A/N: This is the third stand-alone one-shot connected with "Framework Love Story." This piece feels more like a Minerva/Hermione thing throughout, but Dumbledore ends up working his magic as well. I feel like Dumbledore would always be helping out his beloved faculty and students, which could make Minerva fall in love with him even more. But there are no romantic undertones in this story, just a problem-solution one-shot that only the great Dumbledore could provide. Enjoy.

Mystery of the Study Room

Minerva was working in her office when the rains began. They'd been expecting the storm throughout the day thanks to thick, heavy grey clouds hovering over the lands. There would be no sun today for sure, and the wind and rain made the entire castle feel damp, even if everyone was inside warm and dry. Only the students had reason to complain, as they were still required to run through the sopping wet grounds to get to their classes with Professor Sprout, but many found the sudden storm a welcome delight.

Minerva was different. She was combing through her papers, trying to finish an article for a colleague in London, but she simply didn't have enough light. The pages looked dim and dirty, the text blurring together when they got farther from her again eyes. She needed more light, but candles already crowded her desk area. She tried making them hover and adding more, but it didn't help. The gloomy weather outside weighed her down and made her feel like she was drowning.

"Professor, do you have a minute?" Hermione Granger asked from the door. Professor McGonagall smiled weakly, allowing her bright pupil into the room. She was a third-year now, her schedule the busiest the school had ever seen. Her friends had no idea about the time-turner tucked under her shirt, the small device making her collar bump out in odd places.

"What can I help you with, dear?" Professor McGonagall asked kindly, trying not to appear to peeved by the storm or her unfinished article or anything else weighing down on her.

"Dumbledore asked me to take a look at a novel for one of my classes, but it appears to be in the Restricted Section. He's left for the day for some reason, but I thought you wouldn't mind providing me with the proper pass," Hermione said, handing her one of the forms from the bossy librarian. Sure enough, the listed title was in the Restricted Section, but Professor McGonagall wasn't really paying attention. She signed the wrong line, voiding the pass.

"Oh dear me," she sighed, sinking into her chair again. "I apologize, Miss Granger. This rainy weather has me well below my best."

"Oh I know!" Hermione exclaimed, tucking away the ruined form and pulling out another. "And everyone is being so loud. I can never study when people are being loud and annoying."

"I can't get enough light!"

"Me too!" Hermione cried, accepting the correct form from her professor. "I've heard there's a room where studying is blissful, but I think it's just a horrid rumor. There is no room well enough away from the others that isn't filled with some deadly trap or school heirlooms that don't want you there."

"I've heard of this room as well, Miss Granger, and if I knew where it was, I would take us both there immediately," Professor McGonagall smiled, this time with genuine amusement. "You know just thinking of that room has made me feel better. Thank you for your visit, Miss Granger. And if you ever need to study in my classroom, just say the word. As long as I'm not teaching or tutoring, you're welcome to come inside."

"Thank you," Hermione nodded, leaving the room.

Minerva returned to her work, trying to complete the article, but Hermione's discussion of the brilliant study room made her curious. She pulled out a book she kept hidden in her desk, a novel written by one of the early founders that discussed the castle's many rooms and wonders. On a very damaged page was the description for the study room, as well as a map showing one how to get there from another room, though Minerva had no idea what it was. The whole page was worthless, the text damaged beyond repair.

"Professor?" a voice called. Minerva looked up to see Dumbledore soaked with rain. "I was hoping you'd be here. I need some help getting my friends and I dried off, but you're the only one who already has a good enough fire going. Do you mind letting a bunch of soggy old bats use your fire?" he chuckled. Minerva shook her head, and in walked several old wizards drenched from the sudden storm.

"Do I need to add more heat to it?" Minerva asked. The men protested, shaking their heads. Minerva nodded. She slid her book under her desk inconspicuously and got back to work, her mind stuck on the damaged book and how she could repair it. She tapped her dry quill on the page, trying to find her way again through all the distractions, when Dumbledore noticed her inner dilemmas.

