A/N: Hello again! Here's another chapter. This one is longer than usual, but I decided to just give it to you all at once because there wasn't a natural place to break it up.
Enjoy!
Pipsy was nervous as she walked through the dark corridors of the castle. The house-elf had an awful, sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, but she wasn't sure why—she just knew something wasn't right.
Pipsy must find Miss Minerva.
The thought played on repeat in Pipsy's mind, and the pit in her stomach only grew each time. The elf knew it was the Professor's turn on patrol duty tonight, and Pipsy remembered how worried she was for the woman when she saw her earlier. She even took the risk of making her angry by insisting she get another professor to take her place, but Miss Minerva hadn't listened. Pipsy was still concerned, but she didn't press the issue further.
Pipsy woke an hour ago with a jolt, and the sinking feeling was the first thing she became aware of. She had no proof it had anything to do with the Transfiguration professor, but Pipsy still got up because she knew she wouldn't sleep until she made sure. Miss Minerva's rooms had been empty when she arrived however, and Pipsy didn't like it one bit.
Miss Minerva should be finished with patrol duty by now, she thought almost as soon as she realized the witch wasn't there.
So, Pipsy was searching Hogwarts for the woman she had come to care for. Pipsy knew that when she found her, Miss Minerva would likely scold her for being up so early in the morning, but as her unease grew Pipsy decided it was worth the risk. The elf didn't want to upset Miss Minerva, but she still needed to be sure she was safe.
Pipsy had no luck in her search for far too long, but when she came to the second floor and turned the first corner, what greeted her made her heart stop.
"Miss Minerva!"
The small elf's terrified shriek was easily an octave higher than her already high-pitched voice, and it cut through the silence like a knife.
Pipsy nearly tripped over herself as she scrambled over to the prone form laying on the cold stone floor and fell to her knees beside Miss Minerva. She wasn't moving, but Pipsy could see her trembling slightly. The professor's head was turned away from her, so Pipsy crawled to her other side, hoping against the odds that she would find the familiar green eyes open and alert. Her stomach still dropped when she saw her eyes were closed.
"M—Miss Min—Minerva…" Pipsy called out shakily as she felt tears fill her eyes. Of course, she received no response and it didn't help Pipsy's anxiety at all. Miss Minerva never failed to answer Pipsy, and she looked far too pale.
She looks…
Pipsy shoved the idea away before she could even finish the thought. She would not even entertain such a thing!
Pipsy wanted to shake her, but Pipsy's ears pricked as she felt magic crackling in the air around them. She knew it was the professor's magic, and Pipsy could only guess that something had triggered it and made her lose control. This alone concerned her because while Professor McGonagall was incredibly powerful, she had excellent control of her magic. There was no logical reason Pipsy could think of that would cause it to go wild like this.
"Miss Minerva!" Pipsy yelled at her, almost hoping to startle her awake.
Pipsy quickly ran her eyes over the woman, looking for any obvious injuries, and Pipsy's lungs seized when she looked at the back of the professor's head.
Blood.
The elf gasped. There was blood spread across the cobblestone directly underneath her. Pipsy knew immediately she must have fallen and hit her head, but the amount of blood she saw was incredibly troubling. She realized the professor must have hit her head hard, and Merlin knew the damage it could have done.
"Miss Minerva!" Pipsy cried, "Please, you have to wake up!"
The tears fell down her cheeks now. She was quickly losing her composure but she forced herself to keep her breathing under control, knowing panicking wouldn't help. It was not a pretty sight, and it scared Pipsy to death. But, she was at least grateful that Miss Minerva was still breathing. Whatever happened, whatever had caused this, it hadn't killed her.
Pipsy was able to use magic to stop the bleeding, and she allowed herself a small moment to figure out what to do. She could easily use magic to move Miss Minerva back to her rooms, but she wasn't sure how good of an idea that was when she could still feel the professor's own magic around them and the odds of it lashing out again were still high. She also didn't want to jostle the woman unnecessarily while she was unconscious. Pipsy knew she wouldn't want anyone to see her like this, but the elf realized that would be unavoidable no matter what she decided to do. Miss Minerva needed help now.
Pipsy thought about the people the professor was close to beside herself, and that included Mr. Dumbledore, Miss Poppy, and Madame Rolanda. Pipsy ordinarily would have hesitated, feeling guilty about disturbing any one of them at such an early hour of the morning. However, Miss Minerva's health was at risk, and she couldn't allow that. She would gladly break down all of their doors if it saved the Transfiguration professor.
Pipsy was fiercely determined, poised to snap herself directly into Mr. Dumbledore's bedroom, when she saw the woman in front of her move. Pipsy instantly dropped her hand and scrambled closer, all thoughts of leaving disappearing from her mind; she wouldn't let her wake up alone.
"Miss Minerva! Please, open your eyes! Look at Pipsy!"
The witch groaned, and the seconds seemed to stretch on forever before she finally opened her eyes. Pipsy could have cried with relief when she saw the usually unsettling green color.
Minerva blinked owlishly at Pipsy, and her eyes seemed unfocused and far away. Pipsy continued to call her name, even resorting to calling her "Mistress" to try to get a reaction from her. The elf wasn't sure what would happen if she fell back asleep with her head injured the way it was.
"Pi...Pipsy?" She finally uttered the elf's name, and it just made Pipsy's tears come faster. Her voice sounded terribly wrong, almost sleepy, rough and garbled, but it filled her with immeasurable relief hearing it.
"Yes, Miss Minerva! Pipsy is here!" Pipsy intentionally spoke loudly to try to keep the woman alert.
