And I'm already back. I publish this chapter earlier than I planned to not suspense settle too much.
By the way, most of you who commented and reviewed, you were right.
McGONAGALL VI
"You have absolutely no right to sack a teacher duly nominated by the Ministry of Magic!"
This wasn't the first time that Minerva McGonagall witnessed the Minister of Magic looking displeased, though this time he was far more than displeased. He was furious. And Dolores Umbridge, next to him, although she was silent for now, looked no less furious. They had come across Dumbledore and Minerva as they were walking in the corridors to visit the new professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts. It was then that they were ambushed by the Minister and Dolores.
"Mrs Umbridge," Dumbledore said in a very respectful way, "if you have the impression that I sacked you, then I am truly sorry. This was not the impression I wanted to give."
"Professor Dumbledore," the woman said, "according to Educational Decree Number Twenty-Two…"
"The Ministry has the right to appoint a suitable candidate for a teaching position if, and only if, the Headmaster is unable to find one. And I am happy to say that I have found a professor of Defence against the Dark Arts before the beginning of the term. Which means that your services will not be required, Mrs Umbridge."
"You accepted to hire her!" Fudge pointed out. "You cannot sack a teacher you just hired."
"I accepted to hire her, Cornelius, if no one else was available to teach this subject by the beginning of the term. The term has not begun yet. And I managed to find someone to fill the position. I can show you a copy of the letter I sent you about this yesterday, in case your staff didn't keep it."
The Minister looked even more furious. "This will not pass, Dumbledore. The Wizengamot will never allow this."
"The Wizengamot has no right over the choice of professors at Hogwarts, Cornelius."
"Maybe not, but I can invalidate your decision based on Educational Decree Number Twenty-Two."
"The Wizengamot could, Cornelius. But as we have been able to see recently, the Wizengamot may sometimes take decisions in a way that is… unexpected. We can never be sure what it will decide, especially when the assembly considers it was summoned uselessly."
Minerva watched the Minister growing more outraged by the minute. It was both satisfying and amusing, although she didn't dare to show her amusement.
"I wonder how the Wizengamot or the Board of Governors will react when they learn that you hired a woman who was fired by the Ministry, and who also happens to be the mother of one of your students," Dolores said with a satisfied smile.
"You may bring this issue to the Board of Governors, Dolores, indeed," Dumbledore acknowledged. "The Board can overthrow my decision, but it is mostly constituted of people who currently have children at Hogwarts or who had children at the school in the past. Their main concern is the safety of the children, and the quality of teachings provided to them. And I see no reason why they would be dissatisfied with the new professor I hired."
"I doubt they would be satisfied to hear you hired a fired Auror who spent more than half of her life in the Muggle world, without practicing magic."
"First, Lily Evans was never fired by the Ministry. She resigned of her own free will, and she left with letters from her colleagues and the Head of the Auror Office thanking her for her years of service, and stating how they would miss her and all the contributions she brought to this office. She was prefect, then Head Girl while she was a student at Hogwarts, left the school with the highest scores of her year, and managed to complete an Auror training not in three years like it usually happens, but in two years and a half. And she realized those latest accomplishments, it was after spending a period of almost a decade without using magic. In such circumstances, I must admit that I expect great things from her, with the experience she has now."
Fudge and Umbridge were now speechless. The Minister made a step towards Dumbledore. "You will not get away with this, Dumbledore. This is not over," he warned the headmaster.
"I guess not. The term has not even begun. But speaking of this, the students are arriving in a few hours, and we must be ready to offer them an appropriate welcoming feast. So if you don't mind, Cornelius, we have work to do, as I am sure you have." Dumbledore turned towards Umbridge. "Your luggage is still in the Entrance Hall, my dear Dolores. We didn't have time to bring it to the office of the Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts after you arrived this morning. The good side is that you will not have to repack your personal belongings."
This obviously did nothing to appease Fudge or Umbridge. They both left on this, exchanging in angry whispers.
"I suppose we should expect retaliation," McGonagall whispered as she and Albus resumed the path the Minister and his employee interrupted.
"Most likely, Professor McGonagall. I am afraid that this educational decree is only the first of many. Fudge is not going to settle for the right to choose a teacher when I cannot find one. But let's look at the bright side of things. Our students will not have to suffer the teaching of Dolores Jane Umbridge this year."
This was indeed a great relief. When Albus told her that the Ministry was going to appoint Dolores Jane Umbridge as Hogwarts' new professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts, Minerva was speechless. This woman was one of the many Minerva taught to. Not only was her passage to Hogwarts unimpressive, but the impression she left on McGonagall and the other professors already here at the time was that of a very average student at best, with serious problems of self-confidence and prejudices against everyone who wasn't a wizard or a witch without Muggles in his family. Her career at the Ministry had not been impressive either, considering the many times she tried to introduce laws denying rights, sometimes fundamental rights, to minorities in the wizarding community. Remus Lupin especially despised her for her anti-werewolf legislation. This woman was a pure product of the Ministry's administration and bureaucracy, without any experience of the real world. Even if Minerva had not considered her prejudices, she didn't see how Umbridge could bring something worth to the school's students. So when Albus told her an hour ago that he had found a professor for the Defence Against the Dark Arts class, Minerva was relieved. Then dumbstruck when he told her who her new colleague was.
