Written for the Golden Snitch forum. I hope you enjoy this chapter! More Elphinstone and Minerva soon :)

September 21982

Minerva hurried to her office – her arms sore under the piles of books, parchment and 2 potted plants piled precariously on top of each other.

As she rounded the corner, now only a few steps away from her office, she collided with a young Gryffindor who, in his hurry to make it on time to class, had not been looking where he was going.

"Sorry, Professor!" said the Gryffindor, a horrified look on his face as the last potted plant smashed onto the floor. He winced at the look Minerva gave him and sheepishly handed back the single piece of parchment he had managed to catch. "Sorry."

Minerva pursed her lips and pulled out her wand while the boy hurriedly bent down to retrieve her papers. With a sharp flick, the papers came soaring back up, organising themselves into a neat pile into her outstretched arms.

"You can let go, Weasley," she added, nodding in the direction of the last few papers the student still had gripped in his hand.

Looking stunned, Bill opened his hand and the papers flew up and slotted themselves between some parchments in Minerva's pile.

"Thank you," she said, "Next time, mind where you are going," she added, looking at him briefly over her spectacles before continuing to move the stack in her arms into a more comfortable place.

Bill stood back up. "I'm awfully sorry, Professor," he repeated, visibly appalled at having run into his Head of House on his second day and confused as to why he wasn't being told off.

Minerva watched as a red blush spread from his cheeks to the tip of his ears and resisted the urge to smile – the boy was really quite like his father. "Off you go Weasley, or you will be late," she said briskly.

Bill's shoulders relaxed. "Thank you, Professor," he answered gratefully. He did a little awkward bow and Minerva had to muster all her willpower not to laugh. "I promise I'll look where I'm going from now on." Then, turning around, he began to half walk, half run to the Defence Against the Dark Arts corridor.

Shaking her head, Minerva continued her way and went to drop off her things in her office. Allowing herself a moment to savour the welcome feeling of not carrying anything, she then placed the shrivelfig on the windowsill so that it could get some sun. Then, hoping to catch a spot of lunch before her last Herbology lessons, she left her office consoling herself with the thought that at least she only had three more lessons until she could go home.

When she arrived in the Great Hall, it was abuzz with noise and chatter. Briefly pausing to confiscate a Fanged Frisbee a third-year Gryffindor was boastfully playing with – it always seemed to be the Gryffindors – Minerva then made her way to the teacher's table.

"Minerva," greeted Albus cheerfully. "How are you, my dear?"

Minerva sat down next to him, placing Pomona's old Herbology textbook on a napkin. "Never better," she answered with a hint of sarcasm.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "I didn't think you liked Herbology," he said, passing her a plate of potatoes. "I thought you would have picked a different subject to teach."

Minerva took the plate and began to serve herself. "Well, surprisingly I did," she said, causing Dumbledore to chuckle. "But, as you are very well aware, I didn't have much of a say in the matter. You stole my students, Albus."

Dumbledore didn't cower under her accusing stare. Instead, he seemed to find the situation even more amusing. "Only until I find a replacement for Professor Sprout," he reminded her, "And I have."

Minerva scowled. "But they will only be starting in November," she said. "Why couldn't you have taken Herbology?"

Dumbledore shrugged. "I prefer Transfigurations," he said.

Minerva scowled. "So do I," she answered. "You could have taken the Herbology class," she continued. "We both did as well as each other in our NEWTs."

Dumbledore shrugged again, which only infuriated Minerva more. He patted her on the shoulder. "It is done, Minerva," he said, "And I hear you are doing very well as a Herbology Professor anyway. But, to thank you again for letting me take your classes, I have arranged to take your last lesson this evening."

Minerva raised her eyebrows. "Why? Guilty conscience?"

Dumbledore smiled. "Elphinstone wants to see you at 4," he answered.

"And if I still taught Transfigurations – the subject I was hired for, might I add," she said slowly, "then I would have finished at 4 today instead of 6?" Dumbledore nodded, and Minerva narrowed her eyes. "So, it is a guilty conscience?"

Dumbledore half-shrugged and didn't say anything.

"Why don't I just take all of your classes for this afternoon, and you take all of mine?" she asked hopefully.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and avoided her eyes. "I believe I left some notes in my office," he said, already getting up. "Good day to you, Professor McGonagall."

Before Minerva had even the time to tell him to sit back down, he was already halfway out of the hall. Shaking her head darkly, she pulled her seat in to let Filius past. Instead of going to his usual seat, however, he sat down in Pomona's.

"Where is he going in such a hurry?" he asked, nodding in the direction of Dumbledore's retreating back.

"I believe he is making a run for it," answered Minerva moodily. Noticing Flitwick's expression, she added more helpfully. "He won't give me my students back."

"Ah," said Flitwick, "You ambushed him?"

Minerva smiled reluctantly. "I pushed my luck. It seems he won't give in." She sighed loudly and tapped the table with her fingertips. "Anyway, I have to be off – Herbology."

Flitwick smiled as she got up and got ready to leave. He handed her the Herbology textbook. "Enjoy yourself."

Minerva looked at him. "Don't push me, Filius," she warned him. "Otherwise, I will see that you become the new Herbology Professor.

The Charms Professor chuckled. "I didn't take Herbology N.E.W.T, Minerva," he said, smiling again, "Have fun!"

Minerva rolled her eyes. "Goodbye, Filius," she said.

The other Professor chuckled as Minerva marched away from the teachers' table and strode out of the Great Hall. Preoccupied with why Elphinstone wanted to see her so urgently, her feet automatically brought her to the Transfiguration corridor. Realising her mistake only when she was outside the Transfiguration classroom, Minerva made an impatient sound with her tongue and then turned back the way she had come.