Which Witch

1946, somewhere in Scotland, U.K 

McGonagall is moving and trying to get off the hands of Madame Blainey as she treated her scraped knees from the quidditch match against Hufflepuff. She had accidentally fallen after flying too close to the grass and trying to duck a bludger. 

"Stop moving"  

"I'm fine, i don't need antiseptics, they'll get fixed on their own"  

"Ms. McGonagall, don't make me hex you-" she stopped suddenly and went to open the window where two first years were hiding "What on Earth are you two doing? Your friend is fine! Just come in by the bloody door!"  

"Those ain't my friends, I don't know them" Minerva said  

"McGonagall!" One of the girls- a rather chubby brown skinned girl- exclaimed and tried to hide from her  

"I'm Poppy! Poppy Pomfrey!" The other girl said, she was blonde with curly hair and blue eyes, her cheeks were red and her uniform was full of leaves. "I want to be a Healer when I grow up! I wanted to see how you healed her"  

"And you? who are you?" Madame asked the other girl 

"Pomoma Sprout, I don't want to be a healer... well, maybe, i don't know yet"  

"Mom and Dad went to the muggle war to heal people, disguised as muggle healers, my grandma says they're heroes, because muggle healing isn't as effective and if they're hadn't gone, much more people would have died"  

McGonagall knew millions of people had died on the muggle war. Her father talked about the war all the time, he hadn't been able to enlist as a soldier due to his breathing problems and an old injury from playing football as a teenager, but he talked about the war as if he had fought on it. McGonagall didn't have the heart to tell the girl her parents hadn't made much difference in the big picture. 

"Fine" Madame Blainey said and picked the girl up and brought her inside the room "If you keep your word you can come watch when you don't have homework but when I say out, you leave"  

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Poppy said hopping on her small feet.  

McGonagall, in that moment, spit a tooth on the floor. Pomona gasped from the window where she was leaning to see inside the infirmary. 

"Ms. McGonagall, where are your manners?" Madame said and grabbed the potion for bone recovery. She served a small glass and gave it to Minerva who swallowed it. 

"Isn't that supposed to taste like, awful?" Pomona asked 

McGonagall shuddered. Madame Blainey went on with her knees which after cleaning them, she fixed the scratches quickly. Then she looked at McGonagall for a second. 

"Stay for at least 20 min in case the potion makes you throw up... Ms Pomfrey will keep an eye on you. Now I need a cup of tea"  

Madame Blainey left and McGonagall looked at the two girls. 

"Its was a great match" Pomona said  

"Your house lost"  

"We got the snitch" Pomona said  

"So, what's your name" Poppy asked 

"McGonagall"  

"That's your surname, and I know that already, what's your first name? 

"Minerva" She murmured, she didn't liked her name much  

"After the goddess?" 

Minerva shuddered 

"It was my grandma's name but I never met her" Minerva said, it was true but she omitted the fact that she didn't like anything she had heard from the woman

"You're in second year, right?" Poppy asked 

"Yes"  

"And you're on the team, that's so cool" Poppy said "Howing told me it was hard to get into the teams if one was in first and second years. He's interested in quidditch, I'm not, I like watching matches. I find it fun but I'm not athletic, I don't want to play and to be honest, I'm a bit scared of heights"  

"You.... talk a lot" Minerva said  

"Yeah, Granny says I'm her little parrot but well, she says it in french"  

"Sorry to ask" Pomona added "Are you muggle-born? It's just, I don't think I've ever heard your last name"  

Minerva frowned 

"No, my mother is a witch, my father is a muggle but we're Scottish" She said "Not English. Do you have a problem with Muggle-borns?"  

"Godness no!" She said "Mum is a muggle-born herself, but she's also an orphan and well, Indian. Father comes from a witch family but they're alright with muggles"  

"Mother's maiden name was Ross" Minerva said lowering her guard 

"Scottish, I've never heard that last name before" Pomona said "What about you Poppy? Ever heard of it?"  

"My mama is french and Father's English, I don't recognize it." She said  

The door of the infirmary opened and Professor Albus Dumbledore came inside. He had just started growing a beard and wearing a rather curious pair of glasses shaped like half-moons. His short hair was starting to look more white than the reddish brown he used to have in his youth years. 

"Ms. McGonagall, I'm glad to find you're doing much better after your little fall on the match" 

"Yes, professor, thanks for worrying" Minerva said, sitting correctly on her bed, Poppy and Pomona stood up. "I'm much better, Madame Blainey cured the scratches and gave some potion for my tooth"  

"Then, I'll find you on the first row of my class on Monday"  

"A-absolutely, sir!"  

"Good! Ms. Sprout, Ms. Pomfrey, I hope you don't forget your essays on Tuesday afternoon"  

"It's already written Professor Dumbledore" Pomona said  

"It's almost done" Murmured Poppy  

Minerva knew she hadn't started it on that moment and tried not to laugh. Poppy seemed funny, Pomona looked more like a scaredy cat, but both girls seemed nice.  Albus Dumbledore wished Minerva a quick recovery and left the room, Madame Blainey came over and announced to Minerva that she had already sent a letter to her mother indicating her Minerva's injuries and treatment and to tell her she could go back to the Gryffindor dorms.  

Poppy and Pomona walked next to Minerva, Poppy whining about having to do her transfiguration homework. When they reached the stairs, the three made a short silence. 

"I uhm... I go upstairs" Minerva said "Gryffindor"  

"Yeah, we know" Poppy said and smiled "We go left to Hufflepuff"  

"So uhm... Good night, I suppose" Minerva said  

"Rest well Minerva! Hope that tooth grows back! you have a pretty smile" Poppy said smiling and McGonagall felt her cheeks reddening  

"Good night" Pomona said and smiled  

Minerva saw them walk way, Poppy was kind of skipping instead of walking and Pomona didn't raised her feet much. "They're weird girls" Minerva murmured and went to the Gryffindor tower where people were celebrating the victory by dancing to muggle music she'd never heard in her house.  

Next morning, Minerva was only half surprised when Poppy sat next to her in the Gryffindor table for breakfast and Pomona in front of her looking scared.  

"It's just a table, Pomona, nobody has enchanted it to bite Hufflepuffs... but i wouldn't trust the Slytherin table"  

Pomona smiled and laughed, Poppy murmured something like "See I told you!" but McGonagall kept eating while Poppy started a conversation about the classes and their teachers.  

Quickly, Minerva realized she was spending her days with the two younger girls whenever she wasn't in class or at quidditch practice. She had gotten familiar to their quirks, whenever she cut herself with paper Poppy would grab her hand and fix it with a quick charm, when ever she was feeling a bit under the weather, Pomona has the perfect tea for that. She could calm Pomona's anxiety with a joke and listen to Poppy ramble for hours.  

"Minnie!!!" Poppy came into the library 

she had found her a nickname, nobody had called Minerva "Minnie" before  

 "I need help" Poppy added 

"Has someone been mean to you?" Minerva asked and Poppy dropped in the chair next to her and hugged her. Pomona patiently sat on the chair in front of them  

"No.... well, yes, Professor Dumbledore sent me a ton of essays and I don't understand transfiguration"  

"You say that as if he had only sent you essays. I have as much essays as you" Pomona said  

"But they are easier for you! I need Minnie's help, everyone says she's the best of the best on transfiguration"  

"I'm not the best of the best, it kind of is my best subject" Minerva said  

"Always so modest Minerva, everyone know you're the best on your year. you get better grades than most Ravenclaws" Pomona said  

"Thats-"  

"And we know you were a hatstall" Poppy said 

"How do you know that?!"  

"Second year Hufflepuffs told us. They saw us hanging out and said you were scary and I told them you were as sweet as muffin" Poppy said 

"You're a little scary"  

"I try to be" McGonagall said  

"Why?"  

"Because... I don't want men to treat me the way my father treats my mum. I'd rather boys fear me"  

"I get it" Pomona said  

"Boys are always kind to me" Poppy said confused  

"You're a pretty cute girl, of course, they're nice to you" Minerva said, Poppy's cheeks turned pink 

"You're pretty too Minnie! Now, can you, please, help me with my essay? I'm begging" 

Minerva looked at Pomona who raised her eyebrows and laughed. She turned her attention back to Poppy and started explaining her the transfiguration spells.  

Minerva was loud, scary, unlady-like, annoying and difficult to deal with. Druella Rosier, head girl from the Slytherin house had taken tons of points from Gryffindor out of fighting with Minerva. "10 points for unlady-like behavior" "5 points for being vulgar" "5 points for putting your shoes on the table." Sometimes, she didn't take any points, sometimes she looked at her like she was gross and would murmur "half woman" "Hybrid"  "Deviant." Minerva didn't know what that meant but somehow liked the fact that Druella didn't liked the way she acted. 

Durella was part of the Rosier Family, which claimed to be one of the "purest" family in all England. Minerva knew it meant they kept marriages between family members, which she thought was gross. Rosier was obsessed with blood purity, she'd constantly insult muggle borns or half-blood out of pure spite. Minerva who had been raised as a muggle couldn't understand why they hated them so much, muggles were just as annoying as wizards. Duella was always with her boyfriend/bethroded Cygnus Black, who was also head boy from Slytherin. Cygnus never talked, he only looked at other people like they were inferior to him. He was a Black after all, they were even more extreme than the Rosiers. The way they talked reminded Minerva of her father stories about the muggle war. She never said that out loud. 

Minerva liked being the way she was, she liked doing whatever she liked, she liked getting good grades, she liked learning, she liked quidditch... she loved quidditch. She loved that she was able to try new things. She liked the freedom Hogwarts had given her. At her house she didn't have any freedom. Her mother was completely devoted to her father and only paid attention to her to tell her what not to do. 

