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Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter of any of Jo's work.
Minerva made her way back towards Gryffindor Tower. After the events of today, she was extremely paranoid that something else might happen to her cubs. Darkness had fallen over the castle and it was giving Minerva a strange feeling of dread. Even the portraits were silent tonight and each footfall sounded like an explosion to Minerva's ears. The castle was too quiet.
She finally made it to the portrait and spoke the password, "Leones vincere."Minerva had grown tired of the Fat Lady's obnoxious passwords, and put her foot down. Stepping through the portrait hole, she forced herself to believe that password. Her lions would overcome this. They would get past it.
Minerva entered the common room, ready for anything. However, the sight was a familiar one. Students were scattered throughout the room in their selective groups of friends. The noise was the problem. Silence seemed to consume the common room as well. Looking around, Minerva didn't spot a single Weasley.
Looking toward her female prefect, she quirked an eyebrow. "Have you seen any of the Weasley boys?"
The prefect shrugged her shoulders. "Well, Percy went up to bed hours ago. He won't let anyone come near him, and Fred and George said they were going up to bed a little while ago. I think they're all just upset about the little Weasley girl. It's Ginny, isn't it?" She purposely avoided mentioning the youngest Weasley boy. If Professor McGonagall found out about him and Potter leaving, she would punish everyone involved, including those who simply didn't stop them.
"Yes, it's Ginerva. Now, have you seen Ronald or Mr. Potter?" Minerva realized that the girl seemed to tense up at their names, but didn't answer either. This annoyed Minerva and she turned to the rest of the room. "Where are Potter and Weasley?" Her question was met with a series of mumbles and excuses, but nothing clear. "I need someone to tell me. Now." She felt as if she were slowly growing taller as she watched her students shrink back.
Finally, one sixth year stepped forward. "They left through the portrait hole a little while ago. They've only been gone about fifteen minutes, so we didn't see any reason to alert you." She shrugged and sat back down, immediately being surrounded by her friends again.
Minerva nodded, her eyes turning cold as she stared them down. "These boys are now in danger. I expect you all to consider what your actions, or lack of them, may have caused. I will be back when I have more news for you." With that, she turned around and left the way she'd come, heading toward her office.
Entering her office, she was immediately wrapped in a hug, but she couldn't believe it. It couldn't be him. He wasn't even allowed to be here, was he? She realized she was standing stiff, and let her body relax as she wrapped her arms around him. "Is it really you?" Her tears were threatening to overflow as she slowly tilted her chin to look up at him.
Albus simply smiled down at her, nodding his head. "The governors reinstated me after Ginerva was taken into the chamber. It seems they were threatened by one of their own, as well."
Minerva took advantage of his silence and kissed him, having missed spending her spare time with him. "Albus, it's been so hard without you." She laid her head on his shoulder and simply stood like that for a moment, basking in his warmth.
"I know, Tabby. I know, and I'm sorry. If I didn't have to, I wouldn't have left you alone." He placed a kiss in her hair and gave her a light squeeze.
Regaining her composure again, Minerva stepped back and gave him a hearty glare. "You are never leaving me like that again. I don't care what the governors have to say about it. I don't care if Cornelius bloody Fudge wanted to remove you. It's not happening again!"
Her stern, teacher-like glare could even frighten Albus and he nodded. "I'll try, Tabby, but I can't promise anything."
Minerva glared at his, quickly losing her cool. "No. Damn it! You're not going to simply try, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. You're going to do it. Promise me you won't leave me again. Promise me you won't leave us." Her fire slowly cooled, but she still jabbed a finger at his chest, scowling as her eyes began to fill with tears. "We're becoming a family, Albus. We both have to be reliable constants for her. She needs to know you're solid."
Albus chuckled. "I'm sure she sees I'm solid, dear. The girl's depth perception is pretty good according to Rolanda. Did you know she's been sneaking Quidditch lessons with her for months?" Again, he gave a lighthearted chuckle at her bewildered expression. "Don't worry. Poppy's healed all her injuries."
The fire in her eyes was ablaze again, but this time it was lighter, calmer. "Ro and Poppy are in huge trouble. However, before you get all excited, you're in trouble too." Her smile slowly faded as she remembered the current state of the school. "Albus, we need to floo the Weasleys again. Ronald and Harry are missing as well. I believe they've gone into the Chamber." She pinched the bridge of her nose as she began to pace. "Should I go see them in person, or just call them?" Minerva knew, as Head of Gryffindor, it was her duty to inform the Weasleys of this change.
Albus moved to her desk, conjuring a bag of lemon drops as he sat down. He magically unwrapped one, but physically tossed it into his mouth as he began to talk around it. "I think Molly would take it better in person." He couldn't say the same for his wife though! The messenger would be in severe danger if they were telling her that Annabelle was missing. He had heard about the threat to Poppy when Annabelle was Petrified.
"You're right." Rubbing her temples, she took a hesitant step toward the fireplace. How do you tell a mother that two of her children and a boy she sees as a son are missing? How do you tell her that it's likely that none of them will make it back alive?
A small voice in the back of her head said one word: Honestly.
Minerva chuckled apprehensively. Yes, be honest that her children will probably die before morning arrives. She shook her head and took another halting step toward the floo. She wanted to stop, turn around and run to her own daughter and defend her from harm, but instead, she crossed the remaining distance to the floo and grabbed a handful of sparkly floo powder. Kneeling down, she braced herself against the bricks and threw the powder into the fire as she stuck her head into the fire and shouted, "The Burrow."
