Chapter 1- A mystery
Classes were done for the day and the students streamed out of the classrooms. The last one to leave was Katrina with her sister Minerva who had been the Transfiguration teacher for the past seventeen years since Albus Dumbledore became Headmaster of Hogwarts, the greatest wizarding school in Britain.
The transfiguration classroom was on the Eighth floor. It was a large bright room that held many happy memories for Katrina as she loved transfiguration almost as much as she did creating potions. Minerva was a stern and dedicated teacher and from the day Katrina entered as a first year did not show favourtism for her sister over anyone else in her classes or in the Gryffindor Dorm of which Minerva was Head. She did however let her store some of her experiments on a set of shelves that were set into the far corner of the transfiguration room.
Minerva had to attend a meeting with the other Heads of House along with the Headmaster so she walked with her sister down the stairway that lead to the seventh floor and the Griffindor Dormitory.
She smiled as she listened to the tall, slim dark haired girl whose eyes changed colour with her moods with pride and affection. The girl showed a lot of talent in the field of experimental potions from what the Potions teacher, Professor Slughorn told Minerva. He had noticed her bright inquisitiveness and sharp mind back when she first entered his class six years previously. It was hard to realize how fast the years had gone by. Now Katrina was in her seventh and final year at Hogwarts.
"Oh for the love of.." Katrina grumbled as she stopped suddenly on the stairway."I left some of my research notes for potions class back in the classroom." she smiled sheepishly at her sister Minerva McGonagall and shrugging her shoulders said. "I know I shouldn't have had them out during transfiguration class sis, but I just had to write down this idea I had for stabilizing my new experiment before I forgot it."
"Fine Katrina, go get them and I will see you later in the Great Hall at Supper. You may be my baby sister, but I still have to take ten points from Gryffindor and you will have to serve a detention for non attendance to the subject you were supposed to be studying." Minerva sighed. "Honestly you have got to get yourself together more. I kow you are brilliant but honestly your absentmindedness does need to be addressed before something happens."
"All right sis, I guess I do deserve that one. You had better head on down, I'll see you in the Great Hall at supper." Katrina said as she turned and walked swiftly back up the stairs to the eighth floor.
Minerva watched her graceful little sister head up the stairs and shaking her own head , continued on to her meeting.
Katrina was a little peeved at herself for being so careless and sighed as she walked down the corridor past the portraits and re-entered the classroom to retrieve the research notes. She saw another classmate had returned and was looking through her sisters desk.
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"Professor McGonagall, is there something wrong?" asked Professor Dumbledore with concern as he watched her continuing glances towards the Gryffindor table.
"I hope not, Katrina isn't here like she said she would be." answered Minerva. "She had returned to the classroom because she forgot some research notes and wanted to retrieve them."
"I see." said the Headmaster. "I'm sure she will have some reasonable explanation for her absence. "I suspect she came up with another idea for one of her experiments and didn't notice the time."
"Yes I suppose you are right." Minerva responded automatically as she started to eat her supper.
After supper Minerva decided to find her sister and find out what had kept her from coming to the Great Hall for her Supper.
"Katrina?" she called out as she entered the vacant room. There was no one in sight and Minerva wondered where her sister had gone to since she had said she would be in Great Hall for supper. Minerva pursed her lips in exasperation as she left the room and strode down the corridor and back down to the Gryffindor Dormitory on the seventh floor.
The portrait of the fat Lady was chatting with one of her friends from a neighbouring painting when Minerva strode up and asked if her sister Katrina was still in the Griffindor Dormitory.
"No Professor, your sister hasn't been by here since this morning." the portrait answered pleasantly. "I could ask around, maybe one of the other portraits have seen her."
"Thank you, it would be appreciated." said Minerva who was starting to feel uneasy about her sisters absence. "She said she would meet me in the Great Hall and it isn't like her to not keep her word to me."
When asked, the portraits on the eighth floor told of seeing two students, one male and one female entering the transfiguration room separately and only one leaving it shortly after. The male student was located and was asked many questions as to the whereabouts of Katrina McGonagall but he stuck to the story that he had no idea and that she was still there when he left the room.
Minerva never saw or heard from her sister after that day.
