Disclaimer: All wizards, Muggles, magical creatures, magical places, and everything else out of the Harry Potter series was created and is owned by J.K. Rowling. I claim no ownership of any of the series' content, and I am making no profit in the writing of this fan fiction. Flinky the House-Elf is my only creation.

Hello, everyone! Well, I said before the last chapter that "updates will probably be slow as I have many real-life commitments to attend to." And here we are…almost three years later. Rest assured; I haven't given up on this story. I open up the Word document often to type out an idea or a few lines of dialogue. I've also already planned the ending, but we aren't even close to that yet. I promise I will see this project to its completion!

Also, I found some time and inspiration this holiday season to upload a two-shot to my Happy Christmas series, this time for Sirius Black. Please check it out when you have time!

As always, any reviews are appreciated.

saiyanwizard

Chapter 11: Slumber Parties and Animagus Forms

By the time Minerva had completed all of her tasks for the day, the sun had already disappeared from the sky. Exhaling happily as she stowed away her quill and recapped her ink jar, she pulled out her wand and made one final sweep over her desk to straighten out any wayward parchment that might have slid out of the two neat stacks on the left side. The Transfigurations professor rounded her desk to the door and surveyed her office once more before extinguishing the lamps with a wave of her wand.

Closing the door behind her, Minerva changed into her Animagus form. It would be nice to stretch her legs after sitting behind a desk for the past few hours. She felt her small feline body spring forward as she leapt down the hallway toward the front doors. When she reached the entrance hall, the Transfigurations professor paused for a moment as the large oak doors registered her presence. As they swung open for her, Minerva gracefully bounded down the front steps and onto the lawn. The evening air was a bit chilly as it rushed past her, but she paid it no mind as her paws pushed off the grass. She expertly raced across the grounds to Severus' cabin and did not stop until she reached the stone steps. The Transfigurations professor morphed back into her human form and sighed in contentment. Just as her knuckles were about to make contact with the door, it drew open to reveal the headmaster. "Good evening, my dear," he said pleasantly.

Minerva responded by raising her eyebrows. "Did Severus send you to the door?" she asked comically. "I promise I haven't unknowingly brought Poppy this time."

Albus chuckled softly. "No, I felt your presence as you arrived. Severus is resting at the moment."

"At this hour?" she replied with surprise. "I didn't think I was that late to dinner."

The headmaster stepped back to allow Minerva to enter the cabin. "He was not hungry."

"And you actually let him skip dinner?" she asked as she slipped past the doorframe.

"This time, yes," he replied. "There was…a bit of an incident."

The Transfigurations professor scanned the room for Severus and paused as she saw him curled up under the covers. "What happened?" she whispered with concern.

"His sleeping problems are much greater than I initially thought," sighed the headmaster as he returned to the younger wizard's bedside. He reached out and ran a hand over Severus' hair. "From what I have gathered, he is able to fall asleep at a decent time, but he has not slept through the night for quite a while." Albus looked up at Minerva with sad eyes.

"Is it insomnia?" she asked as she picked up a plate of finger sandwiches from the coffee table. After a brief moment, the Transfigurations professor decided to join Albus at Severus' bedside.

"No, I do not think so," replied the headmaster with a thoughtful expression. "Severus is prone to sleepless nights when he is working on something tricky, and I am certain the past few years gave him more than his share of problems, but I think the current issue runs deeper than that."

Minerva looked back at him quizzically. "Could you elaborate?" she asked before biting into a sandwich.

Albus sighed. "It appears his dreams are rather…horrific."

The Transfigurations professor slowly chewed her bite and swallowed. "He's having nightmares?"

"There is no age restriction on nightmares, Minerva," said Albus gently.

"I know that," she replied exasperatedly. "I'm just...well, a bit surprised. Severus has always had an iron-clad hold on his emotions." She reached out to wandlessly summon the tea tray towards her. "I know that he's human just like the rest of us, but nothing seems to shake him."

