September 1962

Minerva McGonagall felt her notebook get snatched out of her hand as a group of snickering first year Slytherin boys walked by her. She stopped walking and they stopped in front of her. She stared at the boy who was holding her notebook. Her piercing blue eyes boring into him and her eyebrow arched, condemning his actions.

Abraxas Malfoy did not seem frightened of her, however. One tended to feel safer when surrounded by a group of lackeys anyway. The boy had long silvery blonde hair, blue eyes, and very pale skin. He was taller than Minerva was and looked down his large crooked nose at her condescendingly. Three other Slytherin first years stood behind him, ties undone and top buttons open. No regard for their appearance. Minerva's father would have been very unimpressed.

"Give it here, Malfoy," Minerva muttered, stepping forward and holding out her hand for her book.

"Well, that's not a very polite way to speak to someone who has something you want now is it, Hatstall?" Malfoy said mockingly.

Minerva rolled her eyes. It had been a few days since the beginning of her first semester at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and she was starting to think that name was going to stick. Sit on a stool for more than five minutes and you're labelled for the rest of your school career. It wasn't her fault she had a complicated mind unlike these simpletons.

"Just give it back, you half-wit," Minerva said. "Why would you want it anyways? I don't think even my notes will help get the basics of Transfigurations through your thick skulls."

Malfoy glared at her. "Didn't your parents teach you any manners, McGonagall?"

"Better than your parents have," Minerva said, giving him a look.

"I doubt it," taunted another boy in the group. "Her father's a Muggle."

There was a chorus of snickers and Minerva rolled her eyes. She would never understand why some people in this world thought that just calling someone a Muggle was an insult. Her mother had warned her about people like this.

Malfoy smiled viciously. "Right," he said. "Your filthy Muggle father was probably far too busy manning the farm and scooping up cow shit to teach you manners."

Minerva gave him a look. "We're not farmers."

"If he even is your real father that is," Malfoy continued, ignoring her comment. "You know what they say about witches with low enough standards to fuck a Muggle. They'll probably fuck anything. Why, I bet your mum's made it through half of Hogwarts -"

Before Minerva had a chance to respond to the Malfoy's idiotic words, a girl with shoulder length brown hair was in front of her. The girl took no time at all in clenching her fist and swinging. Her fist made contact with Malfoy's already crooked nose and very successfully wiped the smile off his thin lips.

"Ah!" he said as he stumbled backwards, hand flying up to cover his bloody nose. He dropped Minerva's notebook. "She punched me! The bitch punched me!"

"Thinking before one speaks is vital to one's survival, Mr. Malfoy," the girl said very politely. "Saying the wrong thing to the wrong person can lead to much worse than a broken nose in this climate, I'm afraid."

Malfoy glared at the girl and pulled out his wand quickly. He pointed it at her but she didn't flinch. She didn't look phased at all. No, she was smiling. A polite little smile sat on her pink lips and her pretty green eyes gleamed pleasantly. She did not look like someone who had just thrown a punch.

Before Malfoy could do something he would most surely regret, a calm deep voice called from behind them. "What seems to be the problem here?"

They all turned to see a very tall man with long white hair and beard walking towards them. Albus Dumbledore had a twinkle in his blue eyes as he looked over his half moon glasses at his students.

"She punched me! Bones punched me!" Malfoy cried, still gripping his misshapen nose. What a snitch.

Dumbledore looked at the girl in front of Minerva with a surprised look on his face. "Is this true, Miss Bones?"

"It is," she said casually, as she picked up the fallen notebook. "He was being very rude and I felt his words warranted it. I for one do not believe that anyone should be talked down to like that and called rude words just because of their bloodstatus."

Minerva thought she saw the ends of Dumbledore's lips twitch slightly but she could have been imagining it.

"I do expect everyone to treat each other with respect at this school," he said, looking between Malfoy and the girl. "I will be taking fifteen points each from Slytherin and Hufflepuff. Miss Bones, I do not agree that words ever warrant violence and I will be seeing you this Saturday for detention. That will be all. Mr. Goyle, please help Mr. Malfoy to the Hospital Wing. The rest of you move along, the show is over."

Malfoy gave Minerva and the girl one last death glare before whipping around and storming off towards the Hospital Wing. The other Slytherins scrambled to follow.

"Miss Bones," Dumbledore said before Minerva and the girl could walk away as well. "Those sounded an awful lot like your grandmother's words. I'm sure Seraphina would be very proud that you have taken her words to heart though I do not think she would be very happy with the methods you chose to deploy."

"I'm sorry, Professor."

"This Saturday in my office at eight. Please do not be late."

With that Dumbledore turned and walked away in the opposite direction he had come. Minerva was very surprised that all this girl got for punching another student was fifteen points taken away and a Saturday detention. She was sure had any other professor caught them she would have gotten a far harsher punishment.

The girl turned and gave Minerva a smile. "Amelia Bones, by the way," she said cheerfully, sticking out her hand towards Minerva. "I'm in Hufflepuff. You were the Hatstall, weren't you? That's interesting. My grandmother was a Hatstall too. Not me though. I was placed in Hufflepuff quite quickly though there was a little while where the Hat went back and forth with Gryffindor as well. What was it stuck between for you?"

"Ah," Minerva was having trouble sorting through the mountain of words that was just dumped on her. This girl spoke awfully fast. She quickly shook her hand. "Minerva McGonagall," she said. She decided to ignore all of Amelia's monologue. She was a little upset at her for swooping in to save her. Minerva didn't need that. She took her notebook back from her and said, "I can fight my own battles, thank you."

Amelia's smile fell and turned into a frown. "Well," she said crisply, cheerful mood turning. "I'm sorry for coming to your defence."

"I was handling it perfectly fine from here," Minerva muttered. "All you've done is made him angrier and gotten yourself a Saturday detention on my behalf. Thinking before one acts is also vital to one's survival."

Amelia glared at Minerva. Why she had bothered to help her, Amelia couldn't say anymore. Minerva had seemed nice.

Seeing as there was nothing left to say here, Minerva decided it was time to leave. She turned on her heel and started down the hall.

Amelia glared at her back and muttered, "Salaud."

Minerva turned back around quickly and glared at Amelia. "Je parle français."

"Really?" Amelia asked. Suddenly her smile reappeared and she laughed. "God, you're terrible."

"You're the one who just called me a very rude name in French!" Minerva said.

"After you told me off for sticking up for your parents!" Amelia said.

"Well, I didn't need your help."

"Well, I was just trying to be nice."

Minerva rolled her eyes though her lips twitched upwards slightly as well. "Ah, well, I was headed to meet my friend, Poppy Pomfrey, in the library," she said. "Do... do you want to come?"

Amelia smiled. "Sure!"

She walked over and closed the gap between her and Minerva, giving her a friendly shove as she walked by. Minerva laughed and hurried after her. As they walked towards the library Minerva and Amelia talked more about their families and their classes. Their friendship may have had its rocky start but from there it was easy.

This is a prequel short one-shot for a longer story about Minerva McGonagall's life during the first Wizarding war called Times Like These.

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed! Please leave a review and tell me what you think!