Minerva took a deep breath before smoothing down her expensive robes. She confidently walked into the staff room where the other teaching staff were gathered for the annual staff meeting to discuss the upcoming school year. She anticipated the suprised looks on their faces and tried to not lash out for the judging looks on a few of their faces. She realized the younger female staff were jealous of her youthful appearance and upscale, expensive clothing Euphemia insisted she needed.
"Welcome back Minerva," Albus Dumbledore said as he rose and gave her a friendly hug.
Minerva forced a smile and returned the greeting. "I am happy to be back," she replied.
The meeting started and plans were made just like all the other years she had attended these meetings. Minerva listened attentively and made suggestions when she thought of them. When Albus brought up the Head of Houses responsibilities, she cleared her throat to get his attention. "I must turn in my resignation for Gryffindor Head of House," she informed him.
"What," he asked shocked.
Minerva explained, "I must relinquish my Head of House duties. I have much to learn in regards to Clan Ross and House Potter yet. I will have to stay away from the castle from time to time and it wouldn't be fair to the Gryffindor students to not have a reliable Head of House. I also refuse to hold a Head of House title while Harry is enrolled as a student."
"Harry won't be here for another 11 years," Albus tried to sway her decision.
"Regardless of that, I must still relinquish those duties now," Minerva answered sternly and forged ahead. "I refuse to spend so much time away from Harry. The handfasting helped settle his magic; however, I settle it more. I daresay by the time Harry is teething, James will have purchased a dozen rare books for me."
Snorts of laughter errupted in the room. Albus gave Minerva a disappointed look before accepting her resignation from that position. "I was rather suprised by your marriage betrothal and handfasting," he finally said. "Why the hurry?"
"That wasn't my decision," admitted Minerva with an eye roll. "My Head of House made that betrothal contract and my family magic forced my hand." Minerva saw a lot of understanding in the females' eyes at that statement and a lot less judgment directed at her. "I was fortunate to have a soulmate from an upstanding family. Fleamont Potter is honorable and adjusted the betrothal to my advantage. The only issues I truly had were the handfasting and removal of my permanent glamour. I shall move past those soon enough I imagine."
"Why did you use a glamour anyways," Pomona Sprout asked curiously. "You are bloody gorgeous!"
Minerva snorted at her childhood friend. "I did not like the attention my youthful appearance garnered me. I imagine the students will try me this semester."
"They will soon remember why they don't cross you," offered Professor Slughorn encouragingly. "You were scary as a student even so it shouldn't be an issue with your reputation. The purebloods will probably treat you with more respect now." Minerva raised an eyebrow in question at that comment. Slughorn further explained, "You are heir to Clan Ross, a respectable House in its own right. You are handfasted to the Potter House heir and that will open every door you need it to."
Minerva looked suprised at that. She hadn't anticipated that but she couldn't fault his logic. Maybe having the purebloods respecting her more would allow her to reach them. Maybe she could sway their pureblood views. "I hadn't thought of that Horace," she offered with a smile.
She glanced to Albus and saw the forced smile on his face. He was upset by her elevated status it seemed. She would have to keep an eye on that!
Minerva walked in Potter Manor with a mischievous glint in her emerald eyes. She was dressed in dress slacks and and a simple tunic in green. "Why are you dressed Muggle," Sirius asked. "Didn't you come from Hogwarts?"
Minerva snorted as Euphemia slapped Sirius on the back of the head. "That was rude Sirius," she reinforced. "A Lord wouldn't ask a lady that. Plan on more etiquette lessons with me."
James and Lily were attempting to hide their mirth at Sirius' situation. Minerva winked at them before answering Sirius' original question. "I nipped off to Muggle London on business." Minerva pulled a miniature package and handed it to Lily before enlarging it.
"What's this?" Lily asked suprised.
Minerva shrugged her shoulders and said, "Open it and find out."
Lily grinned before doing just that. She read the paper on top before sharing a look with Minerva. With a grin, Lily pulled muggle jeans from the box. "Thank you," Lily said with a smile.
"I thought you couldn't wear Muggle jeans now?" inquired Sirius confused.
"I may have invested in a muggle jean company in Harry's name," Minerva admitted with a mischievous grin. She winked at Lily before offering, "Potters like to spread money around, correct?"
"Yes dear," Euphemia answered with a nod of approval.
Minerva grinned before pulling more boxes from her pockets. "Great!" she said happily. "I purchased everyone muggle jeans for our trip to Muggle London to the zoo."
Fleamont and Euphemia Potter looked horrified at the prospect of wearing muggle jeans. The others full-bellied laughed at Minerva's prank!
Minerva McGonagall smiled widely as she watched Fleamont Potter enter the room and command respect effortlessly. Lily Potter glided in the room next and received confused looks. The Board of Governors were meeting today. Albus and Minerva were requested to sit in on this meeting by the chair of the board. This was a frequent occurrence for them.
"Good Day Lord Potter," Augusta Longbottom greeted. "Lily," she greeted politely. "I would have assumed you would of brought James to introduce as your backup."
Fleamont smiled at his childhood friend before clarifying, "Lily isn't here as my backup voter. Lily recently had a heritage test completed at Gringotts and it was revealed she is the Heir of Slythrein." He ignored the gasps of suprise and forged on. "That so-called Heir of Slythrein Lord Voldemort isn't the heir of Slythrein House at all. Lily is Lady Slythrein as of this morning!"
"I thought you were muggleborn," Albus asked confused.
Lily smiled at Albus and shrugged her shoulders. "I thought so too Albus," she admitted. "Fleamont and James heard me speak Parselmouth at the Manor and insisted on the heritage test. Turns out I am from the main Slythrein line of squibs instead of the cadet line that arsehole is from."
"Lily," admonished Fleamont. "Euphemia would wash your mouth out with soap for that type of language."
"That's why I said it in front of you," quipped Lily with a mischievous glint in her emerald eyes.
"Anyways," Fleamont changed the subject effortless. "Gryffindor and Slythrein House want to declare backup voters for the Board of Governors."
"Reasonable in these dark times," the Hufflepuff representative commented. "Who will be your backup?"
"Minerva McGonagall will be backup for House Potter if I or James Potter isn't available for the meeting," Fleamont Potter declared. "I brought a written statement declaring the same. One is safe in my family vault and Minerva also has a copy if needed."
"Noted," the chair said then turned his undivided attention to Lily. "Your backup Lady Slythrein?"
"Minerva McGonagall will be my backup voter as well until Harry is of age," Lily declared. "If Minerva is unavailable, Sirius Black may vote in my stead."
"Noted," the chair repeated and looked at Minerva McGonagall curiously.
Minerva had just been elevated in the mindset of everyone on the board, she was sure of it. She glanced at Albus and noticed his strained expression. He didn't like her continued rise in Wizarding Britain it seemed. Why does he feel threatened by me? Has he always been threatened by others with more power?