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For years afterwards first year students were warned by the older students, to not go anywhere near the the 8th floor of Hogwarts as there was a mystery concerning a seventh year student that had vanished in 1972 and had never been found or heard from again despite floor to floor searches by teachers, Ministry Aurors, ghosts and students alike. It was very strange to say the least and over time the eighth floor was avoided with fear and the transfiguration classes were moved to the second floor.
No one dared mention the mystery in front of Minerva McGonagall. She always got a very strange look on her face whenever she heard any mention of the incident and then tears would form in her eyes and sometimes she would leave abruptly and lock herself away in her quarters.
Albus Dumbledore was very tired as he had been busy with all the innumerable details of being Headmaster of Hogwarts. The reports that he kept receiving daily from the Ministry were lying forgotten temporarily on his desk as he looked at the missive that stated they were to expect a very special visitor from Canada. An animagus who could transform herself into several different animal forms.
Albus knew that Minerva would be most interested as she was a cat animagus and he would have Severus Snape come with him to greet the young lady once she arrived on the Hogwarts express. He grinned inwardly as he thought of the sour expression that would appear on the young Potions Masters face when he was told that he would have to actually kep his temper in line and be on his best behaviour during the visit.
Albus went over to his fireplace and threw some floo powder into it and called out the potions Masters quarters. Severus Snape was in the process of marking some essays that he had set the third years and writing scathing remarks on most of them as he kept finding stupid inexcuseable errors throughout. He was beginning to wonder if he would ever find some intelligence in any of them. He wished in passing that there had been a few more know-it-alls come to Hogwarts like Miss Hermione Granger whose main faults according to him were; being a Gryffindor, second being one of Harry Potters sidekicks and thirdly spouting things she had read in books and not using her massive intellect to challenge what she read. Too bad she had already graduated. He really got bored with dunderheads who obviously did not listen carefully, if at all.
"Severus. I wish for you to come to my office. I wish to discuss a very special matter with you."
Severus set down his marking quill and looked over at the fireplace where he could see Albus's head framed in the fire. "Yes sir." he said shortly and stood up. The Headmaster's head disappeared from view and Severus sighed to himself as he wondered what Albus was wanting him to do now.
Minerva was finishing some work of her own when Albus called for her to come to the office. She moved quickly and arrived at the stone gargoyles at the same time as Severus who was in a sour mood, not that he was any better at the best of times.
"Sugar quills" she said to the waiting silent gargoyle who upon hearing the password, jumped away fom the hidden door which revealed the moving spiral staircase that led to the Headmasters office. Severus followed her silently.
"Welcome both of you." Albus said cheerfully as he offered them a bowl of lemon drops. Minerva took one as Severus refused to try them as he seemed to be suspicious of what they may contain. Albus wondered if Severus wasn't starting to get a little paranoind like Alaster Moody but let it pass.
"Honestly Severus, your mood is so sour that this lemon drop tastes real sweet in comparison." Minerva said as she sucked on one of the yellow candies.
Severus rolled his eyes and sat down on one of the chairs in front of the desk and folded his arms in front of himself as he glowered at Albus who smiled benignly at the pair of them. Albus showed them both the woman who was going to arrive.
"I am pleased that both of you came so promptly." Albus started. "I wanted you both to help make our visitor from Canada welcome." He paused a moment before continuing.
"She is the top authority on multi transformations. She is known to be one of the few Animagi that can transform into several different creatures. You know they are very rare. " Albus explained.
Minerva looked very interested and Severus nodded solemnly as he wondered what this woman had to do with him.
"I will get the house-elves to prepare the guest rooms for her arrival." said Minerva promptly.
Severus raised his eyebrow as he grumbled. "Why do you require my assistance Headmaster? I am sure Minerva is quite capable on her own to make Miss Capcost welcome."
"Now Severus, you need to start socializing a little more. Voldemort has been gone for over a year now and there is no need for you to be anti-social anymore or is that any less." said Albus thoughtfully. "It doesn't matter, I am sure you will do just fine as you will accompany me to the station to meet and greet Miss Capcost.
"Could we not assign a seventh year student, say a Hufflepuff or even one of Minervas Gryffindors to perform this duty? " suggested Severus even though he knew it would be difficult if not hopeless to change the mind of Albus Dumbledore.
"No Severus, I wish for you to accompany me to the station, not a student. " said Albus firmly.
"Yes Headmaster." Severus replied, keeping his face blank and his voice toneless.