4 September 1998
The clean divide between the Slytherins and Gryffindors sitting in her classroom made Minerva purse her lips. She had not missed how at breakfast time, Ravenclaws and Gryffindors had given the Slytherin table a wide berth. Even the Hufflepuffs had looked uncomfortable.
Some mutinous glances had been shared across tables, and most of the First Years had looked wildly befuddled, and the First Year Slytherins confused as to why they were on the receiving end of such negative sentiments.
She, as well as other Professors, had suspected something of the sort would occur at the start of the term. Though many Slyherins had joined the efforts against Voldemort only a few months ago now, it was also true that many of the returning Slytherin students came from families, or 'friends' of families, who had joined the Death Eaters. It was common knowledge, albeit largely unspoken, that it would take quite some time before any lingering wariness and anger subsided.
Yet, while Minerva understood how hard it was going to be to achieve some semblance of normality again, after everything they had lost, she was nevertheless still determined not to allow students to indulge in these feelings of bitterness and resentment towards one another.
Minerva wrote the date on the board, then turned to face her class - all sitting bar one.
"Please sit down Mr Creevey so that we may begin the lesson," she said.
Dennis Creevey hovered uncertainly near the door. "There isn't any room," he said.
"There is a seat beside Miss Greengrass—"
"I can't sit there. I need—somewhere else."
There was a brief, uncomfortable silence. Minerva could feel all eyes were on her, as the students waited to see what she was going to say to Creevey. The only student looking away was Miss Astoria Greengrass.
"There is only one seat available, Mr Creevey. And I would like to begin the lesson now, as we have a lot to cover this year."
Astoria, flustered and red in the face now, stood up suddenly. "It's fine—I can go—"
"No," Minerva said firmly, "Sit back down, Miss Greengrass. No one is leaving."
Astoria sunk back down into her chair, and suddenly, Creevey, who had always been somewhat subdued and shy, crossed his arms defiantly across his chest as two angry pink spots flushed his pale cheeks.
"If they aren't going to leave, then I am," he said, and without waiting for a reply, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the classroom.
"Dennis!" Lucy MacDonald shouted, but Creevey paid no heed to her call. "I'm sorry Professor, I'm sure he didn't mean it," she said "He's just—"
"It was Colin's birthday yesterday," said Matthew O'Donnell quietly. "I can get him again," he added but stopped midway through rising from his seat when Minerva shook her head.
"Open your books to page 215 and read Chapter 3," she said, making her way between the desks to leave the classroom. "I will leave you in charge, O'Donnell, during my absence."
He nodded, and Minerva waved her wand so that a blue tabby cat burst forth from its tip, and jumped onto her desk. "I shall know if anyone attempts to perform magic while I am away."
She gave her class one last severe look, her gaze finally landing on Astoria Greengrass who was looking morosely at her books, before she left the classroom to find Dennis Creevey. She knew that it would have been Colin's 17th birthday yesterday. Dennis had been offered the opportunity to return home, but he had refused. According to Irma, Dennis had spent most of the day in the library.
Minerva had a feeling she would either find him there or up the astronomy tower—another of his, and his late brother's, frequent haunts. Indeed, Minerva had caught Dennis and Colin many times sneaking up the tower in the middle of the night to use Colin's telescope and camera to take photographs. They had shown her a few on one occasion as an attempt to mollify her enough so that they could escape detention, which they did not. Although Minerva had been impressed with the photographs.
"Can I help you, Minerva?" Irma said as she emerged from behind a bookcase in the library - a pile of books levitating behind her. She always knew when someone entered the library, somehow, and had a knack for appearing shortly after every arrival to check up on readers.
Despite the many years Minerva had worked with Irma now, this habit of hers still unnerved her. "I hope so. Have you seen Dennis Creevey come here in the last few minutes or so?"
Irma shook her head. "I'm afraid not. It's been very quiet," she said. "But I can keep an eye out. Try the Astronomy Tower, perhaps."
"Next on my list," Minerva said.
It did not take her long to reach the tower or to climb its steps to reach the top. When she spotted him, she fought the wild urge to pull him back from the ledge before she remembered the cushioning charm she, Albus, and Filius had installed on the lawn several years ago. Not that anyone, apart from Albus, had fallen from that height during all her years of teaching at Hogwarts. And, in Albus' case, the damage had already been done before he had hit the floor.
Minerva felt a familiar pain in her chest, as her heart twinged at the thought of Albus. She pressed a hand gently against her breastbone, then tried to refocus her mind on the matter at hand.
"You're going to tell me to come back down," Dennis said, without turning around. His voice was hoarse, and Minerva could tell that it was taking everything in his power not to burst into tears right there and then. "I know it was rude—but I don't think I can go back today, Professor."
