"What do you mean I won't be able to play Quidditch ever again?!" Minerva hissed out in one breath, her eyes practically popping out of her sockets as she gaped in disbelief at Nurse Madden and Professor Dumbledore from where she was lay in bed, struggling against Euphemia's hold who was trying to keep her down so that she didn't injure herself further.
Dumbledore frowned sympathetically, the usual twinkle from his blue eyes dulled considerably, "I'm sorry, Ms McGonnagal. But by the time you've recovered, the Quidditch season will be well underway and the Gryffindor team needs a Captain. It's not a matter of you not being able to play Quidditch ever again but I would advise against it at least for the rest of this school year so the team isn't disrupted," he told her.
"But who would be Captain? Harold?" Minnie asked frantically, her main concern not being about her personally but actually more about what her teammates were going to do. "Well, actually, I was thinking more Charlus Potter," Dumbledore inclined his head towards Euphemia as he talked about her boyfriend, causing her eyes to widen.
Minerva visibly relaxed against her pillows, "Okay, that's fine," she said quietly but her facial expression told a whole other story and Mia eyed her with a sad smile curving at her lips, knowing that her best friend wasn't fine at all. Charlus becoming Quidditch Captain was his dream but she knew that he wouldn't properly love it now because he was taking it away from Minnie, who had had so much potential as the leader.
"You could probably play Quidditch again sometime in the unforeseeable future," Nurse Madden piped up suddenly, causing three pairs of eyes to turn to her inquisitively, "I mean, we can't completely rule it out yet. But, for now, I'm afraid that it would only be a risk for your health," the middle aged witch informed Minerva sadly, feeling incredibly sorry for the girl who had made the sport her passion.
What passion could she possibly have now?
"I get it," Minnie nodded with a melancholic tone lacing her words as she slumped back into the bed, looking utterly defeated and fed up. Euphemia squeezed her hand comfortingly, wanting nothing more than to give her best friend the tightest hug ever but she didn't want to hurt her any further so she resisted herself from doing so, simply content with just holding Minerva's hand.
"I'm sorry it's come to this, Ms McGonnagal," Professor Dumbledore started saying quite solemnly as Nurse Madden started changing the bandages on Minnie's injuries (Mia had to look away when she saw how much blood was on the girl's head bandage - she couldn't even imagine how much pain Minerva must've been in). "I really wish there was another way."
"Have you found out what actually happened yet, Professor?" Euphemia asked mildly, probing the question in an innocent manner to try and see whether she could squeeze any information out of the Deputy Headmaster, secretly wondering whether the old man would actually spill the beans about the whole Eve situation or whether he would lie to their faces.
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled appreciatively for a little while there, he evidently knew what Mia was hinting at and he didn't see any need in beating around the bush so he simply told them straight. "It appears Ms Eve Selwyn was holding quite the grudge against you, Ms McGonnagal," he said with the air of a gossip, seating himself down on a chair a fair distance away from Minnie's bed to give her some privacy as Nurse Madden continued tending to her injuries.
"So I've heard," Minerva gasped out from the pain as the nurse started rubbing some healing lotion into the wound on her abdomen that frankly looked rather ghastly in the way that there were bruises and gashes scattered all over her lower stomach, where her uterus was. "Are you going to do anything about it, sir?" she inquired curiously.
Dumbledore's face became quite serious then, his jaw tightening slightly, "Yes, Ms Selwyn has been given detention until the end of this term and she has been kicked off the Slytherin team, though that last part wasn't my doing," he chuckled lightly as if recalling a funny memory which led to Euphemia and Minnie staring at him with confused expressions.
"It was Mandy Travers," the Transfiguration professor added upon their puzzled looks in his direction, "She came to my office and told me that she wouldn't tolerate such behaviour on her team which I thought was a very mature decision of hers indeed," Dumbledore informed them and Mia felt her heart warm slightly.
Mandy was one of Charis' friends and so Euphemia knew she was a decent person - the blonde girl's only fault had been that she had had an obsessive crush on Orion for at least a year and, whenever Mia had hung out with Charis' friendship group for the pure need of company, Mandy had often gushed about how lucky Euphemia was to be marrying Orion.
Which, obviously, Mia didn't agree with.
To know that Mandy had actually taken action against Eve and not let her deviousness poison the Slytherin team was actually quite relieving though because Euphemia knew for a fact that there would be many other people in Slytherin house cheering Eve and Co on for harming a 'filthy half blood.' The punishment would probably be frowned upon and Mandy would get a bit of hate from her housemates but Mia thought it was completely fair.
If Minerva wasn't able to play Quidditch because of Eve's actions, why should she be allowed?
