Had there not been many people in the elevator with Minerva she would have been banging her head against the wall. Sighing to herself all Minerva could do was try not to think about what happened. But how could she have forgotten that he could be here? Out of all the places, she should have been more prepared for him. The elevator doors opened and she escaped into the cool hallway.
She began looking around, taking in her surroundings as she traveled down the hallways. Twice she nearly panicked thinking she saw him again, but both times it was some other bloke. Finally she came to the door she was looking for. On the transparent glass it read: Ulleam Bain – New Age Medical Technician. She knocked on the door and a middle aged wizard opened the door.
"Can I help you?" He asked.
"Yes, I have something for you," She held up the box, "It's a special order."
He smiled and threw open the door, "Oh excellent! I've been waiting ages for that."
Minerva entered his office, which looked like any classic medical station. He closed the door behind them as Minerva placed the box on his desk. Minerva watched as he opened the box with shaky hands. From where she was standing she could see perfectly what was contained in the box. It looked like a large white marble.
However seconds later she realized exactly what it was because soon it began whizzing about in its place and Minerva saw that it was an eye. "Oh, this is perfect." Sighed the wizard. Minerva stood there nervously while he gazed almost lovingly at the eye and just when she thought he had forgotten her he jumped up. With a few swishes and a flick a pen wrote a not on a parchment and the parchment flew out the window.
The wizard turned to Minerva and handed her a small leather pouch that was filled with coins. "This is the rest of the payment."
"Thank you." Minerva replied. He opened the door for her and as she stepped out the door she almost ran into another wizard.
The second wizard was younger, with long straight black hair that was pulled back into a pony tale. One eye was hazel, while the other was covered by a leather eye patch. Minerva recognized this wizard from her school days.
And he recognized her, as she noticed when he smiled at her. Alastor Moody, was one of the few of Hufflepuffs that kept that house in league with the others. He was smart, brave, cunning and it was often whispered about the school that he chose, or rather told the sorting hat that he was going to be a Hufflepuff. He was of course a couple years older then Minerva, none-the-less, she felt during their school days they had competed for Dumbledore's favorite.
However his time out of school was not so grand to his features. Just from his hands and face she saw enough scars to know what kind of work he did for the Ministry. Alastor was an Auror. "Minerva McGonagall! Is that you!?"
Minerva mustered a kind smile, "How are you Alastor?"
"Not bad, 'cept for my eye." He said hinting towards the eye patch. There was a pause between them, "Do you mind waiting? I'd like to talk to you for a minute after I'm done with this old coot."
"Watch it, Alastor." The old wizard said threateningly, trying hard to suppress a smile.
"Yeah, yeah." And then he looked at Minerva for confirmation.
"Sure," She replied.
He smiled and the door closed behind the two wizards. Standing in the hallway felt like ages to Minerva. Every time someone came around the corner she jumped back and hoped it wasn't Albus. But every time she received a questioning look and that was it. Finally Alastor walked out of the room and Minerva nearly jumped again. The eye that she had just delivered was now inserted into the eye socket that was covered by the eye patch.
"Thank you for bringing this over, I've waited two years for this and it was worth it." The eye swiveled about in his head and it made Minerva wonder if she could get use to that.
"Your welcome." She said pulling her eyes away from his new one. "You wanted to talk to me about something?"
Alastor laughed, "That was just to make it official, some people in this department need to lighten up a little, which reminds me," They began walking down the hallway together as he spoke, "why aren't you in this department?"
Minerva smiled and sighed, "I know, several people have been pushing me towards that, but in honesty it's not where I want to be."
He nodded, "Odd though, I saw the way you took out that troll at the last battle. Kind of makes you look suspicious when you refuse a job offer from this department."
"How so?" She asked with a frown.
"I'm just saying, when someone refuses a job likes this, particularly with your talent, one wonders which side you would be on."
Minerva and Alastor stopped outside the lift, she stared at him hard and then burst out laughing, by the time she stopped laughing at Alastor the lift had arrived, "Alastor, relax, I'm a good guy. I would rather teach people then hunt them down."
