A/N: Harry Potter is not mine, I'm just a fan.

First, thanks to everyone for the reviews.

I also want to thank BubbaSparx:

He told me that my story is sometimes not easy to follow. he has thereby also given me an example. And yes, he was right. I could see what would be difficult to follow.

So I immediately changed my chapters and hope it is better now.

I know my grammar is not the best, but even I can see that I am making progress. thanks, BubbaSparx

Hivedragon: the observation from you a while ago, I have not forgotten. you know that one so I need to create a new chapter for the English version. it is not there yet but it is coming. HAHAHA

Have fun with this chapter. greetings Winmau

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(BSC 1) C13 Minerva must choose.

Professor Minerva looked after the twin boys as they walked out of the great hall. She herself stood up and also left the hall. A little trudging she walked toward her own teacher's chamber. Her head slightly drooping and her shoulders down. A little defeated, she went into her teacher's chamber. Inside she sat behind her desk and again began to cry slightly, about Harry and what he had said that morning. She could not understand how Harry did everything. The love he had for others. And the sweetness that he gave them. And the coldness he had for himself.

What had that aunt and uncle of him done to him, to make him feel that way about himself? Why did Harry, not care about himself, as others did. She knows that there was so much more than that there was written in that little red book she had read. She even received a cold shiver when she had those thoughts. Harry had to have suffered far more than that Arabella or Bella had ever known about him. She noticed that he did accept the warmth of Bella and Daphne, more than that of the others. She basically wanted to go and ask Harry about it. But something told her that she should not do that to Harry. She just could not understand the boy in that way. So much love for others and so little for himself.

The way he was standing up against Molly, was something that she had not seen often before. The power he radiated outwards was more than she had ever seen at that age. Albus himself was nothing compared to Harry at that time. She had seen how Albus went backward when Molly railed against him. Harry just went against it and stood his ground. She had enormous respect for Harry by that action alone. It also brought back memories of the sorting hat. He had already told her some things, but she wanted to know more.

Actually she wanted to talk to the sorting hat one more time but did not know-how. Albus would not leave his room this weekend. And that was precisely the place where the sorting hat was. She wanted to know more about Harry so she could help him. But she could not think of a way that she could do that. The only thing she could do was to tell Arabella everything. And ask her if she knew what she could do for Harry. She would handle the matter only if she was sure it would help Harry in any way whatsoever. In the short time that Harry was at school, she had fallen in love with that boy. That was something she did not understand, it was a love of a parent for her child. She did not dare to tell her reflection in the mirror that she loved that boy. She just hoped it was love from love, not from pity or pity for the boy. Because that would not be fair to him, he deserved real love.

There was a thump on the door of her room, which brought her out of her thoughts. Rubbing her eyes dry, she headed for the door and opened it slowly. To her amazement, it was Albus Dumbledore that stood outside her door.

"Minerva, I have here the Sorting Hat," he told her. "It asked me if I wanted to bring it to you." Albus was holding the sorting hat like a piece of rubbish, with no respect whatsoever for this centuries-old heirloom from the forefathers. He stretched out his hand and gave it to Professor McGonagall.

Professor Minerva took it and laid it flat on her hand. She herself handled the sorting hat as a family friend. Which was something that Albus Dumbledore, did not do in any way? She thanked Albus and walked back inside without another word. She was not going to talk to Albus, her anger prevented that. The only thing she saw was the little red book when she looked him in the eyes. The sorting hat was put down on her desk and she herself sat down opposite of it. She did not ask him anything and just looked at the hat that was lying in front of her.

"Minerva what is it you want to know from me," the hat said. Minerva just looked at the hat for a moment. How did he know that she wanted to see him?

"Minerva, I'm a thousand years old. My job was more than just sorting the students. I was the first pensive ever made. I gave memories of people to other people, that's why the founders have become so great, they shared their knowledge with each other through memories. And if I'm not mistaken you want to understand everything there is about Harry Potter". Professor Minerva just nodded that he was right.

"Minerva, I want you to put me on your head, then I will show you some memories that I have seen in our first-year students. And I hope you will understand them more when you have seen them". For a moment she looked at the hat. She was not really sure if she really wanted to know what was going on with her first-year students. Yet she did put the hat on her head even though it was with a small hesitation. In her head, the hat's voice sounded softly but firm.