Isobel, her mother, had married a muggle some years after graduating from Hogwarts. She had kept in secret her nature and had kept Minerva's magic a secret too, until Minerva's magic begun to act out and Isolde's facade came undone. Robert, his husband, had stayed with her but Isobel wasn't able to deny her nature anymore. That and the irrational fear of Robert leaving her for a muggle woman made Isobel turn against Minerva. When Minerva received her Hogwarts acceptance letter, Isobel had cried and begged her not to go. She sent Minerva alone to London to get her supplies on her own, she used Minerva's younger brothers as a excuse. The day Minerva left she sent her a letter stained with tears telling her she'd miss her family too much and would beg to return. Minerva had stayed on the Castle at Christmas that year, even if she had missed her family, in her own way. 

Back home for the Holidays, Isobel had made her clean twice as much, look after her brothers, go every day to the market and cook every time she didn't want to, which was regularly; but Minerva had received her letter for her second year with a smile on her face, and had left for London the next day on her own to buy her books. Her father had looked proud she was studious, even if it was in something he could never understand. When she met Poppy and Pomona, she wrote a letter to her mom, informing her she now had friends who were "respectable," since her mother consider it wasn't respectable of her to hang arround the boys of the quidditch team. She was okay with her daughter playing quidditch, thought, since she had always wanted to play and wasn't allowed. It was actually, Isobel who bought her her first broom, a last model broom only Slytherins had. Minerva had written a letter to her mother thanking her and telling she was the best mother in the world but as usual, Isobel didn't answer.  

When winter came into the castle, Minerva found herself in both Hufflepuff common room and Gryffindor's most of her free time. She was used to Scottish harsh weather but Poppy and Pomona weren't. Poppy would carry her blanket around like a little girl and fall asleep doing homework. Minerva would woke her up.  

"Hey, Dumbledore already took 10 points from me because you keep falling asleep and now finishing your essays, you'll be a terrible healer once its winter"  

"Maybe I'll give myself holidays on winter instead of summer"  

"Don't be such a smart mouth " Minerva said "I want to win the house cup"  

"But we're your best friends and we wouldn't win it" Poppy said  

"Not my problem"  

"You're so competitive, Minnie" Poppy said and begun her homework  

"You're not competitive enough, Poppy... and you, Pomona, if you weren't scared of every silly little thing, you could be competitive enough for me to like you. I actually hate the both of you"  

"As if, you wouldn't last a day without Poppy" Pomona said laughing  

It wasn't true. For the Holidays, Poppy went back home to her loving mother and father. Pomona and Minerva stayed. Pomona wanted to go but her parents sent a letter asking her to stay since they were going on a trip to celebrate their anniversary. Without Poppy, kids were rude to Pomona, not only was she half Indian but she was chubby and kids who believed in magical blood supremacy could be really cruel. 

Minerva was having none of that, Pomona was her best friend, she wasn't going to let people hurt her... which lead fighting with kids from families like the Lestranges, or the Rosiers, or Malfoys. She asked Abraxas Malfoy if he was made of "smelly cheap cheese" because he was too pale and he stink. He tried to curse her but Minerva was good with her wand and somehow she had started a duel in the middle of the corridor. Slughorn and Dumbledore appeared to stop the duel and when Malfoy told them what happened Slughorn laughed for 2 minutes straight and then took 10 points from Gryffindor for starting a duel. Dumbledore didn't laugh but then took 15 points from Slytherin because Malfoy had attacked a child and dueled with her.  

Minerva ran after Dumbledore, she had gotten angry, she didn't need him to defend her from Malfoy. She was a strong girl. She wasn't some child. 

"Minerva... I don't want to loose the House Cup to Slytherin" Dumbledore said and winked at her.  

Minerva was left frozen. Could it be possible that Dumbledore... understood her? It was weird, Dumbledore was a serious composed man, he was nothing like her.... unless.... but Minerva liked being loud and not playing by society rules.  

"You don't have to fight them" Pomona said "I know why they hate me, its my skin and my blood. You're not going to be able to change the way they think"  

"But I can try... or at least, I can make them try not to treat you like that when I'm around"  

"They never do it when Poppy is around"  

"Poppy's grandma was an Avery" Minerva said "Madame Blainey told me, she's pretty, feminine, white and has ties with the 28, of course they don't touch Poppy"  

"Oh" Pomona sighed "Does Poppy know?"  

Minerva shuddered  

"It's so weird, their obsession. Walburga and Orion are going to get married and they are cousins. I can't begin to imagine what's that like. My cousins are gross"  

Walburga and Orion were both on their year and they could be extremely rude to Pomona and Minerva. They were both Black, family that claimed to be the most pure blood family in all England. 

"Its called endogamy, father told me. It was the reason why the Muggle royal family got sick. In Russia, the Queen was so obsessed with curing her sick son she let a psycho into the castle who ended up ruining the government and led to the people killing the royals. It wouldn't surprise me if Walburga died from a paper cut"  

Pomona suppressed a smile 

"Your father told you that?"  

"Yeah, he likes muggle history. He could talk for hours with professor Bins comparing timelines and people"  

"I thought he was a farm man" 

"My father? what made you thought that? He's the mayor of our town"  

"Really?! You're so tough, I thought you were raised in the country"  

Minerva laughed 

"You're so funny, Pomona" Minerva said "My father spends his days at his desk, he didn't even went to war"  

"The muggle war" Pomona said softly "I remember there were bombings when I was a child, we would hide on the cellar, next to the fire whisky. My dad would drink it, scared it would make the house explode and then he'd get angry at my mom because the Germans were bombing London"  

Minerva went cold, unsure what to say. She placed a hand on Pomona's shoulder and patted softly. There had been no bombings on her town. She didn't know what was that like. In that moment, Hagrid walked by with an overgrown black cat with blue eyes.  

"Hey Mr. Hargrid, what's that!?" Minerva asked 

"Ah Ms. McGonagall, just Hagrid is fine, I ain't  a professor here. This is a matagot. You'll learn about them if you take Care of Magical Creatures. This one is called Marseille, a friend of mine got her there."  

"She's pretty"  

"Is it legal to have a matagot as pet?" Pomona asked  

Hagrid shuddered 

"Dunno, Ms. Sprout"  

"I like her" Pomona said 

The matagot walked to them and purred as Pomona touched it. Pomona smiled. Minerva looked at Hagrid, who looked satisfied with his cat. there's a reason he's huge, its because his heart its big and full of love She thought and smiled 

"So, Ms. McGonagall, getting ready for the next match?"  

"Next match is Slytherin vs Ravenclaw, Ravenclaw team is good but the Blacks recently got the team new brooms, half the Ravenclaw team uses the ones from the school... which I bet are the same Professor Diggory played with"  

Hagrid laughed. Pomona was hugging the matagot. 

"Do you think he played quidditch?" Hagrid asked 

"That old fart? nah, he probably was chess champion" McGonagall said and Hagrid roared in laughter 

"Don't call him old fart, Minerva" Pomona said nervous  

"He's old, he's like 300 years, he knows he's an old fart" Minerva said and Hagrid laughed again 

"You're one crazy case" Hagrid said "See you latter, girls"  

Poppy was back after the holidays and somehow she was even more talkative. Minerva missed a little her afternoons of silence with Pomona but she liked having Poppy around, there was something about Poppy that sort of captivated Minerva. Some days she'd catch herself staring at Poppy, the way her blonde hair curled behind her ears or the way her blue eyes looked the same color of the sky against the light. Poppy was... beautiful and Minerva had never thought of a person as beautiful. 

Poppy has a... special charm. She always gets Minerva to agree to whatever she wants, mostly, it means doing her transfiguration essays. However, Dumbledore discovered them quickly, so Minerva helps her with half the homework. Poppy is smart, she doesn't need any kind of help with school, she simply hates doing essays. She's the best of her year in potions, Slughorn loves her. She also excels at History of Magic and at Charms. She's barely studies and gets great grades. 

Pomona in the other hand, needs to study a lot to pass the exams. Minerva is always willing to help her even if Pomona never asks for help. However, Minerva had learned something about Pomona: her passion for herbology. When ever the girl wasn't with her friends, she'd find a way to sneak in the Greenhouses. Minerva told herself as soon as they allowed her to visit Hogsmade, she'd buy Pomona a plant. 

Slytherin beats Ravenclaw on the quidditch match as winter gets warmer and spring brings storms, Minerva trains to beat Slytherin on the finals. Of course, she gets sick and Poppy spends all her free time in the Infirmary with her. Minerva hates to be at the infirmary but she stays because Poppy is happy to watch Madame Blainey and learn. Pomoma visits too 

"You have a soft spot for her" Pomona said 

"I think I do" Minerva said "it's hard not to" 

Pomona smiled 

"It's cute, you're tough and even scary and she makes you do whatever she wants" 

"I don't really mind doing what she asks" Minerva said "I'll do stuff you asked me for too" 

"I know, Minerva, don't worry" 

The match between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff comes first than the Slytherin vs Gryffindor. Ravenclaw wins but Poppy and Pomona don't care much about quidditch. They support Minerva, but they don't really care who wins the cup. However when, Gryffindor beats Slytherin on the finals, both girls celebrate almost as hard as the guys from the Gryffindor house. Nobody asks questions when they go in the Gryffindor common room and dance with Minerva to Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra's tunes. Laurence Thomas, was an american muggle born who owned a vinyl player, which made him in charge of the music. 

Minerva smiled looking Poppy dance with Pomona. She had found her girls. She'd do everything to keep them. 

1947, Scotland, Hogwarts 

"Vice-captain? Are you sure? Don't get me wrong Fleamont, I'd love to but I don't want people to doubt you as captain" Minerva said to Fleamont Potter, he was starting his fifth year and had been named captain of the quidditch team 

"Everyone knows you're our most fierce chaser, you're the best player we have, Minerva" 

"I want to do it, you know I do but most men are not as open minded as you are, Fleamont" 

"Then they can leave my team, give space and chance to people whose ego don't make them fear victory" Fleamont said "Hey Poppy, I'll give Minerva back after a second" 

"I'm counting" Poppy said, already used to Fleamont for hanging out with Minerva so much 

Minerva sighed 

"Fine, I'll do it"  

"Great! Thanks! I promise, you won't regret it!" 

