-3 Years and some months later-

Harry paced around his room in excitement. His limber legs now carried him across the room in quick strides. He could remember when this room felt like a cavernous paradise and now it felt smaller than ever. He looked up at the clock again and groaned. Why did he always have to wake up early on important days? Why couldn't he ever be right on time?

Twenty more minutes until he was eleven. Twenty more minutes until he could finally fully join the world his guardian had brought him into all those years ago. Harry could scarcely imagine what it would have been like if he had still been in the muggle world. Life with magic in it was to have color in the world without it all was bleak and dreary.

His door creaked open and Minerva's head peaked in through the opening.

"Have you trapped the young fillies up here or is that you making that ruckus?" She asked dryly and he smiled at her sheepishly.

"There's a charm for that you know." Harry replied smartly and she simply shook her head before coming in and sitting on his window seat.

"I hope you don't give your professors as many grey hairs as you've given me." Minerva gave him a small smile. "Why don't you take a break from clock watching and come chat with your dear old caregiver, hm?"

Harry squeezed in beside her on the seat and stuck his tongue out at her. "You're really not coming back with me then?"

Minerva let out a sigh. "What would you have me do? Usurp the spot from one of the other professors? The only position open yearly is Defense Against the Dark Arts and while I am sufficient enough I don't believe I'm quite Mastery level."

"But Albus said you could come back!" Harry protested and she shook her head.

"Professor Dumbledore, Harry. You best get used to that before you get to school in September." She chided. "The Headmaster promises a great deal of things, that doesn't mean that someone will not get hurt in the process. I've let him know that if the current Transfiguration professor wishes to take a sabbatical or step away from the position that I would be willing to return. I'm afraid the rest is out of my hands."

"Will you at least stay in the village?" Harry shot her what he hoped was a convincingly pathetic look. Her face remained stoic as ever, but small lines crinkled around her mouth.

"Yes, yes. Fine." Minerva conceded. "I don't see how it is of consequence as floo travel and apparition are still in existence. Not to mention you will not be able to visit the village until your third year."

"Iwantyoutobeclose." He mumbled out.

"Sorry?" Minerva questioned with a raised brow. Harry let out a long sigh and swallowed his pride. He set his eyes on the floor.

"I want you to be close." He said more clearly and scuffed his heel against the carpet. "I don't trust that the Headmaster won't try to send me back. I know it's been years, but I still have nightmares sometimes about him taking me away."

"Harry-" Minerva was interrupted by the chiming of the clock. Harry leapt up and whooped.

"It's midnight!" He grabbed Minerva's hands and hoisted her up from the seat. They swung around in a circle with Harry laughing and Minerva smiling.

The end

A/N: Thank you all for following this story. I've decided to leave off here as updates have been slow to write and 2020 has been a cruel mistress. I know this will disappoint some of you, but I didn't want to abandon the fic entirely. So I hope this compromise will give some closure to the tale of Harry and Minerva. It is possible I will one day return to add more or publish a sequel. However, my goal is to complete writing before publishing anything new as to not run out of fuel as it were. If you want to be notified if such an event occurs please follow this story or myself. Thank you all again.