Where some students get detentions, and where a teacher learns incredible things from a parent.

McGONAGALL II

Professor Minerva McGonagall was walking towards the Headmaster's Tower. On this Saturday morning, she would usually spend the day correcting her students' homeworks. In this period of preparation for exams, it was even more crucial to dedicate enough time to the correction, but also to the preparation of their homeworks and their courses. She had to ensure that they would be ready for their exams. However, as Head of the Transfiguration department, Head of Gryffindor House and Deputy Headmistress of the school, she had additional duties that sometimes conflicted with her duties as a teacher. She didn't complain about it. She accepted these positions and she fulfilled them the best she could. Still, she sometimes deemed these duties as a loss of time that could be put to better use. Such was the case for the duty she had to fill this morning.

She gave the password to the gargoyle, climbed the staircase, and knocked on the oak door after she ordered the student waiting in front of it to step aside. When Albus Dumbledore told her to come in from the other side, she pushed the door. She wasn't unhappy to meet Albus this morning, but she couldn't say the same about the person already standing in front of his desk. Severus Snape was as welcoming as the little creatures boiling in the flasks of his office.

"Professor McGonagall, thank you for coming," Albus said right away as she walked to his desk and stood next to Snape. "Professor Snape just brought to my attention a matter in which you were involved with one of his students and had some concerns about how it was handled. I hope we can sort this out together."

Why wasn't she surprised? As always, Severus protected the students from his own house. However, she let nothing of that out as she answered Albus. "Of course, Professor Dumbledore. I'm at your disposal."

"Good. So, last night, it is my understanding that you caught Draco Malfoy while he was wandering in the corridors of the school, alone."

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore. And he wasn't the only one. I caught Mr Neville Longbottom doing the same. I have to admit that I didn't expect this from him, but the facts are hard to deny. I removed fifty points from their respective houses and gave them both a detention."

"Mr Longbottom is not the matter here, Headmaster," Snape jumped into the conversation. "It is about Mr Malfoy that I wanted to discuss. This morning, he woke me up very early to tell me a very interesting story about why he was wandering in the corridors at night."

"Ah, are you talking about this rubbish story that our gamekeeper, Rubeus Hagrid, was sheltering a dragon in his hut? And that Mr Potter, Mr Weasley and Miss Granger were trying to help this dragon escape this night by climbing into one of the highest towers of the castle? And giving it to people who would bring the creature somewhere else? He even told me that they would have to attach a huge box to broomsticks to travel with the dragon. Is that what he told you as well?"

"About it," Snape recognized in a very soft voice.

"Well, do we any proof that Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger were indeed trying to smuggle a dragon out of Hogwarts?" the Headmaster asked. Minerva knew Albus well enough to notice that he found the story quite amusing. However, considering the violation of the rules by Malfoy and Longbottom, she couldn't feel as amused as he was.

"I sent Mr Filch to check on the towers," Minerva replied, "and he found nothing. No trace of dragon or of any of the other students Mr Malfoy mentioned."

"In this case, Severus, I'm afraid that Minerva did what she had to do. We cannot let students wander in the school during the middle of the night. You were yourself a very outspoken advocate against this even back when you were a student Severus, remember?"

Severus Snape didn't react, but Minerva knew that he knew what Albus was talking about. Snape was always after James Potter and his friends back when they were students, and he always tried to catch them violating the rules. Sometimes he even succeeded. Reflecting on Malfoy's behavior, perhaps this was why Snape seemed so close of this particular student. However, it changed nothing to the fact that this boy violated the rules and would have to suffer the consequences.

"Professor McGonagall," Albus continued, "you said that Mr Longbottom was also caught wandering in the corridors this night and you gave him the same punishment as Mr Malfoy, is that it?"

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore."

The Headmaster turned to Snape, opened his hands in sign of powerlessness. "Professor Snape, I don't see what I can do. Professor McGonagall caught two students breaking the rules, one from your house, one from her own, and she gave them the same punishment for breaking these rules. I don't see anything wrong with the punishment your student received. He will be in detention, like Mr Longbottom, and that's the end of the story."

"In fact," Severus started, "I was more worried about the story that Mr Malfoy told me. If there is indeed a dragon in Hogwarts, and although it seems unlikely it is not impossible, we should at least listen to what he has to say and verify if there is any truth to his story. He is waiting outside your office right now, Professor Dumbledore. I'm sure you won't mind giving him five minutes of your time."

"As you wish. Make him come in."

