Author's Note: First: I can't believe that everyone who felt compelled to point out the Remis/Remus thing missed that I was suddenly calling Slider (the head elf), Jumper. It is true that I only referred to Jumper as the head elf once or twice but you guys are usually more on the ball than that. Jumper's only scene so far was when Harry went to meet Wormtail at the trolley. I'll refer to the head elf as slider from now on.

Second: this chapter would be the end of a volume in a multi-volume work. It tries to tie together some loose ends before moving on. We will see more of the world from here on out.

Thanks for reading.

Dad

Chapter 36 - I'm not God

September 22nd, 1997

It was an entrance that would be remembered for quite some time. The school was still reeling from the shock of hearing how it's headmistress, Professor Minerva McGonagall had been captured and tortured by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. The details were sketchy, but somehow she was rescued. Harry Potter had some part in this, apparently, since it was reported in this morning's Daily Prophet that he and Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse, had taken her to St. Mungo's for treatment. The last time the upper classmen had remembered a student or teacher being treated there, instead of the school infirmary, was a year and a half earlier when, coincidentally, Professor McGonagall was felled by the vile Umbridge and a few aurors with four stunners to the chest. That had almost killed her and the situation this time was reported to be much worse.

The new assistant headmistress, Professor Sprout, had therefore been thrust in command years before she had expected it. In fact, she was only the new assistant head because Professor Flitwick had decided, quite reasonably, that he would retire before McGonagall, and the assistant headmaster should be someone who could use the on the job training.

What little information Professor Sprout had given the students was not encouraging. As head of Hufflepuff House, she was compassionate, but honest.

"Headmistress McGonagall has suffered severe wounds at the hands of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," she stated, mirroring the published reports by the Daily Prophet. "I have visited her with Madam Pomfrey and she is being given the best of care but it might be some time before she is able to return to her duties. I will respect her privacy by not elaborating further."

Naturally, the school gossip network started up a second shift to handle the overload. She was already dead. She had fought off He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named personally to escape. She was still his prisoner and there was a coverup with an imposter posing as her for any number of reasons. Harry had been busy with his own preparations for Dobby's funeral to answer any questions about why he had accompanied the nurse to St. Mungo's.

So it was a depressed and subdued group of students that were working their way to their last class before lunch when an elderly woman with long flowing hair that was cut lopsidedly, wearing some sort of a thin, flowery dress with a man's cloak came skipping barefoot through the entrance of the castle.

"Hello, children," she sang as she passed through their stunned ranks. "It's just so good to be back." She beamed at them all and then headed on past to go to her office, laughing as she went. Those students and teachers further back down the hallways wondered what the holdup was but those that had seen her had just one thought; "Was that McGonagall?"

Murmurs started to spread with the news that not only was the headmistress back and well, she seemed to have lost her mind. She was singing and laughing, although those that saw her skipping were still having a hard time believing that.

They were left behind as some of the euphoria started to wear off and Minerva realized that she was only wearing two articles of clothing and that one didn't close very well in the front and one didn't close very well in the back.

She rode up the stairs to her office and was just about to enter when she noticed three students in her entrance area.

"That's cheating, Harry," she laughed. She hugged him and said, "I don't remember the last time I was so happy. Thank you, Harry." She hugged him again and said, "Now I want to hear everything. Just let me get dressed and we'll have our chat here." She pushed open the doors to find Professor Sprout about to do the same thing from the inside.

"Minerva!" she shouted, giving the old woman a huge hug. "But how?" she looked back in the room to a thoroughly stunned Poppy. Looking back to see if it was true, she said, "Poppy was just telling me how the healer's said..." She stopped a moment but continued on. "And now you're here and seem fine. Come in. Come in and tell us how this all happened." She pulled Minerva through the door, almost shutting it in the faces of the three students she had failed to notice in her excitement.

"Minerva?" came another voice from the office. It was the portrait of Professor Dumbledore, his face and hands against the front of his painting. Harry had never seen that before. Paintings usually never noticed that restriction but it seemed to pain Grampa right now. He changed expressions quickly and, stepping back, said, "I am so very glad to see you, Minerva. I think I speak for everyone when I ask how could this be?"

