Chapter Two:
The cluster of people walked up to Dumbledore's office. The headmaster looked slightly confused, and kept shooting looks saying 'Don't I know you' at Minnie. The girl just kept shifting uncomfortably and looking down, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. They reached the large wooden door and Dumbledore turned to face the four children. "Right will one of you please explain what is going on" he asked, still looking suspiciously at Minnie. Harry looked the headmaster straight in the face, " To be perfectly honest Sir, were not really sure ourselves. All we do know is that this girl here is Professor McGonagall" his voice was calm and didn't give away his true feelings. He looked away waiting for the axe blow to fall. Dumbledore's face was unreadable, he certainly wasn't smiling but he didn't look mad. "Harry, Ron will you come inside and tell me what happened. Miss Granger will you stay outside with Minerva." his tone was casual but showed authority. The three of them nodded and Minerva pulled a face at the use of her proper name.
The two boys walked in the office and sat down. Dumbledore paced the room thinking intently, "Right you two, I want you to tell me everything that has happened" he said firmly. Both Harry and Ron gulped, " Well it's a REALLY long story Sir" said Harry tentatively, looking nervous. Dumbledore smirked slightly " Tell away." The two boys began there tale and Dumbledore listened with interest, by the end of it he was looking thoroughly amused, " ... So that's it Sir" Ron finished. Dumbledore looked at him a moment and then started laughing, the boy's looked incredibly confused. "Er.. Sir?" Harry asked making cuckoo fingers around his head. The headmaster looked at him and sat down "Well this IS going to be interesting" he murmured, clasping his hands together. Both Harry and Ron looked confused " Er.. What is" they both echoed. Dumbledore smiled and began a little tale off his own.
" I don't believe you two know what Professor McGonagall was like as a teenager do you?" Dumbledore's voice was cool, but there was hidden laughter behind it. Both boys shook their heads having no clue where this was going, Dumbledore smiled at them, 'this is definitely going to be interesting' he thought. "Why Professor?" asked Harry, still looking very nervous, Dumbledore just looked at them his face unreadable, "Oh You'll see" he said simply, thinking his little bombshell would be too much for them right now. Both of the boys looked at him in suspicion, "Oh that does not sound good" said Ron wincing slightly at the look on the headmaster's face. Harry shook his head "So what do we do with her?" he asked and then immediately regretted it. Dumbledore's face melted from mischievous to stern in a matter of seconds "Well Mr Potter" he said with a slight bite "Since Professor McGonagall now thinks and looks like a fifteen year old..." he trailed off knowing his point had been taken in. Harry groaned " But Sir there is no way in hell we could do that, it would just be to.. well .. weird" he said honestly, but the look on the headmasters face told him he had no say in the matter, and that he had therefore already lost. Dumbledore spoke to him in a commanding tone " Excuse me Mr Potter, but since you and your classmates are responsible for this little disaster I believe there is a way you could do it." Harry looked up one last bullet in his gun, it couldn't fail, it mustn't fail "But what are we going to tell everyone?" he asked, praying Dumbledore hadn't come up with this already. Apparently he had "Well you could say that she is Professor McGonagall's niece and she's on a transfer until we can change her back." his voice was full of that mischief again and that meant no good for anyone. Harry mouthed wordlessly, his last lifeline was gone and he now realised he was stuck with this little disaster whether he liked it or not, "Crud" he muttered. "Er.. Sir" ventured Ron, "How long will it take to change her back?" Dumbledore faltered slightly this time, "Er.. well I can't do anything until Professor Snape gets back, he's the only one who knows how to reverse the potion." Ron goggled at him "But that's nearly two weeks away, we won't last that long and if we can keep it a secret that long it will be a miracle" he exploded. Dumbledore sat there thoughtfully, "Hmm I see your point Ron, but we have to try" he said solemnly. There was silence for a moment.
