Disclaimer: I don't own anything, so please don't ask!

A/N: Well, once again, reviews have far surpassed anything I could have expected. Thank you all who reviewed, you mean a lot to me! And I decided I would put in replies to all your reviews. Here they are:

Lord Anonymous: I'm glad that you like my beginning, because quite frankly I was worried about it. And thanks for the encouragement about Lockhart not being out of character. Thanks a bunch and I hope you keep reading.

Mollisk: I'm glad you like how I portrayed Lockhart. I was worried no one would like the slight change in character, that's why I decided to add his bragging in. Thanks a million and I am so glad that you enjoyed the beginning of it.

Lady-Jolly: Well, here is that update you wanted. Glad you liked it so far. Thanks a lot.

Lenora: OF COURSE IT'S ME! Come on, Len. You should know by now that I'll take any chance I get to add in great lines like that! I was even thinking, while I wrote it, "Lenora would be so proud if she reads this". And if you didn't, I was going to call you up and tell you. Hehe. LOL!

Girl from Iceland: I'm glad that you like it and thank you so much for that enormous compliment, about how I make the stories so real feeling. That means a lot to an author, and I hope I can continue to do so. Read long and prosper!

Angeldust a.k.a. Evilwoman: I'm glad you liked the running part. I was unsure about it. Nice to know someone likes it! LOL!

DamesFan: It seems you and everyone else likes this side of Lockhart! Hehe! Glad you liked it.

Chapter Two: What To Do?

Minerva ran out into the hallway, looked to her left, looked to her right, and then decided to go to her right, seeing how the stairs went down whereas the stairs on her left only seemed to be leading upward. And as far as she was concerned, she did not know where she was and she wanted to get out of the castle, if that was indeed where she was, in a castle, as fast as she possibly could. She just knew that she had woken up in a strange bed, in a strange room, and in a strange place, and she did not like it one bit. So, she had to get out of there as soon as was humanly possible.

"Minerva! Minerva!" She could hear the man and the woman who had been in the infirmary coming up close behind her, and she had to get away. She didn't know who they were, and she most certainly did not know why they were following her. She didn't even know why they were calling out 'Minerva'? That wasn't even her name, she didn't think. So she just continued to run down the stairs and through whichever corridors she came to first until she ran face first into someone, causing her to fall back and onto the floor. She looked up and the face she saw scared her even more than the faces she had seen in the first room, whichever room that was. It looked to be some sort of infirmary, but she couldn't be sure of it.

"Minerva? What are you doing out here?" he asked, reaching out his hand to help her. She didn't take it, but only backed away a few feet until her back was against the wall. He tried to smile, but he could tell there was something wrong. "Come, come, Minerva," he said in a gentle voice. "I know I'm not exactly your most favorite person in the world, but I'm not all that bad, I promise you." She still didn't take his hand, and this confused and somewhat hurt him. Sure, they had never been close, but all that banter of theirs was all in good fun.

"Oh, Severus," huffed Albus as he and Poppy came around the corner and saw him standing over Minerva, his hand holding out, "Thank goodness you stopped her."

"Stopped her?" he asked, confused. Poppy bent over and, grabbing her friend by the elbow and pushing slightly on her back, helped her up to her feet.

"We wondered where you'd run off to," she said. She brushed off Minerva and made sure she was alright.

"Yes, I'm afraid Minerva here decided to run away before we'd been able to see just how much she could remember," Albus half explained.

"Remember?" inquired Severus, rubbing his head. It was starting to hurt.

"It would appear Minerva is suffering from amnesia," replied Poppy. "I do not yet know if it is temporary or permanent, so I shall need to perform a test or two on her. That is," she added, turning on Minerva, "if you promise you won't run away again." Minerva just looked at all three of them as if they were crazy.

"Tests? Tests? I don't even know you, and you want me to allow you to take tests on me?" she hissed. Poppy grabbed her hand before she could dart off again, forcing Minerva to look at her.

"You may not remember us, Minerva Katherine McGonagall, but we most certainly remember you, and we love you too much to let you just throw away a lifetime of love, friends, and memories to let you just run out of here as if the building were on fire. Now, if you want to remember who you are, who we are, and everything else about your life, then you will come with me back to the infirmary and let me perform those tests on you." Minerva looked somewhat shocked at the woman whom she did not remember, but slowly, solemnly, and rather shockingly, she nodded her consent and followed the medi-witch to the room where they had just come from.

Albus and Severus followed close behind, both more than a little shocked at the way Poppy had spoken to her friend. Neither one of them had ever witnessed, nor had they even heard of a time when, Poppy was allowed to speak to Minerva like that. And if she had, she surely would have been hexed into oblivion by Minerva.

"She really must have lost her mind," whispered Severus to Albus. "I know she isn't kidding, or even semi-kidding around with this. If she knew anything about who she was, she would not have allowed Poppy to do that." Albus shook his head worriedly.

"I am worried about her, Severus," he said. "What if she never gets her memory back? What if she has to start from scratch all over again? I could never see her do that." Severus looked over at Albus and knit his brow. He had not seen the headmaster like this in a long time.

"Then I suppose we should just have to try and help her along the way to recovery and make sure she does not get sidetracked," replied Severus. Albus looked at him, nodded, and sighed. He just hoped that it was only temporary and not permanent. He couldn't bear to lose the wonderful woman she was.

Ooooooooooo

After Poppy performed three tests, she smiled slightly and looked at Minerva.

"Well, Minerva, it seems that this situation of yours is only temporary, though I do not yet know how temporary it will be. It could last anywhere from a few days to a couple of months or even a year or two."

"A year or two?" squeaked Minerva. Albus and Severus looked at each other, open mouthed and wide eyed.

