A Cat's Tail: Minerva McGonagall Fan Fiction

Chapter 19

"Minerva, what's going on?" Minerva was in Dumbledore's office, being thoroughly grilled on what Minerva suspected was the subject of Tom Riddle. "You seem...worn out," 

"I'm fine, honestly. I'm just adapting to my workload," Dumbledore could see that Minerva wasn't going to tell him anything.

"Well, I recommend you look at Occlumency, very interesting read...If you ever feel the need, my door is always open," That rang a bell...Minerva felt terrible lying to her favourite teacher, but what could she do? She knew Tom Riddle wasn't one for empty threats. 

"Ah! Little miss Gryffindor, you seem to turn up wherever I go," Minerva bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from exploding, the metallic taste filling her mouth. "Don't ignore me. After all, you can never escape me," Tom grinned his haunting grin. Minerva didn't understand how girls could melt at the icy venom that Tom radiated. Minerva turned to walk away, but Tom Riddle yelled: "Stupefy!" Minerva was propelled onto the floor.

"Wingardium-" Minerva started to say the only spell that came to mind.

"Expelliarmus!" Tom caught Minerva's wand. "Petrificus Totalus!" He smiled down at her.

"You can't move. Feels weird, no?" Tom found a thrill from other people's pain, especially this Dumbledore favoured Gryffindor. "That's not half of what I can do!" 

"Mhmm! Nhmm!" Minerva struggled to push out some words.

"I'll break you," Tom whispered, centimetres from her face. Then he walked off, leaving Minerva laying in the middle of a corridor, completely paralysed. Somehow, no one came to the corridor for at least an hour before she heard echoing footsteps.

"I wonder why no one has come to get you yet, little miss Gryffindor?" Tom asked, hints of sarcasm in his voice. Was he controlling the corridor? Minerva looked around properly for a second. It wasn't one she recognised. Tom muttered the counter curse, and Minerva got up instantly and bolted, running like a newborn giraffe. Tom's manic laughter followed Minerva.

Minerva staggered back to her dorm. She was a bit shaken by Dumbledore's slightly intimidating stature, but more so by Tom Riddle's. 

"Hey! Minnie! Are you ok?" Hagrid came up behind her and touched her shoulder. "You look...tired..." Minerva blushed slightly as she caught Hagrid's eye. 

"I'm fine, just, yeah...tired..." 

"Minerva! I need your potions essay right now!" Ria dragged Minerva up the stairs, and Minerva mouthed sorry at Hagrid. 

"Ria!" 

Minerva woke up as the first morning light was spilling through the window. It was the nightmares. They were getting worse. Unable to get back to sleep, she quietly got dressed and slipped down the stairs to the library. 

Minerva grabbed a few books like Magic Through The Ages, Slightly More Advanced Magic and Unconventional Spells. She searched until she heard the buzz of the rest of the school

"Where'd you go?" Affrodille asked. Minerva, Ria, Iris and Ivy all froze and Hagrid spat his juice out (by accident!). 

"Woah, you didn't sound French at all when you said that!" Iris gasped.

"You're losing your accent a bit!" Ivy agreed.

"Unlike these two over here!" Ria laughed gesturing to Minerva and Hagrid. They were both scrubbing at the front of Hagrid's uniform desperately. "The bonnie wee skwatish girl and yer friend Hagrid form the wes' country!" Minerva and Hagrid rolled their eyes at the terrible impersonations of their accents.

"Today we will be turning beetles into buttons. We had our theory lesson yesterday, so you should all know what to do. You may begin," Dumbledore was teaching the second years their last transfiguration lesson before the Christmas holidays. He could tell the class were restless, but he wanted to get this one spell taught before the holidays. He looked around at the class struggling to turn the beetles (if they were still around) into buttons. Dumbledore paused when he got to Minerva's table.

"Professor, I've done it," Minerva didn't look the slightest bit proud about the fact she'd completed a complicated spell for the first time in five minutes. 

"Congratulations! Class, see how Minerva's button doesn't have legs or any other features of a button," Dumbledore smiled at her.

"Yer really good a' Transfiguration, yer know," Hagrid frowned down at his beetle. "I feel bad turning it in ter a button," 

"You can change it back you know," Minerva guided Hagrid through the spell for the rest of the lesson.

"For homework can please write an essay on this particular spell and read chapters 6 and 7," The class groaned collectively, but Minerva didn't mind all that much. It was something to do over the holidays.

"Minerva, could you stay behind for a moment," Minerva looked over at Hagrid, gesturing for him to meet her outside. "How are you finding Transfiguration Today?"

"I've been correcting a few of their articles, professor. They didn't have very good tips on the hand movement of feraverto, but I'm enjoying it very much," Dumbledore smiled at Minerva. She really was one bright student.

"I'd recommend you read Magic Of The Mind, it has a good section on Occulumency, and I have a little something for you," Dumbledore handed Minerva a wrapped parcel.

"Thank you! I have something for you too! I'm sorry it's not very well wrapped," Minerva handed Dumbledore a badly wrapped package. "I thought the Santas looked a little like you," Minerva grinned cheekily.

"I don't have a long white beard, thanks very much," He laughed. "Anyway, you go and enjoy the snow and mistletoe, young love is warming even on the coldest nights," Dumbledore winked at her and Minerva went a little red. 

"Let's have a snowball fight!" Ria yelled in the middle of the Gryffindor common room. The grounds ended up being packed with Gryffindors, snowballs flying everywhere.

"Ivy! I'm going to get you for that!" Minerva shrieked running after her. Whilst she was chasing her, she slid on the ice. She yelped as she fell, but she felt strong arms around her.

"Thanks, Hagrid!" She blushed, feeling warm in the middle of the freezing cold. A snowball hit her in the face.

"IVY!" Minerva ran off again, and Hagrid smiled after her.

"Promise to write over the holiday?" Minerva hugged all her friends goodbye, and ran over to her mum. "Wow, what a term!"