Harry looked at the woman fearfully. Was she a friend of Aunt Petunia's? What if she told her about the pictures? Harry looked down at the book and back at the woman again and saw her gaze had travelled to the picture of his parents that lay revealed to the world. His mind was swimming with uncertainty as she picked up the book carefully.

"Lily and James," The woman said, "And you too of course, Harry."

"You know my parents?" Harry questioned, now feeling puzzled.

"I did. Very well in fact." She answered. "I'm Minerva McGonagall."

Harry searched his memory for the name, but it returned nothing. He had never heard of a Minerva before. Her accent was heavy and definitely not from Surrey. Harry felt his fear begin to ebb and became replaced by curiosity.

"I'm Harry Potter." He introduced awkwardly, "But, I suppose you already knew that."

"It has been a long time since I last saw you, Harry." She said and she gave a small smile at him, "You were just a little bairn."

Harry felt himself blush in embarrassment. Adults normally didn't talk to him so familiarly. It was a strange feeling. He had so many questions for the stranger, but it seemed she had more to say and so he remained silent.

"I'm sorry." She began and Harry furrowed his brows in confusion. He had no idea what the woman would be sorry about. "I left you on that doorstep that night knowing those muggles were the worst sort. I should have fought harder to find you somewhere better."

Harry's brow deepened and he could no longer stay quiet. "Muggles?" He blurted out. It was the first question that had come to mind out of the flurry of confusion he found himself in.

"Ah," She said and let out a long sigh. Harry watched as she pulled out a long pointed stick from her sleeve. It was a dark wood of some sort and seemed to be polished. "Do you know what this is?" Minerva asked and Harry shook his head.

"It's a wand." Minerva explained. "Have you ever had something strange or unusual happen that you couldn't explain?"

Harry looked at her bewildered, but tried to think of an answer. He thought of the photograph with its moving picture, but that hadn't really happened to him more than just existed. He thought about when Dudley had chased him around the school yard one time and he had ended up on the roof. The headmaster had been very upset that Harry had been trespassing and Harry had tried to explain he didn't know how he had gotten up there, but nobody wanted to listen. He relayed the memory to the woman and she nodded.

"That's because you are a wizard." She explained and stepped forward a few steps to show him her wand closer. "Wands are used by witches and wizards to focus their magic in the form of spells. Your mother and father were also a witch and wizard. Muggles are those people who cannot perform magic and are kept ignorant of its presence to preserve our secrecy. Prior to proper schooling, many magical children end up using their magic accidentally."

"I'm a wizard?" Harry could feel himself tremble. It seemed too good to be true. A person who knew his parents appeared out of nowhere and seemed to think he was a wizard. He couldn't be a wizard, he was just Harry. "I think you might have the wrong Harry."

Minerva knelt down to his height and brushed aside his hair to reveal his scar. "Haven't you ever wondered where you got such a mark?"

"I got it in a car crash - the same one that killed my mum and dad. Aunt Petunia told me so." He backed away a step. He didn't like people touching him and especially not strange old women in parks.

"Your parents did not die in a car crash, Harry." Minerva straightened up and looked stern. "That awful woman has done nothing but lie. Here, I'll prove it to you."

She waved her wand gently and whispered something Harry couldn't quite make out. Suddenly the dandelion that had been growing stubbornly out of a patch of dry soil changed. His jaw dropped as he watched the flower morphed into a small lion. It roared ferociously and paced between Harry and Minerva with its tail flicking wildly.

"You'll catch flies that way." She chided after a few minutes of Harry staring agawk at the tiny creature. Harry snapped his jaw shut and looked up at the woman with wide eyes. It was amazing! He had never seen anything like that before.

"It's true! You are a witch!" He exclaimed, "But how do you know I'm a wizard?"

"Give me your hand." She instructed and he held out his right hand carefully. She placed the wand in his hand and instantly Harry felt a warm sensation seep into his body. The wand shot out several multicolored sparks before turning into smoke.

"A muggle couldn't do that." Minerva affirmed and Harry looked at his hand in shock. He was a wizard. Minerva took back her wand from the shaken boy and transformed the lion back into its flowery state.

"So if I'm a wizard, why do I live here?" He asked. "Shouldn't there be somewhere special for wizards and witches? You said they have to be kept secret."

"It's all very complicated." She frowned, "And I don't know that now is the time or place to explain it. However, there is a magical part of our world and when you are eleven you will be invited to a school of magic called Hogwarts. I'm a professor and Deputy Headmistress there."

"Eleven?!" He shouted and Minerva shot him a stern look. He gulped and in a much more restrained tone continued. "That's just a long time from now. I'm only seven."

Harry looked down at the ground, suddenly feeling angry again. The Dursleys had lied to him all these years. They must have known about his parents and that's why they said all those horrible things and now he would have to live with them for four long years knowing the truth. He didn't know that he could even go back there.

"I know it's hard." Minerva said softly and turned his head up at her, "You're a brave boy, Harry."

"I don't want to be brave!" He jerked away and tears welled in his eyes, "and I don't want to be here! Not with them. I'll run away if you leave me here!"

Minerva folded her arms and Harry thought she looked rather intimidating, but he didn't care. They stared at each other stubbornly for several minutes neither one backing down. Minerva was the first to break the tense silence that had developed.

"You will return. It is for your own good whether you are aware or not," She said and held up a hand to stop his rebuttal, "However, I will as well. I cannot change how things are for you at the Dursley's, but what I can do is teach you and tell you more of our world and your family."

"How are you going to do that?" Harry asked skeptically.

"I don't know yet, but I will find a way. You will have to trust me, Harry." Minerva acquiesced.

"I don't even know you." Harry said. "How am I supposed to trust you? Nobody else tells me the truth."

"What other option do you have?" The woman smiled wryly at him and Harry slumped his shoulders in defeat. She was right, of course. Even if he did run away, he had nowhere to go and nobody to turn to. It would be trusting this witch or nothing at all. He thought of the letter he had sent to Mr. Snape suddenly.

"I sent a letter!" Harry replied with a small sense of bravado. "Mr. Snape knew my mum too and I bet he's a wizard as well. He'll get me out of here if you won't."

Minerva placed down the photobook gently and removed a letter from her pocket. She handed it to him.

"This one?" She asked and Harry's ego deflated.

"How did you get that?" He asked.

"There are measures in place to keep you safe." Minerva answered although Harry could tell that she was holding back on telling him something. Harry slipped the photo from the folded note and looked at it sulkily. There was nothing stopping him from sending the letter again, but a nagging feeling told him it would be pointless. Hope and dread filled him in an odd combination.

"Fine. I'll go back." Harry finally relented. "But, you better be telling me the truth, Mrs. McGonagall."

"You can call me Professor." She replied with a smile. "You'll hear from me soon Mr. Potter."

Harry wanted to ask her how, but she was already gone. He placed the photo back into its proper place and stuffed the book back into his pocket. The sun was starting to set and Aunt Petunia would be right mad if he didn't go home soon. He sighed in frustration. Everything about today had led to more questions than answers.

A/N: Thanks for reading!