Disclaimer: I don't own anything

--

Finally, McGonagall thought when she looked around at her surroundings. No rain, no school, no students, no problems. She smiled. After all these years she deserved this, a vacation.

She had already dropped her bags by the hotel, now she could do whatever she wanted. The problem was she didn't know what. It had been a long time ago she could relax and only think about herself.

After a while she found herself on the beach. She sat down in one of the comfortable chairs and pulled up an issue of The Daily Prophet. But just before she opened it she remembered what had been said in "Vacation for Dummies":

Remember, this is your time, your vacation.

To make things easier for you we have created a few fantastic magical rules just for you.

1. Is a newspaper necessary? Are the articles about YOU? Presumably not. Then put it down.

You don't need more stress. The world can go on without you.

McGonagall snorted. She had gotten the book from Dumbledore (who else?). He had thought it would be funny. Although she had thought the book was ridiculous, she had read it. It would have been rude otherwise.

If anyone had cared to look they could have seen McGonagall put her newspaper down.

McGonagall was fidgeting. That's right, fidgeting. The fact that she hadn't read the newspaper was making her mad. It was crawling in her fingers and she had trouble thinking about anything else. Suddenly she could feel with smokers, she must have the same feeling they have when they try to quit smoking.

Yes…some of you might think that's an exaggeration. But then, you don't know McGonagall. It was extremely painful for her to not know what was going on in the world. She just had to know.

She didn't like breaking rules. How stupid the "Vacation for dummies" was didn't matter. It was still a book, and she had gotten it from Dumbledore.

McGonagall was a powerful witch. A newspaper wasn't going to bring her down.

Somehow she survived the day… and the night (although she did dream about newspapers).

--

"If I could change anything, anything at all in my life, I would change the fact that I put professor McGonagall's dressrobes on fire in my fifth year."

That was exactly Calliope Crimsons thoughts this morning. She was standing in the corner in the little pub were she was working, looking straight at a person who sat just a few meters away from her. Professor McGonagall (who by the way did not look happy). Trembling, she walked over to the professor with the tea she had ordered and some toast.

But when she got there McGonagall didn't even look at her. She just took her cup of tea with a shaky hand, staring right in front of her.

"Are you all right... professor?" Calliope asked.

McGonagall looked up, obviously not recognising the former student, and asked for some lemon jam.

--

When she first had arrived, McGonagall had been excited about the vacation. It had been something new for her, not to do anything.

But now, the trip had a new purpose. To be able to resist newspapers.

The days passed slowly. She walked around in shops and in the neighbourhood but after a while she couldn't take it anymore. Everyone was reading a newspaper or gossiping about the latest news. And McGonagall was stubborn. She spend her days in her hotel room (having brought up the food), tried reading books, write some letters and do some schoolwork. It was a pretty small room. She hadn't given it much thought at first but now when she had been sitting there for a few days she regretted her decision of picking it. It was warm and sticky, the walls needed to be repainted and the floor creaked if you walked to hard on it.

McGonagall stood up, looking out the window. Even she could now see how ridiculous the situation had come to be. The vacation was soon to be over. She only had one night left.

The decision came fast. Within seconds she was out of the room.

--

The time was exactly 10 am when Professor Dumbledore looked up from his desk and saw McGonagall in front of him. He smiled; glad to have the teacher back.

"How was your vacation, Minerva? I hope you didn't have to much trouble to go through customs."

McGonagall gave him a small smile and put a strange looking bottle on his desk.

Dumbledore pulled up his wand and poured the liquid in two glasses.

McGonagall sat down.

"Not one of you best vacations, I assume?" Dumbledore chuckled.

"It reminds me of when I went to Egypt once. I had finally gotten some time from Hogwarts and was going to take some time of my own. I failed. It was impossible for me not to stress. It all ended with me riding home on a camel. It's a quite funny story actually… I…"

McGonagall had giving him a deadly glare.

"Some other time maybe"

The room was quiet for a while.

"I don't remember telling you anything about my vacation, Albus" McGonagall answered.

She had lost it the night before, she knew that. But for the moment she didn't want to think about it. Never again. She had hoped everyone could pretend it didn't happen.

But off course they wouldn't. She was going to hear this forever.

McGonagall could see Dumbledore trying hard not to laugh.

"I got an interesting visit from the editor of The Daily Prophet this morning. I assume you know what we talked about" Dumbledore chuckled, but seeing her face made him continue. "No worries though. He's an old student of mine. We shared some good memories and finished my box of chocolate I got for Christmas last year. He's a funny man."

Not being able to resist any more, Dumbledore started to laugh.

McGonagall smiled.

It would take a long time before she would dare to go on a vacation again.