Harry walked slowly up the steps to ... well, yeah, come to think of it: where should he go? Harry thought about everything he had learned today. Minerva McGonagall could be everywhere, starting with Gryffindor Tower to her classroom to the Headmaster's Office or her private chambers. Harry decided he would try his luck in her classroom and office.

He walked the all too familiar corridors without really seeing them. All the other students went unnoticed by him. He was too intent to get to McGonagall's classroom. He reached it in the record time of 4 minutes, tearing through the castle as if the hell hounds were after him.

Panting he stopped in front of the door and knocked on it. No answer came from the other side of the door. Harry knocked again, more frantic this time. Still no answer and Harry decided to just went in and try her office. McGonagall was nowhere to be seen in her classroom and no sounds came from her office.

"Well, then let's try her private rooms near Gryffindor Tower", muttered Harry to himself.

----

As he approached his teacher's private rooms, Harry heard raised voices and the crashing of various objects against an unyielding surface.

"Oh boy, she's having a fight with Professor Dumbledore", gasped Harry, never having heard that particular tone in McGonagall's voice.

Minerva McGonagall was always an impressive sight when tempered. Harry had seen her angry on various occasions and felt sorry for her opponent. The thin line of her mouth, the flaring of her nostrils, the angry fire in her eyes and her raised voice. He remembered everything and noticed for the first time what an important part Minerva McGonagall played in his life. He had seen her angry but also happy or sad, caring and understanding or forbidding. And Harry realised something else. He loved her in a way, more than just a teacher.

Harry crept closer to the door and held up his hand to knock ...

But before he could actually do that, he heard a large object hit the door and saw the door vibrate with the impact. A little scared, he shrank back and withdrew his hand.

"Minerva, stop throwing things. You nearly hit me", said Professor Dumbledore's voice, trying to calm his irritated wife.

"Well, that was my intention, you idiot!" This screech was definitely McGonagall's and she was furious.

"Now, darling, you don't mean that."

"Don't tell me what I mean and what I don't! I told you all those years back that it would be far better if I raised Harry! Now he found out and won't talk with either of us! And he's competing in the Triwizard Tournament, for goodness' sake! Can't you do anything right?"

Harry stared open-mouthed before the door and asked himself what she meant with that last question. Dumbledore seemed to understand her intent and replied tiredly.

"Minerva, he will come around and I will explain everything to him. I thought I did the right thing."

Minerva snorted and went on in her runt.

"Do you think Lily would have liked Petunia to look after her child? She knew that her sister hated her. You are so wise and intelligent but you don't understand the human heart. You never had! I love Harry like my own flesh and blood and you took him away from me and now you do it again. But I won't forgive you this time! NOW OUT!"

Harry had just enough time to jump to the side when the door burst open and Dumbledore was thrown against the wall of the corridor. He slid to the ground, unconscious and bleeding from a cut at the back of his head.

The door swung shut again with a resounding slam. Harry moved cautiously over to Albus Dumbledore's slummed form and touched his shoulder. Shaking a little and calling the professor's name, he tried to wake him up but got no reaction out of Dumbledore.

"Shit. I need Madam Pomfrey but I can't just leave him here alone."

Harry still couldn't decide what to do when the door to McGonagall's chambers opened again and men clothes were tossed out. In the doorframe appeared Minerva's angry face. She glared at the still unconscious Dumbledore and directed her smouldering glare at his helper. Suddenly her eyes softened and she stepped onto the corridor.

"Harry, how long are you hear?"

"I heard you throwing him out. Are you really that mad, Pro ... Min ... Pro ..."

"You can call me Minerva, if you want. And, yes, I am that mad at Albus. He ... he is just stupid to think ... I would give you up without a fight."

"I think you knocked him out cold and he needs Madam Pomfrey."

Minerva looked down on her husband witheringly. After a while she sighed deeply and raised her wand, releasing a silver tabby cat which shot straight to the Hospital Wing. Then she knelt down beside Albus and stroked his hair out of his face.

"Let's get him to the Hospital Wing and then we talk", she said softly.