Second post as promised. Wishing everyone a very merry Christmas, if you celebrate it, and a happy new year :) I hope you enjoy the chapter
21 June 1996
It was early afternoon; birds were chirping merrily in the trees, and the glowing orange-red sun shone brightly on the path leading up to Hogwarts. Minerva was currently walking slowly but steadily up the small hill, warily keeping an eye out for any protruding rocks
"Minerva McGonagall you never told me you were coming back today!"
Minerva looked up and shielded her eyes by putting a hand to her forehead. She smiled despite herself when she spotted her long-term friend, Pomona Sprout, by the Hogwarts gates a little further on. The older witch had her hands on her hips, though she looked distinctly more pleased than cross.
"Surprise?" Minerva said, causing Pomona to smile.
"A lovely surprise," she confirmed, waiting until Minerva was close enough before enveloping her in a tight but comforting hug. "I was just on my way to come and visit, actually. Lucky I bumped into you on my way down."
Minerva smiled. "Indeed," she said, smiling again when Pomona pecked her happily on the cheek.
"You have been sorely missed, dear," she said, looping arms with Minerva as they began to walk up to the castle. "Grace asked about you every day, and you were the first person Albus asked about when he returned."
Minerva could not help herself from raising her eyebrows in surprise. Of all the people to be concerned about on that day, she would have thought the students in London would have been the first on his mind.
"I thought you were going to go straight to your brothers?" Pomona continued with a frown.
Minerva shook her head, not speaking immediately so as to preserve her energy. Pomona continued to talk, but despite her efforts, Minerva was not really listening. The ten-minute walk from Hogsmeade to the castle had almost exhausted her. This was something she was determined not to show anybody, however. Particularly Pomona who had become somewhat of a mother-hen ever since the incident. Indeed, Minerva had never been partial to having people fuss over her. In fact, it was the one thing she hated the most.
"Minerva?"
Startled, Minerva looked up. "Yes?"
"You're being awfully quiet, dear," Pomona said worriedly. "Do you need a moment?"
"Don't be silly," Minerva said briskly, trying to speed up her pace despite the protests of her body.
The two witches walked up the steps to the castle, Minerva leaning more on her cane than she really would have liked by the time they reached the top.
Pomona gave Minerva a careful, considering look. "I am surprised they discharged you this early."
Minerva made a point of keeping silent on the matter. Although she had been discharged, the Healers had also expressed their concerns and even their recommendations that she should stay for a few more days at least. "I am fine, Pomona. And I do have a lot of work to do, which is why I am going to my office."
"All the work you need to do, Minerva, is delegate."
Minerva rolled her eyes. "I am being serious, Pomona."
"As am I," Pomona replied. She pursed her lips a moment as though she were thinking, then said, "Fine. I'll walk with you if you don't mind stopping in my office for a minute? There's something I need to pick up."
Minerva nodded. "Very well."
Pomona smiled, then turned and flicked her wand. As the doors to the castle slowly eased open, Minerva could not help but smile slightly too. She could not put into words how good it felt to be back. From what the Healers had told her, as well as her family and Pomona, it was surprising that she was even standing within these walls at all. Yet, here she was - a little out of breath and sore, perhaps, but alive and standing and well.
"Come on," Pomona said airily, looping her arms with Minerva again, and guiding her to the first floor where her office was located.
It took them longer than usual to arrive. Indeed they bumped into several students on their way, each expressing their relief and happiness that their Professor was back. Though Minerva found this touching, she also found it frustrating that it was needed at all.
"See?" Pomona said as Colin and Dennis Creevey continued their way down the corridor after warmly welcoming Minerva back. "They have all missed you terribly."
She gave Minerva a gentle, friendly squeeze, then removed her arm and paused for a moment outside a wooden door to extract her wand again from her pocket. She gave it a flick and the door swung open revealing a small circular office. She lifted a branch of ivy and walked into the room, Minerva following closely behind.
"Tea?"
"I thought you were only picking something up?" Minerva said with a frown.