"I won't, you'll probably do once you see my ideas, but I'm not losing any matches this season" 

Fleamont laughed and left to his class, Poppy walked to Minerva and crossed her arms demanding Minerva to tell her what had just happened. Minerva, who was two heads taller, smirked. 

"Minnie" 

"Poppy" 

"Are you going to tell me?" 

"Why should I?" 

"Because I'm your best friend and you adore me" 

"Debatable" 

"That's absolutely not debatable, who else is going to be your best friend!?" 

"Augusta" 

"Your roommate? Didn't she called you Scottish giraffe the other day?" 

"She's original with her nicknames" 

"She also pushed you to have more space" 

Minerva smirked again 

"What did Potter want?" 

"You just need to know, don't you?" 

"I'm a curious mind, Minnie" 

"Sure Ravenclaw" 

"Minnie come on!" 

Minerva chuckled and Poppy froze for a moment. Minerva felt her cheeks turning pink 

"He wanted me to be vice-captain of the quidditch team" She said 

"Minnie that's so amazing!" Poppy said grabbing Minerva's arms and jumping "You're going to be the best vice-captain!" 

Just two boys from the team decided to leave when Fleamont named Minerva vice-captain, and one of them only quitted because he needed to focus on his studies to graduate. The rest of the team knew what a fierce player Minerva was and weren't going to lose the opportunity to play under her wing.  

Fleamont immediately became close to Minerva, which meant Minerva also got close to Euphemia, Fleamont's girlfriend. Both Fleamont and Euphemia were half Indian, that had been one of the reasons they had become close and eventually fallen in love.  

Fleamont Potter was in fifth year. He was pretty easy-going and tolerant with people. He didn't believe in magical blood supremacy and sort of laughed every time someone mentioned it. He was mostly focused on quidditch and his own studies and, well, of course, his relationship with Euphemia.  Euphemia Joshi was also in her fifth year and had grown up in India until she was 10, when her parents had moved to England thinking Euphemia would receive her acceptance letter into a wizardry school soon, hoping she'd be accepted to Hogwarts. Euphemia was sweet and motherly to Minerva, always worried for the state of her uniform and asking if she had eaten well that day. Minerva thought it was a bit weird but she liked being taken care of.  

"Minnie!" Poppy called her as she arrived to the library.  

"Hey Poppy"  

"Oh, hi Minerva, I feel like we haven't seen you in all week" 

"Ah yeah, sorry, I have a test on arithmacy and it's going to kill me" 

"That and you're too busy hanging with your new best friend, Euphemia" Poppy said  

"Are you jealous, Poppy?" 

Poppy huffed  

"I do not get jealous, Minnie. I just think that abandoning your best friends in the world is rude" 

"You're jealous" 

"I'm not" 

"She's been jealous all week" Pomona said pulling her notes out "Do you think you can explain to me this spell, I asked professor Dumbledore to explain me twice but I didn't understand and i was embarrassed to ask again?" 

"Yes, of course" Minerva said "and I knew it, Poppy, you're jealous" 

Poppy didn't answer so Minerva looked at her, Poppy's eyes looked big and shinny  

"I've just missed you" She said softly and Minerva's cheeks turned pink 

So she focused on Pomona's question. Explaining slowly and in a way she knew Pomona would understand. 

"Is it too bad?" Poppy asked looking at the Arithmacy book 

"It's... okay, I actually don't like it as much as I thought I would. I like Ancient runes better, and care of magical creatures. I'll ask professor Dumbledore if I can drop it, I hardly have any free time lately. I knew it was a stretch choosing 3 subjects but well, I wanted to know what they were and I get the feeling Dumbledore understands how stubborn I can get " 

"I don't know what to choose for next year" Poppy says looking at the ceiling "I suppose Care of Magical creatures since I want to become a healer but I need another one and I don't know what to choose, everyone says Divination is easy" 

"That's because it's mostly fake if you're not a seer" Minerva said and rolled her eyes "Besides, I don't want some random tea leaves to dictate my future, I want to choose where I go and what I do" 

"But there's like, less stuff to study and I could focus on potions or in transfiguration, since I suck at transfiguration. Besides, I'd like to take the art extra curriculars." 

"You could always chose something that actually helps you in life, not divination" 

"A subject about muggle technology could be interesting" Pomona said out loud  

"Why?" Poppy asked  

"Well, muggles don't have magic, so they have come up with all these machines to help themselves out, like cars since they cannot use brooms." Pomona explained 

"Oh, really? That's cool, maybe we can talk to Professor Dippet about it" Poppy said  

"Information about it could help against discrimination" Minerva said  

"But who else would take it?" 

"I bet there's curious people, if my dad wasn't a muggle himself, I would" Minerva said "and probably people like Euphemia and Fleamont, they're nice" 

"Anyone would take it if they make it an easy subject" Poppy said  

"Would you take it, Poppy?" 

"Yeah sure" 

"And you Minerva?" 

"I already have too much subjects, I take flying lessons, ancient runes, care of magical creatures, ancient studies... but I'd really like them to open it, so I'll go with you to talk to professor Dippet, however, maybe we should talk to Dumbledore first since he knows how to talk to Dippet"  

Dumbledore was weirdly happy with the idea, he mentioned he has also consider the idea but had never come in terms with it and that maybe it would be better if the program didn't only cover technology but also cultural topics. He mentioned he'd talk to the Dippet and the rest of the teachers before giving them answers. 

Pomona was excited about it, not as excited as she got when herbology class was involved but she looked hopeful. On the first Hogsmade visit Minerva went, she bought her a fanged geranium, wich Pomona named Gerald. She brought Poppy a scarf on orange tones since they told her it brought out blue eyes. Poppy wore it every day since Minerva gifted it. 

With Minerva as Vice-captain, Gryffindor had won both matches they had played. Minerva was in charge of training and Fleamont did the strategy. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were no longer a treat but Slytherin was a problem, as usual. With Alphard Black as their captain, the team had gotten a far better strategy than the year before, besides, they had the best brooms. Minerva wrote a letter to her mother explaining the quidditch situation. Isobel never answered her letters, but Minerva knew she had a bit of a soft spot for quidditch. Isobel sent three new brooms as a gift to the quidditch team, Minerva couldn't believe it, she was so happy. Isobel's gift to the team was necessary to win against Slytherin and winning the Cup again. Fleamont was so static that he poured an entire bottle of fire whiskey on his hair late at night on the Gryffindor tower. Poppy and Pomona were invited to the party, neither of them were allowed to drink since they were only on their second year but pretty much everybody danced with them, specially Minerva. The record player was blasting jazz music and everyone tried to dance the way muggles did, only the muggle borns succeeded. 

On the last weeks of the school year, a new elective subject had been added to the list, Muggle Studies. Many students, mostly from the 28 sacred families and from Slytherin protested against it but many others defended it. Ignatius Prewett, a 6th year Gryffindor, made a signature list with the people who approved of the subject being open regardless of wherever they'd take it and most of the students signed it, including several Slytherin students and including Alphard Black, Dorea Black and Marius Potter (who was Fleamont's twin but had been sorted in Slytherin). So the subject remained  open. 

Once Minerva was back home, she was surprised by her mother. According to Isobel, her grandparents had heard about Minerva's reputation in Hogwarts and wanted to meet her, her father and her two brothers. Minerva felt unsure about meeting the people who had turned their backs on her mother for so long just because she had chosen to marry a muggle. She didn't want to be family with people simmilar to the people she criticized so much at school. But her father wanted to see his in laws and wanted his children to know their grandparents, so they took a train and went to meet the Ross family. 

Alasdair and Wynda Ross lived on farm, they had cows, sheep and puffskeins. according to Alasdair "they're a great pet amongst young witches like yourself." Isobel had 2 brothers and 1 sister: Lachlan, Torquil and Larena. Lachlan was married to a woman named Bethia and had three sons around Robert and Malcolm's age, Minerva's little brothers, and wanted to go to Hogwarts once they were 11. Torquil was also married and was waiting for his first kid but Larena had only graduated the year before from Beauxbatons, since she had done an exchange program when she had been 15. 

The Ross family was simple and nice, they weren't scary magical blood supremacist as Minerva had thought, they were simple farmers. Torquil's wife, a girl named Bonnie, was actually a muggle. They're were nothing like her mother.  

"You're just like Isobel when she was your age" Alasdair said as Minerva looked at the poffle "'read on the Profet you're Vice-captain of the quidditch team and have the best grades on your year, even being a Gryffindor" 

"Oh, I didn't know I was featured on the Prophet" 

"That's how we heard 'bot you, kiddo" He said, his accent was really thick "Izzy was a Ravenclaw, always a smart girl. I was a Ravenclaw too but Wynda was a Gryffindor. My boys we're Hufflepuffs but my Larena got in Slytherin and didn't like it. She said posh boys we're too mean and went to France." 

"Mom was a Ravenclaw" 

"Yes, smart and witty as no other, best grades in her year, amazing at charms and arithmacy" Alasdair said "simply splendid. She wanted to play quidditch but Wynda never let her because she used to say it was not for women" 

"I think quidditch is for everyone" 

"Seems like it is" Alasdair said 

"You mother was such a smart girl, I remember I used to think she'd be ministry of magic one day. Your father was a remarkable young man too" 

"You knew my father?" 