Dumbledore then spoke again "Well I suppose you should get out of here your next lesson starts in ten minutes." Ron groaned "Great we missed lunch", Harry gave a sigh 'Typical Ron' he thought and rose to leave. Ron promptly followed disliking their situation much more than when he had gone in. When they got outside the office, Hermione raced up to them "So what's happening?" she asked. Ron sighed glumly "Nothing" he said "Dumbledore says he can't do a thing until Snape gets back." Hermione stared in disbelief, she had believed the headmaster would have been able to fix this no questions asked "But that's nearly TWO weeks" she cried. Both boy's nodded in agreement "And were stuck babysitting her until he does" said Harry, jabbing his thumb at Minnie. "Hey!" cried Minnie indignantly "I don't need a babysitter." The three of them stared at her "R..ight" they said in unison, realising this was going to be VERY difficult indeed. "Come on guys" said Harry eventually "Let's get Minnie some new robes those ones are swamping her."
They arrived at Charms twenty minutes later, Minnie now kitted out in black Hogwarts robes. The three of them were still finding it very hard to believe that this girl grew up to be the strict, humourless Professor McGonagall. She actually had a sense of humour and had more witty one liners than Fred and George put together. When they had gone to get her robes she had caused a total scene. Madame Pomfrey nearly had a seizure trying to fit her because she kept fidgeting purposely. But they had to admit it had been really funny to see her lose her cool composure for once. The matron had quite literally thrown them out after Minnie had made a rather inappropriate comment about her skills as a nurse. But they had made it to Charms without any other mishaps, as of yet.
They were standing in the corridor waiting for Professor Flitwick completely unaware that the greatest disaster ever was about to start. Hermione was chattering away to Minnie, when an all to familiar drawling voice echoed behind them. "Hey Potter" it called "Wonder if McGonagall's got out of the dungeon yet" The voice was full of unkind humour. Harry turned and saw Draco Malfoy marching up followed by his cronies. Harry glanced at Minnie and winced, there was anger on her face and that made him think something bad was about to happen. But to Harry's surprise she laughed and called casually to the Slytherin "Probably got out of there quicker than you blondie. But that's probably not saying much, you couldn't find your way out of a paper bag." Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at one another a sly grin on their faces. Malfoy froze his face twisting into a glare, "Repeat tha...." he started, swivelling around and trailing off. He had just noticed Minnie for the first time and the oddest expression came over his face, he turned away and blushed. The three of them looked at Malfoy and then at one another, the same confused look on all their faces.
The three of them stood there transfixed, waiting for something else to happen, but it didn't. At that moment Flitwick entered the corridor and ushered the class in. Hermione explained about Minnie to Professor Flitwick, while Harry sat down pondering what had just happened. Suddenly like a flash of lightning it hit him "Oh God" he muttered, his face turning very red as he tried valiantly to suppress the laughter that was working it's way up his throat. On top of all that had already happened, this was too much to take. Ron looked at his friend in urgency, Harry sat there his face red and he was shaking uncontrollably, "Harry what's up?" he asked worriedly. Harry looked up his green eyes sparkling with laughter, quickly he explained his theory to Ron, who turned almost as red as his hair choking back laughter.
Professor Flitwick obviously noticed something wrong as he said "Boy's are you okay?" Both Harry and Ron shook their heads unable to speak, and Hermione stepped in for them "Er.. they need to go to the bathroom Sir" she said quickly, glancing at the boys. Flitwick looked at Hermione and then at the boys, who looked as if they were going to burst with suppressed hilarity, he sighed "Go on boys your excused." The pair of them tore out the room like the devil was at their heels, "Er.. perhaps you should go see if their okay Miss Granger" said Flitwick. Hermione didn't need to be told twice she rushed out after them, totally confused. Harry and Ron raced around the corner and collapsed at once, bursting into pure ringing laughter at the absurdity of what Harry had just suggested. Hermione rounded the corner to find both Harry and Ron on the floor, crying tears of laughter. "What on earth is so funny!!" she demanded irritably, Harry looked up at her regaining his composure slightly and uttered simply "Malfoy likes Minnie."