This chapter is for SylvaDragon and Chemistress... my faithful reviewers =)

Sam greatly enjoyed the bountiful meal the 'house elf' had brought with a delightful pop back to the room. Both Filius and Rolanda had taken the time to explain a few of the magical intricacies of Hogwarts, but he found himself quickly overwhelmed as they muttered on about ghosts, moving stairways, enchanted suits of armour, talking portraits and absurdly enough something even about a squid in the tranquil lake he had spotted.

Doing his level best to not shudder at the description of the squid, Sam swallowed his last bit of tea and dusted off the bread crumbs from his hands. It had been a breakfast worthy of any hobbit table and he felt full to nearly burst at the seams. Rolanda chuckled suddenly at something Filius had said and Sam perked up, hoping to catch whatever was said next. The small man just waved it away; wiping his lips with a cloth.

"Again, I believe the bath-tub is the key." Filius muttered, rising to his feet and yawning. Pomona had yet to return from whatever watering she had had to do and Sam wondered if perhaps she had forgotten about breakfast. He'd never heard of anyone doing anything of the sort, since hobbits are rather food of victuals; but he had already assumed that the big folk were not nearly as stomach centred.

"How come then we can't get it to do anything?" Rolanda insisted, pouring herself yet another cup of tea with a dash of what smelt like something stronger. Sam wrinkled his nose in concern as she gulped it down rather quickly. It was her fourth cup after all and the dash was growing into a more sizable amount. Filius seemed to note this fact as well as he gently took the bottle from the yellow-eyed woman's hand.

"That I cannot yet understand, my dear. But all in good time." he smiled.

Rolanda sighed.

"Minerva doesn't have "good time"..." she whispered. Sam felt his heart sink. The words sounded so bitterly resolute... so hopeless. Suddenly he hoped deeply that she was wrong. He had never even seen the Minerva woman; but for Rolanda's sake, he wanted her to be well and good.

"I have it!" Pomona shrieked entering the room. All three occupants jumped at her sudden arrival and poor Filius nearly spilt his tea.

"Have what?" he asked, clearly flustered as he set the cup down.

"How to get Minerva back!" Sam smiled widely at the delivered hope.

---

Frodo had nearly flown into the house, startling Minerva terribly as the darker shadows and thoughts from Gandalf's words still lingered about her. A gentle hand against her arm and the young man's instant apology had calmed her quickly though and she had watched with faint amusement as Frodo brought the ring to Gandalf, only to have the older wizard have him slid it into an envelope, stamp it and declare that Bilbo had gone to the elves and left all his possessions to him. The look on Frodo's face was dear and Minerva had to cover to mouth to keep from chuckling.

The darker story and power had faded, won over by the smiles of Gandalf and Frodo's confusion. It was then however that the wizard rose and went quickly forth to gather his hat and staff. Alarmed, both Frodo and Minerva hurried after him.

"Where are you going?" Minerva asked, frightened that he would leave her.

"I have questions that need answering..." he murmured, setting his hat upon his head.

Frodo appeared to have similar thoughts, for he followed her question with yet another.

"But I don't understand, you've only just arrived?"

Sighing Gandalf turned to face their worried faces.

"Neither do I..." his face held lines from melded worry and despair and it touched Minerva deeply; reminding her instantly of Albus before his final journey.

She tried frantically to calm herself, knowing that it was not the same and that Gandalf was in no danger. There was no dark lord that desired to kill him; no dark mark high within the dark clouds... no promises to keep, no curses to kill. But her thoughts hardly calmed her beating heart, until Gandalf silently took her hand in his.

He had given Frodo instruction to put the ring away somewhere safe and now she dreaded the farewell she knew he would give her. Albus had not given her one; at least not in words, although his eyes had written a tale far more poignant than any oratory. She did not know if she could have borne it if he had said anything; did not know if she could currently bear Gandalf's words.

"I shall return soon." he murmured, patting her hand. That simply he left her, the round green door clicked shut behind his retreating form and she was left alone again.

"He will be back..." Frodo whispered, trying to be comforting.

Having been an educator for quite a spell, Minerve donned her children's face and nodded, knowing that he was probably as confused as she felt.

Following the hobbit into the kitchen, she seated herself at the low table and sighed softly as he prepared tea for them. She tried her best to appear pleasant as she took the offered cup. The steam wafted into her already blurry eyes and she closed them, suddenly more tired than she could ever remember being.

"Would you mind terribly if I went to bed, Frodo?" Minerva asked, not wanting to leave the boy alone if he did not wish it.

He shook his head, smiling broadly.

"Not at all. Sleep well." she nodded, pleased that he was so well-mannered.

She made her way with little difficultly, by feeling along the wall, to the room Bilbo and Gandalf had put her in after her fainting spell and promptly laid on the bed, without removing either her apparel or taking down her hair. Tears ran down her pale cheeks and soon she was sobbing against the pillow. Nightmares plagued her that night and there seemed to be no sun to rise that morning.