JK, please, stay away of trans people and this characters. For the greater good.
Minerva McGonagall and the Chamber of Secrets
Minerva McGonagall was the eleven years old daughter of a clergyman of a little village in the highlands of Scotland.
She was clever, sensible, serious and proud. She had two younger brothers and a letter.
It came with an owl while they were, ironically, in the church. And her mother blanched as the candles' wax when she saw it.
So, Minerva took it from the owl when they came out from his father's preaching and instantly opened it to read it. Her mother had told her about it before, a school that would ask her to go in September.
"It was my School too, Robert, nothing bad is going to happen to her. She will be fine, it is in Scotland, and we will see her in Christmas and in summer" Minerva overheard her mother talking to her father.
A few moments after, she read again this letter from that funny named School "Hogwarts", signed by this funny named deputy headmaster "Albus Dumbledore" with this absurd Wizardry and Witchcraft books list. All of this seemed like a bad joke, but her mother couldn't have been more serious about it when she promised to take her to London to buy new books.
New books always was good news, even with the witchcraft thing.
And anyways, the letter said she could have a cat. Or an Owl or a Toad or whatever. But let's focus in the important part.
So... well done, Isobel McGonagall, you almost got it. Minerva almost forgot the cat when you opened the entrance of Diagon Alley.
And we are not going to talk about what happened in the wand's shop when she almost pissed herself... Or, "Broomsticks? Seriously? Mum, did you see this?"
But just after all the emotions of the initial shock "I will miss home, and dad, and you, and Robert, and Malcolm… And all my friends from the school. It would help this to be less traumatic and the letter says it, mum. I can have one. This… Albus Dumbledore says it. A cat."
So they came out from the pet shop "Magical Menagerie" with a little kitten called Chesire in their last stop and all her life changed after this shopping evening.
All of the "strange events in her life, that ones we don't talk about. No, Minerva, don't insist. Not even to your father. Nobody can know this" seemed to have sense now.
She was a witch! One with a wand! A real wand! (She tried it a few times, to be sure it continued sparkling after they walked away from Ollivander's)
But wasn't all of these like everything her father hated? She understood easily why it was a secret in her family, but it was extremely exciting to… keep calm!
She had been jumping in her room over a week, and reading again and again all her new books until September.
Maybe the reader would want to know about the… special subject. Maybe he or she expect something… as a tingle in her fingers when Minerva took for first time "A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration" by Emeric Switch. Maybe a disturbance in the universe. Some sparks or someone holding their breath. Something. Anything. As a premonitory sign, "you will be The Girl. That Girl. This is your destiny. It was wrote in the stars before you were born."
But all we know is that magic doesn't really work that way or Divination would be a better rated subject. So nothing really happened. In fact, she preferred "The Standard Books of Spells" by Miranda Goshawk because she succeed (after a few tries) with the Wingardium Leviosa and she thought that she wouldn't have to carry anything ever again for the rest of her life.
Then, a few weeks after, September first arrived and all the McGonagall family went to Edinburg, to say goodbye to Minerva in one of the lasts Hogwarts Express Stations that would take her to her new school.
xoOXOox
Albus Dumbledore was nervous... as nervous as he usually was every single first day of school. Nervous and ridiculously excited to have the school re-filled with brand new minds, so eager to learn and discover new things.
It was one of the few places where he usually arrived not only on time but earlier. Just to be sure he could see their impressed and awed faces... Every single one of them were always nervous and shocked with the sight of Hogwarts.
So... he was there, waiting in the dock with his best and brightest robes (The light blue ones with silver and sparkling stars and moons), and waited calmly and patiently... for the first five minutes.
But the boats did not arrive. He started to pace then... back and forth, for about a minute.
Maybe he could go to the station, he thought, and tag along with a group, chat with them, explain them all a bit while on the boats... see their faces, and then... get back here with them.
The dandelions stopped him. They were not growing normally! They were too big! He had never seen such HUGE dandelions in his life! He realized this and thought that maybe it was a plant plague or something... or maybe Herbert, the Herbology professor, would knew why. He had to talk with him, and bring him here to see them. Or maybe... he could send a few to his greenhouse and then go and talk to him about them later. Yes. That's what he was going to do... and what he did for the next three minutes.
In the second minute and a half, Mr. Ogg, the Forest ranger opened the gates with all the freshmen. They crossed the lake, landed and then... entered to the hall.
Albus turned his head to the gates and smiled, forgetting about the dandelions.
And waited for them to arrive to the top, with a big genuine smile.
They will arrive without breath like "dahell... with that... fucking... castle... of the... hell."
"I understand the Slytherins... I will be mean too if I have to climb these at least twice a day."
"If you forget something in the dungeons... leave it, save yourself."
