Halloween 1981

"You wanted to see me Albus?" Minerva said as she entered his office. She had received a patronus from him which was rather unusual.

"The Potters were attacked at Godric's Hollow," he said gravely. "James and Lily perished but young Harry somehow survived it. Lily sacrificed herself to save him and invoked an old magic. I need your help to preserve that magic. The child's safety depends on it."

Minerva was pale and shaking in grief at losing two of her cubs, two of her favorites if she admitted to such. She tried to hold her tears at bay but her eyes watered and the grief showed on her face was evident. "Anything to help," she whispered emotionally.

Albus smiled inwardly at her wording. "We need to meet Hagrid," Albus said briskly. "He went to fetch Harry for me. I need to set up protections for him immediately."

Albus and Minerva arrived at a small cottage somewhere in Northern Scotland just as Hagrid arrived via Sirius' flying motorcycle. A small exchange in remembrance of James and Lily Potter occurred before Albus accepted a sleeping Harry. He moved the blanket down a bit and gazed at the baby boy who had defeated the self proclaimed Lord Voldemort.

Minerva peered at him and frowned when she saw the lightning bolt cut on his forehead. "His forehead is cursed," she noted in horror.

"It appears so," Albus said. "I had a healer check him over before Hagrid arrived here but I will ask Poppy to stop by and check him over more thoroughly."

Albus knocked on the door and waited patiently as he heard movement inside. A man opened the door and gasped in suprise. "What has happened to Harry?" he asked as he saw the fresh cut on his forehead.

"Dougal," Minerva said in shock.

"Min," he whispered as he looked at her in equal suprise.

Before another word was said, Harry woke up and started to cry. "Come in," Dougal said rushed as he realized he had kept them out in the cold night air.

Dougal gently plucked Harry out of Albus' arms and rocked him gently. "It's alright Harry," he soothed the crying child. "Lily?" he asked Albus.

"She sacrificed herself for Harry," Albus admitted with a sigh. "James was murdered as well."

Tears filled Dougal's eyes as he pulled Harry closer to him. "I would expect nothing less from my girl," he whispered tearfully. "She loved Harry more than anything."

"You're the uncle Lily spoke about," Minerva said as she finally connected the dots. "I thought you were an only child."

"My father had an affair that produced Lily's mother Rose," Dougal answered his childhood friend. "My father refused to have anything to do with Rose out of repentance towards my mother. When he died, I split everything equally with her. Rose tried to refuse it but I insisted. She had as much claim to it as I did. We grew close when she realized I just wanted to know my family. Lily always favored me more than Petunia did and she stayed with me frequently when she started Hogwarts. Imagine my suprise when I saw her acceptance letter signed by Minerva McGonagall. All of the pieces clicked together then."

"I couldn't tell you Dougal," she whispered emotionally. "I had to leave."

"I know that now," he said painfully.

Albus cleared his throat and gained their attention. "Lily's sacrifice evoked an old type of protective magic and I hope to harness it to protect young Harry."

"Harness it how?" Minerva asked her mentor.

"By placing Harry with Lily's blood relative," Albus said. "Are you willing to raise Harry?"

Dougal looked at him in suprise. "Wouldn't Petunia be a better choice? She has a son about the same age."

"That's true," Albus admitted. "However, Petunia hates magic. Lily stipulated Harry was never to go to Petunia. You are the last remaining blood relative."

Dougal closed his eyes in acceptance and nodded his head. "I will do my best," he whispered as he pressed a kiss to Harry's forehead.

Albus smiled sadly at the muggle man before him. "You will need help," Albus said. He turned to the witch beside of him and smiled reassuringly at her. "I have discovered something I think will make a difference."

Albus pulled a piece of parchment from his robes and handed it to Minerva. Suprised she unfolded it and looked at it. A gasp sounded from her and she looked up sharply. "Dougal and I have a soulbond?" she questioned.

Albus nodded his head. "You came back to Hogwarts far different than you left it," he answered. "There was a sadness in your eyes that hadn't been there before. Once I realized you were childhood sweethearts with Dougal, I went searching for answers."

"What does that mean," Dougal asked confused.

"Neither of you could ever be truly happy without the other," Albus explained to the Muggle man. "Minerva has become a shadow of the young girl she used to be and I believe it is because the bond wasn't fulfilled."

"You can't be sure of that Albus," Minerva argued.

Albus gave her a searching look before countering, "You can't tell me you are indifferent to him?" Minerva closed her eyes and looked down at that. "That's what I thought. You refused to date, you refused marriage proposals, you refused any social life. Why Minerva?"

Minerva tried to keep her tears from falling but failed miserably. She walked to the window and turned her back to the men. Dougal stared wide-eyed at her. She had suffered as much as he had by their separation it seemed. Dougal straightened his resolve before moving towards her. He shifted Harry to one side of his body and then turned her around. He gently tipped her chin up and whispered her name. "Look at me Min," he pleaded.

Minerva took a deep breath and looked up at him. Her green eyes watery and saddened. "I understand why you had to leave now," he said. "I wouldn't have wanted secrets between us."

"My father had no idea he was married to a witch until I was born," she whispered. "He was so fearful of our accidental magic. I would have been devastated to see that same look on your face." Dougal drew her to him and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Albus cleared his throat once again and gained their attention. "Do you want a muggle or magical ceremony? We could do both if you prefer."

"What," Minerva asked flabbergasted.

"Harry must have a mother figure to power Lily's sacrifice," Albus explained in his grandfatherly tone. "You have a soulbond so it's only logical for you to marry and raise Harry together."

"Albus," she tried to reason. "You can't expect us to just pick up where we left off decades later."

"Soulmates can," he answered simply.

"I asked you to marry me once," Dougal said to Minerva as he caressed her cheek. He knew how stubborn Minerva could be and decided the best course was to keep her a bit more emotional so she wouldn't overthink the situation. "The offer still stands."

Minerva looked at him in suprise as her tears renewed with a fury. She offered him a smile as she wrapped her arms tightly around his middle like she did all of those years ago. "A magical ceremony will be fine," she answered Albus. "The Ministry can issue one for the Muggle world. I want Harry to be adopted in both worlds."

"That can be arranged," Albus said with a small smile. He was glad she wanted to adopt Harry. It saved him the trouble of trying to convince her to do it. "Give me a few minutes and I will pull a few strings."