"Are you sure this was a good idea to offer the position to Lily?" she asked her headmaster.
"Don't tell me you believe she cannot do better than Dolores Umbridge," Dumbledore warned with an amusing expression.
"Of course not. I don't doubt her competence or her ability." Although Lily had no experience in teaching, she had been one of McGonagall's most talented students in her time, an important member of the Order, and a very good Auror by all accounts during her short time at the Ministry. "Only, this will make the Minister angry." It was almost a provocation to hire an employee that Fudge didn't fire only because she accepted to quit. "Not to mention that Lily will have to teach her own son, do you realize? Not to mention that people who teach this subject often end up…"
"I'm well aware of this, Minerva, and so is Lily. This is why she only accepted to occupy the position for a single year. After that, she will leave. Same as Remus did. As for Harry… Well, I think it might be good to have his mother close to him this year, considering what he's going through right now, and how Lily has not been available for entire months now."
"Maybe," McGonagall recognized. "But it might also cause problems to Harry. The students can often be cruel. They will not miss him when they realize that his mother will be teaching them."
"Maybe, but I'm afraid many students will be on Harry's back this year no matter what we do. I think that having Lily close will bring more benefits than problems."
"If you say so." Minerva hoped that Albus was right.
They continued on their journey, climbing stairs until finally they arrived at their destination. The door was ajar. Inside, a woman in her mid-thirties, with dark red hair arranged into a ponytail, was pacing, reading a parchment in her hands. Dumbledore slowly opened the door.
"Are we bothering you, Lily?" he asked.
She looked at them right away, still holding the parchment. "Professor Dumbledore. Professor McGonagall." Minerva noticed how the desk was covered with papers and ink. There wasn't a single personal object in the room yet.
"I see you're already hard at work."
"I don't have much of a choice. I have classes tomorrow, and no lesson plan ready."
"You should have accepted my offer earlier."
"I needed time to think about it," Lily shortly retorted.
"Did you receive the lesson plans that Alastor and Remus developed last years? I sent them to you, I think."
"Yes, but the problem is that many of their lessons rely at least partially on a textbook. And…" She seized an edition of Wilbert Slinkhard's Defensive Magical Theory. "Who had the brilliant idea of choosing that book for all students of every year? I quickly went through it, and its content is totally useless."
"I'm afraid this was a choice by Dolores Jane Umbridge, back when she thought she would occupy the position," Minerva said. She also disapproved of the choice of book to guide students in this subject, as it failed to teach them anything to actually defend against forces of evil.
"Why did I even ask the question?" Lily asked while throwing the book far on the floor, where other parchments were lying around.
"You will be able to order the books you want, Lily," Dumbledore said. "But please don't overextend yourself before the term has even begun."
"When did you see me ever overextend myself?" she asked sarcastically. From Dumbledore amused expression, it was obvious he preferred to not answer if it was to tell the truth.
"Well, anyway, we're both glad that you're here, Lily. I was merely coming to see if you were comfortably settled. Has your luggage arrived yet?"
"It will arrive during the week. I only took the bare minimum with me given… my rushed decision."
"Well, in any case, welcome to Hogwarts, Professor Evans. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."
"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore."
On that, Dumbledore walked out of the room, leaving Minerva alone with Lily. It wasn't the first time that Minerva had a former student for a colleague, but this was certainly one of the most unexpected in her life.
"Well, this is awkward," Lily said.
Minerva frowned at the comment. "What do you mean, Lily?"
"Not long ago, I was still a student of yours."
This was true. As Minerva kept aging, for it was useless to deny she was getting older, years had gone faster and faster. It seemed that it was only a few days ago since she gave Lily her certificate at the graduation ceremony, before she climbed into a boat to make the reverse journey on the Black Lake. Though it wasn't the most troubling fact in all this.
"I don't really mind working with former students, Lily. Between Severus and Remus, to only name them, it already happened quite a few times," she told her former student.
"Yes, it's true," Lily acknowledged.
"Though I admit that I was surprised when the Professor Dumbledore told me you would be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts this year."
"To be honest, I'm a little surprised myself." Lily sighed. "He paid me a visit a few days ago, and he offered me the position. But I only accepted after my son boarded the Hogwarts Express."
"So, Harry is not aware…"
"No, he's not." Lily seemed discouraged at this moment. "I'll need to explain myself with him."
"Lily… I don't mind at all that you become my colleague, quite the opposite. I think you will be up to the task…"
"If I manage to organize courses for seven years of students by tomorrow."