"Just a moment, Albus," said Minerva. "Harry," she said, turning back to him. "Could you have some tea sent up while I change?"

"Certainly, Minerva," said Harry. He needed an excuse, anyway. As Minerva went to change, Harry said, "Winky."

"What can Winky be doing for Master?" she asked as always. She had noticed that Harry had been resisting calling and it had worried her. She was glad things were getting back to normal.

"I wanted you to know, Winky," he said, smiling, "Dobby did not die in vain. The Headmistress is back and whole again. It is thanks to Dobby that this has happened." He hugged the little elf.

"Winky is being very glad, Master," she said. "Mistress McGonagall is a very great witch and Winky is glad that her Dobby is helping Master in saving her."

"That he did, Winky," said Harry. "Now, please bring enough tea and cups for, let's see," he looked around while counting on his fingers, "seven. I want you to join us because we will be discussing the full story for the first time and you deserve to hear as well."

"Yes, Master," said Winky, a little excitedly. She didn't like not working but to hear of her husband's last moments was more important. She popped away.

While she was gone, Harry summoned a table and seven chairs that would suit the size of the office. He had not yet gotten around to buying some cushy chairs but they didn't have the room, anyway. Winky returned and set up the table for tea with some other snacks. Poppy, Pomona, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Winky all sat down and waited for Minerva.

"Harry," said Poppy. "I know it would put things out of order but could you start with Minerva? It's driving me crazy. What in the world did you do?" She looked towards the door to Minerva's quarters in total confusion.

"What makes you think I did anything?" asked Harry. He casually bit into a chocolate cookie.

"Hermione," asked Poppy, "could you ask your husband to stop kidding around before I violate one or more of my oaths as a healer?"

Harry laughed. When he did this, they could all feel the difference. The old expression that his or her laughter filled the room was certainly true of Harry. The older witches started to giggle a little at the feeling.

"What did I miss?" asked Minerva, excitedly. She was wearing her more comfortable evening robes and she sat down and grabbed a cracker without hesitation. She was famished.

"Poppy is impatient," said Harry. "She wants to know the ending but poor Professor Sprout doesn't even know the beginning." He sipped his tea and started to work on his cookie some more.

"Perhaps Pomona shouldn't know anything," suggested Minerva, sheepishly. She was starting to get back to her normal, reasonable self.

"Voldemort won't try to get any of you again, Minerva," said Harry. "I think I know what you told him and it's probably driving him crazy."

"How do you know?" asked Minerva, shocked. "I obviously haven't told anyone."

"He had you for hours," said Harry. "His plan was to question you quickly so I assume he at least had veritaserum. We have kept you mostly in the dark. What you do know, such as my ability to apparate on the school grounds, was already known to him. It cost him ten Death Eaters including Bellatrix Lestrange and he got nothing out of it."

"You captured that bitch?" asked Minerva, bitterly. She was red in the face with fury but quickly changed to embarrassment at her language, although the shade stayed the same.

"Actually," said Harry, "I killed her. She had attacked Dobby and I blew her head off. Voldemort managed to get away, though."

"I'm sorry about Dobby, Harry," said Minerva, softly. "He was a good friend and loyal servant."

"He was also a loving husband," said Hermione. She looked at Winky for permission to continue. Winky nodded and Hermione said, "Dobby was married to Winky."

McGonagall got up and went around the table to give Winky a hug. "I'm so sorry, Winky. He should never have risked his life for me."

"Dobby is being glad to help his great friend, Harry Potter, to be saving his Headmistress," replied Winky. "Winky is proud of her Dobby and is wanting to be hearing his story."

Harry laughed and said, "That's Winky's way of saying we should stop with the chit chat and tell the story properly." He looked up and said, "I think we should wait for Hagrid and Honey. They will be here in just a moment."

"How do you know that, Harry?" asked Ron. He had not heard anything.

"They are near and getting closer," replied Harry. "I can tell." He shrugged .

A few moments later, they heard heavy feet running up the spiral staircase and the great door slammed around to the wall when Hagrid knocked excitedly. He didn't notice but instead looked at the assembly before him.

"Professor McGonagall!" he boomed. He took a couple steps towards her but Harry stood in his way.

"She doesn't need a Hagrid hug just this instant, Hagrid," said Harry.