"Didn't your parents ever tell you how they met?" he asked and Minerva shook her head "Your father came over here to work on the farm when he finished his school. We never let him near these guys" He grabbed a puffskein "but he took care of the sheep and the cows, and sold wool at the matket. Then your mother graduated and meet him. Young Robert got her heart and never let go" 

"I thought you and Grandma didn't like my father" 

"We loved your father but we didn't want Izzy to marry him. We didn't want her to renounce to magic for a man she barely knew. Magic made her happy and she was so good at it. i didn't know if Robert was going to make her as happy" 

"So what happened?" 

"they ran away. We assume she didn't want to talk to us so we kept our distance... but Wynda and me wanted to meet you, we didn't know they had children, you know? We found out because of the article on the news" 

"Why do the Profet wrote an article on some children's quidditch match?" 

"Because for us, Hogwarts graduates, Hogwarts always stays in our hearts. Our houses become our second families. So we like to know how the school is doing and if our house is winning the Cup." 

"As long as I'm there, Gryffindor will be winning, you don't need to read the news" Minerva said 

Alasdair laughed. 

"Wynda is going to be glad" 

"I thought Grandma didn't like women playing quidditch" 

"She's gotten softer with age. Maybe you can teach the little boys a thing or two" 

The kids were a menance in the broom. The Ross didn't had good quality brooms but they worked fine for transportation and considering Minerva only taught them how to get off the gound, the brooms weren't guilty of the mess the kids made when they crashed with the cow's hay. Bethia couldn't stop laughing as she pulled the kids out of the hay. 

"I never let you mother play quidditch because I thought it wasn't appropriate for a woman" Wynda said as Minerva landed after flying around the property "guess you playing brought my family back to me" 

"Lots of women play nowdays" Minerva said 

"I have heard, there's even a witch team, the Holyhead Harpies, they've been around for ages, but never had a good reputation ... let's just say the women who played in that team were... different" 

Minerva felt a hole on her stomach as Wynda said that. Different what did whe meant by that? it was clearly something bad but... Minerva wasn't much normal, she wasn't really good at femininity, she was loud and she wasn't very soft. Were the women from the Holyhead Harpies like her in that sense? 

"But who cares the way they are, as long as they're happy and they don't hurt anyone, who am I to judge? Heard you're a Gryffindor like me" 

"Yeah, I'm a Gryffindor" 

"Is the Fat Lady in the Painting still the guardian of the entrance?" 

"I'm pretty sure no one's taking her away from there" 

"She's such a terrible singer that woman, has her drinking habits stopped?" 

"Drinking?" 

"Spent a week drunk after a party with her friend Violet, it was a complete pain getting her to open the door" 

Minerva smiled, her grandparents weren't that bad. Maybe that year she wouldn't stay in Hogwarts for Christmas and her family could visit them for the Holidays, or maybe just her. 

1950, London, England 

Minerva wasn't lost... well maybe she had taken a few wrong turns but only getting lost one knows a city, or so had somebody told her a long time ago. Minerva didn't know where she was, actually, she didn't know much of London. Her mother had given her directions on her first year on how to get to Diagon Alley and she had never took a wrong turn on her life. 

But a part of her wanted to explore, to see other sights of London, parts she had never seen. She had never been to a city, only the feew streets she knew of London. She figured she'd be living in London one day, and she didn't knew the streets, how was she going to rent an apartment if she got lost on her first day. 

So she had taken a wrong turn, she could go back to the main street any minute, until she took another, and another and before she could realize it, she didn't know how to get back to the main street. She knew part of her should be scared but most of her was excited. She took another turn and she was supriced by something she had never seen before, in front of her, the sight of two men, both men, embraced in a kiss. 

The men separated and one of them caught sight of Minerva. They looked at each other and then one of them sighed. The other one approached Minerva. 

"Hey little friend, why are you here alone?" He asked, his voice was delicate, almost femenine. Minerva liked his voice 

"I... I think I took some wrong turns" 

"Oh where were you going? Maybe I can point you in the right direction" 

"Uhm this bar, its called the Leaky Cauldron... my parents are there" she added just in case, but the man seemed trust worthy 

"Huh... never heard of it" He said putting his hand on his jaw 

"On Charing Cross road" 

"Oh yes, I now that one, here let me walk you into the main road, this place its a bit hidden so it can be tricky" He said and then turn to the other man "I'll be back in 5" 

The man walked Minerva a little and she couldn't stop herself from asking 

"Is that allowed?" 

"What?" 

"That you were kissing another man, I had never seen that before" 

"Well, It's not particularly allowed but it's what it is and it's real even if everyone tries to deny it" 

"And what is it?" 

"Being queer, they call it, heard Americans call it being gay, but it's the same. It's when men like men and women like women. Women who like other women call themselves lesbians" 

Minerva went silent, thinking, thinking of every insult Druella and Walburga had called her, thinking of the way she was not much like the other girls in her class, the way her grandma had called the women form the Holyhead Harpies different.  

The man seemed to notice, and cleared his throat 

"Hey, little friend, if you ever think you... might be on our side, there's nothing wrong about it. There's a whole community of women like you who will understand you and become your friends. even when the world seems really harsh" He said 

"a lesbian" Minerva murmured "Are there books on it?" She asked the man 

he shuddered 

"I'm not a books guy, but i guess there are some. Most information you can gather is from other lesbians, theres lesbian clubs here in London but you might want to wait to be 18 to get there. In the meantime, I don't know, endurance maybe... oh here's the main street, see you around, little friend ... and queer isn't a bad word, being queer is beautiful, don't forget it" 

Minerva didn't forget it. The concept of queerness was on her mind at least 10 hours of the day. She tried to look for books, she didn't find much only some books with a drawing of two women on the covered she obviously bought. Some of them weren't about lesbians, other books were about two women who fell in love with each other but they ended up marrying men or dying. Minerva hated it. Was there no hope for her? Maybe queer literature was tragic, like Greek plays, after all, there had always been stories about women who lived with their "roommates" forever and never married. Minerva felt confused. So she tried to ignore it  

Minerva bought her books for the year. She found a book of muggle medical plants and bought two copies for Pomoma and Poppy. The thought of Poppy was a bit scary. The girl who made her cheeks turn pink with a simple smile. the girl Minerva could never deny anything. 

Whenever she thought of Poppy a swirl of emotions formed on her gut, so Minerva tried to avoid it. She wondered if she'd act normal around Poppy after figuring out she was a lesbian. She felt embarrassed, she felt like she should have known that part about herself earlier. She was angry too, why wasn't it allowed? What was so wrong about it? She couldn't help but prefer women.... women were just... amazing.... specially Poppy. Poppy was like someone out of a dream. She wanted to cry. In her little room above the Leaky Cauldron where she stayed the few weeks before class, she lied looking at the ceiling, trying not to cry, trying not to give society the satisfaction of her tears by being a lesbian.  

Going back to classes only made her anger grow bigger, she had the best grades in her year, she was vice captain of the quidditch team, she was a role model student and she hadn't been named Prefect. Augusta had been named prefect, but she didn't mind that Augusta was a prefect, she was strict with first years, and wasn't afraid to take points from bullies. However, Walburga Black had been named prefect and Minerva couldn't stand that. Walburga had always been a bully, had dedicated all her years in Hogwarts to call Minerva slurs and get people to laugh about the way she acted or dressed, even if she dressed well. She liked wearing sailor trousers and high waisted jeans, which were popular amongst women her age. Her hair was always organized and she never smelled bad, and yet, Walburga, couldn't stop humiliating her. As a prefect, Walburga took points from her house just by looking at her, she'd claim Minerva was misbehaving, not being polite, acting like a man, being scandalous, when Minerva was just acting like any other girl. Once again, Minerva tried not to cry in the privacy of her bed, she wanted to shout.  

When Minerva knocked on the door of Professor Dumbledore after having a fight with both Walburga and Orion Black and loosing almost 30 points of her house, Dumbledore sighed. He let her in and served her a cup of tea. She saw that there was a phoenix on a corner of the room and several books on the floor.  

"Why?" 

"Why what, Minerva?" 

"Why everything? Why didn't you named me prefect? I have the best grades on my year, you have called me a transfiguration prodigy. Why did you let Walburga be named prefect when you know the way she is, the way she treats people, the way she treats me?! You're supposed to be on our side. She took points form Pomona and her excuse was that her skin was too dark, that's racism. She took points from several students of color just because the color of their skin, she constantly takes points from muggle-borns, saying the most horrible things, like they stole somebody's magic" 

Dumbledore drank from his tea, slowly, making Minerva even angrier  

"The reason I didn't name you precfect was because Augusta was going to be a better prefect than you, Minerva. You have a kind heart and an open mind, you wouldn't have cared if a student was breaking the rules" 

"But I would take points from Slytherins who were being racist and cruel" 

"And then what would happen, Minerva? Their rich patron parents of the school would come running saying their children are being attacked and demanding your expulsion, and you and I both know you cannot be expelled" 

"Rich patron parents?" 

"Why do you think Walburga and Orion got their prefect titles, Minerva? The Black family basically funds the school with their annual donations. Professor Slughorn is a great teacher but an easy man to buy, he loves when the big families love him and so does Professor Dippet" 

"Why are you telling me this?" 

"Because you asked and you're smart enough to handle the truth" He said "Do you think I want to give so much power to a student who openly hates a huge percent of the school? Do you think I'm happy students who keep choosing endogamy over muggles get rewarded?" 

