This time it was Lupin who pulled them from the memory, remarking simply that it was getting late, but with one eye on Dumbledore and McGonagall, who sat silently holding hands.
"Goodness," Molly exclaimed, once the lateness of the hour was pointed out to her. "And we haven't even had any dinner. Come on everyone, boys, Hermione, Ginny, you can all help."
She bustled out of the room, chasing them ahead of her. After a moment Arthur, Sirius, Lupin and Tonks followed them. A few minutes later Moody and Dumbledore both appeared, and headed to an upstairs room, apparently to prepare for a meeting with Snape. Finally, the meal was prepared and they all gathered around the table, apart from Dumbledore and Moody, who were still upstairs, and McGonagall, who hadn't appeared from the living room.
"Harry, dear," called Molly, as Harry was at the end of the table, "Tell Professor McGongall that dinner's ready would you?"
Harry slipped from his seat back into the living room. McGonagall was sitting silently in front of the pensieve, her left sleeve pulled up to her shoulder. Harry couldn't help but stare at her arm in horror. If anyone had ever wondered why Minerva McGonagall always wore clothes with long sleeves, they would have their answer. She didn't just have the dark mark. She had a series of dark marks, some more clearly defined than others, all the way up her arm.
"Professor," said Harry softly.
She gave no sign of having heard him.
He stepped closer, "Professor?"
She turned her head to look at him, and the haunted look in her eyes made him gasp.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly.
She nodded, and her usual controlled, efficient expression returned to her face, but she didn't speak.
"Mrs Weasley wanted me to let you know that dinner's ready."
She nodded again and turned her head away from him.
"Professor, are you sure you're okay?" Harry asked awkwardly. He didn't really know what to do if she wasn't. Probably try to find a competent adult. He definitely didn't feel capable of comforting her himself. He wasn't used to Professor McGonagall being anything other than in control of her emotions.
At that moment, the door opened and Sirius entered, followed by Lupin. Both of them quickly took in the scene in front of them and then Lupin headed towards McGonagall, whilst Sirius placed a hand on Harry's shoulder.
"Minerva?" Lupin said gently, taking her left hand in both of his.
She looked at him numbly. Still holding her hand in one of his, he reached with the other hand to pull her sleeve down, covering her arm again. Then he gently stroked her arm through the fabric.
"Minerva?"
She met his eyes.
"You don't have to do this," he told her. "It's your life, your story, and you don't have to share it with anyone. Not tonight, not any night."
She shook her head slightly, "They need to know."
"Do they?" asked another voice. Severus Snape had arrived silently in the doorway.
McGonagall raised her head to face him. "Yes, Severus, they do. Albus thinks so, and I agree. T-Tom already knows so much of it and may have guessed more, they shouldn't have to face him at a disadvantage."
"Couldn't you just summarise," asked Snape dryly.
Minerva laughed ruefully, "Unfortunately Albus loves stories almost as much as his sherbet lemons. But we'll skip over some aspects. And there are some things," she shuddered, "Some things that are not – should never – don't need to be seen in detail. An idea is enough… an understanding…"
"And endless story-telling is time-consuming. It would be a matter of a few minutes to summarise the facts."
"It's not just about the facts, Severus, it's the feelings as well. They're important."
"And so you have to endure your worst experiences played back to your friends, colleagues and," Snape paused and continued with evident disgust, "Students, like some kind of theatrical performance."
Then, with a dramatic sweep of his robes, he disappeared towards the stairs.
Minvera gave a choked sob and Lupin took her hand again, while Sirius gently steered Harry from the room.
"Will she be okay?" Harry asked worriedly.
Sirius nodded, "Lupin will take care of her," he replied, "No thanks to Snape."
"I had no idea she'd had such a tough life."
"Neither did I, before I saw it. And honestly, you haven't seen anything yet. But then neither McGonagall nor Dumbledore are exactly open are they?"
"I guess not," Harry replied. "Dumbledore is more though – much more than McGonagall I mean."
Sirius's expression changed, but his only response was a curt, "Maybe", as he started stalking down the hallway.
"What-" Harry called after him, but immediately realised his mistake as Sirius's mother's portrait began to yell.
Quickly Harry helped Sirius to silence her and Sirius stared at the curtains before saying abruptly, "She's a great witch, McGonagall. You know that don't you?"
Harry nodded.
"I mean, really great. People don't always notice that, I think because she's always next to Dumbledore – but she is."
Harry nodded again.
"Do you want to see one of my memories of her?" asked Sirius suddenly, "Something to balance out all the horrible memories you're going to see."
"Okay."
Sirius steered him up the stairs, but to another room away from Moody and Dumbledore's meeting with Snape.
"Hopefully they're not using it," he said hunting in the back of a cupboard for something. "Ahh, here it is."
He pulled out a small pensieve.
"They use it for de-briefings sometimes," he told Harry, "If they want to see what happened rather than just listen to someone tell them a story."
