"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she said finally. "I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."

"But Professor —"

"Potter, I know what I'm talking about," she said shortly. She bent down and gathered up the fallen books. "I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."

(PS – C16)

A Protective and Furious Mind

Harry really wanted to convince his teacher. He didn't want to be telling her about the dragon egg and that it was Voldemort, as it would get Hagrid in trouble.

Then Harry knew how to tell her. He realised they really weren't giving her much information. She needed to know more about the situation other than 'someone may try to steal it'.

"Professor – "

"Potter, I am telling you it is protected."

"Is it protected from Voldemort?"

Harry did not anticipate the reaction from her. Professor McGonagall dropped her books again, but a look of genuine horror had now appeared on her face.

"What did you say Potter?" she breathed out.

Now that he had the opportunity, he told her.

"Professor," he said quickly. "Do you remember my detention with Hagrid? He brought us into the Forbidden Forest to look for a dead unicorn."

"WHAT?"

Now Harry was scared. Professor McGonagall was looking murderous.

"I thought you were just cleaning up the pens," she whispered in barely controlled fury. "I wanted you to have your detention in the castle, but Professor Dumbledore overruled me. I'll wring that man's neck."

Harry had thought that the Professor knew they were in the forest. Now in hindsight it sounded like a ridiculous and dangerous detention. After all, no one was allowed in the forest.

After calming down her angered breathing, she cast a glance at Harry.

"You saw someone, didn't you Mr. Potter."

"We found the creature that was killing the unicorns Professor," said Harry meekly. "It was Voldemort. He would have almost killed me if it wasn't for the centaur Firenze. He saved me and more or less told me, rather cryptically, that Voldemort was after the stone."

Harry had not anticipate the woman's next response. She had turned pale and was shaking uncontrollably. Her eyes looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets given how wide they were opened and she looked like she was about to faint.

After thirty seconds her body language changed. Now her eyes were narrowed in fury, her nostrils were flared, and her lips were quivered in anger.

"Mr Potter, Mr Weasley, Ms Granger," she spoke in a furious whisper. "Go to your dorms and stay there. I need to alert the teachers."

Neither of them disobeyed her. Their professor looked ready to murder.

"Bloody hell, Harry," grumbled Ron in the safety of the Common Room. "Did you have to tell her so much?"

"She's reasonable enough," shrugged Harry. "Besides, did you see how furious she was looking. I don't think even Voldemort would dare cross her at the moment."

And he was right.

Two hours after he told Professor McGonagall, she showed up at the Third Floor corridor with Severus Snape, Pomona Sprout and Filius Flitwick to find that the first wards had been breached as Fluffy was sleeping. She had tried to find Quirinus, but the man had disappeared.

Fury was in her eyes as she saw the trap was breached. That monster had infiltrated the school. She would have some words with Albus when he returned.

She and the other teachers had made it through all the created protections only to find Quirrell. Utterly furious at his obvious treachery she cursed the man which had caused his turban to come undone.

Once she saw the face of Voldemort utter fury enveloped her. She started duelling him straightaway.

Voldemort tried his best to overcome her spells with a few of his own created spells, but he was no match for the enraged Scotswoman. He fled Quirrell's body only to find his wraith form frozen.

"HOW DARE YOU ENTER THESE GROUNDS! THIS IS A SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN!"

Outwardly Voldemort snarled at her, but inwardly he was terrified of the angry witch. Now he understood why his Death Eaters wouldn't go near her. His mind wasn't frozen, so he managed to escape his bounds and fled back to Albania.

Once he was in the Albanian Forest and got his courage back he decided when he would come back he would target Minerva McGonagall. She was too dangerous to his plans.

SIX YEARS LATER

Harry tried moving around the Great Hall under his Invisibility Cloak as many spells and curses were being bandied out across the whole room.

Molly Weasley was duelling Bellatrix. Harry only saw it for a moment. One moment the mad witch was cackling like a maniac, the next she was dead.

Minerva McGonagall almost got thrown when Voldemort yelled in anger over the death of Bellatrix. Kingsley and Horace weren't so lucky though as they were thrown backwards.

The Scotswoman had been angry seeing the monster once again stroll into the school as if it was his. When she fell back slightly she suddenly saw Harry Potter throw off an Invisibility Cloak.

Now seeing the boy was alive made her delighted. But then she remembered how Voldemort had tried to kill the boy before under her watch more than once, and a new fury enveloped her.

Turning her wand on Voldemort she called out 'Diffindo'.

Voldemort responded just in time. Now she and him were duelling again, but her fury was putting in more power than she dreamed of.

"YOU WILL NEVER ENTER THIS SCHOOL AGAIN."

Each word was like venom. Voldemort was suddenly reminded of his last encounter with the professor. The fear he had back then suddenly pierced his mind. And in a split second before it happened, Voldemort knew he was about to die.

His head flew clean off his shoulders and flew halfway across the Great Hall, where it landed at Harry's feet.

Harry looked between Voldemort's head and his professor. The woman was looking madder than ever, and every single person in the Great Hall instinctively stepped back.

Then Harry felt himself being hugged. By Professor McGonagall herself.

"It's great to see you alive Mr Potter."

Harry smiled.

"You are terrifying Professor," smiled Harry.

Minerva McGonagall pulled back and smiled at the boy. She honestly loved this young man.

"And proud of it."

She smiled back.

AN: I honestly love Minerva McGonagall. I always found her awesome yet scary. She reminds me so much of my own late Granny. A woman you wouldn't dare cross if you valued your life. I always liked that she treated Harry like another student, not a celebrity or James Potter's son. Maggie Smith in the films just breathes life into her. Fun fact: Maggie Smith recommended Daniel Radcliffe for his role in Harry Potter. He said so himself. If it wasn't for Maggie Smith, the films would not have been as magical.