"What… Pipsy, I don't understand…" Minerva rambled; the words seemed almost too difficult for her to say.
Pipsy frowned, "It's alright. Pipsy is here and she will keep you safe. Pipsy will get you help, Miss Minerva. You must stay right here, okay?"
Something about what Pipsy was implying must have triggered her, because suddenly Miss Minerva seemed more alert, even if she was still nowhere near back to normal.
"N...No..." She protested quietly, and to Pipsy's absolute horror, started to try to pull herself up.
"Miss Minerva! No, you mustn't move too much, you are injured!" Pipsy told her frantically, but her words had no effect.
Pipsy instinctively moved to assist her in leaning against the wall and away from the blood on the floor. The professor was breathing heavily and she groaned at the pain in her head. Minerva winced when she brought her hand to the injury on the back of her head. She realized almost belatedly that there was blood, but she was still too out of it to think much of it.
"Miss Minerva, please, Pipsy will be right back—"
"No… No Pipsy, do not get anyone. Just… Just help me back to my rooms."
Pipsy couldn't help but stare at her. "But… But Miss—"
"I will be alright, Pipsy. Just… just get me back to my rooms. This is just my magic reacting…" The professor's words trailed off and her eyes seemed far away again.
Pipsy stayed silent as she battled with herself. Everything about this was terribly wrong; the elf knew that Miss Minerva needed medical attention, and yet she was refusing to allow her to get it. It didn't make sense.
"Please."
Pipsy jerked, surprised at the tone of her voice. She sounded anxious, and Pipsy knew arguing was hopeless. A professor of Hogwarts, Miss Minerva, had requested something from her. Despite the fact that she was not Pipsy's mistress, she needed to comply. The image of Miss Minerva lying on the ground was still in her head, and she was desperate to help her in any way the witch would allow her, even if Pipsy knew it wasn't what she needed.
Against her better judgment, Pipsy nodded. She slowly, carefully helped get Miss Minerva to her feet. She almost immediately became light-headed and stumbled, and Pipsy felt her heart in her throat as she steadied her.
When the pair finally made it back to the professor's rooms, Pipsy was beyond relieved when she was able to gently lay her on the couch. Miss Minerva still looked far too pale and terribly tired, and it did not sit well with Pipsy at all.
"Miss Minerva…" Pipsy's voice came out rough, and there were tears in her eyes again when she looked at the witch's unfocused eyes.
"Don't cry, Pipsy…" Miss Minerva tried to reassure her, but her voice came out far too low to be effective.
"Pipsy won't, Miss Minerva, just please let her get you help!"
"No, Pipsy. You will not tell anyone about this."
Pipsy's eyes widened. The sentence sounded more like a command than anything she'd heard come from Miss Minerva since they met, and it scared her. How was she supposed to obey that?
"But… P—Pipsy can't, Miss…"
"Promise me, Pipsy."
Pipsy leaned forward to rest her forehead on the couch in front of Miss Minerva as she felt her tears fall.
"...Of course, Miss Minerva. Pipsy… Pipsy promises."
"Good," Minerva almost whispered, bringing a cold hand up to lightly rest on the small elf's head.
"I'm alright, Pipsy. Thank you for everything you've done for me. It's going to be…"
Pipsy paused when Miss Minerva's quiet voice went silent. She was sure there was more the professor was going to say.
"Professor?" Pipsy called, but there was no answer. She felt Miss Minerva's hand fall away from her. Pipsy's head jerked up and she promptly stopped breathing.
"No!" Pipsy cried, seeing that Miss Minerva's eyes were closed and she lost consciousness again.
"No, Miss Minerva! You can't go back to sleep right now, you have to stay awake!"
Pipsy didn't hesitate in shaking her this time, but it did absolutely nothing to rouse the woman. She didn't even groan at the disturbance.
"Mistress! Please!" Pipsy pleaded desperately, barely even noticing that she'd used the wrong title.
It didn't work, though, and Pipsy could feel herself shaking as she cried. Nothing she tried worked, and Pipsy only panicked more with every failed attempt and second that passed. She promised Miss Minerva she wouldn't tell anyone, but now...
Now, Miss Minerva couldn't stop her. The elf knew she would be disobeying a direct order, but that no longer mattered. She could punish herself later, but Miss Minerva could be dying for all Pipsy knew. Time was not going to wait for her to agonize over her options. Pipsy would never forgive herself if she let something happen to her while she just stood here and watched.
"Pipsy is sorry, but she can't keep her promise, Professor." The elf whispered as she backed away from the couch.
"Pipsy will be right back, Miss Minerva. Please forgive her."
Still crying and not taking her eyes off of the unmoving form on the couch, Pipsy disapperated from Miss Minerva's rooms with a loud, deafening CRACK!
When I wake up again, it takes me about ten seconds to realize that I'm lying in a bed in the hospital wing. My mind is still a bit hazy, so it takes a few moments to remember why I would be here, but when I do it just makes me want to roll my eyes at my own idiocy and weakness.
"Ugh," I groan, sit up from the pillow and cover my face with my hand.
"Minerva!"
The sudden exclamation makes me jump and pull my hand away, only to find Poppy and Albus rushing over to me.
"Oh good, you're awake! I was beginning to wonder how long it would take you…" Poppy says, almost muttering to herself as she uses a light to check both of my eyes. She must be satisfied with whatever she's looking for, because only a moment later she nods and steps away.
"What happened? Albus?"
"What do you remember, Minerva?" He asks, and I notice his expression shows obvious relief and concern.
Merlin, am I ever going to stop worrying him?
I push the thought away as I consider his question. "Well, it's… I remember being on patrol duty last night, and not feeling well. I vaguely remember getting up to the second floor, and then after that it's still a little jumbled up. Did my magic react to something?"