"Minerva closed your eyes and listen to my voice. I will first show you a memory from Bellatrix Black. This is a memory with young Neville Longbottom".

Everything went black before her eyes, and a moment later it became light again. Bellatrix stood with her husband before the house of Alice and Frank Longbottom. Outside the house she saw the husband of Bellatrix, saying an unforgettable curse. It was the Imperius curse that he pronounced, at first Minerva could not see who he had put under that curse. Then she saw it, it was Bellatrix who was placed under the curse. She was ordered to disable Frank and Alice Longbottom before the other three men went inside. Something they did without any challenge of their own.

Bellatrix tied them to a chair and locked them in a room. Her husband, his brother, and Barty Jr. walked in and began torturing the Longbottom. Bellatrix was given the order to take baby Neville to the other room and kill him there. Minerva could see that Bellatrix starting to resist the command she had received from her husband. You could see in her eyes that it took a lot of effort from her. She had pronounced that deadly curse almost three times. And then she did it anyway, she said the unforgivable curse, loud so that her husband could hear it in the other room. After that she took baby Neville and rolled him up in a blanket, she then put him in the back of a closet and piled a mountain of clothes in front of him, so that nobody could see him anymore.

Minerva whispered. "Neville was found in the back of a closet, Bellatrix had saved him that day".

The sorting hat told her that Bellatrix never went dark, it was her husband and his master who had done that. She was forced to do the dark curses, forced to take the Dark Mark. Something that was made possible by the marriage contract she had with her husband. Then the sorting hat showed the next memory to Minerva.

Again everything went dark, and when she saw him, her heart skipped a beat out of fear. In front of her stood Lord Voldemort, he was very angry and abusing Bellatrix, who was right before her eyes. "Crucio, Crucio she heard him shout. Rodolphus you are no longer controlling her, she is resisting herself against you. From now on I lord Voldemort, will keep her under the Imperius curse". Voldemort cursed Bellatrix and Minerva could do nothing about it. Minerva just did not know what she saw, she was a little sick of the way in which Lord Voldemort treated his people. But she also knew that Bellatrix was innocent, innocent of everything she had done as a death eater.

She went to the next memory and saw Lilly Potter. In the back of the room, she saw Sirius Black. Lilly was clearly speaking to Sirius. "Sirius, are you sure we should take Peter as our secret keeper".

"Yes Lilly, they will never believe it's Peter, I'm the best friend of James, which is well known to everyone. So they all will think that I am the secret keeper. But Peter they will never suspect, therefore it is better that it is Peter and not me" Sirius told Lilly.

"Okay, but promise me two things, Sirius".

"Sure Lilly tell me," Sirius said.

"One, never tell Albus this, but there are things that only I know". At this point the memory was hazy. All Minerva could see was Lilly and Sirius. But she could not hear them. And just like it was hazy one minute, it was good again the next.

"Two, if something happens to us. Then make sure that you take Harry and Minerva very far away from here; you and Minerva, are the only family I have left. And I trust her for one hundred percent, but I do not trust Albus". Minerva had to think hard about what she had just seen. So Lilly did not trust Albus at all, but she did not know why

Now there was another memory. She saw Lilly standing right in front of her in her own teachers, chamber. "Professor, you know I have to go into hiding. But I'm not sure if we are safe in that place. Anyway, I would like to ask you something. I would like to ask you, if you could care for Harry, if something happens to us, Sirius will never be able to do it by himself".

Minerva could remember that day like it was yesterday. "Please make sure that Albus does not get a big influence on Harry as he has on James, Harry has to make up his own mind".

Minerva saw herself nodding in the memory. Then she saw that Lilly walked away and turned around at the door. "Thanks, Mom, I love you." And the memory was gone.

The only thing Minerva thought was that she had abandoned Harry. She had promised Lilly to help him, and she had not done so. The other thing that had happened was that Albus had arranged everything else. She could kick herself on the backside for this. Again it was dark around her, and there was a new memory flashing before her eyes.