"That was good of her," Euphemia responded truthfully, making a mental note to go and thank Mandy on behalf of her best friend later. Dumbledore nodded, "It was indeed, especially considering the condition she has left you with," he agreed before hesitantly glancing at Nurse Madden, as if seeking her permission for something. The witch gave a small shrug in reply, looking extremely serious as she finished re-bandaging Minnie's wounds.
What condition?
All of a sudden, Nurse Madden appeared rather nervous and she began messing about with a lot of the medicinal equipment anxiously, averting her eyes from Minerva who was now staring at her rather worriedly, exchanging a frightened look with Mia as they both internally wondered what condition the Transfiguration teacher was referencing.
"I haven't told her yet, Albus," Nurse Madden said quietly, bowing her head in apology, "I didn't want to overwhelm her," she explained and Dumbledore smiled sadly, evidently understanding and waving off her apology. "I see. Perhaps now would be the right time?" he suggested gently, his sympathetic gaze turning to Minnie who was getting even more nervous as each second ticked by.
"Right time for what?" Minerva asked cautiously, feeling her palms beginning to become rather clammy as she gulped in anticipation, thinking of the worst possible conditions that her injuries could've left her with. Nothing came to mind but, judging by the solemn looks on both Nurse Madden and Professor Dumbledore's faces, it was something pretty serious.
"Have you got any siblings, Minerva?" Nurse Madden questioned casually, in a tone that could've easily been used if they were simply talking about the weather. "Yes, I have two younger brothers, Malcolm and Robert. Why?" the recently turned seventeen year old was quick to respond, her expression apprehensive.
"Do you know whether they plan to have children?" Dumbledore asked carefully, helping Nurse Madden out a little as the old man could see that she was struggling to find the right words, gandering him a grateful look from the nurse in return. Minnie looked confused, "I assume so...." she said slowly, "My father is a Minister so he believes in the pro-creation of grandchildren from marriage, yes."
"So, I'm sure you'll have plenty of lovely nieces and nephews!" Nurse Madden said eagerly, clapping her hands together in a way that definitely insinuated she was just trying to look on the bright side of things. Things that Minerva still hadn't been told.....Euphemia could see the distress on her best friend's face and she felt a flame of irritation burn deep within her so she decided to speak up.
"Where is this leading exactly? Can you just spit it out, please?" Mia asked in a rather clipped tone which caused Dumbledore to blink in surprise before he inclined his head in apology, glancing towards Nurse Madden to take the lead as the middle aged witch sat herself down in the chair beside Minnie's bed, taking a hold of her other hand as Euphemia squeezed her left one comfortingly.
"You have endometriosis, dear," Nurse Madden told Minerva in a gentle tone, not beating around the bush for any longer and just getting straight to the point. Minnie's face dropped, she wasn't quite sure what the extent of the condition was but it sounded pretty serious and she looked at Mia fearfully, who's eyes had widened considerably.
"W-what's that?" Minerva stammered slightly but internally scolded herself, trying to keep her cool and not fall to pieces in front of all of these people. Nurse Madden took a deep breath before answering, "Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb starts to grow in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes. For you, it's probably been caused by the impact of the Bludger hitting your stomach, it seems that your womb has been knocked slightly and that is why you're in so much pain."
Euphemia could feel the dread rising within her, thinking back to Dumbledore's question about Malcolm and Robert wanting to have children or not, the fact that that had been asked and they were now talking about wombs did not sit right with her at all.....in fact, it made the sixteen year old feel extremely uneasy and she was sure that Minnie was probably making the same links in her brain.
"And what does that mean exactly?" Minerva enquired quietly, her tone desolate and melancholy as she probably already knew what Nurse Madden's answer would be, tears starting to form in her eyes. "It means that it'll be very hard for you to have children in the future, sweetheart. I'm so sorry," the nurse told her sadly, looking like she was going to cry too.
Mia clapped her free hand to her mouth to conceal her gasp of shock and upset for her best friend as Minnie closed her eyes, letting the hot tears spill down her cheeks as she leaned back into the pillows, holding onto Euphemia's hand like it was a lifeline, the only thing keeping her going after she just got the news that every single young girl dreads.
That she wouldn't be able to have children.
Minerva couldn't help but think about her dreams of having a family since she was a little girl holding her baby brother in her arms for the first time. She had always had that nurturing trait inside her from a young age, always taking in stray kittens to look after in her bedroom; tending to injured animals in the fields behind her house and taking care of her younger siblings with that warm love that flowed freely through her veins.
It had always been a dream of hers......
"Mama! Mama!"
