DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. Please don't sue.
SUMMARY: Set during the Grindelwald years. Minerva McGonagall is asked to take a position as Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor at Hogwarts. When she gets there, she finds herself dealing with love, lust, a crush, an obsession, and two wizards that will stop at nothing to win her. On top of this, a mysterious dark power has his sights set on conquering the wizarding world. How will Hogwarts defend themselves when it turns out to be one of their own?
~~~
CHAPTER ONE: WELCOME TO HOGWARTS
~~~
It was a warm, sunny afternoon in mid August of 1944. A young Auror named Tom Marvolo Riddle was walking back to his office in the Ministry of Magic's Department of Magical Law Enforcement with about half a dozen letters in his hand. Only two of the letters were his, though. The other four were addressed to his partner, Minerva McGonagall. Riddle needed to go to the owlery anyway, so he offered to pick up her mail while he was down there, to which Minerva accepted and thanked him profusely. She was practically swimming in paperwork from a recent raid and had to get it done as quickly as possible.
Riddle reached Minerva's office and knocked once on the door. "Go away!" came her voice. "I am extraordinarily busy!"
He smiled and looked at the first letter in his hand. "Too busy to read a letter from..." He paused, and did a double take at the letter. "From Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?"
He heard the sound of a chair sliding backward and footsteps coming toward the door. The door opened, and in the doorway stood the only witch in their sqaud, Minerva McGonagall. She was a few inches shorter than him in height, standing at about five feet nine inches tall, with dark blue eyes and hair the color of obsidian. She normally wore a pair of glasses with sqaure-shaped frames for astigmatism, but at the moment, they were in her hand as she stared at Riddle in disbelief. "Hogwarts?" she repeated. "What do they want?"
Riddle shrugged. "I don't know." He handed her the letter. "Why don't you read it?"
She took the letter from him and walked over to her desk, beckoning him to come inside with her hand. "And shut the door," she said as she sat down.
He did, and then walked over to her desk. "What is it?"
Minerva gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. "Tom... this is from Professor Dippet."
Armando Dippet was the headmaster of Hogwarts. Both Riddle and Minerva were former Hogwarts students. She had been in Gryffindor house and graduated four years ago; he was a former Slytherin who graduated last year. Riddle thought Dippet a nice enough person, but a little too unambitious to be the headmaster of a school like Hogwarts. "What does he want?" he asked.
"Professor Mahler has retired as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," she read. "And..." She stopped reading and dropped the letter.
"What?" Riddle asked, smiling. "Come on, Minerva, you're going to kill me with the suspense."
"They want me to take the position."
Riddle couldn't believe his ears. "Really?" he said. "That's wonderful!" He threw his arms around her and hugged her tightly. She returned the embrace, but not nearly as enthusiastically. "So, are you going to take it?"
"I need longer than five seconds to think about something like this, Tom."
He flashed her his charismatic smile that would have made most women melt. She didn't even blink. "You'll be perfect for the job," he said. "Who would make a better DADA teacher than an Auror?"
"But it's not even my specialty," said Minerva. "Transfiguration is."
"Well, just hope that Professor Dumbledore is the next one to retire, and maybe you'll be asked to teach Transfiguration next," said Riddle. "This is what's known as an 'opporunity', Min. Take it. What have you got to lose?"
She cringed. She hated when he called her Min. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to get rid of me, Tom Riddle."
"Get rid of you?" He smiled. "Never."
Minerva forced a small smile. She should have figured as much. He'd always had a thing for her, ever since they were students, and it annoyed her to no end. There was just something about him that creeped her out, although she couldn't put her finger on exactly what it was. "I've got a lot of work to do," she said. "Maybe you should-"
"You've always got a lot of work to do," he interrupted with just a hint of frustration to his voice. "Take a break every once in a while. Let me take you out to dinner tonight. Come on, it'll be fun."
That was the third time this week he'd asked her out. Some people just don't know how to take no for an answer. "I've really got a lot of work, Tom. Maybe some other time."
That's what you always say, Riddle thought to himself. He set her other three letters down on her desk, slapped on a fake smile, and said, "All right, I understand. Let me know what you decide about that job."
Minerva didn't get right back to work after he left. Instead, she read the letter from Hogwarts over two more times. She wasn't quite sure if this was really happening or if it was just some crazy dream.
Dear Ms. McGonagall,
In all my years as a teacher, I have never before seen a student with as much motivation and dedication as you displayed during your seven years as Hogwarts. The rest of the Hogwarts faculty shares this opinion of you, and because of your outstanding reputation and skill well beyond your years, we are extending this invitation to you. Professor Angela Mahler, our Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, has decided to retire after thirty-five years on staff. When we were discussing potential replacements, your name came up, and we agreed that you would be the best one for the job. Will you accept the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? Please send your reply as soon as possible.