She was in the ministry in the chamber with the veil in the background, there was a major fight going on there. She saw Sirius and James fight a couple of Death Eaters. They fought against Lucius and one of the Lestrange brothers. She looked again a little closer. James never had green eyes and Sirius also looked older. Suddenly the penny dropped in her mind and she saw it. That was not James she saw that was Harry. This was something that still had to happen. Merlin, she could see how much Harry looked liked James. From out of nowhere, she saw Bellatrix fired a spell at Sirius. She did not see what spell Bellatrix had used, but it hit Sirius. The Impact of the spell meant that Sirius fell through the veil.

Sirius was dead; there was no doubt about it. Minerva watched as Harry was beside himself with rage and grief. He screamed for Sirius and wanted to go after him. Luckily Remus stopped him. She saw how Harry tore himself loose from the grip of Remus. With rage, he ran after Bellatrix.

With her hand over her mouth Minerva, saw and heard how Harry cried Crucio, one of the unforgivable curses. Bellatrix was hit and fell to the ground. She stayed strong because of the Imperius curse of Lord Voldemort. But Minerva could clearly see the pain in her eyes, a pain that reminded her of little Bella. She saw how both curses were lifted from Bellatrix. The memory went on, and she saw Albus fighting with Voldemort. But also how Voldemort took possession of Harry. To the left of her she heard Bella whisper "what have I done, my cousin, my own cousin. And Harry, sweet Merlin my little Harry, my dear Harry, Why, I'm sorry Harry, I'm so sorry" just before everything went dark.

Minerva had no time to think about what had happened because the next memory came already into her mind

In the next memory, Bellatrix was sitting in a small room vibrating in pain. Minerva knew that she was placed more often than usual under the Cruciatus curse. She saw Narcissa come into the room and kneeling beside her sister. The memory turned into another memory. There, she saw and heard, Bellatrix tell that she was always under the influence of the curse, but she could never truly resist it. Minerva also heard Narcissa responded to that statement. Then everything was black again.

Even though it only took ten minutes before the sorting hat to show Minerva all the memories, it made sure that Minerva still had to have a moment for herself. Ten minutes later, the sorting hat he asked if everything was alright. Minerva answers yes, and they could continue.

Now there was a memory she knew all about, and what had happened. She saw herself standing and Albus stood beside her. This was the night they had brought Harry to those Dursleys. She heard herself complaining against Albus, how terribly those Muggles were. But Albus ignored her and said this was the best for Harry. It had everything to do with the greater good he had said. That was something she still could not understand. Hagrid came on a flying motorcycle, he flew towards them to bring Harry. while Harry was left behind, and everyone was gone, Minerva even had a chance to go back to little Harry, even if only for a moment She remained seated there until his Aunt Petunia had fetched him inside. Almost all night she sang O Danny Boy for him and rocked him back and forth in her arms. It was the last thing she could do for him

Shortly after there was another memory of Arabella sitting in the office of Albus. Who told Albus that Harry was abused and locked in a cupboard! But again Albus waved it off; again he told her it was for the greater good. Albus did not intervene; he had not even gone there to see for himself.

She saw Arabella again sitting in the office of Albus, with tears in her eyes. "Albus, Harry is now six years old. You have to get him out of there; he is beaten and treated like a house-elf. I dare myself to say that house-elves are treated better than Harry. Read the little red book, Albus, and get him out of there, or I'll turn to the Muggle authorities". It was a plea that Arabella did by Albus, a cry for help.

"No, sorry Arabella, Harry must stay there it's for the greater good". Again there was that greater good. Minerva could not stand those words. How Albus could let Harry stay with people that treated him so badly. She watched as Arabella put on the sorting hat, so that's the reason that the sorting hat knew those memories.

The next memories she saw were those of the little Bella. She saw how she was beaten because she had done something wrong, how she got punishment and how she tried to avoid everything. She saw the fear in those little eyes of hers. The fear that she last had seen that time she had that dream. How her father wanted her in the bed with him, and that she did not want to do that. She watched as Bella ran away from the house into the dark night and hid in a playground under a slide. This was where Bella saw Harry for the first time; she saw how he was beaten by his cousin and his friends. Bella was found by Arabella that was her turning point in life.
Many memories thereafter were from Bella. Especially the memories about the way Harry was treated by his family, and how they pass notes to each other in school. She saw that Bella was the silver lining in his life. And that Harry was the silver lining for Bella.

