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September 5 1991

It was late at night and Minerva, who had just been about to get ready for bed, was now on her way to Albus' office after having been summoned by him only a few minutes ago. Wiping the tiredness out of her eyes as she walked, she stifled a yawn behind her hand, gave the password to the gargoyles, and then ascended the steps to the Headmasters office. After knocking twice on the door, she pushed it open and entered the room.

"Albus, I hope this is important…" she started before trailing away when she realised he was not at his desk. She checked the armchair by the fireplace and then a hidden area behind a bookcase. When she realised she was quite alone, besides Fawkes, she fought the urge to give an exasperated sigh. Was it really too much to ask to get one good night's sleep, she thought grumpily.

As though he knew what she was thinking, Fawkes cooed softly and turned his head towards a small handwritten note Minerva had overlooked on Albus' desk. It was addressed to her.

Minerva,

I have some urgent business to attend to in Devon however, I will be back before eleven-thirty. I would be grateful if you could be so kind as to wait for me.

Albus

Minerva put the note down and rolled back her sleeve to check the time. When she realised she would have to wait another twenty minutes before Albus returned, she sighed and was about to pull up a chair when something caught her eye.

The Mirror of Erised stood unveiled, unlike the many times, she had seen it over the summer, in the corner of the room. Slowly, she put the chair back and moved towards the mirror. It looked perfectly normal from where she was; an ordinary mirror that merely offered a reflection of the onlooker. Yet, she knew that it was no so.

Her heart began to hammer against her chest and an odd sensation of fear, curiosity, and apprehension built in the pit of her stomach as she walked towards it She hesitated slightly before she reached the centre, then, taking a deep breath she stepped forward.

Almost immediately, a blurred figure began to materialise beside her before taking the form of her late husband, upright, alive, and well again. Her hand flew to her mouth as Elphinstone smiled at her, the same smile she thought about every day. He reaching out and placed a hand on her shoulder. Minerva waited to feel the weight of his hand there, her fingers instantly reaching to the place where his should have been. But she grasped at empty air.

Suddenly green flames erupted in the grate and Dumbledore appeared wiping ashes from his robes. Startled, Minerva quickly took several steps away from the mirror and wiped her eyes.

"Albus!" she said, surprised.

"My dear Professor, I am ever so sorry to have kept you waiting," he apologised, stepping out of the dwindling flames. "I hope I have not been too long?"

"No, not long," she said, cursing herself for the slight wobble in her voice. She cleared her throat. "Erm-You wanted to see me?"

"I did," he said, taking off his travelling cloak and pausing slightly when he noticed the mirror. He looked back at her but Minerva, uncomfortable under his gaze, turned away. To her relief, he did not press the matter and instead waved his wand so that a neatly folded blanket draped itself back over the glass.

"I am afraid it is quite a serious matter," he said, walking towards his desk and indicating that she too should take a seat. "Gringotts was broken into," he added without preamble.

Minerva widened her eyes, momentarily distracted from the shock of seeing Elphinstone again.

"Broken into?" she repeated, sinking into a chair opposite his desk. "When?"

"The very day Hagrid collected Nicholas' stone," he answered significantly. "The same vault as well."

Minerva shook her head. "Nicholas and Perenelle-" she started before stopping and looking up at him. "That's who you were with just now?"

He nodded. "I went to reassure them that the stone is still safe," he explained.

Minerva let out a deep breath. "Albus, any sooner and..."

"And the robbery would have been a success," he finished, nodding gravely. "We have been very fortunate, Minerva."

"Yes, we have," she said softly. "How come the Daily Prophet didn't report this when it happened?"

"Given the contents of the vault and the fact that Gringotts has frequently been referred to as unbreakable by the Ministry, Cornelius was less than eager to have this information shared," he explained tiredly. "He divulged this information with me this evening in hopes that I could offer my views on the matter."

"You mean he asked you to help find the culprit?" she said, her dislike for the current Minister deepening even more.

Albus nodded, and she pursed her lips. "You might as well have taken the job given how much that man relies on you," she said finally. "What will we do now?"

"The stone will remain here," he said, "I believe it is the safest place for it at the moment if all the protective measures are in place?"

"They are," Minerva assured him.

"Good," he said, "I would also rather only a few people know about all of the protections and how to pass them should anything happen."

"Only you and I know," she told him, "and Severus," she added. "And no one apart from ourselves and the Flamels knows that the stone is here."

"Very good," he repeated, placing the tips of his fingers together and pressing them against his lips. "I would prefer this information to remain closely contained."

"Of course. Do you still suspect...?"

"I am not sure," he cut in smoothly, glancing up from his fingertips. "At the moment nothing is certain, my dear."

She nodded, watching him carefully. "Right."

They were interrupted then by the chiming of the clock marking midnight. Albus stood up.

"I think that is all for tonight, my dear," he said, "but from now one I would like the third floor to be closely monitored."

"I'll make sure a member of staff is patrolling every evening," Minerva said, standing up as well. She had almost reached the door and left his office when a thought occurred to her. "Before I go," she said slowly, unsure whether she should share her concerns or even if they were worth sharing. "Actually, nevermind."

"Are you sure?" Dumbledore asked her.

Minerva took a moment to think. "Well, it's something or nothing," she said. "In fact, it probably is nothing but—I have been meaning to speak to you about a certain matter."

Albus tilted his head.

"It's about Quirinus," she explained, deciding she might as well tell him. "He's not quite himself and hasn't been since he returned from his trip. Just yesterday… he seems—changed."

"How so?"

"I can't quite put my finger on it," she admitted, gently biting her lip as she thought, "but I am certain he has been spending an increasing amount of time by the third floor and," she frowned slightly, "around Potter."

Albus raised his eyebrows slightly and she nodded.

"Of course, that doesn't mean much," she continued, "and most people are intrigued by Potter anyway, including professors."

"Indeed," said Albus quietly, his eyebrows furrowed, seemingly lost in thought.

"I just can't shake the feeling of it being-peculiar in a way," she added.

Albus continued to look pensive before finally shaking his head, his expression clearing. "Thank you for telling me, my dear."

She nodded slowly, and, when it was clear he was not going to say anything else on the matter, she started to move towards the door again, pausing slightly once more. She turned back again.

"The mirror," she said uncertainly, her eyes flicking towards the hidden mirror at the back of his office. "I thought-when will it be moved?"

A strange look came over Albus' features as he followed her gaze and his eyes too, rested on the black sheet.

"Soon," he said finally. "However, as of yet, I have not found the time to move it to its new home." He paused for a moment then shook his head and looked back at her. "I shall see you tomorrow morning, my dear," he said with a smile, although Minerva noticed it did not quite reach his eyes. "I'm afraid I have taken up enough of your time."

Understanding this as her cue to leave, Minerva nodded and stepped out onto the landing.

"Goodnight, Albus."

"Goodnight, my dear."