I hope you're enjoying 1996 so far :) This chapter is a little dark I'm afraid...
20 November 1996
Minerva spun on her heel, wand aloft and the tip glowing blue. As soon as she realised who it was, however, she sighed and lowered her wand.
"Sorry," came the apology.
Minerva pursed her lips. "It's dangerous these days, being out alone at night, Albert," she said tersely, slipping her wand back into her pocket.
"I could say the same to you, Minerva."
"There's a difference."
Albus sighed and Minerva instantly regretted her harsh and patronising words. She closed her eyes and briefly pinched the bridge of her nose before looking back up again.
"Bad day?"
Minerva nodded, not knowing what more she could add to explain just how bad the day had been. She had just returned from the Abbotts household where Hannah Abbott had been reunited with her father and younger sister after the brutal murder of Eloise Abbott, Hannah's mother, by Death Eaters. No doubt as a result of Eloise's muggleborn status coupled with her opinions about muggles and muggleborns, and the fact that she had a prominent position as a senior Ministry official.
An urgent owl had arrived at the teacher's table this morning and, following a difficult conversation with the sixth year, Hannah was accompanied home. Minerva had remained with the Abbotts for several hours until it had been arranged that a Ministry official would come to protect the house.
Pomona had offered to come too, seeing as Hannah was in her house. However, with the floo network being unreliable now at the best of times, she and Minerva had decided that disapparation would be best. And seeing as Albus was not in the castle, the ability to disapparate in and out of Hogwarts had been granted to Minerva herself. As Deputy, Minerva could not grant this privilege to anyone else. Due to the urgency of the situation, therefore, Minerva had been the one to take Hannah home.
"What happened?" Albert prompted.
"A young girl's mother was killed," Minerva replied just as a snap of twigs sounded nearby. Minerva's eyes darted to the area the sound had come from, but the culprit was only a rabbit. Still, she lifted her wand again and motioned at Albert to join her by the school gates so that they would both be standing inside the protective enchantments surrounding the castle.
"There are sometimes unsavoury characters who watch the castle," Minerva told him. "It was foolish of me to apparate outside the gates. You should not be out here either."
"I'm just here for Pomona."
"I know." Minerva bit her lip gently. "I think it would be best if you came up to the castle with me. Then you will not have to wait outside," she finally decided. "If you'll allow me?"
Albert seemed to understand what she was getting to. He did not seem pleased about it, indeed he tended to avoid magical transportation if he could, but he still extended his hand for Minerva to take.
With the intention of making Albert feel more at ease, Minerva decided to count down. "Three, two, one."
They arrived in Minerva's office barely a second later.
"Have a seat," Minerva told him, already having shed her cloak while Albert was still trying to recover from the disapparation. She strode to the door. "I will be back with Pomona in just a moment," she added before popping out.
A few minutes later and she was knocking on Pomona's office door. It swung open quickly to reveal a strained and slightly red-eyed Pomona who had no doubt been sitting anxiously at her desk waiting for Minerva to return.
"She's home," Minerva said before Pomona could ask. "A Ministry official is with them now to keep an eye on the house in case—."
"You don't think they'll come back to finish—finish the rest..." she trailed away and took a deep shuddering breath.
Minerva swallowed. "Henry is a pureblood in their eyes, and the children are half-bloods," she said. "If they were to attack half-bloods that would be more than half the wizarding world. They accomplished what they set out to do," she added quietly. "I don't think they will be back."
Pomona wiped her eyes. "This is too much, Minerva," she said. "This isn't the first student this has happened to. People are being killed left right and centre. Even the Ministry can't protect us anymore."
Minerva nodded and pulled her friend in for a hug to comfort her friend, but also herself. "I know," she said. She wanted to add more but found that she could not, because what was there to say?
Things were going from bad to worse. The Ministry had become more invested in trying to keep supporters rather than actually do anything about the unravelling situation. Members of the Order were attempting to continue what they had been doing last year, yet more and more they were hitting dead ends.
Remus was getting no further with the werewolves who seemed to have turned to Greyback. Tonks and Alastor in the Auror department were so busy with desperate calls almost every minute outlining vicious attacks against muggles and wizards alike that they were barely available to speak to.
Meanwhile, Albus was being enigmatic as ever, often disappearing for days or weeks at a time leaving Minerva to run a school practically on her own. Then, Minerva still had to perform her teaching duties and now continuously comfort students who had recently lost family members, or who wanted to go home and into hiding with their families.
