Here's a new chapter for you :)

Thanks again, Indoraptor4eva and Hands Off MY Wolfie, for the reviews! I really appreciate :)
Enjoy!

I slowly awakened the next morning, gradually and peacefully emerging from my sleep. I felt wonderfully rested. I was lying in a soft bed, nestled under warm blankets... Realising this made me remember the events of the previous day. I wasn't in my cupboard, I had run away from my guardians, and my cat wasn't actually a cat, and magic existed!

I sat up suddenly and saw the old lady from the day before, McGonagall—my cat—freeze mid-movement. She was wearing the same emerald-green robe as the previous day, but with a slight difference in the cut, which seemed more normal than witch-like. In her hand, she held a tray carrying two steaming cups, which she placed on the coffee table near the fireplace before turning to me.

"Good morning, Harry. I hope I didn't wake you?"

"No… Madam."

She gave a slight twitch, then sighed. "You can call me Minerva if you like. We've been through enough together, don't you think?"

"Could I… could I call you Minie?"

"Minie?" Minerva's frown almost frightened me, but I might as well go all the way—after all, I could manage on my own if she didn't want me anyway.

"Well, um… I think Minerva sounds a bit scary as a name…" I started to stammer, struggling to find the words to tell her that Minie reflected more of my affection for my cat and, therefore, for her.

oOo

The boy seemed to get tangled in his words, mixing several incomprehensible fragments of sentences before falling silent, blushing. Minie… Why not, after all? It was perhaps a bit personal as a nickname, but no one else would know—it would just be between the two of them. And it wasn't insulting; in fact, it was rather sweet.

"Minie it is, then," I replied with a smile. "Well, Harry, I think it's high time for breakfast, but before that, close your eyes, please. I haven't had time to finish decorating yet."

"Decorating?"

"You'll see. Close your eyes."

He obeyed without another word, accustomed to taking orders, and I felt a slight pang in my heart upon noticing it. But I soon forgot when he opened his eyes at my request and saw what I had changed with just a few flicks of my wand.

oOo

The small hotel room had been transformed. The witch in emerald robes stepped aside to let me take it all in. First, the window to my left was now adorned with snowflakes that seemed crystallised on the glass. The light brown walls around me were decorated with harmonious, vibrantly coloured garlands. On the coffee table to my right were the two cups Minie had placed there when I had woken up. Behind, in the fireplace, a beautiful fire was burning. And finally, at the centre of the room stood a Christmas tree, magnificently decorated.

"Merry Christmas, Harry!"

"It's wonderful!"

"It's for you, Harry."

"T-thank you."

I didn't know what else to say, and despite myself, I began to cry. After a moment of hesitation, Minie moved closer to me, and with a certain stiffness not devoid of tenderness, she sat beside me and took me in her arms, gently comforting me as she stroked my head.

I eventually managed to calm down, and she repeated, "Merry Christmas, Harry. Forget your past for now, will you? Let's have a beautiful Christmas together, just the two of us." I nodded and gathered myself enough to reply in turn, "Merry Christmas, Minie."

We both smiled, then picked up our cups to begin our breakfast. They contained an excellent hot chocolate, which truly seemed like liquid chocolate. We were halfway through our cups when there was a knock at the door. The professor got up and opened it slightly before stepping into the corridor. She returned with a heavily laden tray filled with all sorts of appetising dishes. There were typical breakfast items, such as eggs and bacon, but also a plate full of Christmas biscuits—mince pies.

We enjoyed a lovely breakfast, and after clearing away, McGonagall pulled a small package from her pocket and handed it to me with a smile.

"This is my gift for your first real Christmas. But I'd like you to wait until this evening to open it, if you don't mind."

"Alright, thank you so much," I said, moved. "This is the first time anyone has given me a present."

I placed the small package on my bed. It was wrapped in midnight-blue paper and, despite its small size (it fit between my two hands), felt quite heavy. Meanwhile, my new companion bent down, retrieved another package from under my bed, and handed it to me, saying, "Here are some proper clothes. Put them on, and then we'll go for a walk."

