Over the next few weeks, Minerva and Harry grew closer. They would talk about his parents and his place in the magical world, spend time working in her garden, and just becoming a family. Minerva even taught him a few simple spells, to get him started. Harry learned about the history of House Elves from his conversations with Mipsy and now understood why she called him master. He may not agree with it but it was her way. They went through the other compartment of his trunk and Minerva refused the gifts of his mother's jewelry. She told him he should keep them for his future wife, which caused him to blush. They found some of his parents old school equipment, that was in excellent condition and they set those items aside for later use. All in all, the month of June ended without incident much to Minerva's liking.
During the first few days of July, Minerva was busy visiting the new muggle born students. It was part of her job to introduce them to the magical world and answer any questions their parent's had. She was most impressed with one young witch, the daughter of dentists, and prayed that she would become a Gryffindor; Filius was hoarding all the smart ones lately. She also started her investigation into the Head Boy position. She brought her findings to her sisters and decided to give their newest member her first assignment. Minerva spoke at one meeting.
"Nymphadora I have a task for you to complete."
"Please professor, just call me Tonks." She admonished.
"Very well, and you may call me Minerva during our meetings. First of all, you are interning at the ministry this summer correct."
"Yes ma'am, I mean Minerva. I'm working in the auror department. I'm just filling and learning the system right now." Tonks answered.
"Very good. Your first assignment for us is this. I have a list of names I need checked. I want as much information as you can find on them and any similarities amongst them. This will also help you with learning how to investigate people once you become an auror. If you need any assistance, I'm certain that Amelia and Dolores will assist you." Minerva said.
"Who are they? What did they do?" Tonks asked.
"This is a list of all the Head Boys that were not prefects. I want to know if anything is out of the ordinary."
"Why would you look into that Minerva?" Amelia asked.
"Harry asked me if it was normal, for a student to become Head Boy without any previous experience. It isn't out of the ordinary but it isn't very common either. I want to know if there is any connection between them; for my own peace of mind." Minerva said.
"Harry? Harry Potter?" Tonks asked excitedly.
"Yes Tonks. I am Harry's guardian and he is staying with me. Tell no one! When you return to Hogwarts for your final year, your assignment will be to look out for him, discretely."
"I understand it's just that I haven't seen nor heard of him since they went into hiding and . . ." Tonks stopped talking trying to compose herself.
"I know how you feel, but Harry is not the issue. Find as much information as you can then bring it to me in September. If it makes you feel better he is a healthy, happy young man." Minerva said.
"Thank you. I remember playing with him before he went into hiding; he was amazing."
"What do you mean Tonks?" Dolores asked.
"We would sit on the floor pushing a Quaffle back and forth, and Lily would say a color; blue, green, black, whatever, and then he would change the Quaffle to that color. It was so cool." Tonks said.
"So that's what Lily was doing. She said she was experimenting with Harry but we never knew what she was doing and we couldn't find any reports." Poppy said.
"The only place she could have hidden anything would be in the Potter Grimoire or her own personal spell book. The only person who can access them would be Harry; she never did trust the old man and with good reason." Anastasia said.
"Another mystery to solve. Have you given Harry his library yet?" Dolores asked.
"I was going to give it to him for his birthday. Are you ready for his education Dolores?" Minerva asked.
"I'm ready, how do you think he'll take the news?"
"He seems eager to learn. I've talked to him about his lordship but not everything it entails. I didn't want to overwhelm him." Minerva said reluctantly.
"You need to tell him. I understand your need to protect him but the sooner he learns the better in the long run." Cassandra said.
"I'll tell him after our trip. He's been looking forward to the festival."
"I'm sure he'll have a wonderful time; Luna's looking forward to it as well. Have you taught him any spells so he can participate in the children's games?" Cassandra asked.
"Oh yes, that is why he's excited. He is a delightful student; he might find things difficult at first but once he learns something it becomes second nature. He can't wait for school to start." Minerva said happily.
All the sisters laughed and spoke about other matters. The meeting ended then Minerva returned home to a frantic Mipsy.
"Mistress, Master Harry is sick. He is very hot and sweating badly."
"I was expecting this, but not this soon. Go to Poppy and tell her what has happened then return." Minerva commanded.
Mipsy nodded then popped away. Minerva quickly went to Harry's room to find him in distress. She knew the last of the magical blocks had dissolved and wished there was something she could do to ease his discomfort. Moments later, Mipsy returned along with Poppy. Poppy quickly drew her wand and examined Harry; she also knew what was happening. She finished her examination then withdrew a potion from her medical bag. Harry calmed quickly, after Poppy helped him swallow the potion. The two women left the room and instructed Mipsy to watch over Harry. They proceeded to Minerva's office then Poppy spoke.