"I understand, Mr Creevey," Minerva replied. "Although that does not excuse you from raising your voice in my lesson or leaving the classroom in quite that manner."
He nodded, as Minerva came further into the room, and settled on a small bench.
"I know. I thought—" he stopped himself mid-sentence and pursed his lips tightly together to stop them from quivering, before continuing, "I'll catch up on everything I miss today, I promise. I'll come tomorrow. Or the day after that."
"Mr Creevey, I am not going to tell you that missing one class will leave you behind your classmates. We are only going to be reviewing materials you all have already learned. But what I will say, is that the longer you avoid your classmates, particularly those from particular Houses, the harder it will become to stop avoiding them altogether."
"Perhaps I want to avoid them given all they've done." His voice was strained and bitter, which made it all the more saddening as Minerva knew Dennis Creevey to be an ordinarily kind and gentle boy.
"Being sorted into Slytherin House, or any House for that matter, does not say anything about a member's morality," Minerva replied carefully.
"Their families are Death Eaters," Dennis said harshly.
"No, not all," Minerva said, "and they are certainly not the only ones who have known family members to be in league with Voldemort. Miss Greengrass, along with all of your classmates, are only here to learn. Most, if not all, supported efforts during the Battle. And many did so against their relatives and friends."
Dennis looked away from Minerva. "I keep thinking that—someone here knew the person who—" he stopped again, and tears pooled in his eyes. He did not have to finish for Minerva to know what he was going to say. "For all we know, they could still be out there—at large. I've been to all the trials so far, while my Mum and Dad can't, and still no one knows what happened to Colin."
At those last words, his bottom lip quivered and Minerva watched as the wall Dennis Creevey had so carefully built around himself, and his emotions, finally cracked and burst. Before she could do anything else, Dennis began to cry - great heaving sobs as though he had never felt such despair, loneliness, and anger before.
"I r—really miss him," he cried between gasping breaths, and he pressed the palms of his hands against his streaming eyes. "I would do anything—to—to see him again."
Minerva felt her heart break as Dennis, after months of not speaking more than a few words to anyone—and never about Colin—finally acknowledged, out loud, that his brother had died.
"I know you would," she said softly, and she reached out to place her hand gently on Dennis' shoulder.
Though under different circumstances, Minerva knew firsthand what it was like to experience that initial moment when the truth and significance of what you had lost finally hit home. She had busied herself with work immediately after Finn's death, and it had taken Albus' intervention for her to finally pause and face her loss. Minerva didn't think she ever had cried as much in her life, or ever would again as she had, during those next few weeks.
Dennis roughly wiped his tears away and cleared his throat. "He never told us he was coming here that night," he said hoarsely. "We ate dinner—it was Dad's birthday, so Colin had baked a chocolate cake. And then we went upstairs to bed. I'm not sure how Colin knew about the fighting at Hogwarts. I never saw him receive a letter or a message. I just went to sleep and when I woke up the next morning, Colin was gone. No proper goodbye," he added. "I think he knew that if he'd woken me I would have insisted to come with him. Or our parents would've stopped us from going."
Dennis pressed his lips together as his bottom lip trembled and his eyes filled with tears again. "I think—" he broke off, and cleared his throat. "I'm sorry I shouted earlier, Professor McGonagall. None of what happened is Astoria's fault. It was wrong of me to imply that it was."
"I am certain that Miss Greengrass will understand, Dennis," Minerva said.
He looked uncertain. "And you're not cross?"
"No, of course not," Minerva said truthfully, and her words, or perhaps her genuine honesty, seemed to surprise him.
"Really? Even after snapping? Usually, it's detention for anyone who does that..."
"Even so," Minerva said. "While I do not usually condone such behaviour in my lessons," she added, "I can understand why it happened, and I will not be punishing you."
He nodded slowly, but his features were still twisted in a way that showed his lingering feelings of guilt. "Thank you, Professor. And I'm sorry." He sniffed and stood up. "I think I'm ready to come down now."
"If you would prefer not to—"
"No, I think I should. But thanks."
Minerva pursed her lips slightly. She had always admired Dennis Creevey for his kindness and compassion, but it always seemed directed at everyone else apart from himself. Knowing full well, however, that Dennis also shared his brother's strongest quality of stubbornness, Minerva knew not to argue with the boy.
Instead, she stood up as well and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You are a kind boy, Mr Creevey, and I admire your strength. Come and see me after class, please, or during your free period after lunch, if you prefer. I think there are ways in which we can offer you support, this year, if you would be willing to accept it."