Chapter Forty-Seven

"I happen to know that Minerva's been in love with him for griffin's years."

Minerva's brother and his little family arrived back in Scotland on 19th May, and the McGonagalls gathered for a family dinner the following weekend. Einar was obviously surprised to meet Albus Dumbledore there.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Professor," he said, shaking the elder wizard's hand.

"The pleasure is mine, Mr McGonagall." To Katherine, Albus said, "Mrs McGonagall, I must say you don't look at all changed from the day you left Hogwarts. And this must be Morrigan."

The eight-month-old began to cry, perhaps frightened by Albus's long beard or his high hat...or perhaps she simply didn't like his looks...and her mother said, "Oh, now, this is Professor Dumbledore, and he's a very nice man. I promise, he doesn't bite."

Albus withdrew from his pocket a copper Knut and pointed his wand at it, saying, "Mutatio Draconem!" The Knut became a plush purpledragon, albeit a very benign-looking one. Albus held it out to the child, who reached for it immediately. After looking at it quizzically for a few moments, Morrigan put one of the toy's ears in her mouth and started gnawing at it vigorously.

"She's teething," Katherine explained. "But I think you've won her over."

As she chewed, the child's enormous brown eyes were fixed on Albus.

Over dinner, Einar told the group about the detail he had done in Paris and the differences in the way Muggle relations were handled in France.

"They aren't nearly as zealous with Obliviation as we are," Einar said. "They only send a crew when there's been a large-scale incident. When it's just a few people, they figure the story will run its course, and most Muggles will chalk it up to a touch of barminess on the part of the witnesses. They've only got two Obliviators in their whole department."

"Fascinating," said Albus.

"I do hope you can convince our Ministry to take the same attitude," said Morna. "I'm quite certain there were several Muggles in Tinworth when I was growing up who were made quite funny by repeated Obliviation."

"You grew up in Tinworth, Madam MacLaughlin?" Dumbledore asked

"Yes, it was my mother's family's home. Although we left when I was nine and relocated to Mull to be closer to my father's mother, who was unwell."

"My father was born in Tinworth. Much before you were, of course," Albus said.

"Not so very much more, I suspect," said Morna. "In any event, I don't remember a Dumbledore family. Are they still in Tinworth?"

"No. My father was the last of his family to live there. He settled in Mould-on-the-Wold after completing his apprenticeship. He died some years ago, and my late mother moved the family to Godric's Hollow."

The brief silence told Albus that the elder members of Minerva's family, anyway, knew the circumstances of Percival Dumbledore's death.

After a moment, Thorfinn asked, "Did ye know Bathilda Bagshot, the historian?"

"Yes. She was our neighbour. Still is, as a matter of fact."

"'Tis a small world, then. I studied with her after leaving Hogwarts."

"A small world indeed. She helped our mother with our early magical education."

"You have brothers and sisters, Professor?" asked Einar.

"Just one brother, Aberforth."

Thorfinn asked, "Is he still in Godric's Hollow?"

"No. He lives in Hogsmeade now."

"That must be nice to have him nearby," said Katherine.

Albus simply said, "Yes."

"You said Madam Bagshot is still your neighbour," Morna said. "Does that mean you've kept your family's home in Godric's Hollow, Albus?"

"Yes. The house still belongs to me, in part."

"Will you and Minerva make your home there, do you think? When you're not at Hogwarts, I mean."

"Gran," Minerva said, "I don't think this is the time to discuss it."

"Wait," Einar said. "What do you mean 'make their home there'? Why would Minerva live in Godric's Hollow with Professor Dumbledore?"

"Because they're going to be married. Why else?" said Morna with a satisfied smile.

"Married?" squeaked Einar, turning to Minerva. "You and Professor Dumbledore?"

"Yes. Albus and I," said Minerva. "And I'll thank you to close your mouth. It's most unattractive the way you're gawping, Einar."

"Well ..." said a very flustered Einar, "excuse me, Minerva, but this is a bit of a shock. And when exactly were you going to tell me this?"

"Tonight, actually. I was going to tell you after dinner, until Gran let the Kneazle out of the bag," Minerva said, glaring at her grandmother, who was still smiling beatifically.

"Congratulations, Minerva, Professor," Katherine McGonagall said with a pointed glance in her husband's direction.

