Author's Note: So, full disclosure, since I had surgery on my hand about a week and a half ago, I typed this whole sonofabitch out one handed. So please excuse any typos! There was also supposed to be another scene with McGonagall and Sirius (which was going to have more of the prompts for this challenge, sorry team for the low score!), but this scene just kept going and going and going and I have pretty much met my limit for extraneous typing for now. Perhaps I'll be able to write a companion piece to this at some point… but for now I hope you enjoy!

The Changing TImes

"O' captain! My captain!"

Minerva McGonagall frowned at the bespectacled student who had pounded on the door to her quarters at eleven o'clock on a school night.

"Mr. Potter?" Minerva said, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"Sorry, Professor," James Potter, smiling sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head. "Evans left a book of Muggle poetry in the common room. I've been reading up, trying to impress her, you know?"

Minerva sighed heavily. As the Head of the Gryffindor House, she was no stranger to her students coming to her with their problems. Normally she was more than happy to lend a listening ear to both academic and personal issues. However, she was certainly not in the mood for the romantic drama of teenagers at this time of night.

"Mr. Potter, I certainly hope you haven't come here to discuss poetry," she said sternly.

"No, no, of course not," James said quickly. He paused. "I suppose you're probably not in the mood for pleasantries about the weather either, Professor?"

"Shall we just get to the point?" Minerva prompted. "It is after curfew after all. Truthfully, you shouldn't be here."

"I know, I know Professor," James said. "And I suppose that this could have waiting until the morning, in fact, Moony told me to just wait until the morning – pleaded, actually if you want to be accurate about it – but I just thought, you know, I should get my thoughts out there while they were still fresh, and then Wormtail pointed out—"

"Mr. Potter!" Minerva snapped impatiently, cutting off the rambling. "Get to the point."

"Okay, okay, sorry Professor," James said with a nervous laugh. "Just nervous I guess."

At that, Minerva immediate shifted from impatient to concerned. Suddenly she could see the vulnerable, unsure look in her student's eyes.

"Why don't you come in," she suggested, her tone decidedly more gentle. She stepped to one side and motioned in toward her quarters. "You can sit, have a cup of tea, and tell me what's on your mind."

"Sure, just for a minute," James said.

Minerva led him inside, motioning over to her sitting area. She waved her want to relight the fire, warming the ambiance of the room, before taking a seat in a cushy armchair across from James.

"Would you like some tea?" she offered.

"No, that's not necessary," James said. "This won't take long."

"Well then," she said, though her tone was still gentle. "On with it, Mr. Potter, while the night is still young."

"It's just… I'm worried about Sirius," James finally admitted, shifting uncomfortably.

Minerva nodded. She had an inkling that that was what this was all about.

"Madam Pomfrey is taking care of Mr. Black," she assured him. "She has assured me that he will be fine and should be back terrorizing my classes in a day or two."

"I know that," James said, leaning back in his seat. "That's not what I'm worried about." He paused and this time Minerva waiting until he felt compelled to continue. "Sirius has… well he hasn't been doing so well since he got back to school. He's barely sleeping, he hardly eats… that's why he's gotten so sick he needs to stay in the Hospital Wing. Something is obviously wrong. He won't talk about it, but I think something happened while he was home for the summer."

"What do you think happened?" Minerva asked.

"That's the thing, he won't talk about it—"

"You said that, Mr. Potter," Minerva pointed out patiently. "I asked what you think happened. Clearly you are concerned for a reason."

James took in a deep breath.

"I think his family is putting pressure on him, Professor," he said quietly, not quite meeting her eyes. "You know their beliefs. You know that Sirius doesn't share those beliefs. But…" He paused, looking pained. The sight caused Minerva's heart to twist. "Several of his cousins have already taken the Dark Mark, Professor." He finally looked up and met his teacher's gaze. "I'm afraid that his parents are pressuring him to do the same. And I'm afraid that he'll do it."

Minerva was quiet for several long minutes, taking time to ponder this information. He knew all about the Black family and their beliefs. She had been as surprised as anyone when a Black had been Sorted into her own House five years ago, and she had been more skeptical than she would care to admit.

But over the years she had gotten to know Sirius Black, a boy who could not be more different from the rest of his family. Which was what prompted her natural question.

"What makes you think that he would take the Dark Mark?" Minerva asked seriously. For this was a troublingly grave concern. One that she wished dearly was beyond her fifteen-year-old students. Apparently, that was too much to hope for in times like this though. "You said so yourself, he does not share those beliefs. And honestly, Mr. Potter, I can think of few people less likely to take the mark."