Almost immediately, her head began to spin and she kept her eyes shut tightly against the swirling bits of ash. Finally, everything stopped and she peeled open her eyes. In front of her was the Burrow's sitting room with Molly sitting in an armchair with tears running down her face as she attempted to knit. "Molly?"
The plump witch started and looked to the fireplace. "Oh, Minerva. Tell me you have news." She frowned as she began to inch her way closer to the fireplace.
Minerva gave a sad smile. "Would it be alright if I come in Molly?"
The motherly witch nodded her head and called out for her husband to join her before setting her eyes back on the fireplace. The professor's head disappeared, but was quickly replaced by the flames turning a brilliant green. As the flames continued to flicker, a sorrowful Minerva stepped out of the floo, dusting herself off before moving over to Mrs. Weasley, who was now joined by Arthur.
Minerva gave a tight smile and gestured to the couch. "I think it would be better if the two of you sit down. This might come across as a shock." The couple immediately sat down, with Molly practically clinging to her husband and Minerva sat down opposite from them in a sunken armchair. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but another one of your children have gone missing. Ronald and Harry Potter disappeared approximately an hour and a half ago, presumably in an attempt to rescue Ginerva. We are making attempts to find them, and we're hoping that they'll all make it back safely. There is a chance, however, that this won't happen and I needed to come and prepare you for that possibility."
The witch burst into tears, which soon turned into body-racking sobs. Arthur, too, looked distraught and simply wrapped his arms around Molly, kissing the top of her head.
As Molly began to calm down, Minerva decided it was time to tell them the next part. "Professor Dumbledore is also reinstated as Headmaster, and we would like to welcome you to Hogwarts, so that you may await the arrival of your children. This will make it easier for us to contact you when they turn up."
The couple nodded and Molly moved to gather her ball of yarn and knitting needles before walking toward the fireplace. "Where am I going?"
Minerva smiled at the woman's sudden determination. "My office will be perfectly fine. The floo is open and Albus should be waiting for you there."
Molly nodded and hastily floo'ed to the Professor's office. Minerva looked to Arthur, who gestured her forward. She stepped through and found that moments after she walked through, the fire turned a brilliant green again and Arthur came out, dusting soot off of his shirt.
Albus greeted the Weasleys and apologized for everything that was going on before silence consumed the room as the Weasleys sat in front of the fire, and the Dumbledores sat behind Minerva's desk.
A long while later, there was a knock at the door before it opened, revealing three students and a professor all covered in slime and mud. No one spoke for a moment, but then Mrs. Weasley jumped up, screaming, "Ginny!"
Minerva couldn't help it. As Molly enveloped her daughter in a hug, Minerva slowly began to cry. Albus was beaming at her and Harry was looking at the pair curiously before being swept into an embrace by Molly, who again squealed. "You saved her! You saved her! How did you do it?"
Minerva gave a slight grin before speaking up. "I think we'd all like to know that." They all watched attentively as Harry walked across the room and set the sword, hat, and a diary on the desk. The boy immediately began to explain what all had happened. Minerva understood how they figured everything out, but one question still remained. "Very well, so you found out where the entrance was – breaking a hundred school rules into pieces along the way, I might add – but how on earth did you all get out of there alive, Potter?" Again, the boy set about explaining how he had fought Riddle and the Basilisk.
The boy eventually faltered and looked to Dumbledore, who smiled before stating, "What interests me most is how Lord Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny, when my sources tell me he is currently in hiding in the forests of Albania.
Minerva wasn't the only person who appeared dumbfounded at his statement, and she found herself ignoring what he said, and stepping out of the conversation completely until she heard Mr. Weasley raising his voice. It took her a moment to realize what he was talking about, but when she finally did, she realized that Ginny had been writing back and forth with the diary, and that it was also apparently fueled by very dark magic.
Soon enough, Dumbledore began to give instructions. "Miss Weasley should go up to the hospital wing right away. This has been a terrible ordeal for her. There will be no punishment. Older and wiser wizards than she have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort. Bed rest and perhaps a large, steaming mug of hot chocolate. I always find that cheers me up. You will find that Madam Pomfrey is still awake. She's just giving out Mandrake juice – I daresay the basilisk's victims will be waking up any moment."
Minerva's heart soared and she felt like spinning along with it. Annabelle was going to be okay! She was going to be awake within minutes! If there weren't students to worry about, she'd sprint to the office right this second. She still contemplated doing this, but Albus interrupted her thoughts as the Weasleys walked out the door.
"You know, Minerva, I think all this merits a good feast. Might I ask you to go alert the kitchens?"
"Right." Said the professor. She knew him better than to believe he simply wanted her to alert the kitchens and she inched her way closer to the door as she spoke. "I'll leave you to deal with Potter and Weasley, shall I?"
She practically fled her office and transformed mid-step into her animagus form. She dashed down to the kitchen and transformed back as she met the portrait of the fruit bowl. She tickled the pear and called the elves to attention. "There will be a feast to celebrate the defeat of the Heir of Slytherin and the revival of all those Petrified." A cheer broke out among the elves and Minerva smiled at Lindy, who was crying through her cheers. The elf had been devastated when she found out about Annabelle being Petrified. Minerva gave her a small smile before turning around and exiting the kitchen as she turned back into a cat and sprinted to the infirmary.
As she reached it, the students were still rousing themselves and she transformed back at the door, tears glistening in her emerald eyes. "Annabelle?"