A Hero's Tale

By Yurushi-chan

Chapter two: The letters

Disclaimer: I can't believe I forgot to add this before. Ok I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters except Lilly(the younger). The plot is however all mine.

AN: Hello everyone. Welcome to chapter 2. I hope you have enjoyed the story thus far, though I am a bit sad that I've hardly gotten any reviews? I will post regardless, but a little encouragement is nice sometimes. If you have any constructive criticism for me, Id even prefer that to nothing. Anyways enough of my complaining. I do need a beta, If you are interested send me a pm and I will get back to you. ^_^ thanks. Enjoy…

*********

Dear Mr. Potter

I am interested in speaking with you about you daughters enrollment at our prestigious school of Hogwarts. It would be sensible if we could meet today, tonight if you will around five in the evening. What we speak about will be kept strictly between us, and other wise left to your discretion, you will have all final say. If you are busy or can not agree to the depicted time, please send a return note with this owl, I have instructed it to wait if you tell her to.

Headmistress

Minerva Mcgonagall

*******

Harry stared down at the letter nervously. It amazed him how prompt his old teacher had been. He should have known really, that she would be the first to contact him, but he couldn't decide how he should feel. Should he be relieved that she had hinted that she wouldn't tell any one about him? Or should he be worried that she would use it against him? He knew Professor Mcgonagall wasn't one who would agree with black mail but he had a lot to atone for, and she knew he knew it.

When this note had arrived with Lilly's letter he had gone into a sort of shock. Now that he though about it however, the woman had been quite smart about the whole thing. If it had been just Lilly's Hogwarts letter, he would have been tempted to write a rejection letter or simply run again. Mcgonagall's letter had been her way of saying "Don't run…lets work this out." At least that was what he read between the lines. After overcoming his shock however, he had immediately gotten into a fight with his daughter. She had been angry with him for not explaining the paper in his hands. Intent on apologizing after a rude dismissal he had followed her out side only to find her talking to a snake.

That encounter had made his decision for him. There was no way he was going to be able to hide magic from his daughter after that. Making his decision he explained everything to Lilly then gave her the Hogwarts invitation then settled down to write a note of his own. It only had a few words.

Dear Headmistress,

I will see you at five.

He sort of felt stupid about it now, but he hadn't felt comfortable signing his name, not yet. He had been going by the name David Potter in the Muggle world for a long time now, and though it wasn't very original, it was hard to trace. Both Potter, and David were very common names, and they gave him the cover he needed.

Nervously he checked his watch for the fourth time in two minutes. It was four thirty now, and Lilly was still upstairs making her decision. He had told her after handing over her letter to think it over carefully before making any decisions. What he said to Mcgonnagle would depend on what his daughter said.

Feeling fidgety he went into the kitchen to check the stew for that night and gave it a few stirs. He wasn't sure if his old teacher would be staying for dinner but he had set an extra place at the table anyway. He checked his watch again. Four thirty five now. He took a breath to calm himself. Maybe it would be best if he read a book or something…to keep his mind off of the upcoming meeting. He skittered into the living room and grabbed a random book off the book shelf then settled himself onto the sofa in the living room.

His eyes scanned the words, but his mind didn't seem to want to pick anything up from it. He ran over the first line again and again, never really understanding in it. Frustrated he closed it and set it on the seat next to him. He snorted when he caught sight of the title. Webster's twentieth edition Dictionary. Well he if he didn't feel foolish before, he did now, only Hermione would attempt to read such a book.

Hermione…Ron…Neville…Now there was a subject he hadn't thought about in a long while. He hadn't seen his friends, or had any contact with them since had left. Their connection had been completely severed by him. He hadn't even told them that he was leaving…he just sort of disappeared.

God was he ready for this? If his daughter chose to step into the Wizarding world was he ready to follow? He supposed it didn't matter as he would do so regardless of how prepared he was. He wondered though…that if he were to go back…would they forgive him? Would they understand? For all they knew he was dead, he could have been killed off by some rouge death eater…or something else entirely. They would of course ask questions. Questions he would not be able to answer, or rather did not want to answer. Would they respect his wishes, and let it be? Probably not.

CRACK!

