Title: Vivere

Author: Intelligent Witch

Summary: After Voldemort's demise Minerva McGonagall has made the choice to live life to the fullest AD/MM

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Rainforest Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Wow I used a real disclaimer!!

Chapter 1 – The New Year

If there was one thing Minerva McGonagall knew about the year she was facing it was that she had no idea what would happen. Only months earlier, at the end of Harry Potter's sixth year, the Dark Lord had been vanquished from the earth forever. It had not been the end many were expecting. Voldemort had come to the school alone and insisted Harry fight him there and then, with no Death Eaters to support him. Harry, having prepared, went out and duelled with the Dark Lord, winning after a long battle.

The next few months had been spent catching Death Eaters and of course celebrating. It was during this time that Minerva made a promise to herself, to live. She had already spent a great many years as the stern, forbidding Professor and now she wanted to show her students that there was someone under that image. Minerva supposed it was because of the freedom she now felt.

No matter what her reasons were Minerva was determined to live. Beginning at the Welcoming Feast. Minerva planned to do something so simple that it would shock the students to their very bones; she was going to wear her hair down. It was the first step in living freely.

As the feast approached Minerva became nervous but knew that she would feel better once she had done it. So she brushed her hair until it shone on the night of the feast before going to greet the first-years. There were fewer this year then normal, mainly because of Voldemort's short reign of terror. She greeted them with her annual speech. "Welcome to Hogwarts. In a few short moments you will be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. While you are here your house will be like your family. Triumphs will earn you house points; any rule breaking and you will lose house points. I hope you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."

She then took a deep breath before leading them into the Great Hall. No one had yet seen her with her hair down, especially not in public so there were shocked gasps from across the Hall. Not only was their strict teacher wearing her hair down but it was gorgeous, her midnight black hair, which had hardly any grey, rested against her mid-back, swaying slightly as she walked.

Minerva did not react at all to the comments that reached her ears but continued to walk towards the front of the Hall, only making eye contact with the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. His eyes sparkled as her and she gave him a small smile in return, ignoring the small tug at her heart strings.

Now was not the time for that.

Instead she turned to the first-years and told them how they would be sorted and began to call them up. She watched them come up one by one, trying to decide which house each would be in and what they would be like in classes. It was a very mixed group except the amount of Slytherins was very small, no doubt due to the past few months.

Once each student had been sorted Minerva picked up the old and frayed Sorting Hat and the stool and moved them to the room behind the Staff table. She then took her seat beside Albus, just in time for him to begin his speech.

"Good evening children! A new year is beginning and it shall be a great one! The threat of Dark has disappeared and we are free to live our lives in peace. Now to start of term notices, the Forbidden Forest is as always forbidden, to everyone." Here he glanced at the Gryffindor table where sheepish looks where being passed between Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.

"Our last notice is that there shall be a ball held this year on the 19th of June. It shall be a memorial of the night Voldemort," there were gasps as the name was said, "was defeated. Now please start our wonderful feast."

As he said this a wonderful array of foods appeared on the tables and the students all began to eat heartily as did the Staff. Before Albus began to eat though he turned to Minerva and said, "My dear your hair is quite beautiful. Why is it that you have never worn it down before?"

Minerva felt a blush spreading over her cheeks, he thought she looked beautiful. "I like to be professional in front of the students. After the last few years though I no longer feel the need to do so."

"Well I think you should wear it out more often. Now what do you think of the ball?" Albus began to fill his plate as he asked this question.

Minerva also began to fill hers as she answered. "Well, I believe it is a good idea. As long as all the students are allowed to come but there are appropriate bed times for the younger students."

Albus stopped eating and stared at his deputy, shocked. "Minerva, you would normally have called it a waste of time and told me off for it. What has changed your mind?"

Minerva smiled; for not long ago she would have acted that way. "We have lived the last two decades in fear Albus. It is time we rejoiced and lived."

Albus and Minerva talked for the rest of the evening. During that small period of time Albus noticed that something had changed in his deputy. She was still the same but seemed as if she had almost been freed. Albus was puzzled but decided that it was a change for the good.

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