"I know he comes here," Snape growled, pushing Sirius out of the doorway. "I know he's due here for a meeting today."
"You weren't included in on that, Snape," Sirius insisted, trying desperately to get the man out of his home.
"This isn't about the Order," Snape snapped, continuing to walk towards the kitchen, their normal meeting place. "This is personal."
Sirius shut the front door and followed Severus into the kitchen. Molly, Arthur, and Remus were due there any moment. "Whatever it is, it can wait until next time or when you're summoned."
"I don't have another six months," Snape snapped, ignoring him, beginning to pace behind the row of stools at the kitchen's long table. Sirius could see he wasn't leaving, and it wasn't worth a duel. Snape was Dumbledore's right hand. Nothing was secret from him, anyways. It was his unpleasantness that they could all do without.
Dumbledore, right on time, appeared a few moments later. His face drained when he saw Snape. He put a hand up as Severus drew his wand. "Severus, I heard…"
"You heard?" he asked angrily, Sirius having no context for what the two were talking about debated whether or not he should pull out his own wand. "That's all? You heard?" Snape laughed with a terrifying sarcasm that chilled Sirius's bones. "She's laying in a fucking hospital bed."
"I have sources that have assured me that she will make a full recovery."
"It doesn't matter," Snape snapped.
"Who is in a hospital bed?" Sirius asked, physically stepping between the two. He was now concerned. It had to be Minerva with how unhinged Snape was.
"Stay out of this!" Snape shouted. "You always promise…you always make these promises…"
"We both know how Minerva is," Dumbledore said, still calm, but clearly emotional. "You cannot put this one on me." That confirmed it was Minerva.
"That woman wouldn't be there if it wasn't for you. You walked away from her."
"Severus, you, only you, know why I had to go."
"For the greater good? What good comes of Minerva almost dying?"
"Minerva does these things to herself. We both love her, and we both know that."
Snape slammed his fist on the long kitchen table, rattling the cups that were there. Sirius glanced behind him to see Molly, Arthur, and Remus had walked in. Remus had his wand at his side, but Sirius pushed it silently down, not wanting to interfere. The last thing that they needed was either him or Remus pushing Snape into more of a rage. Besides, Sirius was becoming angry at the thought of Minerva being put in danger. She'd been like their mother his whole childhood. Say what you would about Severus, he cared about someone that meant the world to them all. "You always blame them. What good are you if you can't protect them?"
Dumbledore made eye contact with Sirius, clearly seeing more people had come into the room. "We can discuss this at another point, Severus." Sirius had never seen his beloved Headmaster so cold; it shocked him and gave him mixed feelings that he'd never felt in the man's presence before. Sure, Snape was out of control, but Dumbledore's responses weren't doing much either.
"Don't you love her?"
"You know I do, Severus."
"I don't know anymore."
"You are letting these feelings cloud you. I warned you that when the time came…"
"You took everything from me, and…you wanted me to give this up…give her up…" He pointed his wand at Dumbledore, jamming it into his chest, and Sirius once again decided against taking up his own wand, seeing the continued calmness on Dumbledore's face. Snape lowered it after a few seconds. "She was bleeding all out her chest," he said so quietly Sirius almost couldn't hear. There was less hysteric in his voice and more venom. It was more uneasy than his yelling. "She was unconscious for days. They had to carry her to the medical wing…" It was at this point, Sirius saw Dumbledore's eyes fill with tears. "Four stunning spells to the chest. She should be dead, Albus." Silence took over, and Sirius felt himself wipe tears away at the thought of McGonagall being so close to death. "But, thank Merlin for the success of your treasure hunt." With that, Snape disapparated out of the kitchen, leaving a stunned and silent group of people staring at Dumbledore.
Dumbledore was the first to break the silence of the Order members, explaining that Minerva had been attacked by Ministry officials acting at Umbridge's orders. She was slated to make a full recovery. That was all that was mentioned of the thing, Dumbledore continuing on with the agenda they'd set between the five of them. His appearances were so infrequent and so rare that much had to be done in the meetings. Sirius didn't know where Dumbledore went after them, and it was clear they were not to ask.
Once Dumbledore had left, the four didn't make any movement to leave. "Ron told us about Minerva," Molly said. "I was able to visit her last week. She was in good spirits."
"I had no idea," Sirius admitted.
"I don't think it's something Dumbledore wants as common knowledge," Molly added. "I mean, Minerva is a powerful witch…for anything to get to her…it's not a good sign."
"I thought Severus was going to kill him," Remus said. "I understand."
"I think this is the first thing I've ever agreed with Snape on," Sirius said, nodding. "Four stunning spells… She should be dead."
"He's unhinged," Remus said. "I would be too. She's always seemed untouchable."
"Why did they attack her?" Sirius asked. "I know she puts up a fight, but…"
"Ron told us that she was defending Hagrid. She's been butting heads with Umbridge all year, and I suppose this was Umbridge's limit," Molly explained. "A coward's way to shut her up."
"Imagine McGonagall's reaction to that," Remus said, chuckling. "I can only imagine."
"She had the attitude you'd imagine," Molly said, also chuckling slightly. "Didn't seem to dull what they were trying to. It's just more ammunition."
Sirius held up his cup. "A toast to our Head of House. May we embrace the traits she taught us," he smiled, watching as his friends held up their cups. They all took a long sip. "I hope to be half as brave as Minerva in the coming war," Sirius said quietly, more to himself than any of his friends.