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12 September 1991

Minerva had hoped working in her office rather than the staffroom would have increased her productivity somewhat but, yet again, she unhelpfully began to feel her attention start to wander. Part of her believed this was in a small way due to the many nights she had spent that week patrolling the corridor on the third floor. Barely having managed a full night's rest over the course of the week, she was now running on only a few hours of sleep stretched over a five-day period.

To add to that, the precious hours she had managed to spend in bed she found her thoughts interrupted by the stone, Quirinus, her students, and Elphinstone which kept drifting in and out of her mind. This afternoon it was thoughts about Elphinstone in particular, and, after several attempts to tackle her large pile of essays, Minerva had given up to defeat and was now looking pensively out of the window hoping that a break would help clear her mind. So far, her attempts to distract herself had been in vain.

With a sigh, she pulled her eyes away from the window and looked back down at the first essay and began to read it, writing a few comments here and there as she went. Once she was done she scanned it one last time before giving it a mark. She was just in the process of getting the next essay when she was distracted by a huff coming from the other end of the table.

"Your thoughts are very loud, Pomona," she said, flipping over the essay and giving it a mark before looking up at her friend.

Pomona sat staring at the Puffapod she had been attempting to revive after it had been knocked down by her daughter earlier that morning. She prodded the plant once more with the tip of her wand but all it did was shiver and droop earning it another dissatisfied tut.

"Is there anything else you can try?" Minerva asked, observing the sad-looking plant.

"One or two things" Pomona replied, touching the browning petals gently with her fingers. "But I will still be forbidding Grace from coming into my greenhouses again."

"You might find that difficult considering she is starting at Hogwarts next year," Minerva pointed out, reaching for her inkbottle and dipping the nib of her quill in it.

Pomona shook her head and leaned back in her chair. "When did that happen?" she asked, glancing over at Minerva. "I could have sworn she was a baby only last week."

Minerva smiled slightly. "Helen was telling me exactly the same a few days ago."

"Aren't her children all grown up?"

Minerva nodded. "And the eldest is only a few weeks shy of having a family of her own."

"Goodness," Pomona breathed. She then caught Minerva's eye and gave a wry smile. "I suppose that will make you great aunt Minerva?"

"Let's lose the great," Minerva said, returning to her essays. "I feel old enough as it is already."

Pomona chuckled as she too turned back to her Puffapod. "Says the person who has not a single grey hair on their head."

"Hm, well if those Weasley boys continue—" She stopped abruptly as something caught her eye. "What in Lord's name...?" She stood up suddenly as a red blur sped towards her window. Harry Potter then swooped down and performed the most extraordinary feint before stopping inches away from the castle wall.

Speechless, Minerva pulled off her glasses and hurried to the window where she watched the boy fly back down to solid ground holding some sort of glass spherical object. Rolanda was nowhere to be seen.

"What is it?" Pomona asked, finally having encouraged some colour back into the dying plant. She turned in her seat as Minerva began to pack up her belongings. "Minerva, what is it?"

"I will be back in a moment," Minerva said quickly, already halfway out of her office and her heart beating fast in her chest. Pomona stared bewilderedly at her retreating back.

"I am not sure how you have wheedled this out of me, Minerva."

"With my unparalleled persuasive skills," she answered, pocketing the signed letter.

Albus' beard twitched. "It would appear so," he said. "Mr Potter is a very fortunate boy."

"Hardly," Minerva replied. "I doubt he has received so much as one gift in the last 10 years with the Dursleys – although that is not why I've asked you for this," she added. "He really is an excellent flyer, Albus, and Wood needed a seeker."

"With a nimbus two thousand?"

Minerva pursed her lips as she got up. "With a good enough broom to use during the match," she told him.

Dumbledore looked at her over his spectacles with a mildly amused expression. "Severus will not take this too kindly."

She shrugged. "I think that it is high time the Quidditch Cup is awarded to a new house," was all she said.

"Gryffindor, I presume?"

"Whichever team plays best," she informed him, in an attempt to be diplomatic. She was betrayed however by the faintest of smiles that crossed her lips. "See you later, Albus."

"Yes, good evening, my dear," he said, returning to his book as Minerva made her way out of the room.

She stopped just as she reached the door and turned around. "Thank you," she added sincerely.

"You are quite welcome."

Minerva smiled then slipped out of his office en route to the owlery.