Dumbledore was also angry, but he looked calmed and composed  

"No" She said softly  

"Some of our battles can't be won over with shouting, Minerva. Some battles are won with patience and strategy. I couldn't name you prefect for them to expel you, I'd rather you learn how to change the world one step at the time. I'll give you back your thirty points, Minerva, because I know they were taken unfairly, but if anyone ask, you came here to talk to me, to see if there's something about your attitude you have to change and my answer is no, because we need to learn to be tolerant to the people who are different to us" 

Minerva sighed  

"What's going on Minerva?" He asked softly  

"I'm so angry" She said "I'm so very angry, everything feels so unfair and I feel like everything is against me" 

"Sometimes life feels like that but it's important to never lose sight of the people who love us and will never be against us" 

Minerva knows he's talking about Poppy and Pomona, who she has had been avoiding. She lies and says she has homework when she doesn't, and whenever she's with them she's a bit silent. The truth is, she complete forgot how to act around Poppy, now that she knows she likes girls, it's like whatever protection not to fall completely in love with Poppy is gone, and Minerva is now head over heels. Her mind if full of Poppy's blue eyes and blond curls, she feels her laughter is the most beautiful sound on Earth and whenever she's there, Minerva can't keep her eyes off of her. She feels a little dumb and a little scary, what if Poppy hates whatever Minerva is feeling? But then, Poppy sometimes stares too, her hugs last a little too long and her touch lingers. Minerva can't permit herself to feel hope when she doesn't know whether Poppy is at least capable of feeling the same, she can't let herself hope if she doesn't even knows if Poppy is also a lesbian. So she stays longer than she needs on the library, she stays longer than she needs on the quidditch field, she goes to sleep early even if she's not sleepy, she follows Euphemia and Fleamont around even if they're busy. And she never talks about what she feels.  

At Christmas, she plays with the brooms with her cousins, trying to forget everything that's going on at school. She tries to forget she's immensely in love with her best friend, she tries to forget she misses Pomona, she tries forget Walburga Black is an asshole. She sits by the chimeney, next to her Grandma's legs while her Grandma runs her fingers through her hair and she listens to her mother sing lullabies to her new baby cousin. 

Minerva did great on her O.W.L.s. She was applauded by Professor Dippet himself when they gave her her grades. When professor Dumbledore sat her in his office to ask her about carreers, Minerva looked at the ceiling. 

"I want to play quidditch" 

"is that the only option that you have considered?" 

"It is the only option that speaks to me" 

"You could be a great academic and the ministry would benefit from someone like you" 

"I need to play. when i play, I feel free, I'm not tight to all the rules of society, I can he whoever i am. I don't have to hide. I don't have to put a facade" 

"I understand but it's always a good idea to have a plan b, life can lead to unexpected paths" 

"Probably something at the ministry, something that would let me fight against magical-blood supremacist" 

"you didn't took muggle studies" 

"My schedule was too packed. I didn't have time" 

"It's okay, with the basic courses you can get a job at the ministry. Next year apparition lessons wil be available for you, would you be interested?" 

"Yes, I'd like to take them" 

"And Minerva... Fleamont has requested that you'd be the team captain next year" 

1951, Hogwarts, Scotland, UK 

People we're stunned to know Minerva had become captain of Gryffindor quidditch team, so stunned several people made a letter to oppose her namimg but even more people manifested in front of professor's Dippet office for Minerva to stay as captain. The manifestation had been organized by Poppy, who after Dippet accepted that Minerva stayed as captain, came to her and punched her in the arm 

"You have been a terrible friend, you know? I've been completely abandoned, and I'm failing transfiguration" 

"You're only failing because you're lazy and hate making essays" Minerva said "but I'm sorry, I have neglected our friendship" 

"Yes you have" Poppy said and hugged her, she had grown a little but was still shorter than Minerva "I've miss you, dumb-dumb" 

"Sorry Poppy, I promise to stay now" 

"You better" 

So Minerva stays, and she longs and yearns but she keeps quiet. She listens, there's several boys in love with Poppy, some never approach some others are brave enough to ask her out and Poppy rejects them. She always does. Whenever Minerva or Pomona ask why she claims not to like them, sometimes she gives weird excuses "his hair is too short" "his hair is too long" "his teeth are crooked" "his teeth are too organized, its weird" Minerva is glad but she tells herself not to hope, she knows hope is a dangerous thing. 

Augusta, her roommate, has never been a kind woman but she has grown fond of Minerva. Whenever the Slytherin's take points away, she gives them back with the excuse of Minerva acting like a true Gryffindor, when Minerva asks what's going on she frowns "I'm not a racist blood suppremacist pig, McGonagall" and leaves.  

Minerva is proven to be a great Quidditch captain, she realizes one day that, even if some people still fear her, she'd manage to gather a small group of admires. Poppy is the one who tells her one day in the library, when she was lossing her patience for not understanding transfiguration 

"Minnie, for fuck sake" The girl who never curses said "tell them to leave, i can't concentrate if they keep staring at you with their mouths open like fish" 

"Who are you talking about, Poppy?" 

"Your fan club over there" She said pointing at some girls on a corner 

Minerva's face grew warm 

"they are always following you" Pomona said "I have seen them, they say you're amazing, you're like a lady-knight... I was tempted to tell them you're rather ugly when milk comes out of your nose" 

Poppy laughed and tension was broken. Minerva smiled, she liked the idea of girls admiring her instead of fearing her 

"I'm okay with them" Pomona said "but I think Poppy is jealous" 

Poppy's cheeks grew pink and Minerva's heart skipped a beat. could Poppy actually be jealous? 

"That's only because you're ours, Minnie, we found you first" She said 

Minerva laughed and tried to ignore the incident. She'd find sometimes letters in her books, of girls saying she was amazing. She'd appreciate it but she knew they were only proud of her for giving women more opportunities at Hogwarts, none of the girls was secretly in love with her, which didn't bring her down but it made her feel a bit alienated, sometimes she wondered if they'd hate her if they knew she was queer. 

She had tried to find books or any kind of information on queerness on the magical world but it seemed to be as taboo as it was on the muggle world. She tried to search for something on Hogsmade, but it was just a small town full of old people. Even at the Hog's Head Inn, Minerva didn't find queer people, only mongers of illegal plants and artefacts. One of them tried to grab Minerva and she pulled her wand out in seconds and hexed him, the man rolled in pain and fear through the floor and Minerva stood there about to hex any other man who wanted to touch her 

"Hey, maybe you should go somewhere more age appropriate" A woman in a corner said, there was something odd about her, she didn't look completely human 

Minerva simply left and avoided the place. She tried not to feel disappointed, for the little she knew being queer was hard and she wouldn't find more queer people unless she went to a more liberal place, like London or at least Edinburgh, maybe somewhere like Paris, Parisians were known to be liberals. 

Boys kepts declaring their feelings to Poppy and Poppy kept rejecting her. Minerva would shake in fear. She was glad she didn't have to see Poppy with a boyfriend but soon she was going to find someone and her negativity kept crashing with her hope. 

"You're stupid" Augusta once told her 

"Uh what the fuck" 

"Uh, language, McGonagall" 

"Sorry" 

"You're so dumb, every time i see you you're panicking, you look like those absolutely adorable dogs, the Chihuahuas" 

"What the fuck is a chihuahua" 

"It doesn't matter, you'd say they're ugly" 

"can you please tell me, what on earth are you on about?" 

"McGonagall, relax a little" Augusta said "Anyways I have a date, see you" 

"You have a date?! With who?" 

"Frank Longbottom, isnt he dreamy?" 

"Uh... he's all right" Minerva said after thinking of Hufflepuff head boy 

"well, that's the best answer i could get from you, so I think you admit he's dreamy, only you won't say it with those words. See you, McGonagall" 

Talking to Augusta alway made her feel confused but she ignored it and went on with her life. She wrote Fleamont and Euphemia letters, asking about their lifes and keeping them updated about quidditch, they'd answer telling her they missed her. she missed them too . 

Since it was her sixth year, she was quickly invited into Slughorn elite parties. Part of her didn't want to go but it was social suicide to reject an invitation. Augusta had actually threatened her with physical violence and although Minerva was taller and more athletic, she knew Augusta could possibly kill a person with her own hands. So she went. 

The party was, as Minerva had expected incredibly boring. A lot of people with famous last named had been invited and they could only talk about the achievements of their families. but someone else had come, Poppy; Minerva had wanted to cry when she saw her next to a man. She sat next to her and wrote her little notes during all the party laughing about how bored she was. 

Once the party finished, she went back with Minerva, they walked a little and finally Minerva broke the silence 

"Why him?" 

"Who?" 

"The... guy who brought you to the party, why him? why is he the only one you said yes? what does he has that the others don't ? will he hang out with us from now on?" 

"What are you talking about, Minnie?" 

"The guy, why did you said yes?" 

"ohhh.... i just... i wanted to come to Slughorn party" 

"You'll be invited next year, Slughorn adores you" 

"I didn't want you to be alone" She said 

Minerva felt anger, or something else, she wanted to push Poppy against the wall and kiss her, to hear her moan against her lips and to tell her she only wanted her. 

"Poppy, you went on a date with him, you accepted his invitation, he's going to think you accepted his feelings" 

"Then I'll break up with him, i don't care about him, i don't even know his name, Minnie, I came because I wanted to be with you, I just acepted his offer to be with you, you know i don't want to date some guy" 

"No i don't, I see you rejecting every guy who approaches you but I don't know what you want, they're never good enough for you. I thought you had accepted him but turn out you only came from me and I.... I don't know" She stopped talking a knot on her throat 

"What can i say" Poppy said laughing, a sad laughter, she sounded tired, probably Pomona had asked that question so many times before "They're never good enough, I don't like them, not as I... not at I like you, I wish you were a boy so I could date you, it be so much easier" She said and made a pause "Everyone says, Poppy you're so pretty how come you don't have a boyfriend old people always tell me oh Poppy you must have so many suitors and I do but I don't like them, am I supposed to just say yes to them? what about my feelings? I don't like them, and I... I have tried, but am i not supposed to date someone I love... as a minimun someone I like but I don't like them. I wish you were a boy, Minnie, there's nothing of you that I don't like" 

Minerva froze. She didn't know what to say, how to react. Poppy sighed 

"Sorry, that must have sound weird, forget it. Rest well, Minnie, see you" 

And with that Poppy left leaving Minerva frozen in the corridor, her heart going full speed and her face turning red. 