"I know," James said, softly. "Both Remus and Peter think I'm crazy for worrying about it." He paused and Minerva waiting for him to collect his thoughts. "I believe his parents may have offered him a deal. It was something he said too offhanded one night. Something about protecting us. I suspect that in exchange for his cooperation, his parents may have promised safety to his friends that may otherwise be targeted. Blood traitors, Muggleborns, Half-bloods… you know, all the rest of us." James looked sick at the thought. Then the look melted away, leaving a look of anger in its wake. "But he doesn't get it. We're not going to be safe, no matter what he does, we will all be at risk." He met Minerva's eyes, seeming surprisingly mature all of a sudden, years beyond a mere fifteen years old. "Isn't that right, Professor?"

Minerva was quiet for a moment, silently in awe of the maturity and insight of this mere boy who sat before her.

"Yes," she said evenly. There was no point in lying. "That is right, Mr. Potter."

"So… what do we do?" James asked, looking at his teacher like she had all the answers.

Minerva had to quietly think that over for a minute. She knew full well Sirius' issue with authority. While she knew that he respected her, if she were to try and talk to him about this she knew he would not take it well. It was too ingrained in him that adults could not be trusted.

That alone spoke volumes about his upbringing.

"The time is fast approaching that not only Mr. Black, but all of you will have to make serious decisions about what you want to do with your lives," she said. "And each of you will have the privilege of deciding for yourselves what will be best for you. Mr. Black will have that same opportunity. You will have to let him make this decision for himself."

James visibly deflated at this response.

"James, you are a natural born leader," Minerva went on, leaning forward in her seat. "It's why you were elected Quidditch Captain in your fourth year, one of the youngest I've seen in my tenure here."

James couldn't seem to help the smirk that crossed his features at that. "Well, who was your other option? Claverdon? I'd make a better leader than him any day. Not to mention I'm an infinitely better Quidditch player."

Minerva shot him what appeared to be an annoyed look at the interruption, but in truth she was a bit relieved to hear him sound much more like the James Potter that she knew so well.

"The point, Mr. Potter," she said slowly, "is that a good leader must trust those around him. You must trust Mr. Black to make the right decision when the time comes."

"But… what if he chooses wrong…" James said quietly. "He just… he doesn't seem like himself, Professor. The pressure is starting to get to him. He's been smothered in that house and I'm afraid that they're not going to stop until they have control of him."

"I think Mr. Black and stronger than you give him credit for," Minerva said. "He will not be in that house forever. Even his parents will have to accept that he will someday be of age and will have the right to make his own decisions."

"You don't know his parents," James said flatly.

"No, I don't," she said. "But you are focused on the wrong party here. Sirius Black is one of the most stubborn, headstrong students I've ever had the misfortune to teach. When he was eleven years old he started on his own path when he was the first of the Blacks to be Sorted into a House other than Slytherin. That could have been devastating for him, especially given his family's very hostile response. And you know why it wasn't? Because of you. Because of you and Mr. Lupin and Mr. Pettigrew. Be there for him like you have been these past five years. Trust that when he's had time away from his family here at school he will come to you. And trust when it comes down to it, he will make the right decision."

James was quiet, his features contemplative. Finally, he took a deep breath and sat up straighter and offered Minerva a strained smile.

"You know, Professor, you're pretty smart for a teacher."

"How very flattering," Minerva said dryly. "Now, I believe you should return to your dormitory and get some rest."

James nodded as he stood. "Thank you." His tone was sincere.

"My door is always open, Mr. Potter," Minerva assured him as she stood and lead him to the door. "Now, right back to your dormitory. No detours. Am I clear?"

"Of course, Professor," James said with a mischievous smirk. Minerva had to resist rolling her eyes.

She watched as James made his way down the corridor, until he disappeared around the corner. Only then did she step back into her quarters and close the door.

"Glacius," Minerva muttered, pointing her wand at the fire, watching the cold air expelled from the tip quickly extinguish the flames.

But instead of heading to her chambers like she had been about to do before the interruption, she found herself sitting back down in the chair she had occupied just minutes before. She sat quietly in the darkened room, simply reflecting on the conversation. She had had students come to her with a wide range of problems before. But this was certainly a first… as well as the most serious.

Times were changing rapidly. Even the students could sense it. Dark times were upon them. And at this point Minerva McGonagall truly feared that it was only a matter of time before war was upon them.

Grand Battle Prompts

Dialogue Prompts:

"You shouldn't be here." (2)

"I'd make a better leader than him anyday." (3)

Word Prompts:

Weather (1)

Ambience (1)

Ponder (1)

Character Prompts:

Minerva McGonagall (4)

Spell Prompts:

Glacius (3)

Song Prompts:

'Numb'—Linkin Park (5)

Total Points: 20