"The last of the blocks are gone. He will need at least two days bed rest then he'll be fine. Make sure he gets plenty of fluids, and watch for any signs of magical discharge. His core seemed to almost double in density so be careful."
"Thank you, we knew this was going to happen but not for a few more weeks. Poppy what would have happened if we didn't remove the blocks as we did?"
"The blocks would have dissolved by themselves over time but it would have been worse on him. If he was at his relative's when this happened, he could have destroyed their house; even himself. Don't worry he'll be fine, the amount of magic that had been blocked was more than I first expected. I wonder if Lily wasn't the only one to place a block on him."
"It wouldn't surprise me but we have no proof. I'm just relieved that it happened here and not at Hogwarts or with those muggles." Minerva said.
"True, but we don't have to worry about that any longer. I'll give my readings to Ana to make a new pendant for him." Poppy said.
"No, let's wait and see what happens. If he needs one then fine but I don't want to cause him any more discomfort." Minerva said.
Poppy agreed and returned to Hogwarts by Floo. Minerva returned to Harry's room and kept a bed side vigil until morning.
Harry awoke the next morning feeling horrible. He saw Minerva sitting next to his bed and she smiled at him. She said.
"Good morning. How do you feel?"
"Sore all over and thirsty. What happened?"
"Harry let me explain something first. Your mother placed blocks on your magical core; they were put there to protect you from harming yourself. They dissolved last night and your magical core is now stronger. I knew this was going to happen but not so soon, please forgive me."
"I forgive you, you didn't know. Does this mean my core is bigger now?" Harry asked.
"Not larger but more dense."
"Like an athlete is stronger because his muscles are harder." Harry asked.
"Exactly. Now you are restricted to bed for two days until you recover. You may leave bed to use the loo but nothing else. If you need anything, call me or Mipsy."
"Okay. May I take a shower, I feel icky." Harry asked.
"Of course." She said smiling.
Minerva helped Harry out of bed. He was stiff and sore all over but once he took a nice hot shower he felt much more relaxed. He dressed in fresh pajamas then returned to his room where Mipsy served him a healthy breakfast with plenty of pumpkin juice. It took only a few hours for Harry to realize that being restricted to bed sucked but he complied reluctantly; besides Mipsy was relentless in her instructions. The only good thing to come of this was Minerva taught him to play chess.
Once he was released from his restrictions, Harry immediately went outside for fresh air. Hedwig was a constant companion to her human and was happy he was well. They played together for some time but Harry tired quickly; he wasn't fully recovered yet. By the time the weekend arrived Harry was better than ever and excited. He dressed in his kilt and awaited for his aunt to arrive from her errand. She arrived moments later and spoke.
"I see someone's excited. Now listen carefully, this is a portkey," she said holding an old sock, "It will take us to the festival and back. What you need to remember is do not move until the portkey is finished working, if you move you'll fall over. You'll know it's complete by feeling a gentile push. Understand?"
Harry nodded with a smile and took Minerva's hand as they went outside. They were met by two others that Harry didn't recognize. Minerva spoke.
"Harry this is Cassandra Lovegood and her daughter Luna. They will be joining us and sharing the portkey."
"Hello." Harry said shyly.
"Hello Harry, I'm Luna. We're going to have so much fun together. You have very nice legs." She said with a dreamy voice.
Harry smiled weakly and the four travelers took hold of the sock. After Minerva reminded the children to hold on tightly, she activated the portkey. They felt a pull at their navels and vanished. When they reappeared, Harry stumbled and fell backwards. Luna looked at him with a dreamy expression and said.
"You moved. Did the wrackspurts infect you?"
"What are wrackspurts?" He asked concerned.
"They get into your brain and make your thinking go all wonky. You seem okay now but you need to be more careful." Luna said.
"I will. Thank you."
"You're welcome, now get off your bum and let's go have some fun." She said with a smile.
Harry smiled back then stood up. He brushed himself off and the four travelers went to the festival. The adults looked at each other and smiled, they knew the children both just made a new friend.
Harry was wide eyed as they walked through the festival. There were shows and contests for the adults, including a wrestling match, magical dueling tournament and log throwing contest. There were all sorts of different food and drink. Harry tried Haggis but afterwards Cassandra told him what it was; he just shrugged his shoulders and said, "Needed salt."
