10. More Discussions

A/N: Only one person asked what Minerva's response to Albus' question was! C'mon, wasn't anyone else curious? Anyway, Minerva comforts Tracey, who writes a long letter to her family.

The Gryffindors didn't notice the sleek silver tabby slipping through the common room and up the staircase to the girls' dormitories. Upon reaching the landing outside the first years' dorm, the silver tabby became none other than Minerva McGonagall, the Head of Gryffindor. Without bothering to knock, she opened the door to the dormitory and slipped inside. Sitting on the bed furthest from the door was Tracey Cooper, holding her pillow to her, staring blankly at nothing in particular. When the door closed behind Minerva with a quiet 'snick', Tracey looked up, ready to yell at the intruder, but it died in her throat when she saw whom her visitor was. "Professor McGonagall."

"Hello, Miss Cooper." Minerva crossed to the girl's bed and stood looking down at her. "Miss Jones indicated that you have been teased quite a bit today?"

The girl rolled her eyes, her hands clenching in the pillow she still held. "Yes. Everywhere I went today, I was teased about _something_. Either my size or my accent."

Minerva nodded, remembering her first year at Hogwarts. "Who teased you?"

"Slytherins, mostly," Tracey admitted, dropping her gaze to the bed, "although a couple Ravenclaws decided to tease me, too."

Minerva looked around. "Where's your cat?"

"I, um, kinda kicked her out of here." Tracey's face was red with embarrassment now. "I just didn't want her to bother me."

Minerva nodded, looking thoughtful. "Well, part of the purpose of you bringing a pet is for you to have someone to comfort you, even when there's no one around."

"I understand, Professor, but I forgot to mention that I tend to get pretty nasty when I'm upset," Tracey informed Minerva with an apologetic smile.

Minerva reached out and squeezed the girl's shoulder. "That's quite alright, Miss Cooper. Everyone has their own way of dealing with anger. Just try not to take it out on your fellow students."

"I hope Lynne's not too mad at me for yelling at her," Tracey murmured, picking at her pillow now. "She's really nice. They all are, actually."

Minerva smiled, her hand still resting on Tracey's shoulder. "Cultivate a friendship with them, Tracey. Their friendship will help you against the teasing."

"Were _you_ teased, Professor?" Tracey asked, looking up at Minerva curiously. "When you were a student?"

Minerva nodded, her smile bittersweet. "If it hadn't been for my friends, I don't know what I would have done."

"What would people tease you about, Professor?" Tracey's bright blue eyes were wide with curiosity. "I can't imagine anyone daring to tease you."

Minerva chuckled softly. "Believe it or not, I had a rather thick accent when I started at Hogwarts. I was teased mercilessly for it. I wasn't much to look at, either, when I started. I was thin and gangly, always tripping over my feet."

"I can't imagine that," Tracey objected. "You must have been gorgeous when you were younger." After a moment, Tracey hastily added, "Not that you aren't gorgeous right now."

Minerva smiled, amused by the girl's discomfort. "It is quite alright, Miss Cooper."

"Am I Tracey or Miss Cooper?" Tracey asked with a frown.

Puzzled, Minerva asked, "What do you mean?"

"You've called me 'Miss Cooper' _and_ 'Tracey' during our talk," Tracey pointed out. "Are you here as my professor or as a mother?"

Minerva couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her. "A good point, but you can't have two mothers."

"Why not?" Tracey questioned, her head cocked to the side curiously. "I have two fathers: Ryan and, uh..." her voice faltered as she couldn't decide how to refer to Albus.

Minerva blinked, surprised by the logic of the girl, and the implications of what Tracey had said. "That is a good point."

"What?" Now Tracey was puzzled.

Pulling her wand out of her pocket, Minerva tapped the invisible ring on her left hand and showed it to Tracey. "You _are_ going to have two mothers."

"I am?" Tracey examined the ring, a grin spreading across her face. "Awesome!"

Both of them laughed, but Minerva sobered as she made the ring invisible once more. "I must ask, however, that you keep this news to yourself, Tracey."

"Why?" Tracey's eyes were innocent and curious.

Minerva's smile was sad this time as she contemplated the carefree nature of childhood. "There are uncertain times ahead and Albus is a powerful wizard, with many enemies. Those same enemies would attack Albus in any way they can, including through those he cares about."

"You," Tracey stated, realization dawning, "and me."

Minerva nodded, "Yes, and possibly Sandra."

"He wants to protect from that possibility," Tracey added, fully understanding the implications of what her father had requested of her. "From the enemies who would attack him."

Minerva brushed a strand of auburn hair back from Tracey's face. "You're very perceptive, Tracey. The fewer people who know who your real father is, the better."

"I understand, Professor." Tracey's smile was strained.

Minerva held up a finger. "Do not let it keep you from enjoying life, however. Do not let the dread of what may come overshadow the joy of the moment."

"Yes, Professor." Tracey's smile was more natural this time. "Um, may I come to you or the Headmaster if things get to be too much?"

Minerva smiled and nodded. "Of course."

