Harry Potter and the Final Horcrux

Chapter 1

Meeting McGonagall

"Mister Potter? And Miss Granger and Mister Weasley?"

"HOLY-" yelled Ron, obviously startled by the quiet arrival of the speaker. A petite 5th year with her hair in a neat blonde ponytail was standing right over his head, close enough to murder him with one swipe of a knife. Of course, she had no such intentions, but these days Harry measured everything in how they could be killed. Ever since Snape…

"May we help you?" ask Hermione in a tight voice, as though to conceal emotions, which was what she was doing. She had been crying in Ron's lap for the past half hour. The funeral was murdering her, Harry thought with an inward smile. It felt good to be able to make a joke- albeit a corny one, as Dumbledore's death had affected him as well.

"Oh, err…," said the girl as she scrambled around in the pockets of her robes to find something. She came up with a role of parchment, which she promptly flattened out on her knee.

"Professor McGonagall would like you in the headmistress's office immediately. She says the password is quite simple, and Miss Granger should be able to figure it out in a snap…you two are dumb then. Even McGonagall thinks so," she said eying Ron and Harry with her surveying eyes. "I never quite understood why you're a prefect! My older brother says that you both kind of suck at everything except Quidditch. And that Harry is good at defense," she added in an afterthought.

"Well, I'm sure your brother is a most pleasant young man," said Harry, while Hermione stifled a giggle. "And thanks for the message. It was…useful."

"Any time," said the girl. "Lyssie, by the way. Lyssie Corner. I'll see you around!" she said and disappeared into a gaggle of girls ((A/N: I have no clue if that's a real word- I just always say it, so it's kind of a real term in my book. You know what? Let us call it a wizarding term……..))

"Well, strange girl," said Hermione, lifting her head up and leaning back against Ron. "Wouldn't expect much more from Michael Corner's little sister."

"Corner," hissed Ron. "Should have known."

Harry rolled his eyes and got to his feet. "Don't want to be late."

As they approached the great gargoyle that concealed the entrance to the winding staircase, the three began to brainstorm.

"Dumbledore, maybe?" suggested Hermione. "It would make sense."

"The Order of the Phoenix?" added Harry.

"How about 'tabby cat'?" asked Ron. "I mean it's what she is!"

"Ronald don't be ridiculous," said Hermione and turned to face the gargoyle. "Professor McGonagall is far to sophisticated to use 'tabby cat!'"

As soon as the words came out of her mouth, the gargoyle sprang to life. The grand staircase was revealed.

"Dumb luck," mumbled Hermione.

"So what do you suppose McGonagall wants?" asked Harry as he strode towards the stairs.

"She wants you and me to go up on the roof of the North Tower and put on pink mini-dresses and do a tap dancing routine," Ron replied with an incredibly straight face.

"Wearing bunny slippers," added Harry with a laugh.

"And singing a muggle song. How about 'Did you ever know that you're a zero'. I never understood that song. Why do they always play that on the radio when Mum is listening to the ballad station?"

Hermione shook her head, looking quite exasperated and knocked on the door. "It's 'Did you ever know that you're my hero'."

Harry laughed, but immediately silenced himself when the door flew open. Professor McGonagall was sitting at her desk with a quill scribbling away furiously as she looked over the paperwork that was scattered over the majestic oak desk. "Come in, come in!" she barked ((A/N: I never feel right describing someone whose animagus form is a cat as barking, but it fits here)) without once looking up from her papers. "I don't have all day you three! Owls and inquiries coming in…." she grumbled.

"You wanted to see us, Professor?" asked a meek Hermione. She had never seen her Head of House this scattered. Obviously seeing her neat and orderly role model looking this barmy ((A/N: Oh, what a fun word!)) disturbed her.

"Yes, yes. It appears that the late Headmaster left you some things. There's a crate in the corner."

"Thanks, Professor…….Er, we were wondering- do you think it would be possible for us to leave Hogwarts for a while- maybe complete 7th year in a few years?" asked a timid Hermione

"I suppose. It's been done before. Although I believe you would each pass your NEWT tests if you study at home. That's really all that matters. Passing the NEWTs," she replied, finally looking up from her work.

Harry, shocked at his teacher's amazingly sullen and anti-learning approach to her answer, asked timidly, "So could we take the NEWTs now if we want to?"

"Of course! You can simply go down to the ministry and hope someone will test you. They make you pay, mind you. And your memories will be erased so you cannot discuss the tests afterwards with any of your fellow 7th years. But are you sure you want to leave?"

"Quite," said Hermione briskly. "Nice to see you again Professor. Until we meet again."

"G'bye, Professor," said Ron as he and Harry tried to lift the heavy crate with their names on it. "Oof. This thing is heavy, damn it!"

"Language, Mister Weasley," said Professor McGonagall.

"You two," Hermione groaned and looked up at the ceiling. "Wingardium Leviosa! Are you wizards, or are you baboons brandishing sticks?"

"Baboons."

Authors Note: HI! This is my first fan-fiction, so don't blame me for my terrible random outbursts that tend to occur in the middle of the story (there will be a Ron with Cheese moment soon)! The contents of the mysterious crate (OOOO…AHHHH) will be revealed in the next chapter. Also, I would like to let the world know that Lyssie is modeled after me, in a small way (I'm not that mean)! If anyone wants to hear more about the history of the term 'gaggle of girls' please include it in your reviews (I was thinking about this when I was taking a snack break. I have a good fantasy explanation!), which I will never ask you to write, by the way. 3 u all! Emerald Prongs- OUT. (Sorry, American idol was on)(Wow, I used a lot of parenthesis!)(Parenthesis are fun, and you know it!)