Disclaimer: I still don't own anything of it. Cool!
Author's Note: Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews! I appreciate every single one of them.
I wasn't expecting to get another chapter up before my wedding, but I ended up having more free time than I thought. So, why not get one more up?
I have to say that I received some absolutely lovely advice about how to stay happily married. It's wonderful, because Ryan and I honestly already do the things you mentioned. It's why we have such a loving relationship. He is an amazing person, and I very much appreciate having that advice written out. I love it.
And you're very welcome, Yellow 14, for the shout-out. The fact that you're going to write TWO more spin-off fics is AMAZING! And thanks for sending hugs as well. Yes, it was a very difficult time for me, but with the love and support of those closest to me, I got through it. I'm extremely happy to be where I am today.
As far as Harry's panic attack, yes, it is completely because of the change in timeline. Canon Harry wouldn't panic - he'd get angry and start yelling. This Harry's trauma manifested differently than canon Harry's did. My Harry isn't about to go all caps-lock like he did in Order of the Phoenix.
Oh my goodness, I loved writing this chapter. This wasn't in my original plot for this story at all, but needless to say, my experience with living through Covid and the lessons I learned from it, especially from the person who Sturgis's character is based on, made me want to include the adults a lot more. Obviously, the story revolves around Harry and Sirius, but a big part of this will be how the Order of the Phoenix copes with everything, and the point of view of several different characters.
This is a Minerva McGonagall chapter. You'll learn a tiny bit more about Sturgis's past here, and how Minerva feels about Sirius's trial. You'll also discover where the new Order Headquarters is going to be located, and it probably won't surprise you.
The end of this chapter is a shout-out to all the parents who did everything they could to take care of their children through Covid, especially in regards to the uncertainty of their education. I am not a parent, and never plan to have children. I will never understand completely what those parents went through, so I hope I do a decent enough job in this chapter in conveying it properly. I honestly hope I do okay with it. My heart goes out to each and every one of them.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.
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Minerva McGonagall, who had taken over the leadership of the Order of the Phoenix, was sitting up ramrod straight in her chair, her attention fully focused on everyone else in the room. They were once again in the staffroom at Hogwarts, and everyone was respectfully silent, as she had just called the meeting to order.
She was still completely unused to being the one to run the Order meetings - this was supposed to be Albus's role. Albus. Her heart still hurt when she thought about him. What had been done to him ... she couldn't even imagine it. And the fact that she hadn't heard from him once during his recovery worried her more than she was willing to admit.
She had had a lot to come to terms with over the summer. The realizations she'd come to regarding Albus's mistakes, and the wrongs she herself had done, had taken her on an emotional journey that had resulted in little sleep and too much thought. And when the news had come that Albus had been injured so badly, it only added to her turmoil. She was battling so many feelings at the same time that she felt like her head hadn't been on straight since.
But she'd had to pull herself together. She knew that Albus would count on her to fulfil the duties that he could not perform at this time. A war was beginning and she needed to stay strong for everyone who was depending on her. The faces around the table were pensive and serious, and they looked to her to be the role model that would pull them through.
It was the evening of Tuesday, August 22, and in ten days, she would have a full castle on her hands. It was a surity that Albus would still be recovering by the time September 1 came, and therefore, she would also have to take over as Headmistress. And it scared her more than she wished for anyone to know.
It wasn't like she hadn't known that Albus was an old man. Contrary to popular belief, he was mortal. He wasn't going to live forever. Minerva had always realized that there would come a time when his duties as Headmaster would transfer to her. She just hadn't expected it to happen this soon. She wasn't ready for it - not at all. And especially at a time like this, when a war was about to begin in earnest - the prospect was incredibly daunting.
But she had to. She didn't have a choice. She had to be there for her students. She had to put up a brave, strong front - she was a Gryffindor, after all. And the staff - they were all going to need her strength, too.
