AN: Fleur and Bill are dating but their relationship isn't as developed as it was in canon.

Chapter 10

In the morning, Harry woke up first again, his arms wrapped securely around Minerva as they lay in the same position as the previous morning. Instinctively, he pulled her closer, buried his nose further in her hair to breathe her in, and pressed a gentle kiss to her head. She released a small sigh of contentment and unconsciously moved closer to him, causing him to freeze in horror as his actions and their position fully registered. Bloody hell she's gonna kill me. His thoughts were in a panic as he imagined several ways this could go wrong. When she showed no signs of waking up, Harry remained frozen for a minute longer to calm his rapidly beating heart. Then, like the previous morning, he slowly maneuvered his way out from under her, getting free a few minutes later.

Once he was in the safety of his shower, Harry delved into his mindscape as he tried to figure out what possessed him to do something so dangerous. After a few moments, he started to realize that his thought process was slightly different. For one, in his mind he had unconsciously started referring to Minerva as "his Mina," showing a possessive streak he'd never felt before. As he continued to examine himself, he realized that his thoughts had been colored by a slightly more, for lack of a better word, wolfish characteristic. He was referring to everyone that was part of the unofficial group as his pack and he felt obligated to protect them. The idea of being a leader didn't scare him as much as it used to. He also noticed that his hearing and sense of smell seemed a bit sharper. Once he was finished with his examination, he decided to talk to Poppy about it in private before focusing on getting cleaned up. As he washed, he tried to ignore the fact that his feelings for Minerva felt stronger than before as well.

Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Minerva, who had been awake for the whole incident, was staring at the bathroom door lost in her own thoughts. She had pretended to be asleep to avoid making things anymore awkward but now she was alone to deal with how it had affected her. If she was honest with herself, Harry's actions had made her strongly feel emotions that had been locked away for a long time – comfort, safety, content, and another she was unwilling to name. Emotions she never thought another could ever arouse in her. There was only one other person who's embrace made her feel that way, a realization that wasn't comforting at all due to the nature of that relationship. Harry was her student and she shouldn't feel like this around him and yet she did. He broke through all of her defenses without even trying, leaving her lost in how to handle this situation. While she knew that the best thing to do would be to try and create some distance between them, but she couldn't bring herself to do that. She wanted to be there to help and guide him as much as she could. Furthermore, Harry would notice the distance and worry that he'd done something wrong. Hopefully Samena will know how to keep his nightmares at bay so at least this can stop. Taking a deep breath in frustration, she got up to get ready in her own room.

About an hour later, Poppy arrived to check on those with injuries. When she had finished, Harry took her to the side to talk about the symptoms he'd noticed.

"I think I'm having some side effects from the werewolf injury," Harry began before he explained what he'd been feeling. He didn't tell her about his feelings concerning Minerva specifically, but told everything else.

"I thought this might happen. There are some documented cases of behavioral and thought process changes or enhanced senses with injuries sustained from werewolves on nights other than the full moon. You might also experience a change in your diet, such as liking your meat a little rare. This is nothing to be too alarmed about, but I want you to continue to pay close attention to yourself and let me know of any more changes you notice. You should also keep your Occlumency shields on alert until you've fully adjusted to these changes." Poppy explained reassuringly.

"Ok… um there is one other thing I wanted to ask you," Harry inquired nervously.

"Go ahead and ask Harry," Poppy said after he was silent for several seconds.

"I was wondering if romantic feelings being intensified is a possible side effect?" he said cautiously, trying not to give anything away.

Poppy gave him a knowing smile. "Yes, that is possible. If that happens to you, I suggest you tell the person whom those feelings are directed towards how you feel because they won't go away or die down. They'll likely become harder to ignore."

"Right." Harry didn't think that was a good idea, but knew Poppy was telling him the truth. He just didn't know how to deal with it.

- H.M. –

After everyone had breakfast together, Amelia, Andromeda, Minerva, and Tonks all left through the floo to go to their press conference. They met up with Hestia's friend and contact in the Daily Prophet, whose name was David Fletcher, in his office. Once they finished greeting each other, he brought them to a secure area near the press conference stage that was set up in the main atrium of the ministry. There, they were protected from any eavesdroppers and could speak freely before it started. Already there were several reporters standing by the stage and they could be heard talking to each other trying to figure out what they would learn.

