Semper Fidelis

Chapter 15.7

The three men congregated inside Professor McGonagall's office in silence. None of them knew what to say, their heads muddled with thoughts. Remus kept opening and closing his mouth, not quite sure how to start the interrogation of a woman he had grown to respect so much over the course of his life. Ron was determined to remain silent unless it was absolutely necessary to speak and Harry... Harry looked to be sick and in pain. He kept his eyes trained to the bookshelf behind her desk. He couldn't look at her for fear of what he would say.

Minerva McGonagall's voice broke the silence for them. "Gentlemen, I know you are here to ask me about Hermione. So please, go ahead," she said. Her voice was soft, resigned. Ron looked at his old professor and saw how tired she looked. She seemed to have aged so much since the last time he saw her at a Burrow fete and he worried for her.

Remus' eyes quickly darted towards Harry but his captain was resolute in not speaking. "Professor McGonagall," Remus began. "Minerva, we have good reason to believe Ms. Granger was kidnapped because of her work. We ask that you tell us anything you know about what she was working on. She also told the boys to find you because she has been found out. We need to know what she meant by this." Remus said.

Minerva's face was grim when she listened to Remus talk. After he stopped, she waited a moment before opening her mouth to speak. "She wrote to me last month, telling me she had found out something disturbing about the man she was currently working for and asked to talk by floo and to burn the letter," she said. Her hands wrung together on her lap as she looked at the three men, her old students, who were looking at her so intently. "So the following day, we did. Hermione told me that the man whom she was working for - she didn't tell me his name - was a director of a museum. She was hired to research and try to prove the existence of mythological objects. And, moreover, to locate them, or what remains of them, if they did exist."

"That sounds like quite a project," Ron murmured, incredulous. "Almost like a treasure hunt."

Professor McGonagall's mouth curved up slightly at one side. "I thought that too, Mr. Weasley. But... but Ms. Granger said that she actually located one of the items. And she went and found it." She said. Another breath, and she continued her tale. "It was the reason she wanted to speak to me. She needed advice on the best way to hide it. She was convinced the man she was working for wanted to use it for ill intentions. She met with him, you see, and she said that she couldn't trust him. He seemed dangerous and cunning, she said. She found out he was a wizard - he didn't know she was a witch - and he kept on asking and insisting she focused her research on this one item. It was clear to her that he wanted it found and her gut told her not to tell him that she did in fact locate it."

"What was this item?" Remus asked.

Professor McGonagall shook her head. "She didn't tell me. Moreover, when Hermione went to get it, she found out it was enchanted. It was more reason for her to keep its existence hidden from the man. She wanted to study it, truly understand it, because that might tell her why he wanted it so badly."

"She should have brought it forward to the authorities. The Ministry would have secured it." Remus said.

Her gaze shifted quickly to Harry's face before looking at Remus again. "I said the same but she had her reasons. She would rid of it eventually, she said, after she had studied it. She assured me she was safe and had taken all precautions. He wouldn't find out she knew of it or had it."

"What did you tell her, then? How did you say she should hide it?" Remus asked.

Professor McGonagall blinked. "I told her to use Transfiguration, of course. The best way to hide something is to hide it in plain sight. I don't know if she did end up transfiguring it to something else, but... but I hope she did. Clearly, the man found out she had it," she said. She chewed on her lower lip and looked earnestly at the men on the other side of her desk. "Gentlemen, you have to find her. She believed this man to be dangerous - that was why she did this - and she believed this item - whatever it might be - cannot fall into the wrong hands. You cannot let that happen."

Remus gave a nod. "We're doing our best, Professor McGonagall. We'll take our leave now. Thank you for all of your help."

Before they could all walk out of her office, she called out. "Mr. Potter, please wait a moment. Mr. Lupin, Mr. Weasley, would you mind giving us a couple of minutes to ourselves please?" She asked.

Remus and Ron looked at Harry who only gave a small nod of his head. The two turned on their heels and shuffled out of the room.

Once there were only the two of them in the room, Minerva reached into one of her desk drawers and pulled out a bulky envelope. She rose from her seat, rounded her desk, and walked towards Harry. If it were possible, he stiffened even more when she approached him. Anguish and betrayal were clearly written on his face and she felt tears welling on the corner of her eyes when she looked at him.

"Mr. Potter... Harry... I know that I can't even begin to ask you for your forgiveness," she said softly. "But I am truly sorry for keeping this from you and for you having to find out this way." She said.  "Please consider this as my way of starting to make amends." She extended the envelope with one arm and waited for his action.

He looked at her. She was more than a coworker to him, much more than an old professor. She was a friend, a good friend in fact. If Molly Weasley was like a mother figure to him since his own mother was dead, then Minerva McGonagall was like the aunt he wished he always had. She was strict and firm but kind and honest. She was a role model. She protected him, and she believed him, and she stood by him in his darkest days. They fought a war together, for God's sake. She was his family.

It was the reason why her betrayal, her secret, was like a knife to the back.

Wordlessly he took the envelope from her hands. He put it in the pocket of his robes. With one last look, he turned and walked out of her office door.

Minerva stared at the wooden door closing slowly. Her lips were pursed and the tears did spill from her eyes.

He may never be able to forgive her, but she hoped to all that was good that her two most beloved students would be able to reconcile with each other for the sake of a precious little boy she so treasured.