There was so much on her mind as she looked out at all the Order members. It had been a day since Sirius had been cleared of all charges, and she wondered how he and Harry were faring. There was no doubt in her mind that he would want to return to Order meetings, but he couldn't have made it more plain that his first priority was Harry. He was not at the meeting this evening - she had considered asking Remus to contact him and tell him it was happening, but had decided to give him some time to recover from his ordeal at the Ministry. He and Harry needed each other - that much was clear. But she would make sure that he was aware of the next one.
Sirius. Minerva McGonagall was not a woman who was known for shedding many tears, especially not in public. But yesterday's proceedings had reduced her to such a state. The emotions in that courtroom had been so raw and intense, and she was so proud of everyone's testimony. Sturgis Podmore. Ronald Weasley. Harry Potter. And Sirius Black himself.
Minerva had already known that Sirius was an Animagus - Albus had revealed that information to her at the end of Harry Potter's third year when he'd escaped from Hogwarts. She knew the entire story of how Albus had instructed Hermione and Harry to use the Time-Turner to rescue him. Thinking back on it now, she realized exactly how much Albus had left up to chance by putting so much on two third-year schoolchildren. It was a miracle that they'd been able to pull it off. This was just another thing about Albus that Minerva hadn't yet come to terms with.
But Sirius's Animagus abilities had stunned her, especially when Albus had revealed exactly why he'd done it. He, James, and Peter had done it for Remus ... she had shed tears over that, but those had been shed in private. That was an act of friendship so astounding that she was floored. Her heart filled with sadness, knowing exactly why Sirius did not reveal the entire truth in his testimony. She could say, knowing Remus as she did, that the prejudice against werewolves was truly despicable.
Oh, Harry. The information she had to impart today to the Order was enough to cut her heart to pieces. The boy had been through so much. He'd held himself together exceedingly well during the trial yesterday, but now that she had vowed to pay more attention to him, she saw things she never had before. She saw that underneath the boy who jumped into danger to save those he loved, he was vulnerable. How could he not be? she thought, deeply ashamed at her past behavior. After what Albus had always expected of him, after what he'd been through the past four years ... how could a teenage boy face death as many times as he had and not be changed?
And if Albus was here now, he would expect the Boy Who Lived to pick himself up and return to Hogwarts with a smile, and put all the trauma he'd faced behind him. Never mind the fact that he'd had to watch a student die. Never mind the fact that he'd been accused of murdering that very student. Never mind the fact that he had been in hiding almost all summer, and he hadn't had time to get used to being in a room with so many eyes on him.
Minerva McGonagall was not Albus Dumbledore. The truth was, she'd hung on his every word for far too long, and done exactly as he'd ordered. And she'd hurt people by doing that - hurt them deeply. The resolve she felt to do better was burning within her. And she refused to allow Harry Potter to suffer anymore.
She did not know the full contents of this thrice-damned prophecy - she knew others in the Order thought she did, but honestly, she didn't. But it didn't matter to her, because in the end, Harry Potter was a child. And if, after his recovery was complete, Albus Dumbledore began to meddle with and test the boy again, Minerva McGonagall would not stand by and accept it any longer.
"Welcome to another meeting of the Order of the Phoenix," Minerva said, sitting up straight in her chair, her hair in its customary bun and her eyes bright and alert. "There is much to discuss tonight." She paused. "First thing's first," she said. "I was very glad to see many of you at Sirius's trial."
"Cleared of all charges," Kingsley said, sighing in relief. "I must say, I'm very relieved I no longer have to mislead the Ministry and inform them that Sirius is apparently in Timbuctu when he's really in London."
"Indeed," Minerva said. "Everyone in this room who attended the trial conducted themselves admirably." Her eyes fell on Sturgis, knowing the guilt he still carried for Sirius's incarceration.
"I was completely disgusted by the actions of everyone in the atrium," Nymphadora Tonks said, scowling fiercely. "The way they treated Harry was revolting."
