AN: Sorry about the format issue! Hopefully it is fixed. As I said previously, this is a slow-paced start, but it is due to pick up over the next couple chapters. For those of you who believe this will be a quick MMHG romance-laden fic, I will apologize now. In order to keep the integrity of their relationship, I truly believe it needs careful development. But I promise it will all be worth the wait. :) Enjoy and drop a note; good, bad, or ugly!
Hallowed Ground, Ch 2
By barely ten o'clock, Minerva McGonagall was sure she hadn't felt more ready for a stiff drink since the second war come to its close. Hermione's words had left deep impressions in her mind already, leaving marks similar to freshly moved furniture on a thick canvas of carpet.
Charming the drizzle that had created a damp sheen on her robes, Minerva did not delay in her steps back to her office. A determined click followed her deliberate cadence, catching the attention of her Deputy along the way, even from inside his classroom. Momentarily deciding that he owed Minerva a visit after lunch, he turned back to his supervision of third years busily scratching away what he was sure was to be dismal exams on levitation charms.
By the time Minerva had reached her office, Albus' portrait was just beginning to stir. Wandlessly summoning a tumbler and reaching for a bottle tucked away in her bottom right drawer, Minerva sat hastily and perched her chin in her hand, long fingers drumming her cheek in thought.
"The McGonagall Reserve, at this hour, Minerva?" Albus peered over his spectacles. "I dare say you've had a rough start," he observed the Headmistress as she removed her own glasses for the second time that day and rubbed her temples vigorously.
They were quite the sight, the pair of them. Albus was still in his stocking cap and pajamas, and Minerva looked as though she had been up all night battling a multitude of Peeves' mischief. "Such cheek after the morning I've endured could result in the permanent dismantling of your portrait, Albus," she retorted with a smirk, only half serious in her threats.
He looked down at his former Deputy and realized that he had missed out on more than he had anticipated in Hermione's meeting. "So what news from the Ministry?" he inquired.
Minerva sighed and dismissed the tumbler with another wave. "Hermione's preliminary meeting this morning was to inform me of a full-fledged investigation ordered by the board of governors," she replied, practically throwing the bottle back into its drawer. She refused to be defeated by the news, opting instead for more candid conversation with an old, trusted friend. "I've simply not time for this, Albus." A few of the other portraits began to perk up, pretending not to hear the musings between the two.
The former Headmaster frowned. "I'm well aware of your obligations, Headmistress," he began. "But what the Ministry could be after is worrisome."
"Yes, one would think they'd have learned their lesson the first time round," she shook her head, recalling her year spent in absolute agony when Fudge had last ordered his personnel to the school. "I am worried," she continued. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't, Albus," she whispered, folding her hands in her lap and gazing up at him.
He paused and took off his cap. "I'm afraid they aren't going to uncover much, although I'm terribly sorry to hear about the intrusion," he offered his best condolences.
Minerva got up from her chair and turned to his portrait, face to face with the only man she had truly admired since her father passed. "I'm afraid that they aren't going to uncover anything either," she gazed into his eyes. "I am hardly convinced that they've sent Hermione with plain intentions."
His eyes shone with the same depth of concern that matched the woman before him. "A ploy?" She broke their contact and moved to the window, arms folded behind her rigidly straight back.
"I'm not sure what they're seeking, Albus, but I trust that it isn't the welfare of the magical creatures of Hogwarts," she replied as she peered out onto the grounds, the scene of the newly developing foundations meeting her gaze.
Stretching beyond the edge of the wood of the Forbidden Forest laid the beginnings of plots of small, house-like structures, met deeper through the trees by what appeared to be vastly larger stable barns.
Hermione had returned back to the Ministry with mixed emotions after her meeting with the Headmistress. All in all, it had gone as best as it could have, given the circumstances. She trusted the integrity of Hogwarts explicitly and had felt that the entire operation would end in unsubstantiated findings. She couldn't quite press her finger to it, but something in her gut told Hermione that things were amiss amongst the board. Nevertheless, she was devout in her position and would respect their decision.
Even if she thought it was absolute bollocks.
She was interrupted in her thoughts by the arrival of the Minister himself knocking on her door before entering. "Good morning, Sir," she nodded and rose from her desk. Formalities were more of a necessity here than they were in the company of former professors.
"Morning," he replied as he removed his hat and sat it on her desk, seating himself as well. Following suit despite the oddity of an unplanned meeting with the Minister, Hermione again took up her chair. "I apologize for dropping in, as it were," he gestured. "I know your schedule is tight, so I'll make this short."
Hermione sat in slight anticipation, mostly out of curiosity. The Minister did not keep her in suspense. "I'm sure you're questioning the decision of the governors in regards to the investigation at Hogwarts," she swallowed, hoping that she hadn't allowed her own opinions to become too apparent. Recognizing her hesitation, Kingsley paused. "I've not paid you a visit this morning to berate you, Weasley," his deep voice was assuring. "But I need to make this very clear."
Hermione shifted in her seat slightly, uncomfortable with the notion that she was somehow not trusted to lead her department, even after almost twenty years. "You are to conduct this investigation to the standards of this institution," his stare pierced her, but her shoulders remained square. "Nothing more, nothing less," he finished.
Shackelbolt's well-seasoned department head began to interject, but he carried on, stretching his large hands across Hermione's desk. "This conversation is best suited for different venues, Weasley," he remarked dryly, dropping his head low and raising a brow at the younger witch. "While I trust your abilities and your prowess, this inquiry need not be delayed, for any reason."