Luna and Harry spent most of the day walking hand in hand; Luna had insisted. Harry was a bit uneasy at first but quickly grew to accept Luna's suggestion and even sought her hand as the day progressed. They played many games and Harry won quite a few prizes. He hadn't performed any spells since the incident and was eager to try. He won a stuffed Hippogriff that moved for Luna knocking down stacked bottles with a Flipendo, knock back jinx. Unfortunately, he was asked to leave the booth after he shattered the metal bottles; much to Minerva's surprise. He won a stuffed giraffe for Cassandra by playing Whack-a-Troll; like Whack-a-Mole in the muggle world. Minerva was most impressed with his reflexes and hand speed. The best prize was a crystal tea set for Minerva by breaking the record for stone throwing with the Depulso Spell, a stronger version of Flipendo. He beat the old record by five meters on the first try. Minerva and Cassandra would talk later about his abilities.
Luna pulled Harry to the dancing area where she and Harry danced to traditional Scottish tunes. Neither was very good but they had fun and the adults enjoyed watching as well. They all had their pictures taken, as a group and Harry and Luna together. In a short time, the two children had become best of friends and promised to write when Harry was at Hogwarts. Harry had the time of his life and was saddened when it was time to leave. They returned to the portkey area and returned to Minerva's estate. Harry stayed upright this time but was a bit shaky.
The children went inside to Harry's room and the adults stayed in the garden to talk. Cassandra said.
"I can't believe how strong he is. He wasn't even trying hard."
"I know, it both excites and worries me. If he were to hit a student with that Flipendo of his; he could seriously injure someone." Minerva said.
"What are you going to do?" Cassandra asked concerned.
"I'll talk to Poppy first; it may be just some magical build up from the blocks failing. If not then we need to teach him control before we do anything else. Did you see how fast his hands were moving?"
"No I didn't, I could barely keep up."
"That's what I mean. I wonder if that is a by-product from his magical increase or its natural. I'll ask Poppy about that as well." Minerva said.
"We better get inside, no telling what those two are getting into." Cassandra teased.
"They do seem to get along well." Minerva responded with a twinkle in her eyes.
"That would be pleasant, but not for a few years. You were right Min, he is a wonderful boy. You've done an excellent job with him. I think he's done wonders for you as well. You seem much more relaxed and had more fun at the festival than I've ever seen you before."
"Ever since my Eric passed, I never thought I'd ever be happy again. Harry is like a breath of fresh air. He's so full of life it's hard not to be effected by him. He has a way about him I can't explain." Minerva said.
"I know what you mean, I felt it too; whatever IT is." Cassandra said smiling.
The two sisters went to Harry's room to find the children playing with Luna's Hippogriff. They watched and Minerva smiled as Harry laughed and joked with Luna about the day's events. She thought to herself, why would Albus want to deny Harry this? What purpose would sending him to those people serve except to keep him from enjoying life? What was he up to?
Cassandra watched her daughter and her heart was filled with joy. After her husband was killed, Luna retreated into herself. Her clairvoyance and mage sight abilities caused her to fear everything around her and made people uncomfortable around her. Luna's only friend, at the time, was Ginny Weasley. Even she became distant because of this but she was very young so Cassandra didn't blame her. Luna was emerging from her shell slowly but Harry seemed to pull her out all the way. Cassandra was happy they were friends and hoped that one day they would become more.
It was time to leave, so Harry helped Luna to her feet and she said goodbye and gave him a warm hug which he returned reluctantly; he still wasn't used to this type of affection. Luna petted Hedwig goodbye as welland she left with her mother with a loud crack. Harry fell asleep quickly that night having the best day of his young life. Minerva contacted Poppy about the day's incidents. She told Minerva that it was just excess magic that needed to be burned off and not to worry. This calmed Minerva and she slept soundly but dreaded when morning arrived.
The next morning during breakfast, Minerva spoke to Harry.
"Harry I need to discuss something with you. You remember when I told you about your lordship?"
"Yes Aunt Minerva, is something wrong?" Harry asked nervously.
"Not wrong exactly; however you need to start being educated to take up your position when the time comes. Normally your parents would raise you to take your position but that isn't the case with you so I've arranged a tutor for you." Minerva said with bated breath.
"I think I understand. What kind of things will I learn?" He asked confused.
"At first, things like proper manners and etiquette then as you become older the subjects include government and your place in it as well as how to conduct business transactions and other related topics. In short, you will be taught to be a proper Head of the Potter Family."
"It almost sounds like you want me to learn how to be a snob." He retorted.
"Unfortunately, that is the way our government works. You only have to act like that around those people because it is what they know. The rest of the time you can act as you wish. Think of it this way; when we are here I'm Aunt Minerva but when we are at school you have to address me as Professor McGonagall; in public that is." Minerva said reluctantly.
