See If I Care

26

*Gobbledygook*

$Parseltongue$

-January 22nd, 1992-

{Minerva McGonagall's POV}

Minerva sat down next to Filius, on one of the many chairs around the staffroom. Severus sat down next to her.

"I didn't get a chance to talk to you over the last week Severus, but I did have that talk with Mx Potter that you suggested," Minerva said. Severus looked over, intrigue evident in his eyes, even if his face was blank.

"Oh. And what did they say?" Severus inquired.

"What do you think? Exactly the same thing they told you," she sighed. Filius looked over, seeming to have caught their conversation.

"What is this about Mx Potter. I do hope that they aren't causing you any trouble," Filius said.

"Oh, it's no trouble Filius, unless you count the large amount of confusion that they have brought upon us," Severus drawled.

"What has you so confused?" Filius asked. Minerva sighed.

"Well, first week back after break, Severus offered to take Mx Potter as an apprentice. Last week, I gave them the same offer," she explained. Filius looked intrigued.

"And why haven't I been told that one of my first years has become an apprentice to not one, but two teachers?" he asked.

"Because they haven't. Alex Potter respectfully declined both offers," she said. Filius paused, obviously shocked.

"Well, that is unexpected. They are a brilliant student and I would have expected them to want to extend themselves," he said after a minute.

"That's the thing that has us confused. When I asked why they declined, they replied with 'what is the point in completing something for a second time?' I mean, what does that even mean?" Severus said, head lowering to his hands.

"Well, that is something. But that has reminded me of something else about Mx Potter. Last week they came to see me, needing permission to leave the school grounds to go to Hogwarts. Gringotts had summoned them there," Filius said.

"Why would they summon them though. Gringotts only summons someone when its something to do with a Lordship, or the reading of a will. Mx Potter is 11, so it wouldn't be the about a Lordship," Minerva said.

"I have no clue what it was about, but they had a formal summons from Gringotts. So, last weekend I accompanied them to the bank. It was extremely surprising to see them converse with the goblins in Gobbledygook. On top of that, the goblins seemed to trust them to find their way to where they were needed and they used goblin etiquette," Filius said. Minerva sighed.

"I would like to know where they learnt that. I would say that their guardian taught them, but does anyone even know who their guardian is?" she asked.

"No. They haven't even told their friends. I was surprised that they built relationships across three of the four houses, but Mr Malfoy and Mr Zabini seem to enjoy their company," Severus commented.

"Mx Potter is definitely a mystery," Minerva said. She sighed again, watching Dumbledore get to his feet to start the weekly staff meeting.

"Do you think that James and Lily know any of this?" Severus asked.

"From what I've heard discussed in the common room, James and Lily didn't even know they existed until their sorting. They even thought that they were just pretending to be a Potter. I know that they were called to the Headmaster's office in the first week of the year to discuss it," Filius replied.