1Chapter Two

None of Minerva's other classes that day could come close to comparing with Transfiguration. Charms was the same as always, Arithmancy was positively dull, Potions was tolerable (though Professor Slughorn was a bit jolly for Minerva's tastes), and Defense Against the Dark Arts, while enjoyable, just wasn't as fun as her favorite subject. Not to mention Professor Lambert favored Slytherins immensely in their class. It was hard putting up with so much of her other classes when she only felt motivated in one. But Minerva had always been an overachiever, and she planned to stay that way.

It was about four in the afternoon when she made it back to the Gryffindor common room. She immediately sat down in an armchair and began her work on a Potions essay that had already been assigned (homework on the first day of term was dreadful.) It hadn't been five minutes since she had started that she was interrupted.

"Minerva," a small voice said. She jerked her head up. Not many other students talked to her, and no one talked to her while she did homework. "This person obviously doesn't know how things work around here," Minerva thought irritably, and her thought was confirmed, as the speaker was obviously a first year. She didn't want to be mean to a first year though, so she made her reply sound as nice as possible.

"Yes?"

"Professor Dumbledore wanted me to give this to you," he said, fumbling in his robes and pulling out an envelope.

It suddenly became a lot easier to be nicer to the first year. "Thank you," she said graciously, taking the envelope and carefully opening it.

It read:

Miss McGonagall,

If you would, please stop by my office before proceeding to dinner this evening. Thank you.

A.W.P.B.D.

Minerva had to giggle at his initials - it almost would seem easier just to write "Professor Dumbledore." She refolded the letter and put it inside her transfiguration book.

Dinner didn't start until six, so she had time to continue her Potions essay. It was a particularly dreadful topic (The Draught of Living Death and Famous Wizards Who Used It) and took up the better portion of an hour. After finishing it, she placed all of her books in her room and headed to the Transfiguration classroom.

It remained unchanged, with the exception of parchment scattered here and there across the room from his classes during the day, and some crooked chairs.

"Miss McGonagall," a voice called from the adjoining room. "Come on in."

She walked into his adjoining office, a room she had never entered before. It had many different whirring objects, many of which Minerva did not recognize. She did see a Pensieve, however, the first she had ever seen outside of a book.

"Sit down," he said, conjuring a plush tartan armchair out of nowhere.

Minerva blushed. How was he so personable? Of all the facts about Minerva, he remembered her love for tartan, though she never wore it in school. She sat in the armchair, pondering this.

"I expect your first day was tolerable?"

"Yes, sir," she said, wondering what the purpose of this meeting was.

"As was mine, as I am sure you are delighted to know. I called you here to ask you if perhaps there would be a more convenient time for you to have lessons. Since you're the only one in your class, I felt that you should choose your schedule."

Minerva thought on this a moment. "Well," she said, "It doesn't matter, sir. Whenever is good for you."

He was silent for a moment. "I suppose I'm really asking if you would like extra classes. Whenever you have a free evening, if you'd like to pop in here, you'd be certainly welcome. I know how you enjoy Transfiguration."

"Oh yes, I'd love that, sir!" Minerva said excitedly. "My evenings are so dull, since I don't ta - well, since I don't have any - since I have so much free time."

She really felt she'd said too much. Why did she almost tell him she had no friends, or that she didn't talk to anyone? He was her teacher, it wasn't like he wanted to know. But still, Dumbledore merely smiled.

"Of course, it's always a delight to have you here. But now, I must head to the Great Hall and curb the insatiable beast, hunger. Are you going also?"

"Yes sir."

"Well then we shall walk together."