Chapter 14-Dumbledore's Legacy

McGonagall took Harry outside, and Harry waited for her to speak. McGonagall sighed and said, "The reason I needed to speak to you privately is because Dumbledore left some information regarding Snape for you, and it's in the Pensieve. Dumbledore wanted you to see it for yourself that Snape is not the guy we thought him to be."

Harry said, "What about your meeting with Rita?"

McGonagall said, "Don't worry about that right now. Filius and Aberforth are both in there, so they will be fine. Now, you come with me." She led Harry back up to the castle, then up to her office. Dumbledore was snoozing in his portrait peacefully. McGonagall opened a cabinet, and there was the Pensieve. Surprisingly, as McGonagall was about to take it out, Fawkes swooped in the window.

McGonagall said surprisingly, "Hello, Fawkes. How have you been? I bet it has been difficult on you after Dumbledore's death. It has been hard on us, too." She glanced at Harry when she said this. Fawkes bowed his head, and Harry walked up to Fawkes and said, "Hello, Fawkes. I know it has been hard on you, too. Dumbledore left you in my care, so I understand if you would rather have Professor McGonagall as your owner, and not me." Fawkes shook his head, then roared, and crawled in Harry's hand. McGonagall whispered, "Fawkes, would you like to join us on our journey in time?"

Fawkes nodded, and wrapped his head in his plume of feathers, getting ready for the journey. McGonagall dipped her head into the Pensieve, and Harry did the same. He was careful not to let Fawkes fall out of his hand as he fell in the Pensieve, McGonagall falling besides him. He didn't want anything to happen to the only companion that Dumbledore had for a long time.

Harry saw that they had landed in front of Hogwarts, but the castle looked younger than it looked in the present. McGonagall hushed him, while Fawkes was swooping over their heads. Harry saw McGonagall pointing to a figure walking from the castle. Harry noticed the figure was wearing an emerald cloak. Harry said, "Professor, is you?" McGonagall nodded, paying attention to the younger McGonagall walking away. The older McGonagall gestured for Harry to follow her, and Fawkes followed them. Harry and the others entered the Three Broomsticks, where they saw the younger McGonagall slide into a booth, next to Dumbledore, to Harry's surprise. The younger Dumbledore nodded at the younger McGonagall, and Madam Rosmerta came by their table, and Dumbledore ordered mulled mead for them both. Dumbledore was wearing dark purple robes. He was looking around, then began speaking to McGonagall.

Dumbledore said, "I bet you know why I called you here, Minerva."

McGonagall said, "Does this have to do with You Know Who?"

Dumbledore's cerulean eyes darkened, and said, "No, Minerva, though Voldemort is getting stronger, but we will get to that in a minute. You know now that the old Potions Master retired, we have to find a new Potions Master. Well, I have found an efficient Potions Master."

McGonagall sighed and said, "May I ask who you have in mind as the new Potions Master?"

Dumbledore smiled, and said, "Guess."

McGonagall said, "Dedalus Diggle? Elphias Doge?"
Dumbledore chuckled and said, "Not even close. Severus Snape."

McGonagall choked on her mead, and the mead spilled all over her cloak, but she wasn't paying attention to her cloak right now. Instead, she was staring at Dumbledore like he had lost his mind.

"Are you kidding me? Don't you know that Severus Snape is a renowned Deatheater? Why would you want someone on Voldemort's side teaching students? Personally, I think Snape was involved in the Potters' murders somehow."
Dumbledore frowned and said, "I don't want to know how you found out about Severus being a Deatheater. I can tell you that he has redeemed himself, and has agreed to come to our side at last."

McGonagall said, "He claims that, but I don't trust Severus Snape!"
Dumbledore leaned over, and twiddled his fingers and said, "Let me tell you this. I never told you this, because you would think I'm a crazy old loon. When the school governors heard I was hiring an Ex-Auror to teach Transfiguration, they thought I had lost my mind, because they were afraid you would try to take over my position as Headmaster in less than 1 year. The governors heard about your work, and were scared of you."

