door, leaving almost no reminder of the incident in their wake.
After a night full of tossing and turning Minerva had started her day as normal. Despite her resolution to put last night behind her and behave normally she was grateful when Professor Evans informed her that she was expected in the Headmaster's office. As the two women left the garishness of the Great Hall Minerva sighed in relief, the meaning of which was not lost on the Professor. She chose not to say anything however, and the journey passed in silence.
They entered the office quietly, not trying to draw attention to themselves, but were noticed immediately despite their caution. As Minerva sat in one of the chairs a nameless Ministry official had offered her the door opened again to reveal Tom, bound and escorted by Dumbledore. The noise in the office immediately died down and the Headmaster was free to speak.
"Mr. Ridddle, never in all my years at Hogwarts have I heard of such appalling behavior. The fact that a respectable student such as yourself could act in such a way to any student much less the Head Girl is appalling. What do you have to say for yourself?"
To his credit, Tom looked very sorry. "Headmaster Dippet, I would like to apologize for my lack in judgment. I was just trying to talk to her and when she walked away I felt the need to chase her. A queen like her only comes around once in a lifetime and I didn't want to lose her. I hope you can find it in yourself to forgive my actions."
Dippet steepled his hands with a sigh. "I wish it were so. However, if it weren't for the portraits reporting a hysterical Minerva McGonnagall running from you in the hallways in the middle of the night I don't know what would have happened. Therefore Mr. Riddle, the Ministry has seen it fit to expel you from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Professor Dumbledore will snap your wand and then you will be forced to leave the castle. Professor, if you please."
Dumbledore drew a mahogany wand that Minerva recognized as Tom's second wand from a pocket of his robes. With a hollow snap the wood parted and the unicorn hair fell to the floor. Tom caught her eye as Dumbledore handed the wand halves to the Ministry official for documentation. She stiffened in fear at the casual glance before looking away as Tom was dragged from the room. Professor Evans rubbed her back in a comforting way and Minerva felt the tension drain from her body. She looked up as Dippet rose to return to breakfast, looking the man square in the eye.
"Sir, I want to see him leave. I need to know that he's gone for good."
The Headmaster looked shocked at her request but acquiesced under the condition that Professor Evans would go as her escort. The front steps of Hogwarts were slipper with frost and snow, the dark carriage that waited for Tom contrasting starkly with the pure snow. Tom was unceremoniously shoved into the dark recesses of the carriage without a word to anyone, an Auror coming to take Dumbledore's place as the Transfiguration Professor came to stand with the two women on the steps. As the vehicle cleared the front gates Minerva heaved a sigh of relief, something that prompted Dumbledore into speaking.
"He won't come back to bother you again Miss McGonagall."
Despite the reassurance Minerva knew that against all odds Tom would be back to haunt her.
TWENTY-SIX YEARS LATER
"As my deputy I feel that you should be aware of a new threat to the wizarding community that has risen in the wake of Grindelwald's defeat. His name is Lord Voldemort."
The room around Minerva spun as the significance of the name hit her like a brick wall. Faintly she could hear Albus calling her name in worry so she resurfaced to the real world around her.
"Yes Albus, I'm alright." His incredulous expression made her aware of the stricken look on her face and the need to explain herself. "I know who the new Dark Lord is Albus. It's... Tom Marvollo Riddle is Lord Voldemort. I always knew he would return." The last part was whispered to herself but Dumbledore caught it anyway. The twinkle in his eyes dimmed as Minerva hid her face in her hands as the weight of that night, twenty-six years ago, and this one came crashing around her. She would never be free of Tom Riddle.