Rota Fortuna: Elements of Power
Complete Summary: (AU) Petunia Dursley's world is turned upside down in a single night when her husband and son die as well as her sister, and brother-in-law. Despite hating her sister's family, she immediately takes to young Harry Potter, her last living relative and perhaps her only real reason to live. They flee the country to start anew in America.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
This chapter's quote is from quotationspage . c o m (take out the spaces)
A/N: I am using the UK 'aeroplane' instead of the American 'airplane' because this part is really about Professor McGonagall. Also, I'm really sorry about my over-a-month-long brain fart, I'm very sorry and hopefully it won't happen again.
Chapter Five
McGonagall in America
"The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance – it is the illusion of knowledge."
-Daniel J. Boorstin
Not for the first time that day, Minerva McGonagall wondered why she ever agreed to go and talk to Harry. You know, excluding the fact that her colleague, Severus Snape, might scare the boy off or result in said colleague rotting in some American prison for murder or something along that line. She shouldn't have trusted Dumbledore with her travel plans. Sure, the old geezer meant well, but sometimes she just wanted to strangle him.
First, she had to wake up at the ungodly hour of three just to be at the airport on time. When she first set eyes on what exactly muggles flew on, she nearly panicked. How can something so big stay in the air without magic? Nevertheless, she still got on the aeroplane. The ride was noisy and crowded. She was forced to use the "sick bag" quite a few times. She was glad when it finally landed hours later.
The taxi drive to the hotel was horrifying. The driver, a middle-aged Hispanic man, kept giving her creepy looks the whole ride and asked awkward questions. Then the hotel was filthy and grimy. She was forced to convince herself that it would be only a few days at the most.
Now she was once again in a taxi – with the same driver for that matter – and she wasn't very happy. What if Harry didn't actually live here? If he didn't, she'd probably kill Dumbledore herself despite the threat of Azkaban. She'd probably wind up with the cell right beside Sirius Black and they'd be best buddies.
It wasn't long before the taxi driver dropped her off at 1213 Flora Rd. She quickly paid him and went to the door of the magnificent home. She knocked loudly on the door, completely ignoring the muggle contraption known as a doorbell. A tall, angular, blonde woman opened the door.
"Petunia Dursley, I presume?" McGonagall questioned. Petunia looked like she was about to snap a reply but she calmed herself.
"It's Petunia Forge now. Who are you and what do you want?" Petunia ground out irritably through gritted teeth. She could just tell what this woman was. Her odd hat and emerald robes just screamed witch, and not an American witch either. Despite being married to Kinston, she still found herself wary of magical people.
"I am Professor Minerva McGonagall, I teach transfiguration at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I have come to discuss the option of sending Harry to Hogwarts with your family," the elderly woman replied disdainfully, storing away Petunia's reaction to being called by her name. Petunia just continued to glare at her.
"I do recall Harry sending a letter to your school declining the invitation," Petunia retorted tartly. The exasperated look McGonagall gave Petunia angered her even more.
"So do I. I'm terribly sorry for my intrusion but Professor Dumbledore is quite… persistent. I myself did not believe this to be necessary as I assumed that Harry would be going to another school here in America," McGonagall apologized. Petunia seemed to relax a bit.
"You're right; he's going to the Salem Academy of Magic." Petunia replied simply. The two stood at the doorstep for a few long, awkward moments. McGonagall finally straightened herself.
"Well, are you going to let me speak to your family about this?" The witch asked. Petunia looked as if she was going to murder the woman, but instead sighed and nodded reluctantly.
"Yes, this way please," she said sharply, leading McGonagall to what appeared to be the living room of Petunia's home. It had an earthy color scheme and while it was clean, it was not overly so. Petunia told the older woman to take a seat and that she'd be there with her husband, who had the day off, and Harry in a few moments.
"Who was it honey?" A deep voice asked when Petunia entered the kitchen, where Kinston was just hanging around doing what looked to be absolutely nothing. Petunia glanced at her husband, who was wearing only black boxers with smiley faces all over them.
"Someone from Hogwarts wants to speak with us and Harry… go get some clothes on please," Petunia replied exasperatedly. Kinston pouted and walked towards the room the married couple shared. Petunia exited into the hallway and quickly went up the carpeted steps and down yet another hallway until she reached a room with its oak door flung wide open. It was truly the messiest room in the house.
She found Harry sprawled out on his colorful bed playing Tetris on his Game Boy (1). She could tell by the frustrated look on his face that he was about to lose. Sure enough, moments later he was muttering threats at the poor handheld before turning it off.
"Harry, someone named Professor McGonagall has come to talk to us about sending you to Hogwarts," Petunia informed her nephew when she finally had his attention.
"But I thought I already told them that I wasn't coming," Harry pouted.
"Apparently their headmaster won't just leave it at that." Harry groaned and got up. Together they returned to the living room where a now-dressed Kinston was conversing with McGonagall as if they'd known each other for years. The two magical people looked at the new arrivals.
"Harry, this is Professor McGonagall. She's the transfiguration professor and deputy headmistress at Hogwarts," Kinston explained.
"It's a pleasure to meet you ma'am," Harry said to McGonagall politely. McGonagall beamed at the boy's politeness. Maybe there was hope for her yet.
"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Mr. Potter," she replied pleasantly. All of a sudden Harry's serene face turned stony, causing McGonagall to wonder what the hell she did wrong.
"My last name is Dursley, not Potter," he said coldly.
"I changed his last name before we moved here," Petunia explained hastily, cutting off and answering McGonagall's unasked question.
"I'm sorry Professor McGonagall, but I don't want to attend Hogwarts. I thought I made that clear in my letter. I will be attending Salem and you can't say anything to change my mind."
"Your parents went to Hogwarts, they were some of the best students I have ever had."
"I don't care, they didn't raise me. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Kinston raised me. I'm going to Salem and that's final." Harry left McGonagall gaping. This wasn't what she expected out of the boy-who-lived. An uneasy and awkward silence reigned over the group.
"I think you should leave," Petunia said firmly. McGonagall nodded hastily and left 1213 Flora Rd. forever.
Not too many days later, McGonagall found herself back where she started. She sat across from that smiling old codger while the greasy haired potions professor sat next to her.
"Where's the boy?" Snape asked sharply.
"He's not coming, I couldn't convince him to come to Hogwarts," she replied shamefully.
"Why not?" Dumbledore asked curiously.
"He said he wanted to go to the Salem Academy of Magic."
"Did you tell him Lily and James went here?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes, I did. It was kind of scary to see such a polite kid act so cold. He said that Lily and James didn't raise him like his aunt and uncle did," McGonagall replied, shuddering at the memory.
"That's quite a shame," Dumbledore responded with a convincing yet false sadness resonating in his voice. He dismissed them shortly afterwards.
Once they had left, Dumbledore's expression completely changed into one of anger. All his plans! They were ruined, going down in smoke. The boy was supposed to become his perfect little soldier, not running off to get a real education in America. He'd have to do something about this.
(1) – I researched what games were out around this time and found the Game Boy, just so you know. This isn't Game Boy Color in 1998. This is the original, monochrome version that came out in 1989 according to Wikipedia.
A/N: I'm really sorry. Not only was this late, it was short! Don't expect the next update to come up soon. Next chapter we'll finally get to Salem's Square. Thank you for all the reviews, I'm surprised at the sheer numbers! I've never had this many reviews on my old accounts. Please review it helps motivate me to keep on writing.