She turned around while I changed, taking off my old clothes to put on what she had given me. First, a red turtle-neck, then a jacket of the same colour with silver embroidery depicting an incredibly lifelike cat. There were also brown trousers, red socks, and brand-new trainers. Finally, a long brown coat with a slightly old-fashioned cut but seemingly very warm, paired with a bright red hat. Everything fit me perfectly.

Minerva turned back and looked almost surprised by how the clothes suited me. And she was truly taken aback when I hugged her to show my gratitude. I thanked her, and then we left the hotel for our walk.

The morning passed in an instant: the twinkling lights made my head spin, the whirl of voices, laughter, and joy. Joy in which, for once, I was not an outsider. We walked through the streets of London—the old, cobbled streets—stopping to browse market stalls at the Christmas fair, listen to a choir singing carols, marvel at curiosities, and admire the decorated trees. Minie bought me a delicious gingerbread man, and we eventually stopped for a meal at a small riverside shop along the Thames, which, despite the date, was open and serving delicious chips.

oOo

After our meal at the chip stall—Harry had seemed eager to eat there, and I couldn't help but imagine the shock on my students' faces if they knew where their Transfiguration professor had spent her Christmas dinner—I led the boy to one of the Muggle squares in London, where a "Ferris wheel" had been set up. This mechanical contraption allowed people to rise high above the city, and it seemed to be very popular with children.

We climbed into a cabin, and I had the pleasure of seeing pure wonder spread across the child's face. For a moment, he seemed to have completely forgotten his worries. However, I knew that, at the end of the day, he would have to return to his guardians, and I was already contemplating how to explain this to him—more importantly, how to make him understand that I would come back for him, permanently, if I could.

oOo

When we stepped off the Ferris wheel, I thought nothing could top the experience, but my guide led me a little further away before discreetly pulling out her wand. She tapped me lightly on the head while murmuring words I didn't recognise, and I felt my appearance shift. Looking into a shop window, I saw that my hair had turned blonde and grown longer, and that behind my glasses, two grey eyes were staring back at me.

"We're heading into the Wizarding world, Harry, and it would be best if no one recognised us. Keep your scar hidden, and everything will be fine," she told the surprised boy before altering her own appearance. She, too, took on blonde hair but dressed herself in red and gold robes—the colours of her house. She clearly didn't want anyone mistaking them for Malfoys!

Hand in hand, we entered the magical world together. We spent the afternoon wandering down Diagon Alley, and more than once, people mistook us for mother and son. Neither of us corrected them. I found the time spent with Harry truly enjoyable and did not regret missing Hogwarts' festivities. As for the child, he seemed to be glowing with happiness.

He marvelled at the enchanted photographs and insisted we take one together. Amused, I bought a small camera so we could take a picture once we had returned to our true appearances. I also gave him a few Sickles so he could buy some sweets before letting him explore the shops a little on his own—though I never let him out of my sight.

When he returned, he was holding a delicate pair of silver earrings adorned with small green glass beads. They were likely of little monetary value, but the gift touched me deeply nonetheless.

We returned to the hotel around seven in the evening, still hand in hand. I removed the Transfiguration spell so that we could take a photograph together. Then, I tidied up the room and packed Harry's belongings into a small bag I had bought for him earlier. Finally, I made him sit down and resigned myself to telling him:

"You have to go back to the Dursleys now, Harry."

"Why? I can manage on my own!"

"No, Harry, you're still too young. The headmaster of the school where I work is keeping an eye on you and won't allow you to leave the Dursleys, as he believes you are safest with them. Your mother cast a protective spell when she sacrificed herself for you, and that spell is tied to their home."

"But—"

"Wait, Harry, I haven't finished. I don't entirely agree with Albus—the headmaster—on this matter. That's why I intend to apply for your guardianship and come back for you as soon as possible. I already have the beginnings of a plan in case Albus refuses me that right. If that happens, you may have to stay with the Dursleys for several more months, but trust me, before you start at Hogwarts, you won't be living with them any more. I am certain I can find you guardians who are far more suitable and kinder than the Dursleys."