The cries of the toddler radiated through the crisp air of the garden that had just been recently mowed, the scent of freshly cut grass drifting into Minnie's nostrils as she turned her gaze to watch her daughter run across the field towards her, a bright and excited gleam in her eyes as streaks of mud littered her flushed face like freckles.
"What's the matter, darling?" Minerva asked, kneeling down so that she was at the height of her three year old, the little girl's red hair all ruffled and messy like she had been rolling around somewhere. "I just made an acorn fly!" her daughter informed her excitedly, jabbing her finger in the direction of a lonesome acorn that was lying beside the rose bush where a seven year old boy was now emerging from.
"It's true!" he told his mother, running over to her with the same childish energy that possessed all young boys, his auburn curls rippling in the autumn breeze. "Lils was focusing really hard on the acorn and it suddenly started floating! It was like the magic that you and Dad do," he told the story with his hands, a happy grin on his face.
"Magic, huh?" Minnie asked with a small smile of amusement curving at her lips as she absentmindedly wiped away the mud on her daughter's cheeks with her handkerchief that had been in the pocket of her robes. "Let Mummy show you some proper magic," she suggested and she watched as her children's eyes lit up like the stars on a night sky.
But, as she stood up, the two children in front of her began to slowly fade away like they were nothing but ghosts or hallucinations, figments and products of Minerva's imagination as she tried to grab at them, hearing them shriek out for her.
"Mummy! Mummy!"
"Where are you?"
"Why have you abandoned me, Mama?"
"COME BACK MOTHER!"
"Mins?" Mia's soft voice broke Minnie's train of thought, bringing her out of whatever daydream she had subconsciously fallen into when she had shut her eyes. She blinked them open only to see that just Euphemia was sat there, the chairs that Nurse Madden and Professor Dumbledore had occupied previously being left empty which made Minerva stare in confusion because they had just been there moments ago.
"They left to give you some privacy, you seemed to be having a bit of a moment," Mia informed her quietly, still holding Minnie's hand like she was scared that her best friend would fade away right in front of her if she let go. Euphemia knew exactly what it was like to lose oneself in intrusive thoughts and, the minute she had seen Minerva's eyes squeeze shut, her pointed look in Dumbledore's direction had been enough for him to quickly suggest that he and Nurse Madden leave the two girls for a few minutes.
"I was, I...." Minnie shook her head slightly - she had just been about to tell Mia about her brief vision of the future she was now not going to get due to her recently diagnosed endometriosis but she found herself getting strangely choked up and suddenly looked away, hoping that Euphemia couldn't see the hot tears spilling down her cheeks once more. Evidently her wish wasn't granted though because she felt her best friend's arms slowly wrap around her and pull her into a gentle hug, being mindful of her injuries.
"The only reason I hadn't hugged you yet was because I didn't want to hurt you anymore but I figured that this type of emotional pain needs healing right now, your physical pain will have to wait," Mia spoke quietly into Minerva's ear as the other girl practically fell into her embrace, shamelessly letting the sobs wrack through her body now.
"Let it out, c'mon," Euphemia encouraged her, rubbing her best friend's back as Minnie cried as quietly as she possibly could manage, knowing that her tears were soaking Mia's robes but not being able to do anything about it. The pain that was shooting through her heart was even more so than the one in her body from her injuries, the girl just hadn't realised that such news could actually be on this level of devastation, "I really wanted children, Mia," Minerva choked out, her voice breaking on the words as Euphemia closed her eyes, feeling herself about to cry as well.
"I know, darling," Mia murmured, not knowing what else to say because what were actually the right words for such a situation? Nothing she could say would bring comfort to Minnie at that moment because being told that you can't be a mother when that's all you've ever wanted had to be quite possibly the most heart-breaking news on the planet. Euphemia didn't even want to think about the possibility of her and Charlus not being able to have children, she didn't think she would be able to take that pain and she couldn't even imagine what Minerva must be going through at that moment in time.
"There's nothing left for me anymore....I can't play Quidditch, I can't have children - what's even the point anymore?" Minnie whimpered, hating herself for being so weak and vulnerable but knowing that, if there was anyone in the world that she would choose to let see her at her lowest moment, it would be her best friend. Speaking of the girl in question, Mia pulled Minerva away at arms length then, shaking her a little so that the Scottish girl had to look her in the eye as she fixed her with a teary eyed stern look.