"… But you must understand," Minerva continued as if Lily made no comment, "that you will have to teach your own son as well as hundreds of other students. And you will not be able to treat him any differently from them."
Lily sighed. "I know. I just… think I can still keep an eye on him. And Dumbledore believes the students deserve to learn how to defend themselves. I don't claim to be the most knowledgeable person in that domain, but… I have a lot of experience when it comes to facing the forces of evil."
Way too much. Minerva remembered the sorry state in which Lily was after Voldemort tried to kill her.
"Well, I'm not going to bother you any longer, Lily. I think you indeed have a lot of work ahead of you." Dumbledore was not wrong when he said she should have accepted the offer sooner.
"Yes. Thank you, Professor McGonagall."
"Between us, you should call me Minerva," she informed her former student. "We are colleagues now. We only call ourselves professors when other students are present, to give an example."
"Oh. Yes. I guess that I'll have to get used to it… Minerva." Lily hesitated before calling her by her first name. Minerva made to leave after granting Lily a smile of approval and welcome, but her former student held her back at the last moment. "By the way, thank you for not making Harry a prefect. He's probably already going to deal with a lot this year."
McGonagall nodded, her lips tightly sealed. And she left.
As she wandered the corridors back to her office, she thought about Lily's reaction to the news that her son wouldn't be prefect. It had been much better than what Minerva expected. She thought that Lily would at least be upset that her son was passed over, and she would have been right to be. The truth was that Harry Potter had been Minerva's first choice for being the new prefect of Gryffindor, along with Miss Granger. Among boys of Gryffindor, he had the highest marks of his year. The courage, leadership, bravery, and sense of sacrifice he displayed both at school and outside of it, even though he was sometimes reckless, made him the perfect candidate for the position. By merit, Harry Potter was the most logical choice to become prefect. But when she talked about it with Albus, he kindly opposed the idea. Although Head of Houses chose their prefects, it was usual to consult the headmaster when making your choices. And Dumbledore had recommended to McGonagall to not make Harry a prefect. He argued that with Voldemort's return, the smearing campaign of the Daily Prophet and the Ministry, in addition to the demands of the .s examinations, Harry would already be under heavy pressure, and it would be no gift to add the duties of a prefect to this list. This made sense, and Minerva understood why Dumbledore thought so, but still, she disliked the idea of naming someone else prefect to spare Harry, not to mention that he actually deserved the position. Still, on Dumbledore's insistence, she relented and appointed Ronald Weasley to the position instead. She hoped that the new responsibilities would make this boy more mature and serious, at the very least.
It was a relief to see Lily take Minerva's decision on prefects so well. Lily had been a prefect, and Head Girl as well. Her husband was Head Boy too in his last year. And given her son's achievements, it would have been normal for such a mother to consider that her son deserved to be prefect. But in some way, Minerva should have expected Lily to take it this way. She cared more about her son's health and well-being than for honors, medals and certificates. This only enhanced Minerva's consideration for Lily.
Anyway, she wasn't the only one to sacrifice a potential prefect this year. Albus had also interceded with Professor Sprout. Pomona had taken a little more time to choose her prefects than Minerva did, and one of the main reasons was that she hesitated between two of her students to be the new female prefect: Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones. Both students had good marks, although Miss Bones' were a little higher. However, Pomona feared that Miss Bones' introvert and shy nature may prevent her from fulfilling her duties. She even asked Minerva for advice about this. Finally, Pomona chose Miss Abbott as she thought she would be better able to handle the duties of perfect. Pomona also confided to Minerva that Albus also recommended this girl, citing that given her family history and her relationship with Harry, in addition to this summer's events, Miss Bones would probably have a very hard year as well.
It was odd to think about it, and it also made Minerva slightly uncomfortable to think about it, but she had been in a way the person to witness the blossoming of the romantic feeling between Harry Potter and Susan Bones, while she gave them dancing lessons. Although it might surprise many people, dance had been a great part of Minerva's childhood life. Dances were regular events in her native Scottish village, and it wasn't rare to see romantic feelings and couples emerge in this kind of circumstances. As a result, Minerva had unwillingly developed kind of an eye for that sort of things. And although she kept herself off her students' private life, she couldn't help but notice what was happening while she showed them how to dance, as focused she remained on making sure they would not cause people to laugh when they opened the Yule Ball.
That time already seemed so long ago, yet so close. Back then, Minerva still felt that something was off with the Triwizard Tournament. Someone had put Harry's name in the Goblet of Fire, and it was unlikely to increase Hogwarts' chances to win. And again, they had been fooled by someone they thought they could trust. By someone who impersonated Alastor Moody. She couldn't believe how blind they had been, especially after the Quirrell episode.