Slowly I realize the almost constant pain in my head has disappeared without a trace. I'd begun to fear it would never go away, and I'm so relieved I almost laugh aloud.
"Minerva, you had a seizure." Poppy says suddenly, her tone and attitude telling me she's in full healer mode.
The word makes me freeze, any thought of laughing disappearing into thin air. "I beg your pardon?"
"After you got to the second floor, you had a bloody seizure!" She tells me, her composure slipping. "You hit your head on the damn stone floor and had a severe concussion."
"If it weren't for magic, I might add, you would still have a severe head injury and be in much more dire straits. You're lucky you were found in time."
I stare at her silently as I process this, and I know she sees my confusion when Poppy sighs. "I assume that by the look on your face, you are not prone to seizures like this?"
I shake my head, "No, of course not. I don't know…"
I trail off and just barely stifle a gasp when suddenly it all comes back to me. The terrible pain in my head, the sounds of crying, a single yell, the dull thud. It was a vision.
The realization shocks me into silence, because I haven't had a vision in years, since before I left Oz. I'd thought that they were gone, but obviously that was foolish. I recall seeing a pair of yellow eyes, and after the thud of something hitting the floor, my vision whited out. I remember feeling like my entire body was on fire and I suppose that's when I lost consciousness.
It doesn't take me long to understand that this was the cause of the migraines. I must have been subconsciously suppressing the visions for weeks, and when my magic finally broke free it triggered the seizure. I faintly remember noticing that my magic was out of control, but I was so consumed by pain I couldn't even focus on it.
"Minerva?" Albus's voice pulls me out of my train of thought, and I look at the two of them again. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm sorry. I was… Just surprised, that's all."
Briefly, I consider telling them about the visions, but think better of it almost immediately. I can't run the risk of them thinking I'm insane, not after I've come so far. This place is very different from Oz, and the people I've met have been kinder to me than I truly deserve. Despite this, or maybe because of it, the small, insecure piece of my brain reminds me that it can all be ripped away far too easily and I can't let that happen.
"Minerva for the love of Merlin, if it had become that bad, why didn't you come to me? We've discussed this! I would have gladly given you more potions if you'd just told me!"
"The potions stopped working." I blurt out the words without really thinking about how Poppy will react to them. She freezes with her mouth open to continue scolding me.
"What?"
"Well, I mean they still worked, technically. But eventually the migraines were so persistent and intense that the potions would only work for a few hours at most. Afterward, the pain would always come back even worse than before."
I don't realize she's glaring at me until she speaks again, and her voice makes me instantly snap my eyes to her face.
"So," Poppy says, "When the potions I gave you no longer had any effect, it didn't occur to you that this just might be something more serious?"
I stare at her. Her tone is more sarcastic and frustrated than I've ever heard it. When I can't think of a response, Poppy continues.
"Honestly, Minerva…" She shakes her head. "Your lack of self preservation is astounding! You never would have been sorted into Slytherin; oh no, you've got the Gryffindor traits written all over you!"
Albus walks over and places a hand on her shoulder. "Poppy…"
Poppy sighs, her expression softening as she takes a small step back.
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to lose my temper, but you've got to stop scaring me!"
I open my mouth, but Poppy holds up her hand to stop me. "I know you don't mean to, Minerva, really. We all know that. But we care about you, so it's in no way comforting to see you unconscious and unable to be woken just because we know it wasn't intentional."
I sigh, too. "I know, and I am sorry. Honestly, last night I had every intention of going to you about this, but everything happened before I got the chance."
Poppy nods, looking relieved to hear it. I smile at her and hold out my hand, which she takes when she steps closer.
"Thank you, Poppy. Thank you both." I look over at Albus and give him a small smile as well.
"Of course you're welcome, Minerva." Albus returns my smile. "But, it's really Pipsy you need to thank."
"Pipsy? Why?"
"Pipsy is the one that found you, Minerva."
My breath catches in my throat. What?
Miss Minerva! Please, you have to wake up!
Pipsy's terrified cry comes back to me immediately, and I gasp. I remember now; Pipsy's screaming was what finally roused me back into consciousness. I couldn't focus on it last night, but now I recall the terror on her face.
"Oh Merlin…"
"I was only able to get the full story out of her later, but she went looking for you last night because she knew you weren't feeling well. She said that you woke up for a few minutes and asked to be taken to your rooms. She swore she tried to get you to let her get help, but you refused. It wasn't until you lost consciousness a second time that she finally got us."
"I wouldn't let her get help?" The sentence comes out more like a question than it should, because that certainly sounds like something I would say even in the worst situations. I remember how frightened she was, so I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for the poor elf.
"Where is she? Is she alright?"
Albus and Poppy glance at each other before looking back at me, and I don't have a good feeling about the uncertainty on their faces.
"We don't know. She disappeared as soon as she was sure you would be okay."
My stomach almost immediately falls when I hear Albus say this, but I try very hard not to overreact to the information.
"But, that doesn't sound like Pipsy at all! Why would she—"
"Pipsy was inconsolable, Minerva." Albus interrupts, and I really don't like the look on his face.
"What do you mean?"
"When you lost consciousness again she realized it was dangerous with your head injury. She…" Albus trails off.
"She couldn't get you to wake up again." Poppy continues. "She got Albus and I, but she was so distraught all the poor thing could say was your name. She just apparated each of us straight to you."
I stare at them, each word only making the pit in my stomach grow as I think about what she must have gone through last night. Oh, Pipsy...
