10 February 1998

Minerva pursed her lips slightly as she steeled herself outside Severus' office. She had been summoned there almost immediately after she had left Longbottom in the Room of Requirement. Not a good sign, Minerva thought again.

Indeed, Pomona had warned her that one day she would cross the invisible line of Severus' and his cronies tolerating her, to wanting her out of the castle. Minerva suspected that perhaps today was the day that she would finally be sent away.

She thought of Charity who had been removed from the school before term had even started. Their reasoning for her removal was merely because she had written one article about muggles. Over the course of the year, Minerva had been much more of a nuisance to the Carrows and Severus than Charity had ever been.

Minerva took a deep breath, felt her wand in the right sleeve of her robes, and knocked once on the wooden door.

"Enter."

Despite the fact that she had expected Snape's voice to answer her call, Minerva still had not yet managed to stop the small glimmer of hope she had to finally hear Albus' voice call her inside - as he had done for the last 30 odd years.

"Ah, Minerva," Severus said. "Joining us at last."

Amycus and Alecto were standing on either side of Snape, who was seated behind the desk.

"I arrived as soon as I could, Severus," Minerva said through clenched teeth. "Unlike some, I have students to teach throughout the day."

Amycus fired up immediately, but Severus silenced him before he could speak.

"Control yourself, Minerva," he said sharply. "I only asked you here so that we can discuss a few concerns that have been raised about your behaviour."

"My behaviour?" Minerva said. She folded her hands across her middle and, for the briefest of moments, her eyes flicked to Albus' portrait still hanging up in the circular office. He was looking at his hands - pensive, thoughtful, sad even, Minerva thought. He was avoiding her eyes.

Minerva looked away from Albus, his ignoring her only making her even angrier, and suppressed a sigh. "Very well," she said, tightly, "do proceed, Severus. What about my behaviour?"

"It's suspicious—"

"You arrived late to your class this afternoon, Minerva," Severus said, interrupting Alecto. "Why?"

"I lost track of time."

Severus narrowed his eyes at her. "Interesting, since Mr Longbottom seems to have gone missing precisely at that time."

"Is that so?" Minerva said, feigning surprise. "Well, I do not know anything of Longbottom's disappearance. Perhaps instead of interrogating me, you should be searching for the boy to ensure that he has not come to any harm? You are barely through our first year as Headmaster, Severus, and already you have lost track of more students than any headteacher before you! Perhaps that is what you should be analysing."

"Look, McGonagall, we all know it was you," Alecto snapped, speaking before Severus had the chance. "Pity if your uncooperation today should force us to find other ways with which to persuade you to speak."

"What are you implying?" Minerva said shortly.

"I believe your family lives in Scotland too," Alecto said innocently, although a mischievous glint appeared in her dark eyes. "Pity if they should come to any harm."

Minerva paled and she instantly became very still. "You could not possibly—"

"But are you willing to risk that, McGonagall?" Alecto said, smiling nastily when she realised that they had hit a sore spot. "If you fail to cooperate you might just find that Dumbledore will not be the only person you lose this year."

Minerva returned her attention to Severus, whose face was inscrutable. "Headmaster, I do not know anything about Mr Longbottom's whereabouts," she repeated. "I would not have had the time between my first and second class to help Longbottom "escape", as you suggest. Furthermore, I was not aware that it was your intention to question the boy. News does not travel as quickly as it once did — I was unaware that your attempts to attack an elderly witch this morning had proved unsuccessful."

Amycus bared his teeth. "Enough of this!" he said. "You're out, McGonagall."

He lunged towards Minerva, grabbed her arm and plunged his free hand deep into his cloak pocket. However, before he had even managed to unsheath his wand, a loud and powerful blast blew him back.

"Amycus, I believe you have a lesson to teach," Severus said. He avoided Minerva's gaze as he slipped his wand back into his pocket. "Alecto I would like you to visit Hogsmeade and search for Longbottom. He cannot have gone far."

"Headmaster—"

"It would be wise not to disagree with me," Snape warned.

Alecto bit back her retort, and Amycus, though he gave Snape a scathing look, obeyed and left the office. The door swung shut behind the siblings and for a moment, a very heavy silence filled the air.

"I never knew you to be a foolish woman, Minerva," he said, finally looking into her eyes. Minerva remained silent. "You must know that behaving in this irrational manner is not helping your circumstances?"

"What circumstances are those, Headmaster?"

Severus flashed her a dangerous look. "Precarious ones, Minerva," he replied. "Do not think for one moment that Amycus and Alecto won't fulfil their promises. You should know better than most how the Dark Lord deals with those who disagree with him."

It took tremendous strength for Minerva not to argue with Snape. She was absolutely furious with him and his two cronies. Yet, their words about Malcolm and the rest of her family had struck a chord, and Minerva, much as she wished to remain defiant, was equally wary of the consequences. She did not think that they knew where her family was hiding but the threat was enough to get her to keep her mouth shut.

"I see we have come to an understanding," Snape said.

What was that muggle saying, Minerva thought. Keep your friends close but your enemies closer? She pursed her lips - she knew the only reason she was still here was that they did not want her to join the Order elsewhere. Much as they mocked her for being an older witch, they were still wary of her. Filius too. And there was also the case of making an example of all the teachers at Hogwarts - to prove that even they were not capable of retaliating and protecting their students against the Dark Lord.

Severus cleared his throat. "You are not to leave the castle without my explicit permission," he said. "We will be watching you, Minerva. Closely. Very closely."

Minerva straightened. "Very well," she said, hoping that she managed to come across as undisturbed by this news. "Can I go, now?"

Severus held her gaze for a moment longer, then he bowed his head. "You may."

Minerva briskly left the room. She noted Albus' eyes watching her, but he did not say a word. All of the time he could have moved from one portrait to another to speak to her, he had never taken the opportunity. Minerva tried not to care.