Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Is all that Minerva McGonagall hears as she looks out the window of the library. The silence afterwards was almost as deafening as the noise outside itself. She watches as the figure that was hit fall to the ground, landing a few feet back from where they were standing only a moment before. The red flashes that hit the figure vanished as people began yelling and screaming.
Minerva is brought out her thoughts by this and heads out the library towards the scene, just outside Hagrid's hut. The familiar figure had been trying to stop the Aurors that were surrounding Hagrid, the half-giant being attacked as well but was far to big to be affected by the stunning spells. Hagrid had dealt with the Aurors after they attacked the figure and had been forced to flee. Minerva could only hope that the giant would be okay, unlike the body that lay on the grass.
As Minerva McGonagall exits the main door and is about to continue towards Hagrid's hut, she is stopped by the one who ordered the attack. Dolores Umbridge. Minerva should of expected nothing less from the walking corpse of satan himself, but in the form of a short women who wore pink and had an odd thing for cats.
"Ah Minerva. She tried to stop the Aurors from doing their job. She got what she was asking for!" Dolores Umbridge let out that cutesy laugh she had, well thought she had, Minerva frowns before looking over the other women's shoulder.
She? The figure was familiar and Umbridge had indeed said she. Minerva had to swallow her gag as her thoughts rose. 'What if the person was Poppy?' Was the question that screamed in neon red in Minerva's brain. But it couldn't be. Poppy Pomfrey, the school matron, would be sat in her office filling out accident forms and waiting for Minerva to come and bring her to bed. Minerva took a deep breath and silently told herself that her wife was safe and sound.
The Transfiguration teacher walked past Umbridge and quickly walked towards the still body. But her quick walking soon become sprinting as she recognised the white apron that she had tied only this morning for her wife. She silently prayed she was seeing things and she would not be greeted by the sight of her lovers body.
God had never answered Minerva McGonagall's prayers. Why start now?
Although her father was a priest and she had grown up hearing all about the Bible and God, she was never quite sure she believed in it. It wasn't until she met Poppy that she knew she didn't because Minerva discovered that she believed in no god or saint. She believed in Poppy Pomfrey.
The full body, that lay on the grass, soon came into Minerva's view and the sight was terrible. The stunning spells had hit directly against the figures chest and caused a giant gash. that was bleeding badly. Their ribs were likely broken and punctured a lung as the figure landed on their back. The blood that oozed out their mouth was awful. But Minerva could past all this blood and recognise her wife's beauty.
"Poppy." She gasped as she fell on her knees next to the other witch. She grasped Poppy's hand, not caring about the blood that stained them, and squeezed it tight. She held her breath until she felt a very faint squeeze back from her. "Poppy stay with me." she mumbled as she tried to stop the bleeding. She was stopped before she even grabbed her wand.
"Min." The weak voice of Poppy Pomfrey whispered, Minerva stared at the eyes of her wife that slowly grew dimmer. The look she gave her told Minerva everything she needed. Poppy Pomfrey would not be surviving this.
"I'm sorry." Minerva sobbed as she moved to hold her wife's head in her lap. Poppy slowly shook her head before giving her one last smile. "Stay strong,love." she drew one last breath before closing her eyes and going limp.
Minerva gasped as Poppys hand slid from her own, going limp at her side. She kissed her forehead before sobbing into her wife's neck. "No no no, come back. Please." She begged between her sobbing gasps. Her heart had been shattered when only moments ago she was getting ready to see the now deceased nurse. If only she had been quicker at getting her paperwork done, if only she hadn't stopped in the library to grab a book than maybe she would still have a wife.
She raised her head to see her wand had slipped out of her pocket, she picked it up and stared at it. She knew the spell that would make these feelings of hurt and sorrow disappear. She knew the spell that would allow her to see her wife again. But Poppy told you to be strong. For the kids and for her name. a voice in her head told her, she quickly threw the wand to the side and just stared at the still and cold body of her wife.
She knew people would be watching, she was aware of the kids in the Astronomy tower watching down at her trying to figure out what in Merlin's name had happened. She could just about see the crowd of people at the door that led outside, but she ignored it all as she took in her wife for the last time. Her beautiful blue eyes now shut, never to be seen again. Minerva would never hear Poppy giving her a lecture about not taking care of herself or that she was overworking herself. Poppy, Pomona Rolanda and herself would no longer share silly stories together as a four. But instead a three. Minerva pressed her lips to Poppy's forehead one last time, and took in the smell of Poppy's perfume that smelt of lavenders. She allowed herself this moment to mourn the loss of her soulmate. And if one moment became the rest of her life, nobody but herself had to know. For now, she watched her wife's soulless body as it lay still and cold in her arms.
Her Poppy slowly wilting away as flowers do eventually. She just didn't expect it so soon.