"I think she genuinely feared for your life—I've never seen her so terrified. She wouldn't calm down until I was able to heal you and reassured her you would survive. I very nearly had to sedate her."
I rub a hand over my face, "I feel terrible that I scared everyone again, but for Pipsy to go through that…"
"I'm sure she'll be alright, Minerva." Poppy squeezes my hand to help reassure me, and I smile slightly.
"Thank you."
Out of the corner of my eye, I think I see Albus's expression darken and become thoughtful all of a sudden. Before I can question it the look is gone as quickly as it came, so I let it go. If Albus is worried about something, he'll tell me eventually.
I sigh, noticing it's still dark outside. "What time is it?"
"A little after five in the morning. You're lucky Pipsy found you when she did. From what I can tell you were out for nearly an hour before she got there, and I doubt you would have woken up on your own… At least not before one of the students stumbled across you."
I almost flinch at the possibility. As much as I hate that I put Pipsy through this, I am so grateful I didn't traumatize a child. Besides, I trust Pipsy implicitly; and who knows if a student would have kept quiet about the incident.
"Well, at least I don't have to worry about any more rumors spreading around the school." I quip, and I'm happy when Poppy and Albus both chuckle just a bit.
I desperately need to talk to Pipsy, I know. But the poor elf has been through enough already; I need to let her rest for tonight. I'll call her in the morning and apologize for what I put her through. Pipsy has been there for me since the moment I met her, and so far all I've done is worry her and quite possibly almost give her a heart attack. I can only hope she decides to forgive me.
I decided to wait until the afternoon to call Pipsy. Actually, I asked another house-elf to give her a message to come see me after classes. It's not that I think she wouldn't come if I called her like usual, but for some reason I feel anxious about doing it that way. I need to give her plenty of warning and the option to say no if she wants to.
I'm in the middle of grading when Pipsy appears on top of my desk with a soft pop! The sound makes me jump, because in all honesty a large part of me did not expect her to come. However, when I see Pipsy's large green eyes, I feel an almost absurd amount of relief.
"Pipsy!" I breathe.
The elf looks a bit nervous, but she gives me a small smile. "Pipsy didn't mean to startle you."
"Oh no, you didn't! I'm just… I'm glad you came."
"Of course, Miss Minerva. Pipsy will always come when you ask for her." She responds immediately, as if it's obvious. Suddenly I feel a little silly for worrying about it in the first place.
"Pipsy…" I sigh. "I desperately need to apologize to you for last night."
"No you don't, Miss—"
I hold up a hand to stop her. "Let me say this, please. I knew you would disagree, but I do need to apologize. I know I terrified you last night; I can only imagine what went through your mind when you found me in the corridor. I can be so stubborn, but I should have listened to you when you told me to get someone else to do patrol duty. You were right, and I am so sorry for what you were put through because I wouldn't listen."
Pipsy's eyes are wide and she looks fairly shocked. "I—It's alright, Miss Minerva. Pipsy forgives you. She is… She's so ha—happy that you're okay!"
The elf's breaths start hitching and I watch her eyes fill with tears. I immediately lean forward in my chair.
"Oh Pipsy, please don't cry. From what I've heard you've cried enough in the last several hours than you should ever need to. I am perfectly all right, Pipsy, I promise. In fact, I have you to thank for that. I would be in much worse shape if you hadn't found me when you did. Thank you for helping me."
"You're welcome, Miss Minerva. Pipsy thought that you were…" Pipsy trails off, and I remember Poppy saying that Pipsy most likely thought I was dying.
I sigh, "I understand, and I'm sorry you had to worry about something like that." I get up from my chair and walk a few feet away from her. "But guess what? My headaches are gone now, so you don't have to worry about me anymore."
"Pipsy will always worry about Professor McGonagall."
The elf says it so quietly I almost miss it, but as soon as the words register I feel myself smile. A few years ago such a statement would have most likely only frustrated me, but coming from Pipsy the way it is, I know it's her way of telling me she cares.
"You know, Pipsy—" I turn around to tell her as such, but the words die on my tongue when I look at her.
"Pipsy, why are you covered in bandages?"
The elf appeared so close to me and I was so focused on her face that I didn't notice them until I walked further away from her. Both of Pipsy's arms and hands are wrapped up in bandages, as if she'd been hurt somehow.
I notice her tense, looking down at her hands. "Oh, well…"
She looked frightened at first, but quickly I watch her expression go blank as she looks back up at me, although I can tell she's still tense.
"Pipsy needed to be punished, Miss Minerva."
The words are so emotionless my eyes widen almost on their own and I feel my stomach drop.
"What?"
I can't believe what I just heard, but I can feel my protective instinct kicking in and I've almost come up with about a dozen ways to find the person who hurt Pipsy before I find my voice again.
"Who on earth would—"
"No, Miss Minerva. Pipsy punished herself."
She says it like those words are somehow better, and I feel myself shaking as soon as I hear them.
She did this to herself.
"P—Pipsy, why would you…"
"You gave Pipsy an order, Professor. Pipsy failed to follow that order, and she needed to be punished."
My mouth drops open. "What?! No, Pipsy, I didn't—"
"Yes, Miss Minerva. You told Pipsy not to tell anyone about what happened last night, and Pipsy did not listen to you. She understands why you wouldn't remember."
"Pipsy—"
You will not tell anyone about this. Promise me.
What I said to her last night comes back to me before I can deny it again, and I gasp. I am trembling so badly at this point I have to sit down on the couch before I fall and scare her again.
"But… no! That's not what I—"
"It's alright, Miss Minerva, please calm down." Pipsy's voice is almost soothing, but I pay no attention.