"I think, under the circumstances, you should call me Albus," Dumbledore said. "You as well, of course, Mr McGonagall," he said to Einar.

"Einar," said Einar faintly. "Call me Einar."

"Very well, Einar," said Albus. "This is rather a surprise, I understand."

"No. Well, yes. That is ... Minerva is ... you're ..." stammered Einar.

"Perhaps, Einar, it would be best to justoffer your congratulations," Thorfinn said.

"Yes. Right. Congratulations, Professor," said Einar. "And best of luck," he added, grinning at his sister.

"Thank you," Dumbledore said.

As they were leaving, once they had got past the protective barrier around the McGonagall estate, Albus said to Minerva, "Well, that was rather awkward, wasn't it?"

"Yes. And I'm sorry. Gran can be difficult at times. I don't know what she was thinking, blurting it out like that."

"It's no matter. But your brother was rather taken aback."

"Only because he worships you. I'm sure he thinks I'm not nearly good enough for you."

"Don't be silly, Minerva. He obviously adores you."

"Oh, I didn't mean that there's anything amiss in our relationship," she said. "It's just that he's my brother. He knows my foibles and weaknesses in a way you don't. Yet."

"I look forward to encountering them." He looked around, and, seeing no one, drew her into his arms and kissed her.

~oOo~

As summer went by and the beginning of the autumn term loomed, Minerva decided to look for a small house in Hogsmeade.

With the pressures of a school full of children eased for the summer, she and Albus had been able to spend quite a few afternoons, several nights, and even another weekend at out-of-the-way Muggle inns around Scotland, but the reality of meeting in small rooms for a few hours at a time soon eclipsed any romance it had once added to their trysts. Besides, it was becoming bloody expensive, and Albus always insisted on paying, despite her protests. He wasn't hurting for ready funds, Minerva thought, but neither was he a wealthy man, and the unnecessary expense was beginning to stick in her thrifty craw.

And there was the matter of their living arrangements once term began again. As a day teacher, she had no compelling reason to occupy rooms in the castle, and although the governors could not object to her sharing quarters with Albus once they were married, it would mean their relationship would be on display for all to see, something she thought they both were keen to avoid. Moreover, Minerva wasn't sure she wanted to live at such close quarters with anyone, even Albus. She and Amelia had got on well enough as roommates back in their London days, but since then, Minerva had found she liked living alone. After years in her small flat in Oxford, sharing a house with Charity Burbage, even as seldom as Minerva was there, had been an annoyance, despite the fact that Charity had been a mostly unobtrusive landlady.

When she broached the subject of getting a house to Albus, he agreed that it would be a good idea, so Minerva set about trying to find a suitable property. She was disappointed, however, to find that they would be unable to get a Floo connection to Albus's quarters or, indeed, any part of Hogwarts. The school's security enchantments prevented it, and Albus was, as he put it "disinclined" to tinker with the arrangement. He had become much more concerned with security, she thought, since Tom Riddle had got into the school, and Minerva could hardly blame him.

She decided to look for a house with a small garden in the back; not that she was keen on gardening, but it would allow for more privacy if she and Albus could Apparate to and from the putative house from a relatively private space.

Within a week, she had found a prospect. It was a very small but well-kept cottage at the south-eastern edge of the village and boasted a tiny garden just off the kitchen. There were two bedrooms, a small sitting room, and a dining room, which she suspected she'd end up co-opting as a makeshift office, as she had done in her flat in Oxford.

The witch who was selling the cottage wanted thirty-two hundred Galleons for it, which seemed outrageous to Minerva's rather parsimonious sensibilities, but when she talked it over with Albus, he assured her that the price sounded fair.

"But you haven't seen it," said Minerva.

Albus said, "No, but based on the selling price for other similarly-sized houses in the area, thirty-two hundred doesn't seem excessive. Is it in good condition?"

"It seems to be," conceded Minerva, "but I would like you to see it before I make an offer."

"My dear, what reason would you give the owner for bringing me?"

He had a point.

"I imagine you're right," Minerva said. "But it seems odd for me to buy a house without you even seeing the place. I had hoped you might want to spend some time there with me."

"I shall, rest assured. If you like it, I'm sure I will as well."

"It's small."

"I won't mind having to be close to you, then," he said.

She thought he was being a bit too glib, and said so.