David turned to face them once he finished warding off their area. "Well, I have to say I was quite surprised when Hestia contacted me about your survival."

"We'll give you more of the full story during the interview, but yes, we managed to escape," Amelia confirmed.

"Would I be correct in assuming that you somehow were able to fake your death?" David probed.

"We did though we'll tell you more about that later," Minerva confirmed.

"Well, however you did it, I'm glad you did. I was upset to know that the world had lost four witches who are all amazing in their own right. We'll need people like you around if we have any hope of winning this war," David declared strongly.

"Thank you, David, for your compliments and for agreeing to set this up for us," Andromeda replied.

"No problem. Hestia came to me to do this for you. It'll definitely be a big blow to the snake-faced monster and I'm glad to be able to take part in it. It will also be broadcasted on the Wizarding Wireless Network, so the news will spread quickly," David said. "How do you plan on handling this press conference?"

"We have prepared some statements to read. After discussing it, we decided that I should do the talking. Anything else will be said during our interview with you," Amelia answered.

"And what about the rumors of the Hooded Stranger?" David asked.

"That person was there," Tonks confirmed. "However, to protect their identity, we will tell them that they died during the attack to save our lives."

David nodded in understanding. "Understood, and I won't probe for anything you're unwilling to tell me. I can appreciate the need to keep their identity secret for now." He checked his watch. "Well it's just about time to start. I'll signal when it's time for you to come up."

He walked toward the stage, leaving them standing there to wait.

"How shocked do you think they will be when they see us?" Tonks asked to break the silence.

"Quite a bit, I'm sure," Minerva remarked. "Most people who Riddle kills stay dead. This will be a big blow to his strength."

"We should keep an eye out on everyone's reactions just in case. If anyone looks guilty or angry, we'll know that they need to be watched closely," Amelia suggested.

"Good idea," Andromeda agreed.

Before they could say anything else, the conference started. David quickly introduced himself and made a brief opening statement. Once he was done, he signaled for them to join him on the stage. The moment they all stepped foot on it, the crowd of reporters and spectators gasped in shock. There were cries of disbelief and shock, with some happiness and anger sprinkled in. Fudge, who was standing on the stage as well, almost jumped out of his skin as he openly gawked at the four supposedly dead witches. He tried to splutter out a response, but nothing intelligible came out of his mouth.

The four women paid no attention to the minister, instead taking note of those in the crowd who were angered. Amelia spotted Ivy in the crowd glaring spitefully at her and sent her former friend a look of indifference in return, though it did hurt a bit. Once they got to the middle of the stage, they stood in silence, waiting for everyone to quiet down. When the crowd noticed the stern looks on their faces they eventually stopped talking, eager to hear what the four women had to tell them.

Amelia scanned the crowd once more before beginning to speak. "Thank you all for coming here on such short notice. I am aware that I and the three witches beside me are believed to be dead, but that is a false narrative. We were attacked at my home on Saturday night when the four of us were having dinner. There were several Death Eaters there, including Bellatrix Lestrange and Fenrir Greyback, as well as Voldemort himself. During the battle, the person known as the Hooded Stranger appeared to help us. We all fought them off for as long as we could, until Voldemort joined the battle. He tried to offer us our lives in return for joining his side, an offer that we refused vehemently, before beginning to duel us on his own. Then, we, along with the Hooded Stranger, devised a plan that allowed us to escape, but the Hooded Stranger stayed behind so that we could get away, sacrificing their life in the process. Now, we will take no questions at the moment, but we are doing an interview to share more details about the attack with the public."

At that, the four of them turned to leave, ignoring the questions being flung at them. They managed to make it to the back of the stage before being stopped by Fudge and his auror guards.

"I am glad to see the four of you alive and safe. I was quite upset when I learned about your deaths," Fudge said.

"Thank you, Minister," the four of them replied cordially.

"You're welcome. I would like to sit down with all of you to discuss the events of that horrible night. You can come to my office right now since I have an hour of free time at the moment."