And now here they were, organizing a beginning of the first schoolyear under the return of the most evil wizard of all times. For McGonagall, it was particularly hard to believe they would go through this all over again. She had lost many people she cared about during the previous war. Dougal McGregor, the young man who proposed to her in her youth and who she still loved at the time, was murdered by Death Eaters slaughtering Muggles for fun. Her brother Robert also died at the hands of Voldemort's men. Not to mention the many students she had over her career who lost their lives during that conflict. James Potter. Frank and Alice Longbottom. On top of that, she watched helplessly former students join the other side. Most heartbreaking of all was Peter Pettigrew, who sold many of his former friends to his master. Minerva wasn't desperate. She was ready to face this new conflict, but she dreaded it all the same. Being courageous didn't mean not being afraid. It only meant that you were ready to overcome this fear to do what was right.
Minerva spent about an hour reviewing her lesson plans for tomorrow, getting ready for the first day of the term. She didn't have much time though, as she was expected to lead the first-years to the Great Hall after their trip over the Lake. Soon, she was forced to leave her office and to prepare for the arrival of students. Duty called.
The Entrance Hall was brightly lit by torches. Outside, darkness had fallen over the forests and plains of Scotland. Minerva knew that by now, at this hour, the Hogwarts Express was about to reach its destination. All students would scramble to reach the coaches pulled by Thestrals they couldn't see. These coaches would lead them to the Entrance Hall, where they would disembark and head to the Great Hall to join their respective houses, reuniting with their friends and waiting impatiently for the opening feast. All but the first-years. They would get to travel on the Black Lake for their arrival at Hogwarts. After all the other students arrived and settled in the Great Hall, the heavy doors of the Entrance Hall would be closed. McGonagall would wait behind. The new young children would be led by Hagrid to the doors. He would then hit heavily on them three times, they would open and McGonagall would welcome the eleven-years-olds to Hogwarts. She would explain them what would happen, then lead them to the Great Hall under the gaze of all other students to take part in the Sorting.
McGonagall remembered her own arrival at Hogwarts. It had been a very long time ago, and yet she could only take note of how the first day of the first year at school for the new students would be as identical as the one she herself experienced decades ago. The Hogwarts Express had already been in service for decades back then, leaving from the Platform Nine and Three-Quarters at King's Cross station in London at eleven o'clock to arrive at the school in the evening. Minerva had disembarked at the Hogsmeade station, then followed a teacher of the school as he led her and the other new students to the small boats. The boats, enchanted to move by themselves, conducted them to a passage from where they walked to the doors of the Entrance Hall. The professor then led them to the Great Hall where the headmaster, the rest of the staff, the other students and the Sorting Hat waited for them. After the song of the Hat, they were called in alphabetical order to put it on their head. For Minerva, it had taken over five minutes to the Hat to decide, hesitating between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, choosing the latter. Then there had been the feast, a prefect led them to Gryffindor's common room for her first night at Hogwarts, and classes began the next day.
Waiting for the first-years today, decades later, remembering her own personal experience, Minerva sympathized with the new students. Long ago, she had been at their place, feeling both intimidated and impressed by her new environment and all those people around her, from the teachers to the other students, who were all older and wiser than she was. She felt particularly for the children who came from Muggle families. Minerva was not Muggle-born herself. Her mother was a witch and her father a Muggle, a Presbyterian minister, but she had grown in a time, an environment and a context where she, her mother and her two brothers had to hide their magical powers, including from their own father, even after he learned that his wife and children were all wizards and witches. As such, Minerva had a very limited knowledge of magic and the wizarding world when she arrived at Hogwarts, experiencing something similar to what children from Muggle parents had to go through. And although times had changed and the anti-Muggle sentiments predominant in her childhood had calmed down, they were still present, especially this year with the return of Voldemort. So yes, although Minerva was as strict and demanding with every student, no matter their origins or their sex, she kept a closer eye on students coming from exclusively Muggle families.
She heard the first coaches making their way into the courtyard. Here they were. The students were coming. They slowly emerged from the coaches as those stopped before the Entrance Hall, and they walked towards the Great Hall. Some of them saluted their professor on their way. Minerva, on her side, returned the welcome to some of them, but mostly focused on watching over the crowd slowly entering the castle, many excited to be back. She had to make sure that no accident would happen. Even if the students proved to be calm and civilized, which was rarely the case for all of them, accidents were still possible, and they had to account for Peeves too. The poltergeist was always a potential problem to keep an eye on. Last year, he had thrown balls of water on both students and professors because they didn't allow him to participate to the festivities of the first day. They had refused this year too, and who knew what idea he could come up with to take his revenge.
