Chapter 4: Interlude at Hogwarts

Minerva McGonagall walked through the halls of the now empty Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Now that the students have gone home for the summer, she was free to finish up any paperwork that she had to do. It was a pressing year for the Gryffindor head of house, and it was more stressful than most of her years there at Hogwarts. She hasn't felt this stressed out since there were four of the most infamous troublemakers the school had ever seen. The Marauders. But of course, it would be a Marauder's son to get into the mischief that causes most of her stress. This year was no exception.

Ever since Harry James Potter, son of James and Lily Potter, returned to Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall's life changed. Gone were the peaceful years that fell upon her after James graduated. Even the infamous Weasley twins hadn't given her as much trouble as the lone son of a Marauder. Trouble seemed to follow the young Harry Potter. In his first year, she was amazed by his ability to fly so well like his father, but also like his father, the ability to get into trouble. The troll incident at Halloween was a major thing. For three first year students to defeat a mountain troll was unheard of. It was also unheard of that the students would find out about the sorcerer's stone, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione managed it, and saved it from a ghostly form of Voldemort.

Then came the second year, where young Potter had defeated a basilisk. He also went through a lot of emotional trauma, being declared the heir of Slytherin, the students mocking him and fearful of him. But the basilisk…that in itself was amazing. But the discovery of the sword of Gryffindor…could only mean that he was a descendant. It would be worth watching to see if Harry discovered this bit of information. On to third year, where he went through the trials of watching from the sidelines as people tried to protect him from a man thought to have betrayed his parents. Then he repels over a hundred dementors with one spell. It showed that young Mr. Potter was indeed a very powerful wizard. Even Dumbledore himself couldn't repel over a hundred dementors.

Minerva walked into her office thinking about young Mr. Potter. He would need to be trained up, and soon. This prophecy that Dumbledore had told her about years ago was coming to fruition, and Dumbledore had done nothing to train the boy… not boy… young man. She couldn't hide her pride in her young charge, as he's proven time and time again that he can handle much more than what has been put in front of him. Minerva's thoughts were interrupted by an official looking owl sitting perched on her chair. Minerva moved over to the owl and relieved it of its burden.

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress, Hogwarts.

Madame McGonagall. This letter is to inform you that effective immediately, Albus Dumbledore has been removed as Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy. This was not a Board decision. It was done magically, and can only be explained by three of four heirs to the founders agreeing.

As such, it has also been decided by these heirs that you are to replace Albus Dumbledore as Headmistress. Congratulations on your assignment. However, you must now appoint a new transfiguration Professor. There has been recommendations made, but the final decision rests with you. Enclosed is a list of potential candidates.

Thank you for your time.

Marina M. Patil

Head of Hogwarts Board of Governors

Minerva's face was white as she finished reading the letter. The Heirs of Hogwarts? That would mean three of our students are heirs to the founders… Harry is definitely one of them…but would he agree to removing Dumbledore? I don't think so…I thought the boy trusted him. But that may have changed…after all, he did stick Harry with those muggles…and withholds things form him that he should know. Maybe if…

"I think I'll write to Mr. Potter." Minvera said to herself. She sat down at her desk and wrote an eloquent letter to her young charge.

Mr. Potter,

It has come to my attention that I am now the Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This has come as a surprise to me, but I have the feeling that it is not so for you. If you would, I would like to meet with you as soon as you are available. I shall wait for your reply, and if possible, I shall meet you at your home on Privet Drive.

Hoping you are well,

Professor Minerva McGonagall

Headmistress, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy

Minerva sealed the letter with the Hogwarts crest and summoned an owl to take it to Mr. Potter. The owl left quickly as Minerva sat back down in her seat going over the list of candidates for Transfiguration teacher. Her eyes fell upon one candidate as she smiled. Yes, this one will do. If she agrees to take the position, she may very well indeed wish to help in training young Mr. Potter.

Harry, Ron, and Ginny arrived in the entrance hall of Potter Manor in a heap of bodies. Ron ended up on top of Ginny, who landed on top of Harry in a very precarious position. Harry, who was looking up, saw nothing but a mane of red hair covering his face. When Ginny lifted her head and saw who she was on top of, she blushed furiously. Harry saw Ginny blush, and turned red himself.

