Minerva raised her eyebrow as James Potter merely handed her the Daily Prophet without a word. She sat at the table in her spot or at least what she assumed was her spot and opened the paper. "They have pictures," she groaned. She hated being in the Daily Prophet!
"Father provided them in exchange for his pick of reporter," James offered with a mischievous grin, the same one she saw countless times on Harry. "He plans on ralling the neutral families with this situation. If we are to oust Albus from the Wizengamot, we will need them."
Minerva read through the article a couple of times. "Why am I listed as the Ross Heir instead of a clan member?" she asked confused.
"You are the heir," Fleamont said as he walked into the room. "Donavon isn't able to have children of his own. He listed you as heir over the others in the clan because he feels you will protect the witches. There is three young girls affected by the Morgan Ley Fey glamour. With the exception of Ida Ross, you are the only witch magically able to remove the glamour. Ida plans on teaching you how to cast and remove the glamour this summer."
"What else can I expect this summer," she asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Father has quite the agenda," James said with a smirk.
"Just because you get out of it doesn't mean you should gloat," Sirius said irritable. Minerva looked at Sirius and just raised her eyebrow. Sirius continued, "You and me get politics and heir lessons."
"Minerva also gets founder lessons," Euphemia added as she walked into the room with Lily and Harry.
"Shouldn't that fall to Harry?" she questioned confused by the situation.
"I updated my will last night," Lily answered. "You will be able to use my Slythrein House votes (Wizengamot and Board of Governors) if I am unavailable. Harry won't be able to use those votes until he is 17 years old. It would be wrong to allow them votes to sit in limbo for all of those years. The handfasting changed things and we are going to use whatever advantage we can. My son will be happy this go around!"
"Maybe I should do that for Gryffindor House votes?" Fleamont said suprised. Why didn't I think of that?
"I already listed Minerva as a backup for everything," James offered with a smirk. "You signed the forms last night."
"I did," Fleamont asked suspicious. "Just how did you manage that?"
"I believe he caught you before I gave you the sober up potion," Euphemia said with a grin.
"How often do you do that?" Fleamont demanded of his son and wife.
"Often," James said unapologetic.
"It's a nightmare dealing with those reporters," Fleamont finally managed embarrassed. "You wouldn't begrudge a wizard a good drink to relax, would you?"
"Not if it was a decent Scotch," quipped Minerva. James, Lily and Sirius burst out laughing at the unexpected comment.
Minerva's summer was filled with lessons in politics, heir business and Founders knowledge. She, along with Sirius, were in lessons with Fleamont Potter hours each day. While she wasn't in lessons with her future grandfather in-law, Euphemia insisted on Lady of the House lessons. She hadn't anticipated those lessons!
Euphemia ranged from dinner events to taking care of the Manor to planning events. Minerva had never realized there was so much involved with planning events. Who knew dinner plates were so damn important? Minerva tried her best in the lessons. The Potters were putting so much effort into the lessons, she felt obligated into learning as much as possible.
Donavon and Ida Ross were frequent visitors over the summer as well. Donavon had taught Minerva all of the Ross Clan magic she should of learned growing up. Isobel's disownment hindered that so she had to make up for lost time! Ida had went over Lady of the House topics. Minerva had been suprised to find fighting techniques included by Ida Ross. She asked her grandmother about them.
"My line doesn't bow down to any wizard," Ida said with a smile. "Your grandfather had forced fed me potions after a bout of Dragon Pox. He gained control of me but not completely. I could hide what he wasn't aware of but what he was aware of became what he wanted."
"That's horrible," Minerva said scandalized.
Ida noodded her head in agreement. "Donavon noticed what was happening when I insisted Isobel be disowned," Ida explained sadly. "I may have been a hardass but I loved my children more than life itself. I would have never disowned one of them without reason. Granted, I wanted to protect your mother from a betrothal contract for those undesirable families but I would have never disowned her for marrying a muggle. Donavon realized this. He managed to find an extremely strong flushing draught and gave it to me. Once I had control over my own thoughts again, I plotted with rival clans to dispose of your grandfather."
Minerva stared open-mouthed at that. "You had your husband murdered?"
"I did," Ida confessed unapologetically. "The bastard deserved it thinking he could control me. I am lucky my children took after me instead of him."
Donavon entered the room with a large box in his hands. "We have a gift for you Minerva," he said cheerfully.
Minerva smiled at his tone. She liked Donavon Ross very much. He reminded her of her younger brother Robbie. She took the box and gently opened it. She moved the protective covering and gasped as she saw a wizarding photo of her mother. "Màthair," she cried happily.
Isobel McGonagall stared at her daughter in awe. Her youthful, elegant appearance was a rarity. "Guess you're not my tomboy anymore," Isobel quipped, her painted eyes sparkling with mischief.
Minerva was unable to hold back her tears as she stared at her mother's portrait. "The portrait was made after your Grandfather's death," Ida confessed. "I had a muggleborn friend of mine complete two and had them placed in a statis bubble until she could be brought back into the family. I had hoped she would be but that was Donavon's choice."
"Like I would of ever ignored Issy," Donavon muttered with a roll of his eyes. "I met with Issy monthly when she was disowned."
"You did," Ida asked suprised as she stared at her son.
"I did," admitted Donavon. "Issy was my only sister, my dearest friend in the world, nothing would have kept me away from her."
"Show Min your alternative appearance," Isobel said with a smirk.
Donavon and Isobel shared a look before he transform into a taller, dark haired, green eyed wizard. "Uncle D," Minerva exclaimed in suprise. "You visited us. You taught us protective magic. You watched us grow up!"
"Of course I did," Donavon said as he cancelled his spells. "I had planned on bringing Issy back in the family once Mother passed. Guess Mother wasn't the only one with secrets."
Ida snorted out in amusement and then looked horrified she had made such a noise. Donavon and Minerva full-bellied laughed at her expression.
Minerva's wardrobe had been replaced with designer muggle fashions and upscale wizarding fashions. Minerva had been amazed at the softness of her new teaching robes. They were in the same emerald green; however, they were from the softest material she ever felt. Her new wardrobe showed her very feminine figure as well.
"Why does one person need so many clothes?" Minerva asked as she stared at her newly filled walk-in closet.
"No one does," Euphemia answered truthfully. "The Potters are one of the wealthiest families in Magical Britain. We like to spread galleons around. Each store we ordered your clothing from is a company we have invested in including the muggle ones. We spend money like this yearly and other wealthy families will attempt to copy our styles and do the same. Businesses will flourish and our society will be better for it!"
"I'm going to have to do this yearly?" Minerva asked horrified as she immediately understood Euphemia's meaning.
Lily snorted in amusement at her former professor and head of house. "Now it will just be an outfit or two for each season and special occasions. We will donate a couple of outfits we have been photographed in to the charity auction at St. Mungos yearly."
"I will provide you with a list of clothing stores we invest in," Euphemia said matter-of-factly. "Those are the only ones we purchase from."
Minerva raised an eyebrow at that. Only allowed to shop at pre-approved shops! Lily looked sympathetically before offering, "I almost cried when I realized muggle jeans were a thing of the past for me."
Minerva was unsure how to respond to that. She was still suprised by the Potters and their consistent need to better the world around them. I will never truly understand them! Will I ever become one of them?