"Thank you for the offer Minister, but no thanks. We will be answering more questions during our interview for everyone to see," Amelia replied firmly.

"No, I insist that we talk before your interview. I'm sure you can understand why as the Minster of Magic, I need to know what exactly happened as well as the identity of the Hooded Stranger," Fudge persisted.

"Insist all you like Minister, but we will not be meeting with you about this, nor will reveal the identity of the Hooded Stranger for safety reasons," Minerva countered, losing patience with the incompetent man.

"Now see here! As the Minister of Magic, I demand that you answer my questions this instant!" Fudge blustered.

"We do not have to answer your demands Minister, and you can't bully us into doing so," Amelia challenged, staring the man down. "This is considered a private matter therefore you do not have the authority to demand anything. Now, we have things to attend to at this moment, so I wish you a good day." She and the others walked away to go to their interview with David, leaving behind an irate Fudge who was in the midst of a temper tantrum.

Back at Black manor, Harry, Hestia, and Susan spent their time waiting for the others in the training room. Hestia wanted to see where they were at physically and magically while also taking this as an opportunity to get to know Harry better. By the time the others had arrived, Hestia had determined that Harry was truly an extremely talented wizard and Susan had great potential that just needed to be fully realized. She also gained more insight into his character, learning that he excelled at thinking on his feet and was highly unpredictable in battle, making him a formidable opponent. She wasn't sure if she would win in a real-life duel against him. He was also kind, humble, and honest with a strong sense of duty.

Harry also learned more about Hestia. By the time they'd finished, he realized that she was a good person to have as a friend. She had a good sense of humor and a good and loyal heart. While she was very observant, she wasn't nosy and didn't try to butt into others business. In fact, she kept most of her observations to herself unless it was necessary to reveal them, something he appreciated.

When the others got back, they quickly informed them about how the press conference and interview went before Harry, Minerva, and Susan had to leave for the meeting with Harry's friends. Amelia, Tonks, and Hestia left to go in to work and talk to the aurors while Andromeda stayed at the manor to write to her clients and inform them, she was still alive while also working on some of her currently pending cases.

- H.M. –

They arrived at Minerva's home to see that everything had already been set up for the meeting. The table had been enlarged with chairs added to fit everyone and there was a veritable feast of food and drinks for them to enjoy as they talked. As Susan took the time to explore some of Minerva's home with her permission, Harry and Minerva sat down at the table, with Minerva insisting that he sit at the head since he was leading the meeting, while she sat to his right.

"So, have you decided how much you're going to tell them?" Minerva asked Harry.

"I'll give them as much information as we gave Susan and Hestia."

"You're waiting until they can protect that information before you tell them, or you don't want them to know?" She thought she knew the answer but wanted verification.

"The first one. They're my friends and I should be able to trust them with it. And, I don't want to fight this war like Dumbledore by holding key information from our allies and friends."

"I doubt you will ever be anything like him, but I understand what you're saying. We'll have to make sure that Occlumency is one of the main focuses in the beginning of their training."

"What about you? Are you going to show them the real Minerva or wear your glamour?"

Minerva thought on it before answering. "I think if we're all going to be spending so much time together, then I might as well not wear it. Besides, I've gotten used to being myself around others and I'm not keen on hiding again. At least for the summer."

"Okay… do you want me to call you Minerva or Professor McGonagall around them?"

"You might as well call me Minerva. No sense in hiding that either."

"Right."

Susan joined them after that and sat down beside Minerva, complimenting her house. A few moments later, the others attending the meeting arrived. Harry got up to meet them in living room where the portkey dropped them off, greeting them each individually. Hermione gave him a bone-crushing hug of relief, while Ginny and Luna gave him less crushing hugs. Ron and the other wizards shook his hand and patted him on the back, glad to see him still alive and in one piece. Fleur gave him a tight hug and kissed him lightly on both cheeks, causing Ginny to look at them with a bit of anger, though he didn't notice it. He was too busy trying to fight down his own blush, still unaccustomed to the French way of greeting.

"Harry, what happened to your face?" Hermione asked in alarm once the greetings were over.