The sound made him jump at least a foot off the couch. Even after all these years he recognized the sound of Apparition. He looked down at his watch again as he stood up. Five o'clock exactly. Well there was no more running, not anymore.

She was here.

*******

Lilly spent the better part of her afternoon thinking and trying to decide what she was going to do. Her father's answers had explained so much. Why they had moved so often for instance. They had never stayed in the same city for more then a year, and she had learned the hard way not to get too attached to any friends she made. It also explained why her father seemed so sad; at least when he thought she wasn't around to see. She understood now, that he had left his whole life behind.

She wanted to know the world he had (however vaguely) described, but that same world seemed to bring so much pain to her only parent. He seemed reluctant to speak of it, and purposely left things out. At the same time however, she could hear a sort of longing in his voice. Maybe it would be best to bring him back to that world. What ever had happened to make him the way he was happened years ago. He himself had always told her to not hold on to the past. She bet that her father would be happier going back. It seemed like win-win situation to her. Her father wouldn't have to hide himself and she would get to learn magic.

She glanced again at the letter on her bed.

*****

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmistress: Minerva Mcgonagall

(Order of Merlin third class, Transfigured Sorceress AY, Animagi AN)

Dear Ms. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find the enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later then July 31.

Yours Sincerely,

Hermione Granger

Deputy Headmistress

*****

Underneath the letter lay a list of things required to attend the school. Lilly scanned it too. Where was she supposed to get all this stuff anyways? She showed on her lip, her father would know. She sighed and scooped up the letters and left her room. She headed down the stairs towards the kitchen, it was almost dinner time, and she needed to give her dad her answer. She glanced around the kitchen and frowned when she didn't see him. "Dad?" she called heading for the living room.

"Good evening Professor Mcgonagall" Lilly followed her fathers voice to the front door. He stood directly between her and whoever had arrived, so she could not see who it was.

"I haven't taught you in years, you may call me Minerva." A woman's voice said. Lilly blinked curiously. "Dad?" she called again, this time questioningly.

Her father turned and looked at her over her shoulder. "Oh Lilly!" he said obviously surprised.

"So this is you daughter?" the woman said. It wasn't a question. Lilly's father stepped aside and invited the woman in allowing Lilly to see her clearly. The woman, Minerva she had said her name was, wore the strangest clothes Lilly had ever seen. A black button up dress benieth a deep emerald robe and what was obviously a witches hat. The woman was deffinetly old, her hair a light grey, and an aged look about her face. She wore a pair of squared glasses over dark blue eyes and her mouth was set in what seemed a permanent stern line. All in all she seemed like a strict woman, not to be crossed.

****

Minerva's stared at the little girl as Harry invited them to sit in his drawing room. She looked so much like her father, she vaguely wondered who her mother was. She glanced around hoping to see another person, or perhaps a picture but only saw photos of the girl and her father. Harry pulled Lilly to sit next to him, across from herself. "This is Professor Mcgonagall." Her former student introduced them. "Minerva, this is Lilly potter." Lilly nodded nervously at the Professor.

"Nice to meet you." she said quietly.

"A pleasure." Mcgonagall returned. She then turned her attention back to Harry. "It has been a long time." she said a bit sadly. She knew she was pointing out the obvious but she wanted him to understand how much he was missed. The man nodded.

"Mr. Potter.." she started, not knowing what else to call him, he had not given her permission to use his first name like she had given him. "There are many questions I would like to ask, but I understand you may not be willing to answer most of them…..not if you have hidden from us this long.. It is clear how ever that you daughter needs to be taught, and the best place for that would be Hogwarts. Do you intend to allow her to attend?" yes she had been blunt, but if Harry was even a mite of the man she knew, then he wouldn't appreciate her beating around the bush.

Harry's confused stare sharpened and she just barely held back from flinching. "I am not going to chose whether or not my daughter will go to your school." he said harshly. He held up a hand however when she tried to protest. "It is not for me to decide." he finished glancing again at his daughter, "What happens will be Lilly's decision." his answer left no room for argument. Both adults turned to the girl, who shrunk back into the couch nervously.

"Well…"Lilly said licking her lips. She glanced back and forth between them. "I want to go." she finished simply.

Minerva could help but smile, as she turned back to Harry. "Well there we go then." she said happily. "Now we just have to settle what you are going to do." she said her voice carrying a more serious tone.