There were nods from most everyone in the room, except Severus Snape. "The boy had better get used to it," he sneered. "Black has obviously coddled him to such an extent that he cannot even tolerate his own devoted fans. How very ... sad."
"They aren't his fans, and you know it, Snape," Hestia Jones snapped, her eyes flashing. "I'm sick and tired of you being so nasty about him."
"You will mind your tongue, Severus," Minerva said coldly, completely agreeing with Hestia. Severus's nasty comments about that boy would stop, and they would stop now. She was not Albus. She would not abide by Severus's disrespect.
"I know you do not like the boy, Severus," Dedalus Diggle said. "But you have no sympathy for what he's been through, do you?"
Snape snorted. "We are about to begin a war, Diggle," he snarled. "We do not have time for sympathy. People will be killed while he wallows in those emotions."
"That is quite enough," Minerva hissed, sounding like her Animagus form would when angered. "Severus, you will cease your derisive commentary about Mr. Potter this instant."
Snape closed his mouth, but the expression on his face told Minerva plainly that he was loathe to do so. Minerva sighed - she knew how valuable Severus was to the cause. She did not doubt that he wished to see the end of You-Know-Who. But the bad blood between him and James Potter had always been an issue, and Severus had never been able to put that behind him.
"In any case," Minerva continued, "all of you should be aware of something. I have recently heard from the school governors, and the news I have to impart is ... well ..." She stopped, taking a deep breath. "They are taking Jeffrey Bushman's petition seriously," she said quietly.
"You mean, that Hufflepuff boy who was Cedric Diggory's roommate?" asked Emmeline Vance. "The one who said it was too dangerous for Harry Potter to return to school?"
"Yes." Minerva nodded. "And now that You-Know-Who's return is confirmed as true, the governors are putting even more stock in it. They wrote me a letter today, and wish for me to meet with them tomorrow. Several of them have children who are Hogwarts students, and as you can imagine, they are frightened."
"But that's ridiculous!" Tonks burst out. "It's not like Harry's the only one who's a target! You're not exactly You-Know-Who's favorite person, are you?" she asked Minerva bluntly.
"No. I daresay, I am not," Minerva said, and if the situation wasn't so serious, she'd have found herself smiling slightly at how Nymphadora didn't mince words. "He certainly has no liking for me. But, unfortunately, the governors are also using the fact that Albus isn't here to strengthen their argument. It's often stated that he's the only one You-Know-Who is afraid of."
"But it was under Albus's watch that Cedric Diggory and Harry were kidnapped from school grounds," Arthur Weasley said. "So they're contradicting themselves by saying the Death Eaters won't try anything. They just don't like that Harry spoke the truth, do they? So now they want to deny him an education?"
"Arthur, you're a parent," Emmeline said, a very serious expression on her face. "I admit, the Potter boy bears no responsibility for this. It's not the poor child's fault that a monster and his sycophantic henchmen are gunning for his blood. I have the utmost sympathy for what he's been through, and we must protect him at all costs." She sighed. "But is it horrible for me to say that I understand that petition, from a parent's perspective?"
"If not for Harry, I would have lost my little girl," Arthur said intensely, staring Emmeline directly in the eye.
But Emmeline did not waver. "Amos and Eileen Diggory have a different story, Arthur," she said quietly. "If not for Harry, their son, Cedric, would still be alive. It's awful - I don't deny that - but it's the truth." She and Arthur stared at each other, neither backing down from their point of view.
"We could go back and forth on this all evening, but it wouldn't resolve anything," Moody growled, his magical eye rolling around in its socket. "That boy deserves an education. Whether it's here at Hogwarts or it isn't, he needs to learn if he's expected to fight in this war."
Molly spoke up then, her voice quiet as she looked between Arthur and Emmeline. "If you want to know the truth, I don't think Harry's ready to return here," she said quietly.
Minerva couldn't say she was at all surprised to hear Molly reveal such a thing. But she needed to know why she was saying it. "What makes you say that, Molly?" she asked quietly.
