Prolouge: The Second Prophecy
Minerva McGonagall was sitting on a near by wall in her animagus form. The tabby cat was intently staring at the home of 4 Privet Drive. She had been there for the last eight hours ever since she heard the disturbing news. Lily and James Potter were dead. She cried for an hour before she snapped herself out of it she needed to focus; her lion cub needed her. She knew her boss, Albus Dumbledore, was planning to bring the child to Lily's sister. She had to talk him out of this. The child belong with one of the guardians Lily and James had named in their will. Not with the two people she knew their will would explicitly stated were not to EVER be Harry's guardians.
After she composed herself she apparated to Privet Drive to observe the muggles in order to give Albus an accurate report on how these people were not fit to raise her lion cub. As she watched them she remembered an event that took place two months before Harry was born.
Minerva had been sent to visit an old friend of hers to interview her for the position of Divinations teacher. Minerva had been imploring the Headmaster to terminate that course because it was dodgy and imprecise. Albus had agreed if their interviews had proved fruitless. They were both going to interview someone who was descended from one of the wizarding worlds greatest seers. Minerva's target was actually and old acquaintance of hers. She knew her friend had no desire to be a teacher and had never made a prophecy in her entire life.
She arrived at her friends home and knocked on the door. A slender, grey haired witch opened the door. She was wearing blue robes that help disguise her plump form. "Minerva!" she said smiling.
"Hello Lucinda, how are you dear?" Minerva asked and she opened her arms for her friend to hug her.
The woman did so and hugged her tightly, "I'm great its so wonderful to see you dear. Perhaps we can skip this ridiculous interview and just have a chat over a cup of Fire whiskey.
Minerva smirked, "Your trying to tickle my Scottish nature aren't you?"
Lucinda shrug, "Well?" she asked.
"Very well dear." Minerva said stepping inside, "I must at least ask you the questions to just get them out of the way. Albus will want the report."
"Fine, come on I have us set up at the table." The woman told her leading her friend into the sitting room.
Minerva came in and sat down flicking her wand, a clipboard appeared in the air with a Dicto-quill attached. The quill immediately moved on its own. "Alright shall we begin?" Minerva said as her friend sat across from her. Lucinda nods to her, "First question: Please state you're full name for me."
"Lucinda Scarlett Dodonus." She responds and the quill scribbles the answer onto the clipboard
"Excellent. Second question: Are you indeed a descendent of Tycho Dodonus? The renowned Seer know for the book with his prophecies published ' The Predictions of Tycho Dodonus'."
"Yes." Lucinda responded, "My father."
"Right. Third Question: Have you EVER given a prophecy yourself?"
"Other than calling the result of my brother's marriage thirty-five years ago, I told him he'd be divorced within ten years. He was, but there was no prophesizing going on I simply knew. His wife was a harlot she cheat numerous times before and after their marriage."
Minerva held back a chuckle causing her to snort a bit, "Next and last: Have you ever studied Divinations to any extent?"
"No! You know I'm a Potions Master I never once delved into Divinations." Lucinda responded.
"Perfect," Minerva said flicking her wand at the clip board after the Dicto-quill finished, causing them both to vanish, "Now let get that firewhiskey." She said smiling.
Lucinda smiled, "I thought you'd never ask." She got up and went to the kitchen to retrieve two glasses.
Minerva waited there pondering how Lily and James were doing when she heard the sound of breaking glass. Minerva leapt up, "Lucinda are you alright?" Minerva called and begins to make her way to the kitchen.
Minerva found her friend standing in the kitchen. There with shattered glasses at her feet. Minerva rushed to her friend, "Lucy what happened?" she asked looking at her friend who was staring at the wall in front of her.
After hearing Minerva's voice the old woman looked to her friend. Minerva gasped seeing her old friend's eyes. They were pure white no trace of her iris or pupils. The woman stared at Minerva with her blank eyes before opening her mouth, " Heed me Lioness:" she said her voice raspy, "The Master of Hogwarts will bring the Child of Prophecy much pain and sorrow. Stripping the child the ability to recognize real love, grooming him to die at the hands of his enemy. The Lioness must make a choice: Obey the Master of Hogwarts or Spare the child from his suffering. Should the Lioness wish to spare the child take him to the treasures resting place. Should the Lioness succeed more than one Heir will be spared suffering. Heed Me Lioness."
Minerva stared in shock her long time friend just made a prophecy. Lucinda's eyes fluttered, her eyes returned to normal and she looked to Minerva, "Minnie what's wrong you look pale?" she said.
Minerva was gawking at her, "Lucinda…you just made a prophecy."
The woman's eyes widened, "Surely you jest. I've never made a prophecy in my life."
"Lucinda, you called me 'The Lioness', You're eyes were white." Minerva told her.
"Are you sure dear?" she asked, "I've never made a prophecy before."