Minerva recognized many students in the crowd to who she had been teaching for years now. She especially kept an eye open for one in particular. He wasn't difficult to spot though when he arrived. When he climbed down the coach with Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley, Ginny Weasley and Susan Bones, he caught her experienced eyes right away. Not that Harry Potter had an appearance that caught the attention from afar. Quite the opposite, in fact, which was certainly a boon. The boy had already a scar on his forehead to attract the attention. He had no need for a particular physical appearance to double on it. But Minerva could recognize any of her current and past students, so she spotted him the moment he walked out of his coach. She discreetly followed him with her gaze while he walked along the crowd in the Entrance Hall and into the Great Hall, where he disappeared like all other students. Dumbledore didn't need to warn them this year, Minerva knew that she would need to keep a closer eye on Harry, no matter Lily's presence. If the Dementors' attack proved one thing, it was that they needed to be very careful when it came to this boy. They couldn't let their guard down.
Soon, the last coach arrived, and the last students entered the Great Hall. Its heavy oak doors closed. Minerva was alone in the Entrance Hall. She closed the doors separating the courtyard from the Entrance Hall. And she waited.
It didn't take long before three knocks were heard from the other side. Not strong ones like they usually were, but softer ones. With a discreet move of wand, Minerva made the door open. To her regret, it wasn't Hagrid who stood with the first-years, but Professor Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank, his substitute. Hagrid was still on mission, looking for the giants before Voldemort got to contact them.
"The first-years, Professor McGonagall," Wilhelmina announced.
"Thank you, Professor Grubbly-Plank. I will take them from here," Minerva answered.
She then led the new students to the same room where they were led before the Sorting each year, while Professor Grubbly-Plank went to take her place at the staff table.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," she told the students who all looked at her. They were all very young, and their faces showed the same mixture of excitement, fear and uncertainty each new cohort of children displayed when arriving. "I am sure that you are very eager to join your comrades for the welcoming feast, and it will begin shortly. But before, you will take part to the Sorting. This ceremony is a very important institution at Hogwarts, because it will decide in which house you will spend the seven following years at this school. You will share your classes, your meals, your free time, and your sleep with the other people in the same house as you do. Your house will be like your second family at Hogwarts. They are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. No house is better than the other. Each has produced great wizards and witches, and each has its own history marked with great deeds. They compete on a yearly basis for the House Cup, which is given at the end of the year to the house with the highest number of points. Each triumph and success will earn you points across the year, while breaking the rules will result in losing points. I hope you will all prove to be worth the house you will be chosen for."
She looked at her watch. "The Sorting Ceremony will begin very soon. I advise you to make yourself as presentable as possible before it begins. I will return shortly when everything is ready."
She threw them a severe look meaning she expected all of them to behave appropriately, which every student seemed to understand. She then left them in the room where she led them and went to the Great Hall. She barely opened the oak doors to look at Dumbledore, who winked at her, meaning everything was ready. She silently closed the door and went back to the new students. The boys and girls were discussing when she came back, but they all fell silent on her arrival. It was good. Very good.
"The Sorting is about to begin," she announced them, sensing their tensing at the news. "Form a line now and follow me."
They did as she told them, following her steps. The oak doors opened by themselves when she approached, and the line of eleven-years-old boys and girls trailed behind her between the four tables. Like every year, the young wizards and witches looked in admiration at the hovering candlesticks, the invisible roof displaying the night sky, and the older students who were silently watching them following the very same path they took years prior. Minerva sent a gaze of warning towards several students who she expected to snicker and unsettle the first-years as she led them to the front of the staff table. There, the Sorting Hat waited for them on a stool.
When the first-years had stopped and gathered in front of the Hat, a rip appeared on its border, and the Sorting Hat sang.
The Sorting Hat usually sang about the qualities and deeds of each house of Hogwarts. He did this evening as well, but he also told the history of the beginnings of the school. This wasn't new either, for he often did that too. What was uncommon was the fact he told them about the conflicts that raged across the school in those times, before Salazar Slytherin left. Even more uncommon was that the Sorting Hat actually advised the students to stay united.
As a result, when the song was over, both students and teachers applauded, but the clapping of hands was accompanied by whispers and mutterings this time.
Minerva had spent decades at Hogwarts, both as a teacher and as a student before. She had heard dozens of variations of this song. And there had been cases when the Sorting Hat gave advice to the students and the professors. But for all the students who were present, and the youngest teachers at the staff table, this was entirely new, hence the reactions. Minerva shot a gaze to Dumbledore, who nodded. The meaning was clear. If the Sorting Hat, one of the wisest magical artifacts in the world, taught it was time for Hogwarts' houses to unite, then it was that the situation was indeed quite dire.
But the Sorting had to take place nonetheless. So Minerva took the list of names she had in her robes and unfolded it. Students kept exchanging between them, causing even the first-years to imitate them, so she stared at the whole place until one by one, the people shut up and allowed her to begin the ceremony. Even Nearly Headless Nick stopped whispering to Potter, Granger and Weasley. Minerva wondered how he felt about Lily's presence at the staff table, considering he wasn't aware that his mother was supposed to be a professor this year. But Minerva had to focus on the Sorting, so she put aside those concerns for now.