"Minerva, if it suits the purpose...having a comfortable place for you to live where I can visit on days off and holidays...and you like it, it will suit me just fine, I am certain. In any event, I don't see that either of us will be spending a great deal of time there."

"Summers," she said.

"Well, yes. But if we find ourselves bumping elbows, you can also come to the castle during the summer, as I do have to be there at least some of the time. Besides, I thought we could travel some during the summer, if you like."

She did like. She liked very much.

So the offer was made and accepted, and Minerva found herself the mistress of a property for the first time in her life. By the last week of August, she had moved her few things from Charity Burbage's cottage, and she set to work finding some furniture...at least enough to make things comfortable for the time being; she could always Transfigure anything else she needed until she could find proper furnishings. To her amusement, Amelia Bones turned out to be a keen shopper, and she helped Minerva select a dining table, some chairs, a settee, and a brass bed.

When the magical delivery serviceman had unShrunk the bed in the larger bedroom and received his gratuity of two Sickles with the tip of his hat, Amelia said, "Right. That's that, then. Now all you need are some bedclothes and someone to share them with."

Amelia was looking at Minerva, a typically mischievous twinkle in her eye, no doubt expecting an eye roll or other such indication of disapproval from her prim friend.

So she was surprised when Minerva said, "Actually, Amelia, I do have someone in mind."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes."

Minerva turned and pretended to be dusting the floorboard with her wand.

"Well? Who is it?"

Minerva took wicked pleasure in saying, "I'll tell you about it at tea on Sunday."

"You wouldn't want to toy with a high-ranking member of Magical Law Enforcement, Minerva," said Amelia in mock warning.

"'High-ranking' is it now?"

"Higher than you managed, my dear Miss McGonagall," said Amelia, "before you ran away to join the academic circus."

"Yes, well ... I rather prefer the monkeys at Hogwarts to the ones at the Ministry. I still hold out some hope of socialising mine."

Amelia laughed. "You really aren't going to tell me about this mysterious beau, are you?"

"Not today, no."

"Witch."

In truth, Minerva hadn't quite made up her mind to tell Amelia about Albus, but she'd kept the secret from her dear friend for so long, it seemed, and there was little reason to hide it anymore. The Kneazle would be out of the bag come December, in any event.

The following Sunday, Minerva sat in the flat Amelia shared with Marlene McKinnon, whose scone had made it only halfway to her mouth, which now hung open in surprise.

"Well, say something," Minerva said.

"You sly thing!" Amelia cried. "You never even told me you were together!"

"I know, and I'm sorry," said Minerva. "We didn't tell anyone. We thought it best to be discreet."

Amelia looked at her partner, saying, "Oh, close your mouth, Lena. It's not that shocking."

"Sorry, but it is to me." Marlene glanced at Minerva. "Well, not shocking exactly, but really, really surprising. He was our teacher, so it's just odd to think of him as Minerva's..."

"Bedfellow?" Amelia finished.

Marlene and Minerva both glared at her. "I was going to say husband," Marlene said.

"Oh, well," said Amelia. "I guess it's not such a shock to me, since I happen to know that Minerva's been in love with him for griffin's years."

"Really, Amelia," Minerva objected.

"You have," said Amelia, "don't try to deny it. I have access to Veritaserum, you know."

"Just how long have you been seeing him, Minerva? Don't tell me you decided to step into the Transfiguration professor's ... erm ... shoes at Hogwarts because you fancied him," Marlene said with a smirk.

"Oh, don't you start," Minerva said to her.

Amelia laughed at her friend's discomfort. "Relax, Minerva. We're just taking the piss. We're delighted for you, aren't we Lena?"

"Of course," Marlene confirmed.

"Thank you."

"So, is it true about Dumbledore's wand?" Amelia asked. "I've heard he can do amazing things with it."

"That's it," said Minerva, standing. "If I'd wanted adolescent attempts at humour, I'd have stayed at Hogwarts."

"Oh, now, don't get all starchy on us," said Amelia. "Besides, you deserve a little teasing for having kept me in the dark for so long."

Minerva could hear the undercurrent of hurt under Amelia's words, and she sat down again.

"I suppose I do," she said. "But you do understand why we needed to keep things quiet, don't you?"

"Sure," said Amelia. She added, "But I can keep a secret, you know, Minerva."