Not for the first time, Minerva felt incredibly abandoned by her friend. Today of all days she had needed him here. But as ever he was away and of course, Minerva had only learnt this information several hours after Albus had departed. Naturally, she had found this out from Severus rather than from Albus himself.
As though the universe had sensed what was on her mind, Minerva suddenly felt a change in the castle. She straightened abruptly.
"Albus is back," she said, letting go of her friend.
"How do you know?"
Minerva waved her hand carelessly. "A change in the wall's fortifications," she explained. "Albus' magic is very unique - he must have just made a passage through the barrier." She shook her head and took a deep breath. "I must speak with him now, Pomona. Albert is waiting for you in my office; I thought it best he wait for you here rather than outside."
"Thank you."
Minerva nodded. "Travel safely. Let me know when you get back."
Pomona gave Minerva a quick peck on the cheek. "Will do."
Minerva opened the door to Albus' office to be greeted by the sight of Albus and Severus in deep conversation. As per the many times she had walked in on the two of them together, Albus and Severus immediately stopped talking when they realised that they were not alone.
"I think you'll find, Minerva, that this is a private conversation," Severus said. "If you could come back—"
"Severus, we can continue this conversation another time," Albus interrupted, catching Minerva's eye.
Severus looked as though he wanted very much to argue. Yet, he merely settled with a scowl before leaving the Headmaster's office in a considerably worse mood than he had been in when he had first arrived.
Minerva waited until the door clicked shut behind him and only once it had, did she fold her arms and look at Albus.
"How are the Abbotts?" he asked before she had the chance to speak.
"As you would expect them to be," Minerva replied quietly. "Third parent this term."
Albus looked away at a spot somewhere between his index finger and his thumb pressed against his desk.
"You said 2 days, Albus" Minerva added. "It has been a whole week."
"I know."
Minerva pursed her lips gently before finally shaking her head and sighing.
"Albus, I can't deal with this alone," she said quietly. "Letters from families every other week asking to pull their children out of school, having to organise exams, mock exams, lesson plans, marking, meetings with Gryffindors, meetings with parents, paperwork... The list goes on and on, Albus," she said, pausing to take a breath. "There is a reason schools have an appointed Headteacher and Deputy you know. I cannot deal with everything that needs to be done for that length of time all by myself. Particularly now."
Albus nodded, still looking at his fingers and appearing sadder and wearier than Minerva had ever seen him. She considered him for a moment, leaving a few long seconds of silence hoping that he would be the one to break it first. Yet was disappointed.
Minerva came forwards to sit down opposite him. "Albus, please," she said, hating that she had to resort to admitting her vulnerabilities. "Please, let me help you."
Her last words seem to draw Albus out of his thoughts. He inhaled sharply and straightened, though still not quite meeting her eye.
"I am sorry, Minerva," he apologised sincerely. "You are, of course, right as always." He sighed. "I appreciate your offer of help, but believe me you help me a great deal more than you can ever imagine."
And it seemed that that was all he was going to say on the topic. Minerva closed her eyes for a fraction of a second longer than usual - after all, what had she expected him to say? No matter how much she tried, getting information out of Albus was like trying to make a stone bleed. He only divulged information if and when he wanted to; never before and never after the exact time he meant to.
"All right," she said finally, accepting defeat. "All right, Albus," she repeated. She looked away then shook her head and took a deep breath before changing the topic. "I spoke to Hannah's father this afternoon and he appeared quite set in keeping both Hannah and her sister at home for the remainder of the year. We need to discuss whether she can continue her tuition remotely if that is even a wise idea given the circumstances and whether that is even possible."
"I will be here for the rest of the term," Albus replied.
Minerva pursed her lips. Though she very much wanted him to be telling the truth, she knew he was only saying this because she had made him feel guilty for leaving. His guilt would not last long, she was sure.
"Don't make promises you can't keep, Albus," she told him pointedly. "I will come tomorrow at lunchtime and perhaps we can iron out a few details."
Albus nodded and Minerva began to leave. As she placed her hand on the doorhandle, her concern got the better of her and she turned to face him once more.
"And get some sleep, Albus," she told him. "You look exhausted."
Without adding anything further, Minerva opened the door and slipped out of the circular office.