I still can't believe Minerva survived this near-death experience. I will also never forgive Umbridge for striking down one of the best characters in the Harry Potter universe (even if it was only for a few days).

18 June 1995

It was late in the evening and Minerva and Pomona were finishing securing the castle so that Minerva could go to bed, and Pomona could go home to her husband. As they neared the Entrance Hall to secure the doors and windows, Minerva frowned again.

"Can you really not hear shouting?" she asked for the second time that evening.

"Not a thing, dear," Pomona replied distractedly, biting her lip as she reached up with her wand. A blue light shot out of it and spread across the glass of one the windows. "Who would be outside at this time of night anyway?"

Minerva's frown deepened, though she did not say anything. Instead, she copied Pomona and flicked her wand so that the same blue light shot out of the tip and illuminated another window. She did this three more times, while Pomona busied herself with locking the door to the Great Hall. Pomona then moved to the main doors.

"Should I—"

"Oh no," Minerva said tiredly. Pomona lowered her wand looking confused, and Minerva proceeded to explain, "The fifth years have their Astronomy exam tonight. They will need to get back into the castle."

"Ah yes," Pomona said, nodding. "Wouldn't want to lock them outside for the whole night."

Minerva smiled slightly. "That would not be ideal," she admitted. "Could you check the side room?" she asked. "I will try the..."

"Of course, dear," Pomona nodded, already backing up the steps and towards the side room.

Minerva sighed deeply and rubbed the corner of her eyes as she too began to make her own way to the last three rooms that needed checking. As she came to pass the front door, however, she paused and frowned again. Despite what Pomona had said earlier, Minerva was now certain that she could hear some sort of commotion outside. Wondering if the Astronomy exam had started and finished earlier than she had previously thought, Minerva opened the doors expecting to see students.

Instead, she was met with the sight of several figures shooting a wild flurry of spells, and the sound of shouting; Hagrid's bellows hard to miss now that the barrier separating them had been broken.

"What in Merlin's name…"

Before Minerva had really thought things through, she felt a surge of anger course through her when she realised what was happening. Instantly, she opened the doors more widely and began running down the hill.

"How dare you! How dare you!" she shouted at the Aurors. "Leave him alone! Alone, I say. On what grounds are you attacking him? He has done nothing, nothing to warrant such–"

The four wizards turned around and Minerva noticed Umbridge's face among them. It was contorted in rage and disgust, however, when she noticed it was Minerva running down towards them, her mouth morphed into a gleeful smile.

The toad-like witch opened her mouth and upon command, the Aurors turned their wands to Minerva. By the time Minerva realised what was happening, they had already sent at least four spells towards her.

With no time to get her wand, Minerva felt a surge of panic ripple through her, and her eyes widened. Valiantly, she tried to summon up enough energy to wandlessly produce a shield charm. She knew it had worked, the faintest tinges of shimmering gold edges of the forcefield already appearing in front of her. She also knew, however, that it was too late and the barrier would not appear in time.

As though in slow motion, the red spells broke through the semi-formed barrier. Minerva heard as it shattered, and saw as the faint broken pieces fell and dissolved. Then, the spells collided with her chest.

The impact caused all the air to be knocked out of her lungs. Time slowed down and Minerva could just about make out Umbridge's triumphant look, Hagrid's face contorted with surprise and shock, and a few heads, belonging to 5th year students taking their Astronomy exam, as they peeped over the parapet to see what was happening. Then, she was thrown up into the air and flung two feet across the lawn.

"Minerva?"

"Oh, Merlin, she's not—she's not moving. Filius go and get Poppy, quickly. Rennervate. Minerva, dear, can you hear me? Rennervate."

Minerva opened her eyes tentatively as she slowly regained consciousness. She could just about make out Pomona who was currently bent over her and wearing a profoundly worried expression. "Pomona?" she mumbled, dazedly.

Pomona let out a relieved and shuddering breath. "Oh, thank goodness," she said weakly. "Oh, thank goodness," she repeated. "Now, don't move—"

"Where is Hagrid?" Minerva interrupted, completely ignoring Pomona and already trying to push herself up. No sooner had she got on her feet, however, did a shooting pain run up her side. Minerva gasped as her heart fluttered and the ends of what felt like broken ribs rubbed painfully together. Instantly, she staggered and if it had not been for Pomona's strong hands supporting her, she most probably would have fallen painfully back onto the ground.

"Please, sit back down, Minerva," Pomona pleaded. "We don't know what damage—"

"What on earth is happening?"

Minerva tried to look up to see who had spoken, but the effort of being semi-upright was taking its toll. Despite most of her weight being on Pomona, now, Minerva could still feel her legs start to tremble. Dark spots were beginning to sprinkle her vision again and what she could still see, was beginning to swim and to blur.

"Stunning spells, Poppy," explained Pomona hurriedly, though Minerva was barely listening now. "Out of nowhere. I think—oh!"

Pomona stumbled as Minerva swayed dangerously and her knees buckled at last. Poppy's eyes widened in alarm and, dimly, Minerva was aware of two new hands helping to support her as she slowly sunk to the ground and lost consciousness once more.