"Ah, well," said the headmaster rather guiltily, "I am afraid that ability was most likely born out of necessity. One does not face Voldemort"—the younger wizard visibly flinched in his sleep and Albus ran a calming hand over his shoulder—"and come out alive if one wears his heart on his sleeve. Or, at least, that is what Severus has told me."

Minerva hummed in agreement. "I have no doubt that Severus has experienced far more than most wizards could ever handle, and that's probably putting it rather lightly." She paused in contemplation. "So, nightmares, then?" she asked as she fixed her tea.

Albus nodded, his focus still on the younger wizard. "They seem to revolve around his time as a spy in the inner circle, and I believe that several key figures from his past also pop up from time to time. Bits and pieces from different points in his life blend together in a rather confusing and frightening way. As I witnessed earlier this evening, it can leave him quite disoriented when he wakes up."

The Transfigurations professor hummed in thought before taking a sip of her tea. "So, what do we do, then?"

"I have asked Severus to allow me to guard his sleep for tonight," answered the headmaster.

"Ahh, so that's why he's sleeping through our conversation," commented Minerva. "I was wondering."

"Yes," said Albus with a smirk, "it seems I have not lost my touch."

The Transfigurations professor smiled in return. "And when he wakes up?"

"I will have to discuss options with him tomorrow," answered the headmaster with a sigh. "As much as I am sure he would rather avoid the conversation, the problem will likely get worse if he just ignores it." Albus removed his hand from Severus' shoulder and placed it over the younger wizard's hand. "And the new term starts in a few weeks."

"The start of term brings enough stress as it is," said Minerva thoughtfully. "Lack of sleep only makes it worse."

The headmaster hummed in agreement. He brushed his thumb over a faint scar atop Severus' hand and wondered for a moment where it had come from. "Do you think I rushed him into this?" he asked suddenly.

The Transfigurations professor, who was just about to take a sip of tea, paused. "Rushed him into what? Teaching?"

"Yes," he replied lowly. "That, and head of house duties."

"Do you think you rushed him into it?" she countered, placing her teacup down on the tray beside her.

"I do not know. Maybe." He sighed. "I have clearly overestimated his recovery."

"He won't like you questioning his abilities," advised Minerva.

Albus frowned. "I have no doubt in Severus' abilities."

"I guarantee he will perceive any further questioning about returning next term as questioning his abilities," she replied perceptively.

He chuckled. "I have no doubt that you are correct about that, my dear. However, I must at least try to get to the bottom of this. If he feels—"

"If he feels what?" cut in the Transfigurations professor. "Obligated? Then what will you do? Forcibly remove him before term has even started?"

"No," confessed the headmaster, "but nothing will be solved if we do not discuss it."

"I agree," said Minerva, raising her hands in mock surrender. "But do not be surprised when he pushes back."

Albus smiled knowingly, glancing back at Severus when he felt the other wizard stir. Elongated fingers grasped for something unknown, and the headmaster calmed Severus with a gentle squeeze of his hand.

"Perhaps you should ask Poppy," suggested Minerva, picking up her teacup once more.

"Hmmm," he mused.

"I know it makes him uncomfortable when she frets over him," said the Transfigurations professor, "but she does have an extensive knowledge of Severus's medical history. And neither you nor I have had much experience with magical healing."

"She could point us in the right direction, at least," agreed the headmaster. "And I think he might prefer someone in-house."

"Meaning?" asked Minerva.

"Severus made it quite clear that he has no desire to return to St. Mungo's," said Albus. "Poppy could act as a liaison if Healers need to get involved; she might be able to find someone who does home visits. I also recall her mentioning an interest in Muggle medicine."

The deputy headmistress made a face. "Like poking the skin with needles? Or what was it Arthur Weasley tried when he got bit by that snake?"

"Stitches," replied the older wizard with a smile. "Nothing like that, I think. I believe it is something called 'psychology.' It is a study of the mind."

Minerva looked puzzled. "How would that help?"

"If I am not mistaken, I believe Severus would need to be evaluated by a Healer first," said Albus, looking thoughtful. "From there, they would be able to prescribe treatment."

"Hmmm," hummed the Transfigurations professor. "Well, I suppose we'll have to let Severus decide for himself."

