~~~~~~~~~~
The Hogwarts pool was empty when Minerva McGongall dove in. The year was 1981, her 6th year. She was glad that she was back at school, home could be so frustrating. She closed her eyes, thinking, soon she heard 2 graceful dives, and one loud splash. She didn’t turn around. Sounds like… Lily, Molly and… James. she thought. She heard the three people come up for water, one sputtering. She felt two hands go around her waist, and quickly saw a black-haired head come up for breath, still holding her.
“Sirius R. Black! Let go of me this instant!” She squeaked from surprise.
“If you say so…” He said and threw her across the pool. Surfacing, she saw that she had been wrong about her fellow students. Instead of Lily, Molly and James, Sirus Black, Remus Lupin and… Peter Pettegrew had entered the pool.
“Ambushers!” She yelled to them.
“Hardly.” Remus said, his straw colored hair wet with water beads. Grrr, and I thought I was going to be able to relax. She pulled herself up and sat on one of the edges of the pool, her feet still dangling in. She squeezed the water out of her shoulder length black hair, preparing to leave.
“Oh, come on Minny! We aren’t trying to spoil your day!” Sirius yelled to her. She looked at him, then crossed her arms across her chest. Fine, I won’t leave, but you’ll have to pay for every minute of my time. She dove in, coming up behind Remus, treading water.
“HEY!” She yelled by his ear. He turned around, rubbing his ears.
“What? Pay back time now?” he said. Minerva studied him, he looked pale, and his gray eyes didn’t have as much sparkle as usual.
“Are you okay?”
“Except from being half deaf…”
“Remus, you look sick…” She swam to the side of the pool. “Pale…”
“Well, I’m glad I have your concerns, but really, I’m fine.”
You don’t look *fine*. She pulled herself up on the side, again.
“Which one of you guys did a belly flop?” she asked. Peter blushed. Sirius pointed with his thumb behind him. “He can’t dive.”
Minerva had spent most of the day at the pool, helping Sirius teach Peter to dive… with little success. On her way back to her house common room, she met Tom Riddle.
“Hi Minny, did you hear what Flitwick gave us for Charms?”
Pay attention Tom, I don’t have *all* my classes with Slytherins, I can’t tell you *all* the time.
“Creating Charms.” She said on her way past him “2 rolls of parchment. See you, Tom.” Minerva seemed to be the only Gryffindor on speaking terms with Tom Riddle, due to the trick he played on James Potter that year, but she didn’t feel it was necessary to punish him any more, after what Sirius had done.
Entering the Gryffindor common room, she found it full of people, scattered around the tables, working on homework, or just talking. She seated herself with her friend Molly, and got to work on her Divination homework, Professor Trelawney had given them loads. Earlier at lunch, their Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, (Taken over for Professor Dippet in the year of ’76) had reminded them that it was very important to complete their homework *before* they turned it in. Minerva, of course thought that this was stupid, for she *always* finished her homework before turning it in. The portrait door opened and in walked James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew. It was almost 7:30 PM.
“Can we *talk* to you, Minny?” Sirius asked, coming over to the table.
“Sure,” she said, grateful, for anything to get away from her homework.
“We have to tell you something.”
“Well, spit it out, will you? Trelawney’s given me loads of homework for this weekend.”
“This isn’t something that can be just ‘spit out’.” Minerva looked at Sirius, then to James and Peter.
“Oh, one of *those* secrets.” She said looking at James.
“Minny!” James said blushing, he looked across the room to Lily. Minerva laughed.
“Okay, just tell me.”
“You can’t tell *anyone* not even Dumbledore.” Sirius said,
I wouldn’t have told *him* anyway.
“I guess we should first start at the beginning. Peter, James and I are unregistered Animagi.” He waited for her reaction. She was very calm about it.
“That’s not *so* bad… illegal isn’t so bad. *Why* are you telling me?”
“Because! Isn’t it obvious?” James yelled at her. Heads turned. “We have to go somewhere, where nobody else can hear us.” They went to the library.
“We are telling you, because we know we can trust you, right? Remus would want us to trust *you*” Sirius said.
“What?”
“We know you are a registered Animangus, Minny, we know you can turn into a cat.”
“*So*?”
“Remus is a Werewolf, Minny! He goes into the Whomping Willow, up to the shrieking shack every full moon and turns into a WOLF!” Minerva was taken aback. She had thought something was up with Remus, but this wasn’t exactly what she thought…
“Well?” James said.
“Well what? What do you want me to say?” Poor Remus!