"Professor, you look awfully puzzled about something," Dumbledore called to her. She nodded without looking up. "Do you mind us helping you with your problem? We're all experts in something, all of us being old scholars who studied together as boys. We know quite a bit about everything, and surely we can help you with whatever is perplexing you."

"I spoke with Hermione Granger a moment ago about her work. She's frustrated with her study environment, as am I," Minerva replied, feeling it would be best to be honest with these very intuitive men. "She and I both have heard the legend of the great studying room, but neither of us know where it is."

"Oh that's a simple question," one old wizard said, chuckling jovially.

"Very simple," another agreed, laughing as well.

"Professor, you know where this room is," Dumbledore winked. Minerva immediately felt dumber than a rock. She had no idea where this room could be, and she felt a little silly for sharing her problems with the group anyhow. Dumbledore had always been a great help to her, but this time he was making her feel foolish.

"Tell her, Albus. You're upsetting her," a third man said with a concerned tone.

"I can see that as well," Albus nodded. "Think carefully about my office, Minerva. Have you ever heard the cries of children playing in the halls? Have you heard the poofs and explosions from potions or the whooshing noise of a passing broomstick? Have you ever seen a horrible view of the Hogwarts grounds trying to soak up rain from an unrelenting downpour? For that matter, have you ever not seen sunlight over my desk or reading area or wherever else I desire the sunlight to be?"

"Your office is the ultimate study room…," Minerva whispered with shock. "That explains so much. The headmaster should have the room, as his work is the most important."

"That is where you're wrong," Dumbledore disagreed, shaking his head solemnly. "I have tried for years to rearrange the area so that the students and professors could have access to the space, as they have the most important work. But the Ministry feels the room only causes trouble. Three hundred copies of a book about the architecture, design, and layout of the school. In every copy of this book, the miraculous room is blocked from view, though it is simply described as the headmaster's office."

"I have a copy of that book," Minerva nodded, revealing it to the group. "The page is too smudged to make out."

"The smudges are the work of magic, not malice," Dumbledore smiled, accepting the book and looking it over. "The true legend that surrounds it comes from its designer and creator, a man the Ministry grew to despise. He tricked them somehow without realizing it, having them align with someone who could not be trusted. The details are very fuzzy because they erased every notion of this man. He does not exist in the Ministry's eyes, and neither do his works and creations. The room is now my office, and no one must know its true secrets.

"Now, I can help you with your lighting dilemma and Hermione's problem with quiet studying. There is another room he created, a room that was supposed to have similar qualities. While it is quite noisy at particular times of the day, the Great Hall is typically very quiet," Dumbledore hinted. "And the lighting can be altered by changing the ceiling. In fact, let's go there and create a beautiful spring day, shall we?"

The group followed Dumbledore into the Great Hall, which was sprinkled with students trying to read quietly. All of them looked up as the group entered, confused about their purpose. The only people they recognized were Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall, and both looked so delighted about something that they couldn't speak. Soon the children were the same, eying the new ceiling with a bright smile.

"This is where the students and professors can study in peace," Dumbledore smiled, walking swiftly up and down the aisles looking onto every student's work. "Spread the word that this room is to be absolutely silent outside of meal times, allowing everyone the proper light and volume levels for their studying."

"Thank you," Minerva smiled. Albus chuckled, shaking his head at her, "You never have to thank me."

The storm raged outside, dumping more water onto the school than any storm had in previous years. But inside the Great Hall, sunlight bathed the black-robed faculty and students of Hogwarts, including Hermione and Minerva, who worked with light smiles on their faces and busy quills in their fingers.

Theme 012: Rainy Sunshine

To complete the themes yourself, I have the list posted on my profile. The list is for any type of fan fiction (one-shot, drabble, etc.) and any fandom. Challenge yourself in other ways to make it more fun, and enjoy!