Disclaimer: I do not own anything that deals with Harry Potter and you should all know that by now.

A/N: Okay, I know I owe all of you faithful readers out there a sequel to From This Moment On, but I just have not had inspiration at all. Not to mention, I've had hardly any time at all to work on Disappearing, let alone start a new fic. Sadly, this story was just begging to be written, and it would not go away. This is not a one-shot, like I have been doing lately. So please wait for more.

Chapter One: Fallen!

It was the end of term, and all students were very happy for the break. Gryffindor house had won the House Cup, mainly due to seventh year Harry Potter for his part in the ultimate defeat of Lord Voldemort. Everyone was glad that he would be no more, and they could all enjoy their summers without the constant threat of his evil forces hovering over them. Especially Harry and his two friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The Golden Trio, as they were more commonly known, had all protected the school from destruction, even though Harry had done the bulk of the work.

From the Head Table, Albus Dumbledore stared happily at the happy faces that he saw. He could hardly believe himself that the wizard that had been threatening them for nearly two decades was finally gone, and he was relieved for all concerned, in particular young Harry. There had been a time when he wasn't sure that the young wizard would be triumphant, let alone make it out of this war alive. And it had been a painful thought. He looked at Harry as the son, or even grandson, that he never had. It did his heart good to know that he didn't have to worry for his safety anymore.

As for Minerva McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress, Head of Gryffindor house and Transfiguration professor, she was more than relived. For she, too, thought of Harry as the child she would have loved to have. Each year, she saw her chance for a child dwindle down to almost nothing. And as her students came and went, she often cried herself to sleep, or privately in her office. She had almost been caught a few times, mainly by Albus himself. But she did not wish to burden him with her problems, even if he was her best friend.

She sighed. That was all he would ever be, was her best friend. She knew that he could never feel the same way towards her. And in Albus' mind, his thoughts were of something similar. He had loved Minerva for so long, but loved only in silence. The careful and powerful friendship they had built over the many years they had known each other was also too fragile and too precious for him to break by telling her anything. He couldn't bare the thought that she would hate him forever for his feelings, which he could not stop, much to his chagrin.

And as each saw the Great Hall empty, slowly but surely, both sighed inwardly sigh, lost in both thoughts. It wasn't until the crowd had completely gone, and only a few of the teachers were left, that Minerva stood, followed almost instantly by Albus.

"Well, I, for one, am glad to see this school year end," sighed Poppy Pomfrey, the school medi-witch. She pushed in her chair and leaned against if for a moment, as if to emphasize her statement. "I swear, I thought I'd never get the hospital child free. I must've received a hundred students within the last week, and not enough space to hold them all."

"Honestly, Poppy, I thought you loved your work," smiled Minerva. "After all, you knew that you would have to deal with things like broken arms and cracked ribs when you decided to become a med-witch. That was all you would talk about when we went to school." Her friend shot her a friendly glare.

"Yes, well, I assure you it was a full counter attack for all those times I had to sit through your boring discussions about becoming involved in the Transfiguration field. In fact, three weeks before Albus became the Headmaster, all you did was prepare yourself for the interview!" Minerva grinned at the recollection of her school days. She could not figure for the life of her how Poppy Pomfrey could remember such detailed things so far back, and yet she could not remember to do a simple act, such as remember to tell Albus when she needed new supplies for the hospital wing. That is, she would forget until she was completely out and a student needed that particular item immediately.

"Are you two hens done with your clucking, or must we break out the wands?" drawled Severus Snape, the Potions master as well as Head of Slytherin house.

"It's all in good fun, Severus," smiled Albus, joining the small group. "I suppose we've all been rather anxious that the school year end. I'm sure you are anxious to get back to you wife, Crystal. How is she, by the way?" Severus smiled momentarily at the mention of his wife's name.

"She is well, Headmaster," he replied. "Well into her third trimester, she is. She's due in about six weeks." Minerva smiled. Sure, she didn't really like him all that much, but there were times when she felt horrible for not getting to know him more. He seemed like a wonderful wizard, though she would not mention it in a casual conversation. She enjoyed their banters, and boosting his ego would just ruin it.

"Send her my congratulations," Minerva said, shaking his hand.

"I will," he replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I am tired. Good night." With that, he bowed his head and left the Great Hall.

"Oh, how I wish I could go straight to bed," sighed Poppy. "But I need to check up on my supplies. I'll be up for another hour and a half or so. Unless anyone would like to help me?" She looked slyly at Minerva, knowing full well that she could never refuse to help. Minerva sighed.

"Alright, Poppy," she frowned. "I'll help you. But when we're done, we're done, and I am out of there and in my own bedroom. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

"Well, it seems you two have your plans for the night." Albus yawned and stretched. "I'm beat. I shall see you tomorrow." With that, he, too, walked out of the Great Hall and headed for his private chambers.

Minerva yawned sleepily as she placed what she thought was the last vile into its place and checked it off the list.

"Are we done yet?" she grumbled.

"Almost," replied Poppy. "Just hand me that vile, will you?" She pointed to the remaining vile that lay on a side table. As Minerva stood and made her way to the table, she suddenly felt a little dizzy. Shaking it off, she decided it was just a side effect of being really tired. She grabbed to vile and brought it back to where her friend was sitting on the floor.

"Thank you, Min," she said. She set it in its place, checked it off the list, and, with Minerva's help, stood up. "I owe you one."

"I'll keep that in mind," Minerva smiled sleepily. "I'll see you in the morning." She turned on her heel and walked out the door.

As Minerva made her way down the hall, she noticed that her dizziness was increasing with each step. She was just outside her bedroom door when she leaned against the wall and held onto her head. The hall began spinning suddenly, and she fell to her knees. She gripped the handle of her door and tried to turn it, but her mind just could not send the message to her hand to do so. The room spun faster and faster until suddenly all went black and…

Albus turned the corner just in time to see Minerva fall face first to the ground, completely blacked out.

To Be Continued…

A/N2: Well, there you go. I hope you all liked that chapter and I will hopefully be able to update again soon. Though, I can't promise anything, because a new semester is starting and… yeah. Thank goodness I'm a senior. Anyway, there you go. And I know you liked that first chapter, LENORA! Hehehe. Always Hopeful