He set the pensieve down, closed his eyes, and put his want to his head. He drew out a shimmering silvery memory and dropped it in the pensieve. Harry leaned forward and found himself immediately drawn into the Great Hall at Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall was calling names for the Sorting.
"Black, Sirius," she called.
He watched a little Sirius scramble up and sit under the Sorting Hat.
"GRYFFINDOR!" it shouted.
There were gasps throughout the Hall – a Black in Gryffindor, it seemed impossible.
Sirius looked round anxiously towards the staff table, clearly a little overwhelmed. Then he felt Professor McGonagall's hand on his shoulder and heard her murmur, "Welcome to Gryffindor, Mr Black."
With a surprisingly shy smile Sirius got to his feet and headed to the Gryffindor table. He sat down nervously, and a little isolated as more students joined and the feast began.
The memory jumped and little Sirius was now sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room, watching longingly as the other students befriended each other, the conversation getting louder and louder. He had been standing beside Harry's dad, but now James Potter was called away to be introduced to some other students. Sirius tried to follow but a group of students turned to him making hissing noises and laughing. He sat back miserably. A red-headed girl with gentle green eyes dropped into the chair beside him.
"Hi," she said, "I'm Lily. Just ignore them. There's nothing wrong with Slytherin, I have a good friend in Slytherin…"
"I'm not in Slytherin," Sirius snapped at her angrily, "I'm in stupid Gryffindor!" and he stalked away to sulk in another corner of the room.
"Sorry," called Lily nervously after him, "I'm new to this…"
Suddenly the portrait swung open, and a cat entered and jumped on the table. The first years stared at it, but the older students looked knowingly at each other. As soon as the cat had their attention, it leapt from the table, but before it hit the ground it was Professor McGonagall. The first years gave a collective gasp. McGonagall gave a small smile.
"First years," she said, "Welcome to Gryffindor, we're very pleased to have you. Everyone else – welcome back. Gryffindor is the house of courage and chivalry, and as your Head of House I expect the best from all of you. Study hard, make good friends, and be kind to friends and enemies alike. If you have a good heart, you will succeed. And if ever you need help or advice, please remember my door is always open to all Gryffindors."
"Even ssssneaky Sssslytherin ones," laughed one of the older boys to his friends. They were standing in a group near Sirius, and clearly assumed McGonagall couldn't hear.
She looked up, "Would it surprise you to learn, Mr Jones?" she asked crisply, "That the McGonagalls were a family with a long history in Slytherin House? And that I was the first one in my family to be sorted outside that house for hundreds of years?"
As she spoke she was moving towards the group of boys, until she stopped, right in front of Rory Jones's face to ask, "Do you consider me not to belong in Gryffindor?"
He shook his head nervously.
"I can assure you, Mr Jones, that it takes a great deal more courage to forge your own path in life, than to simply follow the one laid down for you."
She stepped past him towards Sirius and held out her hand.
"Welcome to Gryffindor, Mr Black," she told him, shaking his hand, "I am very proud to have you in my House."
Then she turned towards the rest of the assembled students, "I hope that you will all endeavour to make me equally proud. Now, does everyone have everything that they need for tonight?"
There were general nods and affirmative replies.
"Good," she said. "You will receive your timetables tomorrow after breakfast. Don't stay awake too late."
And with a small smile and a nod she transformed back into a cat and leapt nimbly over the furniture and out of the room.
Sirirus stared after her and was then distracted by James Potter returning to his side. "I have to learn how to do that," said James with a nod towards the direction McGonagall had departed in.
"Definitely," agreed Sirius.
James smiled and turned to introduce another first year, standing just behind him.
"This is Remus Lupin." He said.
"Sirius Black," said Sirius, shaking Remus's hand with a grin.
Harry stepped back out of the pensieve and looked up at Sirius. "I didn't think," he said softly, "When we saw McGonagall's Sorting and her first year, that it would have been the same for you."
"It wasn't," said Sirius, with a smile, "By the next morning I was thoroughly welcome in Gryffindor. And that was down to McGonagall really. McGonagall and your dad. And your mum if I'd let her." Sirius paused, "Best Head of House you could have, really. Though me and your dad definitely gave her plenty of stress over the years," he grinned and then suddenly looked more solemn. "I only got into real serious trouble at school once," he said, "And everyone was furious, everyone. But McGonagall was the worst, somehow – she didn't shout or cut me down with some sharp comment like usual. She sat me down, she looked me straight in the eyes and she said she was ashamed to have me in her House, and she looked so disappointed…"
He shook his head.
"Make sure you listen to her this year, Harry," he said quietly, "She knows what's right and she'll do anything to keep the school and the students safe."
Harry met his godfather's eyes. "I'm trying," he said, "Though it's kind of hard to keep hold of my temper sometimes."
Sirius laughed suddenly, "Well I can't argue with that," he said. "Shall we head back downstairs?"
"Sure," grinned Harry, feeling slightly reassured.