A/N : Takes place between Dumbledore's funeral and Harry's quest for the Horcruxes.
Disclaimer : I own nothing but the plot and am merely borrowing the wonderful characters and places imaginated by J.K. ROWLING...
The sun was low on the horizon, nearly disappearing behind the trees of the Forbidden Forest as he made his way from Hogsmeade to the gates of Hogwarts. A soft breeze was rustling through the leaves, cooling the air of what had been one of the hottest day of the summer so far. Birds were chirping in a tree nearby, happily, oblivious to the war raging outside, tearing the Wizarding world apart. In any other circumstance, he would have called it a beautiful day, but not today, not when he was at war.
He had left Grimmauld Place, where he had been staying since his coming of age, leaving a mere note to be found by Ron and Hermione. It read "Gone to Hogwarts. Will be back for dinner. Harry". Ron would understand, if slightly put out at not being invited to come along, Hermione would have that air of "I-knew-all-along-that-would-happen" of hers but would be ranting for the whole time of his absence about the dangerousness of being alone in such dark times. Ron would most certainly remind her that he was more than able to stand his own in a fight if needed, stalling time before he could activate the portkey that now permanently hung at his belt. They had not been training for two month just to pass the time! A small smile lit his otherwise stern face as he thought of his friends bickering and it reminded him just why he had allowed them to come along with him in his quest. They were what made him go forward and fight, they reminded him that whatever darkness was looming over their lives, life was still worth living. Them, and Ginny.
His face however lost this shadow of happiness upon seeing the gates of the castle in the distance. He had said he would not come back before his task was completed ant yet here he was. It was strange coming here alone, in the midst of the month of August, when he would not even be back for his seventh and last school year. He wondered for a moment if with them away, this year would be less eventful for the residents of the castle. The students would think for the major part that he had fled, unable to face the death of his mentor and was mourning miserably, or maybe that the Order was hiding and training their secret weapon. In other words they would think he had abandoned them. Both were true to some extent, he would be training and he was mourning but most of all he was going forward. These rumors would be supported by the Slytherins probably. Maybe some Gryffindors would defend him, Neville, Luna and Ginny may even start the DA again, if some were willing to join, who knew… Mrs. Pomfrey would get bored, without him visiting every other day! The teachers would be disappointed, but more about losing Hermione than Ron or him, they had never been top class students, had they? McGonagall would probably regret him the most, if only for the Quidditch captaincy, though he surmised she hid a softer side behind her stern mask. Ginny would certainly make the team as Seeker, but he would not be there to see her… He already missed her so much. McGonagall would make a fine Headmistress and all would be good. Now right outside the gates, Harry was almost convinced that nobody would really miss them. Almost.
He drew his wand and lightly tapped the gates, unsure if they would open for him. They did. He stepped in and had barely walked a few steps that they closed with a resounding clang that reverberated through the grounds, disturbing the quiet inhabitants of the Forest. The chains sealed once again the not so impenetrable fortress. Harry scanned his surroundings, looking for any other intruders, but finding none he resumed his way up the hill to where the white marble of Dumbledore's tomb was glimmering in the late lights of the sun. The grounds were now eerily silent, with only the secretive and hidden life of the Forest to be heard. Now closer to the tomb he could see that he was not alone. A lone figure was indeed standing, or rather leaning against the marble. They had their head bent, as if in a silent prayer.
Harry held his wand firmly in his hand, at the ready if the person showed any sign of attacking. He approached silently, and eventually recognized the figure of Minerva McGonagall, his former Head of House. She had yet to notice his presence and he could not but think that she was in a very vulnerable position. He pondered for a moment whether to address her, or to wait for her to be done. He felt however like an intruder, and the fact that it was growing late finally decided him to make his presence known.
" It's not safe nowadays, being outside alone Ma'am."
She spun around, her wand drawn and pointing at his nose, ready to fire a spell, but Harry was standing still, his own wand in his hand, a Protego spell on the tip of his tongue. Upon seeing who he was, however, she lowered her wand and turned back to face the grave. Hesitantly, Harry took a few steps forward and came to stand beside her. She greeted him.
"Harry". Her tone, as her demeanor, was sad, somewhat defeated. "I didn't thought you would come back so soon." Upon seeing his raised eyebrows, she added with a tired smile:"I've heard that you would not be back in September…"
She was bound to have heard, given the rage in which the announcement had put Molly Weasley. "Yes, there are some … things that I need to take care of before I can come back", if I ever come back he added silently, his eyes resting on Gryffindor Tower.
