I'm back and again I am sorry about it being so long since I updated but I did have Apple Blossom. Which by the way if anyone cares to know we won first in our divison for both parades and won second overall in the first parade and fourth in the second. Which for a small band of 40 players is amazing!! It was also the hottest Apple Blossom ever! 6 hours Saturday in full wool marching uniform, I slept the entire 4 hour ride home. Then I worked Sunday and had two softball games. And this week I had two AP tests to take, and I have such a headache. You know the kind I'm talking about, when you think to much and then you can't think of anything at all.
Anyway here's chapter 21, and it has some good news in it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Minerva McGonagall was a women of action, it was part of the reason so many years ago the sorting hat put her in Gryffindor, so sitting idle by waiting for the appearance of her two young Gryffindors. She had started pacing around the room, only pausing to try to offer some reassurance to Molly. She was starting to get worried, an hour and half had passed with nothing happening, and the office was quiet except for Molly's sobs. Minerva couldn't help but glare at Albus, they should be trying to find the entrance to the chamber and help the boys. They can't be expected to fight Voldemort by their selves. Albus gave her a small smile, as if to say everything would be fine. That was the one trait she hated about Albus, he seemed to know everything but did he tell anyone, no. Just when Minerva felt she would go crazy with anxiety the doors to her office burst open.
Fawkes zoomed into the room and landed on Albus's shoulder, who was now beaming at doorway where Minerva saw Harry, Ron, Ginny and surprising Lockhart covered in mud and grime.
"Ginny!" She heard Molly cry, and Minerva saw both of them run to their daughter and bring her into a hug. Minerva knew that feeling. She grabbed her chest in relief and she forced herself to take a few deep calming breaths as all her anxiety left her body. She did manage to look over at Albus's beaming face and made a mental note to hit him later for doing this to her. She looked up and saw the Molly had moved onto Harry and Ron and was hugging the both of them.
"You did it! You did it! You saved her! How did you do it?" Molly asked them happily.
"I think we'd all like to know that." Minerva said weakly. Harry wasted no time, he quickly explained how they followed the spiders, how Hermione figured it out that it was a Baslisk and how they guessed where the entrance of the Chamber was. Minerva felt some of her patience wearing thin; they knew all this, what happened in the Chamber.
"Very well, so you found out where the entrance was ---- breaking about a hundred school rules in the process by the way --- but how on earth did you get out of there alive, Potter?" Minerva asked what she was sure on every one else's mind. Harry explained further talking about how he opened the Chamber and pulled sword from the Sorting hat, which he had place on her desk. He flattered in his speech though at this point and looked up an Albus who she saw took the hint.
"What interests me most is how Lord Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny, when all my sources tell me he is currently in hiding in the forests of Albania." Albus stated to the amazement of those gathered in the room. Minerva felt she should be surprised that Albus knew where Voldemort was but at this moment nothing surprised her. She heard Molly stumble over something, and managed to hear Harry reply and he pulled out what she assumed was what was left of Riddle's diary. It seems we were correct, she thought sadly, a little too late. She heard Albus explain Riddle to the Weasley's and Ginny explained how she was under his spell. She saw Albus tell the Weasley's that Ginny should go to the Hospital wing. She watched them leave in silence, and saw Albus turn to her.
"Minerva I think all this merits a good feast. May I ask you to go alert the kitchens?" He asked her. She silently laughed. Such a great excuse Albus, all alert the kitchens means is call Twinky to inform them to start cooking.
"Right." She said sharply a little cross about the dismissal even though she knew Albus wanted to talk to the boys alone. "I'll leave you to deal with Potter and Weasley, shall I?"
"Certainly." He replied with a slight smile. She caught the looks of terror on Potter and Weasley faces before she left the room.
She had walked down the hall and she called Twinky.
"Yes Mistress?" Twinky asked. Minerva gave the house elf a smile.
"Can you inform your fellow house elves that we are in need of a feast in the great hall. The monster has been captured and we are going to celebrate!" she told the elf with a grin. "How long do you think it will take you?" Minerva asked.
