So, as I said, this is the prequel to 'Too Creepy to Even Consider.' However, in spite of the fact that it comes first chronologically, you should read 'Too Creepy to Even Consider' first. If you don't, it loses nearly all its entertainment value.
More importantly, I (Kiyoshi'sGirl64) did not write this story. My friend wrote it (yes, Kelsie. The friend who wanted me to write too creepy in the first place). But she doesn't have her own account. So I am posting it for her.
Neither of us owns any of the characters. Well... I suppose Kelsie sort-of-kind-of-maybe owns Egbert. And don't you dare ask me where she came up with that name.
Kiyoshi'sGirl64
Chapter 1: A Horrible Error
Gryffindor House was especially quiet that evening. Too quiet for Professor McGonagall's liking. It was with suspicious thoughts that the head of Gryffindor house approached the Fat Lady.
"Charade," the stern woman asserted.
"Of course, Professor." The portrait hole was revealed.
McGonagall needn't have worried. The Common Room was populated as much as any other night with the normal activities of wizard chess, reading, essay writing and quiet gossiping. Nothing out of the ordinary save the low volume.
Eventually, her shrewd inspection of the room fell upon Hermione Granger in the corner. She had an intimidating textbook propped against the arm of her chair and a large orange tabby purring on her lap. McGonagall's eyes widened in disbelief. Her lips parted with a silent gasp.
In her mind's eye, Hermione was replaced by a girl with thick square-rimmed spectacles and straight hair. The rest of the scene—down to the title of the textbook and the girl's position on the chair—was the same as the real picture before the Transfiguration professor.
The low buzz of conversation in the common room ceased as the students noticed McGonagall. The last student to realize the presence of the older woman was Hermione. She was shocked by the awestruck gaze fixed upon her.
"Professor?"
The orange tabby dashed from Hermione's lap.
McGonagall blinked out of her trance. "I apologize, Miss Granger. I found myself lost in a memory for a moment. Continue with your evening."
With a quick glance toward the stairs up which the cat had disappeared, McGonagall exited the Common Room in a perturbed daze. Once out of sight of the portrait hole, her steps faltered, and she drew a wrinkled hand to her forehead. Could it be? Had Crookshanks returned to Hogwarts?
McGonagall was loath to resort to sneaking, but this was a situation too close to her heart to play with. Innocuous questions wouldn't be good enough. Hands became paws and robes became fur. A dark tabby dashed off to one of the secret passageways used by the Gryffindor familiars to enter and exit Gryffindor tower.
McGonagall tried to keep to the shadows as she navigated the stairs. There was a slight chance a student would recognize her. This situation was embarrassing enough without such an awkward meeting. Fortunately, the third year dormitory door was ajar at a conspicuously cat-sized angle.
The transfigured professor let out a wordless meow. As she halfway-expected, there was an answer.
"It seems we meet again, Minerva." Crookshanks dropped from a bed and strolled into the torchlight.
The detachment in his voice was painful to McGonagall, who had expected quite a different reception. "Egbert," she returned, disappointed.
The orange tabby's scrunched face tilted to the side. "Is there something wrong, dear?"
"It's been a long time, Egbert. A very long time. I hadn't—"Minerva's voice cracked as she struggled against the emotions threatening to gush out like a teenager's—"hadn't dreamed I would see you again."She forced herself to look away from the floor and into his yellow gaze.
Very quietly, Crookshanks replied, "I planned it so."
Down in the Common Room, the clock chimed.
"Good evening, Egbert," McGonagall mewed tersely. "I've duties to attend to." She departed before she could catch the crestfallen expression on the tom's face.
"Eggy, you've got to see this!" giggled a ten-year-old Minerva rushing to the side of a young boy.
The ginger-haired youth turned with curiosity just in time to see his best friend disappear and be replaced by a cat. He gave a shout of alarm before he guessed what must have happened. "Minnie, is that another witch trick?"
The little girl was back in the blink of an eye. "Yes, but it's rare even for witches. You have to remember it's a secret"
Egbert frowned. "I won't tell anyone. You know that."
"Minnie! Stop cheating! How are we supposed to play hide-and-seek properly is you just turn into a ruddy cat and hide in impossible places or use your nose to smell me out? It's not fair, and I don't want to play with you anymore!"
"Eggy, it's just really fun. I don't mean to be mean," the young girl protested.
"I don't care! I'm going in!" Egbert's shouts were laced with a hate that ran deeper than a foul game of hide-and-seek. The real source of his anger was jealousy of his friend. She was a full year younger than him, but she seemed to be better at everything anyway. It was all because she was a witch, he was sure of it.
"No! I promise I'll play fair!" Minerva whined.
"Maybe if you'd just teach me to turn into a cat, too, we could play your way!" How many times had he suggested it before? If it wasn't her transfiguration, than it was the way she could make things float or glow. Always the answer was the same.
The animagus gasped in indignation. "Eggy, you're not a wizard! It just wouldn't work. I can't teach you!"
"Well, maybe I don't want to play with some freaky cat anyway." He didn't regret his words. Not yet.
"Freaky cat!" Minerva's cheeks blazed with ire. "I'll show you freaky cat!"
There was an explosion of sparks, and Egbert Crookshanks was no more. Instead, there was a fiery tom cat arch-backed and spitting.
Eleven-year-old Minerva McGonagall held Crookshanks firmly in her arms as she boarded the Hogwarts Express. "Don't worry, Eggy. I'll learn to do transfiguration in a jiffy, and you'll be back to normal," she whispered, more as a comfort to herself that to the cat.
As far as the rest of the world knew, including her parents, Egbert had drowned in the river. He was only alive to Minerva, and she was the only one that was going to fix him. She was stubborn that way. Yet, her childhood error didn't stay in her childhood. It followed her all her life.
McGonagall remained in her cat form long after departing from Gryffindor Tower. In her living quarters, she curled up on her pillow, pensively putting her chin on her paws. She had to react to this. It had been over fifty years since she had last seen Egbert Crookshanks. There hadn't even been a goodbye. So, yes, there had to be a reaction. She just didn't know what that reaction should be. Overwhelming joy at his return? Bitterness at his desertion? Righteous fury at the fact that he had been at Hogwarts an entire month without seeking her out? All were emotions that her mind tossed about, but there was a feeling rooted in her soul that trumped all of them. She just couldn't decipher it yet.