A/N: Okay so I'm working on the painfully painful notion that I have now been awake for more than 30hours and it still took me this long to finish! So sorry peeps!
Oh wow, just found out that Glencoe in Scotland is where they filmed some of the scenery for the film POA! I truly did not plan that! I just stumbled upon that particular place when searching for an Inn in Scotland! The mountain near there is Beinn A Bheithir, which curiously means mountain of the thunderbolt which I'm claiming as a reference to Harry's scar! Can this story get any cooler! Lol
Once again terribly sorry it took so long, this isn't the end, but it looks like it might be close, maybe one or two chapters left? See how we go ey.
When Harry woke up he looked around slowly, conscious of the noises that were echoing in his head. He tried to pinpoint where they were coming from, but found it was easier to just wait until his brain woke up before he tried to focus on anything.
"I'll put your name down for an Order of Merlin," he heard someone say, "First or Second class if I can swing it."
"Thank you minister, that would be an honour." He heard a rather familiar, yet slimy voice.
"I will not be receiving anything from the ministry if you don't mind." Came another voice that made him smile. He turned his head to where the voices were coming from onto to find Hermione in the bed next to him, motioning him to be quiet as they eavesdropped on the conversation outside the Hospital Wing doors.
"Cornelius, you need to take this seriously." He heard Albus say in a tone that no-one except the hapless Minister for Magic would have ignored.
"Nonsense, McNair is already on his way to get the Dementors, they'll be performing the kiss as soon as they are here."
"NO! That is barbaric, you cannot do this?" Minerva shouted, sounding rather upset.
"Minerva, control yourself please." Fudge said. Harry imagined him rolling his eyes or flicking his hand in a slightly annoyed gesture. Smiling, Harry knew that was not the way to address his Seanmhair.
"Urgh, thalla dhan taigh na galla (go to hell) and that's Professor McGonagall to you, you half-wit." Hermione and Harry both stiffened and pretended to be asleep when they heard the door slam violently.
"Ahh, you're awake." Said Madam Pomfrey, smiling slightly after watching the two for a moment with amused interest on her face. She handed Harry some chocolate before handing some to Hermione also. "Eat this please." Before checking on Ron, who Harry had realised was lying quite still on a bed across the room.
"Is he alright?" Harry asked quietly, still half listening to the argument outside, but also watching his grandmother pace just inside the doors. He smiled as her eyes met his.
"Harry?" she asked breathlessly, practically running across the floor and sweeping him up in her arms, kissing his forehead. "Merlin, I was so worried about you." She whispered as he felt her damp face.
"I'm okay, Seanmhair, really." He said gently as he hugged her. "tha gu math" I am fine, he whispered, noting that she was crying unashamedly now. He watched Hermione climb down, a little shakily off her bed and some to sit on Harrys, hugging Minerva from the back as the woman sobbed.
"Och, I'm so please you're all okay." She said reaching behind her to place a warm hand on Hermione's cheek.
"Seanmhair, he's innocent." Harry said after a little while, remembering what Fudge had said in the hall. "He's innocent, Peter Pettigrew is alive, we saw him." Harry said urgently looking at Hermione, who was nodding fiercely. Minerva knelt on the floor in front of both of them.
"Hush, my loves, hush. I know he is, I have already spoken to Sirius, as had Albus and we are trying to change Cornelius' mind, but Severus seems to think you were all under a powerful confundus charm." She said sadly, as she stroked their heads.
"Torr-caca," bullshit, Harry said loudly before flinching as Minerva slapped his arm.
"Watch your mouth young man." She said reproachfully. "A simple we were not confounded would have sufficed."
"We were not confounded Minerva." Hermione said with a sideways look at Harry, who simply poked his tongue out at her. If the situation had not been so dire, Minerva would have laughed at her two kids.
"Children, now is not the time." She said looking around as the doors opened again, admitting a slightly irate looking Albus Dumbledore.
