Disclaimer: All things you recognize from the seven Harry Potter books belong to J.K. Rowling. I am merely borrowing for my own entertainment and do not earn anything for writing this story.

Hey, I'm back in less than a month, but that's because I want the next two or three chapters done and over with so I can actually get to the point of this story.

Thanks for reviewing, SchaMG and LakeWisconsin, and also, from before, Alonsy10, Julia1905, X-xMissMeeex-X, and jadely31. Thank you, guys, I really appreciate that you reviewed.

2021.2.19.

Reply Section

1) To SchaMG:

Thanks for reviewing and responding. I appreciate that very much. I can't promise you'll actually see Minerva deal with Dolores Umbridge, but you'll see some action from her, definitely. I'm hoping it'll be pretty soon, but who knows? I've added a bit of something at the end of this chapter, which I hope will satisfy you for now.

I realize I've made Ron out to be not-so-likeable, and for that, I'm sorry, but it adds a bit of spice, doesn't it?

Anyway, stay safe during this difficult time.

A Bloody Hand: Things Just Seem to Happen Together

Chapter 5

It was a cloudy Saturday morning. Harry was working on some of his homework alone in the common room when Ron entered, completely out of breath. Obviously, he had run quite a distance.

"Harry!" he cried, panting. He bent over, holding onto his knees and breathing heavily. "There you are!"

"Hey, Ron," said Harry, startled and rather alarmed, looking up from his work. "Are you okay? Why have you been running? Is something wrong?"

"No, not really," said Ron, after getting his breath back. "I've been looking all over the place for you, that's all. McGonagall wants to see you in her office."

"Oh," said Harry, surprised. "That's what all that was about? You gave me a fright, Ron. Well, I'd better go at once to find McGonagall, I suppose."

"Yeah," agreed Ron, sitting down beside him. "I think she's in her office. Hey, you haven't done anything wrong, have you, mate?" he added, after a pause.

"No," said Harry, thinking hard, "I'm pretty sure I haven't." He finished packing his things into his bag, and hurried to the dorm. He left his bag by his bed and hurried back into the common room. "See you later, Ron," he said to his friend.

"Good luck with McGonagall, mate," answered Ron. "I'll tell Hermione where you went when she gets back from the library."

Harry nodded once and went out of the Gryffindor common room. He swiftly walked towards McGonagall's office, wondering if he hadn't handed in an assignment or something. He supposed he would find out soon enough though, as he had just reached McGonagall's office.

"Come in," called her voice after he had knocked.

Harry entered McGonagall's office, feeling nervous. He went to stand in front of her desk and spoke uncertainly. "Professor? Ron said you want me," he said to McGonagall, who was sitting at her desk, sipping a cup of tea.

McGonagall looked at him and put down her cup. She nodded. "Yes, I told your friend, Mr Weasley, to find you for me," she replied, gesturing for him to sit, which he did. For a moment, she didn't speak, then suddenly, she said, "Potter, Professor Dumbledore is back."

"He is?" said Harry, surprised and a bit confused. He frowned slightly. "I haven't seen him in the Great Hall, Professor."

"You wouldn't have," answered McGonagall calmly. "Professor Dumbledore has been with the Minister for the last couple of days. He was tired when he came back yesterday, early in the morning, so he stayed in his rooms to rest and had some house elves get him food. Today, however, his strength is back, and he has agreed to meet me this afternoon, in his office."

"About Um—I mean, Professor Umbridge, right?" asked Harry. He knew it had to be about her, but he still needed to make sure.

"Yes, Potter, about her," nodded McGonagall, the distaste on her face unmistakable. "The Headmaster doesn't know what the meeting will be about, of course, and neither does he know you will be joining us. All he knows is that I would like to speak with him."

Harry gaped at her, then quickly recovered himself. "Professor?" he said, astonished and confused. "Why will I be joining you this afternoon? You said you'll take care of it."

"I said I would speak to the Headmaster," agreed McGonagall. "However, he is a stubborn man, and he doesn't believe others can be truly evil, except perhaps for You-Know-Who and a few of his Death Eaters. For him to believe me, he would have to see proof, and the scar on your hand is perfect. Please, Potter," she added, "it's the only way."