"Can't something be done?" asked Albus, looking at Poppy. "She'll miss out on classes! Summers in Scotland! Time with… all of her friends!" He was about to say 'time with me' but stopped himself. He didn't want to scare anyone off, especially Minerva, who still did not know who he was.

"She'll miss out on everything that she loves," continued Severus after staring at Albus for a moment. He could tell there was something else he had meant to say, but made no comment on it. He looked back at Poppy. "We've always gone back and forth when Slytherin played against Gryffindor, especially if it is for the House Cup." He hated to admit it, but he would miss doing that with her. Poppy glared at the two of them.

"Don't you think I know all that?" she spat. "I'm just as furious as you two are. But remember that I also said that it could only last a couple of days, so we just do not know."

"You mean I will have no recollection of who I am and you don't even know how long it may last?" asked Minerva, in a voice so low that they almost didn't hear it.

"That's right," replied Poppy hoarsely. "But do not worry. I'm sure the entire teaching staff wouldn't mind staying behind a few weeks and helping you to remember."

"Teaching staff?" asked Minerva. Poppy looked at the others before continuing.

"Yes, dear. You are a professor here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, in England. You are the Transfigurations professor and are a fantastic witch, if I do say so-," She was cut off by Minerva.

"I'm a what?" she cried. She looked at the three surrounding her. She tried to laugh, but couldn't. "No, no. I'm no-,"

"Witch?" finished Severus. "Yes, Minerva, you are a witch. Probably the best witch of your age."

"Minerva, please tell me that you remember even a speck of our world?" begged Albus. She glared at him.

"I don't even know my own name, though I suppose it must be Minerva, since that is what you keep calling me, and yet you want me to remember being a witch?" Poppy rolled her eyes, though she knew she probably should not have.

"Well, I hardly believe muggles (that's non-magic folk)," she added when she saw the confused look on Minerva's face, "would wear wizard's robes." Minerva looked at what the others wore and nodded slightly. She looked down and noticed she was still wearing her hospital gown.

"I take it this is not what I usually wear," she commented. Poppy smiled slightly and, pulling out her wand, muttered a spell. Almost immediately, Minerva's gown was transformed into her usual tartan robes, her hat resting on her lap. She smiled as she looked at what she had on, and a quick glance in the mirror showed her she was wearing her customary bun. "This is much better," she said. She reached into her pocket and found her wand. It felt so familiar, and yet so strange at the same time.

"So, what is it that I teach again?" she asked, looking over her wand.

"Transfiguration," replied Albus. "You were always fond of it when you attended here. I was your teacher then, but when I moved on to become Headmaster, I chose you to be my replacement. And so now, you not only teach several classes, ages ranging from eleven to seventeen, you are also Head of Gryffindor house and my Deputy Headmistress." Minerva looked at him.

"Gryffindor?" Severus looked at Albus.

"She doesn't even remember the different house names," he sighed. "That should put a real damper on our bantering." It was the only way he could express what he was going to miss most of all between him and Minerva, his well known rival at every game, even if it wasn't between their two houses. If Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw were playing, he would root for one or the other, whichever he felt had a better chance at the time.

"We'll explain more later on," Poppy said, patting her hand. "Right now, you just need to rest. Albus will show you to your rooms, where you can sleep for the rest of the night. Breakfast is at eight, and I look forward to seeing you then." She smiled as she hugged her friend. "And get well soon. You are one of my best friends, and I'll miss you if you don't." With that, she hustled into her office. She still needed to finish some paperwork before she could go to bed.

"Well, Minerva, I do believe I am to take you to your rooms." He held out his hand to her, as he always had, and felt saddened when she hesitated to take it. She would always willingly take his hand, and yet now she didn't. He just had to keep telling himself that she didn't remember him and to give it time. "Don't worry, I don't bite." She slowly held out a shaking hand to him and he helped her out of the cot. She stopped and looked at him.

"Might I at least ask you your name before we continue?" she asked. Albus felt as if he were going to cry. His heart had already shattered into a million pieces, so there seemed to be nothing else to do but cry. He looked at Severus, who shrugged slightly, and then smiled. It was a rather weak smile, but he couldn't help it.

"I'm Albus Dumbledore," he said.

"Professor?" she asked. He nodded.

"But feel free to call me Albus," he smiled, winking at her. "You always do. The woman who examined you was Poppy Pomfrey, the school medi-witch. She has quite a hand in medicine, which comes in handy with so many teenagers and pre-teens running around here, if I do say so myself. And this is Severus. Severus Snape," he said, pointing to the younger man. "He's the Potions Master around here. He is also Head of Slytherin house." Severus shook her hand.

"I hope you get better, Minerva," he said. The thought that she could not remember him weighed heavily on his heart as well. With that, he bid them both a good night and walked out the door, his robes billowing behind him.

"Does he always make an entrance or exit like that?" asked Minerva, smiling slightly. It warmed Albus' heart to see her show some form of happiness.

"Oh, Severus has always been one for dramatics," he smiled as they left the hospital wing as well.

"It shows," she said. They talked while they walked to her rooms, though they couldn't talk about much. When they stopped in front of her rooms, he told her the password to get in and out ("Grey Tabby") and as she said it, the statue in front of her private chambers opened for her. She found that truly amazing.

"Grey Tabby?" she asked. He smiled.

"That shall be explained tomorrow," he said. "As will the reason behind you losing your memory." She looked at him, her eyebrows almost to her hairline. He smiled. That was a habit of hers he had always found quite amusing.

"You mean you know why I've lost my memory?" she asked. He kissed the back of her hand and simply said,

"Tomorrow." And with that, he said good night and left for his own rooms.

A/N2: So what did you guys think about that chapter? Good? Bad? Don't care? Well, I certainly hope you guys liked it! Read long and prosper! Always Hopeful