I know I've been alternating points of view, but I think this chapter would be better from Hermione's point of view, so we will be staying with her narrative for this chapter. Hope you don't mind?
As we appear outside the gates of Hogwarts, Minerva is already there waiting for us. Merlin, she's beautiful. I just stare, taking in her splendour. Thankfully the kids distract her with hugs and chatter of what they've done this afternoon so she doesn't notice. I shake my head, and take Hugos hand and she opens the gate for us. We make our way up to her office, one last time.
"Are you ok Hermione? You haven't said much" she questions looking at me worriedly.
"Hmm, oh just miles away, forgive me" I say, and give her a smile.
She continues to look at me, as if she doesn't quite believe what I've said. After an indeterminate amount of time she nods and gathers us around the hearth.
"So, you can only get to my home from this room via floo, so please don't attempt it elsewhere." She informs us. The kids nod to indicate they've understood her warning. "Now then, my home is called Inversnaid Lodge. In-vers-naid Lodge" she pronounces it clearly and asks the children to repeat it. Once she's sure they've gotten it right, she steps into the hearth, drops some floo powder and says clearly "Inversnaid Lodge" and she's gone. I usher the children in next, make sure Hugo has a good hold of Rose, and then nod at them. Rose drops the floo powder and shouts "INVERSNAID LODGE" bless her. I think she was nervous, or excited.
I have butterflies in my stomach myself as I step forward. I grab a handful of the floo powder from the urn on the mantle, step into the hearth, take a breath and then say "Inversnaid Lodge." A moment later I arrived in a resplendent dining room. The soot has already been removed from my robes with a wave of Minerva's wand.
"Welcome" she says, her eyes glowing "to my home. I'll give you all a quick tour. There are 9 bedrooms in all, all with an en-suite. Rose, Hugo you can pick whichever room you like, it will be yours whenever you visit, same for you too Hermione" she adds as she leads us out of the dining room, and into the central hallway. She opens doors as we make our way down. The kitchen is naturally next to the dining room. Across the hall is a drawing room, next to that the lounge/den. There is also an office, library, music room and bathroom on the ground floor. The stairs sweep around and up to the first floor. 7 bedrooms are on this floor, all similar sizes and the same layout. There is another staircase that leads to the third floor which is where Minerva tells us her room is along with one other room that used to be her parents. The children and I all pick rooms that overlook the loch at the back of the house. She leaves us, to go and sort something for supper whilst we get settled in our rooms.
The whole house is amazing, natural light enters from all sides, and the view. Merlin. I thought Hogwarts was breathtaking, but this. I sit on the window seat taking in the view of the loch for a little while. I hear the kids making their way noisily down the hall, heading to the kitchen. I follow after them. We find Minerva elbow deep in her cupboards, trying to find something to cook for us.
"It would seem in my haste to leave Hogwarts I neglected to ask Rhona to get some provisions." She puffs her cheeks out, and says under her breath "living at Hogwarts has spoiled me" louder she says, "I've managed to find two tins of soup, one tomato, one chicken will that do until I can ask Rhona to get some things in for us?"
"Sure, the kids love chicken soup, and we can share the tomato" I assure her.
Whilst she's heating the soups on the stove the kids and I get to setting the small table that is located just behind the door. I don't see the point of using the dining room, just for us.
"How did your interview with the prophet go?" I ask as she levitates the bowls over to the table.
"You mean you haven't seen the evening edition?" Her eyebrow raises, and she summons her copy from the hall. It lands quietly next to my hand. The paper is folded in half and from here I can read
Headmistress Minerva Mcgonagall to RETIRE and hand over the running of Hogwarts to her deputy Filius Flitwick.
I open the paper fully, and there is a picture of Minerva from the last Ministry Ball, Filius can be seen by her side and they are in quiet conversation. I read the article in its entirety
Effective immediately Headmistress Minerva Mcgonagall, to be known purely as Minerva from this point on at her request, has retired from her long held position at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In an exclusive interview, Minerva announced the news to this very newspaper this afternoon.
