3
Harry walked steadily to McGonagall's quarters. All of a sudden his legs felt heavy from all the running and walking he had done today. He craved to sit down and relax, even for just a little. Reaching the door with the portrait, he came face to face with a stern looking man. The man wore medieval cloths and had an unruly brown mane. Dark eyes, deeply set in a scarred but very expressive face, scrutinized Harry before the man's wide mouth opened.
"Password?"
It was a deep baritone of a voice and Harry immediately gained the image of a rather boisterous fella. Harry remembered that Professor McGonagall had said the password was engraved in the key and looked down upon it. When he read the letters, his heart skipped a beat and then set in, eating faster. It read: "Lily Lioness"
"Correct, little cub!" cried out the portrait happily.
Harry chanced a second glance at the portrait. Somehow it seemed familiar. He furrowed his brows and thought hard. The man in the picture cocked his head to one side and chuckled, but waited patiently.
"Come on, Mina says your brighter than your dad was. You know who I am", he challenged.
The boy in front of him looked up angrily but then he noticed a coat of arms on the man's overcoat. Squinting slightly, Harry recognized a sword and a wand crossed in front of a roaring lion standing on its hind legs. Suddenly it hit him.
"You're Godric Gryffindor, aren't you?" he exclaimed.
The portrait threw back his head and laughed raucously. He nodded once and moved to the side to admit Harry to Minerva's rooms.
For the second time Harry entered the chambers of his teacher. He was excited and also a bit apprehensive about meeting Minerva and Albus later and hearing the truth about his parents. He still wondered why Dumbledore was against taking him in. Slowly he walked to the fire place and pointed his wand at it.
"Flamare Incantatem."
Immediately flames erupted from his wand. The room was now ablaze with a homely light and added to the wonderful vibe the room emitted. Suddenly a silver tabby patronus appeared in front of Harry and sat at his feet, starring into his face expectantly. Harry starred down upon it, wondering what was going on.
"Minerva?" he asked tentatively.
The silver tabby nodded her head and twined around Harry's legs, purring loudly. Harry smiled softly to the Patronus. Somehow it was easier for him to respond to the Patronus' affection than accepting Minerva's sincere apology. He bent down and stroked the cat. It felt like liquid rather than fur. Suddenly the cat leapt away from his hand and pounced away playfully. Harry followed the cat Patronus to one of the bookshelf in the far corner of the room. The cat bunched her muscles and jumped onto the topmost shelf.
Harry's eyes followed the Patronus and he discovered the basket with 'Harry' stitched onto it. His heart started to beat faster and, yet again, his eyes filled with tears. This time though Harry blinked them back angrily but determinedly. He had done enough crying and mourning for his parents in one day. Carefully he stretched until he reached the shelf and plucked down the basket. The Partronus cat purred loudly and meowed encouraging, nodding to the basket in Harry's arms. Then it dissolved into thin air and left Harry alone.
Harry sat down on the sofa for a moment, not sure if he should really open the basket and peruse through its contents. After a few seconds he cautiously opened it and saw his baby blanket first. It was neatly folded and lain down on top of everything else. Carefully he lifted it out and held it to his face, breathing in its scent. Harry had thought, perhaps a bit foolishly or naive, that he could smell his mother on it but the scent reaching his nostrils was more familiar than he had thought it would be. Breathing in again, he identified it as Minerva's scent. Home-spun wool mingled with the scents of ginger newts and catmint.
"I never knew Mina played such an important role in my life that I recognize her smell", he whispered to no one in particular.
Harry wasn't prepared to hear a soft voice answering him.
"My granddaughter often takes down this basket after a hard day and clutches the blanket to her bosom. She misses your mother and it saddens her that she isn't able to hug you", said a female voice, causing Harry to whirl around in her direction.
At first he thought he had only imagined the voice so there was nobody behind him or anywhere else in the room. Then he saw a portrait of an aristocratic witch with Minerva's black hair, alabaster complexion and clear cut features. The witch's hair was streaked with white and she had more wrinkles around her eyes and mouth. Her eyes held a sad expression and were fixed to the blanket in his hands.
"Your mother came here whenever she had a question about the magical community or school. My Mina and Albus were very fond of her."
Suddenly the witch chuckled softly and drew her eyes away from the blanket and looked up into Harry's eyes.
"Albus was quiet protective of Lily. When your father started to go out with her, Albus sat him down and told the frightened boy the rules. Lily was afraid James would never want to go out with her again after that. I also remember Mina giving Lily 'the talk'."
Again the witch laughed softly. Tears were brimming in her eyes. Harry sat there quietly for a while, needing the moment to master the up-well of his emotions.
"You are Minerva's grandmother? You knew my parents?" he asked tentatively.
The portrait nodded gravely.
"Yes, my name is Kathrynne Gwyneth McGonagall. May I speak plain with you?" she asked Harry just as tentatively.
"Yes, Ma'am", agreed Harry, swivelling around to face her better.
"Albus thought he acted in your best interest when he placed you on the Dursleys' doorstep. The blood-bond between you and your aunt is stronger than the magical bond between you and Minerva's as your godmother. Albus first priority was to keep you safe, even if it meant endangering his marriage. Minerva needed some time to realize that. Later Albus and Minerva didn't dare to visit you for fear of drawing attention to you and where you live. Only a few people know where your aunt and uncle live. The Minister, Albus, Minerva and now your friends. They couldn't risk revealing your residence to ex-Death-Eaters who were still free. And later they were afraid of your reaction to the news. And you reacted the same way Mina and Albus predicted you would."
The witch paused to draw breath and prepare the next bit f her speech. But Harry interrupted her gently.
"I overreacted. I know that", admitted Harry slowly.
Kathrynne looked Harry over carefully before mustering the courage to ask the question burning on her heart.
"What angered you most? And can you ever forgive Mina and Albus?"
Harry sat there, clutching his blanket, and thought her questions over carefully.
"Living with Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon was ... not pleasant ... to say the least. Since I found out that I am a wizard, I try to find out whatever I can about my parents. Aunt Petunia forbade me to even mention them."
Silence fell between them and Kathrynne thought he had forgotten about the other question when his head jerked back in her direction and he asked her something in return.
"Will I live with Mina and Albus from now on? I want to forgive them. But if they send me back what other choice do I have other then thinking they want nothing to do with me?"
"I love you, Harry. I'm so glad you want to live with us", said a different female voice before Kathrynne could open hers.
In the doorway stood Minerva and Albus.