Disclaimer: Harry Potter spells, characters, settings, etc. are not mine. I'm just borrowing them from J.K. Rowling!
A/N: If you're still keeping up with this story, I thank you a million times over. Sorry for taking so long. I hope this chapter isn't completely awful, especially since I've kept you waiting for two months…
Fallen Lioness
Chapter 8: Extreme
"Poppy, I refuse to take any more of that potion. It's positively dreadful!"
Minerva McGonagall sat in the hospital wing one night two weeks later, arguing with Madam Pomfrey. A bottle of a dark liquid rested on the desk between the two witches. The mediwitch was struggling to convince Minerva that she ought to continue with the medication.
"Minerva, you took two blows to the head! It is recommended by 9 out of 10 medical professionals that patients with serious head injuries should be monitored and treated with a small dosage of this potion for at least three weeks. It's only been two."
"Three weeks! Really, Poppy, that's excessive. What source gave you that idea?"
"Modern Magical Medicine."
Minerva frowned.
"My head is fine, Poppy. I don't care what rubbish that magazine told you."
"It's the most trusted journal in medicine!" Poppy exclaimed.
Minerva just glowered at Poppy and sat defiantly in silence.
"Just one more week, Minerva."
"No!"
"Minerva! Do you care at all about your health?" Poppy said.
"There's nothing wrong with me," Minerva said stubbornly.
"You're impossible," Poppy sighed exasperatedly. "Will you just take the damn potion for one more week?"
Minerva sat obstinately still and looked daggers at Poppy. Poppy was not to be moved, and finally Minerva gave in.
"Fine," she grumbled. "One week. But that's it!"
She snatched up the bottle and stormed out of the office, feeling angrily defeated. She hated losing arguments, but she knew that Poppy always had her way in her domain, the Hospital Wing. The moment she stomped out into the corridor, she smacked right into Professor Sprout, who was passing by the door at that very same instant. The glass potion bottle flew out of Minerva's hand and Pomona Sprout fell to the floor. Fortunately, Pomona, who was lying on her back, managed to catch the bottle before is crashed down and shattered.
"Oh—sorry, Pomona," Minerva said distractedly and almost began to set off again. She paused and turned back around, remembering the potion.
"Talk about déjà vu," Pomona said as she stood up, obviously remember their minor collision in the corridor a few weeks ago. "You dropped this." She extended her arm to return the potion.
"Thank you," Minerva said, not really wanting the potion but accepting it all the same. She pocketed it. "Well, I've got to go and, um… deliver this to someone." She lightly patted her robes pocket containing the potion. Of course she lied to Professor Sprout about the true reason for her possession of the potion. Minerva wasn't prepared to admit that there was really anything wrong with her. Surely Poppy was just being paranoid anyway.
"Oh, of course," Pomona said awkwardly. "I suppose you'd better get going, then."
Minerva bobbed her head slowly and then quickly bolted away in the direction opposite Professor Sprout's path. She hated awkward conversations. She always felt very uncomfortable when she couldn't think of the right thing to say.
Now, what to do with this potion… Minerva wondered as she wandered through the school. She certainly wasn't about to deal with the awful potion for any longer. Perhaps I could toss it into the forest… or I could just Vanish it…
She raised her wand to do the job, and just as she was about to utter the words, she thought she heard someone. She stopped abruptly and looked around. Nobody was allowed to catch her Vanishing her medicine! Then Poppy would surely lecture her for Merlin-knows-how-long, and she would just get another potion. Swiftly, she scurried into a nearby unused classroom.
"Eva—" she began, until she thought she heard someone again. She held her breath for a moment and waited to hear where this person was. When she heard nothing and felt sure that nobody was there, she raised her wand for a third time. However, a glow of light suddenly appeared elsewhere in the classroom, and it vaguely illuminated a man's face.
"Good evening, Minerva."
Minerva lowered her wand and whirled to face him.
"Albus!" she gasped, clearly surprised and puzzled by his presence.