At first, the boy looked anxious, then pleased—but my last sentence seemed to make him despondent again.

"What is it, Harry?"

"I don't want you to find me guardians. I want you to be my guardian."

"Me? I'm a professor, I don't have much time to look after a child. And I'm already old."

"But you've looked after me better than anyone else ever has," Harry said calmly. "And you're old enough to be my mum. Wizards live longer, don't they?"

oOo

I could see that Minie didn't quite know how to respond, and I waited patiently, despite the growing tension inside me. Of course, she wouldn't want me. Why would she? I caused trouble wherever I went, I always messed everything up. She had already spent time with me this year and had given me this wonderful day—that was more than enough, almost too much. I should be grateful. Especially since she was planning to get me away from my relatives and had introduced me to an entirely new world. I had no right to ask for more.

Eventually, she emerged from her thoughts and gave me a smile.

"That is certainly a possibility. I'll think about it."

She pulled me into a hug, and then we Apparated. We arrived in a narrow, quiet street near Privet Drive and walked to Number 4 on foot. Minie held my hand tightly, and I clenched mine around hers.

I had no idea how to avoid being punished by Uncle Vernon, nor how I was going to endure several more months alone. But I trusted the hand I was holding. And I thought that maybe—just maybe—this was what having a mother felt like.

oOo

I felt Harry's hand gripping mine tightly as we arrived in front of his guardians' house. I rang the doorbell, making sure to position myself in front of him to shield him. Eventually, the door swung open to reveal a being that only common decency allowed me to call human. His uncle.

I stepped inside with authority, keeping Harry close to me, and made my way to the sitting room, followed by the indignant uncle, soon joined by his wife. With a silent spell, I rendered them mute to spare myself their protests, and, taking Harry onto my lap, I spoke in one breath:

"I have come to warn you, Muggles. I know you are aware of magic, so I will not waste time. I am Minerva McGonagall, Transfiguration professor at the Wizarding school of Hogwarts, and you will listen to me unless you wish for this situation to become even more unpleasant. I have just spent a delightful day with your nephew. I know what you have put him through and what you likely plan to do once I leave. Well, be warned—I am watching over him, and if anything, anything happens to him because of you, your son, or his friends, there will be consequences. I intend to relieve you of what you so clearly consider the burden of his presence within a few months. In the meantime, you will take care of him, you will not touch his belongings, and you will not lay a hand on him. I will know if you do. Now, Harry, show me your cupboard."

I followed the boy down the hallway, leaving the stunned Muggles behind in the dining room. With a few flicks of my wand, I enlarged the tiny space where they had forced my boy—no, Harry Potter—to sleep, transforming it into a more habitable space. At that moment, he let out a cry, and I turned to see a furious, yet silent, Vernon Dursley charging down the hallway, brandishing a baseball bat.

I simply waved my wand, and the bat transformed into a snake that promptly coiled around him, holding him in place. I had had quite enough of bats.

Finally, I allowed Harry to place his belongings inside while I made my final 'recommendations' to the Muggles—including their son. Then, I took Harry's hand and led him out into the garden, where I pulled him into one last embrace before leaving. Leaning down, I whispered in his ear:

"I will come back—don't forget that."

Then, I gently pulled away from him and walked down the street as he watched me go. Just before I turned the corner, I raised a hand in a final wave before Apparating away.

oOo

I returned to my cupboard in silence, noticing in passing that the Dursleys seemed determined to ignore me. I didn't know what Minie had said to them, but they seemed almost afraid.

Once in my cupboard—which was now nearly the size of Dudley's bedroom—I opened Minie's present.

Encased in a snow globe, where the snow never ceased to fall, was a perfect miniature replica of our garden. Beautiful and flawless. I fell asleep clutching it to my chest.

There were no words in my mind to describe the day nor the gift.

So yeah, Minie couldn't keep Harry, even if everyone involved would have loved a kinapping to happen from her xD
Except Albus, which is the whole problem here. He isn't evil, just way too sure to be right.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this cute Christmas day, and I'll post again soon!