A/N: I wanted to do a quick and long update, to try and catch more interest. Thanks to those reviewers, people who favourited, and everyone who has read the story! This story starts at their first meeting and continues on so you can see how they got to that point in the prologue. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint, and don't forget to review! (After the number of each chapter, I think I'll write how far it was in the past relative to the prologue.) Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling, and never will be.
Chapter One- There Tends to Be a Day When it All Began
*40 years earlier*
Eleven year old Minerva McGonagall stepped off of the Hogwarts Express and sighed. She loved the smell of the fresh, Scottish air. Minerva had missed that- for the past two weeks, she had been vacationing in London with her family. She was incredibly excited to finally attend Hogwarts. Both her brother and sister had come home and told tales of the moving staircases and the ghosts that roamed the halls. She hoped that she would end up in the house of either her brother or her sister: Nathaniel was in Gryffindor, and Esmeralda was in Ravenclaw. Minerva would be happy to be a member of either one. Esmeralda was going into her third year, and Nathaniel was about to start his fifth.
Minerva glanced around at her surroundings. It was slightly chilly, and the sky was bright with shining stars. She looked for her friends Rowena and Ekaterina. Before she could find them, Minerva heard a voice in the distance.
"First years! First years, this way please! Everyone else to the carriages! First years, to the dock!" Minerva followed the voice to find a black haired, large man. She looked up at him and said, "Excuse me, sir, where is the dock?"
"That way, Miss. I'll be along soon." The man pointed to the left, and Minerva followed. She walked along a stone path that led her down a hill.
"Minnie! Minnie! O'er 'ere!" Minerva looked around to find Ekaterina and Rowena standing at the bottom of the hill, waving. Minerva ran to her friends. She had known Rowena since birth; the families were great friends. Ekaterina, on the other hand, she had met in London last year, when they were each bidding goodbye to their siblings boarding the Hogwarts Express. Ekaterina had moved from Russia to London that year, and the girls had kept in touch throughout the year, meeting on shared school vacation time.
"Ekaterina! Rowena! I was beginning to think I'd lost you." Minerva smiled at her friends before turning to Ekaterina. "And I thought I told you not to call me Minnie!"
"I wish you liked it, it sounds so vonderful." Ekaterina teased. "Now, vere do you think ve'll be going?"
Just at that moment, the large man from before cleared his throat. "Now, first years, listen up! I am Professor Harrison, and I teach Arithmancy up at the school. This year, I was granted the pleasure of bringing you all up to Hogwarts. If you would all please get into groups of four, and board a boat. Be careful, I don't need any of you in the water!"
The three girls looked around for a fourth companion. They found a lone boy in a boat, searching for others to join him. The trio walked over and sat down. Immediately, the boat began to move.
"Hello. I'm Minerva McGonagall, and these are my friends, Ekaterina Romanov and Rowena Ravenclaw. What's your name?" Minerva introduced themselves.
"My name is Aidan. Aidan Scrimgeour." Aidan extended his hand, and each girl shook it in turn. "Which house do you hope you'll be sorted into?"
"I don't care! As long as I am sorted, ve don't have a problem." Ekaterina ran her hand through her hair and laughed. "My brother is in Slytherin, and my sisters are both in Ravenclaw. They each seem happy enough, and the other houses seem perfectly respectable."
"I wish to be in Ravenclaw." Rowena stated softly. "My entire family has been in Ravenclaw. We're direct descendants. I don't want to be the first in the Ravenclaw clan to not be in the house of the eagle. I'm named after the founder, for goodness sakes!"
"You'll be lucky if people don't mistake you for the actual founder." Aidan said with a laugh.
"I know. I can hardly wait." Rowena sarcastically rolled her eyes. "I'll be sure to thank my parents for that when I win Minister of Magic."
Each of them started to laugh. Aidan turned to Minerva and said, "You're left. What house do you think is the most admirable?"
"My sister and brother are in Ravenclaw and Gryffindor respectively, so I don't really care either way." Minerva said calmly. "Yourself?"
Aidan took a deep breath. "Anything but Slytherin. My whole family has been in Slytherin, and I hate their views on many political issues. I want to change the world for the better, but I believe in very different morals than the rest of my family."
"Vow." Ekaterina breathed. "Ve are only eleven, yet you are so grown- up!"
"Someone from my family had to assume responsibility. I'm an only child with parents who weren't around much." Aidan shrugged. "Look, we're there!"
The group raised their heads in awe of the big castle. It looked so mystical, what with the many towers and window. A few winding staircases and strolling ghosts were visible courtesy of a large window on one of the turrets. 'This, Minerva thought, this is what I've been waiting for.'
"Everyone, out of the boats!" Professor Harrison called out to the first years. "Follow me, if you please. And be careful, the rocks are slippery!"
Aidan hopped out of the boat first and held his hand out. With a little bow, he said "Allow me to help, ladies."
The trio giggled and stepped outside with help from their new friend. They walked up to the castle, whispering about the stories they had heard from their family members. Soon enough, they entered Hogwarts. It was a dream come true: large, open, and it felt like home. The first years were led up a staircase. The foursome pushed their way to the front of the crowd in time to hear Professor Harrison say, "Take it from here, Professor Dumbledore."
