No Celebration:

Harry Potter was sitting on his bed in the boys dormitory in Gryffindor tower. He was reading one of his transfiguration books and had some of his charm books sitting in front of him, ready to read.

'Come on Harry, or we'll miss the Halloween feast,' Ron said excitedly as he hurried into the room.

Harry looked up and glared at the boy who looked excited, 'Do you really expect me to celebrate the day my parent's were murdered? If you do then never talk to me again,' Harry snarled then yanked the curtains around his bed.

'Oh…um, sorry mate, I didn't think,' Ron said staring at the closed curtains, 'Um, what about dinner?'

'Going without food is something I'm used to, so missing a meal won't bother me,' Harry said but his voice was hard.

Neville, Dean and Seamus all stared at the closed curtains then at each other. None of knew what Harry meant about going without food. Ron stared at the curtains and realised he should just leave Harry alone, at least for the night.

'Let's go,' Ron said to the other boys who all nodded, but they did stare at the closed curtains before leaving the room.

By the time the feast started the deputy headmistress noticed two of her students were missing. She needed to find out why and where they were so she headed towards the Gryffindor table and the first year boys.

'Where are Mr Potter and Miss Granger?'

'We haven't seen Hermione Professor,' Seamus said then looked at Ron just as Dean and Neville did.

'Um Harry said he wasn't coming.'

'What he said was did Ron expect him to celebrate the night his parent's were murdered,' Dean said, 'He said if he did then they wouldn't be friends anymore.'

'Um, when Ron asked about dinner, Harry said he had gone without food before so it wouldn't bother him,' Neville said.

'I will go speak with Mr Potter. I will also see if Miss Granger is in her dorm room.'

'Um, she wasn't when we left, Professor. She's been in the girls bathroom, crying all day, saying she was going to leave,' Lavender said.

'I see,' Minerva gave all the first years a glare. She had seen how often the other first years ignored the girl or said something nasty to her. It had happened before and they had lost some exceptional students due to bullying. It was time she put a stop to it and as deputy head it was her right to make changes. She would also speak with the girl to get her to understand why many of the students pick on her. If Hermione could change her ways, she just might find some good friends at Hogwarts.

Minerva headed to Gryffindor tower. She went to the girls dormitory first but saw no sign of Miss Granger. She had hoped the girl had returned to her dormitory. She went to the boys first year dorms. She saw the curtains around Potter's bed but she could hear him talking.

'I miss you, mum dad. At least I know now that the Dursley's lied about you. You didn't die because you were drunk and crashed the car. They always lied about me and to me. But no one will tell me anything about you. I can't ask or I'll get punished, but I want to know more about you apart from looking like dad and have mum's eyes. I don't want to return to them mum, dad, all they do is hurt me and starve me. I'm their slave. If I take my Hogwarts stuff there, they will destroy it, like they've always destroyed anything I have. I would rather live on the street. He said so many times he would kill me and bury me in the garden, as no one would miss me. After Hagrid gave Dudley that tail, Uncle Vernon will take it out on me so I might meet you sooner than I thought.'

Minerva knew she should not have been listening but she had tried to get answers from Albus about Harry. All he ever said was Harry was safe with his family. She now knew he wasn't safe or looked after. It was time she did what she should have done years ago.

Minerva sent for a house elf. She ordered all the house elves to look for Miss Granger and take her to her dorm room that the deputy would speak with her tomorrow. She then sent another house elf to take Harry some dinner before the elf was to go tell Albus Minerva was not feeling well and was retiring for the night. She wasn't, she was going to speak with someone who could help Harry.

Harry was the first one up the following morning, he made his way down through the empty common room and down through the castle. There were others in the great hall, eating breakfast but he was the first Gryffindor. He dished up some breakfast and decided to finish reading his charms book that he had been reading the night before. He began eating as he read. He didn't realise others had sat down near him until he closed the book.

'Good morning Neville.'

