A Cat's Tail: Minerva McGonagall Fan Fiction

Chapter 27

"Morning," Minerva stumbled down the stairs, bleary eyes and looking like she'd been dragged through a hedge backwards. She did a double take when she saw Hagrid and her mum...baking.

"Morning sweetie! We're making cookies!" Minerva just nervously recalled the trips to the hospital wing after potions in the past two years. 

"Call me when you need an ambulance," She muttered, grabbing a glass of water and a piece of toast. 

"Thanks fer that," Hagrid laughed, and Minerva could feel her cheeks heating slightly. Not in front of her mum.

"All I can say is potions," And she walked out the room to owl Pomona. 

"Minnie, it's got worse. I just want to go to Hogwarts...but I don't want to leave Robbie in this mess..." Minerva hugged Malcolm tightly. 

"They'll stop...soon. They always have before," Malcolm sighed.

"Can we go swimming? It's a bit warmer today," Minerva nodded and they went down to the lake. They remembered the boat races before Minerva had gone to Hogwarts.

"Let's get the boats!" They ran back to the house, and Minerva grabbed her old toy boat with the words The Cat's Eye written in shining back letters down the side. Malcolm's was called The Shoebox. As they pushed their little toy boats out on the cold water, they laughed like they hadn't for years. 

"This summer, let's go on a real boat," Malcolm said breathlessly after they'd spent hours swimming and splashing and playing with the boats.

"I bet Dad could help us make one," Minerva smiled at the thought of exploring an actual lake, or maybe the nearby sea in a boat with her brother. 

"Do you have a crush on Hagrid?" Minerva thought about the card under her pillow.

"Malcolm!" He laughed and she chased him back to the house.

The next day, Minerva sat in the shed, playing the battered old piano. Minerva loved it, despite it being a bit out of tune and only a shell of its former glory. She'd taught herself to play, little by little since an especially argumentative Christmas. Minerva sat down and rested her fingers on the familiar keys, and began to play. Hagrid, who was standing outside, shivering at the wrath of Robert, felt instantly warmed by her sweet melodies.

"Where's that coming from?" Hagrid asked after pulling himself out of the dreamlike quality of the music.

"The shed. Minnie taught herself to play a few years ago," Hagrid carefully opened the door of the tiny, tumbledown shed. The door didn't open all the way, but Minerva didn't notice it hitting the piano. Hagrid looked around at all the dusty boxes packed like sardines, and finally, at Minerva, who was still oblivious to his presence. He climbed over a few boxes and she noticed him at last. She gestured for him to sit next to her. Hagrid squished in next to her on the stool, and he watched her play, this time a more chilling melody. He was completely engrossed in watching her fingers dance across the keys.

"Dinners ready," They were both jerked out of their reverie. Neither had even realised that time had passed. The shed was also freezing, and Hagrid realised that Minerva's lips were blue. Minerva's were completely numb from the cold and aching from the hard piano keys. 

"Coming," She murmured, her voice croaky. Hagrid smiled shyly at her.

"Yer really good," She looked away, blushing slightly. 

"We should go eat," She smiled too and looked back at him for a second. They sat a little bit closer after that, and that night, when Isobel looked in to check on Minerva, she saw that they were holding hands. She smiled to herself, remembering what it felt like to be young and in love.

To Professor Dumbledore,

I have found a glaring mistake in the latest issue of Transfiguration Today. It describes becoming animagi as a personal choice, implying that the type of animal you become is at your liberty. I'm not sure if I should owl them or not to inform them of their -rookie - mistake. I hope you are having a pleasant half term and thank you once again for gifting me the subscription.  

Minerva McGonagall

Dumbledore chuckled as he read the letter from one of his favourite and brightest students. She made him laugh with her seriousness, but she also inspired him with her ferocious ambition. He was glad at least some things were going his way. His recent 'confrontation' with

Minerva,

I am enjoying my half term very much, thank you, and I look forward to seeing you very soon. The wording does imply the meaning you mentioned. and would be happy to owl them for you. I am quite friendly with the head of publication at Transfiguration Today. Enjoy the rest of your half term

Professor Dumbledore

Minerva waved goodbye to her father, her brothers and her quaint little country house. As it all spun away from her, she smiled at the thought of going back to Hogwarts. The station bustled with people who looked uncomfortable in muggle clothing, and other's enjoying their swooping robes and hats. 

"Bye mum, I'll write," Minerva and Hagrid wondered off to their compartment, and found Affrodille already there with a scar running down the side of her face. Minerva tried not to look at it.

"How was your half term?" Minerva asked, sitting beside her.

"Grindelwald is in his own prison!" Minerva laughed lightly.

"How ironic!" Affrodille looked at her shoes.

"You can ask me about ze scar if you want. Grindelwald was in France when I was, and I was fairly near to an explosion. My family's still in hospital in France," Affrodille grimaced. Minerva hugged her.

"I'm so sorry!" Affrodille just held back the tears that she'd been trying not to cry.