"Yeah mate, you look like you been in a fight," Ron added.

"I'll tell you about it in a moment. First, you should know that this is Minerva's home and that she's here. Susan is here as well. I'm sure you heard it on the WWN, but nobody on our side died on Saturday night, though Susan and Amelia lost their home. Again, I'll explain all of that in a moment," Harry said. He led them into the kitchen and sat back down into his seat, gesturing for them to sit down. The moment they saw Minerva without her glamour on, all of the wizards, went speechless. Ginny was also shocked, though not as badly as the males. Minerva barely restrained herself from rolling her eyes at them.

"I'm still the same professor who's taught all of you, just a bit younger looking," she declared sternly, making them snap out of their stupor.

"Hello Professor McGonagall," Ron, Neville, and Ginny chorused obediently.

"It iz good to see you again Professor McGonagall," Fleur spoke politely.

"You as well, Ms. Delacour," Minerva replied, nodding her head at the veela.

"Professor, I didn't know you were so good at transforming," Fred said.

"Yeah, first you can turn into a cat and now you're a…" George was cut off by Minerva.

"I'd advise you not to finish that sentence," she warned, glaring at both of them. Harry tried to stifle his laughter. The glare she turned on him showed that he wasn't successful. Due to their friendship, it wasn't quite as effective when used on him, but he wisely remained quiet.

"Yes Professor," the twins replied, knowing it was in their best interests not to cross her.

"Honestly, you all should have figured out that Professor McGonagall wears a glamour. She's one of the strongest witches in the country. Having a lot of magical power can slow down aging," Hermione lectured before turning to address Minerva. "Hello Professor McGonagall. Thank you for inviting us into your home."

"You're welcome Ms. Granger," Minerva said.

"I see why you wore one," Charlie remarked. "It's good to see you Professor."

"Call me Minerva. I haven't been your professor for many years," Minerva replied. "It's good to see you as well."

"Hey how come we can't call you that?" Fred began.

"We aren't your students either," George finished.

"You two need some professional boundaries to help me keep you in line," Minerva countered, though she wore a small amused smile as she said it.

"It's nice to see you outside of your shell, Professor," Luna remarked. "Though I think the male students' heads will be filled with even more nargles than usual."

"Thank you, Miss Lovegood and I'm sure they will. It's good to see you around your friends," Minerva replied gently. She had a soft spot for the Ravenclaw student, knowing that she was bullied for being different. She and Professor Flitwick tried to crack down on it, but Dumbledore's policies undermined their efforts.

"Yes, having friends is fun," Luna agreed.

They all greeted Susan as well before taking their seats at the table. Hermione, who was sitting on Harry's left spoke up before he could.

"I'm sorry about your home, Susan, though I am glad that your aunt and the others made it out alive," she said in empathy.

Before anyone else could offer their condolences as well, Susan held up her hand. "I am as well. A house can be rebuilt, but my aunt can't." The others nodded in understanding.

"What happened there?" Neville asked.

"We'll be explaining all of that in a moment," Harry stated before they could ask their questions. "Before we get to that, there's quite a bit I need to tell you. I ask that you hold all questions until the end." When they nodded in assent, Harry began his story. He started off with what happened in Dumbledore's office after the battle in the DOM, recounting the row he had with the headmaster. As he recited the prophecy for them, Minerva realized that she hadn't really spoken to Harry about how he was dealing with Sirius's death. She resolved to talk to him about it after this meeting was over.

Next, he described his state of mind during the rest of the time until school ended. He briefly told them about his nightmares, how they made him feel, and how he reacted to them. He expressed his fervent desire to keep everyone he cared about safe and how that caused him to push them all away. Then he explained how he was able to sneak off the train and go to Gringotts, with Dobby and Winky's help, and what he learned and received there. He told them where he had stayed for the first week of the summer and what he did, including spying on Voldemort, training, and his activities as the Hooded Stranger.

He didn't tell them about the horcruxes but explained that he'd learned about the true nature of his connection with Voldemort and how it upset him. He told them about the second raid and how he ended up with Minerva, with her describing the injuries he had sustained. They both talked about what they had been doing since then and the attack on Bones manor. Harry, seeing the alarm on their faces at his description of his fight with Greyback, quickly assured them that he hadn't been turned and that the injury hadn't affected his eye but would leave a scar.