'Morning Harry. I didn't want to disturb your reading.'

'I wouldn't have been. I just get so engrossed when I get the chance to read that I don't take any notice of anything else.'

'Um, did you hear what happened last night?'

'No.'

'Um, well, Quirrell came running into the great hall screaming about a troll in the dungeons. We were all escorted back to the house rooms by the prefects while the teachers went to find the troll. You were asleep when I checked.'

'Did they find the troll?'

'The Weasley twins said they did but the troll found Hermione before the teachers found it. She's seriously hurt and was taken to St Mungo's.'

'She was upset yesterday after what Ron said. Do you know if she's going to be okay?'

'Haven't heard. So did McGonagall talk to you last night?'

'I never saw her. Was she going to?'

'Yeah, then talk to Hermione. Maybe she found out about the troll so she never got the chance to talk to you.'

'Probably. A house elf brought me some dinner so maybe she realised she would not have time to speak with me but made sure I ate. I hope Hermione gets better. She might be a bit bossy, but she doesn't deserve to be hurt just because Ron couldn't keep his mouth shut.'

'He wasn't in his bed when I woke. Did you see him?' Neville asked.

'No, after they way he bullied Hermione, then last night, I decided he wasn't someone I want to be friends with. I hate bullies and I will never be friends with one. He was the first person who was friendly towards me so we began to hang out, no more though.'

'Hey, Harry,' Angelina said as she sat beside him.

'Hi Angelina, is there something you want?'

'Wood asked me to tell you he's had to cancel practice. It seems the four Weasley boys all went home.'

'Why?' Harry asked.

'From what I found out, Ron has been suspended for three months and his mother said if Ron has to return home then so do the other three boys. That's all I've found out so far. Oh Percy was throwing a fit though, he kept saying he was prefect that he had to stay. I'm not sure if Oliver is going to wait and see if Fred and George return or if he will hold tryouts.'

'So, Ron was suspended because he was the reason Hermione was alone in the bathrooms when the troll got in?' Neville asked.

'Yep, but that's all I know.' Angelina got up and went to join her friends.

Harry and Neville looked at each other, 'I didn't think this world bothered suspending or expelling anyone. We've both seen how the Slytherin's behave yet they get away with it,' Harry said.

'Something changed, or it was because Hermione was hurt and not just a simple thing either. She was sent to St Mungo's so it was a serious injury,' Neville said.

'Maybe that's what happens here. You have to be seriously hurt or near dead before the teachers will do something. So far, I haven't felt very confident in the teachers. I know I don't trust them and that comes down to that bastard who pretends to be a teacher. I doubt I will remain after owls. I'd leave now if I could.'

'I would to. I want to learn potions to help with herbology. I have to wait now until after owls then I can remain home and hire a tutor. Potions, herbology and charms are the three classes I wanted to excel in.'

'Mr Ollivander mentioned my parent's wands. He said my father's wand was good for transfiguration, mum's wand was good for charms, but she also excelled in potions. I did overhear a couple of older Ravenclaw girls say my mother was really good at potions. Hermione told me how my dad's name was on the quidditch cup. I figured I was honouring dad when I got on the quidditch team. I'm honouring mum by doing well in charms, I wanted to do the same with potions. That's not going to happen. You know Neville, that bastard is going to be the cause of more people leaving. I won't stay while he's here. If I had somewhere to go, I wouldn't return after the holidays. Maybe I will just go live on the streets.'

'Um, Harry, it might be dangerous. You've seen how Malfoy and the others act. Their parent's were death eaters who got out of going to jail. If they find you, they might decide to kill you, you know, because of…him.'

'There are billions of muggles around the world, Neville. I doubt they would find me amongst the millions in this country. I think there is around fifty or sixty million muggles in this country Neville. Witches and wizards stick out like a sore thumb, I could easily spot them before they see me, then I just have to hide. I might need to change some galleons into pounds. I'll have to do that the moment I get off the train. Anyway, we should finish breakfast so we can get to charms.'

