To Make a Decision..
Chapter 1: To Make a Decision..
Minerva McGonagall was an incredibly talented witch. She started attending Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in 1947, and graduated in 1954 when she was nineteen years old. After she graduated, she mentored under her Transfiguration professor, until he was ready to retire in 1956, meaning she was twenty when she started teaching at Hogwarts.
She fit in really well as a teacher. Minerva was respected amongst students for her strict, but kind nature. She wasn't a teacher that would take your shit, but she wasn't considered mean either. She worked really well with the students, and prided herself in her work ethic.
When she was thirty-five, she had already been teaching at the school for fifteen years. That was when The Marauders started at Hogwarts. Minerva was watching as little James Potter and Sirius Black met at the young age of eleven. There was instant chemistry between the two boys, and they became best friends quickly. Eventually she watched as Sirius brought Remus Lupin into their group, and James introduced everyone to Peter Pettigrew. The four students were attached at the hip from then on.
She was there when James Potter first confessed his love to Lily Evans. Lily was a very sweet, quiet girl, especially compared to the ever proud James, but she was strong-willed. She stood by her friend Severus Snape, even after being sorted into opposing houses. One day, Lily snapped at James and slapped him across the face after he had made a particularly harsh comment against Severus. Immediately after, he smiled at her and told her that he was in love with her. They were only twelve.
She was there when Sirius did the prank on Severus. Minerva paid witness to the aftermath, seeing Sirius growing ever more distant. His friends were cold to him and James was stuck between Remus who angry with Sirius, and Sirius who was begging for forgiveness. James himself was disappointed that Sirius would take it so far. When Sirius would come to his detentions, he would confide in her. That was how she found out about his horrible family life. She knew that she had heard enough, and pulled James and Remus into a room, to explain Sirius's side. After that she got to see the Marauders together again. Right after making up, Sirius and Remus made their relationship public, their feelings for each other having been completely aired out. They were only fourteen.
Despite everything that happened earlier that year, James and Sirius couldn't seem to leave Severus alone. She got to see as Severus destroyed his friendship with Lily, by calling her one word. One awful word. All because he was too full of pride to accept her help after an argument. That word rang through the ears of everyone who heard it, and Lily sought for comfort in none other than James Potter. The destruction of one friendship and the budding begining of another... They were only fifteen.
Minerva watched as James Potter asked Lily Evans to go on a date with him at the beginning of their sixth year. And she watched as the red-headed girl said yes. Their relationship bloomed. Lily changed James, and Sirius for that matter. She caused them to grow up, and mature. They stopped most of their bullying that year, instead focusing on harmless pranks for a change. Instead of torturing Severus Snape, they started playing innocent pranks, like soapy hallways, and exploding balloons over the heads of teachers. Minerva had only realized how fond of the Marauders she was, when James and Sirius passed by her one day. She stopped them, and James looked at her innocently,"C'mon Minny, you know us! Always the best behaved! Nothing awful happening in these heads...". He was so happy, and spoke with her so fondly. All the while, he was hiding a pack of muggle water balloons behind his back. She dismissed them, and watched as the two boys snickered and ran off to cause their mischief. They were only sixteen.
She watched as the students she took care of and taught for seven years graduated. They passed all their final tests, and were heading for the real world. James had proposed to Lily in the great hall, just after the final feast. It was a grand affair, with fireworks they had somehow managed to rig. Sirius being the one to set them off of course.. When she said yes, no one was surprised, but everyone was cheering them on. James kissed her happily, swooping her up in his arms and spinning her around. They looked like a couple straight out of a fairytale... When James, Remus, Sirius, Peter, and Lily later all pulled her aside into a private room to give her a gift before they left, she cried for the first time in front of her students. They gave her a portrait. Inside, a wolf, stag, dog, and mouse all lay together, sleeping in a big pile. The field they slept in was covered in Lilies. Sometimes the animals would stretch, readjust, or even look up at the person viewing the portrait. Of course she knew of their animagus forms, but she was far too fond of the group to really report it. Now she had something that would remind her if her "Favorite Students" as Sirius put it. They were only eighteen.