Minerva has been at Hogwarts for over 60 years, first as a professor of Transfiguration, then taking on the mantle of Head of Gryffindor, and finally after the death of Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape its Headmistress. In her time at the school she has seen many children come and go, fought with some of them in the war against He Who Must Not Be Named, and fought and killed others in the same war. Minerva has described her time at the school as incredibly fulfilling but that it is now the right time to move on to pastures new, to find herself again, without the preface of Professor or Headmistress. The majority of the wizarding world will know her as one of these titles but as she has so candidly reminded me, she is a woman too.
She intends to travel, and enjoy the time she has left with friends and family.
The vacant position has been taken over by Filius Flitwick, once head of Ravenclaw House and Charms Professor, the half goblin when questioned stated he had some big shoes to fill, but was confident that the school would continue to educate the children of our world to the best of his ability.
I skimmed over the rest as it was all predictions of what was going to happen at Hogwarts, and what Minerva was really going to do now that she has retired.
"That was respectful" I say, "not as bad as I thought it might be."
"I'm sure I will be hearing from a few people come morning" she snickers.
The children have finished their soup whilst I've been reading the article, and are now looking rather tired. I look over at Minerva, she has also finished, and is looking at my bowl of soup, that I am yet to touch.
"Sorry, I'll eat it now". I pick up the spoon and begin to eat.
"Good, I'll get the children ready for bed, by the time you've finished they should be ready for you to tuck them in" she announces. "Afterwards, if you would like to have a nightcap with me I'll be in the drawing room"
I nod my head and watch as my children follow dutifully behind Minerva out the room.
I finish up my soup quickly and then levitate the dishes to the sink and cast a cleaning spell. I then make my way down the hall and up the stairs to say goodnight to my kids. Hugo is all tucked up, freshly showered, reading a comic.
"Goodnight bumblebee" I mumble and kiss him on the forehead.
"Night mum" he says back.
I leave his room, and pull the door shut. Rose's room is next door, she's also availed herself of the facilities and is tucked up in bed, her notebook on the bedside table.
"I think I'll try sketching the view out of my window tomorrow Mom" she says as I walk over to give her a goodnight kiss
"It sure is a spectacular view, I'm sure you'll do it justice" I encourage. I kiss her on the forehead too and leave her to sleep. I make my way back downstairs to join Minerva.
The drawing room is lit by a fire and candles. Minerva is sitting on the red leather couch, a glass of firewhiskey in hand, gazing into the flame. I take a moment to watch as the fire's light casts shadows over her face, defining her cheek bones. She looks relaxed and so beautiful. I quietly make my way over to the drinks cabinet in the corner and pour myself a snifter of firewhiskey. I then join Minerva on the couch.
"Are you sure you're ok Hermione? You seemed different this evening when you arrived at Hogwarts" she observes.
I take a moment to knock back my drink, and place the glass on the table.
I raise my leg and place it on the couch so I can turn to face her.
"I had an introspective afternoon. I realised that whilst I loved Ron, I wasn't IN love with him, not as I had been in the beginning of our relationship. I got quite angry at him actually, then I thought of you, and all the guilt, sadness and anger just melted away." I informed her. I grab her glass and place it on the table next to mine, so I can grab her hands. "Min, it would be so easy to fall in love with you, I'm already well on my way, trust me. Once we've buried Ron, I would very much like to give us a chance, if you're willing?" I whisper looking into her eyes, and stroking my thumb over her knuckles. I feel the hands tense in my grip, and then the one hand reaches up to my face and pulls me to her.
Our lips meet in a heated kiss, it's everything I hoped for, soft, gentle. She yields to me as I run my tongue over her lip, our tongues meet and dance together. I can feel the raw need through her kiss, it makes me hum in the back of my throat. She pulls back from me and places her forehead on mine.
"Willing?" She questions "I thought you'd never ask" and she laughs. "We'll take things slowly, we have all the time in the world after all" and then she kisses me again.
Minerva's home is a real place I found on google. In the middle of nowhere on the edge of the loch. Just the place I can imagine her living. I'm yet to visit Scotland myself, but it's on the bucket list.