"Oh not long at all Mistress, we shall be ready in 20 minutes tops!" Twinky said disappearing. Minerva shook her head at the elf's eagerness. She pulled out her wand.
"Expecto Patronum." She said smiling. The sliver tabby cat burst from the end of her wand. "The monster has been found, we are having a feast. Heads please wake up your students." The sliver cat ran off to relay the message to the teachers. She started walking briskly up to the 7th floor to wake the Gryffindors. Mumbling the password she crawled though the portrait hole. She put her wand to her throat and spoke:
"Attention Gryffindors! Can you all come and gather into the common room." She waited in front of the fire place for the students to start coming down. After a couple of minutes students started stumbling down in their pajamas. She saw the Weasley boys come down still completely dressed in their school clothes, and with a jolt she realized that no one had informed the boys of her sister's narrow escape. When enough students came down she started.
"The monster in the Chamber of Secrets has been defeated!" She informed them, the students started jumping up and down and cheering. She held up her hands to silence them. "We are having a feast to celebrate that Hogwarts is once again safe. I will ask you to please wake up the rest of your house mates and to head down to the great hall." The students all started running around. Some ran upstairs to wake up their roomies, and others just started taking off to the great hall. She approached the Weasley boys who looked at her anxiously. She smiled broadly at them, with took them by surprise.
"I suggest you boys head to the hospital wing to see your sister, she's been though quite a fright and I think she would love to see her brothers." Minerva told them before they could even start speaking. Fred and George both hugged her at the same time, grinning happily.
"Thank you so much Professor." Percy said softly. Minerva gave them mall another smile.
"Don't thank me; thank your little brother and Mr. Potter." She told them and she crawled out of the common room. Straightening up outside of the portal hole, she made another mental note to tell Albus that they really need to make a passageway not a hole to get into the common room. She started making her way back to her office deciding that Albus couldn't possibly kick her out of her own office. On the way there she passed a very furious Mr. Malfoy who was mumbling to himself and making angry gestures with his hands. She made sure not to talk to him. When she reached her office she found that it was empty now except for Albus, and Fawkes.
"Well all's well that ends well." Albus said standing and pulling her into a hug. She sighed and leaned into the hug.
"Why do I have an idea, that this is only the beginning?" Minerva asked him wearily. He chuckled softly.
"Because with those boys it probably is." He told her.
"Why did I think that James Potter's son would be any less of a trouble maker then his father."
"Well he is, just in a different way." Albus said with smile. Minerva shook her head at him but she couldn't help smiling. Just when all had seemed to be lost, it was turned around and fixed, by two little boys. Well she really couldn't call them little too much longer, she believed Mr. Weasley was already considered a teenager. She looked over to her desk, and saw the bloody sword still lying on top of her desk. She cringed and pointed to her desk.
"Well time to go to the feast." He said quickly trying to make a quick escape. She grabbed his arm and led him to the desk. He sighed. "I'll clean it up." He said dejected.
"Ah no, you can do one better how about an entirely new desk, that doesn't have Basilisk blood soaked into it." She told him with a beaming smile. He groaned and she laughed.
"So what did you give the boys?" She asked him once he had handed the sword to Fawkes to take to his office.
"What makes you think I gave them anything Minnie?" Albus asked innocently.
"I know you Albus, now spill."
"I gave them both awards for special services to the school." He told her as they strolled out of the office. "I will also be giving one to Hermione." Minerva turned and smiled at him. "Well it was thanks to her that the boys figured it out. So I feel all the members of the party should be recognized." Minerva beamed not being able to do anything else as they were in the hall.
"I'm sure she will love that Albus." They made it all the way to the entrance of the great hall.
"Aren't you forgetting something Minnie?" He said stopping her before she came into the Great hall.
"No?" She said confused. It had been a long night she wasn't quite sure if she had forgotten something.
"Our daughter who should be waking up around now." He said with a smile. He laughed at Minerva's face as her eyes had gotten wide and her mouth opened.
"Hermione!" She cried and started running up 4 flights of stairs. Albus shook his head chuckling at Minerva and walked into the Great Hall.
Minerva was completely out of breath by the time she reached the hospital wing but the feeling of elation that spread though her made it worth it. She had started to enter the hall when all of the Weasley's exited.