"The first thing I want to know is... which is the spell to avoid all the stairs. Well, first I want to know where are the bathrooms, but just after that."
Well, after a few other incompressible British jokes about the stairs... everybody turned to the happy red-haired man. They will lie if they say that they aren't thinking that he was dressed with his pyjamas.
"Welcome to the best time of your life... Welcome to the splendid and magnificent Hogwarts!" Dumbledore was smiling, and probably more excited than all of them together. We doubt about it, but well, we let you be as a poetic license.
Minerva was watching everything with her eyes wide open. This seemed a lot like the church... but bigger, there had to be secret passages and things. It was a must or she would be really disappointed.
"I promise you that you will be very happy here and you will learn soooo many incredible things... you will make everyone proud. My name is Albus Dumbledore, and I will be your Transfigurations teacher. In a few moments you will join the rest of the school in the Great Hall, but first... "
Oh! Albus Dumbledore, thought Minerva. The pyjamas wizard is the funny named one. Which was the Transfiguration book? She couldn't remember, anyways! Look all of this! There are GHOSTS?
She was still thinking that this was a joke and... Was crossed as a habitual gesture from protection. Ok, Minerva if you could believe in something you never saw before as Jesus Christ, why this, which you are actually seeing, would be fake?
"First you will be sorted into one of the four different houses. While you're here, your house will be like your close family, and the rest of the houses will be like your extended family" Dumbledore explained, smiling.
"What about our real family?" Asked someone.
"Well, your real family will be your real family" he laughed of his own simple joke. "The four possible houses are Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Gryffindor, and Ravenclaw"
"More funny names. I suppose that something like John, Paul, George and... (Ringo) Robert wouldn't be ridiculous enough" mumbled Minerva to herself.
"If you please follow me..." asked Dumbledore still smiling to them.
The emotion increased and they followed him. Albus crossed the great hall followed by the newbies, saying hi and names of... half of the students.
"Oh, Bobby! How was summer in Ireland? Cindy, how is your grandma? Pat, I love your haircut! Stephen! "
Minerva and all the freshmen well impressed by the flying candles, the students, the professors and, of course, the full starry ceiling and some of the old students in the tables said hello to Dumbledore, waving their hands.
Albus stopped, right next to the chair with the hat. Took it, as well as the parchment with the names of the students.
"Good afternoon, everyone. The sorting ceremony is about to begin. Please... be quiet."
Every newbie expect with curiosity.
"Marcus Allister"
Marcus was the called one, hating his father and maybe almost all of the others newbies made a happy gesture for not having to be the firsts.
Albus smiled and without much more explanation, placed the hat over the kids' head.
"Relax and enjoy" he whispered "It will only chop your head off if you are too tense"
"W-What?" The scared look.
"I am joking" Albus smiled.
Marcus looked at him no really convinced but... Smiled a little nervously and sit on the chair
The hat waited for a few seconds and screamed... "Ravenclaaaaaaw"
"That's all? To try a hat?" Minerva asked to someone, a little sceptic.
"Yes, and the hat will let everyone know in which house are you sorted."
"Oh, wonderful. Will my shoes tell me whom to make friends with?"
"What?" the girl looked at her.
"I don't know" she shrugged "maybe they have a shirt who decides our calcifications... maybe if we sew it some new buttons."
"Minerva McGonagall"
She jumped a little and frowned with determination, going to the chair. Albus smiled at her, curious.
"Hello, Minerva"
"H-Hello, sir." She glanced at him from the bottom to the top. He seemed even taller when closer.
"I am happy to see you here. Could you please sit here, and relax."
She did it. Albus dropped softly the hat on her head and waited.
She tried to... look something inside, wishing were no lice here.
"Oh! A very bright and sharp mind!" the hat said.
"Oh my god!" She yelled, and crossed herself in panic. Albus smiled with the expression and her gesture and placed a soft hand on her shoulder.
"Calm down, you are safe."
"This hat is talking!" She protested.
"Well. It is a talking hat that is what it is supposed to be doing. Talk with it... it is interesting"
"I'm sorry Mr. Hat, I don't really think that you had lice."
"Hmmm... clever. And scared... I might put you in Ravenclaw, although..." the hat kept going, ignoring her. "Lice?"
Albus laughed.
"Ravenwhat? I mean, obviously I thought it but... well, you know, because all the kids and... You being actually a hat."
"I haven't had lice, Miss McGonagall, since the big infestation of seventeen twenty seven."
"Lucky you. In my old school, we were used to have alerts every year."
"I now have a protective spell..." the hat explained. "But it is not what we are doing at the moment. Hold still..."
"Does a lice protective spell really exist?"
"It does but that is not the point."