She kept the secret. She'd often sit in the middle if the night wondering what it all meant until Augusta would tell her to stop over thinking so loudly and to let her sleep. Poppy had basically declared her feelings but she had wished she were a boy... and Minerva wasn't one nor she wanted to. she liked being a woman, she like women, she only wanted equality but she didn't want to be a man. What did it meant that Poppy wanted her to be a boy? did it meant she liked boys? or only that she wanted to date her? it was confusing 

things got even more complicated after Gryffindor won the first match against Ravenclaw. The party they throw on the Gryffindor tower was absurd. It was absolutely huge. People from all houses except Slytherin where there. There were drinks, muggle and magical, music, even the lights had been enchanted and everyone danced, drank and sang along. People shouted Minerva's name, girls clamored her. Minerva felt euphoric, probably from the shots of fire whiskey she had taken. 

She could see Pomona and Poppy were also a bit drunk. Pomoma dancing next to the gramophone where people where hyping her and Poppy pulling her around to dance with her. Poppy told her she needed the bathroom. She looked around and saw Augusta and Longbottom snogging on one of the sofas so she pullef Poppy to her room and opened the bathroom for her. Poppy was so drunk she didn't close the door but Minerva stepped away from the door to give her some privacy. When Poppy was done she washed her hands and came out of the bathroom laughing, Minerva turned to look at her. She wore a thigh dress which made her figure look like an hourglass, she had her hair half up in a bow and she was wearing a red lipstick that made her lips look like rose buds. Minerva thought she was gorgeous. She drunkenly walked to her and hugged her waist. Minerva who was wearing capri jeans and a button down. 

"You're mean, Minnie" 

"Uh? How come?" 

"All those girls, calling your name like you were some sort of politician or famous actress... its wrong, I told you, you're mine, I found you first" 

"But they are not taking me away from you, Poppy" 

"Still, you're my Minnie" She said, Minerva felf a hand on her heart squeezing it 

"We should go downstairs and we should get you some water, you're drunk" 

"I'm not drunk, and I want to stay here with you, where I don't have to share you" 

"what about Pomoma" 

"Poms is having fun with the guys from the team, come on, let's stay here, dance with me" 

They could heat the muffled sounds of the music down stairs and Poppy pulled Minerva's arms and begun dancing. Minerva sort of chuckled but then gasped as Poppy placed Minerva's arms on her shoulders and placed a hand on Minerva's neck and another one on her waist. She smiled 

"Poppy" Minerva said gasping a little "what are you doing" 

"I don't know" She said and smiled 

Minerva smiled back a bit nervous. she could listen to her heart screaming in her chest and then she felt a pull, Poppy's hands pulling her towars her shorter body and her tiptoeing and getting closer. Minerva wasn't strong enough to separate, she let herself get guided, she had wanted this for so long, she closed her eyes and let herself go. When her lips touched Poppy's everything else disappeared, she felt as if she was full of colorful clouds and she was floating, like there was some kind of magical mist surrounding them making them disappear from the rest of the world. Poppy tasted like strawberry liquor and fire whiskey but also like magic. Minerva felt she could get addicted to her taste. 

When Poppy let go she smiled and Minerva thought that was the most beautiful sight on earth, she could watch Poppy smiling for hours but reality hit her, she didn't know what this meant. Poppy wasn't a lesbian. Poppy wanted a man just like Minerva. There was a party. Poppy was drunk. Minerva was completely in love and had over stepped. 

"We should go back" Minerva said and went back to the party not looking at Poppy soon girls and quidditch players surrounded Minerva, getting her away from Poppy and Poppy found her way to Pomona 

When Minerva was sure Poppy too busy dancing with Pomona she excused herself and went to her room, she lied down on her bed with her party clothes , closed the curtains and started crying 

"You are again avoiding us like the plage, care to explain yourself, Minnie" Pomona said mid January 2 months after the party 

"I... can we go somewhere private, Poms" Minerva said after spotting a group of Slytherin girls 

"Okay, come, I know just the place" 

Pomona lead her to the greenhouses, where she opened a storeage room, there Gerald the fanged geranium was placed on a small desk as well with several other plants and notebooks 

"Poms?" 

"Professor Beery assigned this storeroom to me, as my little office, you know since I'm one of his assistants. He says I'm... talented, like i have a special connection to plants, so he gives me extra lessons and lets me keep my notes here and the notes i took on his proyects... kind of the way madame Blainey lets Poppy keep track of her potions and medicines. Don't you do extra credit with professor Dumbledore?" 

"Sometimes but he's never given me an office" 

"Don't tell anyone but Professor Beery wants to retire so older students used to tell me it looked like he's training me to be the new Herbology professor" 

"And... is that what you want?" 

"Absolutely!" 

"I'm glad, Pomona" 

Pomona smiled and noded. then she stared at the geranium for a few seconds  

"You know Minnie, you are my best friend" She said "And i know you" 

"Pom" 

"No, let me speak... the thing is, you are my friend and you have neved stopped being my friend, even when you have these isolation episodes, its not me the one you isolate from, its Poppy" 

"Pom, really its no-" 

"not what i think? on the contrary Minnie, i think it's exactly what i think because i don't think you like us the same, I think you like Poppy differently, i think ... I think you like Poppy in the same way a man likes a woman" 

"Pom" Minerva gasped, she had been discovered, would Pomona still love her? was she going to tell everyone 

"Don't be afraid, Minnie" She said "its okay" 

"what?" 

"It's okay, professor Beery its the same, that's why he never had a son or a daughter he could teach herbology the way he teaches me" 

"Pomona how... what... I... I don't-" 

"I figured it out because you're my best friend and I have seen how you look at her, I've noticed how happy you get when we mention your admirers" 

"They don't actually like me in that-" 

"Maybe, maybe some do and they haven't figured out. I don't know much, it's not something people talk much about and when they do it sometimes involves negative comments... the first time I heard about it was after professor Beery substracted points from some Slytherin guys who called you half-woman or something like that... We had worked late and i asked him why had he gotten so angry and he told me story" 

"oh" 

"He married and well... things weren't working, his wife left him and then he met this man who... who he loved more than he'd ever loved his wife and they admitted their feelings and lived as roomates for a long time until he died of old age" 

"That's... that's a good story, all the stories I've read on this end up in tragedy" 

"Minnie, I love you, and it doesn't matters if you like girls like that... i personally don't understand it well and i doubt that i can love anyone like that but i think... loving someone else, can't make you a bad person" 

"Thank you... I... she kissed me" 

"what?" 

"Poppy, on the party after Ravenclaw match, she was drunk and some days before she had told me that she wished i were a boy so she could date me because she liked everything about me but Poms, I can't, I can't keep hopping and then having my hope crushed, I'm in love with her but I am not a boy nor I'll ever be" 

"I understand" Pomona said "But... Minnie, I... I haven't talked to Poppy yet... I don't even know if she knows that two girls can love each other... I think you should talk to her" 

"But... what if she thinks I'm gross, what if she doesn't want to be my friend at least, or if she tells everyone and they kick me out of the team or the school?" 

"I don't think Poppy will act that way, she's a kind person, she's compasionate and understanding but she thinks you hate her right now, she's crying every night because she doesn't know what she did to hurt you" 

"Really?" 

"Yes, Minnie please, you need to talk to her"  

"I don't know... it's scary, even if... we'd have to hide and... Poppy doesn't deserves to be hidden" 

"I think that's up to her to decide, Minnie" 

"Oh, Pomona ... are you sure that you don't hate me? that you aren't grossed out by me? That's you still want me in your life? you don't think im different and a hybrid or a deviant?" 

"Minnie, you are my best friend and I will always love you, we'll be friends for ever, there's nothing that could make me hate you"  

Minerva sat by the edge of the lake on a log, watching as it started melting back to water. Late February was unusually warm on Scotland, it seemed like summer was going to be rough that year. 

"Spring seems to be comming early" Poppy said, she seemed... cautious. 

"So it seems" Minerva said 

"May I sit?" 

"Sure" Minerva said still looking at the lake, a book on her hand 

Reading was something she had learned to love since it reminded her of her dad. She didn't like the way her had treated her mom or well, herself; but she liked her dad, he was smart and always had interesting stories to tell. 

"Everything alright, Poppy?" 

Poppy was silent for a moment, like, is she was being really careful to chose her words 

"I... talked to Pomona, about you" 

"Oh" Minerva said "Are you going to tell me you can't be my friend anymore?" 

"what? no... besides, it's more complicated than that" She chuckled "itd be so easy, if it was just that" 

Minerva didn't say anything, she just looked at the lake again. 

"I don't understand" Poppy said "I never... I didn't even knew it was possible" 

"Yeah, me neither until I... saw two men kissing on London and I asked about it" 

"Oh" Poppy said softly "Minnie... I just... why is it wrong? I've been thinking about it so much and I just... I have never felt what I feel for you for anyone else. Minnie and its so pure and so beautiful, how can it be wrong?" 

"I don't know Poppy, all I know is that, I can't help but feel it" Minerva said softly 

"Its not fair, why do you have to be somebody else for me to love you the way I do, its not fair" she said with a pained laughter "I want you... I've known that since i met you, it's you and only you, Minnie" 

"Poppy" 

"Of course there had been no man, if my heart was yours from the moment I met you. When Poms told me some women like women, it all fell into place, everything made sense, it is you." She said "and then I started hearing the people , the insults they call people like that, the people like me, because they say its wrong and its unnatural but...how can they know?" she made a pause "They don't know how it feels when my hand brushes with yours when you're helping me with my homework. They don't know how it feels when you hug me after a match. They don't know how i know you're there in the library because i can smell your perfume and my heart starts beating fast and i can't control the smile that forms on my face.... they don't know the pain i feel when there's been weeks without talking to you, how cold it feels when you're not around" 

"Poppy" 

"And I don't blame you, now thay I understand, I get it... I'd have done the same, probably but... Minnie, I need you here with me, I'm completely in love with you and ever since i figured it out, I don't know what to do with myself" 

"Poppy, what does that mean for us?" Minerva said softly "I... assume you are aware of my feelings for you. I'm not willing to lie to myself and find a man to tell the world I'm something I'm not... and I would understand if you want to do that but I can't conform by just knowing you like me even if you're with someone else" 

"I don't care if I have to hide, if that's the only way I'll be able to love you" Poppy said "and I'm not willing to share you, i want you all for myself, I don't want a cover up relationship and I wouldn't do that you either" 

"I wouldn't date you if you were with someone else" 

"Good, then, that's something we have in common" Poppy said, containing her laughter "So... we have a deal?"  