"Oh, yes I do," said McGonagall, getting up. She rightly assumed that Harry's intervention would calm Hagrid enough to make it safe.

Hagrid gently put his hands on her back as she spread her arms as wide as they would go. "I don' believe it, Professor," he said with tears running down his face. "Professor Sprout said you were hurt really bad."

"And so I was, Hagrid," said Minerva, releasing her old friend. "We were just going to discuss how this all came about. Would you like to join us?"

"I don' know, Professor," said Hagrid. "It's a pretty small room an all." He had a point.

"Nonsense," said McGonagall. "Let's go into my parlor," she suggested. "It's much larger." She gestured towards the door to her personal quarters.

"Just a moment, Headmistress," said Harry. He looked around behind Hagrid to find a very shaken and weeping Honey standing just outside the office doorway.

"Why don't you join us, too, Honey," he said, offering her his hand. "Minerva is fine and we can gather ourselves together."

Minerva walked around Hagrid joined Harry. "Why Miss Sweetwater," she said. "What seems to be the problem?"

"I'm just feeling like Hagrid, Headmistress," she replied. "I'm so surprised and happy and confused at the same time. When I heard you were in your office, I ran here as fast as I could. I would have passed Hagrid in the hallway except you can't pass Hagrid in a hallway." She laughed a little as she started to get a grip.

"Well, let's all go in and see if we can't sort it all out." Minerva led her guests to her quarters. Ron took hold of Honey's hand as soon as he could and they all went into her sitting room. Dumbledore left his painting and joined them in one specially painted for him. It contained a single, soft chair.

"Harry," said Minerva, "I think we still might need a few of your chairs. Do you mind?"

"Of course not, Minerva," replied Harry and with a swish of his wand, the furniture from the office appeared before them. Winky adjusted the table settings to accommodate the additional attendees.

"Thank you, Harry," she said and then added, "Oh, don't forget your cloak. It's in my bedroom." She started for the door.

"Don't bother, Headmistress," said Hermione. "I'll get it." She rushed off and grabbed Harry's cloak off of a chair. She turned to come back and stopped midstride. After a moment, she regained her composure and returned to the group.

She hung the cloak on a hook by the door. Turning around, she said to McGonagall, "Nice poster, Headmistress."

McGonagall blushed. After a moment, she said, "I received it from Fred and George Weasley."

The now sizable group was still finding seats so this exchange went unnoticed except by Honey, who was nearby with Ron. "Does our prim and proper Headmistress have a risque poster in her bedroom?" she asked in a whisper to the two of them.

"Certainly not!" replied McGonagall in a voice much louder than she had intended. The rest of the side conversations in the room stopped and everyone looked at her for an explanation. She sighed and said, "I suppose if I can live with the embarrassment of skipping through the halls in a hospital gown I can live with this. I don't have a wand anymore, Hermione. Do you mind?"

Hermione drew her wand and summoned the poster to their table. It was a large framed print of Harry in dragon form flying around the hills surrounding the Burrow. Apparently, the twins had taken his picture the day after his wedding. They had enchanted it to fly around a bit before landing as Harry. The poster Harry waved and then took off as a dragon again.

"Shouldn't I get royalties or something when they do that sort of thing?" asked Harry. He wasn't concerned, really. Just curious.

"Probably," said Ron, unconcerned. "Pretty cool, though."

"Yeah," said Harry. "I like it."

Hermione sent the poster back and they got down to business.

"If we are going to get done in a reasonable amount of time," said Harry, "I must insist that we accept without explanation for now that what we will tell you happened without having to explain how we did or knew certain things.

"Well," began Harry, "it all started with a stroke of good luck on a boring afternoon." He then told the tale starting with how they had observed a Death Eater who looked like he might have been waiting for someone until they got to Minerva going down to Hagrid's Hut.

"Why in the world did you go down there?" asked Hermione.

"I received a note claiming to be from Hagrid asking me to meet him in his house," she said. "I wondered at the time about the terrible spelling but just wandered down into that trap like an idiot, anyway." She blushed a little, realizing now how foolish she had been.

"I see," said Hermione. "Hagrid? Were you tricked away from your hut, somehow?"

