Chapter 8
A/N: Holy crap! We're at ch 8 already! How did this happen? This is honestly the longest story I've ever written, if that says anything (hah) With over 9,000 hits!!! But as I'm happy to say, this will be the final chapter. Thanks everyone for the fun. Note: the paragraphs that are in italics are directly from the HBP.
Disclaimer: I own none of this, it all belongs to J.K.R.
That morning, Harry was awakened to squeals for the second time in two days.
"Harry, our O.W.L.s are here!" Hermione cried, practically jumping up and down and holding a letter away from her. "What do I do? I'm not ready for it yet!"
"Why don't you open it then?" Harry asked sleepily. His brain was suddenly starting to register that his test results were here. He sat up in bed and looked around. There was a large tawny owl perched on his bedpost, with a square envelope attached to its leg. It seemed ready to wait until the end of time, as long as it delivered those results to Harry. The thing held up its right leg expectantly, glaring at him with large yellow eyes.
Glancing over, Harry saw Ron next to Hermione, staring at the envelope as if it was another Howler. Hermione, however, was too busy trembling to even attempt to open it. "Oh come on, the both of you, let's open them together." He detached his letter and hurriedly opened it, hearing the two of them do the same.
Harry read the parchment through several times, his breathing becoming easier with each reading. It was all right: He had always known that he would fail Divination, and that he'd had no chance of passing History of Magic, given that he had collapsed halfway through the examination, but he had passed everything else! He ran his finger down the grades...he had passed well in Transfiguration and Herbology, he had even exceeded expectations at Potions! And best of all, he had achieved "Outstanding" at Defense Against the Dark Arts!
He looked around. Hermione had her back to him and her head bent, but Ron was looking delighted.
"Only failed Divination and History of Magic, and who cares about them?" he said happily to Harry. "Here-swap-"
Harry glanced down at Ron's grades: There were no "Outstandings" there...
"Knew you'd be top at Defense Against the Dark Arts," said Ron, punching Harry on the shoulder. "We've done all right, haven't we?"
Professor McGonagall came in, walking over to them. Seeing Ron's parchment, she shook his hand. "Congratulations, Mr. Weasley, you bring pride to Gryffindor." She didn't notice, but Ron pinked at such a high compliment from their Head of House.
"Hermione, how'd you do?" Harry asked, for Hermione still hadn't turned around.
"I-not bad," said Hermione in a small voice.
"Oh, come off it," said Ron, striding over to her and whipping the results out of her hand. "Yep-ten 'Outstandings' and one 'Exceeds Expectations' at Defense Against the Dark Arts." He looked down at her, half-amused, half-exasperated. "You're actually disappointed, aren't you?"
Hermione shook her head, but Harry laughed loudly.
"Hermione," said Professor McGonagall, gripping the young girl's shoulder, forcing her to turn around. "You have nothing to be disappointed about, because you're still the brightest witch I've ever had the pleasure to know," she said firmly. Hermione turned even darker than Ron had, and her lip trembled slightly. "Now, I asked Rougey to prepare a magnificent breakfast for the three of you, and while I speak with Harry, you should go down and begin enjoying it." As the two of them, embarrassed yet extremely pleased, started to leave the room, she spoke. "However, I am going to the Ministry to take care of a few small things, and while I'm gone, I don't want any of you to leave the Manor, or go and explore the grounds, am I clear?"
The two of them nodded their heads dumbly. She shooed them, and they hurried out of the room and down the stairs.
"Now, Harry, I can see something is bothering you, would you let me have a look at your results?" He mutely handed them over to her, and watched her face carefully as she scanned over his paper. "I don't see anything amiss here, other than the two failed grades in classes I know you don't care about," she said, handing the paper back to him.
"I can't be an Auror now," he said softly, refusing to take back the paper. "I didn't get an 'Outstanding' in Potions, and if I can't take N.E.W.T. Potions, I won't be able to become an Auror." He felt a sinking feeling in his stomach, that, even though he knew it would happen, it was the end of the destiny he wanted the most, to be able to join the ranks of the highly trained wizards who sought out dark wizards like Voldemort.
"So you're giving up?" She asked quietly. "The Harry I know wouldn't let this hinder him from trying." She walked over to his bedstand and gently placed the paper on it. "Can't you wait until I talk to Severus to start being all melodramatic?"
His head snapped up. "You're going to talk to Snape?"
"That's Professor Snape, Harry, and yes, I'm going to talk to him and ask if he can make an exception." Her encouraging smile stopped as she saw it fall on a still distressed face.
"He won't allow it, there's no possible way he would make an exception for any student, most of all me," said Harry glumly. McGonagall reached out and cupped his chin in her hand, tilting his face so he had to look at her.
"Don't you think that when it comes down to it, if I argue enough, it will be brought up in front of Professor Dumbledore?" His eyes widened in surprise. "He's the one who will have the last say in it, I assure you, so why don't you go downstairs and enjoy a fantastic breakfast while I take care of some Order business?" Her smile seemed to catch on this time, as he suddenly smiled back at her.
"Harry, I just wanted you to know," she said, watching him walking to the door to leave. "I am so proud that you did so well on your exams, and it will right itself in the end, if you want it badly enough." He tried to hide it, but she knew from his voice cracking that he was touched.
"Thank you, Professor." And with that, he headed downstairs to catch up with his friends and to satisfy his large teenage stomach. With a grin, she watched him leave, waiting until she heard him address Granger and Weasley before she apparated to the Ministry.
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"So after you fill out these forms, you should be ready to go, Ms. McGonagall." The bored secretary said, handing her what seemed like a small tree in paperwork. She sat on one of the cheap plastic chairs in the hallway and began to patiently fill them out, when suddenly a voice cried out her name.
