Minerva was patrolling the halls like she would normally do on Tuesdays. She was supposed to be with Rolanda, but Alecto ordered that she patrol tomorrow. She walked past the Astronomy tower courtyard and looked in. Every time she passed this now she would think of that night when Severus killed him. She walked into the courtyard and took her wand out. She first looked around to be sure she wasn't being watched. She waved her wand and created a wreath of flowers. She sighed and began walking away. Little did she know that she had been watched. Severus came out of the shadows when she was gone and looked at the wreath of lilies. Sometimes he wished he could tell her the truth. Albus was dying and he kept it from her. Severus couldn't understand why he did that to her after everything they've been through. Severus walked away from the wreath, leaving it as it is.
Minerva was grading papers in her classroom that next afternoon when she heard a small banging sound, as if someone was tapping on glass. She looked up and took her glasses off. She turned to the window and smiled. Sitting outside her window was Fawkes. She stood and opened the window for him.
"I've missed you Fawkes." She said as she stroked his feathers. He nuzzled her hand. Minerva waved her wand and created a bowl of water for him, which he gladly drank. She stood there and stroked his feathers for a little while until he heard someone at the door. She turned and saw Pomona standing there. She smiled at her.
"Hello Pomona, what brings you to the Transfiguration wing?" she asked as she sat back down. Fawkes flew onto her desk and made Pomona smile. She walked in and stood by Minerva's desk.
"Actually, it is a question," she said. Minerva raised her eyebrows. Pomona looked at Fawkes. Pomona and Filius had always wondered about her and Albus and Pomona was trying to get the courage to ask Minerva. She opened her mouth, but she saw how happy Minerva seemed to be. "I was just wondering if you believed in magic carpets, like the one in that Muggle movie Aladdin?"
Minerva frowned.
"Oh, I've heard rumors about them. However I haven't actually seen one. I'm sure they do exist though."
Pomona nodded. She looked at Fawkes.
"Is that Fawkes?"
Minerva smiled and nodded. Pomona smiled.
"He seems calm with you. Whenever we had house meetings in Professor Dumbledore's office he would disappear once we entered. Minerva shrugged.
"Perhaps he's lonely without Albus."
Pomona nodded. She also noticed out of all the staff members, she was the only one who called Dumbledore, Albus.
"So, how many Gryffindors returned?" Pomona asked breaking the silence. Minerva sighed.
"Only about 75, maybe 80. Some don't even come out of the common room during classes. I never gave Amycus and Alecto the Gryffindor password so they are safe there. How about Hufflepuff?"
"Less than Gryffindor, only 50 returned. Most of them are seventh and sixth years. Nobody under fourth returned."
Minerva shook her head.
"Potter is our best hope." She said. Pomona nodded.
"He's our only hope. Makes me wonder where he could possibly be right now. Surely he's got Granger and Weasley with him."
Minerva nodded.
"Most likely."
"Do you think he'll come back to Hogwarts?"
Minerva looked at her and shrugged.
"It would be foolish if he did. Besides, I don't see why he would come back. There isn't anything left for him here."
Before Pomona could respond a sixth year Ravenclaw came running in.
"Professors! You've got to help, a group of Slytherin boys are beating up a first year Ravenclaw!" he said. Minerva immediately stood followed by Pomona as they hurried out. Sure enough a couple corridors down, there lay a Ravenclaw first year. Minerva gasped and hurried onto her knees to look at him. Pomona gasped as well.
"Pomona, run and alert Poppy that I'm coming with a first year." Minerva ordered. Pomona nodded and hurried off.
"I saw who they were Professor and I can give you names." The Ravenclaw boy said. Minerva nodded.
"Hurry along to your common room now before the Carrows arrive. I will handle this."
The boy nodded and sprinted away. Minerva looked at the poor boy. His nose had been broken. She shook her head. The Slytherins would not be getting away with this. She elevated the boy and still hung onto him as she hurried to the hospital wing. She arrived and Poppy was waiting with Pomona.
"Oh my goodness!" Poppy gasped as she took the boy. She placed him on the bed and rushed off to the cabinets. Pomona turned to Poppy.
"The Slytherins cannot get away with this. I draw the line!" she yelled. Minerva nodded. Poppy was in the middle of mending the boy when Alecto and Amycus came bursting into the wing. Minerva and Pomona stepped in front of the bed.
"I heard a Ravenclaw mouthed off to a group of Slytherins so where is he?" Alecto sneered. Minerva's eyes went wide.
"You were misinformed!" she snapped back. "A group of Slytherins beat the poor boy to the point of unconscious and this I will not tolerate. I have taken forty points from Slytherin!"
Alecto yelled, "You don't have the authority to do that Minerva! Not anymore! Ravenclaw will lose fifty for this outrage!"
Minerva shook her head.
"No."
Amycus turned and got into Minerva's face.
"No? Maybe you're not aware, but we are in charge of discipline not you!"
"I will NOT tolerate this behavior from any house. The boys who did this will be punished with detention." Minerva said firmly.
Amycus took her wand out and pointed it right at Minerva.
"I strongly suggest you watch your tone."
Pomona couldn't stay quiet any longer. She stepped forward.
"I strongly suggest you put your wand away!" she said and took out her wand. "You're forgetting who the most powerful witch is in this school. Don't deny it. Only a fool would and I don't take you both as fools."
Alecto smirked at Pomona.
"Was the powerful, she has been stripped of her deputy position."
Poppy stood up.
"I believe Pomona meant physically. You have forgotten who trained her. Now you four take this out into the hallway! I don't him waking up." Poppy snapped. Minerva looked into Amycus's eyes and got her Gryffindor bravery and moved the wand out of her way. She and Pomona left the wing followed by the Carrows.
"Don't think this is over Minerva!" Amycus yelled. Minerva didn't turn around and neither did Pomona. They were off to find Filius.