Title: A "Mini" Story

Author Name: Lindsay Leigh

Rating: PG

Spoilers: All four books (mostly PoA and GoF)

Summary: The summer after The Goblet of Fire Minerva McGonagall is shocked to discover that The Boy Who Lived has been kidnapped by infamous murderer Sirius Black. Professor McGonagall rushes to tell Dumbledore the terrible news, but the Headmaster is nowhere to be found....

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Author's Note: This is just a little story I've had floating around in the back of my mind for quite a while... It's the first fic that I've actually posted online, (although I have several fic beginnings saved on my computer) so if you review and tell me what you think of this fic and my writing in general I would be forever grateful!

The end of the summer was rapidly approaching and Minerva McGonagall was worried. She had not accomplished nearly as much as she usually did by this point in the summer to prepare for the up-coming school year, as she had been very busy helping Professor Dumbledore with matters concerning the school while he occupied his attention on the Dark Lord's recent rebirth.

Because of all this, Minerva was glad for a short reprieve this morning to have tea and consult with Dumbledore about the events of the summer. She arrived early and had settled in his office to wait for him to arrive when an owl suddenly swooped through the open window carrying a letter in its beak. It was not in an envelope, but merely a rolled up scroll of paper which fell open and tumbled off of Dumbledore's desk as the owl flew back through the window into the early morning sunshine.

Minerva immediately stooped to pick up the Headmaster's letter and return it to his desk, but as she did a name in the letter caught her attention. Inhaling sharply she had a quick internal debate with herself before deciding to read the letter in its entirety. After all, the name of Sirius Black certainly couldn't entail anything good and it might be important for her to find out what had happened so that she could report the bad news to Dumbledore as quickly as possible. The letter read:

Professor Dumbledore,

I have taken Harry from his relatives. He is well, but quite distressed about the Dark Lord. I am sure he would write you himself, but he is currently busy with the owner of the house where we are staying (You know who, but I won't say his name in case this letter is intercepted). We'll be in contact with you again soon.

~Sirius Black

Minerva was appalled and her mind raced. "Sirius Black has kidnapped Harry Potter from his relatives?" she thought with horror. She couldn't believe that they were staying in You-Know-Who's House!!! "What on earth could Harry be busy doing with You-Know-Who?" Minerva wondered. "He's being tortured or coerced to the dark side, no doubt." She began to pace. "Good Lord, no wonder he's distressed about the Dark Lord! Thank heavens I opened this letter after all..." Pursing her lips in worry Minerva rushed off to find Professor Dumbledore so she could alert him of the situation right away.

Unfortunately her meeting with the headmaster wasn't due to start for another half an hour, and Minerva had no idea where he might be in the meantime. She decided that the most logical place to look first would be in the staff-room. Minerva hurried off in that direction, but when she arrived no one was there except for Professor Binns, the ghostly member of the faculty who taught History of Magic.

"Oh, Professor Binns!" Minerva exclaimed gasping for breath after running all the way from the Headmaster's office. "The most....terrible thing has happened. Harry Potter has been kidnapped by Sirius Black! The Headmaster must be informed right away; do you have any idea where he is?"

Professor Binns blinked at her. "Harry Who?" he inquired politely.

"Potter! Harry Potter!" snapped Minerva. "He's been your student for four years now, Binns! Have you or have you not seen Albus?" Professor Binns stared at her with alarm. "You aren't looking very well, Minerstroma. Why don't you just have a seat and calm down for a moment." He gestured towards an armchair by the staff-room fire. "A quick snooze in one of these armchairs can do wonders for your health!" he told her. Minerva gaped at him in disbelief but decided further questioning would be futile. She turned and left the staff-room deciding that the best course of action would be to alert Severus Snape, who was Dumbledore's third in command after herself. He always was good at keeping his head in these types of situations, and perhaps he knew where Albus was.

Minerva arrived in the dungeons just in time to see Snape sweeping into the Potions classroom, his long black robes snapping behind him. "Severus," she called, out of breath once again. "Severus!" He turned inquiringly and his eyes widened with alarm at the site of the Transfiguration professor red-faced and tousle-haired.

"What is it?" He demanded. "Has the headmaster--"

"It's Harry Potter!" Minerva exclaimed. "He's been kidnapped and I don't know where Albus is!"