Minerva kept in surprisingly good contact with the Marauders and Lily after they left. They would send letters often, and she was usually invited to their family dinners, every couple weeks. That's why when she got invited to a house party, she wasn't suspicious at all. That was until James stood up in front of everyone, calling out for the attention to be on him. It was a reasonably small group, mostly just everyone in the Order of the Phoenix. They announced they were pregnant. They'd be having a baby sometime in July.. she cried as she hugged her past students. Then even more when they asked her to be the Godmother, with Sirius as the Godfather. Minerva accepted instantly. They were only nineteen.
Minerva was of the few who were given the Potters home address, when they went into hiding. Peter was their secret keeper, but she knew they could trust him. Their weekly dinners stopped, but she made sure to pop in once a month to check on them, making sure Lily was okay during her pregnancy. It was rough, but they were safe and that was all that mattered. Minerva knew that James and Lily were strong enough to handle it. Despite Albus' disapproval, she always made a point to floo in extra things for them. Blankets, games, snacks, sometimes even just food. She wanted to do anything she could to make sure her godchild and his parents were safe. And they were. For a bit.
Minerva felt it, as soon as the curse hit Harry. As soon as he was in danger. She felt the full force of death as soon as Harry himself did. She knew something horrible had happened, and instantly apparated to the Potter Property. As she looked around, she saw Sirius, who had shown up at the same time as her. They both looked towards the door, seeing it broken down, and felt cold, dark dread run down their spines. As they stepped into the hallway, seeing James laying there.. dead.. they both broke down. Tears started running down their faces as they walked past their friends body hesitantly, moving towards Harry's room. His door was also broken, and as soon as they saw Lily on the ground, they fell. Both of their bodies looked lifeless, and broken. Something that looked wrong on the two fast spirited souls. They both paused when they heard Harry start to cry. They looked up at the baby, and saw the bleeding lightning scar that covered his left eye, going up his forehead hiding behind his already long curly black hair. It looked like streaks of lightning coming from a single point on his forehead. They both instantly ran to his bed, pulling him out. They were only twenty-one, and Harry was only one.
Minerva had to talk sense into Sirius when they realized that Peter sold out their friends. Oh she herself was beyond angry, and upset. He was supposed to be their friend. But he betrayed everyone. And now Lily and James were dead. Instead of letting Sirius run rampant, as he wanted to kill the rat, she convinced him that Harry was their concern. They immediately took Harry, and reported the attack to the Minister of Magic. It didn't take long to realize that Voldemort had been defeated, somehow, because of Harry. News spread fast, and Minerva saw a new side to Albus Dumbledore, as he got angry she didn't go to him first. Things changed quickly.
Peter was arrested and thrown into Azkaban soon after, due to his crimes against the light side in the war. The next issue was to be where Harry Potter would go, now that he was orphaned. Sirius immediately wanted to take him, but since him and Remus were living together, and the many many prejudiced laws against werewolves, the Ministry decided it wasn't the best idea. The next option was Minerva McGonagall, the boys godmother.
When Dumbledore heard that she had been offered the position of Harry Potters guardian, he immediately started trying to convince her that Harry needed to be with his aunt and uncle from Lily's family. After hearing that, she decided to investigate, and she found out that they were the worst kind of muggles alive. They were truly awful people to everyone but themselves. She couldn't leave Harry with them.. so instead she told Dumbledore to fuck off, in much nicer terms of course, and accepted the position as full-time guardian of Harry Potter. If there was truly blood magic protecting Harry Potter, by Merlins name, it would definitely be stronger with her, than with those awful muggles.
The portrait in her office no longer held a rat. Instead, a baby deer toddled around the field of Lilies, being watched carefully by the other animals. Sometimes, it would lay down beside his odd chosen family, and nap for hours at a time. Minerva smiled at it, as she held the one-year-old Harry Potter-McGonagall in her arms. It was barely three days after his parents passing, but Miss Minerva McGonagall was determined to love, teach, and protect this child with everything in her. And that meant from everyone and everything. She was now forty-five years old, and Harry Potter would have his whole life ahead of him.