Despite the bubbling thirst for answers that was so typical of Hermione, she took a deep breath through her nostrils and nodded at her long-time leader. Whatever information he couldn't disclose, she was able to put it aside for the time being. "Of course, Sir," she looked at him full on. "I will see to it that this investigation is closed precisely on schedule."
Kingsley flashed the slightest of smiles, noticeable only due to the contrast of his dark skin against the shine of his teeth. "A good day to you, Weasley," he grabbed his cap from the desk and moved to bid Hermione goodbye. "When do you return to set up the details of your stay?"
"On the 28th, I meet with the Headmistress to discuss housing arrangements," she rose from her desk once more to walk the Minister to the door. "And we will formally notify the staff as well."
"Very good, then," he tipped his cap as Hermione turned the knob on her office door. "I'll expect static follow-ups as necessary. Keep me abreast of any updates," he turned to exit the office, leaving a perplexed Hermione in the wake of his departure.
Lunch at Hogwarts had found the esteemed Headmistress absent from the Head Table. Her thoughts were rapid and scattered, an overwhelming abundance of scenarios playing out through her mind. Aila appeared in Minerva's office to find her mistress buried in her own notes on the morning's happenings. "Mistress," she greeted, placing a small offering of lighter fare on Minerva's desk, hoping she would pause to eat. Minerva hadn't departed her office since Hermione had left, and it was going on a quarter past two.
Breaking from her furious scratching, Minerva glanced at the plate, its presence barely registering as food. There were days in this position that she found herself able to press on solely fueled relative to the amount of the infamous green ink she could produce. It was a sight Aila and her brood were all too familiar with, and yet it never became less troubling.
"Thank you kindly, Aila. I've found myself rather too tied up to make it to the Great Hall today," she smiled at her faithful companion.
"It is our pleasure, Mistress," she bowed gracefully before disapparating with a snap.
Minerva rested her quill in the ink well, brushing a few wisps of hair from her face. In the moments immediately following Aila's departure, a soft knock clicked on the door of her office. "Enter," she clipped. She wasn't entirely convinced she had the patience for many more visitors today.
"We've missed you at lunch, Minerva," the Hogwarts Deputy announced, his voice laced with gentle mirth.
"Come now, Filius. Surely you jest," she bantered. Minerva rose from her desk and moved to the corner of the office where more comfortable seating was available. If she were to continue to endure lengthy conversation today, she would hope to avoid a stiffened back. She and her Deputy seated themselves as Minerva again mustered the energy to answer any questions surrounding the Ministry's 'visit.'
Filius smiled. "Well I can't speak for the whole staff, but I certainly noticed your absence," the Deputy remarked. "And I also made note of your hurried step this morning after Mrs. Weasley's departure. Is everything alright, Minerva?"
Minerva summoned the documents Hermione had left her, handing them over to Filius as she began to explain. "It seems there is to be an inquiry regarding the welfare of the population of magical creatures employed by the school," she cleared her throat. "There has been a complaint filed through the Ministry and the board has ordered a mandatory three-month observation, to be overseen by the current department head."
Thumbing through the pages and squinting at a few lines, Filius chimed in without looking up from the material. "So they're sending Hermione Weasley to lead the investigation? How strange," he mused.
"Indeed," Minerva agreed. "I am sure you'll not need an explanation as to why I am worried about the ordeal, Filius?"
Filius inhaled and eyed his long-time colleague. "A perfectly safe assumption, I'm afraid," he exhaled and sat the papers on the end table next to the armchair. "They've certainly got poor timing."
"And equally poor intelligence, it would seem," Minerva added. "No one outside of a handful of the staff here knows of the housing developments, Filius."
Despite the seriousness and uncertainty surrounding the matter, Filius couldn't help the chuckle as he shook his head. "The odds that their means of penetrating this school would coincide with our internal improvements on that very same issue are astronomical," the Deputy explained, resting his head to the side on two fingers at his temple. "Not to mention a level of irony only the board of governors could be capable of achieving."
Minerva nodded. "It's been far too long since I've had to deal with their idiocies, Filius. I'm afraid I'm a bit out of practice."
"I think there's more than just idiocy afoot," Filius stood. "Minerva, I believe it best if we start preparing for whatever they are actually here to find," he searched her face, looking for her agreement. Finding it, he probed further. "When does she return next?"
"Hermione will be here in two week's time, and I've suggested she stay here alone over the Christmas Holidays prior to the investigation's start," she replied, standing alongside her Deputy as they walked toward her office door. "I'll need to see how much she knows."
"Are you going to tell her of the developments?" he asked, placing his hand along the door. "I don't question her loyalty, even for a moment."
Minerva sighed. "It's not her loyalty I am worried about, Filius," the Headmistress whispered. "If we tell her, we may make her vulnerable against the board. I don't want to involve her any more than we need to." The chessboard began to develop itself, pieces already setting themselves into play.
"It's going to be difficult to shield her from the happenings inside her own organization if she doesn't know that she's been sent on a goose chase, Minerva," he countered.
"I'm all too aware," Minerva continued. "It will be a delicate matter to protect the very person that the Ministry has sent to open us up to potential attack. We've got about two months to figure out as much as we can, Filius," she explained gravely. "I'll need your help."
Filius nodded, ever ready to assist the Headmistress. "Anything you need, I am here," he assured her, placing her hand between his own. There weren't too many boundaries that their friendship knew.
And Minerva hadn't been as grateful for it as she was now in quite some time.