A Cat's Tail: Minerva McGonagall Fan Fiction

Chapter 33

A/N: Hang on, hang on. Is there a connection with Guy Fawkes (that guy that nearly blew Parliament) and Fawkes the phoenix?? Wow! It took me like seven years to clock that and I'm English! We flipping celebrate him failing every November!

"That Slytherin guy is weird,"

"But hot," The girls were in the train toilet, having just put their uniform on. Minerva could hardly believe her ears. Tom was a slimy toad. Not hot!

"Come on, you can't deny it!" Ria exclaimed as Minerva spluttered.

"He's like a guy kissed a frog to try and get a princess, but because it was the other way round he turned into one!" Minerva wished she could tell them, but she couldn't.

"What, a Princess?" Affie laughed.

"A Frog!"

"That's because you've got a boyfriend," Iris pointed out, making Minerva go pink.

"W-Bu-I-" She rolled her eyes and walked out as her friends laughed. Hagrid was sitting by himself in the compartment, looking very lonely.

"Hagrid," Minerva smiled at him, and he put his arm around her shoulders. She leant his head on his shoulder.

"Minerva," He smiled back, his eyes crinkling at the corners of his burnt bronze eyes. They were silent for a moment, just drinking in each other's presence.

"Aw!"

"Ria!"

Malcolm fiddled with his new uniform. He didn't want to disturb Minerva, but he was really nervous. It didn't help that the other boy in his carriage wouldn't stop talking. Malcolm just wanted to read.

"Sorry, I'm going to go check on my sister, is that ok?" The other boy shrugged and Malcolm wandered down the rattling corridor. He finally found Minerva, chatting and laughing with people he faintly recognised. 

"Minnie, can I sit here for a bit?" Malcolm asked shyly. 

"Sure," Minerva smiled patting the seat next to her. 

"Aww! Your brother is so cute," They both just stared at Ivy. 

"Um..."

"And you look so alike!" That was true, wide green eyes, raven hair and long, lanky limbs. 

"And you sound so alike!" Malcolm looked completely surprised by this statement, but Minerva was used to the quips about her accent and rolled her eyes.

"Ok..."

"My little sister is starting 'Ogwarts this year too!"  Affrodille jumped up and walked round to the next carriage. "Amelie!" The girls couldn't the rest, but they could tell Affie was speaking in fluent French. 

"'Ello, I'm Amelie," A small girl with same petite features as Affrodille waved shyly from the door. Where Affrodille's silver hair tumbled down her back in long waves, Amelie's was cut short,  just tickling her chin. 

"This Malcolm," Minerva prodded her tongue-tied younger brother. 

"Hi!" 

"Ugh, this compartment is so squished! Why does everybody have so many siblings!" Ria moaned.

Minerva sat, sopping wet, stomach growling, in the middle of the warmly lit Great Hall hat had wet footprints decorating the floor. They'd trudged through mud and rain, and she could only imagine that her brother was going to be soaked. She was right, and he came in, dripping, wrapped in a large jumper that obviously wasn't his.

"AVERY, SCOTT!" The first name was called. Time ticked slowly.

"BROWN, CLARISSA!" Minerva was starving.

"McGONAGALL, MALCOLM!" Finally! Minerva sat up attentively. Malcolm's feet were squidging in his black trainers. Dumbledore lowered the hat onto Malcolm's head. There was a pause. Minerva's heart was beating fast. Hagrid squeezed her hand under the table.

"GRYFFINDOR!" Minerva cheered and grinned at Malcolm as he sat at the end of the table with Affrodille's sister. After the final name was called, Minerva breathed a sigh of relief and tucked into the food that materialised in front of her. 

"Double Potions! Really?" Minerva and Affrodille groaned.

"With the Slytherins as well," Hagrid grimaced. 

A few weeks later, just before the Quidditch tryouts were going to begin (not for her, obviously, she was already on the team!) Dumbledore called her to his office. She perched on the chair, breathing in all thje crazy knick-knacks Dumbledore possessed. Spinning things, sparkling things and creepy things. But the most amazing thing in Dumbledore's office was a phoenix.

The Phoenix was kissed with deep scarlet which mingled with blushing golds. Every time the creature turned its head, the light caressed its plumage, causing it to flash all the colours of the rainbow. 

"I see Fawkes has caught your eye," Dumbledore smiled his knowing smile, pushing his glasses up his crooked nose.

"Fawkes?"

"Mr Scamander gave him to me this summer," Minerva was still gawking at him.

"Fawkes as in Guy Fawkes? The guy we- I mean muggles, explode fireworks for every year?" Minerva wasn't exempt from the fifth of November festivities. She'd quite enjoyed the fireworks as a kid, but she obviously hadn't seen them since she'd started Hogwarts.

"That is correct. Anyway, we aren't here to talk about my dear Fawkes," Dumbledore tucked a strand of deep auburn hair flecked with silver behind his ear. "You know, as your head of house, I oversee Quidditch, among other things," Dumbledore paused. "This means I notice when an old school broom may bar us from, say, thrashing Slytherin," Minerva's heart was thrashing wildly in her chest. But she couldn't get her hopes up. Could she? "So...I think, my dear, that you're in dire need of a new broom, like a Cleansweep, shall we say? A brand spanking new one straight from Diagon Alley," Minerva's jaw hit the floor.

"Professor! This must be an elaborate joke!" She exclaimed refusing to believe that she was going to be receiving a top of the range, brand new broom.

"Ah, Minerva, I'm afraid not," Dumbledore grinned his youthful grin.

"No way!" She exclaimed, before calming down. "If you're sure professor..."

"You shouldn't hide your accent so much, it's very nice, suits you," Minerva blushed. "It's just this way, in the Gryffindor Quidditch store cupboard,"

The mahogany wood gleamed, curving like a wooden river. Cleansweep was proudly inscribed on the side in polished gold letters. Minerva reached out to touch it, just to check it was real. It was smooth and supple under her slender fingers. 

"And to make sure it doesn't get misplaced," Dumbledore winked and ran his thumb over the very bottom of the broom. 

"Minerva McGonagall," She read, breathlessly in raptures. Her name, neatly written in matching gold letters.

"My dear, I do believe you've grown!"