"Anyway... are you really two hundred years old? With which kind of leather are you made? From a magical goat?"
"Curious too. Are you brave?"
She touched the wing of the hat to feel the leather... although she still was pretty scared.
"It seems that you are, even if you are scared. And a very proud girl... No, I will sort you differently... GRYFFINDOOOOR!"
She jumped as if the hat had just yelled "Fire!" Every single Gryffindor cheered and Albus took the hat off her head, smiling proudly.
"Welcome to my house"
She looked him sideways for a moment. He winked and returned to his student's list.
She was going to smile, but blinked instead of it with the wink and she rose from the chair and went to the table that were cheering up.
Albus named the next kid...
She took a seat and looked at him for a moment. He was placing the hat on a black boy, laughing happily at something else.
"Mr. Pyjamas" decided for herself and looked her new school mates. An older girl that was sitting next to her congratulated her, smiling.
"Thank you" Minerva smiled.
"Are you a relative of Rufus McGonagall?"
"What? Who is Rufus McGonagall?"
"Whaaat? What do you mean with who is Rufus McGonagall? HE is the chaser of the Kenmare Kestrels!"
"The... what?"
The girl blinked in confusion.
"Muggle born?"
"What? Mugwhat?" She frowned like it was an insult.
"Ohh..." she laughed. "No, no, calm down. It is not an insult, it is just the way we call the people that is not magical. We are witches and wizards and they are muggles."
"Mmmm... Ok..."
"Quidditch... the Kenmare Kestrels is the team of my town. Kenmare, in the South of Ireland"
"Ireland! I'm from here, a Scottish" she smiled.
"Oh, well, Rufus is Scottish too... could have guessed with the McSomething. I am Alonna. Alonna Devlin."
Minerva held out her hand. Alonna smiled and shook hands with her.
"Nice to meet you"
"Nice meeting you too! I'm on third year."
"I'm on my first day" she joked a little. Alonna laughed and Minerva smiled a little nervous. "So... Is there something that you think I will need to know?"
"Do you know you just got sorted out to the best house?"
"I was almost sorted to the Ravenwhatever house. Do you know that exists a protective lice spell?"
"Oh, really? Well, they feel super smart and all, but we are the bravest. I am sure you will be happy here!"
"The bravest..." she smiled. "All of this seems very strange."
"Do you think so? It is not... you will get used to it. There are four houses, and the four of them have very specific people. WE are the brave, the huffs are the dumb but hard workers, Ravenclaw are kind of the "intelligent" ones and Slytherin are the mean ones."
"What happens with the... kind ones, or the serious ones, or the strong ones or the funny ones?"
"Well, they are all sorted out in the different houses. The thing is we here are the cool ones" she laughs. "Do not take that too serious..."
"Is it usual that the clothes talk here?"
"Clothes? Hmm... No. Although it is common that lots of things talk around here, you will see. I remember when we started, Hills is also muggle born, and he was really surprised with the talking pictures."
"Talking Pictures?" She raised her eyebrows and Alonna laughed again.
"See? You will find a lot of weird things around here... for him it was weird at the beginning but now he is totally used to it."
"Are you mocking me because I was that mugwhatever thing?"
"Noooo, trust me. There are moving pictures, and... Well... magic. For me it's normal!"
"Ok... but... what happens if I paint a picture? Would it talk to me?"
"Well... kind of, yes. If you are a good painter and you use the correct spell, yes"
"I'm pretty good with... the wingardium leviosa."
"Oh, really?" she smiled. (Professor Flitwick would be very proud of you but he is a student and he is eating as an American in a buffet on the Ravenwhatever house table)
"You will certainly make professor Smethwyck very happy."
"Oh, really? How are the teachers?" she looked to the professor's table.
"Ohh... they are good. I mean, pretty much. All of them are quite decent but Slughorn that sucks."
"Who is... Slughorn?" Minerva asked, thinking again about the funny names thing and taking advantage of the moment to glance the Teachers' table.
It had a considerable amount of adults who seemed very serious and focused... and even bored.
The great hall was filled of kids, and everybody seemed relaxed. No one was concerned about was really happening here, but she still thought that this might be a joke.
Maybe the hat had some... microphones as they used in the Great War... or maybe Mr. Pyjamas was a ventriloquist. A great one. Maybe the ghost were games with light.
She was thinking that kind of things too about her wand and everything else. Even if she succeeded with some spells.
Minerva McGonagall's scepticism could be described as legendary... and she was the faith kid!
But well, you would be sceptical too if you had been fooled with "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" like she.
Anyways... the only one who looked like the Wizard of Oz was Mr. Pyjamas aka, Albus Dumblefunnyname, all the rest were wearing some more sensible and decent clothes in her opinion.