"RON!" Hermione squealed as she helped Ron and Ginny to their feet.

"Hermione? What are you doing here?" Ron and Ginny asked.

"That's something I was going to tell you. It seems that our esteemed ex-Headmaster decided to hide the fact that Hermione is my twin sister. She was born four minutes after I was." Harry replied.

"Twin sister? But… but that never happens in the Wizarding world." Ron stammered.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"You haven't read it? Amazing." Ginny retorted. "There has never been a case of magical twins of opposite sex. You would be the first."

"Strange…it seems the rules still don't apply to you, Harry." Hermione said.

"Just my luck."

"And what do you mean, ex-Headmaster? Tell me you didn't, Harry."

"Yeah, I did. I fired Dumbledore, and replaced him with McGonagall. She may be strict, but she's always been fair." Harry said. "I won't have him interfering with me anymore. I don't even want him anywhere near me."

"Wait… what's going on here?" Ron asked.

"Harry… is the heir to three of the four founders. He owns Hogwarts." Hermione said.

"WHAT?" Ron yelled. "What the bloody hell, Harry. Everything always happens to you."

"It's not like I asked for it, Ron." Harry replied heatedly. "You should be lucky. You have everything I've always wanted. You have a family that loves you. YOU have a mum and dad to take care of you. I'd trade places with you anyday. Let Voldemort come after you every year and see how you like it."

"I…I didn't mean it like that Harry." Ron said ashamedly. "I'm sorry mate."

"It's fine, Ron. Don't let it happen again. Now, this is the main entrance hall. My study is over there, but no one but me can enter it. Hermione's study is over there, only she and I can enter it. The main library is over there, and only a Potter male can enter the Potter Library on the third floor. Hell, only a Potter can go up to the third floor. There's a dueling room over there, swimming pool, and out back is a full sized quidditch pitch." At the mention of quidditch, Ron's eyes perked up, as he rubbed his hands together. "Downstairs is the Potter Potion lab, yet only I can enter it. There is a secondary lab that we can use, and the west wing is for guests. Hermione, Sirius, Remus and I will be living in the east wing. You guys can take any bedroom on the second floor west wing. Let Dasher or Devine know which one you want."

"Why can't we be on the same side as you, Harry?" Ginny asked.

"Well, my bedroom is on the third floor. The second floor east wing has some extra bedrooms, but I figured when your parents and brothers came to stay, you'd all want to be together." Harry responded.

"Mate, can't we just stay on the east wing with you?" Ron asked, looking between Harry and Hermione.

"Doesn't matter to me. Sirius and Remus will be on that floor too, so it makes no difference to me. You can't go sneaking into other's rooms either. Once it's assigned to you, the manor will prevent anyone from entering but that person unless they are expressly invited in each time."

"Can I see your room, Harry?" Ginny asked.

"I'm not sure if you'd be able to get up to the third floor, Gin." Harry said quietly.

"How come you get the third floor all to yourself?" Ron asked stupidly.

"Honestly, Ron. It's his house. He can live anywhere he wants." Hermione interjected.

"But it's your house too!" Ron retorted.

"Ron, are you that stupid?" Ginny snapped. "You know damn well that women can't inherit houses or anything like that in the magical community when there are male heirs."

"Shut it, Ginny." Ron snapped.

"Ron, don't tell Ginny to shut it. She's right. This is my house, and you'll follow my rules. Insulting your sister here will not be tolerated. Nor will your jealous act, or insulting my sister. If you can't handle that, then you're more than welcome to go back to the Burrow. I'll not have you insulting any of my friends or family." Harry said.

"But she's my sister! I'm allowed!" Ron retorted.

"ALLOWED? ALLOWED?" Ginny fumed as she pulled her wand.

"Gin, relax. Ron, this is your final warning. Don't make me sick one of the house elves on you." Harry said. "They don't take too kindly to insults or misbehavior." Ginny lowered her wand, snickering.

"It's only the first day of break, and already you are being a prat." Hermione said. "Ron, why don't we start getting our homework done, and then we can go swimming or something."

