Harry Potter: The Cat & Stag

Maternal Love

I Minerva McGonagall would not call myself motherly by any means. Strict, stern, prim and proper yes. Motherly not by any means, it doesnt exist in my dictionary.

But it was one sunny afternoon when Albus summoned me. "You wished to speak with me?"

"It is about the papers you signed with James and Lily." Albus stated.

"How do you know?! It was our secret!" I demanded.

"Lily notified me. She refused to leave it up to chance. Look, I recieved news from my contact in Harrys neighborhood. He needs to leave now. His relatives are causing him more harm than good." Albus looked sad.

"Why tell me this?" I asked. I knew I was number 4 on the list to become the boys guardian.

Albus sighed, "With Sirius incarcerated, Alice insane and Severus plagued by....inner demons. The responsibility falls you." My boss answred.

I shook my head, "Unbelieveable, you leave a Squib to be your informant? Surely other witches and wizards would have been hounered to check in on the young celebrity." 

"My deepest of apologies Minerva. Now please go and fetch him. You are free to return here, or go home. Ill ne creating a bedroom connecting to your office in Gryffindor Tower for the boy." Albus replied.

"Least you could do." I scoffed before leaving the office. First off, I had to get my home ready for an adventerous 9 year old.

If I knew James, his son would be just as meschivous as he was. "Tulip!" I calked when I returned home.

"Yes Miss Minnie?"

"Please get the bedroom next to the master ready to house a 9 year old." I stated.

"Yes, who is it?"

I smiled, "Harry Potter. So do it nice!" I was happy when my house elf squealed.

"Yes Miss Minnie!"

I smiled then spun on the spot to arrive on Privet Drive. I rang the doorbell and waited for the answer. When a thin woman answered, I waved my wand freezing her and stepped in. Wizarding laws state if you need to remove a child from an abusive house you can use any magical means as needed.

Walking in, I heard sobing and I frowned, now very worried. What I saw around the corner only enraged me. I raised my wand and froze the whale of a man.

Small Harry cringed away from the belt, but then looked up and gasped at seeing his uncle frozen.

"Harry?" I asked.

He turned to me, "what did you do?!" He asked terrified.

"I stopped your uncle from beating you thats what." I replied as I survayed the young boy. He was far too skinny.

"What do you want with me?" Harry trembled slighy.

I tucked my wand into my robes and held out my hands. "I would like to take you away from here. To a place where you will never hurt again. Will you let me?"

"I always hoped to leave here!" Harrys green eyes widened.

I smiled, "My name is Minerva, but please call me Minnie. I am your legal guardian." I stated.

"You are?!"

"I am. Are you ready to leave?" I asked.

"Oh yes!"

"Now, I need you to take my hand and hold on tight, ok?" I asked quickly. I waved my wand, and the Muggles were released. I left a brief note saying that Harrys in better hands.

"Um...ok?" Harry looked nervous and I wanted to reassure him, but there was nothing I could do.

I twisted away, dragging the young boy with me. We appeared at Hogsmead. Given what I saw, the poor boy would need Poppys skills.

"Where are we?" Harry asked.

"Someplace safe, I promise. Before I take you to your new home, I need to see if you have any injuries." I explained.

Harry looked up at me, "um...ok?"

I lead Harry up to the school and to the Hospital Wing.  "Poppy?"

The nurse came out and smiled at Harry. "Hello, what can I do for you, Minerva?"

"Can you do an assessment on him? I uh.." I gestured for the nurse to come closer to me and I lowered my voice. "Had to see his uncle whipping him with a belt."

Poppys eyes widened in surprise. "You bet Minerva." She then turned to Harry. "Hello dear, Id like to take a look at you."

"Im fine." I heard Harry say.

"Harry, I am your guardian now, and I will not tolerate you in pain. Now sit down and let the woman check you over." I whispered firmly.

Harry hung his head, "yes Minnie." He mumbled.

I glanced over to see Poppy smirking at me. I shot her a glare that warned her not to mock me.

I took hold of the boys hand who refused to look up at me. "Its almost over." I soothed when the boy winced.

Poppy waved her wand, it lit up green. "Quick Minerva, summon a quill and parchment from over there."

Barely flicking my wand, a quill, ink and parchment flew from the cabinet on the far side of the hospital. I flicked my wand and they all landed before Poppy on the wooden table.

"This shouldnt take long. I will be back." Poppy swept from the room giving the two of us some privacy.

"Harry, I need to know the truth here." I began.

"Yes?"

"How often would your uncle beat you?"

"That was the only time." Harry mumbled.

"If it was the only time, why didnt you ask him to stop?" I asked casually. "Harry, its ok. I didnt mean to push you."

Harry still refused to look at me.

Then I did something I havent done since my husband died, I gently hugged the small boy.

"Minerva, I have the list of maladies. Over here, please." Poppy looked worried, thats not a good sign.

"What is it, Poppy?"

"This." Poppy pulled out a footlong roll of parchment that listed all Harrys aliments.

I swayed slightly, "o-ok. Poppy, promise me, you will fix him up."

"You know I will." Poppy smiled. "I need to sedate him though."

"Can you give me a minute? I need to tell him whats going on."

"Of course."