DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter's not mine and I'm not J.K. Rowling.
A/N: Here's Chapter 4! I decided to go ahead with this one instead of my usual cycle. After this chapter, I'll do Chapter 4 of The Mystery Assassin and then back to finish up Something Good. I hope y'all like this chapter. I figured it was about time to get the ball rolling! Enjoy!
Clenching the letter tight in the pocket inside his robes, Albus hurried down the spiral staircase that led from his office. Down the deserted corridors and more stairs he went, never stopping for a moment to think of anything but Minerva. What had the letter meant? Was Minerva in danger? Who had sent it? All of these questions raced through Albus' mind as he ran though the corridors. He didn't know what he would do if something had happened to Minerva. Finally, reaching her office, he slowed to a quick stride. He pressed his ear against the door, but heard nothing. Trying the handle, he found it unlocked. This worried Albus. Minerva was always very careful to lock her office door before retiring.
Albus was horrorstruck at what he saw upon entering the room. The window was wide open, the chairs in front of the desk were overturned, the floor was littered with the usual occupants of the shelves around the room, and the desk itself looked as though it had been ransacked. Papers were strewn all over the desk and the surrounding floor; the drawers were all open, their contents everywhere; and the lamp and cookie jar that normally stood on the corners of the desk had been knocked to the floor.
Trying not to panic, Albus attempted to rationalize the situation. It appeared that the perpetrator had been looking for something, but had not known its exact location. Off the top of his head, Albus could think of nothing in particular that the he or she would have been after. The room also looked as if there had been a struggle. Albus, however, knew better than to assume that Minerva had been kidnapped. After closing and locking the office door behind him, Albus crossed the room to the large portrait of a Gryffindor Lion that hung on the wall opposite the desk. He tickled the sleeping lion under the mane and it was suddenly animated. It stretched and yawned and gave a low growl.
"Brian," Dumbledore said to the lion, which promptly disappeared as the portrait dissolved into a large wooden door that led to Minerva's private rooms. She had admitted to him earlier that day in his office that the password to her rooms was his own middle name. She had also told him, a bit shyly, on her way out, that he was welcome to come visit her any time he wished.
Thinking about this wonderful moment and finding it hard to believe that it had only occurred a few hours ago, Albus opened the door. What the Headmaster saw brought him the biggest wave of shock he had ever experienced in his many years.
There was Minerva, curled up on the sofa, with a cup of tea and a book.
After lunch, Minerva had gone through the rest of the day hardly noticing her surroundings. In her last class of the day, the whole class had whooped and cheered when she had told them to forget about the three-rolls of parchment-long essay that she had set the day before.
"I've decided, because of your good behavior today," she had announced, "that you need not complete the essay that was to be handed in on Monday."
"But Professor, I've already finished it!" Hermione Granger had exclaimed sulkily, as the rest of the class cheered around her.
"Not to worry, Miss Granger," Minerva had said, "You and anyone else who may wish to take the opportunity may complete the essay for extra points on your end-of-year exam." She waited for the excited chatter to die down before continuing, "Anyone wishing to take advantage of this offer will please submit your essay to me on or before the last day of winter term."
The Gryffindors had never seen their Head of House in such a good mood.
"Professor McGonagall's been acting strange all day. Did you see the way she and Dumbledore were acting at lunch?" Hermione asked Harry and Ron in the common room that evening.
"No," they answered in unison.
"Of course you didn't," she sighed.
"All I know is that she changed her mind about that essay," said Harry.
"Didn't you notice how friendly they seemed to be acting towards each other?"
"What's so strange about that?" Ron asked. "It makes sense that they're friends, doesn't it? I mean, my mum and dad had McGonagall for Transfiguration, so she's been around for at least-"
"I'm not stupid, Ronald. Of course they're friends; anyone can tell that."
"Well, what are you on about, then?"
"They were acting like a bit more than friends," she said.
"Gross, Hermione!" exclaimed Harry. Ron only gaped.
"Oh, you two. . ."
"'Oh, you two' nothing," said Ron, "Hermione, I don't want to think about those two together!"
"There's nothing gross about it, Ronald," Hermione said. "I actually feel a bit sorry for them."
"Why's that?" Harry asked.
"Because," Hermione sighed again with an I-can't-believe-you-really-need-to-ask-that-question tone, "they're obviously in love, but they can't let anyone else know."
"Why not?" asked Ron.
Hermione looked incredulously at him for a moment before looking at Harry, obviously hoping that he would have more common sense than Ron. When he merely shrugged, Hermione threw her hands into the air in frustration.
