A/N: So this doesn't put Molly Weasley in a good light, I don't bash her, but it's not pretty. So, read to your own risk.

Open Hand

"Come in."

When Mary smiled warmly upon seeing her, Minerva faltered for a moment, and she wondered once more if this was a good idea.

"How can I help you, Professor?"

Minerva blinked, then she closed the office door, "I was wondering if you had a moment to talk, I have questions that I hope you have the answers to."

Mary's smile does not waver, "I will try my best," she then indicated to the chair in front of her desk, "please have a seat."

Minerva sat down, and steeling her nerves, spoke. "As you know, the staff have been taking their lessons for about two weeks now."

Mary nodded, tilting her head when the other woman looked at her as though expecting her to say something, when Mary did not, she continued.

"It's been very informative," Here, Minerva paused, her fingers twitching in a rare nervous manner.

Mary opened a drawer, and pulled out a small soft furry ball, she held it out to the Professor who stared at it then up at Mary, confused.

"For your hands," Mary winked.

Still confused, Minerva slowly took the ball.

"So," Mary then said, "you were saying something about the lessons?"

Minerva's fingers twitched again, squeezing the ball. Absently, she noticed how soft and squishy it was, "Well, it's just, I think…. no, I know, I did something wrong."

"Oh?"

"Yes. With Potter."

Here Minerva laughed a little "Seems it's always him." She thought,

It didn't bother her, in fact, it made her worry more about Potter.

Squeezing the ball hard, the Professor continued, "When Albus left Mr. Potter on his relatives' doorstep that night all those years ago, I protested yes, but I still let him do it."

"Why did you protest?" Mary did not mention leaving a baby in the middle of the night on a doorstep was a terrible idea in general.

"I had been watching them, I knew that they weren't….the most pleasant of families."

"And Albus convinced you otherwise?"

Here Minerva paused, "….He did, he told me that it was for the best. That him, being with his relatives would be good for him. Keep Potter humble to the world"

"And I imagine you thought he had been right, given 's personality."

"I….Yes."

Mary's eyes flickered down to the woman's hands, they were gripping the ball so tightly it looked painful.

McGonagall didn't notice.

"One incident of misjudgment would not bring you here, something else happened, didn't it."

"I-enabled him."

"How so?"

"Because, I agreed with all of his decisions, well, no. I didn't agree with all of them, but….but I backed down, more then I would have."

Mary doesn't say a word.

"It's…..every concern I had, he had the answer too. A counter to every argument. Every doubt was replaced with words that sounded right."

"Aaah, it sounds to me that you're questioning your judgment. Wondering, if your past decisions are your own, or his. At least, when it comes to Mr. Potter , correct?"

McGonagall nodded."I had so much faith in him, I've known him for so long…everything good thing he had done…I just."

"Well, that doesn't sound like enabling, more like manipulation on his end, and a bit of hero worship on your part," Mary said bluntly, a little worried for the poor stress ball being squeezed. "And it's understandable, from what I gathered, Dumbledore is very good at manipulation. It's also understandable that you're feeling the way you are now, that you're questioning all this. You considered him a friend, like many others you probably saw him as a hero, he's done much good and is brilliant in his own right. Perhaps you even put him on a pedestal, one so high that you couldn't even see him anymore.

And when he came down, well. You know the rest. And it hurts. Hurts. Hurts that the person you thought you knew was someone else entirely, hurts that looking back has you thinking, and maybe even realizing that they used you, to either further their gain or to harm others. Maybe even both. You're hurt and have been hurt. There's nothing wrong with that."

McGonagall's expression was….something. Mary studied it.

"There's something else bothering you."

"What you said, felt…accurate, and something to think on to be sure. But,….Well, it's just…there were other incidents, that I have…..made decisions of my own that have me questioning things. Incidents that didn't deal with Potter."

".…I see."

Mary's tone doesn't change from it's open and friendly tone, and yet, McGonagall had a feeling that the other woman understood everything. Then the woman proceeded to write down a name on a piece of parchment, and handed it over to her, "He can help you find the answers."

McGonagall looked over the name, "Are they like you? A therapist I mean."

Mary nodded, "Yes, though his area is with adults, mine is children."

"I was not aware there were types."

"My line of work is very broad, believe it or not."

"Among other things it seems."

"Is this an attempt at wondering how I got Dumbledore arrested, or the fact that I managed it, I wonder." Mary thought as she opened her drawer to get a few jolly rangers, adding a few extra green apples; she had a feeling they would go over well with the Professor.

"Here you go."

McGonagall stared at the hard candies, never having seen the before, then up at Mary.

"Hard candy, I think you'll like them."