Severus turned to the door. It opened the moment he agitated his wand in the air. A young boy with blond hair walked in. McGonagall could tell that he was afraid, but he also displayed an air of superiority, as he always did every time he walked inside her classroom. He stood straight between Minerva and Severus, looking at Professor Dumbledore.

"Professor, I got something to tell you," he said.

"So I heard," Albus said with a voice Minerva was sure he made benevolent on purpose. "I'm listening to you, Draco."

The boy looked to Snape, who encouraged him to speak with a nod. "I saw a dragon in the hut of Hagrid, the gamekeeper, the other day. Potter, Weasley and Granger were with him."

"Just to be clear," Albus interrupted him, "are you talking about Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger, your fellow classmates?"

"Yes, Professor. It was only a baby dragon, but it was a dragon. I can assure you. Weasley is at the infirmary because it bit him. And I heard Granger and Potter discussing about smuggling it out of the school tonight. That's why I was walking in the corridors. I wanted to catch them in the act and bring them to you."

This was about the story Malfoy had told her when she caught him last night. However, he hadn't mentioned the dragon was Hagrid's. Minerva remembered then how Hagrid told her more than once that his greatest dream was to have a dragon. It was strange then that Malfoy would tell about Hagrid having a dragon. Albus had listened to his story and was staring right at him.

"Draco, when did you see the dragon in Hagrid's house?" he asked the Slytherin boy.

"Uh, last week, I think."

"So you've been aware that a dragon was at Hogwarts for over a week. Did you tell any of your professors about it?"

McGonagall watched as all the colors left Draco Malfoy's face. "No, I... I wanted to... I just thought..."

"That you would catch your friends Harry, Ronald and Hermione somehow carrying this dragon or with it, and that they would get into trouble for this? Or you wanted to catch them yourself and do your professors' work by yourself?"

Malfoy recovered some colors at this moment. "I wanted to show you that they knew about it and did nothing."

"Just like you did." Albus had spoken on a very soft tone, but firm as well. And he continued. "Draco, if you indeed saw a dragon in Hagrid's home, you should have told a teacher right away. Dragons are dangerous creatures. Their breeding has been outlawed for centuries. Coming from a great and old family of wizards, I would have expected you to know that, and to take the necessary actions to make sure no one in Hogwarts would get hurt as a result. And the necessary actions in this situation would have been to warn one of your professors right away. And yet, you did nothing."

Draco Malfoy was now stammering without saying any word, shaking, looking at Severus for support. But this time, Severus didn't look eager to defend his favourite student.

"Anyway, Draco, I went to visit Hagrid yesterday. We drank tea together. And I can assure you that there was no dragon to be seen inside while we were enjoying our cup of tea."

"But... that's impossible..." the boy kept stammering.

"Draco, since we have no proof that any dragon was at Hogwarts lately, I'm not going to punish you for something you may have failed to do. And if you're lying, I'm not going to punish you either. You wouldn't be the first student to invent stories in order to avoid detention. However, I do not appreciate it when students try to get other students into trouble, no matter the reasons. I hope you will remember this because the next time it happens, I will not hesitate to remove additional points to your house or to give you additional detention. For this time, you only have a warning and the detention that Professor McGonagall already gave you for wandering without authorization in the corridors at night. I sincerely hope it will not happen again. Professor Snape, you may bring Draco back to Slytherin's common room."

And the discussion was over. Minerva remained with Albus after that. The Headmaster sat heavily in his chair, as if he was tired. "Poor boy. His father filled his mind with ideas of superiority and all he wants is to cause trouble to the others who he thinks are inferior to him when they are not in trouble already," he said.

Indeed, Minerva felt somewhat sorry for the young Draco as well. She compared him to Harry, who grew up with a loving mother who did her best to make him a good and responsible boy. Or to Miss Granger, who may not have been prepared for Hogwarts but was raised by loving parents as well. Or Mr Weasley, a pure-blood wizard who wasn't raised with ideas of blood superiority. Or even Neville Longbottom, who despite being raised by a strict grandmother and being the clumsiest student she had in years, was a good boy nonetheless. He had heard Malfoy talking to his friends about how he would catch Harry, Mr Weasley and Miss Granger while they smuggled a dragon out of the castle, and he was only trying to help his friends. Still, he broke the rules, just as Malfoy, and Minerva couldn't show favoritism, no matter how sorry she felt for the boy and his parents. In some way though, she was proud of Neville. She thought Frank and Alive would have been proud of the boy. Even if he broke the rules, even as clumsy as he was, he was just trying to help his friends. His intentions were pure, to the opposite of Draco's. Minerva just wished he didn't believe Malfoy with his story of dragons. If that was indeed a story.