"That makes more sense. I have some questions though. Will I still be able to attend university after Hogwarts? I've always dreamt of going to Oxford or Cambridge."
"We have programs that can prepare you. They are mostly in place for muggle born students to appease their parents, but some pure-blood students participate as well." Minerva said relieved.
"Okay, when does this tutoring start and for how long? Who is my tutor?"
"We can start tomorrow if you like. Most of your lessons will be two to three days per week during the summer. During the school year, she will give you some books to read and understand about different topics and I'll help you as much as possible. The lessons will last as long as necessary until your sixteenth birthday when your take over your lordship officially. Your tutor knows the ins and outs of our government and society quite well but can be demanding at times, her name is Dolores Umbridge."
"That's a lot to learn. I'll try not to let you down." He said solemnly.
"You don't have to impress me Harry but this is necessary for you to learn. There is something I would like to teach you today, if you are interested."
"Yes please." He said with a huge grin.
"Meet me outside; I'll only be a few moments." Minerva said smiling.
Harry smiled happily and went outside and waited patiently. He didn't wait long and smiled when he saw his aunt. She was dressed in jeans and trainers with a white blouse carrying two brooms. He was going to fly. She smiled at his obvious excitement then went into lecture mode. She taught him how to call his broom to his hand and the proper grip. He listened attentively and mounted his broom then the two kicked off and hovered a few meters above the ground.
Minerva went through a few easy maneuvers, which Harry learned quickly. Soon the two were flying freely. Minerva was astonished by Harry's skill and decided to test a theory. She called Harry to her and told him to catch a small golden ball she had with her. He quickly agreed and she let the ball loose. The training Snitch was caught in minutes then returned to her only to be released again. She watched as Harry fearlessly chased after the elusive ball performing moves that she wouldn't dream of in her prime. She prayed to the fates he would be a Gryffindor: they needed a Seeker badly.
The two flew around for about an hour when Mipsy called Minerva to answer the Floo. They landed and Minerva instructed Harry to stay on the ground until her return. One glare from Mipsy and he complied; she could be right scary when she wanted to be. Minerva was informed by her friend and colleague Filius Flitwick about a staff meeting this afternoon to discuss the special circumstances this year. Minerva sighed heavily berating the wisdom of bringing a dangerous item to Hogwarts. She informed Harry she would be leaving for a few hours and had Mipsy return the brooms inside, much to Harry's dismay.
Minerva returned home, just after lunch, cursing under her breath in a thick Scottish accent. She composed herself and asked Mispy to bring her lunch to her office. She found Harry in his room at his desk and she asked.
"What is that you're writing?"
"I'm writing a letter to Luna. I'm telling her about my flying lesson." He said smiling.
Minerva smiled and said, "I'm glad you and Luna are getting along. I've spoken with Dolores and she will be here tomorrow after dinner. I have some work to do so I will see you at dinner."
"Luna's my first friend; I like her. I had a lot of fun today; can we do that again sometime?" Harry asked hopefully.
"Of course we can, I enjoyed myself as well." She agreed happily. She left to return to her office muttering something about his horrid relatives that was most unladylike.
Dinner was a quiet affair; Minerva had much on her mind. Hedwig had returned from Luna's with a letter for Harry but Minerva reminded him not to read at the dinner table. She returned to her office to work and Harry quickly opened his letter. He laughed at Luna's response and decided to write again tomorrow.
The next day Minerva informed Harry that during the second week of August, she would be returning to Hogwarts full time. He would be staying with some friends of hers until then, but would meet them before that time. Harry didn't like the idea of not seeing his aunt everyday but soon realized he would see her again at school.
That evening Harry met his tutor. She spoke.
"Good evening Mr. Potter. My name is Dolores Umbridge."
"Hello." He said shyly.
"I assume you are aware of the purpose of these lessons so let us begin. First of all, stand up straight; good posture is very important. When I arrive here, you will great me as if this were a formal setting. When you speak to me, look at my eyes and not the floor. Do you understand?" Dolores said sternly.
"Yes ma'am, but how do I properly great you?" Harry asked looking at her intently.
"Excellent question Mr. Potter. This is what you must do." Dolores said in a formal tone.
She explained the proper way to great a lady in a formal setting and how to escort her to and from different locations. She was impressed by his manners but they still needed polishing and his posture needed much work. Harry listened closely and asked good questions, much to her delight. By the end of the lesson, Harry escorted Dolores to the Floo properly and bid her good night. She smiled at the young lord and was very pleased with his quick grasp of the information and thought, he is going to be a joy to teach. The old man won't be expecting this Harry Potter.