"Naw," said Hagrid. "I was at the Hogshead, drinking mead when I shoulda been at home. They might not have got ya, Professor if I had a been there."

He looked like he was going to start crying again so Harry said, "There were ten of them, Hagrid. They would have killed you and taken Minerva anyway."

"It happened really fast, Hagrid," added Ron. "We only took a few seconds to react with an armed and ready force and they still got away. There was nothing you could have done, mate."

Hagrid tended to disagree but grudgingly gave in.

The story continued with the recall of the Surrey team; the inability of Slider to detect McGonagall; the recruitment of Flitwick; the discovery of Sleepy; the low-level daylight flight of the rescuers (Hermione shuddered thinking about it); the discovery of the house and the inability of any elf but Dobby to cast offensive spells.

"Dobby being free was the only thing that saved you, Minerva," said Harry, sadly. "We needed someone who could take on Voldemort and he volunteered without hesitation."

"That was extremely brave of him," said Minerva. She knew that Harry was emphasizing this to help Winky but she believed it, nevertheless.

"Yes, it was," continued Harry. "I hit the area the house had to be in and when the charms started to fail, we popped in. Voldemort and Lestrange were there. I was stunned for a moment and Voldemort almost killed me but Dobby attacked him and I was free to try to save you and fight Bellatrix. She probably would have got me except Dobby was doing such a good job on Voldemort that he called for help. When she hit Dobby with that plasma cauterus spell, I had an opening and took it. Voldemort popped away and I grabbed Dobby and McGonagall and headed to the infirmary." He paused a moment and then added, "Dobby was dying but I noticed he was glad to be with Winky, at the end." He looked at Winky who had large tears rolling down her cheeks. She was also smiling at her husbands memory.

"Dobby is showing He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named that he had better not be taking Master's friends," she said with satisfaction. "Dobby is letting him be knowing he is being in a fight!" Winky smiled at the thought and then broke down again. It was still too soon to have good memories without a few tears.

They then told of how the healers at St. Mungo's had tried their best but by the time Harry and his friends had returned from Dobby's funeral, word had come back that it was only a matter of a few hours and Minerva would be dead.

"I wanted to ask you about that, Harry," said Ron. "We were all sitting there when Madam Pomfrey told us and then you just weren't there. I don't even think I heard an apparition pop. How did you do that?"

"I don't know," said Harry. "I just knew where I had to be and there I was." He didn't know how else to explain it. "I talked with a nurse named Laura and then brought Minerva back here to die." He was having a hard time with his feelings despite knowing how the story turned out.

"I appreciate that, too," said Minerva, kindly. "I would rather be here than anywhere else when my time comes."

"So how the bloody hell do you come skipping into your office an hour later?" asked Poppy, no longer able to contain herself.

"Well," said Harry, not really knowing how to explain, "Sleepy and I were just sitting there when Fawkes arrived and shed a few tears on Minerva."

"So it was the phoenix who healed you then," said Pomona, jumping to conclusions.

"Sort of," said Harry. "The phoenix tears helped but they didn't do anything about the major injuries. I had to merge with Fawkes before our combined powers healed Minerva."

"Merge?" asked Poppy. "Do you mean you worked together?" It wasn't clear how this all worked.

"We worked together after we merged," replied Harry. "Fawkes and I now share this body. We will be together for another two or three years." He didn't want to describe the merger and hoped no one asked.

"It felt wonderful," said Minerva. "I dreamt that I was back home with my parents. You seemed to pick up on that somehow."

"You were very badly hurt," said Harry. "I had to go all the way back to your father to find someone that you loved and trusted enough to heal you, little miss."

Minerva looked up in surprise. "That's what he called me; his little miss. He used to tease me like you did." She had tears welling up in her eyes at the memory of her father and the realization that Harry had sounded so much like him by the lake.

"Fawkes and I had to bring that love back out from deep within you to push the pain and suffering out of your body," explained Harry. "I helped, but it was your father's love that really saved you."

Minerva sat silently. She smiled and wept all at the same time. Finally, she said, "I can remember him so clearly now, as if the memories were suddenly fresh again." Turning to Harry, she said, "for this, above all else, I thank you."

"So it was a combination of the enhanced healing powers of Harry and Fawkes assisted by your father's love?" asked Poppy. "That is amazing.