Harry looked at the older McGonagall and said, "Is it true that the school governors were scared of you?" McGonagall said, "Shh." The younger McGonagall started speaking again, chuckling sarcastically, "The School Governors scared of me? NAH!"

Dumbledore said, "It's true. Minerva, I know you don't trust Severus completely yet, but the time will come when you finally understand why I gave Severus a chance."

McGonagall sighed and said, "When would that be, Dumbledore?"

Dumbledore said, "Well, I can tell you that you will understand completely when I die, and you become Headmistress."

McGonagall said, "Albus, don't say that! You're the greatest wizard ever, and you can't die."

Dumbledore said, "I'm afraid so. I will be murdered by someone, and Harry Potter is the only one to stop Voldemort. You or I can't stop Voldemort. Harry can."

McGonagall gasped, "You don't mean the baby Harry Potter we are talking about?"

Dumbledore said, "Yes, Harry will grow up to be a great wizard, and he will go down in history as Voldemort's defeater." Dumbledore then turned to the place where Harry and the older McGonagall stood, and he winked at Harry. Harry jumped back, surprised. He said to the older McGonagall, "Professor, did you see that?"

McGonagall apparently didn't see it, and she turned to Harry saying, "What did you see, Potter?"

Harry told McGonagall about Dumbledore winking at him.

McGonagall smiled and said, "I am not surprised. Dumbledore is a genius, so he could do anything. He may have found some ways to talk to you, and this is one of them."

Harry and McGonagall turned back to listen to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore continued, "Minerva, I know you are confused by this right now, but you will understand someday." His cerulean eyes twinkled when he said this.

The younger McGonagall asked, "Albus, why was You Know Who after Lily and James Potter?"

Dumbledore said, "Call him Voldemort. I can't reveal that yet, but someday you will find out why Voldemort murdered them."

Dumbledore then shrieked, "Rosmerta! Come here." Madam Rosmerta came by the table, and Dumbledore gave her some Knuts for the Mead.

Dumbledore turned to McGonagall and said, "It's getting late. We talked too long. We better get back to the castle." He rose from his seat, and put on his traveling cloak, and went out the door, leaving the younger McGonagall looking puzzled.

Suddenly, Harry felt himself floating back up to McGonagall's office. Fawkes was already sitting on his perch when he and Professor McGonagall came out of the Pensieve.

McGonagall sighed, and sat behind her desk. Dumbledore was sleeping soundly in his portrait.
Harry said, "Professor, why did you want to show me your memory of the meeting?"

Professor McGonagall leaned closer, and her beady eyes turned stern, and she said, "To show you that you can trust me. Dumbledore even said that I would be here to help you after he died."

Harry said, "I do trust you, Professor."

McGonagall said, "Ah, then why reject my help on helping you finding the Horcruxes? It seems you don't trust me completely yet."

Harry said, "Because I can't endanger your life, Professor. Dumbledore, Sirius, and my parents sacrificed their lives for me. I can't bear to lose anyone else. What if it's Lupin next, or you? I can't do that."

Professor McGonagall sighed and said, "Potter, I already promised Albus I would do everything I can to help you, and Aberforth even is risking his life into helping us."

Harry said, "Then you will have to undo your promise. I'm sorry, Professor."

McGonagall sighed and said, "Can't do that, Harry. Let me tell you something that Dumbledore never told you. The reason he was so close to your parents were because they saved his life once."

Harry's eyes went wide, and said, "Dumbledore was saved by my parents? How can that be? Dumbledore was the most powerful wizard!"

Professor McGonagall said, "Dumbledore was in a bind one time, and Lily and James rescued him. You see, Grindelwald had weakened Dumbledore really bad after Dumbledore destroyed Grindelwald, and Voldemort at that time was about to kill Dumbledore, when Lily and James rescued Dumbledore and had him healed."

Harry said, "Wow, what else do you know about Dumbledore?"

McGonagall said, "Well, I know Dumbledore came from a pureblood family, so did I."

Harry said, "Anything else?"

Professor McGonagall smiled and said, "That's all. That's the legacy of Dumbledore. If you want more information on Dumbledore, you better ask the person who knows Albus better, his own brother."