~.~

After McGonagall, more professors came to her.

Many with questions, some angry, and accusing.

All of them hurt from what happened with Dumbledore.

All of them wondering, when did it all go wrong?

All of them wondering, how to fix it.

~.~

"Dolores Umbridge was arrested yesterday evening," Harry said during on of his sessions.

"Oh?" Mary connected two puzzle pieces.

"Yeah, for the use of illegal magical items, and the harm of children."

"Oh my."

"Yeah."

~.~

Out of all the students that have come to her, or she's talked to. She's talked to Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley the most. Not much of a surprise really, the two have been though as much as Mr. Potter. And while Ms. Granger mostly came to her with questions about her profession or how to help her friends (sometimes those questions ended up with them talking about other things), Mr. Weasley came to her about his family. Not at first mind you, their first few conversations were about , him making sure she was doing his friend no harm, and even when he was reassured that she meant no harm; it was only when he saw the changes that he opened up to her.

The family dynamics of the Weasley were interesting, to say the least.

There's also something else to keep in mind, without parental consent, she could not do actual sessions with the students; only advise the children. And it's their choice to use that advice.

Ron Weasley seems to have taken her advice, in regards to his siblings at least; especially with Percy if their last conversation is to be believed.

"Fred sent me a letter, erm, and apparently, Bill snapped at Mum."

Mary paused for a moment, before placing the now newly polished practice broom on the rack with the others, then reached for one of the brooms leaning on the wall waiting to be cleaned.

"I'm assuming that hasn't happened before?"

Ron, sitting on the bench, a training broom on his lap, waxing done judging by the shine in the light.

"Not really? I mean, it's kind of hard to do." Ron stumbled, "Mum is….well you know."

Nodding, Mary settled down next to the teenager, settling the broom on her lap. "Do you know why Bill snapped at her?"

"It was about his engagement to Fleur."

"Ahhh."

Ron had talked a lot about his older brother's engagement to Fleur, he's also spoken about how his mother, sister, and Hermione do not like her. Ron for his part didn't think she was so bad, admitting that she was a very pretty woman and pleasant enough to be around. Even Harry when she had brought it up, had admitted that while a little stuck-up, Fleur was pretty and very smart; and couldn't understand why she was not liked by the other girls-those conversations were very, very, long.

"Well, I suppose it was bound to happen, as I've mentioned before, your mother seems to have an overbearing and dominating nature. And you did tell me that she tried to push your brother on someone else while engaged. Which is very disrespectful towards not only her son, but the other parties as well, not to mention probably broke some kind of trust."

"Y-Yeah," Ron mumbled, head lowered.

Mary lowered her own, eyes studying the teenager, "Is something wrong?"

Ron bit at his bottom lip, his hand fidgeting with the broom handle, "I-It's just…. I think that it's my fault this happened."

"How so?"

"I took your advice about Mum and everything. I talked to my siblings, sent letters."

"Did you force your brother to snap at your mother?"

"No?"

"And all the advice, did you hold them at wand point and made them put them into action?"

".….No."

"Then how, is it your fault?"

Ron doesn't answer.

"From what you have told me, there's a good chance this was most likely a long time coming. Or perhaps it had already started considering your brother Percy."

Ron still didn't say a word, and Mary doesn't expect him too, as she continued speaking.

"I will say this again, your mother, from what I can understand, seems overbearing, controlling, and has a bit of favoritism. But that does not make her a bad person, or that she doesn't love you. It just means she has flaws, just like everyone else."

With a deep shaky breath, Ron finally lifted his head, his eyes are wet with unshed tears. Quietly, Mary pulled out one of the many handkerchiefs she kept on hand and held it out to the teenager. With a surprisingly steady hand, Ron took it but didn't use it. Mary can continue speaking.

"You and your siblings are not dolls she can dress up and play with. Each of you are individuals who have ideas, hopes, and dreams that are not going align with hers. She can't control that, just like you can't control her feelings. And that, Mr. Weasley is no fault of your own. Growing up, is no one's fault."

Her handkerchief was put to good use that evening.

~.~

Once a Muggle has married into the family, or discover that their child has magic, they automatically fall under the protection of Wizarding laws, and also subjected to punishment should they break any of them. Protocol dictated, that the Muggle or Muggle family are given a letter stating as such, as well as basic law guidelines, and should they wish to learn more are more than welcomed to visit the location listed.

The Dursleys, like all Muggles in their situation, received their letter.

Vernon burned it in the fireplace.

So, imagine his surprise when Wizards came knocking on his door to arrest him and his wife of Child Abuse and Neglect.

It made for quick a scene.

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