"Harry Potter's been kidnapped?!" Snape asked looking astonished.

"Yes! By Sirius Black! Oh, Severus, what are we going to do?"

"Harry Potter's been kidnapped by Sirius Black," Snape repeated slowly. Then again, "By Sirius Black!?"

At first McGonagall didn't realize what Snape was doing. A very odd look had appeared on his face and his shoulders began to shake. Minerva stared at him... His face was mostly obscured by his black hair which hung in greasy strings across his face, but it was hard to miss the tears that began to stream down his cheeks--goodness, was the man crying? Minerva reached out to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I know!" she said feeling her own eyes begin to well up. "Harry Potter, the world's only hope, captured by You-Know-Who's closest servant!" Snape's shoulders shook harder and a strange sound came out of his mouth. He clutched his stomach and began to wheeze slightly. Minerva watched, disgruntled. She had never seen Severus so distraught! Leaning in to comfort him, she suddenly caught sight of the maniacal grin on Snape's otherwise contorted features. She gasped in surprise and leapt back from him. "You--you aren't crying, you're laughing!" she realized with a jolt. "I know that Harry Potter may not be your favorite student, but really Severus, this is just too much!!! The boy could be dead!" Snape paid no attention but continued to cry with mirth. Minerva was furious. "Why, you selfish, you horrible, you..... Slytherin!" she cried, and with that, drew back her fist and pummeled it right into Snape's trembling stomach. She swept away without even bothering to stay to watch him fall.

Snape, no longer laughing, gazed up at the ceiling in amazement. "Ouch."

On Minerva's way back up the stairs she encountered the care-taker, Argus Filch and his cat in a corridor. Minerva approached them with hopes that Filch might know where the Headmaster was. Mrs. Norris meowed at the sight of her and began to rub her whiskered face against Minerva's ankles. Minerva took a step back fighting to keep her face impassive. She usually avoided Mrs. Norris. She tried not to show it, but the cat gave her the creeps; she always seemed just a little bit too eager to see her....

Filch frowned at the display of affection his cat was showing McGonagall and asked her snappishly, "Is there something you need, professor?"

"Yes...er...yes." Minerva tried not to step on the cat's tail as she stepped backwards. Mrs. Norris yowled and clung to the bottom of her robes with sharpened claws. Minerva decided to ignore the cat. "Can you tell me where Professor Dumbledore is?"

Filch scowled and tried unsuccessfully to pull his cat back towards him. "I don't know," he said shortly. "Excuse me, professor. The manacles need polishing. Come along, my pretty," he grunted, still tugging at the cat attached to McGonagall's robes. With a loud ripping sound he managed to pull the cat free and he walked off in the direction of the dungeons with a reluctant Mrs. Norris in tow.

Minerva shuddered and continued her search. In the Great Hall she encountered several of the castle's ghosts holding a council. After hearing the problem they told her that they would search for Dumbledore right away, but if it turned out that Harry is already dead (as they suspect he must be), then he is welcome to haunt the kitchens as they are in need of another ghost in that area.

The ghosts' suggestion, morbid as it was, made Minerva think. Albus had often been known to travel to the kitchen in search of a cup of cocoa or some other snack. She determined to check it for any sign of the elusive headmaster. She hurried down the hall to a still-life portrait of a bowl of fruit and tickled the pear disapprovingly until she could grasp it and enter the stone stair-well that led to the kitchens.

Upon entering them Minerva was immediately approached by one of the house-elves who, to her surprise, seemed to be wearing a maroon sweater and a tea cozy.

"I is Dobby, miss," the elf introduced himself. Is there something Dobby can be helping you with?"

"Thank you, Dobby," Minerva began. "I was wondering if you could tell me where the Headmaster is."

"Dobby has not seen him recently, miss. If you is liking, I could send some other house-elves out to look for him."

"That would be helpful. It is most essential that we find him as soon as possible. I'm afraid that he may be the only one who can save poor Harry Potter now that he's been kidnapped by Sirius Black." Minerva told him seriously.

Dobby gasped in shock and his wide eyes began to water. "Not Harry Potter, miss! Harry Potter is too good, too great to die at such a young age!" And, wailing loudly, Dobby threw himself onto Professor McGonagall and attached himself to her leg, bawling.

