Many people know that Minerva McGonagall, the strict and excellent Professor of Transfiguration and now the Headmistress, worked for two years in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement of the British Ministry of Magic before joining Hogwarts.
There, young Minerva met Elphinstone Elcott, who was her immediate superior at the time, and after enduring his unremitting pursuit and silent waiting for more than twenty years, she finally got married. .
This marriage was actually quite short-lived, because Elcott, who had retired from the Ministry of Magic at the time, died of an accidental bite from a poisonous tentacle after less than three years of living with Minerva. After that, Minerva moved back to Hogwarts Castle and decided to devote the rest of her life to her teaching career.
However, few people know why Minerva, who was actually very fond of Elcott, her former colleague and boss, rejected his proposal again and again in those years, turning this relationship into a mystery. What was supposed to be a happy and lasting marriage was delayed for more than twenty years, so that both parties in the marriage failed to get a good ending...
At the bar, Aberforth, who was carelessly wiping a goblet, glanced at the two people who were talking - he did not listen to the conversation between Minerva and the other party, but what exactly the two were talking about, he But it can be more or less guessed.
Because he is one of the very few people who knows the secret.
Aberforth and Ercott knew each other.
I can't say how familiar it is, but in the first few years after Minerva turned down a great promotion opportunity and resigned from the Ministry of Magic and chose to return to school to work, Elcott would always go to Hogmore every time he was on vacation. Have a few drinks at the Pig Head Bar in Decun - that little man who works quickly and hard, but always seems a bit clumsy outside of work, especially when facing beautiful women, is like this. He doesn't even dare to show it. The Three Broomsticks Bar was even more lively, but I was afraid that if I met Minerva there, she would feel too annoying.
After going back and forth, Elcott became familiar with Aberforth, and Aberforth also learned from the occasionally drunk Elcott that the Miller he had always loved deeply Wa Mag—the junior in the workplace that my brother often praises, seems to have someone he likes.
It's just that in the eyes of outsiders like Aberforth, Elcott is not as "shameless and wishful thinking" as he always said when he was drunk... That little man who is usually somewhat silly, just... Minerva was a little "late" in her life, that's all.
Perhaps Ercott actually understood this, so he kept waiting silently and never gave up.
So sure enough, at nightfall one day, Elcott, who had retired from the Ministry of Magic, appeared again at the Hog's Head Bar, with a red face, and went to invite Aberforth to his wedding - he was probably before going out I’ve had several drinks!
That night, Ercott got drunk at the bar.
It was also that night that Aberforth finally heard clearly from Elcott about the man who was said to be Minerva's first love and whom she had once talked about getting engaged to.
According to Elcott, he was the son of a farmer named "Dougal McGregor" who lived in Caithness County, Scotland, and was a Muggle.
He heard Elcott also say that although Minerva loved that man, she could not tell him that she was a witch. Because Minerva, who had just graduated from Hogwarts and joined the Ministry of Magic, suddenly realized that if she accepted the other party's proposal, she would have to abide by the "International Statute of Secrecy" like her mother, lock her wand, and lose her job at the Ministry of Magic. , and let go of all your ideals and goals.
And that kind of life... was obviously not something that Minerva, who was young, energetic and extremely ambitious, could accept.
So Minerva finally rejected Dougal's proposal and left him. Even though the other party later sent Minerva many letters - in order to prevent the other party from waiting needlessly, Minerva never responded.
However, the emotion that she personally wiped out left an unhealable wound in Minerva's heart, and even affected her views on the job at the Ministry of Magic and many regulations of the International Statute of Secrecy, thus directly This led to her resignation from the Ministry of Magic.
It wasn't until three days before Ercott went to the Hog's Head Bar to have a drunken confession that the farmer's son named Dougal passed away, and Minerva's long-lasting and bumpy first love finally came to an end.
"... I secretly visited that guy named Dugor several times. He was indeed a good man, and even I had to admit it. It's just that... he lived a relatively happy life - the boy later married a local farmer. My daughter got married and gave birth to a daughter... It was so hard for Minerva! She just couldn't let it go... She just couldn't let it go... "
These were the last words Ercott said that night before he passed out completely drunk.
"Isn't it the same with you kid!"
At that time, Aberforth looked at the little man who fell down on the bar after speaking, shook his head, and replied angrily, but the drunk little man obviously couldn't hear it.
"I just didn't expect that just a few years after a low-key wedding with few people attending, there would be another funeral. If you ask me, the most pitiful person has always been that little man."
Hearing a few words like "poor" vaguely coming from the other side, Aberforth secretly shook his head - although he knew that Mag's words were definitely not the same thing, it obviously had nothing to do with him. He just remembered for a moment the poor little man who always came to his bar and sat in front of the window in almost the same position, looking at the direction of Hogwarts Castle and drinking to himself.
Among the patrons of the Pig's Head Bar, where all the crooks come and go, Ercott can probably be regarded as one of the few old friends he has had over the years.
"...Miss McGonagall, I don't know much about magic and the like, and I only know you in the magic world. So, for the sake of Dougal, my poor grandson still has to leave it to you. … I beg you!"
While Aberforth was at the bar thinking about the past, the old Muggle woman sitting opposite McGonagall at the small round table in front of the window had tears in her eyes.
"Don't worry, don't worry! The therapists of the Blois family are the best magic doctors in France. They will do their best to save the children - whether they are wizards or ordinary people! When my affairs are finished, I will Take the child over too, so you can rest assured!”
Mag looked at the other party and said seriously.