Harry took a moment to let it all sink in before continuing. "Now, for why you are here. Besides telling you the truth, we are fighting a war and need all the help we can get. Dumbledore can't be trusted to lead us. He has his own agenda that has nothing to do with good of our country as a whole. He is too willing to sacrifice innocent life to accomplish that agenda and is arrogant enough to believe that he is the only one who knows how to win this war. Plus, he hides information from people who need to know it, getting them hurt or killed because of it. I can't follow someone like that."

Minerva spoke up next. "Neither can I. I have tried for years to get the man to see reason, but it never worked, and I will no longer sit back and watch as he puts this country in more unnecessary danger. Now, all of you, except for Charlie and Fleur, are still students and I wish I could keep you out of this war. However, the reality is that you will be part of it regardless, so the next best thing is to train you all up. That is what we are offering you. The training will be intense, and we will be pushing you to your limits every day. You will be expected to take the initiative and practice on your own, something all of you will be able to do using your trunk which masks the Trace. I want you to think about this hard before you answer."

It only took them all a few seconds to voice their acceptance of the offer.

"Wow," Charlie exclaimed. "Well you can count me in. I can even help with the training if you'd like, though I could probably use the practice as well."

"Me as well," Fleur said.

"Good to have you both on board," Harry replied. "If you need to a place to stay, Black Manor, formerly known as 12 Grimmauld Place has plenty of room for you."

"I think I'll take you up on that offer. Mum's been driving me a bit crazy lately and as much as I love her, I need some space," Charlie agreed.

"I will take zat offer as well," Fleur said. "I think I need some space at the moment." Her and Bill were having some tension in their relationship over the way she was being treated by the witches in his family.

"I'm in too," Neville declared. "I know I don't always act like it, but I do pay attention to what's going on and I've always been a bit suspicious of the Headmaster's motives concerning you. Plus, I trust both you and Professor McGonagall."

Ginny spoke up next. "You know I'm in. I know what it's like to have him in my head and how much of a monster he truly is. Besides, it was Harry who saved me, not Dumbledore."

"You're my friend so I will side with you," Luna spoke simply.

"You're our friend Harry and you helped us realize our dream," George said.

"We'll follow you anywhere," Fred declared.

Ron looked directly at Harry when he spoke. "I learned my lesson about going against you during our fourth year. I promised myself that I would stand by you no matter what. I won't betray you again, not for anyone. And, even I've noticed that Dumbledore's actions are suspicious." Harry nodded in response, no other words necessary between them.

Harry looked at Hermione, causing her to scoff at him. "Do you really think you have to ask me? I'm on your side, always." He nodded gratefully.

"Very well," Minerva stated as she began to explain their training. "Due to most of your unique situations and the need to keep this a secret, we will have to meet early in the morning and/or late at night. We will start with a complete assessment of your current abilities so that we can design a training plan just for you. We also will test you for any rare abilities that you may have. To meet in secret, we have trunks for all of you that are connected to one another so we can be in the same place without going anywhere."

"They also are warded to alert you if someone is nearby as well as blocking the Trace so you can practice in them whenever you have time," Harry added.

Minerva picked up from there. "One of the first things we will focus on is Occlumency to help you learn to guard your mind against those who will try to get information out of you, but we will explain more later." Minerva handed out their trunks to them, explaining how they worked. They all tested them out for a moment before sitting back down at the table.

"Great," Harry said once they were all seated. "The plan is to meet in the trunks tomorrow at 4 in the morning so make sure you all set some type of alarm to wake you up." There were no groans or muttered complaints at the early hour, showing how seriously all of them took this situation.

He looked at Minerva, silently asking if he forgot something. "I think you should tell them the secret for access to Black manor."

"Oh yeah," Harry exclaimed as he searched his pockets for the scrap of parchment, he'd written it down on. When he found it, he passed it to them so they could read it, burning it when they'd all committed it to memory. After that, most of the others left save Minerva, Harry and Hermione. Ron wanted to stay as well, but he and Ginny needed to be back before their mum became suspicious. Harry promised to answer his questions later. Charlie and Fleur promised to come over soon, once they'd finished packing up their things.