Yours sincerely,
Armando Dippet
Headmaster, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Minerva stared at the letter for a few more minutes, and then began to compose her reply.
~~~
Dear Professor Dippet,
I would be honored to join the Hogwarts staff as Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, and I will do my best to live up to your expectations. Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Armando Dippet set the letter down, and with a wide smile on his face, began scrawling a message to the deputy headmaster, his closest friend and cofindent: We have a new teacher.
~~~
Minerva arrived at Hogwarts two days after receiving the letter from Dippet. Her fellow Aurors were sad to see her go, especially Tom Riddle, but happy for her just the same. As much as she loved being an Auror, she wasn't too upset about retiring from the job. It was dangerous, had long hours, and the pay wasn't so great, either. It paid a lot better than a lot of other jobs within the Ministry, but most Aurors, including herself, felt the job was underpaid for all the risk invovled. She doubted being a teacher would pay better or be less risky, but at least it would get her away from Riddle. She didn't know how much longer she would be able to put up with him.
Armando Dippet was waiting for her just inside the entrance hall. He was a former Ravenclaw with dark gray hair and friendly brown eyes. He smiled warmly and said, "Welcome back, Minerva... or should I say, Professor McGonagall?"
Professor McGonagall. She loved the sound of that. "Thank you, Professor Dippet." She looked around the entrance hall, and memories from her days at school flooded her mind. "It's good to be back."
"You may call me Armando," he said. "After all, we're colleagues now, and I imagine we'll become friends as well. Let me show you to the staff room. Several of the other teachers are in there right now. You probably know them all from your time here, except maybe Professor Stravinsky, she joined us two years ago, but anyway, I need to introduce you to them as an instructor. Do you mind?"
She gave her consent, and the two of them began walking to the staff room. On their way, they passed Peeves the poltergeist, who was doodling on the wall with some chalk. "You'd better clean that all off before Mr. Pringle comes by, Peeves," Dippet warned him.
Peeves dropped his chalk. "Professor Dippet!" he exclaimed. Then, his eyes grew wide as he saw who was with the headmaster. "I know you!" he said, pointing at Minerva. "You're that Gryffindor girl who all the teachers wished the rest of the students were like, although I can't see why, since all you ever did was study, study, study..."
"Now, Peeves," Dippet said, "that really isn't necessary."
"They always talked about you," Peeves continued. "Don't worry; they all like you. I remember Professor Dumbledore saying once that if you weren't a student-"
Minerva's eyes grew wide. "What?"
Peeves snapped his fingers and vanished.
"Don't mind him," said Dippet. "Come, the staff room is just over here."
There were four teachers in the staff room. Dippet was clearly expecting more, and a look of moderate disappointment crossed his face when they entered. "Well, I guess this will have to do for now," he said. "Everyone, may I have your attention, please?"
Minerva's eyes fell upon a certain blue-eyed, auburn-haired wizard playing chess with another staff member, and her heart gave an excited leap. Albus Dumbledore. She'd always admired the Transfiguration instructor. It would have been her favorite subject even if it had been taught by the dreadfully dull Professor Binns, but since it was him, it made it even more fascinating. Dumbledore was also the head of her house, Gyrffindor, which gave them even more common ground. They saw a lot of each other during her time as a student, and now that she was a teacher, too, they would probably be seeing a lot more of each other.
Dumbledore looked up at Minerva at almost the same time she looked at him, and their eyes met. She smiled at him, and he at her. Then, she remembered what Peeves had said a few moments ago. "I remember Professor Dumbledore saying once that if you weren't a student..." What could that mean?
Dippet's voice brought Minerva out of her thoughts. "You already know her, but just the same, it is my honor and privilege to introduce to you the newest member of our faculty, Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor Minerva McGonagall."
The four teachers in the room clapped. Minerva smiled and blushed slightly.
Dippet started at the left end of the room, with a short, plump woman with rosy cheeks and a friendly smile. "Minerva, this is Professor Rachel Revueltas, whom you knew as the Potions instructor, but has since moved on to Arithmancy," he said.
"Welcome to the staff, Professor McGonagall," said Professor Revueltas. She shook Minerva's hand and smiled warmly at her.
"Thank you, Professor," Minerva returned.
The next instructor she was "introduced" to was the Astronomy teacher, a tall, gangly man named Paul Fenner, and then Albus Dumbledore. A shiver of excitement ran up and down her spine as she and Dumbledore shook hands. They took their time in letting go.
Playing chess with Dumbledore was the last teacher in the room, a tall man with dark blonde hair, hazel eyes, and a charismatic smile. "And last, but not least," said Dippet as he began to introduce this man, "is the deputy headmaster, head of Slytherin house, and Charms instructor, Quinn Grindelwald."
"So glad to have you on staff, Minerva," Grindelwald said as he and Minerva shook hands. "Welcome to Hogwarts."