* * *

_Dear Mom and Dad,

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to write, but I've been busy getting settled in my classes and all. They're really fascinating, but the ones I enjoy the most are Potions and Transfiguration. Potions is kind of like chemistry, but the teacher is kinda mean. He's the Head of Slytherin, one of the Houses, and favors them over any other House, especially Gryffindor (my House). Maybe I should go back and explain about Houses.

There are four Houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin, each named for one of founders of Hogwarts (I only know their last names). At the beginning of the year, the new students are Sorted into these four Houses by this magical hat that once belonged to Gryffindor. We're Sorted depending on the kind of person we are. Gryffindors are brave and noble, Ravenclaws are smart and wise, Hufflepuffs are loyal and hardworking, and Slytherins are ambitious and cunning. There's a teacher in charge of each House, called a Head. Professor McGonagall (she teaches Transfiguration) is the Head of Gryffindor, Professor Snape is the Head of Slytherin, Professor Flitwick (he teaches Charms) is the Head of Ravenclaw, and Professor Sprout (she teaches Herbology) is the Head of Hufflepuff. Anyway, I ended up in Gryffindor, along with three other girls and four boys. I sleep in a dormitory with the girls and attend classes with the other seven.

Speaking of classes, they are just awesome! I know, I know, I use that for everything, but what else is there for me to say? Anyway, Transfiguration is basically turning one object into another. The first thing we tried was turning a matchstick into a needle. All I managed to do was make it look as if it'd been dipped in liquid silver. Oh, well. Dennis Creevey (one of the boys who'd been Sorted into Gryffindor, about the same size as me) said his brother, Colin, said that Transfiguration is really hard. The trick, to me, seems to be visualizing what I want the object to turn _into_. At least, when I tried it that way, I got better results. Potions, as I said, is like magical chemistry. Some of the effects from doing something wrong are pretty interesting, but Snape definitely favors his House over the others. I answered two questions right and he didn't even bother to give me points for it! (By points, I mean House Points. Teachers award them to students for answering questions correctly or something along those lines and take them away for rule-breaking) Charms is kind of fun because Professor Flitwick is so small that he has to stand on a stack of books to see over the desk. He's shorter than me! Charms is probably what most people think of when they think of magic. Generally speaking, charms enchant objects to behave in a way that isn't at all normal for that particular object. Dennis told me that there's a spell that makes objects fly. Isn't that cool? See, didn't use awesome this time! Herbology is like botany in a way. We study magical plants and fungi and they're loads of fun! Dennis told me that there's this one plant called a Mandrake that basically looks like a baby with leaves growing out of its head! When I asked him for more information, though, he changed the subject.

Oh! More subjects! We're also supposed to take History of Magic and it's taught by a ghost! His name is Professor Binns and it's really boring. He has this monotonous voice that just drones on and on and on! If I wasn't so keen on learning all I can about magical history, I'd go right to sleep! Most of the class does anyway, even Dennis and I should think he'd want to know about it, too, being a Muggle-born! Both his parents are Muggles. His dad's a milkman. I don't know where they live, though. There's also Defense Against the Dark Arts. From what Dennis has said, this is their fourth Defense Against the Dark Arts professor in the last four years! He said that Colin really liked their last one, a Professor Lupin, but Snape "accidentally" told the Slytherins that Lupin was a werewolf. Of course, the news spread like wildfire, so Lupin resigned to avoid having indignant parents write and complain about him. Anyway, Professor Moody is kind of scary. I can't even begin to describe him, but he has a wooden leg (not a peg one, it's got a clawed foot), and this really weird fake eye that swivels around his eye socket. It can see through things because Dennis was showing me some pictures Colin had taken and Moody told him to put them away. They were hidden by the desk! How else could Moody have seen them?

We eat our meals in the Great Hall, which is HUGE! There are four long tables running lengthwise down it, where the four Houses sit to eat, and another one on a raised platform that runs across the Hall, where the staff sits to eat. The Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, sits right in the middle with Professor McGonagall to the right of him. Where the other professors sit changes from time to time, but Professor McGonagall always sits to Professor Dumbledore's right. The ceiling is awesome, too! It was enchanted to reflect whatever weather we're having. During the Sorting, it was covered with these angry-looking purple and black clouds, because it was a dark and stormy night (always wanted to use that phrase!), and lighting would flash across it, right when a rumble of thunder boomed outside!

Oh! Hogwarts is going to be hosting something called a Triwizard Tournament this year! It's a competition between the three major wizarding schools in Europe: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. A champion will be selected to represent each school and the three champions will compete in three magical tasks in order to win the Triwizard Cup and a thousand Galleons personal prize money. Dennis considered entering, but only students who are seventeen or older may compete. The reason Professor Dumbledore gave for this requirement, which is apparently a new one, is that the tasks will be difficult and dangerous. Most of the students seemed upset by that, but I think it's a logical necessity. The Heads of the other two schools will be arriving with their contenders sometime next month and the champions will be selected on Halloween by an impartial judge. I suppose the students who aren't selected will be staying at Hogwarts to watch their champion compete.

Wow, it's getting late. I'd better end this now. I suppose I'll have to tell you about my fellow Gryffindors in my next letter. I love you all!

Tracey._