They still had the pointed hats and all of that, but the colours seemed more respectable and wearable.
She wondered if their hats talk too, and imagined herself whit a very big one, made from black and dark green velvet, whit a big wing, the tip of the hat slightly curved and some elegant and fine black feathers tied by a green as her eyes cameo. It would talk French and had a sort of insufferably sharp voice for some reason.
Anyways, the teachers... it was easy to deduce who was the headmaster. She noticed just now that she didn't have any idea of what was his name. But he looked old and imposing... and was he almost asleep?
Besides him was an empty chair and an old witch whit a hat similar to the one she imagined. And near was a young man with a dark blonde hair, a brown suit and a bow tie who seemed the most sensible of all of them. She thought that he had a lot of possibilities to be her new favourite teacher. (She is describing Slughorn precisely in the last point... just in case)
"That is Professor Dippet, the Headmaster" explained Alonna, "We almost never see him, then there is, of course, Professor Dumbledore, who is our head of the house and our Transfigurations teacher... well I'm sure you recognize him."
"Mr. Pyjamas" she whispered loud enough "Wait a minute... head of the house. Do you mean... as our tutor? Him?"
"Mr. Pyjamas? Well... yes. I know, that part is odd with all the attention he's been receiving lately, but he says he doesn't like to talk about it and actually has not made a big fuzz about it, so..." Alonna shrugged
"Attention? Why? Do all his students have problems?"
"What's do you mean by why?" Alonna laughed. "I'm talking about ending the war... isn't he famous for the muggles?"
"Which war? The Second World War? Do the wizards fight on it? My mother told me this was like a secret world!"
"Of course the wizarding world fought it! It was caused by this terrible and scary German wizard called Gellert Grindelwald that was recently defeated and sent to the prison by Professor Dumbledore. What the hell! Why don't you know all these?! Where have you been your whole life?!"
"What the hell? Obviously it didn't go that way! Adolf Hitler was the German guy, and our army and the allies fought until the fall of the Nazism! They almost invade us, why the wizards didn't... kill him or something before?"
"Well it was not that easy with Grindelwald behind it! That Hitler guy was just s piece on the chess board!"
"Called the black king!"
"Nah... I mean yes, yes, I understand that for you he was important. But the reaaaally bad guy is Grindelwald."
Minerva sighed.
"How do you think Hitler and their troops were defeated?"
"With a big amount of money and help from the allies, it was really hard."
"And the help of that guy..." she pointed out to Dumbledore.
"Is he... a soldier?" She glanced at him again.
"Nah, he is a teacher... and like the most famous magician in the world. He defeated Grindelwald alone in what they say the most epic battle of all time."
"Really? Mmmh" She did not seem very convinced.
"Yes. You'll hear more of it in the next days, you'll see. And if you open the Prophet... well, there are lots of things about all that on a daily basis"
"Hum... the prophet did you say?"
"The newspaper?"
"But where do you buy it? There is no newspaper stand in here, is it?"
"Well not here, but in Hogsmeade, yes. Or in Diagon Alley. Or you can go to the school library... or you can subscribe."
"Oh! Thank you!" She smiled.
"If you want... well, I can show you the library and a few other things around once you have settled in. Maybe by the end of the week or something like that" offered.
"Oh! Would you? Thank you very much!"
"Well yes, why not?
"I don't know, maybe you will have things to do."
"Well... Quidditch training will not start until next week, so... well, why not?"
"Thank you!" Minerva smiled.
"Well... I have to say hi to one of my friends down there. I'll see you around!"
"Oh! Wait! Where I have to go?" She looked around a little concerned because she wasn't paying attention and the ceremony was ended.
"Oh, just follow the pack. The guy down there is the Prefect, he will show you guys around."
"Thank you!"
Alonna smiled, stood up and changed seats.
Minerva looked Alonna go and she hurried to follow the Prefect. She felt better when finally found her things and Chesire in a bed in a room with four other girls of her age in the gold and red lion's house.
The talking paintings impressed her when she walked in the corridors and the appearing and disappearing stairs seemed to her something very romantic and totally impractical.
Good Lord, they have spells and things, why someone can't tame those stupid shaped rocks to be a little more sensible and stay when they are supposed to be!
She was going to scold every one of the steps she would find. What the hell with the lax rules to the unanimated objects in this castle! We are not supposed to live in the chaos without concern, ladies and gentleman!
If they have enough conscious and self-will to change their location, they must have enough good manners to do it only when nobody is bothered!
Apparently, it took just one dinner for her to realize that her mission in this castle was to fight the entropy.
But that would be much more problematic when she would be late to her first class and her excuse would be "Sorry, sir, I was scolding the third floor stairs for not being where they should."