"Master," said Winky. "Dobby is loving Winky and Winky is loving Dobby. Is we being able to be healing Dobby?" The hope in her eyes was painful to Harry. She had heard how Minerva was all but dead and was dancing five minutes later. Of course she would think that Dobby could also be saved.

"I can't help Dobby, Winky," said Harry, sadly. "You see..."

"Dobby is helping Master save Master's headmistress," shouted Winky. "Dobby is being good and kind. Dobby is being good enough for Master to be saving, too." She was sobbing again. "Winky is doing whatever Master wants! Winky will take clothes! Just be giving Winky back her Dobby!"

Winky wasn't the only one crying. Even those who barely knew her or Dobby were able to see the grief in her. It was all consuming. She had loved her Dobby as much as anyone could. His loss was a dagger to her heart. It must have been confusing to her to hear how someone else that was dying could be saved so completely while her Dobby was still dead.

Harry controlled himself enough to say, "I am not God, Winky. I can't help Dobby like I helped Minerva. I can help you, though." He walked over to her and, kneeling down, held out his arms.

Winky hesitated for a second and then embraced her master and let the tears flow down, soaking her tea towel. Harry started to talk to her as a golden glow surrounded them. The words were soft and sweet and the syntax was terrible but it seemed to help calm Winky down quite quickly. Harry's voice was extremely soft, so that only Winky could here but hear she did. After a minute or so, they parted. Harry still had tears in his eyes but Winky was filled with the afterglow of Dobby's love for her.

"Thank you, Master," she said. "Winky is forgetting that Dobby is being with her forever. Winky is not forgetting again." She smiled and sat back down at the table.

Everyone sat down again, not really knowing what to do next. Finally, Poppy said, "So what do we tell everyone?" She looked around for an answer. "We're already getting two or three requests a day for lost limbs. What do you think will happen if word of this gets out?"

"I can't do it for just anyone," said Harry. "I have to be emotionally connected for this type of healing to work."

"Explain that to a father who's daughter is dying," said Pomona. "Are you sure of the limitations?"

"No," said Harry. "I just know what works. It all boils down to love and trust. I have to feel those things to help anyone and they have to feel them for me. Without that, I can't get in far enough to do any good. It's really a good ability but it is severely limited to just my close friends."

"I hope you get to use it again," said Ron. He thought about that and then added, "Well, actually, I don't. It just seems that it was an awful lot of pain to go through for an ability that you might never use again."

"It was worth it, I think," replied Harry, glancing at Minerva. "I might have picked up a few other things from Fawkes, as well. For instance, I knew when Hagrid and Honey were close by."

"That might be helpful," added Hermione. "When did you first notice them?"

"Just down the hall from the headmistress' office," answered Harry. "Not really up to Fawkes or even owl standards but it might come in handy."

"We still haven't come up with what we will tell people," reminded Poppy. "Minerva's condition and prognosis were in the paper. Her recovery will be questioned."

"Give Fawkes the credit," stated Harry, without hesitation. "It was a rare healing by a rare bird. No one will expect it to be reproducible. It will also be true. Just don't go into the details."

"I think you might be right, Harry," agreed McGonagall. "I could say that Fawkes came; I was healed a short time later and that Fawkes has not been seen since. That would be the truth." She looked at the clock on the mantle and said, "Oh, my. It is nearly time for afternoon classes to start. I suppose everyone needs to get to their classrooms, one way or the other." She stood up. Everyone else joined her.

"Please remember that this is still very much a secret," reminded Harry. "The Fawkes story of how Minerva was healed will be the one we should use. Don't mention my involvement." He grabbed his cloak from it's hook and escorted his wife from the room, followed by Ron, Honey and the rest.

"Harry?" called a voice from behind them as they entered the office. Harry looked back and saw that Grampa had returned to his main frame.

"Yes, Grampa?" replied Harry, turning around. "You were remarkably quiet in there."

"Yes, I know, Harry," said Grampa. "A most fascinating story, to be sure. I just wanted to add a word or two." He paused a second and added, "In private, please."

