Alone at last, Minerva McGonagall quickly Transfigured her clothing from last night into an acceptable clean teaching gown and dressed with a sense of relief. She folded Albus' dressing gown and neatly placed in on the red and gold chair. Her hair quickly arranged itself into its usual tight bun as she exited the Headmaster's study and walked swiftly to the Great Hall.
The students were all there, awaiting breakfast. She stood by her chair and gently tapped her glass to bring the excited buzz to silence.
"I have an announcement to make." The students and teachers waited expectantly. "The rumours you have doubtlessly heard are true. Lord Voldemort is dead, and the Wizard War is finally over."
The room erupted into a vast cheer at the official announcement. Tables were thumped in joy, people leapt up from their seats to hug one another. Professor Flitwick gave the beaming Madam Pomfrey a smacking kiss on the cheek. Even Snape smiled slightly to see the happiness in the room.
She waited for quite some time for the excitement to subside. When the noise had reached a level that would let her be heard, she raised her voice again. "In honour of the occasion, today and tomorrow are to be holidays. Those people who would like to go to their families may see me after breakfast to arrange transportation. Those students who would like to visit Hogsmeade have permission to do so and the prefects of your houses will take you there. Other students are free to do as they will within the grounds – and within reason."
This announcement also raised a cheer. Smiling herself, she took her seat. Professor Flitwick leaned past Madame Pomfrey. "But, Minerva, where is Albus?" he squeaked. "I would have thought he would be here, today of all days!"
"I'm afraid he couldn't stay, Professor; he was called to the Ministry of Magic earlier this morning."
Snape sneered. "Professor McGonagall, of course, knows the Headmaster's movements… intimately."
The inference passed Professor Flitwick by completely, but both Professor Sprout and Madam Pomfrey's jaws dropped open, and their heads swiveled as one to stare at McGonagall.
She breathed in deeply. And arched an eyebrow. "I'm not sure what you mean, Professor Snape?"
"Simply a comment on how well informed you are on the subject of our Headmaster." Snape's mouth twitched as he took a sip from his goblet. "Of course, that's quite a bit easier for you than for the other members of staff."
Now even Professor Flitwick was staring. "Severus? What are you talking about?"
"Professor Snape!" She snapped out his name. "May I talk with you in the corridor for a moment?" Without waiting for his reply she swept from the Hall.
He joined her a few seconds later. "Is there something wrong, Professor?"
She suppressed the urge to kill him then and there – but only just. "I did not appreciate what you were trying to infer in there!"
"Oh?"
"I explained to you the circumstances of this morning!" she said in a furious whisper. "What you were implying in there was, was-"
"Was the truth," he finished calmly. "Don't insult my intelligence, Professor."
Her mouth opened, but absolutely nothing came out. When she could not come up with a response Snape shrugged and walked back into the Hall to finish his breakfast. She did not follow him. Suddenly she had no appetite.
****************************
Her day went from bad to worse.
Madam Hooch gave her a wide knowing smile when she went out to watch the impromptu Quidditch match. Going back inside, she walked in on Madam Pomfrey and Professor Trelawney huddled in a corridor. When they saw her, they sprang apart like guilty students; but not before she had heard Madam Pomfrey say she had always known it, and Sybil Trelawney reply that it was fated in the stars they would come together.
Of course when staff exchange gossip in corridors, students are quick to learn its contents. By evening Professor McGonagall had good reason to curse her acute hearing. Snippets of overheard conversation haunted her.
"No, it's true! Snape caught them actually - you know"
"Eww! That's sick!"
"Why? I think it's sweet" and
"Why are you surprised? They're always together, you know."
"Yes, but she's the Deputy Head, right? They have to be together."
"So? You think that if Snape were the Deputy, Dumbledore would want to spend that much time with him?"
A momentary pause, then finally, "Good point." and, even worse
"Apparently it's been going on for years. But they had to keep it secret because they didn't want You Know Who to know."
"Now he's dead, do you think they'll get married?"
"I guess so. Probably."
"Ooh, maybe we could be bridesmaids!"
Every student she met looked at her as if they had never seen her before. A few of the more brazen amongst them dropped their gazes to her hands – as if to find a Muggle engagement ring there.
She ground her teeth and had to firmly suppress a Snape-like urge to dock points – irrespective of house – at the speed of light. Finally she gave up and went for refuge up to her temporary quarters in the Ravenclaw tower. Along her way there she passed through Professor Binns, who looked at her as if he had seen a ghost. Such an attitude coming from him did nothing to improve her temper.
She could not settle to her work, finding that her normally disciplined mind kept interrupting her thoughts with possible curses for use on one Severus Snape. She threw away her quill, with a decidedly Muggle curse, just as the dinner bell sent a soft lingering note throughout the castle.
On entering the Great Hall she made her way to her place at a brisk march, meeting every look with a steely stare.
Dumbledore, already seated, smiled at her. "Good evening, Professor McGonagall."
"Good evening, Professor Dumbledore."
He leaned closer to her. "You are right to look worried, Minerva."
She looked sharply at him.
"My time at the Ministry was quite troubling," he confided in a low voice. "You, Severus and I have much to discuss after dinner." He gave her a last grave look, and then turned his attention to his food.
McGonagall caught Madam Pomfrey's beaming smile of motherly approval, which was quite ridiculous considering their respective ages, but it failed to worry her greatly. More important subjects were now flooding her mind. She looked down at the far end of the table and caught Snape watching her.
He was about to display his patented slight sneer when he saw her eyes and his face instead took on a frown. He knew that look in Minerva McGonagall's eyes. It said, "Trouble is coming."