Minerva looked up to see the acclaimed Albus Dumbledore. He had half-moon spectacles, and his eyes shone bright blue. Nathaniel had told her his lessons were great, and she was very keen on the subject of Transfiguration. Knowing that this was a good start to an even better year, she quickly tuned in to what Professor Dumbledore was saying.
"Welcome, everyone, to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy!" Professor Dumbledore beamed at the children. "I hope you will all enjoy your time here, for Hogwarts is a place to learn and meet new people, to discover yourself and overcome obstacles. Through these doors is the Great Hall. Once we are at the front, I'll call you up individually and you'll place the Sorting Hat upon your head. The Hat will determine which house you will join: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin. Each is known for producing outstanding wizards."
"And witches." Minerva mumbled, quite perturbed that a famed person such as himself couldn't remember the opposite gender.
"And witches, quite right, Miss..." Professor Dumbledore peered down at Minerva.
"McGonagall, sir. Minerva McGonagall." Minerva said with a blush, embarrassed that he had heard her.
"Your brother is Nathaniel and your sister is Esmeralda, correct?" Professor Dumbledore inquired.
"Yes, sir." Minerva said, her face an even deeper shade of crimson.
"Let's hope you have more of an aptitude for Transfiguration than they, shall we?" Professor Dumbledore teased. At Minerva's nod, he continued on. "Before I was corrected, which was necessary, thank you Miss McGonagall, I was saying that each house will do you proud. Follow me, and let the Sorting begin!"
The Great Hall doors opened. Ekaterina, Aidan and Rowena teased Minerva, but she kept a straight face. She may have been embarrassed on her first day, but she was not going to let anyone know it.
When Professor Dumbledore reached the front of the Hall, he opened a large scroll. "Abbott, Courtney!" The list continued on as each house cheered when they gained a new member. Minerva spotted her siblings at their respective tables and smiled at them. Before long, her name was called.
"McGonagall, Minerva!" Professor Dumbledore called. Minerva bravely walked up the stairs and sat on the stool. She felt the Sorting Hat be placed on her head, and she waited.
"Well, well, well, let's look here. Another McGonagall I see. That makes things very difficult. Your mother is a Ravenclaw, and your father a muggle. You definitely have the smarts for Ravenclaw, there's no doubt about that. You share the brains of your sister and mother, and you would shine in Ravenclaw. I would sort you there, but then I search your mind some more and I find a stubborn, brave, courageous streak in you. Those traits are greatly valued by the House of Gryffindor. Your wonder for learning does not outweigh your loyalty; in fact, you're at a draw. The other two houses do not seem to be a good match for you: you do not agree with the morals and values of a typical Slytherin, nor are you one with a great deal of patience that is often seen in a Hufflepuff. So it is either Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. But where to put you? You are one of the hardest cases I have ever dealt with, Miss McGonagall. Do you have a preference?"
Minerva shook her head slightly and listened to the Sorting Hat continue its battle. The voice was becoming annoying in her head. She looked out into the crowd, and she saw wondrous faces. Minerva chanced a glance at Professor Dumbledore only to see him look at her with amazement written on his face. She then looked at her watch and saw that it had been six minutes since she first sat down on the stool. Minerva was starting to get annoyed when suddenly a cry ran out into the silent Hall: "GRYFFINDOR!"
With great relief, Minerva took the Sorting Hat off her head and handed it back to Professor Dumbledore, who was beaming at her. She blushed and ran to sit beside her brother.
"Well done, Sis. I'm so happy you're in Gryffindor with me." Nathaniel said proudly.
Minerva smiled and waited for her friends to be sorted as well. Before long, "Ravenclaw, Rowena!" was heard. She could hear people whispering about her name and Rowena's family line.
"Old news for us, eh Minnie?" Nathaniel gave her a slight nudge.
"Yes. And don't call me Minnie!" Minerva said angrily before turning around to watch her friend. It took not thirty seconds before "RAVENCLAW!" was heard. She saw Rowena sigh with relief and practically sprint to the Ravenclaw table. Rowena sat beside Esmeralda, who gave an approving nod towards Minerva.
"Romanov, Ekaterina!" Professor Dumbledore's voice rang out. Ekaterina flounced up to the seat, and as quickly as the seat had been placed on her head "SLYTHERIN!" was yelled.
Minerva heard herself gasp. She had no problem with Slytherins, but to think her friend possessed some of those qualities frightened her. Minerva knew there was nothing she could do, so she waited for Adian to be called. He was announced a Gryffindor within seconds, and he found himself seated beside Minerva.
"Hey, Gryffindor!" Aidan said upon sitting down, a large smile upon his face.
"I could say the same to you." Minerva smiled at her new friend. She looked around at her new family, and she felt at home. Minerva glanced up at her teachers, and immediately caught the eye of Professor Dumbledore. He raised his glass to her with a slight smile and took a drink. Minerva gave him a quizzical glance, but seemed to know that there would be a time for her to ask him about it. With that toast, Minerva knew there was something about Professor Dumbledore that got her- that he would be an incredible role model. She realized her life had begun to change. Minerva had no idea just how much Hogwarts would influence her over her life, but then again, no one does- especially not on the day it feels as if life is finally beginning.