"Hello how is every one feeling?" She asked looking at Ginny who avoided her glaze. The twins picked Ron up on their shoulders and were running down the halls. Minerva didn't have the heart to tell them to stop.
"We're escorting the boys down to the feast and we thought we would stay for a bit if that's all right Minerva?" Molly asked her friend. Minerva nodded.
"Yes it's quite alright." She told the reunited family, and made her way into the hospital wing. The first thing she noticed was that all the curtains were now drawn around all the beds that held the petrified students. She went to Hermione's bed and cast the privacy charm on the curtains. Hermione was sleeping when Minerva came into the room. Minerva felt tears come to her eyes as she saw Hermione's chest rise with her breathing. Hermione had been so much like stone that past month that seeing her breath was actually amazing. She moved some of Hermione's hair, away from her face which caused Hermione to wake up without Minerva noticing. Minerva just held onto Hermione's hand. Hermione opened her eyes slightly and saw Minerva there and smiled.
"Hi mommy!" Hermione exclaimed causing Minerva to look up sharply. Minerva grabbed Hermione and felt herself start crying as she felt Hermione grab onto her.
"Oh baby." Minerva cried holding onto Hermione. "Never scare me like that again." Minerva told her. Hermione nodded.
"I'll try." Hermione was crying now. Every thing she had waited a month to say came to the tip of her tongue. "I'm sorry I scared you, but I had to figure out what the monster was, it was driving me mad. When I found out I came to get you but by then everyone was already at the Quidditch match, and we heard something in the hall, and that's when we saw it." Hermione shuddered at this. Minerva held onto her tighter.
"No." Minerva whispered to her. "You didn't do anything wrong. If any thing you did everything right. You figured it out; you solved the mystery that no one else did." She said softly. "I'm so proud of you my clever little girl." She moved to sit on the bed and drew back slightly so that she could look at Hermione. "Are you okay sweetie? Do you need anything?" Minerva asked her. Hermione glazed up at her with a thoughtful expression.
"Well can I get some new clothes, I'm a little sick of these." Hermione said plucking her at her school uniform. Minerva smiled and within 5 minutes Hermione was now in her purple pajamas wrapped tightly in the blanket from the bed. Minerva was stroking Hermione hair. Minerva had just finished telling Hermione the entire story of what had happened since she was petrified.
"Well I know you must be hungry." Hermione looked up and nodded eagerly.
"Oh yes is Twinky going to bring us some food?" Hermione asked. Minerva shook her head no.
"We are currently having a feast to celebrate in the Great hall. Shall we go Mr. Potter and Weasley will be there." Minerva told her. Hermione's face lit up with excitement at the thought of seeing her friends. Minerva took her down the steps and when they got to the Great Hall she brought Hermione into another hug. When they finally let go Minerva kissed Hermione's forehead.
"Now when you are finally ready to go to sleep come to my quarters alright?"
"I got it mum." She said with a smile. Minerva went in first so it wouldn't look weird. She slid into her seat next to Albus and beamed. He reached under the table and held her hand. Then all of the students who had been petrified came in. Minerva assumed that Hermione met up with them outside the hall. She couldn't help laughing when she saw Hermione run down the hall to Harry and Ron shouting. "You solved it! You solved it!" Soon after this Albus stood up and announced that all exams were cancelled. Hermione's look of utter shock caused another round of laughter from the couple. And just when Minerva thought the night couldn't get any better, Hagrid stumbled in causing all the Gryffindors to cheer loudly.
Minerva leaned back into her chair exhausted. By the time Hagrid showed up it was 3 in the morning and Minerva was forcing herself to stay awake. However as she stared at Hermione finally up and moving talking eagerly to her friends, who were still covered in mud and grime, and at Albus who was smiling happily at the students. She felt that everything was finally back to normal.
Yea! I updated, I still have a horrible tension headache from this week but hopefully it will gone tomorrow, because I have to work and I don't want to snap at a customer. Anyway please review, and I promise that updates will come quicker now that I am done for the year! Now I just have to wait for the end of the year then it's summer!