The final two weeks of July were filled with flying, lessons, and letters from Luna. Harry seemed to be adjusting well to his new schedule; he liked being busy. He was learning many new things and having fun at the same time; life was good. He showed his Aunt Minerva the notes he had taken for his classes and she was most impressed. He seemed to have a good grasp of all subjects and was well organized. She told him that she was giving him a small birthday party and that some people would be attending. Harry was nervous because he never had a party before but Minerva encouraged him not to worry.
Harry awoke, on his birthday, to see Luna staring at him smiling. He put on his glasses and hugged his friend hello. She informed him that breakfast would be served shortly and Harry quickly showered and dressed for the day. He met Luna in the dining room and greeted her mother politely. Mipsy had prepared a feast for his special day and everyone enjoyed her culinary delights.
Harry and Luna went outside to enjoy the weather as the adults and Mipsy prepared for a few more guests to arrive. Harry and Luna were called inside an hour later to greet the new arrivals. Harry promptly greeted his tutor; he remembered this was not a formal setting, and then looked at the new arrivals. He thought to himself, her name is Amelia but how do I know that? He was pulled from his musings by Minerva.
"Harry this is Amelia Bones and her niece Susan. Susan will be starting Hogwarts with you in September."
"It's very nice to meet you both." He said politely then shook their hands. Dolores smiled at his manners and the fact he remembered this wasn't formal.
Harry, Luna and Susan went outside as the adults remained to finish preparations. Susan spoke softly.
"Are you excited about starting Hogwarts?" Susan asked shyly.
"Yes, excited and nervous. I hope I do okay. What about you?"
"I've been looking forward to going for ages but I'm nervous too. It's the best magic school there is." Susan said.
"I wish you were starting with us Luna." Harry said sadly.
"I know how you feel but we can still write. You can tell me everything, I like seeing Hedwig." Luna said.
"Who's Hedwig?" Susan asked curiously.
As if on cue, Hedwig landed gracefully on a nearby bench and barked her hello. Harry smiled then introduced Susan to Hedwig. She marveled at the beauty of the snowy white owl before her and Hedwig instantly liked this new human; she had good taste. The three pre-teens spent some time chatting about this and that when Mipsy came to collect them. They returned inside and there was an even larger feast than there had been for breakfast. Everyone took their seats, with Luna and Susan on either side of Harry, and filled their plates and ate happily. The conversation was light and fun and everyone was having a pleasant time but Harry couldn't shake the feeling of knowing Amelia or how.
With everyone well fed it was time for cake; Harry was nervous because this was his first every REAL birthday cake complete with REAL candles. Everyone sang Happy Birthday to him and this made Harry blush. He really didn't like being center of attention. He took a deep breath then made a wish. He thought, I wish I get into Aunt Minerva's house at school. Cake and ice cream was served and everyone enjoyed the sweet delights; then it was time for presents. Harry wasn't expecting anything from his new friends but didn't want to hurt their feelings.
Luna gave him a butterbeer cap necklace, just like hers, that Harry proudly wore. Cassandra gave him a year's subscription to the Quibbler. Dolores gave him a mole skin pouch, she explained it was to store personal items and he would be the only one that could retrieve them. Amelia and Susan gave him an assortment of wizarding sweets for him to try. Mipsy gave him a hand made holster for Isis. He explained to Susan and Luna about her and they promised to keep her secret. The most astonishing gift was from Aunt Minerva, a library trunk. It was shrunk to the perfect size for his mole skin pouch and she promised to instruct him on its use.
Harry was overwhelmed by everyone's generosity and his eyes welled up with tears. He thanked everyone with a warm hug that all returned graciously. Amelia thought, Harry the Hugger is making a comeback. Well done Min. The party went on for a while longer, then it was time to leave. Harry escorted Dolores to the Floo and thanked her again for her gift. She smile and told him he had tomorrow off but would see him soon. He also thanked Amelia and Susan for everything and bid then good night: he would be staying with them the final weeks of August. Cassandra and Luna stayed a while longer, so he and Luna went to his room to sort through his sweets; it was her sworn duty as his best friend to do so. The adults went to talk about upcoming events that concerned them. After a while, it was time to leave so Harry bid the Lovegoods goodnight. Minerva told Harry they would go over his library trunk tomorrow and reminded him that the Muggle Born orientation was in two days. He fell asleep quickly from all the excitement. It was truly a very happy birthday.
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Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter.
A/N: Sorry about the slow update; life is busy sometimes. I wanted to introduce the girls but got a little long winded. The spells used came from the Harry Potter video games; I do not own them either.