"Indeed," agreed the headmaster.

The pair lapsed into a companionable silence, Minerva drinking her tea and Albus looking over the younger wizard's thin frame thoughtfully. "You know," said the headmaster softly, "I have always wondered what form Severus would take if he were to become an Animagus. Any ideas?"

The deputy headmistress, who had just sent the tray of empty plates and cups back to the kitchens, focused her gaze on the younger wizard. Her head tilted in contemplation. "Maybe a bat?"

Albus chuckled. "Really, Minerva?"

"His robes certainly give that impression," she replied with a shrug, "but perhaps not. A spider? He definitely has long limbs."

"I thought he might be a colt," said the headmaster, looking at Severus affectionately.

The Transfigurations professor raised her eyebrows. "Because his Patronus is a doe?"

"Because there is an elegance in the way he moves," corrected Albus.

Minerva contemplated the idea for a moment. "That's true," she conceded. "No one can make their robes billow quite like Severus can."

"Your Animagus form was quite obvious," said the headmaster with a smile.

"Maybe to you, it was," countered the deputy headmistress, "but I wasn't sure what I would be until I drank the potion. Albus," she asked suddenly, "why didn't you ever pursue becoming an Animagus?"

"While Transfigurations is certainly my specialty, I must confess that human transfiguration was always my worst area," he replied, amused.

"I find that very hard to believe," she said skeptically.

"Oh, I can manage just fine with it," Albus assured her, "but it always makes me feel rather tickly afterwards."

"Self-transfiguration without a wand often feels like that," agreed Minerva. "My first Animagus transformation was incredibly uncomfortable, but the feeling dissipates with extended practice."

The headmaster nodded. "So you often remind me. And I do not imagine having a Mandrake leaf under one's tongue for an entire month is an enjoyable experience?"

"Not even your beloved lemon drops would mask the taste," she teased.

Albus made a face of disgust. "Then I am fortunate to have preferred the alchemical branches of Transfigurations when I was younger." He looked at the clock on the mantle. "It is still a bit early, but now might be a good time to tuck in for the evening." Glancing over Severus and ensuring that he was still sound asleep, the headmaster reached into the pocket of his dressing gown and pulled out a small object that was indistinguishable to Minerva until he placed it on the floor next to the bed and enlarged it.

"Did you just pull an armchair out of your pocket?" asked the deputy headmistress incredulously.

"It's my favorite one," explained the headmaster. "I tend to keep it in my dressing gown for emergencies such as this." Albus sat down and summoned the blanket on the sofa to drape over his lap. "It is much easier to guard his sleep if I am physically touching him. Just his shoulder or hand will do," he finished, reaching out and placing his fingers on Severus' palm.

Minerva crossed her arms over her chest. "You cannot just stay up all night, Albus."

"I will likely doze off at some point," said the headmaster. "It is quite a comfortable armchair. But even if I do not, it will not be my first all-nighter."

The Transfigurations professor knew that Severus was not the only one who was haunted by his past. She looked at Albus sadly. "Is it still bad?"

"No, not like before," he replied sincerely. "I often find work to be a good distraction, so I am fortunate to have a never-ending supply of it."

"I'm glad," she said warmly. As she rose to her feet, the deputy headmistress tried and failed to suppress a yawn.

"Will you be joining me?" asked the headmaster.

"Perhaps I should," she replied. "It would save me the trip back down here in the morning." With a quick wave of her wand, Minerva cast the same Refreshing Charm Albus had used earlier and transfigured her robes into a nightgown.

"Shall I transfigure the sofa for you?" he offered.

"No," she answered, "I think I have a better idea." As naturally as breathing, the Transfigurations professor morphed into a tabby cat. She stretched her feline body before padding over to Albus' feet and leaping up onto his lap.

The headmaster chuckled. "You are too kind to this old man," he murmured tenderly, running his free hand over the soft fur. "Are you sure sleeping transformed will not hurt your back?"

The cat meowed and curled up in reply.

I hope you've enjoyed the latest installment. I'll do my best to update more frequently. Thank you in advance for reviewing!