"No, it most certainly is not alright! You injured yourself because I said something stupid when I was completely out of my mind; it wasn't an order! Why would you do this?"
"It was still more of a command than anything you've ever said to Pipsy, Miss Minerva."
"Pipsy, this makes no sense. If you hadn't ignored me, who knows what may have happened to me last night. You saved me!"
"Pipsy knows, Professor. She still disobeyed and needed to be punished."
"Stop saying that!" I yell despite myself, and I put my hands up over my ears like a child as if that'll block out the words.
I can't tell which one of us doesn't quite understand the other, but it feels like we're going in circles and my head is spinning. She understands, and yet she still needed to hurt herself? What the hell—
House-elves are creatures that are bound to their masters and are absolutely obedient to their every demand. Albus's explanation from the day I first met Pipsy is suddenly in my head, making me pause. They're absolutely obedient, and yet… I have never been Pipsy's master. Even if I'm the only professor she helps, the fact that she would harm herself is disturbing and makes me want to wretch. I do remember reading about house-elves' tendency to punish themselves if an order isn't followed or done to a satisfactory degree, and this must have been why Pipsy did what she did. The idea that I had something to do with it, though…
"Pipsy, I am not your mistress. You did not need to do something so horrendous to yourself, and I would have never wanted you to do this."
Pipsy looks down, looking both sheepish and apologetic. If I weren't so caught up in my thoughts, I might have seen the elf flinch slightly when I said I wasn't her mistress.
"Pipsy knows, Miss Minerva. She knew you would be upset, and she is sorry. But Pipsy had to do it. Even if elves are not encouraged to punish themselves, we're still compelled to do so. Pipsy doesn't have to do it often, but she's also never been ordered to stop."
I lean forward with my elbow resting on one of my knees and place my hand over my mouth. No one has ever ordered her to stop… But their masters only ever command house-elves.
Pipsy did take my last "order" as a command and that's what got us into this mess to begin with, but even if I were to make her swear to never do something like this again I have no guarantee that it would stick if a situation like this should ever happen again. Not without Pipsy being my house-elf.
What do I do?
Pipsy and I stare at each other in tense silence for so long I can tell that she's getting more nervous the longer I don't say anything.
"Miss Minerva…?"
Pipsy's small voice snaps me out of my thoughts, and I get to my feet faster than I think Pipsy was expecting, because I see her jump before I turn to the fireplace.
I feel Pipsy's eyes on me as I turn on the floo network and wait for Poppy's face to appear in the flames.
"Minerva?"
"Poppy, can you come through? I need your assistance."
The medi-witch rolls her eyes at me, "Honestly, what did you do now? You can't even go twenty-four hours without needing medical attention? This is getting out of hand!"
If I weren't so horrified and upset, I would have laughed. "It's not for me, Poppy."
I know she hears the seriousness in my voice, because her face falls. "Oh. I'll be right there."
When she disappears I straighten up and run my hands over my face.
"Would you like Pipsy to leave, Miss Minerva?" I hear her small voice behind me. She sounds confused.
"No. You will stay."
I know my voice comes out much more forceful than she's used to, so I turn slightly toward her and lighten my tone. "Please."
Pipsy nods, and a moment later the floo comes to life and Poppy steps through the flames.
"Thank you for coming."
"Don't mention it. What is it you need?"
"Pipsy needs to be looked at. I don't know what she did, but I'm hoping it's something that can be fixed easily."
If she's surprised, Poppy doesn't show it. Instead she smiles. "Of course."
We both turn to the elf behind me, who doesn't do nearly as well hiding her shock.
"Miss... Miss Minerva, this is unnecessary. Pipsy appreciates it, but Miss Poppy doesn't need to be bothered—"
"It's no trouble, Pipsy dear." Poppy interrupts her gently. "Professor McGonagall is only worried about you."
"Pipsy." I get on my knees in front of her and very gently take one of her bandaged hands in mine to make her look at me.
"Whatever you may think, this is my fault. So please, let Madame Pomfrey help you. Do it for me."
Pipsy's large green eyes search my face and she sighs before she slowly nods.
"Okay, Miss Minerva. But Pipsy will never agree that this is your fault."
I laugh a little and smile at her. "Thank you."
It takes less than half an hour for Poppy to heal Pipsy's injuries. They were mostly flesh wounds, but I still had to look away from them once the bandages were off. I absolutely loathe that she's done this to herself, and my sole priority is making sure she never does anything like this again. It takes me no time at all to realize what I need to do to ensure this, but I've been against the idea of house-elves being bound to masters since the moment I first found out about them. However, I hate the thought of Pipsy punishing herself like this even more. I care about her far too much to let her do this, and I'll do just about anything to put a stop to it.
"Minerva? Hey, are you in there?"
I blink and notice Poppy leaning in front of my spot on the couch. "Oh. Yes, I'm sorry. Just lost in thought."
"I understand. There's no need to worry, Minerva. Pipsy is just fine now."
"Thank you, Poppy. I believe you, but I'm going to make damn sure this never happens again."
I know she hears the determination in my voice, and for a moment I think she has an idea what I'm planning, because she smiles knowingly at me. She doesn't say anything though; she just pats me on the arm as she walks back to the fireplace.
"I have no doubt you will, Minerva."
I smile at her as I watch her disappear back to the infirmary.
It's silent in the room for a number of minutes afterward, but I don't rush myself. I need to make sure this is done correctly. Finally, I see Pipsy inching closer to me in my peripheral vision.
"Miss Minerva?" She sounds nervous again.
I smile slightly when I look at her. "You don't need to be nervous, Pipsy. I'm not upset with you."
"You… you're not?"