"Albus, is there something you haven't told us?" Minerva asked him.

"What is it that you think I didn't tell you?" he asked, a surprised expression on his face.

"You said that when you visited Hagrid, there was no dragon to be seen. You didn't say there was no dragon at all. And we both know how Hagrid always wanted a dragon. I don't see how Draco Malfoy could have known about this."

Albus had an amused smile, and Minerva knew right away that she had gotten it right somehow. "Minerva, sometimes it is better to not know everything. Just know that whatever problems there might have been, I took care of them. Our students are safe, so is Hagrid."

She nodded. She didn't wish any hill to Hagrid either. "Is it true that Mr Weasley ended up to the infirmary?"

"According to Madam Pomfrey, Weasley told her he was bitten by a dog. He left the infirmary this morning and she assured me that he will keep no sequels of this injury."

Minerva was a little worried that one of her own students, from her own house, was injured in the story. But if Albus had taken care of it... "Well, I guess that everything ends well."

"Yes. You know, Minerva, sometimes we must... interpret rules in the spirit in which they were instituted or in which they should be applied today, instead of the way they were written. Or else, rules and laws can become the source of injustice, instead of being the way to deal with it. You bent the rules yourself when you allowed the young Harry to join Gryffindor's Quidditch team, remember?"

She allowed a smile to cross her lips. She sat down once Albus had invited her with a movement of his hand. "I never saw so much raw talent and potential in a student. It seemed like a crime to not get him onto the team."

"Indeed. And judging from the results of his first two games, you were more than right to do so."

Yes, indeed. Minerva had been proud the two times Harry Potter caught the Golden Snitch this year, despite the accident with his broomstick in the first game and Snape refereeing the second. She felt that he had a long career ahead of him.

"Albus, just reassure me. There is actually no dragon on the school's grounds?"

"You are lucky, Minerva. I can assure you, there are many things at Hogwarts, but there is no dragon."

Minerva closed her eyes and took a deep breath in relief. "And can you assure me that Mr Potter, Mr Weasley and Miss Granger were not wandering in the school's corridors last night?"

"Mr Weasley was in the infirmary, Minerva. I believe that Madam Pomfrey will be able to confirm this to you."

"And what about Mr Potter and Miss Granger," she asked, a little worried of the answer she would get.

"I cannot talk for them because I wasn't in their dormitory that night, but I can tell you they had no reason to carry a dragon to one of the castle's highest towers."

Minerva supposed she could take this as a confirmation they were indeed not in the corridors. She returned to her work afterwards, glad that this topic was behind her.

Next morning on Sunday, the Professor McGonagall allowed herself a break for the morning before she returned to work in the afternoon. She used this free time wisely. With the help of some Floo powder, she emerged into the living room of another witch.

The place was filled with boxes and packs that were not open, and piles of books and parchments laid everywhere on the table of the living room. This place had obviously not been occupied for a long time.

Someone emerged from another room, a wand pointed at Minerva, but she lowered it the moment she saw her former teacher. "Oh, Professor McGonagall. I had forgotten you were coming," Lily apologized.

"I also get the impression that you forgot to unpack after you moved," Minerva commented while looking around.

"It's very recent. And with my training as an Auror, I don't have much time to unpack boxes." She waved her wand, and the table was freed in an instant, books and parchments flying towards a corner of the living room and another small table.

"How is it going, by the way?"

"To be honest, I feel like I'm back into your classroom in my first year," she said while sitting down. "You can sit."

McGonagall didn't need to be offered twice. "In this case, you must be the best student of their training program."

Lily made a dry laugh. "I'm not so sure."

McGonagall looked at her. She looked definitely tired despite the fact they were on Sunday. Beginning the training program for Aurors while moving certainly didn't leave much time to rest. Minerva had seen far too many students experiencing a breakdown, especially among those who were about to make their O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. Lily never had this problem. It wasn't for nothing that she was named Head Girl in her last year. However, everyone had limits, sooner or later.

"Do you realize that I am more than ten years older than much of the people I train with?" Lily added.

"It was to be expected. I suppose they look up at you."

"If only it was just that. I'm beginning to get a better idea of what Harry must be experiencing at Hogwarts. People whisper behind my back wherever I go. Not only the other trainees, but also the Aurors and their staff, and other people who I cross when I come to the Ministry of Magic. News of my participation to the Auror training program went around the Ministry in no time."

"It was to be expected. You knew it would happen once you came back in our world," Minerva said, trying to be as kind as she could.

"Of course. I just guess... it would be more normal, after all these years. That dust would have settled."