SUMMARY: Set during the Grindelwald years. Minerva McGonagall is asked to take a position as Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor at Hogwarts. When she gets there, she finds herself dealing with love, lust, a crush, an obsession, and two wizards that will stop at nothing to win her. On top of this, a mysterious dark power has his sights set on conquering the wizarding world. How will Hogwarts defend themselves when it turns out to be one of their own?
~~~
CHAPTER ONE: WELCOME TO HOGWARTS
~~~
It was a warm, sunny afternoon in mid August of 1944. A young Auror named Tom Marvolo Riddle was walking back to his office in the Ministry of Magic's Department of Magical Law Enforcement with about half a dozen letters in his hand. Only two of the letters were his, though. The other four were addressed to his partner, Minerva McGonagall. Riddle needed to go to the owlery anyway, so he offered to pick up her mail while he was down there, to which Minerva accepted and thanked him profusely. She was practically swimming in paperwork from a recent raid and had to get it done as quickly as possible.
Riddle reached Minerva's office and knocked once on the door. "Go away!" came her voice. "I am extraordinarily busy!"
He smiled and looked at the first letter in his hand. "Too busy to read a letter from..." He paused, and did a double take at the letter. "From Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?"
He heard the sound of a chair sliding backward and footsteps coming toward the door. The door opened, and in the doorway stood the only witch in their sqaud, Minerva McGonagall. She was a few inches shorter than him in height, standing at about five feet nine inches tall, with dark blue eyes and hair the color of obsidian. She normally wore a pair of glasses with sqaure-shaped frames for astigmatism, but at the moment, they were in her hand as she stared at Riddle in disbelief. "Hogwarts?" she repeated. "What do they want?"
Riddle shrugged. "I don't know." He handed her the letter. "Why don't you read it?"
She took the letter from him and walked over to her desk, beckoning him to come inside with her hand. "And shut the door," she said as she sat down.
He did, and then walked over to her desk. "What is it?"
Minerva gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. "Tom... this is from Professor Dippet."
Armando Dippet was the headmaster of Hogwarts. Both Riddle and Minerva were former Hogwarts students. She had been in Gryffindor house and graduated four years ago; he was a former Slytherin who graduated last year. Riddle thought Dippet a nice enough person, but a little too unambitious to be the headmaster of a school like Hogwarts. "What does he want?" he asked.
"Professor Mahler has retired as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," she read. "And..." She stopped reading and dropped the letter.
"What?" Riddle asked, smiling. "Come on, Minerva, you're going to kill me with the suspense."
"They want me to take the position."
Riddle couldn't believe his ears. "Really?" he said. "That's wonderful!" He threw his arms around her and hugged her tightly. She returned the embrace, but not nearly as enthusiastically. "So, are you going to take it?"
"I need longer than five seconds to think about something like this, Tom."
He flashed her his charismatic smile that would have made most women melt. She didn't even blink. "You'll be perfect for the job," he said. "Who would make a better DADA teacher than an Auror?"
"But it's not even my specialty," said Minerva. "Transfiguration is."
"Well, just hope that Professor Dumbledore is the next one to retire, and maybe you'll be asked to teach Transfiguration next," said Riddle. "This is what's known as an 'opporunity', Min. Take it. What have you got to lose?"
She cringed. She hated when he called her Min. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to get rid of me, Tom Riddle."
"Get rid of you?" He smiled. "Never."
Minerva forced a small smile. She should have figured as much. He'd always had a thing for her, ever since they were students, and it annoyed her to no end. There was just something about him that creeped her out, although she couldn't put her finger on exactly what it was. "I've got a lot of work to do," she said. "Maybe you should-"
"You've always got a lot of work to do," he interrupted with just a hint of frustration to his voice. "Take a break every once in a while. Let me take you out to dinner tonight. Come on, it'll be fun."
That was the third time this week he'd asked her out. Some people just don't know how to take no for an answer. "I've really got a lot of work, Tom. Maybe some other time."
That's what you always say, Riddle thought to himself. He set her other three letters down on her desk, slapped on a fake smile, and said, "All right, I understand. Let me know what you decide about that job."
Minerva didn't get right back to work after he left. Instead, she read the letter from Hogwarts over two more times. She wasn't quite sure if this was really happening or if it was just some crazy dream.
Dear Ms. McGonagall,
In all my years as a teacher, I have never before seen a student with as much motivation and dedication as you displayed during your seven years as Hogwarts. The rest of the Hogwarts faculty shares this opinion of you, and because of your outstanding reputation and skill well beyond your years, we are extending this invitation to you. Professor Angela Mahler, our Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, has decided to retire after thirty-five years on staff. When we were discussing potential replacements, your name came up, and we agreed that you would be the best one for the job. Will you accept the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? Please send your reply as soon as possible.