"Lucinda I must take a rain check on that drink." Minerva responds before rushing to the door. She turned to her friend, "Stay home, stay hidden! Do not contact Albus Dumbledore!"
"Of course dear." Lucinda responded as she watched Minerva open the door before apparating away.
Minerva had spent weeks reviewing the prophecy in her personal pensive. She had it memorizes word for word. It was only when she had over heard Severus and Albus talking of a prophecy did she realize Dumbledore had also received a prophecy from his interviewee, Sybil Trelawney. She didn't get the full details aside from it involved Voldemort and the child who would be born in the seventh month of someone who thrice defied the Dark Lord. Severus admitted to Dumbledore he had told Voldemort that part of the Prophecy and Voldemort was setting his sights on Lily and James' son who had just been born July Thirty-first.
Minerva had been there the day the boy had been born in St. Mungos. She had held him in her arms. Lily had dubbed her former Professor her son's 'Honorary Grandmother' seeing as both his actual grandparents were now deceased. Minerva accepted the honor and in turn dubbed the boy her 'Little Lion Cub'. She had never thought this boy would be the one her friend's prophecy had been referring.
Severus begged Dumbledore to hide them. Albus had readily agreed, and before Minerva could ever warn them, the Potter's had been put under the Fidelius Charm. Albus had been efficient in keeping their Secret Keeper 'secret' refusing to even tell Minerva fearing she could be captured and tortured for the information. He told her they were perfectly safe as long as their Secret Keeper was kept hidden.
Yet here they were, James and Lily murdered and their child in Dumbledore's clutches. No one really knew exactly what Albus had planned for the babe, but thanks to the prophecy she had received she knew whatever plan he had it would cause the boy much suffering. She would get Albus to change his mind about leaving the boy with these muggles or she would do something very drastic. She had thought out her plan, hoping she would be able to prevent resorting to those drastic measures.
She remained there on that wall eyeing the muggles in question. Petunia Dursley was a horrid woman. She looked down on anyone who didn't conform to her and her husbands 'Prim and Proper Lifestyle.' Minerva knew what they thought of Lily and her husband. Lily had told her numerous times the horrendous things the thing woman called her own sister just for being born a witch. Vernon Dursley was just as bad he would bad mouth their neighbor for not following their own personal rules about how one's yard should look like.
The worst of them was the boy, Dudley Dursley. He was a nightmare. Minerva watched as the boy kicked his own mother repeatedly until she gave him what he wanted. She had also spotted him tormenting a neighborhood cat while 'playing' in the yard. Minerva made sure to be out of the boy's sight fearing she could suffer the torment that poor cat had to experience. She couldn't believe Albus wanted to put the boy with these people. It was mind boggling.
She continued to watch even after Vernon Dursley came home. She had heard him talking to his wife about seeing odd people around town. He had openly wondered if they were 'Freaks' like his wife's sister. Petunia too admitted to running into some weird fellows while out shopping for dinner. Minerva had heard things from the muggle television through out the day about 'Strange occurrences' happening all over great Britain. Minerva would remember to bring that up with Dumbledore later about their fellow witches and wizards openly talking about wizarding matters around muggles, and even making shooting stars fly across the sky.
The Dursley's soon went to bed. Minerva was getting ready to leave herself to report to Albus when she heard the 'crack' of someone apparating. She looked around for the source when she spotted him. Albus Dumbledore was standing at the end of Privet Drive. He pulled something out of his pocket and began using the device to put out the street lights one by one. When he finished he walked toward the Dursley's home.
Minerva decided to meow to get his attention. The old man stopped and looked her way, "I should have known you'd be here. Professor McGonagall." He looked at her over his half moon spectacles.
Minerva immediately transformed to her original self, "Good Evening Professor Dumbledore." She said walking up to him.
"I would expect you be out celebrating like everyone else." He said, "I myself passed four parties on my way here."
Minerva felt a deep intense rage, Why on earth would I be celebrating? I lost two of my most lovable students, she thought, though she did not let it show on her face, "Oh their celebrating alright the owls, shooting Stars in Kent. It was all over the muggle news." She said.
"You can't blame them Minerva they haven't had much to celebrate over the last eleven years." The old man said.
Minerva rolled her eyes. She bickered with him about the idiocy of many of their wizarding brethren. When he offered her a 'lemon drop', some sort of muggle candy. She declined and asked about You-Know-Who, only to be scolded and to use the man's real name. Minerva rolled her eyes again. She then pressure him about information on the event that occurred last night that all their fellow witches and wizards had been gossiping about in broad daylight.
"Is it true Albus?" she asked, "Are James and Lily…dead?" Albus bowed his head. Minerva clenched her fist behind her back. "Merlin…I didn't want to believe when I first heard."