The first nice memory she saw was that of London, as Harry was really happy for the first time. She almost laughed when a man greeted him, she knew immediately that it was a wizard. That look of disbelief on the face of Harry was nice to see. When she heard how surprised he was that he could have an ice cream too because otherwise, he could never have one. That broke her heart and all the joy she felt was gone. The notion that he never had something just like that, did make her blood boil. And again she saw only memories of Harry who was mistreated. There was one in which Bella was angry that she had to leave, but she wanted to be with Harry. That was the weekend that the three of them went to the beach together. It was also the weekend that they would leave the sorting hat, to decide everything that needed to be done.

Minerva looked at how Bella came running towards them with a large seashell.

"May I clean it and give it to Harry" she had asked.

Minerva liked the fact that she had even thought of Harry while they were on the beach. It had been a wonderful weekend; even Bella had been enjoying herself. The memory turned into the memory that Bella gave Harry the seashell, Harry was overjoyed with his very first gift. He looked at the seashell as if it were a brand new wand. She heard him say that he had never had a present before, and he was happy. The blushing look of Bella, when Harry gave her a kiss on her cheek was too good to be true. Unfortunately, she also saw how that uncle threw the seashell from Harry straight to the ground. It was broken and there was nothing to do about it, this was his first and only present, and now it was just a lot of pieces.

"That's the life of Harry and Bella in a nutshell," the sorting hat said. "You do not want to know what else I've seen Minerva". Came the voice of the sorting hat in her head. "It is a surprise to me that they are both still so sweet and innocent. But I also regret to do this to you Minerva, but I have to show you four more memories. Then you must make a decision on which side you will be standing, the side of Harry or that of Albus ".

It took a while for that question to dawn on Minerva. She knew she had to choose for Harry but Albus had often helped her. Just like the day her own daughter had died. And because of that, she was taken away from her. She was mentally drained after the horrific death of her husband, and her stillborn daughter was the blow that she could not have handled. All this was told by the healers to Albus Dumbledore. He was the one who had decided that she could not see her own daughter, to see a dead child was bad enough, but your own daughter would have been too much. That was something that Albus had assured her. Albus had helped her with this loss, by giving her a job at Hogwarts, for that she was forever grateful to him.

"Let me see the memories," she told the hat. The first memory was of James who stood in the office of Albus. She listened intently to it all.

"Dumbledore we have a son, and we are calling him Harry".

"That's great James, Congratulations".

"Yes really great, hey, I also have to tell Minerva, about Harry, Lilly think she should know what Harry means to her".

"Well James, I think you have to wait before you tell Minerva. I think that Minerva cannot handle that at this moment, not yet at least".

"But Albus come on now, she has the right to know, do you not think so".

"No James, you know of the prophecy, we must now take the necessary steps".

"But Albus she has the right to know".

"James it is for the greater good you know that don't you".

"Lilly is not going to like this, Albus, I'm telling you this now, I hope you're right about this Albus. Otherwise, I cannot stop Lilly if she goes after you".

Minerva saw Albus sighs. What was it that Lilly knew? What was it that Albus was not telling her? Why did Lilly tell her that Harry was named after his grandfather? Harry had been the name of her late husband but it was not the name of Lilly's father.

"Minerva, you must understand that you cannot say anything about this to Albus. You will learn the truth when the time comes. But keep it to yourself, do not go to Albus with this" sounded the voice of the hat in her mind again. The next memory was that of Lucius and Severus Snape. They were standing in the great hall alone with Albus.

"Severus, you do know for sure that this will succeed right. Draco must be sorted into Slytherin. It is only there that he could make Harry's life the most difficult he can, along with his friends, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle".

"Sure Lucius I will personally guarantee it. I myself will also provide the necessary burden to make the life of Harry as miserable as possible. We need that brat to be, as miserable as he can be, if our Lord should come back, then Harry must beg him to kill him. You know Harry must defeat him so we have to keep that brat as weak as possible. The less Harry learns the more likely that Voldemort wins ".

"But Severus how do we convince Dumbledore, that he has to put Draco into Slytherin".

"Simply Lucius, Dumbledore is even more corrupt than our minister of magic".

It was at that moment that Dumbledore walked into the great hall.