“A Werewolf’s bite to a human makes them turn into a werewolf, Remus is our friend, a Werewolf doesn’t attack other animals.” Sirius said. It all became clear to Minerva, she didn’t know why it hadn’t come to her sooner.
“You go in there every time he’s a Werewolf and keep him company? Are you nuts?! What if he got out while you were going in?”
“He won’t, the door can only be opened from the outside, or by a wizard.” Sirius pushed his wand into her face. “*with* a wand.”
“What? You want me to go with you? Why?”
“Because, you looked really worried about Remus today at the pool.”
“ I AM worried about Remus! I…” She stopped, blushed and then said, “Sure I’ll go with you. When do you go?”
“When everyone is asleep. We’ll come and get you.”
“You cant’ come and get me! Molly will wake up, she’s a light sleeper, she’ll FREAK” Peter turned around, Sirius glared and James sighed. “I’ll stay up in the common room until you guys come down.” She said finally. “Molly falls asleep easy, but she wakes up easy too. How do we get back before everyone knows we’re gone?”
“We leave when Remus leaves, he turns back around 3:00, but we don’t leave until about 4:30.” James said and headed out of the library with Peter. Minerva sat down at one of the tables, and put her head in her hands, thinking of Remus.
“He’s there now, isn’t he?” she asked Sirius, who had stayed behind.
“Dumbledore just took him in.” She looked at Sirius.
“He could get really sick! He could die even!” she said, her eyes filling with tears.
“Don’t talk like that, Dumbledore wouldn’t let that happen.” She wiped her face off.
“I have to go work on Divination” She said, getting up. “Is my nose pink?”
“A little.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oh god, Remus. Why you? She walked down the hall, stopping in the nearest bathroom.
“Hey you! I’m the one who’s supposted be sad!”
“Myrtle!”
“Yes?”
“Can’t you just… find some other place…to be and leave me alone!?”
“What ails you?”
“I’m not going to…”
“Who am I gonna tell?”
“I cant’ talk about it.”
“*It*? Try to explain without telling *it*”
“My friend is sick.”
“Is this *friend* more then a friend?”
“I’m not talking to you about this!” She said, storming out of the bathroom. An unexpected tear streaked it’s way across her cheek, she wiped it off, annoyed.
~~~~~~~~~~~
It was 11:00 before Sirius, James and Peter came down to the common room. Minerva had finished her Divination homework, and was sitting in an arm chair, staring into the fire.
“Let’s go Minny. You better change now, so you can keep a look out for that guy, Filch, and his cat, Mrs. Norris.” James said, grabbing his coat.
“Get mine too, it’ll be cold in the morning.” Minerva changed, and jumped out the portrait hole once Peter had opened it. She led the way to the Whomping Willow. On the way she stopped, flicked her tail and turned her eyes around a corner. Mrs. Norris, the ginger cat was in a classroom. She looked at Minerva and hissed, then whisked off. To Filch no doubt. They hurried on, hoping to avoid Filch. On the grounds, Sirius, Peter and James changed. Sirius into this huge black dog, Peter into a rat, and James into a deer. James picked up their coats in his antlers and they made their way to the Whomping Willow. Minerva Jumped on James’ back the first time Sirius tried chasing her.
“Hey! Those claws hurt.”
“Sorry, do you want me to be dog food?”
“Sirius won’t eat you.”
“I know, but I don’t want to be chased tonight.”
Soon as the lashing branches of the Willow came into view, Peter scurried under the tree, and pressed a knob on the trunk. The branches immediately froze.
“Wow, how did you guys know about that?”
“Remus.” Sirius said mater-of-fact like.
Duh.
“How do you open the door? I thought you said it could only be opened from the outside by a wizard.”
“It can only be opened by a wizard from the *inside*. Peter opens it.” James said. Peter opened the door. Once inside, it became apparent to Minerva that there was a often upset creature inside.
Inside, a ready to strike wolf was glaring at them, teeth bared.
“Calm yourself, Remus. It’s just us.” Sirius said. The wolf calmed down, but Minerva could still tell he was alert. She jumped down from James’ back, and backed up by the wall. She had never seen a wolf before.
“Minny?” she heard Remus’ voice come from the wolf. She sat down, trying to take in the scene before her.
“We asked Minny to come, Remus.” James said. Sirius lay down.
“Don’t get yourself up a tree, Minny. Calm down.” Minerva walked only up to Sirius, not coming closer to Remus. She didn’t like this, she hated to see Remus like this—he looked hurt—ill. Cat’s don’t cry, I’m not about to cry in front of Remus.