She then asked about the Potter's son. She wanted to confirm what she heard about You-Know-Who attacking the boy and his spell rebounding. Albus confirmed with her that it was true. She breathed a shaky breath, "And the boy?" she asked.
"Hagrid is bringing him." Albus told her.
"What ever for?" she asked.
"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now." Dumbledore said.
Minerva's eyes widened, "You can't mean the people who live here Albus?!" she exclaimed pointing at the Dursley's home. She then explain the things she saw throughout the day. "You can't have Harry Potter come live here of all places."
"It's the best place for him," the old man said. Minerva was getting angrier by the second, "His Aunt and uncle can tell him everything when he's older. I have a letter for them."
"A letter?!" she exclaimed, "Albus you can't explain all this in a letter?! They won't understand him! They won't accept him! The boy will be famous…there won't be a child in our world who doesn't know his name."
Dumbledore tried to convince that was nothing a child should have to endure. "Famous before he could even walk or talk? Can't you see how much he would be better off without growing up around all that? Until he ready to take it?"
And just who are you to decided when he will be ready to take it? She thought but did not allow it to show. It was then they heard a low rumbling that was growing steadily louder. They looked around for the sign of a vehicle when Minerva thought to look up and spotted a huge motorcycle falling from the sky. It landed on the road in front of them. The one riding was a man who was twice as tall and the tallest man you would ever see, and at least five time as wide. He had long shaggy hair and a bushy beard to match. His large hands were as large as trashcan lids, and his feet in his leather boots looked like baby dolphins. Minerva saw, in Hagrid large muscular arms, he was holding a bundle of blankets.
"Hagrid! At last!" Dumbledore said smiling, "Where did you get this motorcycle.
Minerva knew, she had seen Sirius Black use this very same motorcycle. Why had Sirius allowed Hagrid to take the boy? She thought, Sirius was the boys godfather he could have demanded Hagrid hand him over or face kidnapping charges. She knew however, Sirius was likely distraught after finding out his best friends were dead. He hadn't been thinking straight. Hagrid had explained how he got the baby out of the house before the muggles could swarm, and how the boy fell asleep mid flight.
Minerva rushed over looking into the bundle of blankets. There's my Lion Cub. She thought. She saw the lightening bolt shaped cut on the babe's forehead, "Is that were…" she cut herself off.
"Yes." Dumbledore responded, "He'll have that scar forever."
Minerva's mouth dropped, "Couldn't you do something about it Albus?" Dumbledore then went on about how scars were useful, then demanding Hagrid give him the boy. Albus took the child, Hagrid immediately began to loudly sobbing; about Lily and James, about Harry being sent off to muggles. Minerva shushed him warning he could wake the muggles. Dumbledore then proceeded to take the boy over to the doorstep of 4 Privet Drive and placed the boy on the doorstep.
Minerva stared wide eyed when Dumbledore simply slipped an envelope into the blankets and walked back over to her and Hagrid. Are you not going to knock on the door? She thought, Ring the bell? It's cold out here the boy will freeze if they don't find him till morning.
"Well, we have no business here now do we? Shall we go join in the celebrations?" Dumbledore turned and started walking away. Minerva gawked for a moment but followed after him. Hagrid said something about taking Sirius his bike back. Minerva turned and started to walk off in the opposite direction. "I shall see you soon I expect Professor McGonagall." Dumbledore said.
Minerva blew her nose in response not wanting to answer the man. She then walked off slipping into the trees. When she emerged again she was back in her cat form walking up the opposite end of the street than Albus. The old man returned the lights to the muggle street before wishing Harry 'Good luck.' He then promptly apparated away.
The street was quiet. The cold air causing the you boy on the door step to stir and fuss a bit. The boy opened his eyes not recognizing his surroundings at all. Tears were welling up in his eyes. The boy didn't want to be alone. His lip trembled as he was about to cry. Suddenly something was blocking the light from porch. A fuzzy eared creature was standing over her. The boy looked at it curiously when the creature suddenly transformed then there was finally someone the small child recognized. The one his mummy always called 'Nana Minnie'.
Minerva smiled down at the now awake and shivering child, "Hello Lion Cub." She said as she picked him up blankets and all. "Its okay dear…Nana Minnie is here." She looked around after she stood up straight with the babe in her arms. "Lets go dear…" she said turning on here heel and fleeing Privet Drive with the Potter child in tow. I will not let this boy suffer by Albus' hands, She thought. As she disappeared into the night taking the Potter Heir with her.
A/N: HELLO EVERYONE! Welcome to my new fanfic! I know I have two additional fanfics in progress, but the idea of this fanfic came to me and I could not resist! Never fear, I will continue my other two stories I have no intention of abandoning either of them. I hope you all enjoy leave me a review!
Up Next: Minerva takes action and summons one of the Potter Family friends to help her decipher the rest of the Prophecy she recieved.