Severus immediately walked up to him "Dumbledore" he said. "Lucius and I are here to ask you to put Draco into Slytherin. You know it's my godson, and I want to keep an eye on him for his safety".

"Sure I can understand that Severus, but you know that the sorting hat decides where who get sorted."

"I know Dumbledore and here is a thousand galleons for you, you can bend the rules for that, and you're done it before for Bellatrix Black".

"That's true Severus. The sorting hat can do what I tell him, and the money will help this process".

Lucius gave him the bag with a thousand galleons and walked out of the great hall.

Minerva heard the hat say in the memory. "Albus, I will not do it, there are other circumstances why they want to put Draco there."

"It does not matter, I want you to do it so you do it all right, I am the headmaster and that's all you should know" Albus hissed against the hat.

It was the first time that Minerva heard Albus, speaking directly to the hat in that way. She always had a lot of respect for Albus. But that respect was almost all gone. She was extremely disappointed in him. She knew that there were still two more memories to go. Internally she was considering whether she wanted to know it or not. It was something she did not want to know but she needed, to know it. The hat wanted to show her these memories, so he must have a reason for it. The thing that was the most confusing to her was Harry. That boy had been through so much misery, and the sorting hat had told her that there was more misery for him to come.

The next memory was launched by the hat. She was back in the office of Albus; right in front of him were Arthur and Molly. "Molly, Arthur, I'm glad you could come, I have a proposition for you. In two years, Harry Potter will appear here at school. On that day, he will need a friend, I think". Molly and Arthur both looked at Albus, it was clear that they did not follow him.

Minerva did not know what was coming but was not happy about it. Something deep inside her told her that it was nothing good. Dumbledore had been quiet but went onwards.

"What I want is to ask you, if you could tell Ronald that he must do everything he can do to be friends with Harry. I know that Harry did not have it so easy. So the first boy he sees, he will immediately consider as a friend. I've personally dealt with that problem, and I can assure you it will be okay. And second, I would like you to tell Ginny that Harry Potter belongs to her and her alone, He needs love when he gets here and Ginny alone can give him that love. I know for sure he wants to jump onto any kind of love he can get".

Molly and Arthur looked at Albus equally questionable. Molly opened her mouth. "Albus if we do this, what do we receive in return for this." It seemed to shock Arthur more what Molly asked than what Albus had suggested to them.

"Molly you know that the Potters are one of the richest families in the country. So their wealth will be yours". Arthur jumped up and said that he would have none of it. And he certainly did not want them to cooperate with plans like this. He thought it was bad enough for the boy that he had lost his parents that night. But he did not want any part of the group that wanted to take advantage of that boy. Minerva looked approvingly at Arthur, he had a good heart. Molly was different she only saw the galleons in front of her eyes.

The last memory started immediately when the other had ceased. She saw Molly sitting at her kitchen table with Ron and Ginny. She told them what the two children had to do for the family. Ron turned out to be very much like his mother, the only thing he saw were mountains of galleons. He also was very keen to be friends with Harry if he would get galleons for it. Together with his mother, he made a plan how they were going to tackle it. Ginny was a different story.

Ginny screamed that she only wanted to be friends with him, and more if he wanted to, not because her mother and Albus wanted it. Minerva was shocked by the reaction that Molly gave at the words of her daughter. From out of nowhere she saw Molly at once lashed out at Ginny. The slap echoed through the kitchen. Ginny was shocked when she received the blow. Ron, however, said she had to listen as a lady of pure blood, she was not allowed to have an opinion, and had to do what she was told. Ginny nodded, but her eyes said something else and Minerva had seen it in her look.

That was the last memory she saw. Slowly she pulled the hat from her head and laid it on the table. She laid her head on her arms and sighed deeply. The world she knew collapsed around her. Nothing was what it was, or had ever been. Frank and Alice Longbottom tortured and Neville saved by Bellatrix. Harry has been tortured and humiliated all his life. And Albus knew all about it but had done nothing. And then there was Bella who turned out to be the best thing for Harry. What was even more confusing was that James had said that she was family, but she was not, she had no Potter blood in her family? And that she could not know that by order of Albus. No, she had a lot to think about. She just did not know where to begin.

A/n thank you all for the reviews. gr Winmau