Harry looked around and since everyone but McGonagall, and perhaps Poppy, were leaving anyway, they all quietly filed out of the room. McGonagall said, "I will be in the kitchens for a while." She gave Harry a last hug and said, "Thanks again, Harry. I feel like I'm thirty years old." She walked off with a slight skip in her step.

When the door had closed, Grampa said, "I am very proud of you, Harry. I knew of the powers to be gained from merging with Fawkes but never felt it worth the price. I didn't say anything about that in there because you seemed to wish to keep it to yourself. I understand. If Minerva knew the full extent of the pain you suffered for her, she would not sleep for many nights."

"I understand, Grampa," said Harry. "It seemed to be such a happy reunion that I didn't want to spoil it."

"That is my job, I'm afraid," said Grampa, sadly. "I didn't want to say this in front of the others, especially Minerva, but it was a grave mistake in rescuing her."

"What?" shouted Harry. He couldn't believe his ears. He thought that Dumbledore had loved Minerva. How could he think that her rescue was a mistake?

"Harry," said Grampa, perceiving his thoughts, "I love Minerva as much as anyone but you are the hope of this war. You will be forced to do many dangerous tasks before the end but you must pick your battles better. Minerva knew nothing of your operations and was therefore of no tactical or strategic importance. She was just a friend you went to save. You risked your life when it wasn't necessary and you must resist doing that. Voldemort is a great and powerful wizard. He has vast abilities that you know nothing of. You had surprise on your side this time and you say he still almost killed you. You were fortunate that you had Dobby with you to save you. He is gone now. Who will pay the price next time? Will it be Ron? Hermione? I'm not saying this to hurt you, Harry. I just want you to remember that we are in a war and the only way we will win it is if you are alive at the end."

Harry was stunned. He looked at the portrait and back at the Headmistress' empty desk. He didn't know what to think or say so he left the room. Grampa said nothing.

Harry stood in the ruins of the house that he had rescued Minerva from. He looked around. The roof was completely removed and the walls were only half standing. The table she was strapped to had a few pieces of plaster on it and Bellatrix's blood still covered the floor. Her body was still there so Voldemort had not thought enough of her to return for it. Or perhaps he thought as Dumbledore did. It was of no military importance to recover her body so he wouldn't take the chance.

"Accio Minerva's wand," said Harry. From a corner of the room, a wand came flying. It fell into his outstretched hand and he caught it. With a final look around, he apparated back to the headmistress' office. She was still to lunch in the kitchens so he laid it on her desk. He had went to look for it out of defiance to Dumbledore. He started at the spot that she had been attacked, just outside of Hagrid's hut. He then went back to the house where the Death Eaters waited for Filch's signal. He finally ended up at Voldemort's safe house. He thought that it would make him feel better about his choice in saving her but it only emphasized how dangerous his mission was. Hermione would even yell at him if she found out he went there for just a wand. Harry decided to find a place to think. He remembered there was a comfy couch under a tree nearby and went there.

He was surprised to see that he was not alone. Minerva was there with a platter of food and what appeared to be a fairly large glass of gillywater sitting on one of her own tables. She was sitting in a most un-McGonagall way with her legs curled up beside her as she half lay on one of the armrests while she ate her sandwiches.

"Hello, Harry," she said cheerily. "Care for a sandwich?" It was almost as if she were expecting him.

"Sure," he said, grabbing a sandwich from the fairly large pile. He sat down on the far end of the couch. She didn't try to move her feet out of the way.

They sat there together, eating their sandwiches, in silence. Minerva noticed that Harry didn't have anything to drink and called for Slider.

"Yes, Mistress," said Slider. "What can Slider be doing for Mistress?"

"Please bring some butterbeer for my friend, Slider," she said. "And if you have any, some treacle tart. I think he deserves it, today."

Slider bowed and popped off. A few moments later, he returned with a glass and pitcher of butterbeer and an full platter of treacle tart. Harry summoned one of his tables and Slider set them down and vanished.

Harry looked at the treacle tart, just for him, and said, "I think I feel a song coming on."

Minerva giggled. It took her a few seconds but she controlled herself enough to say, "Now stop that, Harry." She was still smiling broadly.

"Stop what?" asked a confused Harry.

"When you talk and are happy, it transfers to everyone around you, now," explained Minerva. "I expect that it is from your merging with Fawkes. Remember his song after Albus was killed? It's like that."