"That's silly," said Harry, then blushed. "Oh . . . sorry, ma'am," he said at once. "I forgot—I mean, I didn't mean—I mean—er . . ." He stopped and looked helplessly at McGonagall, who actually seemed a bit amused. Relieved, he said, "Right. Well, okay then. So when should I go to Professor Dumbledore's office, ma'am?"

"At two o'clock," replied McGonagall. "I will be waiting for you there, and we will go up together."

Harry nodded. McGonagall continued, "I will explain to him what that woman has done and tell him you have received detentions from her. Then, you can show him your hand with the scar. That will be all you need to do. After you show him the proof, you may leave us, immediately. I will deal with the Headmaster."

Harry nodded again, relieved. "So I won't have to speak at all, Professor?" he anxiously confirmed.

"That's right," said McGonagall. "Professor Dumbledore and I will be the only ones talking. You will do the listening and show him your hand. Then you may leave, at once."

"Okay." Harry stood up from the chair. "See you this afternoon, Professor."

"See you, Potter," said McGonagall as he left through the door and shut it behind him.

Harry sighed as he left McGonagall's office. He was glad Umbridge would, hopefully, soon be gone, but he couldn't help but feel apprehensive about the meeting with Dumbledore, even though he wouldn't need to talk at all.

XXX

Minerva McGonagall watched Harry Potter leave her office and sighed to herself. She hated having to drag him into this mess—this mess with Umbridge in the middle—but she had to. She knew Albus, the naive old man, and so she had to bring proof along or Albus would just frown, smile, and wave them aside.

That didn't make it any easier asking James and Lily's son to join the meeting though. But she knew the Ministry would be informed, and they would definitely want proof, and Harry was the one most used to being in the spotlight. He would be fine. The other students though, if they were dragged into the spotlight, onto newspapers and magazines, and received endless criticism and staring, they would not be the same. Hopefully though, the Ministry wouldn't ask for proof other than Umbridge's word, so Harry's name wouldn't have to be involved at all.

"Of course," added Minerva to herself, "Harry isn't normal or your average student - he's famous. Still, he's a nice boy. Hopefully, his grades will pick up once You-Know-Who is gone – that is, if he is gone before Harry graduates."

Minerva glared at her desk, frustrated. How she wished she was younger! If she was younger, then she would never have let Albus leave Harry at the Dursleys and would have took him in. But she was too old to take care of a boy, so she didn't offer. "At least they give him food, clothes, and a place to live," she told herself. "And protection. And Albus wouldn't let Harry Potter stay there if it was very bad, surely?"

Feeling only slightly reassured by herself, Minerva turned back to marking and grading essays, some of which were excellent, some of which were exasperating.

XXX

Harry went back to the common room and was immediately hugged by Hermione. "You're back!" she happily said, sounding relieved.

"Yeah, I am," said Harry, confused. "I'm fine, Hermione, why are you hugging me like this?"

"Oh, Ron and I were so worried!" exclaimed Hermione, and Ron, from behind her, nodded. "We thought you had gotten into trouble or something, you were gone for so long!" She released him and frowned at him. "You were meeting McGonagall, weren't you?" she asked. "You didn't finish talking and wander off?"

"Of course I didn't," replied Harry at once. "I came straight back from our talk."

"What was your talk about, Harry?" added Ron curiously. "McGonagall kept you for a long time."

"Oh," said Harry, surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah, mate—thirty minutes," said Ron. "I thought it would last maybe ten minutes, about some homework or something."

"Oh, well," said Harry, rather uncomfortable. He still didn't feel like telling Hermione and Ron about his encounter with McGonagall. It wasn't that he didn't trust his friends—he did, very much—but he felt like telling them he had told McGonagall about his hand would be admitting a weakness, just as he hadn't been very fond of the idea of telling one of the professors about Umbridge's detentions when Hermione and Ron had suggested it. "It was nothing," he muttered. "Just some stuff about homework and quizzes. And she said Dumbledore is back."

"He is?" said Hermione in astonishment. "But we haven't seen him."

"Yeah, I asked her about that." Harry hesitated, then said carefully, "Look, I'll tell you all about it later, okay? Let's just go have some lunch."

"Sure," said Ron, always agreeable when it came to food. "Let's go then!" He rushed out of the common room, and Harry, relieved, quickly followed Ron out of the common room, and Hermione did the same, rolling her eyes at Ron's behavior.