"Yes, yes, Dobby. It's very sad, which is why I must find Dumbledore right away," said McGonagall trying unsuccessfully to shake Dobby off of her leg.

"Dobby does not know what he will do if Harry Potter is hurt, miss," he sobbed. "Dobby tried to warn Harry Potter about the dangers of coming to this school!"

"Dobby!" snapped McGonagall, losing her patience. "If you ever want to see Harry again let me go this instant!"

"Harry Potter is the best friend that Dobby has ever had!" proclaimed Dobby, hugging her leg more tightly still.

Minerva gave a sigh of frustration and pulled out her wand. "Stupefy." Shaking the unconscious house-elf off of her now very wet leg, she rushed back up the kitchen steps, one stocking squishing loudly in its boot.

When Minerva arrived back in the Great Hall she thought for a moment before deciding to check the grounds for Professor Dumbledore. Hagrid, the groundskeeper, had just arrived back from his mission to the giants the day before and she was sure that Dumbledore would want to visit him for a full report. She hoped that he would be there, as time was running short for poor Harry, who was, she realized, in the very clutches of death.

This thought spurring her on to action Minerva lifted her robes slightly and rushed through the great double doors towards Hagrid's hut.

Upon arriving, she pounded furiously on the door. "Hagrid," she shouted, fighting to maintain her composure. "Hagrid!" The door swung open and after a moment Minerva stopped knocking on Hagrid's chest. "Hagrid," Minerva gasped. "You must tell me, if you know, where the Headmaster is!"

"Professer Dumbledore?" Hagrid asked in surprise. "He was here, but he left again. Gone back ter the castle, I s'pose. Came ter ask me 'bout my trip. Why? Wha's wrong, Professer McGonagall?"

"Oh, Hagrid," Minerva was most upset. "It seems that Harry Potter has been kidnapped by Sirius Black."

"NO!" Hagrid howled. "Not Harry, not Harry!" Minerva patted him awkwardly on the arm. "By Sirius Black, yer said?" Hagrid growled. "If I ever get my hands on that low-down piece o' scum I'll, I'll--" Minerva jumped quickly to the side as he gave a great punch in the air where she had been standing. "An' I'll--" he punched again. Minerva managed to duck just in time.

"Hagrid!" she said. "Please calm yourself, we need to find Albus!" Hagrid paid no attention and continued his assault on the air. Minerva performed several more tricky maneuvers before edging out of the backdoor of the cabin to avoid bodily injury to herself.

Stepping out into Hagrid's pumpkin patch Minerva suddenly caught site of two centaurs standing several meters away at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. "Roanin," she called. "Bane!"

The centaurs turned to look at her. "Professor?" inquired Bane.

"I'm looking for Professor Dumbledore," she told them. "I'm afraid it's a bit of an emergency. Can you tell me where he is?" The centaurs looked at her for a moment then as one they turned their faces towards the sky.

"Uranus is bright today," Bane told her. Minerva gave him a disapproving look and hurried back toward the castle. She should have known not to expect a straight answer from a centaur. She wondered why they always seemed to tell her about the planet Uranus...

Minerva passed Professor Sprout on her way to the castle, but she did not approach her as she was wrestling with a particularly nasty looking purple plant and did not look inclined to be interrupted. Minerva doubted that she would find Dumbledore in the greenhouses today in any case. He had been far to busy to take his usual leisurely strolls through them lately.

Minerva ran back to the castle again and pushed herself through the great doors back into the entrance hall and ran right into someone knocking both of them onto the hard stone floor. It was Remus Lupin.

"Remus!" Minerva managed to say. "I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, er, Minerva. Thank you." He managed to get to his feet and extended a hand help her up. "Are you all right?" he inquired seeing her torn robes, flushed face, and wild hair with a double-take.

"Yes, yes, quite all right, but I must go. I need to find Professor Dumbledore right away. I'm afraid Sirius Black has kidnapped Harry Potter." She choked. "I only hope that it's not too late. You don't know where Dumbledore is do you?"

Remus opened and closed his mouth several times. "Sirius Black? Sirius.... Black?" He patted his dog's head nervously.