"I cannot begin to tell you." He started before he realised that the two students were sitting on the bed. "Harry, Hermione?" he took the hands of the two, giving Hermione's a small squeeze as Minerva got up and stood next to her love. "You must tell me everything as quickly as you can. I fear we do not have much time."
Harry and Hermione took it in turns to tell their headmaster exactly what had happened, both of them flinching at some of the looks Minerva was giving them at the sheer stupidity of some of their actions.
Albus sat in thought for a moment as Minerva sat in between the two, holding them close.
"Why can't you three ever not get into trouble?" she whispered as she ran her fingers through their hair. Harry just smiled and leaned into her side, while Hermione kissed her cheek.
"We wouldn't really be the same if we didn't." she said a little cheekily making Minerva laugh. They sat for a moment watching Albus pace the ward, before turning to look at Hermione, with an odd look on his face.
"Albus? What are you thinking?" Minerva said carefully as she looked at him. "And how much am I not going to like it?" she asked raising an eyebrow. She'd seen that look many times before over the course of their friendship and it was usually a sign of trouble.
"There is not a shred of evidence," he said sadly, as he stroked his beard. "Severus' version of events points the finger at Sirius and there were eye witnesses in muggle London from before." He said, his brain moving at an alarming speed, trying to think of a way to save the innocent man's life.
"We could ask Lupin?" Harry said
"Minerva my love, I have an idea." He said gently as he stood before the three on the bed, "But you are definitely not going to like it." He said with a grin, pulling the two children to their feet. He turned to Hermione and held her shoulders, looking straight at her. "What we need here is more time." He said gently, "we need more time and if we have enough time, more than one life can be saved this night." Hermione's eyes grew very wide as she looked at Albus.
"Are you sure?" she said questioningly.
"No, no, definitely not." Minerva said as she caught on. "No, I won't allow it Albus; they've been through enough already." Harry leant against Hermione's bed. It was clear that something was about to happen, but he had no idea what it was, so he stayed silent.
"Minerva, it's not that dangerous. I've been doing it all year." Hermione said turning to her beloved Professor.
"That's not the point dear, I fear it us what Albus would like you to do while you are there." She said looked pointedly at Albus, who had the good grace to look away.
"It doesn't matter Minerva, I'm sure whatever it is we'll be fine." Hermione said, taking Minerva's hands. "Please, we need to do this." Hermione said pleading with her eyes. Minerva looked from Hermione to Harry, who was simply watching on, oblivious to what they were talking about.
"I can't, I won't." she said quietly with tears in her eyes. Harry was smart enough to realise that they were possibly about to do something dangerous so he walked up to Minerva, pulling her into a hug.
"I have no idea what you're all talking about, but I promise you we'll be alright." He whispered. "Tha gaol agam ort Seanmhair." I love you grandmother. Minerva placed a long kiss on the crown of his head.
"Tha gaol agam ort-fhèin mic-mac. I love you too grandson. Tha eagal orm." I am afraid. She whispered, more as an afterthought as she pulled back and look at Harry.
"We'll be fine." Hermione interjected, knowing that Harry couldn't really say for certain whether they would be fine. Minerva looked from Hermione to Harry.
"You know you, all of you," she said stroking the cheeks of the two in front of her and glancing at Ron, who was still unconscious on the bed, "you make me very happy." She said hugging and kissing each of them before she turned to Albus. "Is this really the only way?" she said pleadingly. Harry flinched a little; it was very unlike her to plead, even with Albus.
"I'm afraid it is and we must hurry." He said glancing at his strange pocket watch. Minerva gave the two kids another hug and took Albus' hand, leading her out of the door.
"Wait, tell, no, keep in mind that if someone were in need of somewhere to go, that they could always return to the where the dragon lived in a shoe." She said looking at Harry intently.
"Um, alright," Harry said shrugging, Minerva walked over to him, taking him by the shoulders.