Minerva was staring down at the papers in front of her. She knew she had to tell Albus, but she wanted to speak with Harry Potter first, since it did concern him. After what happened last night, she had spoken with some of the house elves and asked them to stay invisible but keep an eye on the students. She also told them to listen to what they say in case another student is being bullied and they might get hurt, like Miss Granger did. It was time to utilise the hundred house elves in the castle to help students, but also get proof of just how bad Severus Snape acted towards the students.

All teachers favoured their own house, but Snape was the worst. He was deliberately antagonistic towards all students who are not in Slytherin. From what she had found out so far, he also allowed his Slytherin's to deliberately sabotage other students potions, just so he could give them low marks. It was time to get Snape out of Hogwarts. As deputy head she had the right to dismiss a staff member, if she had cause and she already knew she would have plenty of reasons why Severus Snape should be made to leave Hogwarts. She also knew that most of the staff will supporter her since all of them have been complaining about Severus for years, but again, nothing was ever done about him.

Right at the end of transfiguration Minerva told Harry to remain. She waited until the rest of the students left before she moved around her desk and sat at the students desk closest to Harry. She decided to let him read what she had done before she explained, so she held out the form.

Harry was confused, he took the form his teacher held out then began to read. The more he read the wider his eyes became. He finally looked up at Professor McGonagall.

'These…these say you…you,' Harry shook his head then looked back down.

'That I adopted you, I did. I did want to adopt you and tried not long after your parent's died, but I was, sorry to say, talked out of it. I know now that was a mistake. I never believed those muggles were the right people to raise you and I was right. This time I went ahead and made sure it was legal before anyone could stop it. No one can stop this now.'

'But why?'

'I came to care for your parent's Harry. We all belonged to a secret group, fighting Voldemort. There were times when Lily would bring you to meetings and I would get to hold you,' Minerva smiled as Harry blushed, 'I promised them if anything happened to them that I would make sure you were looked after. I didn't keep that promise, until now.'

Harry slowly looked up, 'Thank you, for wanting me.'

'Many people wanted you, but like me, they were told you would be with family and you would be safe. I may not know everything about your life with those muggles, but I know enough to realised you did not have a very good life with them. You do not need to tell me, unless you wish to. I would like us to get to know each other, then if you wish to tell me, you can, but I will be your decision.'

Harry nodded. He found it hard to believe that someone wanted him and he would never see the Dursley's again. But then he thought of his plan and how he wasn't going to return to Hogwarts because of Snape.

'Um, there's one thing I should tell you. I wasn't planning on returning to Hogwarts after the holidays.'

'Can you tell me why? I would like to know especially after I found out about your life with the Dursley's.'

'Snape and the Slytherin's. Neville was injured because Snape didn't bother giving any type of instructions. I've been lucky, I have fast reflexes so whenever the Slytherin's throw something in my cauldron I'm able to get away in time. Then Snape blames me or some of the other Gryffindor's. Someone is going to get killed because of that…man.'

'You don't need to concern yourself with Severus Snape any longer. As deputy head, all I need is proof and I can have any member of the staff removed. I already have enough proof and have the paperwork ready to send to the governors. Adding something from…sorry to say Harry, the-boy-who-lived, just could mean he might do some time in Azkaban, for placing students in danger.'

'Then if he's gone, I want to stay.'

'And you will. Now though, since I do live here full time, I have organised to have a room set up for you next to my private chambers. I will also work on ways for you to visit your friends during the holidays. I'm sure Mr Weasley and Mr Longbottom would like a visit.'

'I'll visit Neville, not Ron. I don't like bullies and Ron is a bully. He also copies my work and always distracts me when I'm trying to do my work. He bullies Neville so he can copy his as well. That's one of the things he did to Hermione. He threatened her, told her she had to do his homework or he would make sure she suffered. Hermione refused and it was right after that when she was hurt all because Ron said some nasty things to her. I could never be friends with someone like that.'