"It will take a very long time. There is a lot of dust."

Lily nodded. "You want some tea?"

"Of course." Lily waved her hand and tea began to prepare itself. "I see you have no more reluctance at using magic for your daily tasks."

"It's safer here. And with my training, I don't really have time to do it the traditional way." The cups came to rest in front of them. Minerva took a sip of it. Lily then asked the question Minerva expected her to ask among all the others she could have. "How is Harry? We barely spent time together during the Easter holidays. I was buried in my training and the preparations for the move, and he was buried into his homework as well."

"You know how preparations for exams are at Hogwarts."

"Yes, I know. At least, we got a chance to spend some last time in our old apartment." She sighed and looked away. "I'm going to miss this place. I already miss it, when I have time to miss it."

Minerva nodded at this. She understood how Lily felt. She sometimes missed the cottage she shared with her husband in Hogsmeade. The three years she spent with Elphinstone there were the happiest of her life. After his death, Minerva moved back to Hogwarts. She never went back to the cottage, doing everything she could to avoid it when she went to Hogsmeade. Still, she missed the place.

"Sometimes, I worry that Harry will drive me mad instead of all this," Lily said while pointing the new place where she lived around her. "This story with the dragon..."

So, as Minerva thought, there was a dragon at school. Really, what was Hagrid thinking again? "I can reassure you. The Professor Dumbledore took care of everything. Your son has nothing to worry about."

"Good. Sometimes, I feel like he's looking for trouble like his father."

That, Minerva remembered it too well. "So far, I would say the troubles have been looking for him, not the opposite."

"Well, that's not to make me feel safer about him. Do you think he will do well at his exams?"

"He is a conscientious and serious student. I think that as long as he doesn't spend too much time with Mr Weasley and he spends more with Miss Granger, he's not in danger of failing them."

"Mr Weasley? You're talking about Ronald?" Minerva nodded. "I know him. He spent the Christmas holidays here. He gave me the impression to be a good boy, although he doesn't understand half the things the Muggles are using, and he's a little slow to get out of bed in the morning. I know his mother too. I met her on Platform Nine and Three-Quarters and at Quidditch games."

Well, Ronald Weasley was clearly no different at home than he was at school. "He's not as troublesome as are his twin brothers, that I must say," Minerva acknowledged.

"By the way, Minerva..." The said Minerva was surprised. It was rare that Lily Evans would call her by her first name. "Feel free to not answer if you want. I know you don't like prying into the lives of your students. But this Hermione Granger... What can you tell me about her?"

"A very brilliant student. Very serious, first of her class, best results in every subject, always with the right answer to any question. Born from Muggle parents, just like you."

Lily smiled. She knew that from Minerva, unlike many other wizards, it was meant as a compliment. "Did you... Did you notice anything between her and my son?" All of a sudden, Minerva felt very awkward. "I mean, he talks a lot about her in his letters, and they spend a lot of time together. And she's quite pretty..."

"Lily, you know I don't pry in the private lives of my students. They spend a lot of time together, that I can tell you, but I have never seen anything suggesting more than friendship between them." Of course, Minerva didn't see or know everything. The two could be more than friends. "What I can tell you though is that... if they do have some sort of romantic feelings, they never behaved inappropriately about it, neither in the classroom or in the corridors or in the Great Hall. Their behavior is without reproach on that front." She was glad when she was done answering. She never felt comfortable discussing that kind of things.

Lily wiped her forehead with her hand, though she wasn't sweating. "I must be overprotective. He's only eleven. It's just... I think he's growing more quickly than I thought, and I have the impression that I'm missing things with him."

"I'm sure that if Harry ever has a girlfriend one day, you will be the first person he will tell," she tried to reassure Lily.

"Probably. He seems to be telling me everything sometimes. He even told me about the dragon and the Philosopher's Stone." It was good thing that Lily was looking away at this moment, for she didn't notice Minerva's obvious reaction. "I can't believe Dumbledore is keeping this kind of thing in a school. Sometimes, I feel like Harry and even James was more responsible than he is."

They discussed for a little while longer, Minerva trying to hide how surprised she was at the news that Harry Potter had discovered the presence of the Philosopher's Stone inside Hogwarts. Like Lily pointed out herself, Harry Potter didn't seem to be going after troubles, but he didn't seem to be trying hard enough to avoid them either.

We often get to see how Snape is behaving with the students, but we never quite got to see how it went with fellow professors. I thought it would be nice to see how the modified events related to Norbert would play from a professor's perspective.

Please review.

Next chapter : Harry