I shake my head, "No, dear. I'm sad you felt that you needed to do this because of what I told you."
Pipsy looks down, "Pipsy didn't want to make you sad, Professor."
"I know you didn't, it's okay. As much as I hate it, I do understand why you were compelled to… punish yourself." The words feel like acid on my tongue and I fight back a grimace.
I move from the couch to stand in front of her. "Pipsy, I want to ask you something."
"Yes?"
"First, I want you to know that you are under no obligation to accept this. Alright?"
Pipsy nods immediately, "Yes, Miss Minerva."
"Okay." I take a deep breath before I continue. "Would you like to be… do you want me to be your…"
I falter over my words, suddenly finding them incredibly difficult to get out. Why is this making me so nervous? I sigh, closing my eyes for a minute before I try again.
"Would you like me to be your mistress, Pipsy? Do you want to be... my house-elf?"
"What?" Pipsy almost squeaks, and her already large eyes become impossibly bigger.
"B—But Miss Minerva… You don't approve of house-elves."
I shake my head, "No, it's not that. I just don't approve of someone being forced into the equivalent of servitude without the luxury of a choice. It goes against everything I've fought for my entire life." Pipsy doesn't say anything at first, so I continue.
"I know that you and many of the other elves enjoy working for Hogwarts, though, and please know that I mean no disrespect in my offer. If you wish to decline, that is perfectly fine—"
"No!" Pipsy almost yells, and I pause. "It isn't that, Professor, truly! Pipsy is just surprised. Miss Minerva, Pipsy would be honored to be your house-elf, if you're sure."
I nod, watching her closely. "I am."
"Then Pipsy accepts your offer."
"Well," I sigh, suddenly feeling very relieved. "That was easy."
Pipsy smiles sheepishly, "Pipsy has always secretly considered herself your elf, Miss Minerva. She is most humbled for you to ask. For a witch like yourself to be concerned about offending Pipsy means more than you realize. Not many of us have such kind masters."
I am far too aware of such an atrocity. I think to myself, but I don't say it to the elf. Her words are touching though, and I feel myself smile. The idea that she thinks so highly of me is wonderful praise, even if a part of me feels it is undeserved.
I hear her sniffling, so I look back at her and see tears filling her eyes again. "Pipsy! What's the matter?"
"No—nothing Miss Minerva… Pipsy is just happy. Thank you so much!"
"Oh, my dear." I get on my knees again and hold out my hands to her. "Come here."
Pipsy launches herself at me almost before the words are completely out of my mouth, and I chuckle as she clings to my robes. I wrap my arms around her in return.
"Well, at least this time I'm confident these are happy tears." I tell her, and I hear her breaths hitching more as she laughs a little.
We stay in this position for a few minutes before I pull away slightly to look in her eyes again and place my hands on her arms.
"Pipsy," I wait for her to look at me before I continue. "Before you fully accept my offer, there is one condition you must accept."
The elf wipes her eyes, but looks at me with interest. "Yes?"
"If you are to be my house-elf, there is one command you will obey from this moment forward. It is nonnegotiable and you must decide now."
She just continues to stare at me, but she doesn't look worried.
"Pipsy, you will never, ever, under any circumstances or for any reason, intentionally punish or injure yourself again. I don't care if you directly disobey me or anyone else; this is to never happen again. Do you understand?"
The small elf never removes her gaze from mine, and she looks at me very seriously. She waits several beats before she opens her mouth to answer.
"Yes, Mistress. Pipsy understands, and she will obey your command from this moment forward. Pipsy is honored to be called Professor McGonagall's house-elf."
I close my eyes, reassured immediately by how seriously she's taking this. I am completely certain now that I won't need to worry about this in the future.
"Thank Merlin. I can't ever see you wrapped in bandages again." I tell her honestly, and Pipsy smiles at me.
"Pipsy understands. You have her word, Mistress."
I smile at her, "Thank you. But Pipsy, I understand that you're calling me "Mistress" out of respect, but please, when we're alone can we just stick to Miss Minerva? I understand if you feel compelled to use the formal title around others, but I don't think it's necessary otherwise."
Pipsy opens her mouth to respond, but I cut her off quickly.
"That was not an order! Just… It's just a request."
It comes out almost panicked, and Pipsy actually laughs, which makes me smile. "Do not worry, Mist… Miss Minerva, Pipsy can tell the difference. But she will do as you ask."
I sigh, "Good, thank you."
After a moment she looks up at me, "Would you like some tea, Miss Minerva?"
The sudden question surprises me, but I know she's trying to put me at ease so I smile and nod.
"That would be lovely, Pipsy. Thank you."
When Pipsy snaps herself from the room, I stare at the spot she disappeared from.
This whole thing has made me very aware of the tones I use around her, and I know I'm going to have to be careful of the way I say things to her so that something else isn't accidentally mistaken for an order in the future. With the exception of my "no self-punishment" rule, I'd much rather give the elf the choice, because despite this development I still despise the idea of ordering another creature around.
This is going to take some getting used to.
Pipsy reappears within a minute with a small tray of tea and biscuits, and she smiles at me as she moves to the table in front of the couch. I straighten some of the papers on my desk as she does, feeling just the slightest bit uncertain.
"Miss Minerva, are you alright?"
I glance back at the small elf in front of me, and I find I can't even begin to regret my decision. Pipsy looks the happiest I've ever seen her, almost giddy like a child, and the uneasy feeling evaporates into thin air. If this was what was needed to put that wonderful expression on her face, then I don't mind it one bit.
"Yes, dear. Everything is perfect."