"Hermione! School just ended!" Ron whined.

"And the faster we get our summer work done, the better off we'll be, and we can have more fun this summer."

"Besides that, don't we want to be finished before the World Cup? Dad got the tickets…" Ginny interjected.

"I agree, Gin. We should get our summer work done. There's plenty of room in the library to work, and the potions homework can be done in the lab." Harry said. "There's plenty of supplies, and I've thought about another project that we can start together."

"What's that?" Ron asked.

"I have always wanted to follow in my parents footsteps… my dad was an animagus…" Harry began.

"Blimey Harry, you want to become an animagus?" Ron asked.

"Yep."

"But Harry, that's difficult magic! Plus it's illegal!" Hermione whined.

"You don't have to do it, Rose." Harry snapped.

"Rose?" Ron and Ginny asked.

"That's her given birth name. She doesn't really like it from what I can tell. So I do it to prove a point. You can call her Rose or Hermione, but it's easier for me to call her Hermione." Harry explained.

"So we're going to be animagi?" Ginny asked.

"Only if you want to. How about it Hermione? You know what I have to do, and the more advantages I have, the better." Harry asked.

"You're right, Harry. From what I read, we'll need to take the animagus revelation potion." Hermione said. "And it wouldn't hurt to have Sirius help us, since he is one too."

"That's right. I'm so proud of you four, following in the Maruader's tradition." Sirius said from behind. Harry and Ginny turned around quickly to see Sirius on the landing of the staircase. "I'll help you with the potion and transformations, assuming you guys have animagus forms. Not all witches and wizards have forms."

"Begging your pardon, Mr. Black. But the potions lab has the potion you seek, you would not have to make it yourselves." Dasher said.

"We have a stock of the animagus revelation potion?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Harry. Your father had us stock it up for his children before you were born. We have kept a stock of it ever since Mr. Black, Mr. Pettigrew, and Master James wanted it." Dasher said.

"Well… could you bring us four vials then please?" Harry asked. Dasher bowed and disappeared immediately, only to reappear a second later with four vials of a blue potion.

"Now, the thing about this potion, young ladies and gentlemen, is that you will go into a trance-like state. In this state, you will be visited by your inner animal. You will not be able to speak to it, only to view it. Whichever form appears to you will be your animagus form. You must study this form carefully during the time you're in this trance. When you recover, you will need to study your forms and mannerisms of that animal, otherwise you will fail at the transformation. Don't be shocked if you don't have a form, as not all wizards and witches have a form. The form you take is that of what is in your heart and soul, not what you might think. For example, Peter Pettigrew was a rat. In his heart and soul, he was a rat. And it turns out, in life, he was a rat. This doesn't mean betrayal or anything of the sort, it was just his inner animal. And if a weak magic user like Pettigrew has a form, then I have no doubt that each of you will have one." Sirius explained. With that, he handed each teen their own vial. "Who's going first?"

"I will." Ron said, as he drank down the blue potion. Ginny, Hermione and Harry followed suit. All four teens fell into a trance as expected, as Sirius took a seat on the sofa near his godson. Almost an hour later, the four teens emerged from their trancelike state.

"Well? How did it go?" Sirius asked the group. Ron looked almost happy and Ginny was beaming happily. Hermione had a look of dread on her face, and Harry looked confused. "What are your forms, so we can properly name you as a Marauder."

"I'm a lion!" Ron said, bursting with pride. "It's large, with a red mane, powerful claws…" Ron went on for five more minutes describing his form. Ginny looked at her brother with what looked like pride.

"I dub thee, Gryff." Sirius said in a serious manor, tapping Ron on the head with his wand. "What about you, Hermione?"

"Well… I… um…" Hermione studdered.

"Oh, come on, Hermione. Tell us… you're an owl, aren't you! All that knowledge from books, it's the only thing you could be!" Ron quipped, but to his surprise, Hermione nodded.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of, Hermione. An owl is a wise creature. What colors were your owl?"

"She's a mixture of brown and white…but how can I be an owl? I don't like flying!" Hermione whined.

