After

Hermione and Harry exchanged a few more quips between themselves with occasional input from Ron, to the restrained amusement of the rest of the group. They laid off when Molly came back into the room, dragging George and Percy along behind her. Hermione was sent to fetch Ginny and Luna but came back alone saying that they would be along shortly. 

The tension in the room grew, and everyone fell into the thoughtful mood that had pervaded the room despite their attempts at levity. It was quiet enough to hear pin drop as they tried to reconstruct their experience of that awful night.

Ginny and Luna were still upstairs, no doubt trying to avoid the discussion, Molly wouldn’t have that at all. The hushed atmosphere was interrupted by Molly’s call of “GINNY,” which rang through the house, at a volume that caused Ron, who was right beside her, to flinch and cover his ear. 

Ginny and Luna both came out onto the landing, “So we don’t get to hide from this?” Ginny asked sarcastically, then her tone changed to one of surprise when she said, “Oh, hello Professor.” 

“Miss Weasley, Miss Lovegood,” Minerva said by way of greeting. “I am afraid that you do not get to hide from this topic. If I have to suffer this, so do you.” They both looked a bit surprised by her tone as they descended the staircase and joined the group. 

“So, what’s all this about then?” Bill asked, turning to Professor McGonagall for the answers.

“This meeting or the ministry trials?” Minerva asked, solely to give herself a moment to sit down at the table.

“Yes,” Harry said sarcastically from where he stood leaning on Ron and Hermione’s chairs. 

Minerva shook her head and sighed then answered. “I’ve finally been convinced that you’re all adult enough to tell you this in a direct manner, the ministry is now in the business of assigning blame. They want the deaths accounted for, they want disappearances explained. On those points, I do agree with them, but we differ in our opinions on method,” She summoned up the leather case she had stored the remnant paperwork of that year in, “I have collected everything I’ve found that is in any way useful for explaining the…” She paused, uncertain of her phrasing. She decided on - “tribulations of the last school year and done a thorough inventory of the records kept by the… shall I call it, the former administration. I think that by my own power, I can account for everything from last August up to the second of May.” She laid the case aside. “That is where you come in.” 

Everyone else in the room looked concerned, but Ginny vocalised it best, “Damn, Professor. That’s… a lot.” 

“It wasn’t a picnic, no, but it’s done,” Minerva said dismissively, she was in no mood for sympathy. “But I said all of that to orient the conversation, not to elicit sympathy, Miss Weasley.” 

“Whether you meant to or not, I’m so sorry you had to go through all of that on your own,” Molly said, shocked out of her own grief for long enough to feel sorry for Minerva. 

Minerva sighed exasperatedly, putting up her usual cold performance, “I regret mentioning it already. Can we get back to the present conversation?” 

“Right,” Percy said, always one to get straight to business, “That night. What do you want from us?” 

Minerva was quiet for a second longer than she needed to be, she hated to ask them for this. “I need what you remember. I need to hear your version of events, in minute detail. Where you were, how you got to the school, when, what was happening, what did you see, who did you see, who did you duel, and if it is relevant, who did you kill?” Her voice was quieter than usual and she avoided eye contact, but nevertheless, her words were magnetic, she had everyone’s full attention. 

“You want us to relive the whole thing?” Luna asked, not as if she were offended by the idea, but simply curious.

Minerva nodded and said regretfully, “I’m afraid so, Miss Lovegood. I’m afraid so.” 

“And how are we supposed to do that?” Harry asked, and she noticed that his hands seemed to be shaking slightly. 

“I think it would be best done here, aloud… together,” Minerva said, though she knew it wouldn’t be a popular answer. It would be best if they could fact-check each other as they went along, and distill all of their recollections into something at least mostly cohesive. 

“Oh Merlin,” Molly muttered discontentedly, and Arthur wrapped an arm around her. 

“I know, believe me, I know,” Minerva answered, though Molly hadn’t really directed her comment. “I have already been through it with Madam Rosmerta, Madam Pomfrey, and Aberforth Dumbledore; Professors Flitwick, Sprout, and Vector; and a third time with the remaining members of the Board of Governors and Madam Pince.” She sounded exhausted, but offered, “But if it will be of any help, I can start again.” 

Harry cut in before she could go on, “I know how you found out Professor,” He almost laughed, “We’re lucky we didn’t give you a heart attack.” He gestured to himself and Luna. 

Minerva almost managed to appear amused by the memory. “It was a bit of a shock, I must admit. You, appearing from under that confounded cloak and performing an unforgivable, I mean, really, what were you thinking?” 

Harry nodded, he knew the game was that she was just pulling answers out of him, but he played along. “I was thinking about how proud you sounded when you said that I was a member of your house, and why would I be in Ravenclaw Tower?” Harry said with a half-hearted grin, “I thought I’d better not let anyone disrespect you like that because at least someone was proud to have me.” 

Minerva’s cold exterior visibly melted, she looked, momentarily, as if she were about to cry. She reigned it in enough to speak, “Always, Potter, from the moment you were sorted.” 

Harry felt another rush of affection for the old lady, “Thanks, Professor.” His smile was a little more genuine now. He decided they had better cut the sentimental rubbish, and went on, “But then you told me I was foolish, and asked what the hell I was doing there, fair question. We told you what was happening and you, somewhat irritatedly, agreed to secure the castle to give us some time to search. Then the other Carrow twin showed up, you stunned that one, and managed to trap them both in that handy net you conjured up out of nothing. You’re gonna have to teach me that sometime,” He was going for a casual tone, and it was almost working. It seemed to be easier for him to narrate what had happened if he told the story about someone else. “We went back under the cloak,” He gestured to himself and Luna again, “And followed you back out of the tower, where we happened to run into Snape,” The name came out of his mouth with a ring of disgust. “He asked if you knew anything about where I might be and you just started hexing him.” He almost managed to laugh.

Some of the others looked slightly amused as well, Luna got in on the story, “Really, there was no conversation, she just started firing spells. It was very impressive.” She added, as an aside almost, “and terrifying.”

“Well, someone had just spat in my face, I was vexed,” Minerva added, jokingly.