1Chapter Three
Dinner that night was the same as always. Minerva ate alone, reprimanded a third year for flipping potatoes at the Slytherin table, and headed back to the common room alone, then retreated to her bedroom where she read assorted books late into the night.
She got up early the next morning to take a bath. She always got up early in the morning - she didn't like having to share the bathroom with the rest of the prefects.
But this time, she wasn't alone.
She set her clean robes and towel on a chair by the wall and was getting ready to disrobe when she heard someone sniffle in a bathroom stall. "...hello?" Minerva said nervously.
A girl who looked to be either a fifth or sixth year walked out. "Hello," replied the girl. "I didn't know anyone else got up this early."
"Neither did I," said Minerva. "I suppose you're a new prefect this year?"
"Yes, do a lot of other people shower at this time?"
Minerva shook her head. "It's usually just me."
"I used to shower at night, but then my hair would get greasy by the next midday," she said, throwing her thick red hair over her shoulder. "If you wanted to be alone I can come back - "
"No, no, it's okay," Minerva said quickly. "What's your name?'
"Lara. I'm a fifth year," she said. "You're Minerva McGonagall, aren't you?"
"Yes," she said.
"I thought so," Lara said. "Professor Dumbledore was talking about bringing you in to our class to help him...my class is terribly inept at Transfiguration."
"Mine was too," she said, "I'm the only one studying N.E.W.T level."
"I like Transfiguration," Lara said. "I may do that too, if I score well enough on my O.W.L."
Minerva nodded. "It's fun...Dumbledore is a wonderful professor."
"I agree," she said.
There was a silence. "Well, I suppose I should shower," Minerva said. "After all, it's what I came here for..."
Minerva went into a shower stall (on the other side of the bathroom; she was terribly modest.) Still she could hear Lara humming something over all the running water. Minerva got out of the shower and put on her fresh robes. Shortly thereafter, Lara emerged, her red hair soaking the shoulders of her robes.
"Here," said Minerva. She pulled out her wand, uttered a quick charm under her breath and Lara's hair was dried.
"Wow, I didn't know you were good at charms too," Lara said admiringly.
"I had to learn that one, my hair used to do the same thing," Minerva said, pulling her long black hair into a ponytail.
But Lara still looked impressed. "We should hang out sometime, and you can show me more of that cool stuff...if you don't mind, of course."
Minerva was taken aback. "Sure...I mean, I have extra lessons with Dumbledore so I don't know how much time I can give, but I'll try."
"Great!" Lara smiled. "Well, see you around."
"See you," Minerva said, and Lara left. Minerva gathered her things and followed suit.
Extra lessons with Dumbledore, and maybe a new friend...maybe this year at Hogwarts would be different...things were looking up.