Alastor smiled a little, "That sounds more like you…" He paused, "I apologize, and I just assumed that with your apprenticeship with Dumbledore, you aspired to such lengths as becoming an Auror."
At Dumbledore's name Minerva cringed, and Alastor noticed. He flicked his wand and mumbled some words. She felt a silencing charm fill the lift as it stopped and he looked at her carefully. "Why did you stop the lift?" She asked.
"What happened?" He asked sternly.
"Nothing!"
"Minerva, I am trained to pick up on these things and you shuddered when I said 'Dumbledore'. Now what happened?"
"It's nothing and none of your business."
He stared at her, "Has Dumbledore changed his ways? Is he thinking about taking over where Grindelwald left off?"
Minerva stared at him in disbelief and then she punched him in the gut, not hard, but enough to make a point. Alastor made a 'hmpf" sound. "You need to get out of that office more often. Albus would never, EVER change his ways, nor would he hurt anyone." Alastor stared at her with some disbelief. "You want proof? There is none." She paused; Minerva knew only too well the only proof would be to tell Alastor the truth. "Something happened between Dumbledore and me on a personal level, that's all."
Alastor stared at her for a few moments, before he straightened himself and allowed the lift to resume. Minerva noticed he didn't lift the silencing charm and so she felt in this moment for some reason beyond her control she needed his help and she needed to trust him. "Can you keep a secret?" She asked barely over a whisper.
Alastor raised an eyebrow and slowed the ascent of the lift, "Yes." He said quietly.
Her lips quivered and she barely allowed the words to leave her mouth, "I'm pregnant."
He looked down at her and she looked at the floor. He knew very well that she was not married and it took only half a second to connect this news with the previous conversation. She felt his mind ticking away as he tried to figure out why she was telling him this. Finally he whispered, "Congratulations."
She smiled slightly, "Thank you." Minerva looked up at Alastor. His normal eye stared at the door, while his magic eye swiveled about until it came to an abrupt stop, staring downwards.
Alastor sighed, "Prepare yourself-" He didn't get a chance to finish because the lifts doors opened. Standing in front on them was the Minister and Albus. Alastor guided Minerva past them; however they did not get very far.
"We will finish this another day, Minister, I have important school work to finish."
The Minister sighed, "Oh alright, how's Monday?"
"Monday will be fine, good day."
Alastor kept Minerva moving, but she could feel Albus' eyes on her and she knew without turning around he was following them. Minerva stopped and turned around in time to see Albus gliding through the crowds towards them.
Minerva could already feel the tension and awkwardness as he approached; Alastor must have sensed it as well because he was the first to say something, "Good afternoon, Headmaster."
"Good afternoon, Alastor." Albus beamed at Moody.
Alastor faked a smile, "How is the school these days?"
Albus chuckled, "Come now, Alastor, do you really want to talk about school?" Minerva noticed Alastor flushed a little out of embarrassment. Albus, however, seemed to take no noticed and moved on, "I'm so sorry to hear about the lack of funding to your department. I have tried my best to change the minister's mind, but he is stubborn."
Alastor nodded, "Yes, though the number of dark wizards have dwindled. We should remain prepared. Yet, since Grindelwalds downfall the ministry has become cocky."
"Indeed." There was a pause and Albus' eyes flitted a few time between Minerva and Alastor like he were calculating something. He then spoke with a tad more soberness then before, "And how are you, Ms. McGonagall?" His tone seemed more sensitive as if he were hoping to read her mind.
"Fine, Professor, and your self?"
"Very well, Aberforth asked about you, you should consider visiting him."
"I may."
Albus nodded, "I should be off." He nodded to Alastor and then to Minerva, "Good Day."
"Goody bye." Minerva said softly.
Albus then disappeared through a fireplace. Alastor grimaced, "Well that was sufficiently awkward."
Minerva laughed and together they left the Ministry, with Minerva hoping a solution would come soon.