"I say this to all of you in confidence, and I want your word that no one will ever tell Harry I told you this," she said, looking at Snape longer than the others. "You see, he was staying at the Burrow during the time Sirius was being held at the Ministry. I had my doubts about Sirius's capabilities, but I was proven to be extremely wrong. He has done an amazing job taking care of Harry, but that boy has been through some horrific ordeals and I honestly don't see how he can handle Hogwarts right now." Quietly, she explained how Harry had reacted to his experience in the atrium yesterday.
"I can vouch for Sirius's capabilities, too," Sturgis said, his tone serious. "I visited the Burrow every day to update him on how things were proceeding. He held himself together very well, but I saw the strain the entire experience yesterday put on him." His eyes held an incredible amount of sympathy.
"So what are you saying?" Bill Weasley asked. "That Harry doesn't return to school? That he gives the governors what they want?"
"It's Harry's well-being that is the most important thing in this equation," Remus Lupin said, looking exhausted - the full moon had been several days ago, and he was obviously still recovering. "If he isn't emotionally ready to return, other arrangements must be made."
"And in the meantime, we must come up with a solution that will satisfy the governors," Arthur said. "No student, unless they have done something to truly warrant their expulsion, should be denied an education at this castle. Not only because they must learn all the magic required to pass their NEWTS, but for the social aspects as well. The best years of my life were spent here," he said wistfully, smiling at Molly, who returned it with her own wistful gaze.
"Should I ask Sirius to contact you, Minerva?" Remus asked. "How do we handle this? It's a rather ... delicate situation."
"Sirius is bringing Harry to the Burrow tomorrow so he can spend the day with his friends," Molly said. "I received a Floo call from him earlier. I can speak with him about it then."
Minerva nodded. "That is an acceptable plan, Molly," she said, her heart hurting for the poor child. None of this was fair - not at all.
"If he doesn't come back here for a while, I reckon Potter should have tutors," Moody said. "Especially considering what he's likely to face ..."
"Stop it, Alastor. Don't talk like that," Molly snapped. "Harry is a child. He's not a lamb for slaughter."
"That's not what Alastor is saying, Molly," Kingsley said in a low, soothing voice. "Unfortunately, he's right. Harry is in a position where he's likely to end up in situations where his life will be in danger. And the more he knows, the more likely he is to survive."
Molly put her head in her hands. "This is horrible," she moaned.
"It's life," Snape said, his face stony. "Life is not fair."
Molly glared at Snape, but said nothing. Thankfully, the Potions Master didn't elaborate, although Minerva could see in his black eyes that there was a lot more he wished to say. Tired of his attitude, Minerva said, "Is there anything you wish to tell us, Severus?"
"No," Snape said sharply, his black eyes flashing. "You know that the Dark Lord does not fully trust me yet. His plans are unknown to me at this time."
"A likely story," Moody snorted. "Pull the other one, Snape."
"That was uncalled for, Alastor," Minerva chastised. "I refuse to let us fight amongst ourselves."
"Exactly," Sturgis said strongly. "We must stand united." His expression was intense as he gazed at them all. "Minerva?" he asked. "Is it all right if I ..."
"Yes," Minerva said, knowing what Sturgis was about to say. Admiration swelled up inside of her - if someone had told her in 1973 that Sturgis Podmore would be the person he was today, she wouldn't have believed it for an instant.
"We have obviously been looking for somewhere that we can use as our new Order Headquarters," Sturgis said quietly. "And I have come to a decision. After September 1, our Order meetings will be in our new location. I have already informed Minerva of this, and she has accepted. Our new Order Headquarters will be at my home in London."
Everyone looked surprised at that. "Your home?" Hestia asked. "Really?"
"Yes." Sturgis smiled. "It will suit our needs. Kingsley and I have spent quite a bit of time preparing it."
"Wow, thank you," Emmeline said. "That's not an easy decision." She looked at him with respect in her eyes.