A few days later I let myself into Albus's office before dinner. He's been so busy with the recent events in the castle that we rarely walk to the Great Hall together anymore. It's something Albus insisted on doing even after I learned my way around, which I've always found very sweet of him. Of course I understand why we haven't done it as often lately, but yesterday he insisted I meet him here so we could walk together. I rolled my eyes at him, but I found it difficult to say no.
The office is empty when I arrive though, and I sigh. More than likely, he got called to a last minute meeting.
"Albus?"
There's no answer, but I do hear a soft trilling sound that makes me turn toward Albus's desk.
"Oh, hello." The large red bird sitting on it's perch almost surprises me. I've seen the perch of course, but it's always been empty in the past, so this is the first time I've seen the creature watching me.
"You're lovely," I tell it softly when I walk closer.
The bird continues to watch me and trill softly, and I smile. It looks to be of an advanced age, but it's still the most beautiful bird I've ever seen.
Quite suddenly a bright light appears from the middle of its stomach. Before I register it, the light grows and the creature is completely consumed by flames in a matter of moments. I jump back with a small cry, watching in horror as the residual flames fall into the bottom of the perch with the pile of ash that was once Albus's bird.
"Minerva?"
I spin around, seeing Albus watching me from the door. "Albus! Oh god, I'm so sorry! I don't know what happened, your bird… it just—It just burst into flames!"
He walks closer, "Yes, it was about time for that. He's been looking dreadful for days."
I stare at him, "What?!"
Albus chuckles, "Not to worry, Minerva. It's a pity you had to see him on a Burning Day, but everything is fine."
I shake my head, "I'm so confused."
"Fawkes is my familiar. He's a Phoenix. They burst into flames at the end of their lives, and then are reborn from the ashes."
"I'm sorry, they're what?" I look at him incredulously.
Albus smiles and nods toward the pile of ash at the bottom of the perch. I watch him lean closer to it, so I follow his lead. As we watch, the ashes move and a small baby bird pops it's head out, looking at us and trilling softly again.
I gasp, completely fascinated. "Oh Albus, that's wonderful!"
I see him nod in my peripheral vision, "Yes, I never get tired of watching it. Phoenixes are fascinating creatures."
I smile, enjoying the sounds the bird is making. "Hello, Fawkes. It's very nice to meet you."
His small black eyes are barely open, but they still linger on me long enough to make Albus chuckle again. "I believe he likes you, Minerva. He is an excellent judge of character, so I'm not surprised."
I laugh, too. "Ah yes, high praise indeed. Thank you, little one."
"So, Minerva. From what I hear you've got yourself a new house-elf."
I turn my head quickly to look at Albus, who moved to sit behind his desk at some point while I was watching Fawkes.
I nod, "Yes, in fact I do."
His eyes are twinkling again, and he smiles. "I thought you were against the idea of house-elves?"
"No," I shake my head. "I just have a problem with any creature being oppressed, no matter how. I was very vocal about it when I was younger, and it… caused some trouble." I tell him, remembering my personal crusade to free the Animals in Oz, and I almost grimace at the memories.
"So then, what made you ask her to become your elf?"
I look at him for a moment before I look away in favor of my hands. "I… Albus, she… She hurt herself."
I glance at him, but Albus's face doesn't change. "She took something I said that night as an order despite the fact that I had no power over her, and when she didn't follow it in favor of saving me, she…" I trail off.
"Punished herself." Albus finishes for me, and I flinch. "I was afraid she would. She was in such a state, and the way she said you wouldn't let her get help… I had a feeling that's how she would react."
I look back at him now, "That's why your face suddenly changed at the infirmary when Poppy tried to reassure me that Pipsy was fine. You were worried she would punish herself for not listening to me."
Albus hesitates, but eventually nods. "Yes. I'm sorry; I probably should have mentioned it, but I wasn't certain and I didn't want to alarm you unnecessarily."
I sigh. Even if he had told me earlier, there's no guarantee it would have made a difference. For all I know, Pipsy had already done it by the time I'd woken up that night.
"I understand. But, I couldn't stand the thought of something like that ever happening again. I just… I care about her too much and I never want to see her like that again. So I… I gave her the choice to become my house-elf, and Pipsy accepted. And I gave her what will likely be the only command I'll ever give her: She's not permitted to punish herself, no matter the circumstances."
Albus smiles again, "That's wonderful, Minerva. Pipsy must be very happy."
"She seems to be, at least I hope."
"Pipsy adores you, Minerva. Never doubt it. You'll be a wonderful and kind Mistress to her."
I almost blush, but I don't respond to his comments. "I hope it's alright that I asked her? I know technically she worked for Hogwarts, but I was so horrified when I saw what she'd done I didn't think to check if it was even something I was allowed to do."
He laughs, "Don't worry. It doesn't happen very often for a professor to ask a Hogwarts house-elf to become theirs, but there's no rule against it, if that's what you mean."
I nod, feeling relieved that I didn't do something I'd be forced to take back. Although honestly, even if it weren't allowed… I still wouldn't take it back.
"I'm sorry for just walking in." I tell him after a moment of silence. "I thought perhaps I'd gotten the time wrong. Was I too early?"
"No, not at all. Besides, you're welcome here anytime Minerva, even when I'm not here. We were in a last minute meeting with the Board of Governors."
I feel myself smile just a bit at the open invitation before the rest of his statement piques my interest.
"Oh? Wait, don't tell me they're closing the school?" I ask, suddenly fearful.
"No, but they're still talking about it. Armando is fighting it, and even the Governors admit they don't know what the repercussions might be of closing Hogwarts."
I study him carefully. "What is it, Albus? You look pensive."
He looks surprised momentarily before he smiles. "Honestly Minerva. I don't know how you do it."