"I know it doesn't make much sense now sweetheart, but the person you need to tell will understand leanabh baby," She said trying to convey how important it was for him to remember she leaned in and whispered in his ear. "Tell him, till dhachaidh, return home to the where the dragon lived in a shoe," she said kissing his cheek gently. See A/N at end.
"Minerva, we have no time." Albus said gently pulling his lover to the door before turning to Hermione. "Miss Granger, it is now five to midnight, I will be locking these doors when the last chime sounds," He turned back to the doors, pausing only to wink at Hermione. "Three turns should do the trick." He said with a smile as he pulled Minerva out of the room.
"Um, what just happened?" Harry said as Hermione walked towards him. She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the middle of the room.
"I will explain to you Harry but right now we need more time." She said taking out a gold hourglass attached to a chain on her neck.
"What's that?" Harry asked, studying it as she took it out.
"I will explain, just hang onto me." She said taking his hand in hers. He watched as she tipped the hourglass up three times and he was plunged into dizziness as the room around them began to dissolve.
Harry resolved that he liked this way to travel even less than Floo-ing. As he got his bearings back, he realised that he was still in the hospital wing, but it was light outside and Ron had disappeared.
"Hermione, where's Ron?" he said looking around. Hermione simply grabbed his sleeve and pulled him out of the doors and down to the entrance hall, taking care to glance around corners and stop, or change direction when someone was coming the other way. "Hermione?" Harry complained as she pulled him into a closet she found in the back of the hall. "Hermione, what is going on?" he asked, finally glad to be somewhere without being pushed or pulled by his friend.
"It's a Time Turner Harry." Hermione explained, showing him the item. "It lets you go back and forward in time." She said as she explained that this was how she had been getting to all her classes.
"OH." Harry said dumbly as he listened. "That's why you would disappear?" He didn't really need to ask, he knew the answer now, but he was gratified to hear that he and Ron were not going mad.
"Yes, it takes you back in time, before you right yourself again." Harry simply nodded and digested this fact.
"So, why are we here? Where is here?" He said looking around. It looked like the castle, but Harry was under no illusions as to the power of magic. He figured he could be anywhere right now. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Harry, the more appropriate question would be when are we?" She said with a smiled as she heard the students moving through the halls. "We've gone back in time to, hmm, well before we went down to Hagrid's I would say." She said glancing out of the cracked door. "I think we're supposed to rescue Sirius." She said turning to Harry who was staring at her open mouthed. She giggled. "I just don't know how to do it." She said frowning and chewing her lip a little.
"So we have to save Sirius." Harry said looked at her, still chewing her lip. She nodded thoughtfully.
"But how." Harry thought about it for a moment, thinking back to everything their professors, no their in effect grandparents had told them and come upon a realisation.
"Well we know where Sirius is being held." Harry said quietly as they heard a commotion outside. Hermione pulled him back into the cupboard as he stuck his head out for a better look.
"Are you insane?" she hissed. "There are literally hundreds of rules when it comes to using time turners, but the biggest one, the main one is not to let yourself be seen by yourself." She said checking to see that the other version of themselves was leaving the castle.
"I think it's time to follow us." Hermione said peeking to check the coast really was clear.
They crept down to Hagrid's, both silent, but for different reasons. Harry was mulling over everything that had happened to him, including being told he had a godfather. He wasn't sure why but he did feel a connection to the man that until recently thought was a mad evil murdering git. He smiled to himself as he thought about how fast an opinion of someone can change. He definitely wanted to get to know his godfather, but he definitely wanted to stay with Minerva. They'd developed a bond he never thought he'd have with anyone and he wasn't about to lose it.
Hermione yanked Harry back to real world just as they were coming up to Hagrid's garden. She motioned for him to get behind a big patch of briar and they waited.
"Why don't we just go and get Scabbers?" Harry said, thinking that Peter Pettigrew was safely tucked inside the cottage.
"Because you can't interfere with the timeline directly Harry." Hermione said, bored of going over the same ground. Harry watched Buckbeak snap his beak at a few moths that were hanging around.
Harry thought back to what Albus had said. More than one life.