"Why after September 1?" asked Hestia curiously.
"Because that is after the day my son enters his first year at Hogwarts," Sturgis said quietly. "He actually turns eleven on August 31."
There were many looks of understanding at that. "You must be very proud of your boy," Moody said.
Sturgis's expression was full of intense pride. "I am," he said with conviction. "My Benjamin is ... he's going to be an amazing student," he proclaimed, never sounding more sure of anything.
Minerva smiled. "I am very much looking forward to meeting him," she said. "In any case, I'm very grateful that you are offering your home to us."
Sturgis straightened, still looking at the Order with an incredibly intense expression. "I have had much time to think recently," he said, his eyes full of resolve. "Our society is about to enter a situation that will test all of us. I do not doubt that we will be pushed to our limits. There will, inevitably, be pain and sorrow. Those of us who were in the Order last time ... we remember what we faced. There is no denying that we will need to face it all again.
"But it is often we forget," Sturgis continued, "that in times like this, we need joy and optimism. We need to find things that will help our endurance. We need to find moments of humor, moments of happiness, the things that make us human. If we lose the ability to find things that allow us to laugh, our spirits will be destroyed. Therefore, I have decided to make it my mission to stop us from travelling down that road."
Hestia looked supremely doubtful. "So what are you going to do?" she asked, showing all too clearly that she didn't believe a word Sturgis was saying. "Tell us a bunch of jokes and convince us that everything will be okay?"
"No." Sturgis shook his head, taking no offense to Hestia's harsh words. "This is a war," he said quietly. "And there will be days when none of us will be okay. My intention is to help with morale as much as I can. There have been many events in wizarding history that have been truly terrible. But that's the thing of it - they are events that are in history. We have gotten through them. I have no doubt that this war will end, and that we will be victorious."
Minerva knew that Sturgis believed this with every fiber of his being. The others in the room looked surprised at his sheer conviction. "That's all well and good, but how many of us will be left to experience it?" Hestia asked quietly.
"That, I do not know." Sturgis sighed. "None of us know exactly what's going to happen. All I know is that I would like as many of us to be here as possible when this is over, and as I sit at this table, I already see some of you losing hope." His eyes suddenly blazed. "And I will not have that."
"You still have hope," said Emmeline; it was a statement, not a question.
"Yes, I do," Sturgis said at once. "And I wish that for all of you, as well. I am offering my home for Order meetings, but I would also like to extend an invitation to all of you to come at other times, when there is no Order meeting."
"And do what?" Tonks asked curiously.
Sturgis smiled then, his eyes full of warmth. "You'll see," he said. "I'll introduce it right after our first Order meeting at my home, and see how it goes."
Several people still looked doubtful, and Severus didn't look the slightest bit interested. But others, like Minerva, were honestly wondering what Sturgis was planning. It was obvious he wanted to hold the Order together, and Minerva wondered how he would do so. His faith in the outcome of the war was apparent, and he reiterated it again.
"Voldemort will be defeated." He said it with certainty, like he was announcing that the sky was blue. "Tyrants like him have existed throughout history. And every single time, they are defeated."
"But the prophecy ..." Hestia started.
"Harry Potter will not do it alone. Whatever he has to do, we are here to help him," Sturgis said. "I, for one, am not letting a child do this on his own."
"Hear, hear," Moody said. "That's the spirit."
After several more minutes of discussion, the Order meeting came to an end. Minerva watched as the members filed out, either leaving through the door or by Floo, all bidding Minerva farewell as they did so. Minerva sighed - she didn't think she'd ever get used to running these meetings. Severus gave her a nasty glare as he left, to which she paid no heed. Merlin, there were times when she wished that man would grow up. His bravery in facing You-Know-Who and what he was willing to sacrifice ... Minerva knew that was something she could never, ever do, and she had an endless amount of admiration for that kind of courage. But she couldn't deny that there were parts of him she simply couldn't stand.
