Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, I do not have any rights to Harry Potter and I do not make any money from writing these fic's.

A/N: Written for Remi's Random AU Challenge with my AU being a different ending. This is about what if instead of being hailed as a hero and getting the girl in the end Harry was pushed aside and ignored?

Chapter 2

After making sure that the cloak was securely wrapped around him and the hood was covering his face Minerva fussed over him for a few seconds before letting out a heavy sigh.

"Well it is now or never, if we are going to do this then there is no time like the present," Minerva said as she shot Harry a fond look, "Remember though Harry if you do not like something or you have something to say from this point onwards for...well forever really, you just need to speak up and tell someone okay? No more pushing things aside."

A silent nod of the head was the reply Minerva got. Sighing Minerva turned and moved back to the door she had entered though and silently led Harry out into the common room. Without uttering a single word or sound the pair silently made their way down the stairs, though the common room and out of the tower and into the hallway. Glancing quickly behind her to check that Harry was keeping up Minerva quickly continued to walk though the hallways and down the moving stairs heading towards the large main doors of the castle while making sure to keep to the familiar path so that Harry could find her if they somehow got separated for some reason.

Luckily though the pair did not get separated or meet anyone on their way down to the entrance hall. As Minerva came to the last step at the bottom of the final staircase just before she placed a foot in the entrance hall a creaking sound came to her ears causing her to suddenly freeze. If I was not for Harry paying attention to every little sound and sight around him he would of bummed into Minerva and sent her flying.

The pair stayed silent and still like statues as the seconds ticked by and turned into minutes only to find that there was no second sound following the creaking sound. Not daring to chance it Minerva pulled out her wand once more and softly whispered the spell that she had heard Albus speak so many times before when he was about to go on his after curfew walks around the castle. In no time at all both she and Harry was invisible to the naked eye.

After putting her wand away Minerva made a silent follow me motion with her hand before turning her attention back in front of her and began walking. Luckily for both of them the large wooden open doors where still open slightly as they were able to close everything later than normal due to the after events of the final battle.

Making sure to keep his ears open and his eyes wide for any more sounds Harry silently followed Minerva along the stone floored of the entrance hall and towards the large main doors. A sharp intake of breath came from Harry as he followed Minerva though the open doors and out into the Hogwarts grounds as he did his best to stop the flashes of corpses on ground and the green grass turned blood red. It did not help that even with the help of magic in the moonlight small spots of red shone brightly from the grass.

Noticing her lion's discomfort Minerva quickly changed her plan and headed towards the pile of rubble that had once been a certain lovable half-giant's home where the odd 'horseless' carriage were stood. Realising just how close they were getting to another place she wanted to avoid for Harry Minerva let out a silent groan and speeded up her pace as she tried to get all of Harry's attention on her and following her so the young man would not mentally travel back in time to the final battle.

As they reached the last few steps to the carriages Minerva almost ran towards the carriages and threw open the door before throwing Harry inside. Luckily for Harry though she took a deep breath and simply opened up the carriage door with a flick of her wand allowing both of them to quickly enter without stopping.

'Why is the Professor going so fast for all of a sudden?' Harry wondered as he watched Minerva get into the carriage only to follow her moments later 'It seems like she is almost trying to run away or avoid something.'

With a small frown on his face Harry slipped into the soft red cushioned seat opposite Minerva and waited for the carriage to start to move. He did not have to wait long though as a few seconds later the familiar motion of a moving carriage came to Harry.

"Why did you rush for when we came outside?" Harry asked as he shot Minerva a questioning look from under his hood though it could not be seen, "I thought we were alone and if not we had that special you cast on us..."

"I just did not want to hang about for too long in case...in case you found it too upsetting, after all the final battle was not long ago," Minerva replied stiffly as she turned and looked out of the carriage window missing Harry's small smile, "Are you...sure about this? You still have time to back out of this, you can always say no Harry up until you sign the paperwork and drink the potion."

"At this moment of time I would not really care if I died," Harry replied with a heavy sigh while taking no notice of Minerva's shocked expression, "I...everything that I have tried to aim for in life...I have done, I have defeated Voldemort. I did not really plan to be alive right now."

"Well you are and now is the time to start living for yourself," Minerva replied gently as she shot Harry a comforting look, "You have done enough for others Harry, now is the time for others to do something for you. Everyone in the whole Wizarding world owes you some form of life debt."

"I do not need a life debt from them...I need nothing from them," Harry replied calmly as he allowed the movement of the carriage to calm him, "I...I want a family, I want a family of my very own. I know Mrs. Weasley treats me like one of her own children but I am not one of her children, her own children need her..."

Knowing how stubborn Harry was Minerva let out a heavy sigh and nodded her head silently, hopefully things would change for the better for Harry starting from the very moment he walked into her friend's pet shop. Knowing her friend they would whisk Harry away into a warm comfortable seat and press a warm cup of tea and a chocolate bar into his hands as soon as he walked in though the door.

Feeling the carriage slowing down and coming to a stop Minerva turned to face Harry only to notice the younger male had realised the same thing as her. As the carriage came to a complete stop the duo carefully checked the area outside the carriage, after all they could not be too careful, only to find themselves alone and on the outskirts of Hogsmade which was like a ghost town due to the battle in Hogwarts and the time of night. Slipping out of the carriage followed by Harry Minerva tapped the side of the carriage three times firmly and watched as the carriage slowly began to make its way back to Hogwarts.

"How will you get back to Hogwarts?" Harry asked nervously, worried for the woman who had been nothing but nice and fair to him from day one.

"I will just floo back, everyone is so used to me going to visit my friend that if they find my signature on the floo returning back from her then they will think nothing of it. In fact the only reason we are sneaking out like this is because I wanted to make things even harder for anyone trying to find you if they try looking for you once they realise that you are gone," Minerva answered calmly as she pulled out of her pocket a beautiful cat pendent with ruby eyes that had no pendent, "Harry...I will not be able to ask this again while it is just the two of us...are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"I am sure, it might help me to find something worth living for," Harry replied causing Minerva to nod her head and hold out her free hand.

"Very well, now take a hold of my hand so I can activate the Portkey," Minerva ordered and Harry quickly followed though not wanting to be left alone after coming so far, "Alright, Perfect Pets."

Before Harry could even open his mouth to question what Minerva meant by 'Perfect Pets' Harry felt a familiar tugging sensation on his stomach only for a few seconds later the world around him to disappear with a loud pop. As he felt the familiar sensation of going Portkey travel pulling at his stomach Harry bit his lower lip, hard, in an attempt to prevent himself from throwing up. After what had happened during the war he had found a large hatred of Portkey's. All too soon but not soon enough in Harry's mind he found the Portkey journey coming to an end, remembering last minute the helpful hint Charlie Weasley had told him about Portkey landings during his training to defeat Voldemort Harry slowly began walking forwards causing him to only stumble slightly when he hit the ground and not fall flat on his face taking his transfiguration professor with him.

Seeing Harry's less then graceful landing but also remembering the stories she had heard about Harry's even less graceful Portkey landings Minerva simply smiled, shook her head and turned her attention back to the street in front of her, though more importantly the shop they stood in front of.

"Welcome Harry," Minerva said catching Harry's full attention causing her to feel like she was introducing a first year muggleborn and their family to the Wizarding World for the very first time, "To The Pet Shop."

To Be Continued...

This fic is NOT a Pet Shop Of Horrors/Harry Potter crossover!