"Easy," Lily cautioned as Minerva attempted to sit up. "Your body was bruised and wounded by your magic."
"Bruised and wounded," Minerva repeated confused as her mind tried to process her current situation. Her throat felt like it was on fire and her body felt like she had been hit by the Knight Bus.
"Yes," Lily answered. "You have been unconscious nearly four days. Harry has been a right nightmare."
"Where is Harry now?" Minerva questioned as her heart squeezed painfully just thinking of the hurt she caused him regardless if it was unintentional.
"Right here," Fleamont answered from the doorway. The eldest Potter walked in holding Harry. He was sobbing and reaching for her desperately. "You must be careful Harry," he reinforced sternly. "Minerva still has injuries that haven't fully healed yet."
"Be good," he promised as he was gently placed next to Minerva on the bed. Harry shifted closer to kiss her cheek delicately. "Min," he breathed in relief.
"I'm fine," she whispered sadly. The poor dear was exhausted. It seemed he had not slept much while she was unconscious.
"You were magnificent according to Euphemia. You made quite the stir in the Alley," Fleamont said as Harry's eyes drooped.
Minerva raised her eyebrows in suprise. "There was a photographer present," Lily answered her silent question. "There was an entire edition dedicated to the Attack on Diagon Alley."
Minerva groaned at that. She really didn't like being in the paper. "How bad was it?" she questioned.
"It sung your praises," Fleamont offered her with a grin. "Donavon and myself have been offered a lot of business since the edition was released. I have several copies of the Prophet. I will make sure Heather brings you one to read."
Harry snored loudly which prompted a smile from Minerva. She turned slightly in the bed and drew Harry closer to her. He smiled in his sleep. "Wake me in a few hours?" Minerva asked as a yawn escaped her. "Seems I still need a bit more rest."
Minerva waltzed into the parlor with Harry firmly in her embrace. "You shouldn't be up yet," James cried as he rushed to retrieve Harry from her.
"Nonsense," she answered firmly. "I feel perfectly fine."
Minerva sat down in her customary seat and smiled as Harry escaped his dad's grip and made his way to her on unsteady legs. "Up," he managed as he held his hands up to her.
Minerva grinned and pulled him to her. He settled against her and played with a strand of her hair. She smiled at him before combing her fingers through his mop of hair. "No wonder Harry won't allow me to do that," Lily said as she walked into the room. "That's something he associates with you."
Minerva looked at her suprised. "Sorry," she muttered. "It's a safe way to show affection to him. We struggle," she admitted.
"Even after the handfasting," Donavon Ross asked as he entered the room.
Minerva nodded her head. "Harry likes to push my boundaries," she said honestly. "His magic is forcing his hand in the matter. I have found that this action is similar enough to adult affection to satisfy the bond for now. It shall be a long 16 years for Harry and me if his magic keeps pushing him."
"I'm sorry we put you in this situation," Donavon offered sadly.
"I'm not," she replied with a smile. "The benefits the handfasting offers more than outweighs the minor discomforts. We are adapting to the situation."
"There is our lovely heroine," Ida Ross said with a smirk as she effectively changed the topic. "I must admit I enjoyed the Ballisk hide jumpsuit," she teased.
"Gran," Minerva whined embarrassed. "I will never downplay this, will I?"
"It's doubtful," Sirius answered with a huge grin. "There are pictures of you floating everywhere." He handed an album to Harry. "Enjoy it pup!" he offered with a grin.
Harry looked at his godfather suprised before opening the album clumsily. He grinned at the wizard. "Thanks Padfoot," Harry managed as he continued to look through the album.
Minerva looked at the album and groaned loudly. "You had prints made for him?" she screeched at Sirius furiously.
Sirius grinned at her but shook his head no. "Those are the original prints," he clarified. "I purchased the rights to those prints under Harry's name. No one else can print them without permission or our lawyers will attack them. Unfortunately, the copies already circulating aren't going anywhere."
Minerva didn't know how to respond to that. "You did?" she finally asked.
