Professor McGonagall’s Cat

The library was deserted! 

A blizzard furled the snow on the mottled windows that streamed silver moon light into the corridor. A book lay open on the soft carpet. Pouring over it was a skinny little girl with sharp eyes, black hair, tied up neatly in a tight bun and square spectacles. She checked her watch. It was 1 o'clock in the morning. She stretched herself to full height and screwed up her face as if trying to swallow a huge gulp of water. A loud crack rend the air as Minerva McGonagall managed to turn into a cat. Her spectacles, she was surprised to note, were embedded in her transfigured body. She bounced around and found the glass window reflecting her tiny self covered in fur, a tail that she wagged vigorously and square markings on her eyes just where her spectacles had been. Jubilant, she frolicked around the empty library when suddenly a deep, curt voice said, 

"Bravo! Minerva."

Minerva's little cat heart skipped a beat as she hurriedly transformed back to her human form. A crack and there she was, sprawled awkwardly on one of the benches, gasping for air.

"I'm sorry I give you such a fright dear, but a third year student turning into an animagus is a tremendous feat and I must say I am impressed."

The boy move forward. The streaming moonlight from the glass window brought his handsome features into focus. Dark long hair, six and a half feet tall and blue eyes. The kind of eyes that couldn't be deceived, for every time Minerva look into those eyes she felt she was being x-rayed. 

"You could have knocked, Albus" said Minerva with squinted eyes and thin lips. Inside, her heart fluttered back to its place. It was Albus after all, a seventh year who everyone gossiped would be the minister of magic some day. She sat up on the bench and stared at him with arms crossed! 

"I am the head-boy Minerva and I am afraid I will have to report you to the ministry. Animagi is a regulated branch of magic and I cannot let you break this particular law. I can however write a letter explaining your innocence and ask as the head-boy of Hogwarts, to relax the rules for you. They will understand once my friend Nicholas too writes to the ministry." 

"You will do that!" asked Minerva leaning forward as she unlocked her arms. 

"It is evident that you are a clever witch. There have been only six known animagi in the century"

"Thank you Albus." Said Minerva in a small voice, she bowed her head down and fidgeted with her fingers. 

"Minerva?" Asked Albus, softly. 

He was suddenly very close to her. She got a whiff of an exotic fume, like cloves in spirit. She could see the snowstorm outside in his bright blue eyes. 

"Albus!" Minerva could feel her heart thumping, her mouth dry.

"I have been watching you for a week and wanted to ask you..." Albus paused.

Minerva felt her head light as a sudden breeze had set her hairs on end. Albus's clock swished in rhythm.

"My mother's old friend Mr. Filch has a non-magical son and daughter, Arabella and Argus"

"Squibs?" grinned Minerva.

"Please don't say that word. Miss Filch has been married to a muggle named Mr. Erebus Figg and lives in a Little Whinging. The boy, however, was not so lucky. His wife was a bad case of the Meledictus curse and to the dismay of the whole family, turned into a feline beast. The boy lost all hope and with it lost his will to live. I asked the headmaster to help and as Mr. Ralph is retiring, Mr. Argus Filch with his wife will join us as caretaker of Hogwarts, this Halloween. I needed someone trustworthy to talk to the Meledictus and make it understand the position. Meledictus curse bearers lose all forms of human senses and only the beast it has transformed into can communicate with it. You see Minerva, I believe saving even one life is a miracle. A magic without wands." 

Minerva sat there, lost in his soft words and velvety voice. She wet her lips and asked, "What animal has Mr. Filch's wife transformed into?"

"A cat."

Minerva's eyes glistened with the soft light pouring in from the Hogwarts grounds. Her heart was drumming slowly against her hopeful life. Her mind was torn between the part that wanted to rage at Dumbledore, to cry and ask his comforting touch and the other that wanted to obey those blue bright eyes. She wiped her eyes on the back of a hand and said 

"Anything for you Albus!"