"Don't ever say that, there's so much you have left. You have your friends, the S.S.E.A.W. You have Brutus, your family," Euphemia told her desperately, watching as Minnie tried to control her sobs that were starting to restrict her breathing now. "But I don't have a family.....you're all going to move on and get married eventually. You'll all have kids and you'll forget about me, I'll just be left alone as the sad old woman who can't give birth and-" she cut herself off with another gasping sob and Mia cradled her best friend in her arms once more, feeling her heart break more and more as Minerva continued to speak.
"I could never forget about you," Euphemia whispered, embracing Minnie as tightly as she possibly could, "And you can always come and look after my children whenever Flea and I need a break, I promise you. You're so loved by all of us, Mins, you can be the fun aunt that gives them biscuits when we've told them no and that's better, isn't it? You can have great relationships with children without the responsibility, that would be a dream," she attempted to comfort Minerva and she felt the Gryffindor girl relax slightly in her hold, her tears starting to come to a stop.
"But my dream was always marriage and children. And after that, Quidditch. Now I've lost both of them all because some stupid girl wanted to take revenge on me for dating Brutus, who I'm not sure I even like anymore," Minnie added the last bit truthfully and, though Mia was slightly shocked, she didn't comment on it and instead decided to focus on the subject at hand. "You can still love Quidditch, that doesn't have to stop. And we'll find you new dreams, new passions," she said encouragingly, feeling a sense of achievement bloom within her like a flower bud when Minerva managed a small smile.
"I never wanna see Slytherin win that House Cup ever again," she mumbled under her breath with a spark of amusement in her eyes as Euphemia laughed delightfully, knowing that she should probably take that personally because it was her house but she knew that Minnie had a very good reason for feeling that way. There was a moment of content silence as the two girls still continued to hug before Minerva eventually pulled away, sending a grateful smile to her best friend, "Thanks for letting me blubber all over you," she looked apologetic but Mia simply smiled gently, "Anytime."
"Are you feeling a little better now, Ms McGonnagal?" the voice of Albus Dumbledore made both of the girls sit up straighter in their seats, Minnie quickly wiping at her eyes as she tried to appear slightly more presentable. "Yes, thank you, sir," she answered politely, hating how Dumbledore was looking at her with so much sympathy though there was a hint of another emotion in his expression that she couldn't quite put her finger on.
The Deputy Headmaster suddenly turned to Euphemia, "Thank you for all of your support today, Ms Black, but would you mind giving me and Ms McGonnagal a few moments alone?" Dumbledore asked the Slytherin girl and, although Mia looked surprised at the request, she wasn't exactly going to disobey her Transfiguration Professor and so, with one last squeeze of Minerva's hand, she departed. Dumbledore waited a few moments for her to leave before taking the seat she had once occupied, fixing a now apprehensive Minnie with a benign smile.
"What's the matter, Professor? It's not more bad news, is it?" Minerva enquired warily, feeling the nerves build up in her stomach once more as she secretly wished that Euphemia had been allowed to stay because something about her best friend's presence made situations just slightly less unnerving. Dumbledore let out a little chuckle, "Oh no, I have quite the proposition for you actually, Ms McGonnagal, and I would be most delighted if you would take me up on the offer though I will completely understand if you choose not to."
Well, now Minnie's interest was piqued and she sat up a little more in bed, trying not to wince when a sharp pain shot through her abdomen at the movement, "I'm listening," she encouraged the old man and Dumbledore smiled at her once more, looking deep in thought as he mused about how to approach his next question. "You'll have to excuse my bad manners here but, unfortunately, I happened to eavesdrop a little of your conversation with Ms Black and it got me wondering about what we could do instead of Quidditch so that you still feel like you have a purpose or something to feel passion for," he informed Minerva who waved off his apology for listening - she had been rather loud, after all.
Leaning forward with his hands clasped together as he leant his elbows on his knees, Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled a little before he spoke, "Tell me, Ms McGonnagal, being the amazing Transfiguration student you are, what do you know about Animagi?"
Hm bet you didn't see that one coming! Or maybe you did see as it is common knowledge that Minerva McGonnagal turns into a cat in the Harry Potter series pahahaha.
I researched the condition that Minnie has been diagnosed with (endometriosis) as much as I possibly could but if any of my description doesn't add up, feel free to educate me. Unfortunately, it's a very sad condition that still doesn't have a cure today but it doesn't always necessarily mean the woman can't have children, just that it will be a struggle.
For example, you may have heard recently about the singer, Halsey, becoming pregnant and she actually has endometriosis so it still can be a possibility, just not really here in Minerva's case. Girls of all ages are diagnosed with it so it doesn't really matter that Minnie is only seventeen - she's probably had it for a while but the injury to her abdomen would've made it even worse and more of a problem.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Let me know what you thought, stay safe and I'm thinking of you all in these difficult times x