The Other Side

Chapter 1 – Disappearing

     She sighed as she set down a heavy stack of papers.  Glancing out of her window to the empty Quidditch field below, she silently counted the days before the students would be returning for the school year.

     "I wonder what the year will be like…" she murmured as her eyes slowly closed, cherishing those beloved moments of silence.

     "I don’t doubt the school year will be as hectic as ever, if not worse," an amused voice said from the doorway.  Minerva quickly sat up and straightened herself.

     "Albus!  You know better than to startle me like that!" she chided as she straightened her desk.  "So what brings you here?  You don’t usually come up to the tower."

     "Just checking up on you.  You haven’t been out of this room for ages now," Albus replied, a twinkle in his eyes.

     "Let me guess.  You came in here to get me out of my comfortable little office?" Minerva replied wryly.  Albus smiled as he laid down a key with a note on her desk.

     "Go out.  Take a vacation for a week.  You’ll come back, refreshed, and still have a week to prepare before the school opens for a year," Albus said.  She heard the finality in his voice, and sighed in defeat.

     The villa, situated on the outskirts of Athens, Greece, was beautiful.  Waves splashed against the ivory coast, at time almost splashing up to the walls of the villa itself.  Minerva stood on the balcony overlooking the bay, marveling at how perfect everything seemed.  "I should set up the Protection Shields," she said to herself as waves of exhaustion passed over her.  She hadn’t really realized how tired she was until after reaching her destination.  Chuckling at the thought of Albus' expression if she ever told him that, Minerva turned around and walked back into the villa.

     "I don’t have enough strength to set up the high-level barriers today," she said, glancing around the living room.  "I suppose I could set up the simple charms today and save the rest for tomorrow…it’s only one day, right?"  Sighing miserably at the mere thought of ‘necessary’ slacking, she proceeded to set up the easier Protection Charms before collapsing in a chair.  This summer had been one of the hardest.  Forced to assume all of the duties at Hogwarts (which she, truth be told, didn’t really mind) while Albus reinstated the Order of the Phoenix and coordinated his underground movements against the Dark Lord, as well as her own research projects for the Order, she had been drained by the time Albus had gently, but forcefully, pushed her to take this vacation.  Minerva glanced at the clock hanging upon the wall.

      "Eight o’clock already?  I should have a shower and go to sleep," Minerva grumbled as she forced herself out of the chair.

~*~

      "Wormtail!  Is the Portkey ready?" Voldemort hissed angrily as Wormtail fumbled for the towel that was to serve as the Portkey for tonight.

      "It’s ready, Master," Wormtail whimpered as he offered it to the Dark Lord.  Voldemort sneered.

      "I suppose you haven’t forgotten the Timing Spell on it?" he hissed.  The cowering figure shook his head quickly.  Voldemort’s sneer twisted into a demonic smile.

      "Gather a group of three Death Eaters.  I don’t care whom, just as long as they get the job done.  Understand?" Voldemort had gotten up and was pacing the floor.  Wormtail nodded and scampered off into the shadows.

     "You can’t run from me," Voldemort whispered, staring into the fireplace.

      "Must…sleep," Minerva mumbled as crawled into bed and shut off the lights, falling asleep immediately.

      "Goyle, what is your report?" Malfoy asked coldly.

      "All shields have been disabled.  She didn’t even set up an Anti-Apparition Ward," Goyle answered, taking a quick look around.

      "You, Nott?" Malfoy asked, this time towards the man standing a few feet away.

      "All is clear," Nott replied, keeping an eye on the driveway.

      "Avery?" Malfoy turned to the rustling bushes.

      "No one but her, Malfoy.  What did the rat tell us to do?" Avery growled, brushing away a stray branch as he emerged.

      "Idiot!  Don’t any of you ever listen?  We’re to lie in wait and when the time comes, which should be in about two minutes, we go in.  We have three minutes to get in and assemble around her and the towel and then we should be transported to Voldemort.  Remember, she HAS to be touching the towel!  Any questions?"  Malfoy glared at the group assembled before him.

      "No sir," Goyle replied

      "Nope, we’re all set," Nott muttered lazily.

      "Why are we doing this?" Avery wondered, glancing up at the bedroom window.

      "Hell if I know.  All I know is that the Dark Lord wants the witch.  That should be enough for you too, Avery.  All right, let’s move in."

     The cloaked and masked Death Eaters stole through the empty villa like shadows, one by one creeping into the bedroom where their exhausted target lay.  They assembled by the bed, laying the towel lightly over her hand just as the Timing Charm activated the Portkey to carry them to Lord Voldemort.

      Minerva was jolted awake by the rude pulling of the Portkey.  Swirling colors met blurry eyes, as she felt herself drawn away swiftly.  A second later, she felt herself dumped onto a cold stone floor with a group of cloaked and masked figures surrounding her.  The cold, if nothing else, snapped her mind out of the dreamy haze to the reality of her situation.

      "Get up, woman," a rough voice growled at her.  She scrambled to her feet, wondering why her vision was so clear.  Glancing to the side, she saw the familiar frame of her spectacles blocking part of her vision.  So she had fallen asleep again with her glasses on.  Foolish, foolish woman, she berated herself silently when a high, cold voice shook her out of her reverie.

        "Welcome, Professor Minerva McGonagall, to my humble abode," the voice mocked, placing a stress on the word ‘Professor’ as if it were laughable.  Minerva reached for her wand when the cloaked figures stepped back, and she came face-to-face with Lord Voldemort himself.

      "You!" Minerva spat angrily.  Voldemort laughed coldly, but it quickly became anger when Minerva, with a soft pop, became a cat and ran for her life.  It was a foolish move, she knew, but with a little luck, she could get away.

      "Petrificus Totalus!" someone yelled.  The curse hit her hard on the side and she crumpled, petrified.  A wand appeared out of nowhere and someone muttered words.  In no time, she was back to her original form.  Anger and desperation flowed through her as she struggled to be free of the curse, but to no avail.

      "Trying to run, Minerva?  Perhaps a lesson in obedience would serve you well," Voldemort said silkily, drawing his wand and pointing it at her with a sneer on his face.

      "Crucio!"

      A scream echoed through the night, and a mind-numbing silence ensued.