I raise an eyebrow at him, "What do you mean?"
"No one's ever been able to read me as quickly or as easily as you can."
He sounds fascinated, but I pull my gaze away from his to focus on his desk.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize, Minerva." He tells me quickly. "Actually I quite enjoy it. If only I could read you as easily."
I almost blush again at the admission, but I manage to only smile at him, which he returns before he sighs.
"No, actually I was just wondering how the students are handling all this. They seem fine, but I wonder how true that really is."
I nod in understanding. "Yes, I know what you mean. I've been thinking the same thing lately. The initial fear has worn off, and as you say they do seem fine, all things considered. Children are resilient, Albus. I've no doubt they're holding up better than the adults are. Besides, you and the other heads of house have made yourself readily available to any students that need to talk. That's all you can do."
Albus nods too, "You're right. Wise as always, my dear."
I laugh, shaking my head. "Hardly."
His eyes are twinkling again as he stands from his seat and walks closer, holding out his arm for me to take.
"You don't give yourself nearly enough credit, but that's an argument for another day. For now, I'm famished. Allow me to escort you to dinner?" I shake my head at his antics, but I smile at him.
"You're absolutely ridiculous, Albus." I tell him, but I don't hesitate in taking his arm and letting him lead me out of his office.
In reality, the students were spending more time than any of the professors knew discussing the state of things at Hogwarts. More often than not, meals at the Hufflepuff table were buzzing with conversations trying to devise a plan of defense and keeping each other safe in the event of further attacks. When they weren't studying or doing homework, Ravenclaw students were huddled in groups in the library or their common room, opening book after book trying to discover what the creature could be. No professor would admit that a magical creature was the culprit when asked, but they were rather confident the theory was correct.
Gryffindor was by far the boldest of the houses—their immediate response was offense. They spent the majority of their free time practicing spells they could use to protect the other students if needed. The more audacious ones created would-be hunting parties, though at the moment all they'd done was discuss ideas and plans on how to find the creature. They were always the most aware when the adults were around and could potentially hear them.
Many of the Slytherins were aware of Gryffindor's plans, and most of them only laughed or scoffed at their foolishness and lack of self-preservation. The more sinister ones—the ones whose families preached about the importance of blood-purity—almost praised the attacks, particularly because all of the victims were muggleborn students. They rarely used the socially accepted term for them, but they too had to be wary of adults that might be listening.
Tom Riddle, of course, was one such student. He and his gang spent considerable time discussing the attacks and sometimes even placed bets on who could be the next victim. They were all sitting by the fireplace in the Slytherin common room, laughing together as each one came up with new names.
"I think it'll be Cattermole's girlfriend, what's her name?"
"Who cares, Avery?" Rosier sneered. "Cattermole is an idiot. He's a pureblood, and he's tainting himself with that filthy Mudblood." His face twisted in obvious disgust, as did the other boys.
"Hey, Tom—"
Riddle immediately snapped his head away from the fireplace that he'd been watching during the conversation to openly glare at the boy, who flinched.
"What did you call me?" His tone was not threatening, but it was low enough to cause the rest of the group to shy away from him.
"I… I mean… L—Lord Vol—Voldemort…" Nott whispered, stumbling over the name. "Uh, do you have any idea who the next one will be?"
Tom stared at him long enough for his gaze to drop away from him. "No, I don't. I don't care who the next victim is. All of them have been Mudbloods, so it doesn't really matter which one of them gets attacked next. They shouldn't even be allowed to study at Hogwarts to begin with. They aren't worthy to study Magic."
Silence followed the words, but all of them nodded their agreement. "My Lord… Do you know what's causing the attacks?"
The question was far too loud, and Tom's cold brown eyes immediately surveyed the room before turning to the imbecile that said it.
"You're lucky we're the only ones here, Lestrange." He said, satisfied when he saw the boy swallow nervously.
"As I have already said," Riddle continued, "I am not the one attacking them. Only an idiot would go around attacking Hogwarts students."
Riddle turned back to the fireplace while the rest of them went back to their idiotic betting game. He smirked to himself. His answer had been deliberately specific and dismissive. After all, it wasn't really a lie. He was, in fact, not the creature attacking the Mudbloods in the castle. Honestly, if any of them had even half of a brain, they would have realized there was something off in his response, but he knew all too well that was far too much to expect of them. They were all cruel but too weak, closer to thugs than anything else that craved leadership that none of them were smart enough to take themselves.
Sure, in public he acted like they were his friends and even referred to them as such. But he'd chosen all of them for a reason. They all came from well-known dark, pureblood wizarding families, and that's exactly what he needed. They were just his servants; insignificant pawns he could manipulate and control as he saw fit, and they were all too frightened of him to fight back.
A sudden hiss pulled him from his thoughts, and he froze. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that he wasn't the only one that heard it, because the others also stopped speaking.
"Master...Time to… Kill…"
Tom Riddle recognized the low, menacing voice of the Basilisk immediately through the pipes that ran through the common room. It was becoming impatient, and quite frankly, so was he.
"Did you hear that?" Mulciber suddenly asked the group, sounding almost frightened, and Riddle barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes. Fearsome thugs, indeed.
"...Ready to kill...Kill...KILL!"
Without a word, Riddle stood from his seat by the fireplace and made his way to the door.
"My Lord, where are you going? It's after curfew, my Lord!" Lestrange called after him, but he paid no attention.
He didn't turn around or even acknowledge the statement as he walked out of the common room. As if he cared about something as trivial as a curfew.
He had work to do.
A/N: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. PLEASE review!
Until next time...
~Neve