"Yes, yes, very distressing, I know," Minerva sighed. "Thank you anyway Remus." Minerva hurried off wondering vaguely where she had seen that dog before...

Remus gaped after her in amazement, blinked, then shook his head wondering if his lack of sleep had begun to make him imagine things.

The only place Minerva had not yet looked for Albus was in one of the castle's towers. She determined to check each of them as quickly as possible.

On her way to the top floor she encountered Myrtle standing in the hallway next to her bathroom door looking morosely at herself in the puddle of water that had formed outside of it. Myrtle's eyes began to tear up at the sight of her.

"Myrtle," Minerva said quickly before the ghost could begin talking. "I'm looking for Dumbledore, it's a matter of life and death! Do you have any idea where he is?"

As soon as the words were out of her mouth Minerva regretted them. Sure enough, the ghost began to cry. "Life and death," she bawled. "As if anyone cares about life and death. No one cared when I died, that's for sure. So insensitive, talking about life when I'm around..."

Minerva rolled her eyes. Myrtle had been in the same year as she had at school and she had been just as tiresome then.

"Myrtle!" she snapped. "Just tell me where Dumbledore is or get out of the way!"

"Get out of the way, she says" sobbed Myrtle. "As if it matters when I'm in the way when everyone knows that I'm dead, that no one can touch me anyway." She began to wail loudly. Gritting her teeth Minerva plunged through the ghost, shivering, and rushed towards the nearest tower.

There was no one but Peeves in the astronomy tower. Minerva did not bother asking him if he had seen the Headmaster as she knew that he would only hinder rather than help her in her pursuit. A quick glance around told her that the Headmaster was not hiding behind any of the telescopes and she hurried away again while trying to ignore Peeves, who was gleefully smashing expensive magical equipment (nothing that couldn't be repaired with a few "reparo" charms luckily) and loudly singing the 'Minerva Song' he had invented a number of years ago to the tune of 'The Copacabaña'. (Where he had seen 'Star Wars' Minerva certainly couldn't say.... She had found it a most confusing film the day she was asked to substitute for the Muggle Studies class.) "Her name was Minnie!" Peeves sang. "She was a teacher... With that tight bun in her hair and those wrinkles everywhere..."

His voice faded as she continued on her way. Thank goodness none of the students had heard him sing that song in recent years....

In the North tower McGonagall encountered no one but Sybil Trelawney whom she reluctantly shared the situation with on the chance that Sybil had seen the headmaster, but the Divinations Professor was of no more help than anyone else had been.

"Oh my dear..." she had said mournfully. "I saw this coming ages ago, if only you had cared to listen to my predictions. But now, I fear it is too late. My inner eye weeps as it has seen the awesome tragedy of Harry Potter's imminent death!" McGonagall cast her a very stern glare and hurried away before the woman could say anymore.

Perhaps Albus was in Gryffindor Tower! He might need to inspect the common room or have some other such business before the beginning of the term. She hurried down the stairs of the north tower, across the corridor, and back up more steps until she arrived at the portrait of the Fat Lady blocking the entrance to Gryffindor Tower. Just as she was about to give her the password, (Flobberworms,) the portrait swung open, and to her amazement Dennis Creevey fell through the hole. 'What on earth is he doing here?' Minerva wondered. But that wasn't important right now.

"Mr. Creevey," she began, "I'm afraid there's been quite an emergency involving Harry Potter and Sirius Black. Can you tell me if you have seen the headmaster recently?"

Dennis's eyes grew wide. "Sirius Black, professor?!?" Colin told me all about Sirius Black and how he escaped from Azkaban and he killed twelve people with one curse, didn't he Professor? But I'm sure that Harry Potter could never be hurt by Sirius Black, because Colin told me that he escaped from him before and from You-Know-Who, and plus he's really famous, isn't he? But professor, if you could just tell me how to get home--I've missed the train, you see, and I'm sure that my parents and my brother Colin must be ever so worried; I've just been living in Gryffindor tower and eating in the Great Hall, but I couldn't tell you about how I'm stuck here at meal time, because I was hungry, and that might be rude, mightn't it? And I can never find anyone any other time, so, no, I haven't seen Professor Dumbledore, but I should probably go home for the rest of the summer if there's a way and oh! Did you see me fall into the lake on the first day of school? The giant squid.... professor? Professor! Where are you going? Professor?"

