Summary: An unknown magical phenomenon pulls two first year students into another world and it's up to Professor McGonagall to find them and bring them home. Easy, or it would be if she wasn't stuck as a blasted cat.

Disclaimer: This story is purely for others and mine enjoyment. I do not own Harry Potter or Avatar the Last Airbender

Chapter one

Minerva POV

Minerva McGonagall blinked once, then once more. "Ow my head", She thought, "Why is everything so blurry? Where am I? What happened?"

Minerva squinted to try to focus her vision and find out where in Merlin's name she was. Minerva looked around; she was in a small room of dark reds and gold. There was a fireplace on the far side of the room, a cheerful fire flickering away, heating and partially illuminating the room.

What was she doing in the Gryffindor common room? How could she possibly be so stupid as to fall asleep where her students could so easily find her!

But no, Minerva realized, I cannot be in Gryffindor tower. As her vision cleared, Minerva began to notice small details she'd missed before. There were no windows in sight, no homework strewn across the tables or floors, no portraits, and looking around there was no staircases to the dormitories. This room was far to small and dark to be in the tower.

Definitely not the Gryffindor common room. Where was she?

Perhaps I'm in an abandoned room in the castle? But how and why, she thought.

Minerva stood up and immediately fell over. What in the world? She layed on the ground, her arms crushed beneath her body. OW!

She brought her hands up trying to push herself upright, but instead of hands she saw paws! I'm a cat! Why am I a cat?

Well this just wont do at all, she thought. Closing her eyes, Minerva concentrated and willed herself into her human form as she'd done thousands of times before. She felt her magic flow, reforming her limbs, changing her back, accept – her magic wasn't flowing, her limbs remained unchanged.

What? That can't be right. Closing her eyes, Minerva concentrated harder and tried again.

Come on, CHANGE! But still there was nothing. Never, never before had this happened to her. Ever since she became an Animagus, she had always been able to control her transformations.

This is terrible! What am I going to do? Minerva thought. her breath quickened, Oh Merlin! Oh Merlin! Oh sweet Merlin! What's happening to me?

After several minutes of blind panic, Minerva began to calm down just a little bit. Her breath and heartbeat slowed. Very well, I cannot change, she thought. Fine, that's just fine. Minerva scowled, her ears flattened and her tail began to move in frustration.

Standing up again, this time on four legs, Minerva turned around in a circle. She realized that she had been sitting on a wide cushioned bench. Jumping down, Minerva began to explore this strange room. I need to get out of here, she thought. I need to find Albus, He'll know what to do.

The door was to the right of the couch, but it was closed and likely locked. Without hands, specifically thumbs, she had no way of opening the door. There were no other exits in the room. Only the door and, as she noted before, no windows.

Behind the bench she was sitting on was a giant banner with a strange emblem hanging on the wall. Nothing else was in the room, a bench, a fireplace, and a wall hanging. I'd fire their decorator, this room is terribly depressing.

What is that banner? I've never seen this symbol before. The banner was red and the emblem was a flame stitched in black. Red and black are certainly not Gryffindor colors.

Minerva curled up near the fire, opposite to the door. She laid her head down on her paws and narrowed her eyes in thought. How did I end up in this room? And WHERE is this room?

xxx

It was September 1st. Minerva had been preparing all day for the student's arrival. It was Harry Potter's first year and Minerva was very excited at seeing the young boy again. She hadn't seen him since Dumbledore, Hagrid, and herself had left the child on the doorstep of those awful – people. She had never felt right about it and, had many arguments with Albus over the years.

Minerva remembered opening the grand front doors and welcoming the first years. She had given the children the same speech she gave every group of new first years. She left them in a side chamber and entered the great hall. She insured her Gryffindors were behaving, as much as they are capable of, spoke with Albus and, had started to head back to the first years when she heard the screams.

Minerva had an ice cold feeling in her chest as she ran to the room the first years were waiting in. She arrived, panting, to chaos.

The first years were all huddled in a corner of the room and it was no wonder. There was, what appeared to be a rip in the air, a bright blue swirling – something, in the middle of the room. The strange magic was drawing everything in the room into itself; the wind was loud, strong, and terrifying. It was a tornado, sucking everything into itself.

