Chapter 3 to dd

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Almost got killed writing this…

Minerva awoke to Harry Potter banging on her door AGAIN. She sighed as she dressed and opened the door. Harry was standing outside the door, tears in his eyes. Without warning, He fell into her arms, sobbing heavily.

Minerva gently closed the door and brought him to hers and Albus's rooms.

She sat down on the edge of the bed and rocked him slightly, just as she used to do when he was a child.

After 5 minutes, Harry spoke.

"I saw him… Dad," He clarified when he saw Minerva's puzzled look.

Her eyes blurred again at the mention of his name.

"Mom?" Harry asked.

"Continue." She replied, wiping the tears away.

"Well, I saw him dying again, Mom! It is so painful. I was there at that time, unable to do anything. Anything to save him at all. He petrified me, Mom. Why?" He cried out and gripped Minerva even tighter. Minerva held him close and whispered words of comfort to him as she silently pondered the possibility of him faking his death. It was very slim, she knew. Yet there is no chance of it now. He is dead, his body entombed in that dreaded cold white tomb. And nothing is going to change that.

After awhile, she pulled herself together as she glanced at the clock. It was 5 minutes to breakfast at the great hall. She slowly pulled Harry away from her and pointed at the clock.

"It's time to go, Harry." She whispered softly.

Harry reluctantly detached himself from his mom, which his face clear of any tear tracks. When he is done, he slowly got out of the room, not wanting to go.

"Go, Potter." Switching back to teacher mode. "I'll be right behind you." She whispered.

Harry left the room and when into the great hall, where Professor McGonagall was already seated.

"How did she move so fast?" He wondered.

He sat at the Gryffindor house table, not eating at all, as he looked at Professor McGonagall, who was now worriedly staring at him. He looked down breaking eye contact, and started eating. He glanced up to find his mom with a much happier expression, chatting to Madam Hooch.

After finishing her breakfast, Minerva left the table, to prepare for her next lesson. No announcements were made as the student population stared after her. The staff, knowing her current mood, wisely kept their mouths shut.

Harry looked up from his plate to see that Professor McGonagall has left the table. Wondering where she is, he scanned the Great hall.

"Harry? Harry!" Hermione called again.

"What?" He replied irritably.

"We've been calling you for 5 minutes, mate." Ron replied. "Where did you go last night?" Ron asked curiously.

"Nowhere." Was Harry's short answer.

" Ron said that you weren't in your bed in the morning." Hermione whispered.

"Hey. Where did McGonagall go?" Ron questioned Harry and Hermione.

"No idea." Hermione replied.

"Time to go people!" Harry shouted as he rushed through the doors to their Transfiguration lesson, for which he is already 5 minutes late.

Hermione glanced at her watch and gasped.

"We are already 5 minutes late! Hurry up Ron!" She shouted, as she dashed past stunned students.

Harry, Ron and Hermione reached the Transfiguration classroom, gasping for breath.

They rushed to their seats, where the Professor is talking about how to transfigure animals into larger objects.

"10 points each from Gryffindor for your tardiness." She said as she turned to face them.

After the lesson, Professor McGonagall asked Harry to stay back. Ron and Hermione glanced curiously at the both of them before silently exiting the room.

As soon as no one was in the room, Minerva strode over and locked the room. Harry watched her curiously, as she took out the pensive.

"Are we going to watch a memory again mom?"

Minerva just nodded. Both of them jumped into the pensive.

/ Memory /

It was Harry's fifth birthday. Harry was still sleeping, while Minerva and Albus were dancing slowly in the living room. He was known to all as Hendry McGonagall, a young nephew of hers.

"What are you getting for Harry this year?" Minerva asked Albus.

"It's a surprise, my love. What are you getting him?"

"A wizard chess set."

"Are you sure, Minerva?"

"Yes." She replied irritably.

Harry woke up at about 8.30 am, to Fawkes trilling above him. Ever since the Professors' adopted him, the phoenix took on an obsessive need to protect him. He slowly got out of bed and to the living room, where he knew his parents would already be.

Harry knocked on the door. Pushing it open, he entered the room, to be greeted with many large boxes piling on the floor.

"Good morning Harry. I see that you are already anticipating your presents" Dumbledore smiled merrily.

"Come over here Harry." Minerva said from a corner, patting the space beside her.

They had a wonderful time that they, opening presents many sent them.

By the end of the day, Harry received many presents, including a new chess set Minerva gave him, a new watch similar to that of Albus's from him, and a new toy broomstick the Weasleys' gave them.

Harry was very happy, to say the least. They rounded off the celebrations for Harry with a trip down to the Quidditch pitch for him to try out his new broom.

/ End of Memory /

"Is there any more, mum?" He asked Minerva once they got out of the pensive.

"Yes. But those are for tonight." She replied.

"Mum?" he asked again, watching her collapse in a chair.

"I am going to be fine, Harry. It's just that watching those memories took a lot out of me." She replied.

"Well, I'll leave you here, are you really fine mum?" He asked again.

"Yes Harry. Now, don't you have lunch coming in 5 minutes?" She asked.

"Yes. And I am so looking forward to it," he replied sarcastically.

"Will you be down for lunch mum?" He asked again.

Minerva sighed. "No, Harry. I have a lot of things to do."

Harry frowned. Minerva have not been down for lunch the past dew days, and he was getting worried.

"You will be coming down for lunch today, Mum, whether you like it or not." He said firmly.

Minerva protested weakly as Harry pushed her to the door.

"No more protests. You will be going down for lunch. I love you mum." He replied as he dragged her down the stairs. It was fortunate for both of them as everyone was already in the Great Hall.

They both stopped outside the Great hall, where Harry entered first, as not to arouse any suspicions. A few minutes later, Minerva entered the Great Hall, causing many heads to turn in her direction. She gave them her best glare as she strode to the staff table. Rolanda Hooch raised an eyebrow when she came to sit beside her.

"later." Was her short reply.

Rolanda nodded understandingly and resumed eating. She was one of the trusted few who Minerva told that Harry Potter was her adopted son. The other few who knew that Harry was her son were Pomona Sprout, Poppy Pomfrey and surprisingly, Severus Snape.

Harry looked up at the staff table as he watched his mum eat, ignoring both Ron and Hermione.

"Harry?" Hermione whispered.

"Where were you just now, mate?" Ron asked.

Harry snapped out of his reverie and turned to look at Ron.

"I was with Professor McGonagall just now, remember? She held me back" Harry snapped.

"Okay… Well, you don't have to shout." Ron replied.

"Sorry. Its just that I am under a lot of stress now… Well you get it."

Ron patted Harry's back sympathetically, while Hermione looked at McGonagall, with a calculating expression on her face.

"Hermione?" Harry asked.

"What? Oh!" Hermione shouted as the ice cream melted and trickled on her skirt.

All three of them stood up.

"Let's go back to the common room. I had enough food." Ron said.

All three of them started leaving the Great Hall, pausing only once to let Ron tie his shoelaces.

The trio were chatting happily when suddenly, Harry tripped over the foot of one of the armors and tumbled down the stairs, landing with a nasty crunch.

Ron started to panic.

"Get McGonagall now. Ron!" Hermione yelled.

"What? Oh ya." Was his reply as he rushed to find the Professor, hoping that she was still in the Great Hall.