Past Lives

Past Lives

Chapter One: Truth to Tell

"Albus...I don't know how to say this, but...I'm in love with you," Minerva McGonagall confessed, too anxious for his response to stay still. She shifted in her seat, twisting an old handkerchief in her hands, but her eyes never left the face of the love of her life.

Silence reigned supreme for several seconds, the large grandfather clock by the bookcases ticking loudly before chiming the five o'clock hour.

Albus's stone-faced expression flickered for only an instance, replaced with disbelief and then disappointment.

"Professor McGonagall, that was a very inappropriate thought to share with your employer," he began coldly, "and I do not reciprocate your feelings. Will you resign your position, or do I have to fire you?"

As Albus finished his brief speech, tears freely streamed down Minerva's face, and the handkerchief she had twisted was used as it was intended. Minerva suppressed a sob, her shoulders shaking from the effort.

"I will resign - that way you will not be questioned by the Board of Governors. Do you need a written resignation, or will a verbal statement suffice?" she asked, her voice sounding hollow to her own ears.

"A verbal statement is all that is necessary. Your belongings must be out of your rooms by seven o'clock this evening."

Minerva stood up and slowly walked out of the office of her former best friend, not-so-secret love, and the man who broke her heart.

As soon as she reached the bottom of the stone staircase guarded by a gargoyle, she fled to the safety of her rooms. She thanked her lucky stars it was Christmas break, and that al the students had gone home, so no one would see her stern façade had cracked.

"Wulfric," she said to the portrait of Morgana Le Fay, who guarded her rooms. She wondered who would replace her as Transfiguration professor, Head of Gryffindor, and Deputy Headmistress. She wondered who would use her rooms as their own. A slight cough from the resident of the portrait alerted Minerva to the fact that she was standing in the middle of the hall crying. She opened the thick mahogany door that lay behind the portrait, and entered her chambers for the last time. She waved her wand, which caused her bottomless carpetbag to open for her possessions. Another wave of her wand shrunk the furniture she owned and Banished them to her carpetbag as well. She walked over to the windows for one last look at the grounds of Hogwarts. She could also see Hogsmeade from her vantage point, the twinkling lights of the wizarding village painfully reminding her of Albus's twinkling eyes.

She walked out to the gates of Hogwarts, not bothering to pack up her office. She did not keep personal items there, anyway, and whoever the new Transfiguration teacher was could use her lesson plans anyway. At least her students would not suffer from a lack of an organised lesson plan.

She laid her pale hand on the gates and they opened for her. She stepped through them for the last time, and turned to catch a final glimpse of Hogwarts, which had been her home for so many years. However, the gates clanging firmly behind her and glowing red alerted her to the fact that she was no longer welcome in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

She began to make her way down to the village. She would try to find a room at the Three Broomsticks. Ducking into the warm, inviting bar, she quickly located Rosmerta, the owner of the Three Broomsticks, and asked if there were any rooms available.

"Oh, Professor McGonagall, there aren't any rooms free. I'm sorry. Would you like a drink?"

Minerva declined and exited the pub, her head hanging low. She did not have anywhere else to go - her ancestral home was no longer in an inhabitable state, and she had no relatives to stay with for the time being. Thinking of families led her thoughts to Albus again - and she knew what she could do. Turning around, she stepped into another bar - this one gloomier and empty - except for one white-bearded wizard polishing a fire whiskey glass with an old rag. He looked up as the bell above the door jingled, signalling a visitor. His blue eyes that so resembled his brother's widened, and his hands began to shake.

"Hello, Aberforth," she said softly, "can I stay here tonight?"