Minerva felt herself being pulled forward and quickly took hold of one of the many stone pillars decorating Hogwarts halls. She drew her wand, quickly casting shield and sticking charms on herself. She could not help the children if she was lost in this strange magical vortex.

Even as she watched, one of the suits of armor flew through the air and was sucked into the vortex, disappearing. Minerva caste several shield spells over the children, trying to block them from the wind. She then cast sticking charms to each of the students' shoes, desperately trying to keep them safe.

Unfortunately she'd overlooked the flying debris. Harry Potter was struck in the head by a candlestick as it flew through the air. He lost his grip on the pillar he was holding, his upper body was drawn towards the magic. His feet slipped free from his shoes. What on earth is that boy doing wearing such large shoes? She thought, they were obviously too big for him.

Minerva attempted to summon the child; she felt Pomona's magic join hers. But it was no use; powerful as their combined spells were, the strange magical vortex was stronger.

Minerva watched helplessly as Harry Potter disappeared into the vortex.

xxx

Minerva took a few deep breaths. It had all happened so fast, one moment Potter was there and the next he was gone. What could she have done differently? Where was Potter and was he all right?

Potter wasn't the only child she needed to protect. And Potter wasn't the only child she failed that day…

xxx

Minerva shouted to the rest of the children. "HOLD ON! DON'T LET GO!"

The children held onto stone pillars and one another. Their faces white with fear, their screams mingled with the whipping wind.

A door closer to the children ripped off its hinges. Framed in the doorway was Hagrid, coat and hair rippling wildly, though he seemed mostly unaffected by the wind, his giant bulk providing a huge advantage. Filius appeared behind Hagrid, using him to block the wind. Filius conjured a thick rope, pointing his wand at each child; the rope tied itself around each child's waste.

Minerva and Pomona maintained their shields, protecting the children from the wind as best they could.

There was a high desperate shout of "TREVOR!" a toad flew through the air. Minerva was helpless as she watched a boy, Neville Longbottom she believed, reach out in an attempt to rescue the unfortunate toad.

"LEAVE IT!" she shouted. But the boy did not listen, desperate to save his pet.

The boy lost his grip and was quickly pulled towards the unknown magic. For a second his momentum was halted, the sticking charm Minerva had placed on his shoes holding the boy, but not for long as the force of the wind tore his shoes apart with the soles still sticking to the ground.

The boy, Minerva was now sure it was Neville Longbottom, was pulled though the vortex. The rope Filius had tied to him was still attached and it began to pull the rest of the children towards the danger. The children began to scream louder. It was a terrible choice, and only a few seconds to make a decision.

"I'm sorry" Minerva whispered. She closed her eyes and with her free hand performed a silent and wandless severing charm, cutting the rope, damming Neville Longbottom and saving the remainder of the first years.

From behind her she heard running footsteps and Albus shouting "MINERVA…"

xxx

Minerva could still feel the terror and grief. Being a cat dampened her emotions, but it in no way eliminated them. She had to find Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter, which was why she was in this situation after all. She had to save the children she failed.

Minerva closed her eyes and took a deep breath. I need to get out of here and find the children, she thought. The only way I can do that is to get out of this room, and the only way to get out of this room is to be human and open that blasted door.

Calm, she thought, I must be calm.

Minerva took another breath and willed herself human

Damn it!

She jumped to the floor and began to pace, her tail twitching in agitation. She approached the door again – yowling and scratching at it. Perhaps if I make enough noise whoever put me here will come back and then I can escape, she thought.

All of a sudden she heard footsteps and men's voices raised in anger.

"Have you sent the messenger hawk to the fire lord? He must know of the Avatar's return"

Avatar? What or who is an Avatar?

AN: Hi everyone this is my first attempt at posting a story online. Good news everyone! this chapter has now been edited by my new Beta, I'd like to say a special thank you to Gangzta4life5. Thank you very much for putting up with me and my craziness.

Please let me know what you think, I welcome reviews and constructive criticism, but please be kind.

Thanks for reading.