"Please come forward at the call of your name," she announced to the first-years. "I will put the Hat on your head, and your house will be chosen." She looked at the list. "Abercrombie, Euan."
A young boy, obviously very distraught, stumbled forward and sat tight on the stool. Minerva knew that he might be terrified by all the students looking at him. She herself was in that state long ago when she was at his place. She placed the hat on his head the moment he sat down. It didn't cover his eyes though, for his prominent ears stopped it from falling further. This was a shame. Most students appreciated that the view of others staring at them was blocked while the Hat made its choice, especially if the Sorting Hat took its time to select the appropriate house for them.
Luckily for Abercrombie, the Hat only imposed him a few moments seeing the whole school staring at him.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Although Minerva strived to remain professional and neutral in all circumstances, she always released a smile whenever a student was sent into her house. It was a fleeting one, only visible for a mere moment, and very few people noticed it as they were busy applauding the newly welcomed Gryffindor. She regained her professionalism right away, and called the next name on her list once the applauses were over.
"Biden, Amanda."
The small girl with short black hair and glasses walked to the stool. The moment the hat touched her head, it shouted.
"RAVENCLAW!"
It was now the Ravenclaws who celebrated the loudest.
"Cavendish, Lawrence."
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Cinder, Alexandra."
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Davenport, Aaron."
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
The list went on and on. The Hat never took more than a single minute to choose the house for any student. The last one, Rose Zeller, nearly went through that time before the Sorting Hat sent her to Hufflepuff. As the girl hopped towards her new house, Minerva took the Hat and the stool and brought them into the antechamber just as Dumbledore said the welcoming words.
"To our newcomers, welcome! To our old hands, welcome back!" he proclaimed. "There is a time for speech-making, but this is not it. Tuck in!"
There was an acclamation of approval as Minerva slightly shook her head while repressing a laughter. Albus would never change. She placed the Hat with the stool in the antechamber behind the staff table, and returned to the feast right away, taking her place on the headmaster's right as Deputy Headmistress. Food now filled the five tables in the Great Hall, including that of the staff.
"It seems like the elves got the job done as always, despite Peeves' interference in the kitchens," Dumbledore said with an amused smile and a wink towards her.
McGonagall rolled her eyes.
"Peeves is still causing trouble in the kitchens after all this time?" Lily asked. She happened to be sitting right on Minerva's right.
"Did you expect him to have changed that much since you left us?" Minerva asked her.
"Not really. Remus told me how he behaved when he was professor. He had to remind him he was no longer a student with a gum in the nose."
"Ah, yes. I recall," Dumbledore said, smiling at fond memories. "Though I pity the fifth-years of Gryffindor who got their private toilets filled with gums two days later."
"By the way, speaking of the kitchens, how is Dobby faring?" Lily asked. The elf had been released from Lucius Malfoy's service by Lily's son, and Lily asked him to watch over her son more than once since.
"Still very happy and rejoicing that he gets to be paid to work," Dumbledore assured with a smile.
"Make sure he doesn't come to see you at inopportune moments, Lily," Minerva warned her. "He does his job very well, but if he comes to see you during one of your lessons…"
"I'll talk to him tomorrow," Lily reassured her. "Anyway, I've got things to discuss with him anyway."
"Do you think you are ready enough for the first lessons of tomorrow?"
"I think so. It will be nothing very complicated. I'm quite forced to improvise, between the inappropriate schoolbooks that Umbridge asked for and the little time I had to prepare."
"Don't worry, Lily. Everything will go fine. You are not the first professor in this school to be hired at the last minute. I trust you."
"Thank you, Pr… Minerva," she corrected herself under Minerva's kind glare, although Lily smiled to her nonetheless. She had been one of Minerva's best students in her time, and Lily had always appreciated her Transfiguration teacher from what Minerva could tell. She had a way of making all professors like her without flattering them or seeking their approval.
"So, how does it feel for you, to be back after so long? The Sorting must revive some memories."
"Yes, it does." Lily cast a glance towards the Gryffindor table. It wasn't the first time tonight that Minerva surprised her doing this. She guessed it was unavoidable that she would discreetly look in her son's direction from time to time. "The last time I saw one… It's already been twenty years ago. Time is passing too fast."
Again, the quick gaze towards the Gryffindor table. Minerva had no children of her own, but she could understand how Lily felt about her son growing up. Her students, although not Minerva's children, were the closest she would ever have to a family for the rest of her life, and she sometimes found herself worried for them as she watched them grow up, some disappointing her, others surpassing her expectations, some ending happy, others miserable. If Minerva could feel this way for children she only taught to, she could imagine how harder it had to be for a real mother.
"If you need help, don't hesitate to ask me or your other colleagues, Lily. We will be there to help you."
"Thank you. Though I'm not sure everyone will be… available to help," Lily replied.
Minerva caught the quick glare her former student sent to the other side of the staff table this time. She guessed immediately who Lily thought about when saying those words.
