Minerva McGonagall was walking down a rundown street in the slums of London looking for a specific orphanage. Why would anyone raise children in this awful place she thought to herself as she headed down the street seeing her destination up ahead. The sign was so worn the only word legible was Orphanage. Knocking on the door she watched as a herd of large boys cornered a smaller lad only about 10 if she was to be a judge. Which she could having taught students around this age for a few was about to speak out when a thin willowy girl opened the door asking " M-May I h-help you miss?".
"Yes I am Professor McGonagall. I believe I have an appointment with a Miss Grundlebunch." the professor replied gently.
"Oh! Yes your here for Nathaniel aren't you?" not giving McGonagall time to respond as she entered,the girl continued in a whisper "D- D- Don't let M-M-Miss Grundlebunch convince you Nathaniel is a very sweet boy and tries to defend himself and a few of the other picked on children from the older boys."
Suddenly a door a the end of the hall opened and a very cross and not very attractive woman 'though not for an obvious lack of trying judging by how caked on that make-up is ' Mcgonagall thought to herself as the woman yelled "ANNA! Where in the hell is that blasted Mcswagon woman! i wanna be rid of the Cross brat within the hour..." Grundlbunch just now noticing the older woman standing in the hallway. "Ah Proffesor! So nice to meet you I am Dorthea Grundlbunch the head of this orphanage. I was told by your letter that you are here for Nathaniel Cross yes?"
Holding back a scowl for the obviously deplorable woman " Yes I am. We at Hogwarts are interested in accepting Mr Cross into our presitgous halls. He will have a full scholarship paid by his mother at birth but he will have to have secondhand items give the size of the Hogwarts scholarship fund."
"Fine. Fine . As long as he doesn't come back here i don't really care. The boy is a in fights its ridiculous."
Just the a large man came in holding two boys one around 14 ,pudgy and mean looking with flat black hai,r and the other the small boy who was running earlier he had dark brown hair that hung to his shoulders with bangs the just barely covered his dark blue eyes one of which was swelling to match his split lips.
"Fighting again Nathaniel? Well lucky for me i don't have to deal with you ever again after today" Grundlbunch said with a sneer.
Not want to ruin the now hopeful boys spirit McGonagall didn't say that he would have to go somewhere during the summer. "Yes Nathaniel. I am Proffesor McGonagall , Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts." looking to the deplorable woman " Is there anywhere I may speak to young Mr Cross alone?"
Speaking up in a small voice "W-well there is my room Proffessor " Nathaniel said quitely. A gentle smile on her face "That would be lovely Nathaniel." Following the small boy out of the office she saw the room that was just barely able to called so. The room just had room for a small bed and a nightstand leaving only enough room for her to stand while the boy sat on the bed.
"Nathaniel I have some wonderful news for you. You are special. You are a wizard." McGonagall said softly.
"B-but if i was magic then how come I always get beat up. How come I don't turn them in to frogs or please Proffesor call me Nate please." Nate said quitely.
"Have you ever done things that don't make sense? Something only you have been able to do or something that has happened faster than normal?" McGonagall said gently having dealt muggleborn and raised for the last two decades she knew some took more convincing than others."How about I show you instead?" taking out her wand she did the neccessary spells to fix his eye and split lips taking away the pain in them as well.
"Wow Professor thats so much better!" Nate said with a wide-grin lighting up his small face. Seeing such a look on the young boys face tore at the older woman's heart. "Well Nate are you ready to go get your wizarding supplies?"
Grabbing his black satchel he packed his two pairs of loose fitting closes as well as sliding under the bed until only the tips of his black trainers were visible. McGonagall heard a wrecking of the floorboard as Nate slide back out from under the bed he held a box which he opened to reveal a leather bracelet which he fastened to his right wrist it was then that she noticed a charm hanging from one of the three silver rings it was a carefully crafted very detailed fox with celtic symbols on it paws , tail, and ears. He also put some muggle five subject notebooks as well as a few pens.
"I am ready proffessor." Nate said.
As the pair headed toward the front Nate asked the proffesor to wait a for a moment and ran into a door off the main hall. Curious McGongall leaned back to look through the door what she saw both warmed and broke her heart. She saw Nate hugging the girl Anna tightly thanking her for everything over the years. There was also three younger children in the room two little girls ,who were shaking as they cried, and a boy around eight wearing a brown rasta ,who's chin was quivering as he apparently was holding back tears. Nate pulled both girls into a hug a then got a tough look on his face before lightly cuffing the boy on the chin. The boy looked up and listened as Nate told him something that made the boy get a determined look pulling his rasta over one eye as Nate handed him a well wore army jacket that was obviosly too large by far for him. With that Nate smiled at them all and walked back to the proffessor.
"Already then ?" McGongall asked. Nodding Nate walked over and opened the door for McGongall. Walking out into London the two began the way to the Leaky Cauldren.