Sirius nodded his head. "I seem to recall promising my pup to help protect his mate," he answered sincerely. "I shall never fail my pup again."
"I knew you could manage being a gentleman," Euphemia said triumphantly as she pressed a kiss to his cheek. She moved to Minerva and glared at her. "Never scare me like that again! It was terrifying and downright scary being trapped within your magic," the eldest Potter witch managed.
"It's not like I planned on being ambushed," Minerva retorted with an eye roll. "I only knew I had the magic to protect Harry and you while I fought them."
"I have never saw such magic," Euphemia admitted as she sat down near Minerva. "It flowed from you effortlessly."
"Did you look at the Daily Prophet yet?" Fleamont asked curiously.
Minerva nodded her head, her embarrassment coloring her cheeks pink. "It rather painted me as a goddess."
"Those in the Alley that managed to watch you up close has proclaimed you as a warrior goddess," James added with a smirk. "The Ministry of Magic is issuing you an Order of Merlin first class." Minerva groaned at that. "There was several Ministry employees in the Alley that day and they witnessed your heroics. You have caught the attention of the Unspeakables."
Minerva looked alarmed at that. "They cannot find out about the past," she said horrified.
"They already know," Donavon answered her frankly. "One of them realized the importance of your betrothal rings and did their research. They realize Harry is the Champion of Death and that you can wield that magic."
"What do they want?" she asked frantically. "The bastards always want something."
"To help," Fleamont responded. "There's an active prophecy regarding the Heart of the Champion of Death. Sybill Trelawney gave it after your confrontation with Albus. Pomona Sprout, Rolonda Hooch and Filius Flitwick are the only witnesses to it."
"The Unspeakables in the know have taken unbreakable vows to help you and to remain silent," James added. "We plan on utilizing them. They are searching for ways to cleanse Horcuxes as we speak."
"I have collected Ravenclaw's diadem and Guant's ring," Sirius offered. "If the Unspeakables are unable to find a cleansing ritual by Halloween, I will personally destroy them."
"What do you mean there's an active prophecy regarding the Heart of the Champion of Death," screeched Minerva. "Why the bloody hell hasn't anyone informed me about before?"
"Why would they?" a chilling voice asked. Death appeared before Minerva and smirked at her. "You would distract yourself from what you are doing now. You are interweaving Harry's destiny and yours yet you haven't realized it."
Minerva stared at Death dumbfounded. Interweaving destinies? she silently question. "How am I doing that?" she asked confused.
"You were sent back to correct the timeline," Death said. "Yet you have changed it completely. Albus Dumbledore has already lost a multitude of influence simply by your reaction to him. You have destroyed some of the most notorious Death Eaters from last time and did so with no other bloodshed. Old Families are watching you closely and they are impressed with you. You suprised me with your magical ability. I knew you would be able to wield the Hallows but I was overjoyed to see you wield Harry's magical power. You shouldn't have been able to do so yet you did."
"Is that why she was so bruised and wounded," Fleamont inquired.
Death nodded his head yes then answered gravely. "Minerva tapped into Harry's magic somehow. The amount of magic she wielded was staggering and would have killed any others had they attempted it. Had Harry been safely behind Potter wards, I am unsure if she would have managed it. Their bond flared at Harry's perceived danger and she fought for the both of them. I have very high expectations when they finalize their bond."
"Harry's destiny has altered," Lily said unexpectedly. "Hasn't it?"
Death chuckled at that. "Your intelligence is staggering," he praised. "Harry's original destiny was to defeat Voldemort yet now that destiny is interweaved with Minerva. The second prophecy was unexpected and it changed things. Harry will be challenged many times in his life but his destiny will be to gather the Old Families and interweave the newer ones among them."
"While Minerva pushes education and acceptance further at Hogwarts?" questioned a thoughtful Lily.
"Yes," Death admitted with a smirk. "Hogwarts and the Wizengamot will reshape into what it should have been long ago had a certain few bigots not gained complete control of Magical Britain."