Minerva was nearly in tears as she followed the stairs down from Gryffindor tower. Harry was probably dead or worse and Professor Dumbledore was nowhere to be found. She was so absolved in her problem that she never even saw Professor Flitwick stuck up to his neck in the trick step halfway down.

"Oh!" She exclaimed as she stepped onto his head, nearly tumbling down the stairs. "Filius, I'm so sorry!"

"Quite all right, Minerva, quite all right. But if you could just pull me out maybe?"

"Of course," Minerva replied. "Er, I'll just pull you up by your hair, shall I?" After several vigorous tugs she managed to pull him up out of the stair until his hands were free. She grasped them and gave an all mighty heave pulling tiny Flitwick the rest of the way out of the stair.

"Thank you very much indeed, Minerva," Flitwick said, wincing and rubbing his very sore head.

"Yes, certainly," Minerva replied hurriedly. "Oh Filius, you don't know where Professor Dumbledore is by any chance? I've been looking for him all over the castle and the grounds and I can't find him anywhere and it's all so dreadful--you see, I've only just found out that poor Harry Potter has been kidnapped by Sirius Black!"

Flitwick squeaked in terror and toppled over, tumbling all the way down the long flight of steps. Minerva quickly rushed down after him. He waved her off. "I'm fine Minerva, you must hurry! I just saw Dumbledore. He was heading towards his own office..." Flitwick never finished his sentence as Minerva rushed off in the direction of the Gargoyle guarding the door to the Headmaster's office.

******************

Albus Dumbledore sat in his office discussing various aspects of the coming war with Severus Snape, Remus Lupin, and Sirius Black.

"Where is Harry at the moment?" he asked Sirius and Remus.

Remus replied. "He went to the kitchens to visit that house-elf friend of his... Dobby, I think it is. I told him to meet us up here in about twenty minutes."

Dumbledore nodded. "Good, good. Did you have much trouble getting him from his Aunt and Uncle?" he asked Sirius.

Sirius was about to reply, but he stopped abruptly at the sound of frantic footsteps rushing up the stairs to Dumbledore's office, not even bothering to wait for the moving spiral-staircase to carry them up on their own. Remus turned in warning to Sirius, but Sirius had already transformed into the large, shaggy black dog that was Padfoot. A moment later Minerva McGonagall burst into the room.

"Headmaster! Thank goodness I've found you at last!"

Dumbledore stood up with alarm. "What is it, Minerva?"

McGonagall, who was breathing very hard by this time, struggled to tell the headmaster the tragic news. "Oh, Albus! It's Harry Potter! He's, he's--"

Suddenly Snape stood up, smirking broadly. "That's right, I forgot to tell you, headmaster; Harry Potter has apparently been kidnapped by Sirius Black." His oily tones betrayed his barely contained laughter.

McGonagall, too tired to glare at Snape, nodded weakly and leaned on Dumbledore's desk, fighting to keep her balance.

Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling with merriment. "My dear, Minerva! Harry Potter, kidnapped by Sirius Black? Whatever gave you such an idea?"

Minerva suddenly looked very uncomfortable... "Well, sir, this letter... I didn't mean to... it was just laying on the floor... I'm, well, er, here." She handed the scroll to Dumbledore.

He opened it curiously and the corners of his mouth began to twitch. "Perhaps, it's time that we told her... yes. Severus, Remus, do you think so?" Severus shrugged unconcernedly, still holding in repressed snickers, and Remus nodded his assent. "Well, then," said Dumbledore giving a nod towards the shaggy dog that sat behind Minerva, next to Remus.

"What are you talking about?" Minerva snapped. "Don't you people understand what I've been saying? Sirius Black has kidnapped Harry Potter!!!"

Suddenly she heard a low voice from directly behind her. "Kidnap Harry Potter? Minnie, would I do a thing like that?" Minerva drew a great gasping breath, and turned slowly around to find herself looking straight into the grinning face of Sirius Black. His smile grew wider and he gave her a roguish wink. Minerva opened her mouth to say something, changed her mind, and (much to her dismay as she never considered herself a fainting sort of person) collapsed onto the floor in front of Professor Dumbledore's desk.