"You don't like flying because it's something you can't learn from a book." Ron said wisely. "You don't like anything that you can't read from a book."

"I dub thee, Miss Wings" Sirius said, tapping Hermione on her head with his wand. "Ginny?"

"I am… I don't know how this can be… but I'm a phoenix." Ginny replied.

"A Phoenix? Are you sure, Ginny? That can't be… there hasn't ever been a magical creature animagus." Hermione interrupted.

"That's what I saw… I know it's supposed to be impossible…" Ginny stammered.

"No, not impossible. There were rumors that Merlin himself was a magical animagi. As it was unconfirmed… scholars said it was impossible." Sirius said. "Ginny must be a powerful witch in order to have a magical animagi. What colors were you, Ginny?"

"It was… almost blood red, with white tips." Ginny replied.

Sirius looked thoughtful for a moment before tapping Ginny with his wand. "I dub thee firefly." With that, Ron and Hermione laughed, much to the chagrin of Ginny. "And finally, Harry. No doubt a stag like his father." Sirius smirked.

"Um… no." Harry said. "Sirius… what did these books say about having more than one animagi form?"

"What? Now that I know is impossible." Sirius said. "No witch or wizard could have more than one animagus form."

"Then why did I see five animals, one of them being a magical one?" Harry asked.

"I honestly don't know, Harry. What forms did you see?" Sirius asked. Ron, Hermione and Ginny looked at him in awe.

"Um… I saw a lion, a badger, an eagle, a snake, and a phoenix." Harry whispered.

"But… but that's the symbols of the founders!" Hermione cried.

"Well, I am heir to the founders… but that shouldn't mean I should have five animal forms…" Harry argued.

"Harry… that may be the reason you have five animagus forms. One for each of the bloodlines of the founders, and your personal one. I would think that given your purity of heart, your dedication to what's right… I think your Phoenix form is your primary form. And for that, I dub thee Firestorm." With a look to each of the four newest Marauders, Sirius piped up, "Messers Firestorm and Gryff, Missus Wings and Firefly, it is with great pleasure that I, Padfoot, one of two remaining Maruaders, hereby induct you into the famed clan known as the Maruaders. You shall use your Maruader names when conducting Maruader business." Sirius said with a big smile.

Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione all had big smiles on their faces. The Maruaders were legendary within the hallowed halls of Hogwarts, and to be linked with this group was something akin to being gods. Hermione's days of following the strict letter of the rules seemed to be over, now that she learned she truly belonged to the wizarding world.

Their minor celebration was interrupted by a small house elf coming into the room. "Master Harry Potter?" the little elf squeaked. Harry turned to look at the small elf, one that he did not recognize.

"Hello, little one. Who are you?" Harry asked.

"My name is Misty, Master Potter." The elf answered.

"She is my elfling, Harry." Devine replied, bringing in tea and biscuits. "She is learning to serve the house."

"Oh! Well, hello Misty. Did you need something, Misty?" Harry asked.

"Master Potter has an owl from Mistress McGonagall." Misty said, handing Harry the letter she was holding.

"Thank you, Misty. But you may call me Harry. This is Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Sirius." Harry said.

"Oh, No Master Potter. I cannot be disrespectful of the Master of the House! It is not the house-elf way! I would be in so much trouble!" Misty cried.

"It's alright, Misty. I told your Mum and all the other house elfs they are to call me Harry." Harry replied. The little elf looked between Harry and her mother, and stopped crying when the elder elf nodded her head.

"Thank you, Master Harry." Misty sobbed. Harry rolled his eyes towards his friends, who just shrugged their shoulders. The little elf disappeared as Harry opened his letter.

"Hm. McGonagall wants me to meet with her. I suppose I should. Will you all be okay here?" Harry asked.

"Of course big bro." Hermione squeaked. Ginny hugged him close before Harry moved away and towards the floo. He pulled his wand, lit a fire and threw a pinch of floo powder into the fire and said "HOGWARTS!"

(A/N: Yes, I know this chapter is a short one. It was intended to be. The next chapter will be up hopefully by the weekend. With work and such, it's difficult to get time to write, especially when that nagging thing called sleep needs to happen. So... until next time...)