The Headmaster just smiled.
"I knew someone else was in here!" she muttered. "What are you doing here, Albus?"
"I could ask you the same question," Albus said calmly as he hopped off the desk on which he was sitting. He strolled toward Minerva and moved his shining wand to light up the area around her hands. "Do you always take your medication in the dark, Minerva?" He raised a white eyebrow inquisitively.
Minerva scowled.
"It would not surprise me if you were to say… Vanish your potion. I have noticed you do the same with your meals on occasion," he continued gravely.
This man is both omniscient and omnipresent, she thought.
"Albus…," Minerva sighed, but soon realized she had nothing to say.
"What is the matter, Minerva?" Albus asked. "Please tell me."
"It's nothing. I'm fine."
"Then why?" He gestured toward her wand. "Why are you doing this to yourself?"
"I don't need it. Poppy is being extreme."
"I'm sure she is not," Albus said rationally. "Don't you care about your well-being, Minerva?"
"Of course I do," Minerva said stiffly, "but there is nothing wrong with me."
"You don't eat."
"Yes, I do. Just sometimes I am not hungry."
"Minerva…"
"Please stop, Albus. I'm fine."
She quickly strode out of the room and headed in no particular direction. She didn't need this. She was fine. Everybody was just prying too much into her life. Didn't they know that she was very capable of taking care of herself? She was a grown woman and didn't need others to tell her what to do with herself.
"Minerva!" Albus exclaimed, but Minerva sped up. She ran aimlessly through the nighttime corridors, just trying to get away. She didn't want to listen to his concerns for her. There was no reason for him to care. There was no reason for anybody to care so much about her. She didn't want Albus or Poppy or Pomona or anyone to burden themselves, wondering if she was all right.
That's all I am, a burden, Minerva thought as she continued through the castle, not realizing the tears that stained her cheeks. They all care too much. I'm not worth it. I don't contribute any goodness to their lives. It's not fair to them. I don't deserve their concern. They shouldn't have to trouble themselves over me –
Minerva's broken thoughts continued to race as she choked over the sobs, and she finally stumbled and fell, blinded by the tears. She clumsily pulled herself up and huddled in a dark corner, crying messily to herself.
"Minerva," Albus called and began to rush over to her quivering form.
"No!" Minerva protested shrilly and buried her face from sight. She felt Albus wrap his arms around her small, trembling frame, and she continued to protest. "No, no, no… Albus…"
Albus stroked her dark hair and brushed the fallen strands out of her face. He wiped the tears as they dropped, while Minerva carried on with her objections.
"Albus, I don't– you shouldn't– please don't– I can't–" she stammered.
"Shh…," Albus whispered. "Just calm down, love."
With that, Minerva snapped.
She wrenched herself free and said, "Please don't do this to me, Albus." She stood up and stepped away from him. "Please, I can't—I can't…" I can't let you make me feel this way anymore. I can't let you reach my heart. Not again, not anymore…
"Minerva? Why? Please… please tell me what is wrong." The confusion and worry were evident in his cool blue eyes.
"I can't… I can't take this anymore."
Albus stared, shaking his head with is mouth gaping slightly, clearly at a loss of what to do or say.
Still clasped around the neck of the potion bottle was her tremulous hand. She closed her eyes and shakily brought the bottle to her lips. Albus watched in fear and shock from the other side of the corridor as she began taking swallow after swallow of the potion.
"Minerva… stop, Minerva, please stop!" he cried out. "Minerva, you've got to stop…"
Suddenly, Minerva's eyes shot open and she stopped downing the potion. She pulled the near-empty bottle away from her mouth and, gasping for breath, let it crash to the floor.
What have I done? she asked herself, scared to death of what would happen to her. She felt sick and lightheaded and wobbled toward Albus.
"Minerva!" Albus cried, as she collapsed to the floor.
A/N: Thanks for reading. This chapter… throws off the ones I've written after this, so I've got to write a whole new Chapter 9. I apologize if I take a long time. School is a beast.