Yours sincerely,
Armando Dippet
Headmaster, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Minerva stared at the letter for a few more minutes, and then began to compose her reply.
~~~
Dear Professor Dippet,
I would be honored to join the Hogwarts staff as Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, and I will do my best to live up to your expectations. Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Armando Dippet set the letter down, and with a wide smile on his face, began scrawling a message to the deputy headmaster, his closest friend and cofindent: We have a new teacher.
~~~
Minerva arrived at Hogwarts two days after receiving the letter from Dippet. Her fellow Aurors were sad to see her go, especially Tom Riddle, but happy for her just the same. As much as she loved being an Auror, she wasn't too upset about retiring from the job. It was dangerous, had long hours, and the pay wasn't so great, either. It paid a lot better than a lot of other jobs within the Ministry, but most Aurors, including herself, felt the job was underpaid for all the risk invovled. She doubted being a teacher would pay better or be less risky, but at least it would get her away from Riddle. She didn't know how much longer she would be able to put up with him.
Armando Dippet was waiting for her just inside the entrance hall. He was a former Ravenclaw with dark gray hair and friendly brown eyes. He smiled warmly and said, "Welcome back, Minerva... or should I say, Professor McGonagall?"
Professor McGonagall. She loved the sound of that. "Thank you, Professor Dippet." She looked around the entrance hall, and memories from her days at school flooded her mind. "It's good to be back."
"You may call me Armando," he said. "After all, we're colleagues now, and I imagine we'll become friends as well. Let me show you to the staff room. Several of the other teachers are in there right now. You probably know them all from your time here, except maybe Professor Stravinsky, she joined us two years ago, but anyway, I need to introduce you to them as an instructor. Do you mind?"
She gave her consent, and the two of them began walking to the staff room. On their way, they passed Peeves the poltergeist, who was doodling on the wall with some chalk. "You'd better clean that all off before Mr. Pringle comes by, Peeves," Dippet warned him.
Peeves dropped his chalk. "Professor Dippet!" he exclaimed. Then, his eyes grew wide as he saw who was with the headmaster. "I know you!" he said, pointing at Minerva. "You're that Gryffindor girl who all the teachers wished the rest of the students were like, although I can't see why, since all you ever did was study, study, study..."
"Now, Peeves," Dippet said, "that really isn't necessary."
"They always talked about you," Peeves continued. "Don't worry; they all like you. I remember Professor Dumbledore saying once that if you weren't a student-"
Minerva's eyes grew wide. "What?"
Peeves snapped his fingers and vanished.
"Don't mind him," said Dippet. "Come, the staff room is just over here."
There were four teachers in the staff room. Dippet was clearly expecting more, and a look of moderate disappointment crossed his face when they entered. "Well, I guess this will have to do for now," he said. "Everyone, may I have your attention, please?"
Minerva's eyes fell upon a certain blue-eyed, auburn-haired wizard playing chess with another staff member, and her heart gave an excited leap. Albus Dumbledore. She'd always admired the Transfiguration instructor. It would have been her favorite subject even if it had been taught by the dreadfully dull Professor Binns, but since it was him, it made it even more fascinating. Dumbledore was also the head of her house, Gyrffindor, which gave them even more common ground. They saw a lot of each other during her time as a student, and now that she was a teacher, too, they would probably be seeing a lot more of each other.
Dumbledore looked up at Minerva at almost the same time she looked at him, and their eyes met. She smiled at him, and he at her. Then, she remembered what Peeves had said a few moments ago. "I remember Professor Dumbledore saying once that if you weren't a student..." What could that mean?
Dippet's voice brought Minerva out of her thoughts. "You already know her, but just the same, it is my honor and privilege to introduce to you the newest member of our faculty, Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor Minerva McGonagall."
The four teachers in the room clapped. Minerva smiled and blushed slightly.
Dippet started at the left end of the room, with a short, plump woman with rosy cheeks and a friendly smile. "Minerva, this is Professor Rachel Revueltas, whom you knew as the Potions instructor, but has since moved on to Arithmancy," he said.
"Welcome to the staff, Professor McGonagall," said Professor Revueltas. She shook Minerva's hand and smiled warmly at her.
"Thank you, Professor," Minerva returned.
The next instructor she was "introduced" to was the Astronomy teacher, a tall, gangly man named Paul Fenner, and then Albus Dumbledore. A shiver of excitement ran up and down her spine as she and Dumbledore shook hands. They took their time in letting go.
Playing chess with Dumbledore was the last teacher in the room, a tall man with dark blonde hair, hazel eyes, and a charismatic smile. "And last, but not least," said Dippet as he began to introduce this man, "is the deputy headmaster, head of Slytherin house, and Charms instructor, Quinn Grindelwald."
"So glad to have you on staff, Minerva," Grindelwald said as he and Minerva shook hands. "Welcome to Hogwarts."