"I haven't seen you in ages, Minerva!" A corpulent man cried, coming forward.
"Edmund Werple, is that you?" She asked, standing up to meet him. "It's been years."
He started to laugh, and she couldn't help but notice his paunch jiggled like a great big bowl of jelly. It seemed his love for food had never left him, unlike his sandy hair. "So, how's teaching transfiguration been for you?"
"Just fine," she said smiling. "The students never change, even if we do." She motioned to the hallway. "So just what is it you do now?" You were a clerk for the Experimental Charms department last time I saw you!"
"I'm in charge of the Legal Functions department now," he said, waving to the now busy secretary. "It's different, but much safer than some other professions now, because what Death Eater in their right mind would want to deal with someone who deals in custody or property affairs?" He had a point, she thought. "So, what brings you here?" he asked, peeking at her custody papers. Eyes widening, he motioned for her to follow him, where he led her into his office.
"You want to adopt Harry Potter?!" He nearly shouted, one hand on his heart. "I've never heard of someone wanting to do such a stupid thing, least of all you, Minerva!"
"I hardly think loving someone is stupid, Edmund," she said rather coldly. "And isn't it a little...unsafe to say things so loud in times like these?"
"My office is spelled against anything leaving it, Minerva," he pointed out. "Why on earth would you want to adopt the boy?" He's like a walking disaster train!"
Minerva had had enough of this. She shouldn't have to explain herself to anyone, let alone an old friend. "I think why I would want to adopt him is my own business, Edmund, so if you'll let me fill out my papers, I can hand them back in in a few minutes."
He shook his head in disbelief. "You were wrong about what you said before, you have changed, a lot." Minerva didn't reply, but instead plucked a quill up from his rather messy desk, and started to fill out the forms again.
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About to leave the Ministry and return home, the same bored looking secretary rushed over to her. "Ms. McGonagall?" She asked.
"Yes, what is it?" She wanted to leave as soon as possible.
"There's an owl here for you, but no one knows where it came from." Minerva scowled, already knowing who it would be.
"I'll get it," she said sourly, looking over to where the woman pointed, where a large barn owl sat, watching their conversation with what looked like amusement.
All it said was: come to my office before you return to the manor – Albus
Her mood was already dour, and she felt that whatever came next would worsen her mood. With a sigh, she walked over to one of the many Ministry fireplaces, and, with a nod to the still staring secretary, she grabbed a handful of floo powder, yelled "Dumbledore's office!" and stepped into the bright fire, to be met by a too happy for her liking Albus.
"Before you say anything," she warned, holding up one finger as he started to say something. "I don't care what you think, I know you were right about me getting attached to him, but I don't care." She fumed, stamping her foot on the hardwood floor for effect.
Albus was silent for a moment, then spoke. "That wasn't the original reason I asked you to come, but yes, we'll get to that later," he told a now stunned Minerva. "I was going to inform you that I've sent out messages of our first Order meeting tonight at your manor, and thought I should tell you in person," he said winking. Minerva rolled her eyes. "But now that you brought it up, would you like to talk about your decision to adopt Harry?" He walked over to his couch, patting the seat next to him.
"I know you warned me, but the damage was done long beforehand," she said, going over to sit next to him. "Oh Albus, I know it's a dangerous thing to do, but he needs someone who loves him and shows it, especially now." Her tears welled up against her wishes, and Albus patted her back, crooning.
"I know dear, you can't help but love someone, no matter how difficult they can be," he said softly. Minerva's head snapped up.
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about you, you beautiful stubborn woman," he said, pulling her closer and kissing her gently but with force behind it. After a moment of hesitation, she kissed him back, hugging him close. This was what she was missing: love. And she did love this man, because for all the times he infuriated her, he made her laugh and feel special. After they pulled away, her mind raced. What did this mean? Did Albus really mean what he said? And as if he read her thoughts, he answered.
"My dear Minerva, I know you're probably questioning everything that just happened, but I want you to know that I do love you, and if I have to compete with Harry for your affections, so be it," he said, a mysterious twinkle in his eye. "And I think that both you and Harry should have someone around who loved you, it would be good for the both of you, if the two of you are careful about it."
"Wait, you knew?" He smiled knowingly.
"Of course I knew it would be inevitable, I just wanted you to be sure of what you were getting yourself into." She laughed bitterly at this.
"I'm already far too deep into this to get back out anyway, so why not do something that will make us both happy?"
Albus smiled sadly at her. "We're all in far too deep Minerva, so we should enjoy our lives to the fullest while we can." He stood up, pulling her along with him. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go meet with the Minister about something I can't quite recall at the moment," he said, grinning. As she stood up, however, he pulled her into another long kiss. "I still can't remember." His grin got even wider, and she couldn't help but smile back. He was so silly when he felt like it, and that was part of why she loved him so much.
With a much briefer parting kiss, she said goodbye and walked over to the fireplace, hoping to find the manor intact with its current residents unharmed.
A/N: HA!! I really scared you all, didn't I? No, this story hopefully has a few more chapters to go yet! I won't be done with this thing for awhile, so don't worry. I hope I didn't lose a few readers by doing that, ha ha. And unfortunately, I made yet another cliffhanger. Sorry! And I'm sorry to say, during the month of november, I'll be participating in NaNoWriMo. If you don't know what this is, google it. It means I'll be occupied from Nov. 1 to Nov. 30 writing a novel, with almost no time to spare working on this or my X-Men fic. Now, go on and leave me a review! Clicking that button and reviewing will make my day.