During the feast, as McGonagall discussed mainly with Albus and Lily, she noticed how Severus not only avoided exchanging with Lily, but literally avoided looking in her direction at all times, discussing only with colleagues on his left, which meant he refused to address even Dumbledore who was on his immediate right.
Severus Snape had always been hostile to whoever occupied the position of Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts. Like all her colleagues, Minerva knew how Severus desired the position. His attitude towards Quirrell and Lockhart had been disdainful to say the least, pure hatred towards Remus Lupin, and utter fear for Alastor Moody, maybe because he was an Auror who sent dozens of Death Eaters at Azkaban. But for Lily, he seemed to be simply ignoring her.
When Dumbledore announced to the other professors that Lily Evans Potter would be teaching at Hogwarts this year, Minerva had been uncertain about how Severus Snape would feel. Few people would have thought this possible, but Lily Evans and Severus Snape had been very close friends during a large part of their time at Hogwarts. All of this despite the fact they belonged to two houses who had been at each other's throats throughout history. At the beginning, and in the middle of Voldemort's rise to power, this had given hope to Minerva, to see a Gryffindor and a Slytherin being so close. However, things had turned sour over the years. While Lily and Severus remained very close friends and both showed great prowess in magic from the very beginning, the resemblance stopped there, and their paths had progressively diverged more and more as they grew up. Severus was the son of a Muggle father and a witch. Lily came from an entirely Muggle family. Severus had a complicated relationship with his parents who fought all the time, while Lily came from a loving family environment. Severus was reclusive, introvert, and made friends very hardly. Lily was social, easy-going and popular. She was appreciated not only by all students and made friends easily, but she was also appreciated by all her professors, including Horace Slughorn, the Head of the Slytherin House, for who she was his favourite student. While Severus impressed with his academic results, he never managed to get really loved or appreciated by his teachers. Even Slughorn feared that Severus would not go very far in life, and although Minerva sometimes disapproved or Horace's tendency to focus on students he felt had the brighter future, his predictions often proved to be accurate. And in this case, he proved to be right. Lily thrived in Hogwarts, not only succeeding in academic terms, but also in every sphere of her life, getting everyone's respect and appreciation, becoming prefect then Head Girl, even meeting her husband while in Hogwarts. Minerva even watched Lily have a positive influence on many students, James Potter first, who matured during his last two years in Hogwarts in no small part thanks to her. In the meantime, Severus sank deeper into a hole, isolating himself from the rest of the student body, only inspiring mistrust and disdain because of his attitude of rejecting all other people and trying to catch his comrades breaking rules. He even lost his only real friend the day he publicly called her a Mudblood. As he began to follow students who would become Death Eaters in the future, who tolerated him more than they cared for him, he was led on the path of Voldemort as soon as he left the school. Minerva didn't know how Dumbledore managed to make him turn on his former master, but she was relieved that he succeeded, although it was obvious that Severus was still partially the solitary boy of his schoolyears. Even tonight, Minerva wondered how he would work with Lily after all this time.
"If you ever have problems with Severus, don't hesitate to ask for my help," Minerva whispered to her.
"It will be fine," Lily replied, looking at her plate. "We manage to work together…" She didn't finish her sentence, for obvious reasons. Minerva knew what she was talking about. "This should not be any harder."
Still, they didn't have to work next to each other on a daily basis up to now.
"And he still saved Harry's life. So I believe we are fine," Lily concluded.
Minerva hoped so. This was one of the reasons why she had esteem for Severus. Despite all his flaws, despite favouring the students of his own house, he remained a great teacher, someone very brilliant, who Dumbledore trusted… and he proved time and time again that he would never let someone hurt a student, no matter the house to which the student belonged, no matter how he might despise the student in question.
"Well, look who is back," a voice said behind them. Minerva and Lily both turned to see Nearly Headless Nick hovering right behind them, smiling broadly at Lily.
"Nick," Lily fondly said. "It's good to see you again."
"Same for you, Lily," the former knight returned. "I must say, when the rumor started to circulate that you were coming to teach, I initially thought it was too good to be true and refused to believe it."
Minerva smiled at seeing her former student discussing with the ghost of her house. When Minerva was reminded of how Lily got along with everybody, this included the ghosts of Hogwarts. Even the Fat Friar liked her very well.
"Well, I can see you haven't changed that much since your time here, Lily," Nick said after a while discussing with her. "And you are of much better company than Mr Weasley."
"Which one?" Lily asked, almost laughing.
"Forgive me. I always forget how many there are." Nick turned to Minerva. "I am sorry to say, Professor McGonagall, but your new prefect has very questionable manners, both at table and outside of it."
Minerva stared in the direction of Ronald Weasley, who was currently eating like every student of the school.
"Don't judge him too quickly, Nick," Lily said. "They all just came back, and the summer holidays have been quite hectic. They got a lot on their plates. Whatever he did, I'm sure it wasn't directed at you."