"I guess there will be no changing your mind? Even if I tell you that Hogwarts needs you, that the Order can take upon itself whatever mission A-Albus left you?", her voice caught in her throat when she uttered the name of the late Headmaster, tears threatening to fall down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry Professor. But I'm sure Hogwarts can do without me, and no the Order cannot help me. The task is set for me and for me alone, and Professor Dumbledore is in no way responsible for my destiny."
She turned her head towards him in surprise: " What do you mean Harry? You told me in June that… "
"No, I told you that Dumbledore and I had gone on a mission and that I could not disclose its subject to you, and I haven't changed my mind since."
"Surely you could…", there was a tinge of desperation in her voice, she knew it but could not avoid it. She searched his eyes, in the hope that he would tell her something more. A lone tear was already making its way down her cheek but she was making no move to wipe it, because in that instant it did not matter. Harry wished he could tell her what he had been doing, if only to appease her but he knew all too well that would be pure folly. Nobody could know about the Horcruxes, they were his key to destroy Voldemort once and for all, nobody but him could achieve their destruction and she would probably try to prevent him from going.
However, when he looked in her eyes, what he saw unsettled him. If he thought that she indeed had a softer side, he never fathomed that he would see it that way. He could not see the teacher anymore, only the woman, a woman who had just lost her best friend, her mentor, someone she had known, worked with for the last fifty-odd years. And in a way, they had something in common : with the death of Dumbledore, he would have to assume the burden of destroying the Horcruxes before finishing Voldemort off, and she would have to take over the responsibility of the school and maybe of the Order. He had come here to say his last goodbye to Dumbledore but he was now facing a desperate witch that needed reassurance.
"Professor, if I could I would tell you but I can't. I am on my own, in a way I have always been." Maybe it was the wrong thing to say, maybe she would have reacted in the same way whatever his response. She rested her eyes upon the white marble of the grave, and whispered so low that Harry had to strain his ear to hear her : "I've already lost him, I can't lose you too…" A sob escaped her, and suddenly Harry had to plunge forward to support her, accompanying her down so she wouldn't fall in a heap on the grass.
The situation was awkward for both of them but none seemed to be preoccupied by such considerations. Minerva was now sobbing in earnest, on the cool grounds, her back against the tomb and leaning into Harry 's embrace. Harry was sitting beside her, his arms around the broken witch, one hand drawing what he hoped to be soothing circles on her back, the other gently stroking her untied hair, all the while softly whispering to her reassuring words. He was shocked to see this usually composed woman in such a state and only hoped he could help her. After a while her sobs subsided and she was merely breathing heavily, her head on his shoulder, and she loosened her grip on the front of his robes.
"I'm sorry. I-I shouldn't have…
"Do not apologize. You have every right to cry"
She looked up, her tear stricken face lit by the moonlight and seemed unconvinced. Harry raised his head to face the sky and decided that a short walk was in order. He stood up and extended his hand to a bewildered Transfiguration Mistress. He smiled at her comfortingly and she put her hand in his, he then lifted her up with surprising ease. He gingerly offered an arm that she took with equal shyness, and guided her towards the east wing of the castle where he knew a small garden to be hidden.
They had been walking for some time already when Harry finally decided himself to break the silence:
" What I am about to tell you must stay strictly between the two of us. I trust the Order but Voldemort has ways to pry the information he needs that could break even some of the stronger wizards. I am convinced that Hogwarts will be the safest place for the Light fighters this year and that you will stay safe behind these walls."
"Harry, if you do not want to you don't have to. I understand that sometimes secrets are needed and…"
" I trust you to understand the importance of this and someone of the Order has to know, at least part of it. And I trust you."
He turned towards her and looked at her right in the eye, as if to make his point. She did not look away and stopped suddenly, her face bearing a renewed air of determination, but also deep melancholy.
"I can see a lot of Dumbledore in you"
" I may have some … common points with him, and as Minister Scrimgeour put it one day I will always be 'Dumbledore's man through and through', but I'm not him. I give my trust to much fewer but I trust them more fully. However we share a common weight of responsibilities and I can only hope to have half as much wisdom as he had".