“Are you—okay? I knew there was something wrong.”
“I’m sorry I had to lie to you, Minny, Dumbledore would have had my tail if I’d told you.”
“How did they find out?”
“Dumbledore told us.” Peter said.
It must look funny to see a cat sleeping with a full grown wolf. But that’s what you would see if you happened to stumble into the shrieking shack at 1:00 in the morning. At 3:00 it was different, instead of seeing a cat and a wolf, you would see a handsome, young man and a cat. At 3:30 you would see a young man and a young woman, the young woman peaceful again, and the young man content.
Minerva awoke at a quarter after 3 to find James, Peter, Remus and Sirius changed back from their animal forms. She changed too, half asleep, then settled back into her warm spot. She let Remus put a comforting arm around her, and fell back asleep.
“Minny, wake up, we have to go back.” Remus was shaking her awake.
“What… what time is it?”
“4:30” They staggered onto the grounds and into the school, they opened the portrait hole and came into the common room. The fire was blazing brightly, there was a person sitting in one of the arm chairs.
“Where are you coming from?” the person asked.
“Arthur?”
“Where are you coming from?”
“Nowhere special. Go back to bed.” Sirius said.
“Minny?”
“What?”
“Where were you?!”
“Go back to bed, Arthur, we have a busy day tomorrow.” He didn’t look convinced, but Minerva was too tired to care. She followed James, Sirius, Peter and Remus up the staircase half way then parted at her dorm room. She quietly crept in, not wanting to wake Molly. Molly didn’t awake, and Minerva crawled into her bed, and pulled the curtains around her.
“Get up, Minny, get up, GET UP!” Minerva opened her eyes. Molly was standing over her bed, arms on her hips.
“What are you trying to do, give me a heart attack?” She said and lay her head back on her pillow.
“You’ve missed breakfast. I saved you some toast.” She said, and held up a napkin bag. “C’mon, it’s already quarter after 10!”
“Oi! Are you serious?” she said only half to Molly.
“Get up, lets go down to the common room, shall we? Hmmm?” Minerva let herself be pulled up by Molly, and shoved her off so she could take a shower in peace. I hate being a cat for more then 1 hour at a time… it’s tiring, and I forget what it’s like to be human. she thought, washing her hair. Her body ached from sleeping on the ground, and curled up as a cat. Dressing was a bigger problem, it took her almost twice the time it usually did. But, she had to admit, the shower felt good, and she was *almost* back to normal. Molly was waiting for her at the largest table in the common room, along with Peter, Remus, Sirius, James and… Arthur.
“Sleep well last night, Minny?” Arthur asked in a sarcastic voice. Sirius shot him a look that silenced him. Minerva started on her toast, listening to conversation.
“No,” James was saying “I think our friend Severus is up to something.”
“What though? He’s probably just trying to make trouble.” Remus said.
“Well, I know a way to get him back if he *does* make trouble, something that will teach him a lesson for years and years to come.” Sirius’ lips turned up in an evil grin. “Well? Don’t you guys want to know what it is?” he asked, running his hands up and down together, like they were cold, the grin still on his face.
“Not really.” Remus said, James and Peter shook their heads. Sirius looked as if his fun was spoiled.
“Fine, fine, *fine*”
“Your awfully *quiet*, Minny.” Arthur said. Minerva flashed her eyes upon him.
“Your awfully nosy, Arthur.” She said with a sarcastic smile. Arthur not only returned the same smile, but got up and left. Molly followed him, trying to get something out of him.
“That was cruel, Minny.” James said.
“Yes, but he fully deserved it.” Remus said. The common room slowly emptied, leaving only the group of five. Minerva yawned, the toast that Molly had given her was gone.
“Did *you* sleep in, also?” she said, looking at each of them.
“Remus and Peter always do, but Sirius and I somehow manage to get up…somewhat on time.” James said. “I mean, can you blame Remus? But Peter *ALWAYS*, no matter what sleeps in.”
“It was kinda funny to see Molly come down here saying ‘I can’t believe her, sleeping in ‘till all hours of the day!’ I think ol’ sir Arthur is getting suspicious though,” Sirius pointed out. “You guys are awfully lucky, though, we have *only* afternoon classes today.”
“Why?! It’s the weekend!” Peter put in.
“Because, tomorrow we have half the day off, due to the Halloween Feast, you stupid git.”