"How daft are you two!? No one can find out because then You-Know-Who might find out-"
"And go after McGonagall!" Ron finished.
"Yes! Finally, someone figured it out!"
"You know who else had been acting odd – odder than usual?" Harry asked the others.
"Who?"
"Snape," Harry said. Remember in Potions today he almost blew up the dungeon? Hermione, I don't think he was really testing anyone. If you hadn't stopped him. . ."
"But why would he blow up the dungeon?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know," Harry said, "but I want to find out."
In her rooms that evening, Minerva could think of nothing but Albus. They had agreed, for both their sakes, not to make their relationship too public and Minerva was left wishing that she could scream "I love Albus Dumbledore!" at the top of her lungs.
With a sigh, Minerva resolved that it was all for the best and decided to be optimistic. So what if they couldn't walk down the street in Hogsmeade hand in hand? Now she thought about it, the prospect of a secret love affair seemed even more intriguing than a public relationship. It would be like in the old muggle films that she had seen where the top-secret government agent has to keep his friends and family secret for their own safety. And besides, Minerva thought with a grin, if any of the staff find out, they'll take the mickey out of us.
Minerva took a hot bath, put on her tartan dressing gown and sat down to start marking her seventh years' essays about Animagi. An hour later, having only gotten through one and a half essays, Minerva realized that it was no use trying to concentrate and gave up on them for the night. She made a cup of tea, grabbed the copy of Excruciatingly Befuddling Transfiguration Theory off her bedside table and curled up on the sofa in the sitting room. No sooner had she found her page than the door to her office burst open and in charged Albus Dumbledore.
Albus breathed a sigh of relief and strode over to where Minerva was sitting. She stood up to greet him and he pulled her into a bear hug-like embrace.
"Minerva, darling! I'm so glad you're alright," he breathed. He was panting heavily and stroking her hair comfortingly.
"Of course I'm alright," Minerva said. "Is there a reason that I shouldn't be?" She pulled out of his arms and looked up into his face. His startlingly blue eyes were not sparkling as they usually did, but looked instead worried and confused. Without saying a word, he put his hand on the small of her back and guided her back to the sofa.
"Sit, please," he asked.
Minerva sat, feeling more and more confused by the second. She looked up at Albus, who had not sat down and was now pacing back and forth. "Albus, please explain what's going on," Minerva pleaded, "You're starting to scare me."
Albus stopped abruptly, walked across the room, and stood directly in front of Minerva. He reached one hand in his robes and drew out a crumpled bit of parchment. He handed it to her, sat down beside her on the sofa, rested his elbows on his knees, and cradled his temples in his hands.
Minerva read the note three times over. She couldn't believe what she was reading, yet she knew that it shouldn't be unexpected. "What does it mean, Albus?"
"It means, my dear, that you are no longer safe. I believe that someone who wishes me ill has learned of our relationship and is attempting to use you to get to me. I don't think I can live without you, Minerva. I can't let anything happen to you."
Minerva could tell that Albus was blaming himself for this new threat. Now it was her turn to do the consoling. She slid closer to him and rubbed his back in circles. She pulled his hand away from his face, kissed the back of it, and looked into his sad eyes.
Minerva almost cried out at the injustice of it all. After all the years of longing, they were finally together. But now, not even twenty-four hours after they had declared their love, they were being presented with another challenge.
No longer fighting back the tears that were longing to burst from her, Minerva leaned on Albus' shoulder and sobbed to her worried heart's content. In the past, she had been discouraged by her inhibitions or by her feelings of inferiority. But now, Minerva had found something worth fighting for, and she was bound and determined not to let anything stop her. She wouldn't be able to go it alone, but she knew that, as long as she and Albus were together, they could accomplish anything.
As Albus sat on Minerva's sofa, once again cradling her in his arms, he thought about the woman whom he loved so much. "I love you, Tabby," he whispered.
Minerva pulled back and smiled at him. He reached up to wipe away her tears and she grabbed his hand. "Albus," she said, "I'm so frightened. I really don't want to be alone tonight. . .Will you stay here with me?"
Deciding that they would talk more tomorrow about the note and the state of her office, Dumbledore responded by way of a soft kiss.
A/N: Hey y'all! I hope you like this chapter! Sorry it took a little longer to write this one than I had promised. I hadn't realized that the last chapter would get through the queue the DAY AFTER I posted it! I was banking on having a few more days to write! Props to the HPFF staff!