"I am." Pomona flicked her wand so that a comfortable looking chair appeared opposite her desk. "I am picking up some teacups," she said, "and maybe some biscuits if they haven't all gone stale." She turned and folded her arms. "You look exhausted, dear. I'm only asking for you to sit down for 5 minutes."
"Oh, Pomona—"
"Five minutes, Minerva," Pomona insisted over Minerva's protests. "For me?"
Minerva pursed her lips but finally did as she was told and sunk down into the armchair Pomona had produced. Admittedly, it did feel nice to be off her feet, she thought, as the pain in her chest and her hip subsided slightly.
Pomona joined her a moment later with the tea. "I thought you might like these, too," she said, bending down to get some magazines from her desk drawer. "I have from reasonably good sources that the article on page 15 is very controversial," she added, as Minerva picked up the first copy of Transfiguration Today.
Minerva looked up at her friend and raised an eyebrow.
"Albus was telling me all about it yesterday," Pomona explained. "I think he will be glad to find he can discuss it with you now. I don't think I am the right sort to have conversations about disputed Transfiguration theories with."
"Hm," Minerva said, smiling slightly. She scanned the next three titles, before slipping the magazines into her carpetbag. "Thank you."
Pomona smiled, though she was still observing her friend worriedly.
"I am fine, Pomona," Minerva said seriously, reaching out to give Pomona's hand a squeeze. "Perfectly fine," she added.
Pomona did not seem convinced, yet in the end, she nodded and patted Minerva's hand anyway. "Dolores is lucky I didn't get my hands on her before Albus did," she said.
Minerva smiled weakly. She knew the details of what had occurred in the Forbidden Forest - Pomona had told her when she had come to visit St Mungo's a few days ago. She still did not understand how Albus had managed to save the woman. Indeed, not many had said such disrespectful things to centaurs and got away with it. Apart from Dolores, so it seemed.
"She's still in the Hospital Wing," Pomona said. Minerva sat up a little straighter, and Pomona nodded with a roll of her eyes. "It's a miracle Poppy is treating her at all. She was furious after—after what happened..." she trailed away. "As was everyone. If anything I thought Dumbledore had only gone into the forest to make sure Dolores had been taken away by the centaurs."
Minerva shook her head. "He would never," she said, taking a sip of her tea.
"I wouldn't be so sure."
Minerva tutted.
"Yes, well, disagree with me if you must," Pomona began, raising her eyebrows and shrugging in a way that implied she knew something that Minerva did not, "but you did not see him when he first came back to the castle and discovered that you were absent, and why..."
The bell suddenly rang, and the sound of classroom doors opening and students milling about in the hall slowly filtered into Pomona's office.
Minerva sighed and got up from the chair. "I had best be off," she said.
Pomona made a move to get up too. "I can walk with you? You were going to your office?"
Minerva hesitated. "I must visit Poppy first," she finally said, her words causing Pomona's eyebrows to furrow worriedly. "I can assure you that the intention of my trip is not to hex Dolores," she reassured Pomona. "If that is what you are worried about."
Pomona tutted but smiled despite herself. "Only because the thought crossed my mind too," she said, walking to the end of the office to open the door for Minerva. "Is it anything I should be worried about?" she then asked. "I can come with you if you like?"
"No, that's all right," Minerva replied. "I believe I can manage."
Pomona pursed her lips ever so slightly. "The offer still stands if you want it, dear."
Minerva gently shook her head. She had been touched, of course, by Pomona's offer to let her stay in the small cottage Pomona shared with her husband. However, she was happy to stay at Hogwarts. In fact, she wanted to.
"It is only for 5 more days, Pomona," she said. "And I don't believe using Floo powder every morning would be entirely practical."
"No, perhaps not," Pomona sighed, leaning in and giving Minerva a quick kiss on the cheek. "I have a meeting with a student this afternoon, dear, but I'll pop round this evening if you want?"
"That would be lovely," Minerva replied.
Pomona smiled. She gave Minerva's arm a gentle squeeze. "I'm glad that you're back, Minerva."
Minerva smiled too. "As am I."