Minerva stepped to the edge of the school property. She waved her wand over her robes, changing them to a forest green smart pencil-skirted suit with a white blouse. She turned on the spot, and a moment later appeared in the darkest corner of number 4 Privet Drive.

"Mistress, is that being you?" Tilly whispered.

"Tilly, I've asked you to please call me Professor," McGonagall responded as she stepped closer to the house elf and child.

"But I is not a student, ma'am," Tilly protested.

"Tilly, all of the professors call each other by title, as do the parents of our students; it is not just the students who call us Professor. It is perfectly acceptable for the house elves to do so as well," Minerva explained. "Now, how is Harry doing?"

"He is been sleeping all night," the elf answered as she handed the child over to the woman.

"Very well, please return to Hogwarts to help with breakfast. I'll stay here with him."

"Yes, Mis-"

McGonagall cocked an eyebrow at the house elf who squirmed, bit her lip, and pulled at her ears. "Yes, Professor."

The child stirred when the elf cracked away and then settled again.

Minerva quickly waved her wand over herself and the child, shivering as the disillusionment spell settled over them. She waited and watched, murmuring to the boy. "Harry, child, I don't know what to say. I don't know how to explain this to your aunt, but I know that I need to tell her in person. I know the letter isn't enough. I also know that I need to wait until your uncle has left the house. He's absolutely insufferable. I can't believe we're leaving you here, no matter what Albus says. I can't imagine it's a good idea. There has to be a better choice to keep you safe and out of the public spotlight until you come to Hogwarts."

She held the child close as the sun rose higher in the sky. As soon as the large, obnoxious man left the house and was out of sight, she moved to the doorstep wordlessly, canceling the disillusionment spell as she moved. Were anyone looking right at her, she would have seemed to appear suddenly, but at this moment she wasn't worried, as most Muggles would just assume the sun had momentarily blinded them from its position in the sky. She rang the doorbell and waited.

Petunia soon opened the door and took stock of the woman standing there. Minerva's disguise of Muggle clothing was convincing, but the child held in her arms was out of place.

"I am not a child carer," Petunia stated haughtily and began to close the door.

"Mrs. Dursley, I must speak with you," Minerva said, stepping forward.

"I don't know who you are, and I have my son to feed, so leave now."

"My name is Minerva McGonagall," she said, stepping even closer. "This is your nephew, and you need to allow us to come in unless you want to have this discussion out here on your doorstep where anyone might overhear."

Petunia paled, but she stepped back and allowed the other woman to enter the house. She then peered as inconspicuously as she could up and down the street to see if anyone was watching the house.

Once she had closed the door, Petunia led the other woman down the hall into the kitchen. There she gestured to a chair at the table.

"I haven't spoken to my sister in years. I don't associate with her kind, so if you're like her, speak your piece and get out."

Minerva settled into a chair, unwrapped Harry, and sat him on her lap. She placed the envelope on the table in front of her.

"Mrs. Dursley," she began, "Petunia, I think you should sit down."

"I'd rather stand, thank you," the other woman snapped.

Minerva sighed inaudibly. "This is your nephew Harry."

"I don't care."

"Be that as it may, he is to be left in your care."

Petunia flinched. "Absolutely not!"

"It's not a choice. There is a letter here explaining the situation," Minerva said, pointing to the envelope, "but I felt you should be told in person. Your sister was killed last night, along with her husband."

Petunia paled and reached to grip the back of a chair. "Killed? Lily is… dead?"

"Yes. I'm sorry to put it so bluntly. She and James were attacked by Voldemort."

"The one they called the Dark Lord?"

"Yes. Lily died saving her son, as I'm sure you would for your own son."

At this Petunia snatched Dudley up from his high chair and held him so tight he screamed and began to cry and smack her in the face. She didn't even flinch.

"There is no one left to care for Harry; as her closest living relative, the job falls to you," Minerva explained. "Right now, all you need to do is take care of him for a few hours. I will be back before your husband returns with all you need."

"No, no, I will not raise one of you people," Petunia protested.

"You don't have a choice," Minerva replied through gritted teeth. She would find out why this was the only option, and if Albus couldn't give her a satisfactory answer, she would find another home for the child herself. "I will return. Shall I put Harry in the chair or somewhere else?"

"No, no, no," Petunia kept repeating.

"I'll just leave him here," McGonagall said, sliding Harry down into the highchair that Dudley had been sitting in. "I will return in a few hours. I'd suggest you read the letter from Albus Dumbledore."

Petunia didn't move until the other woman was at the front door, then she ran to catch her. "You can't leave him here."

Minerva spun on her heel. "You know what, Petunia. I'd much rather not. I'd rather take him nearly anywhere than leave him here, but here is where he must stay." For now, at least she added to herself.

"We are not equipped-"

"As I said, I will return before your husband is home for the evening with everything you might need. Now, I must go." Minerva didn't wait; she simply stepped through the door and began striding down the sidewalk.

Petunia slammed the door and then watched the other woman go, peering through a crack in the curtains of the front room.

A/N short chapter this week and the writing is going slow but I'm still working on it.