'That is your decision and do not let anyone try to change your mind. If someone does try to force you to stay friends with Mr Weasley, you are to come to me.'

'Thanks,' Harry gave her a smile, 'Um, do I still call you Professor McGonagall?'

'Only during school hours. After hours you can call me Minerva, or aunt Minerva. I know some children your age do not feel comfortable using an adults name.'

'I like aunt Minerva,' Harry blushed as he smiled.

'Then Aunt Minerva it is. Now I have to see about removing Snape from Hogwarts, then tell the headmaster I am now your legal guardian, actually, parent. But we both know who your parent's were. Lily and James will always be your parent's. Now, just until I inform the headmaster, I would like you to keep our new relationship a secret. Once I have told him, then you can tell your friends. This information will get out so you may find people paying you more attention or asking you questions. It will be up to you what you say. Now though, how about you return to your dorm before dinner.'

Harry stood up as his new guardian did, then impulsively, he hugged her before running from the room. Minerva couldn't help smiling. She always kept a professional distance from her students. Now she would basically be a mother to one and the most famous in their world.

As Harry was sitting with Neville doing their homework, Minerva had explained to Albus about Harry and about Severus. The headmaster had begun to argue until Minerva went to leave, but she did say she would leave Hogwarts and take her adopted son with her and people will find out why the-boy-who-lived will no longer remain at Hogwarts. Albus realised he could very well lose his job if people found out that Harry Potter won't remain at Hogwarts because of Severus Snape. He also knew he could not run Hogwarts without Minerva, especially when he is at the ministry as chief warlock of the Wizengamot. He sagged and nodded to his deputy head. Minerva did threaten Albus, to leave Harry alone, or else. Albus knew Minerva was serious.

Harry and Neville were eating breakfast when Professor McGonagall stopped behind them.

'He has been informed and as I said, word of this will come out. You may let it be know, again it will be your choice.'

Harry smiled up at aunt Minerva, 'I want people to know. Thanks…Aunt Minerva.'

Minerva smiled down at Harry, patted his shoulder then walked up to the staff table.

'You called her aunt….' Neville never finished the sentence.

'Aunt Minerva officially and legally, adopted me,' Harry's smile got bigger. Neville went from wide eyes to smiling.

Neville knew Harry wasn't treated well by his muggle relatives. Now it seems his friend will finally have someone good to look after him. He was happy for his friend, but he did wonder what was going to be said once everyone found out. He didn't really care and he knew Harry wouldn't care. Harry finally had someone who would care for him and look after him, which should have happened right after his parent's had been killed.

By the following morning news spread around Hogwarts, but also to the public that Severus Snape had been sacked for endangering students lives. Harry knew it was more but using the information that students could have been killed just because he allowed his Slytherin's to get away with everything, made the governors of Hogwarts realise Snape had to go. The only people who didn't like it was the Slytherin's.

The governors worked on a retired healer who was also a potions master to take Snape's position. The healer was a muggleborn so again the Slytherin's hated it. Almost all the Slytherin students wrote to their parent's to try to get the new teacher sacked. They got letters back stating there was nothing they could do when it came to Hogwarts. Draco Malfoy was positive his father would do something since he was a governor and good friends with the minister. The letter he received told him his father was sacked from his position on the school board and he was banned from having anything to do with the way Hogwarts was run. Lucius said he would be at Hogwarts on the weekend to remove his son from the school. He wasn't the only Slytherin student who would be leaving Hogwarts.

Harry was talking to Angelina, Oliver, Katie and Alicia about quidditch and if they should hold tryouts.

'Before you do,' Lee said as he approached them, 'The twins sent me a letter. They said their father got involved and he is going to make sure Fred, George and Percy return to Hogwarts. Ron will not and he will end up having to repeat his first year so he won't be back until September.'