Everyone had left the room - everyone but Sturgis. She looked closely at the man in front of her, and marveled at how much he had changed. She remembered the student she had known - he had always had a raw intensity about him, a huge amount of potential that had shone out at her from the first day she'd seen him as a first-year. And then, she'd been so disappointed in him ... heartbroken by his decisions, in fact.
But she should have known better. She should have had more faith in him. She should have realized that he'd grow up to be the person he was today. Just because he'd lost his way for a while ...
"Minerva." Sturgis spoke to her quietly. "I need to talk to you."
He spoke to her with such intensity now that she shivered. Maybe, deep down, she'd always known that there was more to this man than met the eye.
"I'm listening, Sturgis," Minerva said. "What is it?"
Sturgis suddenly locked the staffroom door with his wand, and placed a silencing charm on it. Minerva only had a split second to wonder what in Merlin's name this was about before Sturgis stared her down, and what she saw in his eyes was terrifying. They swallowed her, and they were full of a bottomless rage that she hadn't been aware that he was capable of. He always gave off such intensity - whether he was talking about offering his home to the Order, explaining in detail his regret over what he had done to Sirius ... there had always been this ... rawness about him.
"Sturgis, what ..." Minerva couldn't take her eyes off his, even though she wanted to run out of this room, away from his anger. She'd always been astounded at how he seemed to have control over any situation. This, however, was something new, a side of him she had not seen before.
"How dare you, Minerva McGonagall." Sturgis's voice was low with a deep, endless fury. "You gave a Time-Turner to a thirteen-year-old girl? To a CHILD? I never ..." He was lost for words, a feat that Minerva thought could never be accomplished. "And you gave it to her so that she could take more CLASSES? What in Merlin's name were you THINKING?" he roared.
Minerva took a step back in shock. She had many regrets, and putting so much strain on Hermione with the Time-Turner, even though she'd asked for it, was definitely one of them. "How did you know about ..." she spluttered, appalled by how undignified she sounded.
"Sirius told me," Sturgis snarled. "He explained that that was how he escaped from here. And I hope you know, Minerva, that if it were not for the fact that Sirius was able to go back on the run because of it, I would be using all my powers as an Auror and hauling you before the Wizengamot."
"Excuse me?" Minerva gasped. "You are aware that I cleared it with the Ministry before allowing her to use it? I had to jump through hoops in order to procure one."
"And so you should! Pray tell, who, exactly, did you ask?" Sturgis asked, not backing down an inch. "Because whoever agreed to it should be brought up on charges too. You do not mess around with artifacts like Time-Turners!"
Minerva felt her own temper rising. "Do you think I don't regret what it did to Miss Granger?" she demanded. "And what, precisely, is the reason for this confrontation?"
"Do you have ANY IDEA what a Time-Turner does to the human body, especially when it's used long-term?" Sturgis growled. "I can only IMAGINE what Granger was like at the end of the year. You could have KILLED her, and all because she wanted to take more classes!"
"Killed her?" Minerva was furious now. "How dare you accuse me of such a thing! Since when are Time-Turners fatal?"
"We were never supposed to meddle with time!" Sturgis bellowed, his eyes flashing wildly. "And yes, killed her, Minerva! Many people do not know the downsides of using a Time-Turner long-term." The anger suddenly evaporated from his face, only to be replaced with such an intense sadness that it stole Minerva's breath from her lungs.
"Did you ... did you know someone who ..." Minerva felt the blood drain from her face, all anger at Sturgis forgotten. She suddenly understood how the man who had learned to keep such an incredible calmness about him could have lost it so completely.
"I ... I can't," he breathed, collapsing into a chair. "I can't talk about it. It's only been three months."
"Oh." Minerva breathed out the word softly. She had so many questions - who was it? How had they gotten hold of a Time-Turner? It wasn't like they were easy to come by.
"He was an Unspeakable," Sturgis whispered, answering one of her questions.