"Oh absolutely" Minerva said and laughed 

"Come on, I'm freezing my ass out here, let's go cuddle at the Hufflepuff common room with Poms" 

"Allright" 

Minerva grabbed her hand and they walked like thay until they entered the castle and their bubble of privacy was popped. 

And so, moments alone with Poppy became more magical that magic itself. Long glances at the library, sheepish smiles when one caught the other staring at her, hand holding under the table, feet brushing legs, kisses at empty bedrooms, cuddles in the common room with Pomona, hand holding under the blanket, long walks through Hogsmade. Minerva couldn't be happier. They'd write everything they've what to say to each other in coded letters which could only be opened and read with a magical password. Minerva would blush crimson red under her blankets at the Gryffindor tower, her heart beating fast in happiness. Poppy loved her back, life was good. 

The rest of the year goes in a wisp, they win the Quidditch cup once again and her team mates all shout her name back when they're celebrating at the Gryffindor tower. People from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw are there, making the party theirs, Poppy is dancing on her own, boys keep looking at her but Minerva's not jealous or scared anymoe, she knows Poppy's hers and only hers.  

1952, Hogwarts, Scotland, UK 

Minerva feels like falling. She's surrounded by clouds and lights and all kinds of sounds. She can listen to Poppy's voice but she doesn't understand what she's saying. She keeps falling. 

Her 7th year had started amazingly. She had kept writing coded letters with Poppy all summer. She had also started sending letters to several quidditch teams on the country, to introduce herself, and to ask for tryouts and requirements for making the teams, some of them had answer, some promised to keep an eye out for her on the upcoming matches. As soon as she came back to Hogwarts, things has started great for her. Apparition lessons were fun, she was good at it, even the ministry instructor had congratulated her. The quidditch them had an great line up that year, they even won the first match against Hufflepuff. Three teams had written her after the first match, telling her they had seen the match and were surprised in the best of the ways by her performance, they asked her to write back to them once the school year was over to send her the physical requirements and the dates for tryouts.  

She was doing well in her classes even given the pressure of the N.E.W.Ts, Professor Dumbledore, who often gave her extra credit, was excited to see her results on Transfiguration, which had always been Minerva's best subject. He would often call her to his office to try to persuade her into a plan b or a plan c, in which she made use of her amazing academic skills but Minerva wasn't interested. But beyond everything, what Minerva was most proud of was her relationship with Poppy. 

She had never imagined she'd be so happy with someone. Poppy filled her heart like she never imagined a person would, she'd smile just by looking at her. She didn't even care she had to hide, she was happy, she was in love and Poppy was too. She often told her, she expressed it on her letters, on the gifts they exchanged, even Pomona was aware of it. Pomona was proud of them and happy, she never felt uncomfortable by them, knew when to give them privacy and when to stay with them. Minerva felt happy, so happy.  

But now Minerva kept falling, there was pain in her back and shouting and lights coming from multiple places. Minerva tried to let go and relaxed, until she was no longer falling, she was just in the dark, there was no more pain, just darkness.  

"Minnie, Minnie, please, I... I need you, please, come back to me" She heard Poppy's voice, she seemed to be crying, but why? "Minnie, I love you, please, I'm... I'm completely lost without you, I need you to be back, I need you" 

Minerva tried to tell her she was there, that she was never leaving her, that she was hers, that she wasn't going anywhere but she couldn't. When she opened her mouth no sound came out. There was just darkness.  

"Minnie please" 

I'm here She tried to say but nothing came out.  

Silence. Only silence, for a long time.  

"Minnie please, I know it's going to be hard but I know you're there, I know you can hear me. I need you, come back to me" Again she heard Poppy beg  

Minerva tried to move, to talk, to scream but she was frozen in the darkness.   

She didn't know for how long she was in darkness, in the silence, in the fear. She couldn't talk, she couldn't move. There was just darkness, and the occasional voice of her girlfriend asking her to come back to her. Minerva was terrified but she was also relaxed and frozen. Poppy's voice came and went but Minerva didn't know how to go to her. She felt desperate  

"I would understand if you wanted to leave" Poppy's voice this time sounded different "Madame Blainey says there's no hope, that you probably know what happened and you gave up... but I know you haven't... there's still a lot on your life, you know, there's Transfiguration, and Pomona, there're Fleamont and Euphemia, I have kept them updated, they're so worried about you... and Minnie there's me, I'm here, I'm important to you, you've told me so many times, you wouldn't just gave up on me, would you? I don't want you to go but if you do... no, there's no way I could forgive you, you can't give up Minnie, maybe there's something to be done, I promise, I swear, I research everywhere, I'll go to China, to Japan, wherever it's necessary but please, please come back"  

Minerva heard her but didn’t move. She just tried to close her eyes and remember the feeling on her chest whenever she'd held Poppy's hand and there it was, the sensation on her heart, her chest full of love and there was Poppy.  

Her eyes were red rimmed and swollen, like she had cried for a long time. Her uniform was a mess and her hair was up in the messiest bun she'd even seen a woman wore. It was dark on the infirmary, where she recognized she was. There was a numbed pain on her shoulder, like if she'd given a pain killer but it wasn't enough to completely numb the pain. What had happened? She remembered she was playing against the Slytherins and then something had hit her shoulder, and then another thing, and then she crashed with the rings, and she remembered falling and she didn't remember more.  

"Minnie" Poppy seemed to whisper and then she leaned forward and started kissing her face, her cheeks, her forehead, her nose, even quick pecks on her lips "Minnie, my Minnie, you're here, I knew you were listening"  

"Poppy" He voice sounded coarse, like a groan  

"Here, here's some water, drink first, my love" She said giving her the glass on water next to her bed, Minerva drank carefully, the water felt cold on her throat  

"What's going on?"  

"I have to wake up Madame Blainey" 

"It's the middle of the night" Minerva said "You shouldn't be here, you're going to get in trouble" 

"I don't care about that, Minnie, you're awake, you're finally awake!" 

"Finaly awake, what are you talking about?" Minerva said  

"Minnie, you have been in a coma for two weeks, we thought you were death"  

"Death? Why?" 

"Minnie, don't you remember?" 

"I just had a little accident on the match, it's not uncommon, we met after I'd had an accident on a match" 

Poppy shook her head and cupped Minerva's cheeks with her hands 

"Minnie, it wasn't a simple accident, one of those awful balls, the gray ones, I always forger what they're calle-" 

"The bludgers?" Poppy let go on her face 

"'They hit you on the shoulder, multiple times, it was crazy to see. Pomona started screaming, we ran to the professors, to all of them, Augusta too, she was screaming and some of the girls that follow you around, when we reached Professor Hooch it was too late, you had crashed with one of the rings from the hit of the bludgers, Minnie, even the ring collapsed, everyone was panicking, even the players but they couldn't stop playing, everyone had to leave, Pomona and I ran to the field, you were laying on the floor, you fell 9 meters, we thought you were death. I was crying, Pomona was screaming. When we reached you... you were bleeding, and I couldn't breathe, Augusta and Longbottom arrived with the stretcher, the four of us took you out and then more people helped us. Dumbledore was screaming at Hooch and at Dippet. Once we reached the infirmary, Madame Blainey kicked me out. I was terrified. Nobody dared to move Pomona and me from the doors of the infirmary, Madame Blainey worked for hours, even professor Dumbledore came to help her and professor Flitwick... they... they promised me they did their best but..." She shook her head 

"Poppy, but what? What is it?" 

"Your shoulder was completely destroyed, and your arm too, the wounds from the fall was... they did everything they knew but you lost part of the mobility on your arm, more than half and lost the strength you have... actually, you won't be able to even move your arm for a while, with therapy you'll be able to move your arm again but..." 
 

"I won't be able to play quidditch again" Minerva said the words that had died on Poppy's lips "I'm ruined" 

"You're not ruined" She said grabbing her shoulders, Poppy had tears in her eyes  

"Poppy, I won't be able to play anymore, ever!"  

Poppy sobbed 

"I'm sorry, I begged them to let me help" 

"Even Dumbledore help, that bludger killed me, it fucking killed me Poppy, what could you have done?" 

"I promise, I'll study, I'll become the best healer, I'll go to China, to Japan, to Arabia, I don't care, I'll find a way to fix your shoulder" 

"I'll be too late" 

"I won't give up on you" 

"I'm ruined"  

Poppy sobbed again, she let go of Minerva 

"I'll call Madame Blainey" She said and cleaned her tears. 

Poppy left, she didn't come back that night. Part of Minerva wished she had, she wanted her arms around her, keeping her together but another part was glad, she wanted to be alone. She wanted to sink in her misery.  

Madame Blainey explained what happened with medical terms Minerva barely understood. She wouldn't be able to do anything on her own for around two weeks, with therapy and some anti-inflammatory spells she'd gain mobility on her arm soon. Augusta was assigned to help her with hygiene and with classes. Pomona and Poppy took her to the therapy sessions, they also spent a lot of time with her.  