"Hermione?" Harry whispered a little excited. She turned looking slightly suspicious. "More than one life can be saved this night." He said looking at her. "We're going to save Buckbeak and fly up to Sirius." Harry said resolutely, ignoring Hermione's frightened features.
"We're going to WHAT?" she hissed, quite conscious of the fact that they were hiding from themselves in another timeline not 10meters away.
"We're going to rescue Buckbeak and get Sirius to fly him out of here." Harry said matter-of-factly, moving forward to unhook Buckbeak's harness.
"No Harry, wait, remember how the executioner came down, he's going to need to see him, or else they'll think Hagrid had something to do with it." Seeing the wisdom in her plan Harry nodded and sat in the dirt playing with a rock, waiting for the right time to nab the Hippogriff from the pumpkin patch. Not a second before Harry was about to go mad with waiting he caught a movement at the castle.
"Look, they're coming." He said nodding towards the castle. Hermione sat up, feeling a little stiff, but otherwise ready for action. She glanced towards Hagrid's hut, where they apparently were not leaving.
"Um, Harry, we're not leaving." She said nodding towards the back door. Harry glanced between the front of the castle and Hagrid's back door gripping the rock in his hand tightly.
"Wait, rock." He said looking down at his hands. "Hermione. Rock." He said before he pegged the rock into Hagrid's place, smiling when he heard a resounding squeal from their time Hermione.
"That was really close you know." Hermione said with a grin as they watched themselves and Ron leave Hagrid's.
"It'd be so easy you know." He said, knowing that Ron was carrying a traitor in his pocket. Hermione placed a cautionary arm on Harry's.
"Harry, we can't" she whispered, "besides, the universe might collapse." She said with a laugh as Albus Dumbledore, the Minister for Magic, the executioner and another gentleman, who Harry supposed was from the Dangerous Magical Creatures bureau of Magic wandered down to Hagrid's place. They waited until about 5 minutes after the ministry people had entered Hagrid's house before Harry walked calmly up to Buckbeak and bowed.
There was a tense moment as Buckbeak surveyed the boy in front of him, before bowing as well. Harry untied the Hippogriff and led him into the forest, both of them breathing a sigh of relief as Buckbeak curled up, half asleep letting them rest against his sides.
"Hermione, do you think I should live with Sirius? Do you think I should live with him rather than Minerva when I can?" he asked, not meeting her eyes. She sighed.
"I know which one I'd prefer, nothing against Sirius, but aside from him being your Dad's friend Harry, you don't really know much about him. You do know Minerva though." She said gently, closing her eyes waiting for nightfall and the inevitable events that had to occur.
"That's exactly what I was thinking." Harry said with a smile at his dozing friend. "Thanks Hermione." He said patting Buckbeak's neck as they sat. The silence lengthened between them.
"Harry?" Hermione said after a while. Harry could tell she wanted to ask him something but wasn't really sure how.
"Yup?" he said with a smile, indicating that he should ask her.
"When you said someone saved us when the dementors attacked us what did you mean?" she asked thoughtfully. Harry sighed.
"It was my Dad," Harry smiled thinking back to the glimpse of the man he'd seen on the other side of the pond. Seanmhair was there later, but it was my Dad that saved us."
Hermione looked decidedly uncomfortable.
"Harry, it's impossible. No spell in the entire wizarding world can bring back the dead." She said gently, flinching as he snapped his response.
"It was him, alright." Hermione looked a little shocked at the force of Harry's words but remained silent.
They sat for a while longer until Harry perked up seeing Lupin appear at the base of the Whomping Willow.
"Hermione, here we come." Harry whispered as he watched the scene before him unfold. At one point Hermione had to physically restrain Harry, just as he was about to dart out nab Peter Pettigrew.
"No, Harry we can't." she said, struggling to keep both Buckbeak and Harry from breaking their cover. They both watched in horror as Sirius ran after Lupin, getting mauled in the process.