'Did they say when they would return?' Oliver asked.

'In the next couple of days. I would say their father will organise their travel on the weekend.'

'Thanks Lee,' Oliver said, 'So we wait, then double up on the next few training sessions.'

'Oliver, we spoke about this. We can't spend more time away from our studies. If you want to push it then look for another chaser,' Angelina said.

'Same here,' Alicia said.

'Me too,' Katie said.

'I don't blame you. It's lucky I don't have as many classes as you lot, or I wouldn't have time for more than one training a week.' Harry said.

'Fine, but we'll just make it an extra hour then. Can you do that?'

The three chasers all nodded, 'As long as that's all it is,' Angelina said before the team walked off. Oliver sighed but he walked off to do his homework. Harry joined Neville.

'Mr Weasley is sending the twins and Percy back in a few days, but Ron will have to repeat first year. It means we won't have to worry about him trying to copy or going through our stuff since he will be a first year and in a different year doing different work.'

'I kept locking my trunk but I did find out he tried to get into ours when we were down having breakfast.'

'Apart from being a bully, he's also a thief and a liar. We don't have to worry about him anymore Neville. Oh, Aunt Minerva said she will work on a way for me to visit you during the holidays.'

Neville grinned. When he first got to Hogwarts, he didn't think he would end up with any friends. Now his best friend was the famous Harry Potter. But one thing Harry knew about Neville, he wasn't jealous of Harry's fame nor would he try to use it.

On the weekend, Arthur Weasley brought his three sons back to Hogwarts. Just as he left, many other parent's arrived, parent's of the Slytherin students but they were removing their children from Hogwarts.

By the time Harry and Neville got to the great hall for lunch they found out that three quarters of the Slytherin students had left Hogwarts. They were going to be enrolled in Durmstrang.

'The darker families are the ones that left Hogwarts. The ones still there are neutral, or so I heard,' Neville said.

'I've never had any trouble from the ones that's left, so you're probably right. Hopefully now we won't have as much trouble as we did.'

'I don't think we will mate,' Neville said.

When Harry heard Neville call him mate, it made him smile. Ron had said it a few times, but Harry realised he always said it when others were around. Neville said it because he really felt like Harry was his friend, his mate.

Over the following months, every student at Hogwarts enjoyed the potions class. Many of the older students were getting help of an evening to get their potions grades up before their tests. When the healer had found out how Snape had taught and how he acted, she believed it had been luck that no student had died. She spent all her free time giving extra lessons in potions to any student that wanted help. Harry and Neville did one evening a week and they were finally learning what they should have learnt.

Ron had been told he would have to repeat first year and he would start again in September. Harry did get a letter from Ron's mother about having him visit Ron during the holidays. Maybe if Harry helped Ron with his work, then Ron could join second year. Harry had help from his new guardian reply to the letter. He wrote that he would not be staying friends with Ron who bullied everyone. He would not be visiting at all. Minerva added to the letter to explain she was now Harry's legal guardian and did not want her adopted son associating with someone like Ron who was lazy, who bullied others so they would do his work for him and also someone that believed since they were a pure-blood, they could get away with anything when it comes to muggleborns.

Molly instantly wrote to Albus in the hope he could do something. Albus wrote back to explain it was out of his hand. Minerva had the right to decide who her adopted son could be friends with and who couldn't. He also couldn't do anything about Ron returning to the same year he had been in. He would have to re-start his education in first year. Ron didn't like it for a few reasons. One, he wouldn't end up in classes with Harry. Two, he would be in classes with his sister and he hated having to spend time with Ginny.

Right at the end of the year, Quirrell, the defence against the dark arts teacher disappeared. What no one knew was Quirrell's body just gave out so the spirit of Voldemort had to leave. Another thing no one knew was that the spirit could not survive now he didn't have someone drinking unicorn blood for him and no one weak was around that he could possess so his spirit ended up vaporising until there was nothing left.