"Oh," said Harry. It was the shortest response he could think of and there was a treacle tart calling him.

They both ate on in silence until Minerva finally asked, "So, what did Grampa want?" She had heard what Harry had called the portrait of Dumbledore.

Harry didn't speak. He had no idea what to say but knew that he had to say something. Before he could come up with something, Minerva spoke first.

"Did he tell you that it was foolish to save me?" she asked, sipping her gillywater.

"Er, yes," replied Harry. How did she know?

"I thought so," said Minerva. "He gave us that same advice during the last war. We would have someone captured and then loose three more trying to save them. He finally convinced us to harden our hearts and just count them as already dead. It makes sense. Even when we were successful at saving someone, it was never really worth the risk or cost. About the best we could hope for was to break even." She looked closely at Harry and said, "Even this time, it was just barely to our favor. I was rescued but Dobby was lost. If not for the death of Bellatrix, you would have made a poor decision."

Harry sat silently eating for another minute or so, thinking. Finally, he said, "I understand what you are trying to say. I just don't know if it is in me to just let someone go like that."

Minerva looked on him kindly. "It isn't in you, Harry. Not yet. So far, you have been fortunate. When Hermione was captured, you should have died with her instead of rescuing her. That was very lucky for our side. This time, Voldemort never even wanted to see you. From what you described, that house was never intended to be discovered. That you did so might help us in the future or it might not. Voldemort might just stop believing in secrecy and go for overwhelming strength for his defenses. He might stop taking prisoners altogether. Who knows?"

"But no matter what he does," concluded Harry, "I should start weighing by potential losses against what I hope to save." He looked at her and said, "I will try to do that, Minerva but I will always go after Hermione, at the very least. Nothing will change that."

"I can't ask for more than that," conceded Minerva, "and Ron, too, for that matter. I can't even say whether or not Albus would have heeded his own advice if I was taken. We can make rash statements in safety on what we would or would not do under any sort of circumstances but when the time comes, that is when we show our true colors."

They finished lunch in silence. Finally, Minerva said, "This is a very nice spot, Harry. We might need to put a pavilion here." She got up and Slider arrived to take the dirty dishes. At Harry's request, he put the leftover treacle tart in his room. Minerva sent her table back to her rooms and Harry did the same with the couch and table. They walked back up to the castle together.

Late that afternoon, Minerva was in her office when her fireplace burst into green flame. A voice came out that sounded like that of Minister of Magic Scrimgeour. "Excuse me. This is the Minister of Magic. Is anyone there?"

Minerva walked over to the fireplace and replied, "Yes, there is someone here, Minister. What can I do for you?"

"Minerva?" shouted Scrimgeour. "Is that you?"

"Of course it is, Rufus," she said, chuckling. "Who did you expect to find in my office?"

"I, uh," he stammered. "Could I have a moment of your time?"

"Of course, Minister," replied Minerva with a smile.

The Minister was not wasting any time. He stepped out of the fireplace just a few seconds later. "Minerva," he said, again, "I can't believe it. Are you well?" He looked her over from top to bottom.

"I am perfectly fine, Rufus," she replied. "Please have a seat." She summoned a sturdy chair from her collection. She didn't want him to be too comfortable.

Scrimgeour sat down and seemed, at last, to be at a loss for words. Finally, he said, "I would like an explanation, if you don't mind. Yesterday, you are near death in St. Mungo's. It was reported that your wounds were the result of torture by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. This morning, I am informed by the healers that you are not likely to survive the night. At noon, I am told that Harry Potter came and told the nurse on duty that he was taking you back here to die. I've been trying every chance I could to raise someone in the floo in your office and got no response until just now. When I arrive, you are sitting behind your desk in perfect health. Either everyone who has spoken to me in the last two days are idiots or something wonderful has happened. Please tell me which it is." He sat back in the chair.