" I then take your trust as a great honor and I hope to live up to it". There were tears in her eyes and she held herself somewhat more erect.
Harry looked at her and knew that, given the right keys, she would make a formidable ally. His decision was however not changed and he would not tell her more than the basics. He took back her arm and began a tour around the garden, amongst the bushes of roses.
" I do not doubt you will." He held her gaze all the while and he could see that his vote of confidence seemed to indeed help her. Taking a deep breath, he began his revelations : " I would agree with you that divination is one of the most unsure part of Magic, and that Professor Trelawney could be considered generally as a fraud. However, as of today she has made a total of three accurate prophecies", he felt Minerva gasp at his side and she blinked before looking at him with horrified eyes.
" Harry, do you mean what I think you mean?"
He continued as if uninterrupted and resumed his pacing. " During the course of the last year, she foresaw the event of Professor Dumbledore's death, though nobody understood the meaning of her ramblings. I myself came to know of it the night … the night … the very night those predictions came true and could only understand them afterwards, when it was too late to investigate and prevent anything. I am however sure of the accuracy of her Seeing. A few years ago, during my end-of-year Divination test, she predicted the evasion of Peter Pettigrew, evasion that happened, once again, that very night, during the saving of Sirius. When I told the Headmaster, he said that it was indeed a true prediction, her second one to be precise. I did not quite catch the underlying but important meaning of his statement until my fifth year. "
Looking up, he saw her eyes shining with understanding : "But I thought that it had been destroyed during the fight… That's what I was told.."
" Oh, the copy held in the Hall of Prophecies was broken indeed, but the original prophecy was made to Professor Dumbledore, the night Professor Trelawney was hired. Voldemort has sought to know its content for ever since and only managed to get the first part of it. I wish it to remain that way. You need not know the details for the time being, but you have no doubt understood what it entails. The … evidence of it has been quite clear in the past. Neither Voldemort nor I will stop until the other is no longer a threat. My task is simply to ensure that the steps to his demise are taken." He looked up, a sad smile gracing his features.
Tears were falling freely and her smile was even sadder but her eyes showed a confidence that she could not remember feeling ever since Voldemort first became such a thorn in the side of the Wizarding community. Stopping in the light of the full moon, in the very middle of the garden, she took hold of both his hands and firmly planted her eyes in his.
" I have not the faintest shadow of a doubt that you will succeed in whatever mission is yours, and that you will pour all you energy and power in this task. I only ask that you stay alive. Please, respect an old woman's wish will you?"
Harry's smile widened and he warmly replied with a confidence he did not feel either :
" I can promise you that I will do everything I can do stay alive, but that is all."
" It should be enough for the time being. Just don't forget to come back sometimes, my door shall always be open for you, and if you ever need help I will be glad to answer your call."
" I won't."
Without any warning she hugged him tightly. A bit surprised at first, Harry soon embraced the frail but formidable witch. She stepped back as suddenly, and simply gave him a light kiss on his front head.
" Come back soon."
" I'll try", Harry answered, still a bit dazed by his former teacher's actions. A quick look at his watch indicated him that he had already missed diner and he thought that Hermione might have already come to hunt him down. McGonagall understood and silently accompanied him to the gates.
They parted ways with an equally silent embrace, for all had been said. For now. None looked back, Minerva McGonagall walking up to the castle, to prepare another school year, without her favorite student, Harry Potter heading to the wards limits. She made her way to her new office and vowed to protect her school and student with her last breath, he apparated to Grimmauld Place with no other worry than a petty Dark Lord to hunt down and kill for good. Both were confident that after the tempest, the sun would shine.
When Hermione saw Harry entering the kitchen, the tong lashing that she was about to give him caught in her mouth. He was smiling and seemed almost … peaceful, and more focused. Ron voiced her wonder, if a bit less tactfully.
" Harry, what happened, you look like you just spoke to Dumbledore and he told you it was all a joke!"
Harry just chuckled. " No Ron, though I wished. I merely spoke to McGonagall."
" And?"
" We got a Dark Lord to humble down.", was all they ever got, besides a wistful look but a cheeky smile.
A/N : this is the first ever fic that I publish, I welcome any critism provided that it is not mere flaming. If you find any mispelling or grammar mistakes please tell me so that I can edit the story, I have no beta and I am no native... :s I just hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it, and please please review! Thanks :p