Mimi

Minerva McGonagall would never say it out loud but James Potter and Sirius Black were one of those cases that make teachers feeling they can still be surprised. Both of them were very good at school, as far as she could tell their hearts were at the right place, and they were troublemakers. A very odd mixture. They had been caught using the Wingardium Leviosa to levitate the bags of every student who wasn't paying attention. So Minerva decided to try a new strategy: Have a serious talk to them one at a time. She knew every child has a reason to act as he or she did. Minerva had made it her personal quest to find out what it was. He started with James.

She asked Potter about his parents. She didn't need to ask him anything more, he was so talkative and eager to share everything. He turned out to be a lethal mixture of genes and situations. She knew Charlus and Dorea Potter, they were a little bit younger than her. Charlus was the classic boy who may not being extraordinary handsome but was confident enough to make girls weak in the knees. He was the Hogwarts Joker of his time. Minerva had to send him to detention several times. Dorea was another story. She was kind, wise in a very strange way she found everything funny. Then, James Potter told her, he was born, when his parents had given up hope to have a child. Minerva made mental notes.

Only child, the center of his parents universe, and with genes that tended to be always laughing about anyone and anything. Not much to be done there.

Nevertheless she still found out some things she didn't know. The boy was a very good story teller that much could be said. His story had Minerva so interested that she felt she was hearing a book being read out loud. James attended a muggle school. One of his best friends, he had to count Sirius now, was a muggle. His name was Laurie. Well his name was Theodor Laurence, but everyone called him Laurie. He lived with his grandfather, just across the Potter family in Godric Hallow. James saw Minerva so interested that he continue talking. He also had a set of muggle cousins, they weren't really related but they were the daughters of his mother best friend. They were Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. Jo was his age, and his pen-pal. They wrote to each other since they were nine. Unfortunately, he didn't see much of them, they lived in Mexico, since their father was a soldier and was settle there in the UK embassy.

Minerva found it interesting, that a boy like Potter, rich and pureblood, had grown in the muggle world. But then again she had to keep her part. She stopped him, before he came out with some other wonderful story about his dog, which she was sure would be a delight to hear. She told him that she knew he was a funny and creative out of his parents but that he had to behave himself if he didn't want to get expelled. James nodded, promised to be a good boy, (Again, Minerva thought), and left.

Sirius Black entered the room. He entered the room with such an ease he almost looked like a prince walking around his castle. His dark hair moved with him, and Minerva reminded of a certain man. Minerva shook her head, put that memory at the back of her brain where it belonged actually. She started asking questions about his parents, the same way he did with Potter. The outcome was the opposite. She only got Ok, Fine, Yes and No. She asked about his Christmas Holliday and it was over. Black couldn't take it anymore and started crying. He covered his face with his childish hands. He looked so vulnerable. Minerva didn't had a choice. She went to the chair next to Sirius and caressed his hair. Sirius seemed to calm down.

"I hate them", his voice was so quiet and so determined that Minerva was officially surprise.

"Who do you hate?" she asked and for a reason she was afraid of his answer.

"My family. I don't want to be like them." Sirius turned to see Minerva right in the eyes.

"What happened during Christmas?"

Sirius explained everything. How the Holidays had given him a MA in Hatred of your own flesh and blood. His parents, Kreacher and Regulus had spent all his holidays telling him things like: Blood-traitor! (which was the nicest) Useless! Family disgrace! He even hadn't got anything for Christmas, only James, his uncle Alphard and Andromeda, his favorite cousin, gave him presents. McGonogall was sure that was illegal and if it wasn't it should be. To treat a child in such a manner by his family! Fortunately for the Blacks, they were out of Minerva's reach at the moment. Nevertheless, she decided not to give away her anger. She just asked:

"You're the first one to entered Gryffindor instead of Slyterin, am I right?" she asked.

"Yeah"

"So you are not like them, Sirius".

Sirius smiled and a small laugh left his lips.

"What is funny?" she asked.

"You didn't called me by my surname."

"I didn't, did I? Well I guess that since you don't want to be like your family I can't called you by your surname. But Sirius, if you don't want to be like them, don't. It is ok. The surname is nothing. Besides, Sirius Black sounds good. You just need to find out what kind of man you want to be and do everything in your power to become that."

Sirius nodded, and seemed to take in his teacher words.

"So I can be Sirius Black, but not a Black?"

Minerva nodded. He felt better, still there was something bothering him.

"Have you ever feel like... an orphan?"

Minerva didn't expect this question, but the boy had been reminding him so much that unlike her professional self, she gave in.

"Yes, more than 10 years ago I lost my family."

"How?" Sirius asked quietly but his eyes were fixed in Minerva's.

"When I left Hogwarts. I decided to travel. I wanted to learn much more about Magic. After several months traveling through Europe, I arrived to Greece, and my journey ended there."

"Why?"

"I fell in love with the most handsome, gentle, smart and noble man I ever met"

"Is this going to be a girl story?" asked Sirius, and Minerva laugh.

"Well, yes. I'm a girl"

"Yeah, right" the boy was disappointed and Minerva smiled.

"But he was a muggle. He was a math teacher. His name was Andrew. We got married, and a year later we had a son. His name was Hector. I was so happy in Greece for five years, until they were murdered."

Sirius let a small Oh scape his lips, and Minerva face went paler.

"How killed them?"

"A follower of Grindelwald. They didn't want wizards marrying muggles, and thought wizards should rule. The funny part" McGonogall proceed in a serious tone "my son had four years old and was such a talented wizard, at his age he could make a small star appeared next to his bed. He was afraid of the dark. They thought he was a muggle, so they killed him."

Minerva was crying, she didn't realized until a small hand touched her shoulder.

"I'm sorry Mimi" Sirius said.

"Mimi?" Minerva McGonagall stopped crying in that instant,

"Yeah, from Minerva" Sirus answered as it was obvious. "it suits you better."

Minerva smiled. She couldn't say anything against that.