“Oh my god, we do!” Minerva said, grabbing her book bag. “I have to go find Flitwick! ‘bye guys! See you, Remus!”
“I’ve never seen someone so eager to see a Professor.” Sirius said, shaking his head.
“Professor, when did you want to start on the decorations?” Minerva said, running up to Professor Flitwick. “Oh, Minerva. I don’t think we’ll need you this year, you look tired, go take a nap.” He advised her. Minerva opened her mouth to protest, but then made her way to the library, where Lily and Molly were studying.
“Minerva, you don’t happen to know what what’s-his-face gave us for Potions do you?” Lily said to her. “No, Lily, I wasn’t paying attention, sorry.”
“We can’t figure it out, we’ve been asking *everyone* and *nobody* knows” Molly said, putting down her parchment and quill with a smack.
“Are you sure he gave us something?”
“Yes I’m SURE!” Molly yelled, “He ALWAYS gives us something!” Minerva looked at Molly, her red hair was making her eyes look on fire—or were they really?
“What’s wrong with you?”
“She and Arthur are um—having a few—problems.” Lily explained.
“Go talk to mourning Myrtle, she’ll straighten you right out.” Minerva said, looking down at her Charms homework.
“Very funny Minny. *You* don’t have these problems.”
“No, but I’ve got problems all my own!”
“I feel bad, and your telling me to go see Myrtle! Your problems aren’t as bad as mine!”
“You’d be surprised, Molly.” Minerva said, then turned to Lily and nodded. “See you later Lily.” Lily nodded. Sometimes I think Lily can read my thoughts, she knows every time exactly what I’m talking about. Minerva looked down at her watch, cursing herself, early lunch was in 5 minutes, it would take her atleast 10 to reach the great hall.
“Hey!” Minerva had just bumped into someone on her way. She bent down to help pick up their stuff.
“Sorry—“ she looked up “Severus” *why* do I always end up bumping into these people. she thought hurrying on.
She entered the great hall, only 10 minutes late. She took a seat between Remus and James, across from Molly and –Arthur, they had obviously patched up their differences.
Molly was looking at her. “Everything all right, Molly?” She said, shaking out a napkin. She felt two kicks, one from her left and one from her right.
“Ouch!” She said, rubbing her legs. She closed one eye and looked at Remus, scowling. He shrugged,
“Don’t push it with Molly, she’s *not* in a good mood.” He whispered.
“She’s got it in for you, today, Minny.” James quietly said. Minerva ignored Molly and looked up at the enchanted ceiling, angry gray clouds clustered it.
Minerva felt tricked out of her weekend, having to go to evening classes. She looked down at the small piece of parchment that had been handed out to them at lunch.
Potions- Slytherin
Charms- Huffelpuff
Transfiguration- Ravenclaw
History of Magic- Slytherin
She snorted. So much for that nap.
“Oh, did someone wake up?” She heard a cackle.
“Peeves, go away.”
“No, I think I’ll stay.” She was then pelted with Fall leaves.
“Quit it!” She ran the rest of the way to Potions. The room was wild, Professor Kobert wasn’t in yet, otherwise, there would be no wildness. She sat at a table next to Lily and Remus, and put her head down on the table.
“What’d you do? Go out for a walk in the Forbidden Forest?” Remus said picking a leaf out of her hair.
“Peeves.”
“I hate that little man.” Lily said. Minerva picked her head up.
“What’s wrong with Molly?”
“Where would you like me to start?” Lily asked, Minerva gave her a questioning look. “Well, the #1 thing with Arthur.”
“What happened between them anyway? I’ve never seen her mad at Arthur before.” Remus said, tipping his chair back. Minerva pulled it forward. “You’re going to crack your head open.” He only shrugged.
“I don’t know exactly what happened, but I just know that this morning when she got up, she was really mad about something.”
“No wonder she was so violent in waking me.”
“I also think she’s jealous.”
“*Of what??*”
“Everyone! She’s not as good of friends with *anyone* as we are with each other! She probably feels that she doesn’t have anyone…”
“She *has* Arthur…” Minerva said.
“Oh, come off it Minny!” Remus said, again tipping back, he put his hands behind his head.
“REMUS! YOU ARE GOING TO BREAK YOUR NECK OR CRACK YOUR HEAD OPEN, QUIT LEANING BACK!!”
“Go Minny!” Sirius said, coming up with James and Peter.
“We were just talking about Arthur and Molly.” Lily said to James.
“Oh *him*.” Sirius said, looking disgusted.