Merlin, she was really hurt.

"I know you can. And I'm sorry for not telling you earlier. I just have a hard time discussing these things, as you know."

"I know. And it's fine," Amelia said, and Minerva felt that all was mended, or mostly mended. Amelia wasn't one to hold a grudge, and of course, she didn't know precisely how long Minerva had truly been keeping her secret.

~oOo~

Three days before term began, Albus came to see the house, and Minerva was surprised to find that he had brought Filius with him.

"Filius has kindly offered to help us set the wards for the house. He's far more skilled than I, and I daresay he's better than most professional services," Albus said.

"That's very kind of you, Filius," said Minerva.

"It's my pleasure, Minerva," replied the Charms master. "I stopped trusting the so-called professional services when the best-known of them hired one of my former apprentices. Emphasis on the 'former'. The young lady in question was utterly hopeless, yet they hired her not two months after I had dismissed her for incompetence." Filius shook his head at the memory.

"Disconcerting indeed," said Albus.

"Service just isn't what it once was," said Filius. "Now, what kinds of enchantments did you have in mind, Minerva? The sky's the limit, as they say."

The three discussed it a bit, and, at Albus's urging, Minerva settled on a fairly restrictive set of protective charms. Like many witches and wizards, she had already decided to prevent Apparition directly into the house itself; unlike most, she also opted to prevent anyone but herself and Albus from Apparating into the yard. Albus insisted on the added security, but Minerva's motives were equally ones of privacy. She didn't want anyone to be able to see into the back window from the small yard. All other visitors would have to ring the front bell, on which Filius also cast a complicated enchantment that would reveal if the visitor had altered his or her appearance, either through use of a glamour or Polyjuice Potion.

"That's most impressive," said Albus.

"Thank you," said Filius. "It's a charm of my own invention, actually. I'm quite proud of it. Although, to give credit where credit is due, Horace did help me in working out some of the kinks related to the potion detection.

"Now, Minerva, I can also add a few charms that will alert you to specific visitors as they approach the perimeter of the wards. It will also tell you who has come by in your absence, but for that, I will need something from each individual you wish me to add. A piece of hair is customary, but anything biological will do."

"Oh, I need to think about that," said Minerva. "My family, I suppose, and a few friends."

"Very well," said Filius. "Why don't you just collect what we need from everyone you'd like me to add, and I'll come back and set the charm, all right?"

"Yes, thank you."

Filius hesitated for a moment, unsure if he should speak, but he decided that, in this case, discretion was not the better part of valour. "I also would recommend, wherever possible, to add to the charm anyone you feel might be a threat to your safety." His glance at Albus was heavy with meaning.

"There are those individuals, of course," said Albus. "But alas, one can hardly ask one's enemy for a lock of hair."

Filius couldn't help smiling. "As it so happens, Albus, I may have the very thing we need."

From his robe pocket, Filius produced a small envelope. "During our security breach this spring, I managed to take a few hairs from the head of ... the intruder." He opened the envelope and withdrew a small tuft of short, black hair, holding it up for Albus and Minerva to examine.

"Filius Flitwick, my clever fellow!" exclaimed a delighted Albus. "How ever did you manage it?"

"Oh, it was easy. A very focussed slicing charm, performed wandlessly and wordlessly, followed by a silent Accio did the trick," said Filius, blushing now.

"Well done, man! I might have known you'd think of that," said Albus.

"Is that really Tom Riddle's hair," asked Minerva, peering at it with a look of mild disgust.

"Indeed it is," said Filius.

Later, after Filius had left, Minerva asked Albus what Filius knew about Tom Riddle.

"I have not shared all my concerns about Tom with him," Albus said, "but he's quite aware of what a threat I believe Riddle to be to the school, and he suspects something of Riddle's interest in you. "

"You haven't told him about that, Albus, have you?" said Minerva, distressed.

"I didn't have to, my dear. He knew that Tom performed Legilimency on you at the duel, and he's quite capable of filling in the blanks himself."

"I see."

She didn't know exactly why it bothered her, but the idea of anyone else knowing about Tom's seeming obsession with her made her very uncomfortable.

More than forty years in the future, Minerva would find that her privacy had become just another casualty of the war between Albus Dumbledore and Tom Riddle, but by then, it would hardly matter to her anymore.