Minerva, after glancing at Harry, left her two students to talk alone. She went to pick up some things that she needed from the house since she would be staying at Black manor for the foreseeable future.

"Go ahead and say what's on your mind Mione," Harry said when she remained silent for a while.

"You had me so worried Harry. I thought something had happened to you, especially after I figured out that you were the one the Daily Prophet named the Hooded Stranger. How bad was the news you learned that caused you to think that fighting eighteen Death Eaters on your own was a good idea?" she asked sternly.

"I didn't think it was a good idea. I knew that I could get killed, but I didn't care. That's how bad off I was," Harry admitted. "The truth is that I wanted to die, but when I had to opportunity to give up, I realized I couldn't. When I got here and had healed up enough, Minerva set me straight. It's still hard to deal with, but now I have no intention of giving up. I'm sorry I made you worried." His tone was apologetic and sincere, expressing how much he wished he hadn't upset his friend.

Hermione pulled him into a hug. "I know you are. I just wish you would ask for help when you're feeling like that. You're the one of the first friends I've ever had, and I don't won't to lose you."

"I promise I'll do better."

After a moment, Hermione pulled away, a curious expression on her face. "So, since when has Professor McGonagall been Minerva to you?"

"Umm… well she's been training me in secret since my name came out of that stupid goblet. She kept on doing so during the summer and this past school year. I would have told you, but we didn't want Dumbledore to know about it and you didn't know Occlumency."

"So that's where you used to disappear off to. I thought you were training on your own or just needed time away from everyone to blow off some steam, so I left you alone. With everything that happened during this past school year, I figured you simply continued that pattern."

"No, she helped me a lot. We're… well we're basically friends."

"Isn't that a bit inappropriate?"

Harry shrugged helplessly. "Maybe, but I can't just call her my professor. She means more to me than that."

"Really? How much does she mean to you?" She raised her eyebrow at him. He was unable to contain his blush, remaining quiet. "You have a crush on her, don't you?"

"I do." He didn't want to lie to his best friend.

She stared at him intently. "Is it just an innocent crush, or is there more to it?"

"More," he whispered. "I've been attracted to her since our third year, but instead of going away, it's only gotten stronger. Especially since she started training me and I actually got to know her. Now, I'm going through some behavioral and thought process changes due to my injury from Greyback and my feelings are really intense right now. I don't know what to do."

"If it was anyone else, I'd tell you to let it go, but…"

"But what?"

"Well, if anyone could make such an unconventional relationship work, it would be the two of you. Strangely enough, I can kind of see you together."

"You sound like Dora. And before you ask, she managed to figure it out on her own, her and Sirius. I made both take a vow of secrecy, though it did help some being able to talk to someone about it."

"Well, whatever you decide, I'm here to support you."

"Thanks, Mione."

"Now, tell me all about your elemental powers and this natural animagus transformation. Oh, and congratulations on your OWLs. I knew you could do well if you were motivated enough, and it turns out that impressing a certain professor was all the motivation you needed." Harry groaned at her teasing. "Don't get upset Harry. Besides, at least with the beard you've grown out, you look older." She was referring to the circle beard that he'd been letting grow since the start of the summer. What he didn't know was that Minerva approved of it as well, though it did make it even harder than it already was to remember his actual age.

- H.M. –

When Harry and Minerva got back, Susan had already informed the others about how the meeting had gone and Charlie and Fleur had already gotten moved in. The group had an early dinner where they talked and got to know more about the new additions to the group. Amelia, Tonks, and Hestia explained how their day at the auror's office went, letting them know that they had chosen a small group of aurors to help keep an eye on everyone, especially Ivy for the moment. Amelia hadn't made any big moves just yet, but she planned on doing so soon. They retired for bed early they had to get up so early in the morning. Harry and Minerva, with both their minds on the morning's events, were hesitant to sleep together again. Both agreed to do it in the end, but they also hoped that Samena would be able to solve the problem tomorrow since neither knew how much longer they could stand the torture.