"Sturgis, I ... I am so sorry." Minerva said, meaning every word.
Sturgis nodded, his eyes blazing once again. "Human beings were not meant to mess with time," he said softly. "And it is very, very hard to accept that the only reason Sirius Black is amongst us today is due to the existence of such a thing. I have believed it for years, and it only became that much more apparent three months ago - all the Time-Turners in the Ministry should be destroyed. Every. Single. Last. One."
"I understand," Minerva said softly. "I promise, I will never touch one again. I admit, Miss Granger was ... she wasn't doing well by year's end. She decided that she was no longer going to use it, after that."
"Thank Merlin," Sturgis breathed. "I only wish ... he ... had made the same choice."
Minerva wanted to ask more questions, but knew it was not her business to do so. Looking deep into the man's eyes, she asked softly, "Are you sure you're going to be all right, Sturgis? You're certainly planning to do an awful lot to help the war effort."
Sturgis sighed, the sound filling the entire room. "Someone has to do it," he said quietly. "It won't be easy - I know it won't. But I remember what happened last time. I remember the fading hope. I remember the empty faces. I remember the despair, the silences, the lack of laughter." He looked at Minerva, his eyes full of an incredible inner strength. "I won't let it happen again," he proclaimed. "Tyrants like Voldemort don't deserve to think they're winning. It's up to us to make sure they don't. And if I have to spend every single day making sure that we can find those moments of joy in all the sorrow that we're about to face, I will do it."
Minerva smiled, her faith in him absolute. "I know you will," she replied.
"Minerva?" Sturgis asked then. "Can I ... can I please ask you to do something for me?"
"Anything," Minerva said, and from the look in his eyes now, she thought she knew exactly what it was. It was the look she'd seen on many faces during the last war - the look of a parent who was incredibly, undeniably afraid.
"Take care of my boy for me, when he comes here." Sturgis spoke in a whisper. "Please. I ... if anything happened to him ... it would destroy me. I ... I simply wouldn't have the strength to withstand it."
Minerva had no doubt that every word out of Sturgis's mouth was the truth. She remembered the look in his eyes and the tone of his voice when Dawlish had dared to bring his son up at the trial yesterday. Looking at him now, she knew that Sturgis Podmore was a man that would not only die for Benjamin - this was a man who would kill for him, too.
And at that moment, Minerva felt her respect for him rise. It was hard enough, sending your child to boarding school and not being able to see them for months. It was a million times harder when you were sending your child to boarding school in the middle of a war, a time of such deep fear and uncertainty. "I promise you," she swore solemnly. "I will not let anything happen to him." She knew that if she did, whatever Sturgis would do to her would be done with no hint of remorse. This was a father who loved his son more than the air he breathed.
Their eyes locked, and then, Sturgis smiled. Minerva did, too, knowing that Sturgis believed her. "He's a good boy, Minerva. He won't make my mistakes," he said softly.
"Does he know about ..." Minerva stopped, unsure whether she should bring up the past.
"Does he know that I dropped out of Hogwarts? Does he know that I was an idiot and almost landed myself in Azkaban a year later, when I was seventeen?" Sturgis asked bluntly. "No, he doesn't. I would never ... I would never want him to know that."
Minerva nodded. "Don't be ashamed of it," she said quietly. "It happened, and it's a part of your history. What was it you said earlier this evening? There have been events in history that have been truly terrible. But we have gotten through them." She looked at him meaningfully. "That was a terrible time in your life - but look at you now."
She placed a gentle hand on Sturgis's shoulder. "I'm not saying you need to tell Benjamin anything," she said softly. "But I don't think he'll love you any less, if you do."
"Have I ever told you," Sturgis said, "that you were one of my favorite teachers? Even though I caused no end of trouble for you?"
And then, without giving Minerva McGonagall a chance to answer, he got up and walked to the fireplace, threw some Floo powder into the flames, and disappeared out of sight.