She was silent. Minerva, who had always been too loud, too much, was silent. She pushed herself through therapy just because she wanted to spend more time alone, which she started doing as soon as she was able to move her arm again. Poppy tried not to leave her side but Minerva started avoiding her she'd spent hours alone with Poppy in complete silence without touching or even looking at her. Poppy didn't say much but she noticed she cried. Pomoma tried not to bring up quidditch or accidents or medicines, she mostly talked to Minerva about Herbology, plants and flowers and creatures.  

When Minerva wrote her mom about the accident and how her career on quidditch was over, her mom sent her a letter from her father, he didn't say anything about the accident but he wrote how much he missed her and how much he loved her. That was the first night after the accident that Minerva cried, in her room, while Augusta snore.  

She'd notice Poppy reading books on bones and bone spells and medicine but didn't say anything, she knew it was hopeless but she didn't have the energy to fight Poppy. She still loved her, even in that moment, in which she couldn't feel anything. She felt empty inside.  

One day she was walking on her own to her classes, when she crashed with someone and fell. She still held good grades but she had dropped the level of perfectionism the professors were used to, some of them tried to talk to her but it was useless, Minerva felt like she couldn't even hear them. She had stopped giving in essays and extra work but on tests and quicces she was still getting the best grades. A hand was offered, but she stood up on her own as soon as she saw it was Walburga's hand. Minerva frowned and Walburga did a small smile 

"You know, enchanting bludgers was far easier than I expected, just a little black magic" 

Minerva felt a flame in her chest, rage, anger, hatred.  

"It was you" 

Walburga smiled, her eyes were ice blue and felt just as cold, she was so white the veins in her temples stood out from her face.  

"Of course, it was me" 

"I'm going to-" 

"What? What are you going to do? Go crying to professor Dumbledore like the baby you are, he's not your dad, even if he keeps trying to protect you. Besides, he won't believe you and even if he did, my family will protect me, professor Dippet won't put a finger on me, the Noble House of Black owns this shitty school" 

"I'm going to kill you" Minerva said between her teeth and pulled out her wand  

Walburga was quick to pull out her wand and they both attacked. Minerva was blinded with rage, she screamed, and hexed Walburga who was quick to counterattack with spells on her own. Students surrounded them shouting "fight- fight- fight." Minerva could feel the strain on her shoulder, dueling required a lot of arm movements and she was still recovering but she ignored the pain and kept fighting. Walburga's uniform was a mess, so was her hair, and she was sweating, nobody had even seen Walburga in that state. Someone screamed Expeliarmus and both her wands flew towards the masculine voice that had shouted. Minerva wasn't done, she wasn't going to let Walburga go so easily so she ran and threw herself at her, once they were on the floor Minerva punched her in the face, Walburga tried to fight back but Minerva was a better fighter.  

The only reason Minerva stopped was because Hagrid grabbed her and pulled her away from Walburga. Immediately, a group of students came with a stretcher and took Walburga to the infirmary, Dumbledore appear while Minerva was shouting to let her go, that she wasn't done yet. Dumbledore pointed her with his wand and she fell asleep.  

When she woke up, she was on Dumbledore's office. Poppy was sat in front of him, on his desk, while Minerva lied on a sofa. She sat and looked at Dumbledore who was serving a third cup of tea.  

"Come over here, Minerva, take a sit" He said with his usual patience  

Minerva felt empty again, she moved to the chair in silence and sat. She drank from the cup of tea. She didn't look at Poppy  

"I called Poppy to check on your health, she's a marvelous healer in practice, this friend of yours" 

"She studies and practices plenty" Minerva said  

"Yes, indeed, I still remember when I had to convince her to do her own essays but seems she learned from you, to do them on her own" 

"she started doing them because she would have failed otherwise" Minerva said, Poppy didn't say anything and Dumbledore sighted  

"What happened, Minerva?" 

"Whay do you think?" 

"What always happens, Ms. Black provoked you and you couldn't handle your anger" 

Minerva drank 

"She admitted to hex the bludger" She said it peacefully, poppy gasped "She said it only took a little of black magic" 

"That was my theory when the incident happened, that someone had enchanted the ball but-" 

"Nobody believed you" Minerva said "She said Dipped protected her, that she was part of the Noble Black House and owned the school" 

"That... sounds like something Walburga would have said" 

"So I said... fuck it, they're not going to do a shit for me, I'll do it myself, and attacked her" 

"You admit you attacked her first" 

"Yes, and I'm sorry I didn't attacked her more, the only reason I didn't win that duel was because of this fuck-ass shoulder, I should have ruined her, the same way she ruined me" 

Dumbledore poured more tea on his cup and on Poppy's who hadn't spoken yet.  

"You once told me quidditch made you feel free, Minerva, I have... a proposition, I can't give you quidditch back but I think I can guide you through a spell that will give you a little bit of the freedom you miss so much" He said and handed her a book 

She took it an read Animagus. She knew what this meant, she could be able to turn into an animal, maybe she'd be able to feel the wind on her face and fly away from everything 

"It's a hard spell but I trust you can do it Minerva" Dumbledore said 

The process took around two months, Dumbledore helped getting all the weird things the ritual needed. He also talked to the ministry, who analyzed Minerva's academic record and let them go on. For every important step of the process, Dumbledore made sure to call Poppy and Pomona but he made sure that Poppy was always there. Minerva wondered if Dumbledore knew that there was something between them but if he knew, he seemed to approve it, so Miranda didn't mind. 

For the last night of the ritual, Dumbledore had not only invited Poppy and Pomoma but Dippet and a man of the Ministry. Dumbledore explained that animagi had to be registered on the Ministry. She was ready, she was said that she would have visions of her animal in dreams but she wasn't sure which one she was, she had seen plenty of animals on her dreams, so she wasn't sure what shape to invision after taking the potion. Still, after a long breath and locking eyes with Poppy, she drank the potion and did the incantation one last time. 

Then the transformation begun. It wasn't painful, she knew what painful meant, but it was a bit... uncomfortable. She could feel two heartbeats on her chest and for a moment she felt she was trapped on a tunnel full of different colors until she wasn't and colors weren't exactly the same she had been seeing before. For a moment nobody talked, but everyone had a smile on their face, it had worked. Minerva had turned into an animal. Then, finally, someone broke the silence 

"A tabby cat!" The man of the ministry said as his enchanted quill wrote on the paper "Gray, purple eyes as in het human form, excellent, Ms. McGonagall you can come back" 

She turned back into human, still feeling the uncomfortable sensation and then a pang of pain on her shoulder. 

"Congratulations on becoming an animagus! Rest well child, you did great" then he looked at the headmaster "Professor Dippet, come with me" 

Dippet bowed his head to Minerva and then left with the man. Dumbledore looked at Minerva 

"I've talked both with the Ministry and with the rest of the professors, we all agreed that if you managed to become an animagus we would give you half the points of the transfiguration N.E.W.T" Dumbledore said 

"Thanks" She said simply 

"Is there something wrong?" Pomona asked 

Minerva sighed 

"Cats don't fly" She said 

"I think, you're cutting short the possibilities of what turning into a cat can give you" Dumbledore said 

"Do you think you can purr?" Poppy asked 

There was something inside of her that broke with the question. 

"I want to sleep" She said "I'm tired" and without looking at anyone she left to her room. 

The way to the Gryffindor tower seemed longer than she remembered, she felt small and stupid. As soon as she reached the fat lady she sort of murmured the password. The fat lady probably didn't understand what she said but there were already tears on her eyes and so she opened the door without talking. She collapsed on her bed and cried. She cried like a baby. She wished she was home with her dad, she wished she had been born a muggle. she wished she had never learned what magic was.  

She didn't talk to anyone for days, as a matter of fact, she didn't even leave her room. Augusta brought her some food at dinner but on the first day she didn't even eat. Augusta wasn't kind of sweet but she cared, in a way, she and Minerva had become like sisters being the only girls their year from Gryffindor. 

"Pomfrey and Sprout keep asking about you" 

"I don't want to see them" She didn't even open her curtains 

"I think you should talk to Pomfrey" 

"This is none of your business, Augusta, leave me alone"  

"I know this is hard for you-" 

"But what ? You know nothing, as soon as you're out of here you're going to marry Longbottom and become a fucking housewife, and its okay because thats your bloody dream. All I've ever wanted was to play but now im ruined, i can't play, i have no future, i have no dreams. Leave me the fuck alone, Augusta, and don't try to understand something you can't " 

Augusta basically ran out of the room. Augusta who had always been one step ahead to shut Minerva up, had been left speechless. After a few minutes, somone else walked into the room. Minerva recognized the steps and the perfume 

"Feels like ages since I was last here" She said 

Minerva sat on the bed and opened the windows. Poppy seemed tired and paler, she even looked skinnier.  

"What do you want Poppy?" 

"Every one is worried about you. Nobody knows what to do. Professor Dumbledore even cried... I had never seen a man cry, you know?" 

"Its not his fault" 

"You know there's nothing we can do about Walburga" 

"I don't care about Walburga" 

"Minnie, you know I love you-" 

"Do you?" Minerva asked, her anger growing 

"Of course, I do" 

"No, you don't love me, you only love yourself, Poppy. You knew about the shoulder, you knew I would never play, you knew I was ruined, you knew she had killed me! She took my future! And yet, you begged me to stay, you begged me to come back to you, because you didn't care about my future you only cared about yourself" 

"Minie, that's not-" 

"Don't call me that ! I'm not your Minnie, I'm not your anything. This is over Poppy. I'm done. There's no future. there's no future for us. This was never going to work. Forget your stupid research, its too late, I don't want you. Leave me alone" 

"Mi-minie, my love, you don't mean that" Tears were falling from Poppy's eyes 

"Leave me alone" Minerva shouted "I don't want to see you. Its over, everything its over!"  

Poppy ran out of the room and Minerva broke into tears, she cried like she had never cried. She screamed and hit her pillows until the her own exhaustion beat her.