Nick scoffed. "I wished I could agree with you, dear Lily, but this young man had much more in his mouth than in his plate while he tried to speak, if you see what I mean." Minerva rolled her eyes internally. Couldn't students behave with some civility at a feast? "I don't get why it wasn't your son who was made prefect."
Minerva regretted immediately the ghost's words. "Ron has many qualities as well," Lily tried. From her tone, it was obvious she was getting desperate of convincing Nick, or desperate to escape that particular conversation.
"Well, Mr Weasley sometimes make them hard to see. During our ghosts' council, we discussed the matter. Even the Bloody Baron and the Fat Friar believed it was nonsense to choose Weasley for a prefect." He then seemed to realize in whose presence he said those words. He turned to Minerva. "Without wanting to show any disrespect for you, Professor McGonagall. All ghosts in Hogwarts hold you in high esteem, and we do not put in question your judgment… And although we are sure you had very good reasons, I must admit that we all failed to understand this particular decision."
Sadly, Minerva understood Nick's doubts. Ronald Weasley was really not her first choice. But despite his obvious flaws, he also had many qualities, who unfortunately many people failed to recognize. Minerva hoped that Ronald would prove up to the task by becoming prefect.
During dessert, after Nick was gone, Lily leaned towards McGonagall to whisper. "Please tell me that my son or his friends are not going to hear discussions about this matter. I don't think it will make anyone happy."
On that, Minerva agreed. "I'll make sure they don't hear about it," she promised. She would need a discussion with he ghosts.
Towards the end of dessert, as Minerva was discussing with Dumbledore, she noticed from the corner of her eye Lily writing something on a very small piece of parchment under the table, then pointing her wand at it. The parchment then moved on its own, sliding on the floor under the tables and between the feet of the students, disappearing. Minerva then noticed Harry leaning under the table and recovering something that looked like this piece of paper. She stared at Lily who behaved as if she ignored Minerva's gaze upon her, while Dumbledore looked amused again when Minerva turned towards him afterwards.
When dessert was over and the elves magically cleaned all plates and goblets on the tables, Dumbledore stood up. Without needing to say a word, the whole Great Hall fell into silence. Minerva was impressed like every time, and also relieved this year that despite the articles of the Daily Prophet and the smearing campaign of the Ministry of Magic, Albus still inspired universal respect from both students and professors to obtain silence without asking for it.
"Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices," the Headmaster declared. "First-years ought to know that the Forest in the grounds is out-of-bound to students. And a few of our older students ought to know by now, too."
Minerva could think about a few students this reminder was addressed to.
"Mr Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four-hundred-and-sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr Filch's office door. We have had two changes in staffing this year."
Minerva bore even more attention to what Dumbledore would say next. This would be a determining moment.
"We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons." A few polite applauses followed the announcement. But it was the next one that worried Minerva a little. "We are also delighted to welcome one of our former and very talented students who will assume the duties of Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts. Please welcome the Professor Lily Evans."
Lily stood up as students applauded, a little more loudly than for Professor Grubbly-Plank.
Despite the appropriate welcome Lily received, Minerva sensed a certain hesitation, even reluctance from a part of the student body. She noticed some of them whispering between them like after the Sorting Hat's song. Minerva supposed this was to be expected. Dumbledore had taken great care to use the family name Lily had during her childhood. Lily always introduced herself under this name, in a wish to reduce possibilities that people would recognize her as the Mother Who Lived, Harry Potter's mother. It had worked pretty well in the beginning for people who didn't know her very well, after she spent almost ten years in the Muggle world, hidden from everyone with her son. But ever since, she had begun to work at the Ministry of Magic under this name. After an initial unawareness, her colleagues understood who she was. Many of them had children, nephews or nieces attending Hogwarts. And the Daily Prophet wrote articles where her name was mentioned, Lily Evans Potter. Although she wasn't as targeted as Dumbledore or her son were during summer, partially because she was still working for the Ministry and it was harder for Fudge to denigrate one of his own employees, her name had come out. And many students had gotten the chance to see her these previous years at Hogwarts, when she came to see her son play Quidditch, or at the beginning and the end of the Triwizard Tournament. So of course, there were students who didn't realize right away who she was, but some did, and they informed their neighbors right away.
The main question now was, since the students would all know by tomorrow who their new teacher was, whether Lily would manage to teach hundreds of students who viewed her either as the Mother Who Lived, or as the mother of an unbalanced, lying adolescent seeking attention and glory.
When I initially planned this fanfiction, Year 5 was really the moment when everything would start to go sideways. The story didn't totally follow the initial path I chose, but we have reached the same inflexion point. From the moment Lily becomes Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts in Book 5, the story will really diverge. We're not talking about a complete, sudden and immediate overhaul. Changes will still be progressive, but you will notice a real divergence from now on. By the end of Book 5, you will no longer see this story following the canon.
Please review.
Next chapter: Harry