Minerva had spent some of her time since lunch reading today's Daily Prophet. She knew what was public knowledge and what was still secret. She decided on only telling the Minister that which would already be known or of no use to anyone. "Something wonderful and terrible has happened, Minister," she replied. "I was indeed captured by Voldemort. He and his lovely assistant Bellatrix Lestrange did question and torture me. Mostly, it was Bellatrix who caused my wounds. I was rescued with the help of Harry Potter and his friends, as you no doubt already figured out. It might surprise you to know that the person most responsible for my rescue is Dobby. You might remember him; he was the elf next to Harry when he received the Order of Merlin. It was he who fought Voldemort while Harry saved me. Harry did manage to kill Bellatrix, though so it wasn't a wasted trip for him, either."

"An elf fought Voldemort?" asked Scrimgeour, incredulously. "That was very foolish of him."

"I thought so, too," agreed Minerva. "He did a pretty good job, though. If Bellatrix wasn't there, it might have gone bad for Voldemort. As it was, Bellatrix killed Dobby. Harry then killed Bellatrix."

"Bellatrix Lestrange is dead," he said matter-of-factly. "That and your rescue makes the elf's death a worthwhile one."

"I disagree, Minister," said Minerva. "Dobby was very important to Harry and the activities that you suspect he is involved in against Voldemort. I am just a school teacher. It is only Bellatrix that tipped the scales in my favor and that was chance."

"I see," said Rufus, who didn't really. "That brings us to your miraculous recovery. What can you tell me about that?"

"It was as you said, Minister," began Minerva. "I was all but dead and the healers gave up any hope. Harry realized that I would want to die here and brought me back. It was while we were waiting, down by the lake, that Fawkes, Albus' phoenix, came by. He was able to cure me. A short story but a happy one."

"An incomplete one, you mean," said Rufus, smiling. "I won't argue for more information that you wouldn't give me anyway." Standing, he came around and gave her a quick hug and said, "Welcome back, Minerva. I'm glad you are well." He then went back to the fireplace and with a wave goodbye, he was gone.

Harry sat in the office of the Fortress of Solitude. He had come there, appropriately, to be alone. It didn't work out that way. Remus and Tonks were both there and when she saw him through the glass door, Martha also joined them. Hermione had apparently gone to the afternoon classes and Ron was interrogating the new prisoners. Harry had filled them in on the whole Fawkes episode and they were discussing the implications.

"So you're able to heal your friends but no one else and you can tell when someone is fairly close," Tonks summarized. "Sounds like abilities that might be useful but only in fairly rare circumstances."

"If I never use them again," said Harry, "it would be worth it for Minerva's sake. If I had this ability before, I might even have been able to save Dobby." He looked down and was sad.

"Don't forget the voice thing," reminded Remus. "I don't understand it but the ability to spread happiness might come in handy as well."

"Maybe," agreed Harry. "This sensing others, though, could be a right pain. Right now, for instance, it's like I can sense the evil of Voldemort coming from the prisoners."

"You can?" asked Remus. "From what you said before, I thought the range would only be ten or so yards. They're further away than that."

"I know," agreed Harry. "It's more like I pick up a sense of Voldemort than them. Let me get closer and see if it picks up a bit." He got up and headed for the door. As he reached it, he stopped. "That's funny. Now it seems to be to the right, not towards the prisoners." He walked around and kept looking in different directions. Finally, he stooped in front of the safe. "It's in here," he said. "I must be picking up on the horcrux." Looking at Martha he said, "Oops. Forget I said that, Martha." He then added, "It's super secret. Could you please return to the elves and pull the shades. You really shouldn't know anything about this. Sorry."

Martha smiled and said, "I don't think I should know any of this, Harry. If you have something even more secret, I fully understand wanting me out of here. Don't worry about it." She went back to her duties with the elves and, as Harry requested, pulled the shades.

Remus cast a silencing charm on the office and Harry opened the safe. He took out the locket and set it on the table. He could definitely feel it now.

"Remus," he said, "this could really be helpful in finding the other horcruxes. We were wondering how to search for them in some of the places we suspect. This will make it much easier." He was smiling broadly now.

"Stop it, Harry," said Tonks. "Remember, when you're happy, we're all happy. We need to have clear heads now."

"Well, what's wrong with being happy?" asked Harry. "I happen to like being happy."

"I do, too," said Tonks, "but it puts me in the mood for other things so knock it off."

"I'm in the mood for other things, too, Tonks," answered Harry. "I think it's time we took a field trip. First stop; Dryburgh Abby."