“What’s with you?” Lily said, James shook his head.
“Arthur has been nosing about in our business, too much lately, he’s—“
“SIT DOWN BLACK! DO YOU WANT ME TO SEPPERATE YOU FROM YOUR FRIENDS? QUIET EBERYONE! GET OUT THE INGREDIANTS I TOLD YOU TO GATHER LAST WEEK!” Sirius sat, everyone shut up and got ready for a unbearable potions class.
“New lab partners today!” Kobert barked “I’ll choose them! When I call out your name stand here at the front, I will then partner you up with a different gender.”
“Albbot!” Lily stood up reluctantly. “Weasley! You two are together.”
“Black!” Sirius hesitated and got up. “Yuma! Your together.” Sirius turned green.
“Doyle!” Minerva saw Molly get up. “Malfoy! Together!
“Eerek! Mitela!"
“Erle! Tele!”
“Jynx! Rochel!”
“Lupin!” Remus got up and went to stand by Kobert. “Blaque” Remus did what looked like an impression of a fish out of water.
“McGongall!” Minerva walked slowly to the front of the room. Please no one bad… please… “Riddle!” Remus and Sirius made stifled noises when Tom came to stand at the front. Kobert went through the alphabet. Peter Pettegrew and Tia Uela were put together. An evil sneer came across Kobert’s queer face. “Potter” Grim and quiet, James walked to the front of the room. “Potter, Potter, who shall we put you with? You’ll have to work in a 3 person group… but who? Not Eerek, nor Erle, nor Malfoy…, no I won’t put you with Black. Potter, you chan choose from all the groups except for, Albbot’s, Doyle’s, Eerek’s, Erle’s, Blacks, and Pettegrew’s…” James went with Remus, but got chewed out by Peter, Remus and Sirius for not joining Minerva’s group, (“Your going to let her work by herself with—That?!” “This is Tom’s revenge! Remus is right!”)
Potions did not go too bad, although the fact that she had 5 pairs of eyes on her every second. Like said before, Minerva was the only one in her little ‘groupie’ on speaking terms with Tom. He’s not *that* bad of a guy…only a little…
After potions, it was on to charms, where Flitwick made them all practice creating charms, because “All your homework was unacceptable”. She was also questioned by Sirius, Remus, Peter, Lily, and James about Tom.
“Was he rude to you?” Remus asked.
“Did he ask you any questions about us?” Peter said.
“Did he get you a bad grade?” James said.
“What did he SAY to you?” Sirius inquired.
“LEAVE ME ALONE!! HE WASN’T RUDE, HE DIDN’T ASK ANY QUESTIONS, HE DIDN’T GET ME A BAD GRADE AND HE SAID PRACTICALLY NOTHING TO ME!” she yelled and created a bucket of water to dump on Remus’ head.
Next was transfiguration, Minerva’s best subject. They were told to turn Rocks and other solid objects into living things. Minerva, sitting at a table with Lily, James and Remus, had just turned a pillow into a pig and back. She sighed, she wanted to go to sleep.
“WAKE UP, MISS MCGONGALL”
“I wasn’t sleeping professor! I’m done!” After a near collision with her transfiguration teacher, she walked out of transfiguration for the first time in her life. She was going to wait until everyone else came out of the classroom. She sat down by the door. Soon the door opened, Lily and Remus came out and sat by Minerva.
“What’s wrong, I’ve never seen you like this.” Remus said.
“I don’t know, *everything* Molly, Arthur,” she looked at him “*you* know what I’m talking about, *also*.”
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have told them that they could bring you, I didn’t know you would feel like this.” Lily looked like ‘I have no idea what your talking about’. Minerva hugged Remus, a few tears streaked down her face. “How could I not?” she said over his shoulder. He made her look at him.
“Don’t cry on account of me, I’m fine.” Minerva managed a smile and nodded.
“Did I miss something here?” Lily asked. Minerva looked at her. She debated telling her their secret, but figured that was up to Remus and James.
“C’mon, let’s get out of here, we still have History of Magic with Binns, you can fall asleep there.”
“I WASN’T SLEEPING!”
“Okay, okay, I believe you” Lily laughed, and they made their way into the halls, to get lost? Or to find their way?
THE END
Disclaimer: The characters of the Harry Potter books (Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, James and Lily Potter, Molly and Arthur Weasley, Lucis Malfory, Tom Riddle ext.) don’t belong to me, but the characters of Eerek, Mitela, Erle, Tele, Jynx, Rochel, and Tia Uela (ext.) do.