On Minerva's eleventh birthday, she woke up early and went downstairs without her father even calling her. She ran to him at his desk and crawled into his lap. "Good morning, Father!"
Her father smiled back at her and kissed her. "Happy birthday, beautiful! Have you decided what you want?" He pulled out his wand to create whatever she desired.
Minerva looked around the room, searching for inspiration. She finally looked back at her father. "Can I have a stick like yours? You always do magic with your stick, and I don't have one."
Her father was taken aback. "Why do you want a wand, Minerva? You do not need one to do magic."
Minerva pouted. "But I want one because you have one."
Her father shook his head. "I'm sorry, my Minerva, but you cannot have one. You must continue doing your magic just the way you always have."
Minerva scowled for a moment. She looked around again, and her eyes stopped on the curtained, barred window. "Can we go outside?"
"Why do you want to go outside?"
"I don't know. Because it's there. Have you ever been outside, Father?"
Her father gave a somewhat cruel smile. "Yes, I have been outside. And you will go one day, but not today."
"Then I want nothing." Her eyes were shining.
He did not know what to do. He desperately wanted to please Minerva, but giving her a wand would work against his plan. He did not want her to become dependant upon them like all other witches and wizards. She was special, and he did not want that to change. And to go outside would be to risk being seen, and no one knew about his daughter yet. Few people had even known that he was married, and he had taken care of those few.
Minerva got up and began going upstairs. "Wait, Minerva!"
She turned around. "What?"
Her father waved his wand and a grand piano appeared in the corner of his office. "I have a present for you." He thought that the many keys and the different sounds might amuse her.
Minerva went over to the bench. "What is it?"
"It is a piano, Minerva. It plays music."
Minerva looked at him curiously. "What is music?"
"Music is…well, here, I'll play you some." Her father sat at the bench and began to play the original tune to the Hogwarts School Song. "Now you try."
Minerva sat on the bench beside him and pushed a few keys. "How do I know what to push?"
Her father waved his wand and a music book appeared on the stand. He opened it to very difficult songs, hoping that she would be able to sit here quietly for a long time. He had work to do elsewhere.
Minerva halfheartedly pressed a few keys in turn and shook her head. She moved up by a key and did the same. She did this until she was satisfied with the sound, and then started to play the song in front of her. It was not perfect, but she was unmistakably playing Pachelbel's Canon.
Her father stared at her. "How do you do that?"
Minerva shrugged. "It sounded best this way."
Her father watched her playing for a few more minutes, and then he stood up. "Minerva, I have to go do some work. I will see you later."
Minerva stopped playing. "But…it's my birthday. Why are you leaving?"
He dropped to one knee and kissed her hand. "I must, beautiful." He stood up and pointed his wand at her. "Remember what I said to you, you have to let my magic work. I do not want to do this, but I have to. We both have to do things we do not want to." Minerva nodded silently, tears dripping down her face. "Imperio!"
Minerva heard her father's voice in her head. "Stay here and be quiet. Play the piano and practice your magic. Do not leave this room. If anyone comes in, do not let your presence be known. Listen to me. Stay here."
Minerva turned around and played the piano. She did not move when the door opened and her father's footsteps echoed down the hall.