Her old student looked slightly panicked. "What do you mean what I'm going to do?"

"Well the news that she is attending Hogwarts will obviously get around, before long it will be known to the entire Wizarding world that Harry Potter's daughter is attending Hogwarts. Do you attend to abandon her to them?" she asked setting her plan in motion. Yes plan. Minerva Mcgonagall did not come to see Harry just to get her questions answered. Being his old teacher, she knew all too well how Harry did not answer questions he didn't have to, and even then tended to avoid them. The only way she was going to get some answers was if she spent more time around him. And she knew the perfect way to do that.

"Of course not!" Harry exclaimed wide eyes as his back became rigid with offense.

"Then what do you intend to do? Your daughter needs to be taught, and as previously stated, she wants to be taught." she stressed the last word slightly. She watched as Harry panicked a bit worrying his lower lip as he tried to think of an answer.

"Well I don't Know, I'll move to Hogsmeade or something. I'll…I'll.." he trailed off.

Minerva smirked.

Game…

"Mr. Potter, I'm afraid there are no plots of land available in Hogsmeade. The only way you could live there is if you rented a room in the Hogshead, which, if you will, is very expensive, and not exactly comfortable. I do however, have a solution…If you agree to it."

Harry looked a bit frustrated and looked at his old teacher suspiciously. "What do you have in mind?"

"I suggest you take up the open Defense against the Dark Arts teaching position at Hogwarts." she said bluntly.

Harry spluttered in shock. "What? But I …I don't...I can't…I don't know the first thing about teaching!" he finally got out.

Minerva shook her head condescendingly. "Nonsense!" she waved the worry away carelessly. "I know all about your little "DA" meetings back in your fifth year. From what I have heard, you are a brilliant teacher." she said waving away the argument.

"But Im not qualified!" he tried again.

Minera frowned. ", you were awarded a Defense against the Dark Arts Mastery after you defeated He-who-must-not-be-named. Your more qualified then anybody else I know." She said narrowing her eyes,

Harry stared at her. "I…but…I…" he was running out of arguments.

"Besides If you were to teach at Hogwarts you could over see your daughters progress and keep the press away from her. " she cut him off and hung the final bait.

Set…

He sighed. "Looks like I don't have much of a choice does it?" he said shaking his head in slight awe.

It will be a pleasure to have you at Hogwarts Professor Potter the documents are all set all you have to do is sign." she replied handing him two pieces of paper that seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

He pulled the papers toward him and grabbed a pen from the coffee table. "Are you sure you weren't a slithering when you were in school, or maybe in another life?" he asked, only half joking.

Minerva just smiled, and he signed his name.

Once he was finished she scooped up the papers and put them away before he could even have half a chance to change his mind.

Match.

********

Harry shook his head again as Minerva took the papers back. He couldn't believe he was doing this. It was asking for trouble. He bite his lower lip as he looked at Lilly. In the end he didn't regret it, not if he would be helping her.

"Minerva…" he said suddenly.

The older woman looked at him to show she was listening.

"If I am to teach at Hogwarts, I have a few requests." She arched a single eyebrow but otherwise did not look surprised,

"What are they?" she asked after a moment.

"Well firstly, I would like it if I didn't have to meet anyone until the Welcoming feast."

Minerva frowned but agreed. She knew it would bring up more complications otherwise.

"Second, could you not…tell anyone I'm there until then too?" It will keep the press off my back if they don't know I'm at Hogwarts as long as possible. She nodded again

He paused, "Anything else Mr. Potter?" she prodded lightly. She stood up when he shook his head. "Well if that is all, it was a pleasure Mr. Potter, I should take my leave now."

Harry stood up with her. "You should stay with us for dinner Headmistress." he offered with a small smile.

Mcgonagall blinked at him.

"Lilly here most likely has a few questions she would like to ask you. I'm sure you even Have a few of your own that I might be willing to answer." he explained calmly.

"Oh…of course." she agreed, not prepared for him to give answers so willingly.

Lilly smiled up at them. "Come on Professor Mcgonagall , Dad made stew tonight." his daughter said leading the way to the kitchen.

Harry followed them, he hadn't mentioned that he had a few questions of his own.