"Hermione, come on we can see my Dad." Harry called as he ran towards the lake, taking care to stay well back. "He stands right there," Harry said pointing to a spot a little closer to the lake." Harry watched in horror as the Dementor closed in on his face, sucking out all the happiness he thought he would ever hold. "Wait…" he said more to himself than anything, before running forward and casting a perfect Patronus.
"Harry, how was that even possible?" she asked breathlessly as she watched on.
"I can't explain it, it's like I knew I'd done it before, so I knew I could I could do it again." Harry said wondering if Hermione really was following. Harry's patronus appeared in the form of a stag and galloped around the pond, knocking Dementors out of its way. "Plus I did see myself, but I thought it was my Dad so it was alright." He said patting Buckbeak as he realised that it was nearly time.
He pulled Hermione onto the hippogriff behind him, kicking the beast off into the night sky, aiming for the northernmost tower, where they knew Sirius was being held. Harry pulled Buckbeak level with the window and Hermione unlocked the window, Sirius climbing out and launching himself onto the animals back as they went higher, perching on the roof.
"Wow." Sirius said looking the creature over.
"His name's Buckbeak." Harry said patting the Hippogriff's chest. "He's your ticket out of here."
Sirius turned to Harry with a rather odd look on his face.
"You know that if we'd have gotten Peter Pettigrew to the castle you would have been free to live with me." He said quietly. Harry shook his head.
"Look, if things ever calm down I'd really like to get to know you better, but I have to go back to my uncles and aunts every summer holidays. Albus says I have to, even though he can't tell me." Harry said, frustratingly running his hand through his hair. "Plus I'd really rather stay with Seanmhair." Harry said awkwardly. Instead of the reaction he expected, Sirius merely clapped him on the back.
"No problems my boy." He said gently, climbing up on Buckbeak's back. "I'm not sure where we're going, but I'll try and get word to you when we're safer." He called from his position upon the great beast. Harry remembered his grandmother's words.
"OH, Sirius?" He called, stopping the man from taking off just as midnight started to chime throughout the castle. "till dhachaidh, return home to the where the dragon lived in a shoe." Harry said shrugging. Whatever he had said seemed to make sense to the former inmate and Sirius and Buckbeak took off into the sky.
"Harry, come on, we need to go, Albus is locking the doors on the last stroke." Hermione hissed as they ran down the stairs until they came to the hospital wing doors, where Albus was just about to turn the key.
"We did it." Harry breathed as they skidded to a halt next to their Headmaster, who did nothing but nod and twinkle his twinkly eyes at them. He pushed the door open just in time to see the two of them disappear from the room.
"Quickly, in you go." He said ushering them to their beds, just as a wail rang out through the tower. Minerva positioned herself between the two beds, gripping a hand from each student in a desperate effort to keep both of them calm.
"Did you tell him, mic-mac?" she mumbled as she kissed his forehead. Harry nodded.
"I told him about the dragon and the shoe. He seemed happy." Harry said frowning at what it all meant. Minerva chuckled slightly as she ran her hands through his hair.
"Sleep mo chiall. My darling. I shall explain another day." She whispered as he closed his eyes.
Watching him settle down, she was slightly surprised to find Hermione crawl onto her lap after she transfigured the chair in between the beds to something a little softer and infinitely more comfortable. Hermione shyly wrapped her arms around her favourite professor and Minerva smiled down at her as she cuddled the girl back. Leaning back as if nothing had happened she started humming the lullaby Harry had so loved as a baby, thankful that her kids were back with her. Now she would wait for the inevitable storm that would have brewed in the north tower. But she would be here to protect her cubs.
There's something that everyone should know by now and that's never get between a lioness and her cubs she thought smiling wickedly.
A/N: okay I based McGonagall Manor at Glencoe, which is a little village in the shadow of Beinn A Bheithir (a mountain that has a horseshoe top – hence the shoe bit) there was a tale of a dragon living there at one stage, hence the dragon in the shoe thing. Meh, it was the best I could come up with!