Albus had one last staff meeting before the holidays and explained that he was going to approach Gilderoy Lockhart to take defence. Minerva instantly said no that she had seen proof that the man was a fraud. When he did his newts, he was only able to scrap an A in defence against the dark arts, charms and care of magical creatures, he failed every other class. Minerva read out a copy of the mandate for Hogwarts. All teachers had to get O's in the five main subject and pass the others to be able to teach. They also had to do a test to prove they could teach. She said they would make sure the students had qualified teachers from now on, which is when she brought up the subject of getting a real teacher to teach history of magic. Albus knew he had no choice especially when he noticed all the other teachers were supporting Minerva and not him. He realised he had begun to make too many mistakes because he had three very important jobs. It was time he worked out what jobs to keep so he wasn't stretched so thin. He may end up having to give up the position as headmaster that way he could keep the Wizengamot in line if he stayed as chief warlock and he could do the same if he kept his chief mugwump position. He would discuss ideas with Minerva and a few other people he had remained closed friends with.

When the holidays began, Harry spent the first week with his new guardian but this time it was more like they were family, not teacher and student. Harry did finally open up to Minerva about his life with the Dursley's.

Minerva spent the holidays making sure Harry had the life he deserved. She had taken him shopping to buy him clothes, shoes and new glasses. She had also allowed him to spend many days visiting Neville. Harry was able to floo directly into Neville's home from Hogwarts and Neville could do the same when he visited Harry.

Minerva made sure Harry also got many gifts to make up for the ones he didn't receive when he was younger. She felt like spoiling him but she didn't, she just bought him things he needed or he could use, with the occasionally gift of something Harry might want but would never ask. She knew enough about Harry to know he would never ask for anything.

On the first of September, Harry didn't want to go to London just to catch the train back to Hogwarts. Minerva thought it was a waste of time and now that she was headmistress, she was going to help change the way the students arrived. She believed they could easily floo in. She could have some of the staff go to places like the ministry where they could help the new first years use the floo. She would discuss that during the first lot of holidays, she would have more time then.

Harry smiled when he saw Neville, who sat next to him. He also smiled at Parvati and lavender, who sat opposite Harry and Neville. Dean and Seamus sat close by as well.

When the sorting began, Harry saw Ron who was standing at the back. Aunt Minerva told him Ron won't be resorted but he cannot sit at the Gryffindor table until all the other first years had sat down. He was just pleased Ron wouldn't be able to sit next to him. He knew Lavender and Parvati hated to watch Ron eat, so if he tried to sit near them, those two girls will make sure he knows he has to move and join the first years. Second years did not want first years sitting with them.

Ron did try to sit next to Harry but was told by all the second years that they didn't want to put up with a first year. Their new head of house, Bathsheba Babbling came over and told Ron he would have to sit with the first years. She told the second years to go back to their dinner while she made sure Ron sat a lot further up the table.

As Harry ate his dinner, he looked around at the students and staff. One thing he noticed about everyone, they all seemed happy. There was no scowling or glares. Everyone just seemed to be enjoying their time, catching up with friends.

Neville watched Harry as he ate and noticed straight away that his friend wasn't as tense as he used to be. He saw it through the holidays but he wasn't sure how Harry would be now they were back as student. But Neville could see it, in Harry's eyes and just in the way he sat. His friend finally felt like he fit in.

Minerva stared over at her adopted son. Not long after officially adopting Harry, she spoke to James and Lily. They might not have been there and she had no idea if people that died could hear what people still alive said. But she wanted them to know that their son will always be cared for a looked after. She made a promise that from that moment on, Harry was her number one responsibility. She was going to give Harry the life he should have had. As she stared over at him she noticed how happy he seemed.

Then Harry turned and gave her a big smile. Minerva couldn't help herself, she smiled back at him. He was her family and seeing him smile, she was going to make sure Harry always kept smiling.

The end: