The long dark alley was quiet, posters about the local nightlife and gigs pasted upon the dark cherry bricks. An alcove existed halfway down, with a couple of withering plants, a mounted mirror, and a small overhanging roof to protect those who would try to enter the well warded door.
With a muffled crack, a thin tall witch apparated into the alleyway, next to Hermione's home. Her long emerald robes whipped around her, as she listened for any sounds out of the ordinary, she absentmindedly held her breast pocket inside her robes. A pocket which contained a concerning note from an old friend who was tasked with keeping an eye out for the young witch. Earlier in the night she read the note, which read:
"Minerva my dear,
Hope your travels are safe and you aren't picking too many fights. Merlin knows you can be a reckless one.
My letter was not written lightly, and I am concerned. Two nights ago, while scrying from the agreed upon surface outside of her house, I heard some raised voices and terrible sounds from her residence. She also has not left the premises for a couple of days. I set a charm to let me know if the front door opens, but there's been no movement.
Her wards are too strong, and I cannot get through to check if she's okay. Please Minerva, I'm so sorry please return in haste.
Love always, Melinda
Minerva was quick to drop everything she had been working on, cancelled several meetings with the French minister for Magic and her other appointments, quickly apparating to Hogwarts.
Her office was warm, like the elves had been keeping up her fire in case she may return at odd hours. She was thankful but overwhelmed at this moment.
She relayed to Albus in his large frame in her office, "I'm heading out to the Grangers residence, there's been a problem. Tell Fillius I'm out and I'm not sure when I'll be back." She whirled around her office and collected and shrunk a bag while scooping up her hardy coat, then disapparated. Leaving the rest of the portraits in a gruff annoyance as their problems were not heard by the head mistress, that had in fact not been in her office for the past week and a half.
Minerva transformed into her tabby form, and ran down the lane's way, around to the gardened back of the house. She leapt over the mid-size hedge with the cherry-coloured gate. Then onto the overhanging ledge of the kitchen window. There was no movement she could see from her position. . She jumped back down from the window and headed towards the back door where a small cat flap swung slowly in the wind. She could feel a slight tingle as the wards let her pass once she slid through the flap.
The house was dead quiet, not even a crackle of a fire or a cricket's fart. Returning to her human form, she drew her wand at the sight of a plate smashed on the tiled floor of the normally tidy kitchen. Her heart rate increased as she listened intently. Trying to ignore the incessant thrumming in her ears.
She slowly crept through the kitchen, just as stealthily as her feline counterpart would, towards the living room. A table tipped on its side, the contents usually to be expected on its surface spread over the floor, with dents in the wall one could assume were from those objects. Open books strewn over the place, some with pages ripped out.
She turned and continued toward the foyer, where the stairs would start to ascend, she tried the front door first - twisting the handle but found it locked with a powerful spell, and maybe a little bit of the wards, albeit new ones, mixed in. New enough that they wouldn't let her turn the handle.
With a quick flick of her wand, she charmed the stairs to be silent as she ascended. Keeping her head on a swivel and wand ready.
Once her eyes reached the landing she listened further, stopping for a moment. Merlin help anyone that would dare try and sneak up on a McGonagall.
Her sensitive ears pricked at the sound of laboured breathing. 'Hermione!' she thought. Quickening her pace, adeptly sweeping the rooms that were open on her way to the last bedroom. Picture frames hung along the walls in between the doors. Of happy friends, and partners. The last door at the end of the hallway, which was the only room closed, filled her with a hint of dread.
She gently tried the handle but it was locked, again she felt some new wards mixed in, ones that felt familiar though. With a silent alohomora she tried to open it but it didn't budge. She conceded and cast a quick disillusionment charm and apparated into the room.
A thick metallic scent assaulted her senses as soon as she appeared. No please.
Hermione was in fact alive, but not well. The auburn curls were a mess, and her shirt ripped across her back and mid side, blood stained. The young woman was curled over another person, wand out and moving with great intention, precise and calculated. Pink, purples, and blue smoke enveloping different parts of the person Hermione was working on.
She was casting healing spells and charms, complicated ones at that. Minerva had not seen something of the like since the last war. She moved ever so slowly and silently to the side of her past pupil to get a better look at who was on the bed in the darkened room.
With a large whack and an engulfing amount of pain she landed flat on her back with her star pupil sitting atop of her. A wand pressing into her chest.
"Who are you!? Show yourself!" A wand was raised higher and pointed dangerously in her face and fiery eyes that told you she was indeed on high alert and still in an amount of shock.
Breathing out she cancelled the disillusionment charm. "It's me Hermione." Hermione's wand did not waiver. "We have not seen nor heard from you for days my dear! Look at me." Hermione finally began to recognise the older witch. Her wand slowly lowered, and the young woman relaxed a little. She sunk deeper into Minerva, lying on top of her hugging her as close as she could. Minerva sat up as best she could and just held the younger witch. She could almost taste the sweat and blood permeating off of Hermione. "Minerva! I'm so sorry! I thought they had come back." Tears fell hot from the witches' eyes as she gasped for air properly.
Hermione pulled back and that accidental roll of the hips made Minerva gasp. "Oh! I'm so sorry I knocked you down. How's your back? Did I hurt you?" She dismounted her ex-professor and sat on her knees next to her on the floor. A quick flick of Hermione's wand towards the bed, the spells continued working again, unfrozen. "Nothing a bit of fire whisky won't help." Minerva smiled at her and stood.
Soot and debris were spread around the room, more evidence of a struggle.
"Can you help? I think the bleeding as stopped, but his pulse is weak." Hermione grasped her elbow and pulled her to the side of the unconscious man upon the double bed. Minerva's breath caught in her throat at the contact.
"When had this happened?" Minerva asked as she cast diagnostic spells above the man. Hermione answered "I don't know the specific time, but we couldn't get out of here. Death eaters forced their way in, and I had to block the door, Andrew was hit, I focused on stabilising as well as I could, and the bastards just would not stop trying to pass my wards. They had placed an antiapparation net around my fucking house." Hermione frustrated; she threw a broken piece of her bedside table from the bed across the room.
Minerva checked the mystery man's pain response. Her spells told her that he had broken some bones that will need quick attention. "I'm glad you're okay love, but we need to get him to St. Mungo's, I too am versed in battlefield healing but not this, his pulse has grown thready. Hold on to me." Minerva Demanded. "But Minerva the net-" With a pull of the nasal, they arrived in the foyer of the famed St Mungo's. Medi witches descended upon them quickly, casting diagnostics, levitating the man and moving him to another room, while two other Medi witches asked a flurry of questions to figure out what had landed them here. She had apparated, how the hell? Hermione thought.
Hermione watched as the man was taken, and lost sight as the Medi witch bent down and pulled her focus, asking again if she was experiencing any pain, or knew where the blood was coming from "ah yes, yes, I think…" Hermione trailed off but let the witch examine her and helped her up from the floor. She still held Minerva's hand tight. "Miss McGonagall, you too, how are you feeling" The Medi witch at Minerva's side checked over her.
"I am absolutely fine! Please Gertrude, attend to Hermione and the young gentleman at your first chance." Minerva shooed her away, not letting go of the younger witch's hand, squeezing tightly in response to the younger witch's squeeze.