Now he had reached his wife's rooms. The door to her office was locked but Albus opened it with a casual flick of his wand. The portrait in front of her private chambers was empty and the inhabitant was nowhere in the surrounding pictures. Albus sighed and decided to appeal to his wife's common sense. He knocked at the door and waited. No answer came. He knocked again, calling out this time.

"Minerva, open the door. We have to talk. Minerva?"

Albus waited patiently for a few moments.

"Minerva? I don't want to open the door by force or magic. Could you please open it? Please, darling", he pleaded.

"DON'T DARLING ME, ALBUS!"

Minerva yanked open the door and glared at her husband. She was still furious. Her eyes were wild, betraying her inner turmoil far more than her yelling.

Harry peeked around the corner of the door to the transfiguration classroom and saw his most admired and respected professors fight. He couldn't remember seeing Minerva McGonagall this angry, not even when he flew the Ford Anglia to school. Albus Dumbledore, on the other hand, seemed suddenly small and weak. Harry could hear every word that was spoken.

"Does the great plan of the 'oh so great Albus Dumbledore' include killing Harry before he has a chance to vanquish the Dark Lord?"

"I don't intend for him to die, Minerva!"

"People have died in this tournament! I won't let you sacrifice Lily's son for the glory of this school!"

"This has nothing to do with Hogwarts! But if Harry can master the tournament, he proves he's ready to learn the truth and it won't destroy him."

"He's a boy of 14, not a grown man!"

"He has proven himself worthy of a man many times before."

"You better pray that nothing happens, Albus Dumbledore, to him because I won't ever forgive if it does."

She stormed out, banging the door shut behind her. Albus stared at the door and felt his heart break. His wife had just openly threatened him and had placed Harry's welfare over their marriage.

Harry was thunder-struck. He had had no idea his teacher was able to express such deep and passionate emotions. He had always ever seen her as a sexless person who had itself in control of its feelings. Yes, he had seen her temper and knew that she could cry but he had never witnessed this kind of event on such close range.

Albus knew his wife would not again open her door for him today. He would be better off giving her space and time to vent her anger and let reason calm her emotions. With heavy heart he walked out of her classroom, to deeply lost in his own thoughts to realise the boy lurking around in the shadows.

Harry saw his Headmaster and mentor leave the fighting scene, utterly deflated and defeated. When he saw Dumbledore disappear behind the next corner, he approached the classroom himself. Carefully he crept up to the portrait guarding his teacher's private rooms and knocked hesitantly.

"I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU?"

Professor McGonagall nearly ripped the door off its hinges but stopped dead when she saw Harry.