After

They went on like that for a long while. Each story checking the others, ensuring that they got as close to the truth as they could. At certain points, there were the inevitable emotional outbursts, and several people had to leave the room to collect themselves throughout, including Minerva. 

But, as it turned out, there were very few deaths to be accounted for from this group. 

Ron and Neville fought and killed Fenrir Greyback. “Well, I mean, we didn’t use the curse or anything,” Ron clarified, “I did use a cutting curse though, and Nev stunned him, I think that’s the combination that did it.” He didn’t seem to take any enjoyment from the recollection.

But Bill did, “Good on ya, Ron,” He said with a vindicated and proud expression. “I try not to hate people, but that son of a bitch deserved to die.” He stated it as irrefutable fact, and with a cold aspect that he did not usually carry. The scars on his face seemed to stand out more prominently just then. 

Hermione felt responsible for the death of Gregory Goyle, but the others managed to talk her down from that. She had killed an opponent she hadn’t recognised with a well-timed blasting charm.

“Could you describe this person?” Minerva asked, running through the list in front of her, she’d known all of them and if Hermione could give her enough to go on she should be able to make an identification.

“She had dark hair, tied back, erm… she must have been just a little taller than me… and very thin… I hate to say it, Professor, but she looked a bit like you,” Hermione answered, not making eye contact. 

“Ah, Acantha Fawley,” Minerva said immediately, making a note next to that name on her list, while adding, “I used to infiltrate death-eater meetings as her, one of the easiest transformations to make.” She ignored the looks of shock that came over the younger members of the group. 

Molly, of course, killed Bellatrix, and she was still reluctant to let Minerva take the fall for that. “You’re the headmistress of the best wizarding school in the world. Won’t they be trying to keep you there? I wouldn’t want anyone calling for your removal because you took the blame for something I did.” 

“You’ve no need to worry on that count, Molly, I already have blame enough to take for my own actions, adding this won’t make the difference one way or another,” Minerva said, dismissively. “Besides, even if they do try and have me removed I think I have enough supporters to hold on to my position. The most they could really do is ask the board of governors for a censure, which I have received countless times before.” She seemed to enjoy the fact, being proud of her willingness to resist overreaches on the part of the board or the government. “Of course, that’s why I haven’t had a raise since nineteen eighty-six, but that’s of no consequence,” She added with a shrug.

Fleur helped Tonks to take out another Death Eater but wasn’t sure who had fired the fatal shot. That was mere moments before Tonks left to find Remus, and Feur was one of the last people to see her before they were both dead.

“Do you know who it was?” Minerva asked, looking down the ever-shortening list of unassigned deaths. 

“No, but ‘e was a rather short man, grey hair too long to suit him, a rather bulbous nose, and ‘e was wearing a black coat zat was…how you say, erm” She turned to Bill, “Quel est le mot pour usé?"

“Oh, like worn out?” Bill asked.

“Non, not exactly,” Fleur replied with a shrug, “But it will do, and I will think of zat word later.” 

“Must have been Cecil Bulstrode,” Minerva made a mark by the name. “Right well, that’s one more name off the list, and to keep you out of the court we can just assign that to Tonks, I’m sure she won’t mind,” She joked sadly. 

Harry raised objection, as a concerned godfather “Well, someone will have to tell Teddy the truth about it, I don’t think we want him to know that his mum was a killer.”

With a raised eyebrow Molly asked, “And what are we going to tell him about you? Or me, or Hermione, or Ron, or Fleur, or Neville, or Professor McGonagall, or any of the rest? When he’s old enough to know the truth if and when he asks, we’ll have to tell him the whole truth. We can’t be sure who killed whatever-his-name-was, and it very well may have been his mother.” She said concisely. 

“Besides, Harry, you seem to be under the impression that killing death eaters makes you a bad person, and I sincerely hope that is not the case or I will have to seriously reconsider my self-image,” Minerva added with a look over her spectacles, “Killing people for the wrong reasons is a crime, and an affront to morality, yes, but killing those who seek to systematically destroy you, your society, innocent lives, and everything you stand for, is not. Am I quite clear?” She asked, looking around the room and feeling peculiarly like she was giving a lecture to school children. 

She received murmurs and signs of agreement from the whole group, even Harry. “Good. I should hate to think that any of you felt too much remorse for saving the world,” She said sarcastically. 

The whole group had the same question on their tongues but sat back wondering who would have the guts to ask. 

Turns out it was Ginny, “Professor, I guess I don’t really need to know but I was just curious… who did you really…erm… I mean… how many…”

Before she could finish the question Minerva answered, “Four, but if the Ministry asks - seven.” 

They all seemed to be expecting a different number, whether higher or lower Minerva couldn’t tell, but that certainly wasn’t what they were expecting her to say. 

Molly gave her a curious look and changed the subject slightly, “Seven? Who else are you taking the blame for?”

Again Minerva answered in a forthright manner, “Poppy Pomfrey and Miss Granger here.” Hermione looked up, concerned that Minerva was taking her blame, but before she could speak Minerva said, “Don’t argue with me, Hermione, I’m in a much better position to be defending myself. I can’t keep you out of the courts, I’m afraid, but I will do whatever is within my power to minimize your involvement therein. That is the final word on the subject.” 

Hermione, feeling very much like she was a first-year again, mumbled, “Yes, Professor.”

After that, the story was more or less wrapped up. There wasn’t anything necessary left to tell and the group took a collective sigh of relief. Minerva made a few excuses as to why she had to leave then instead of staying for tea, all of which were lies, and collected her papers up from the table. “Well, that went much better than I had anticipated. I trust you’ll all do your best to keep our stories straight, and maybe, just maybe, we will make it out of this without too much of a media maelstrom."

“Wishful thinking, I fear,” Arthur commented, shaking his head. 

“We don’t know that yet.” Minerva said in a rare display of cautious optimism, “Kingsley and I are still working on pushing the proceedings off, and I am, of course, doing everything I can to minimize the apparent involvement of those who might be affected by any backlash. All I ask is that you have a bit of faith,” Minerva said, then added hastily, “not in the legal system, of course, but rather, faith in me.” She said it with an air of false arrogance.

“Easy,” Billy commented casually, his feet kicked up on the arm of the empty chair next to his, “You’re likely to have it sorted out in no time flat, Professor.” 

All pretense of arrogance was gone as she turned to the door, saying as she left, “Be careful with those expectations Mr. Weasley, they’ll break if you drop them from that high up.”

That got a light laugh from some of the others as Harry said, “You always find the most round-about ways to say anything, don’t you professor?” 

“Perhaps,” Minerva answered, stopping in the hall a second and turning to face the group, “as an apology for that propensity, allow me to make this parting as direct and succinct as possible, I’ll see you all in court.” And with that and a sharp nod she took her leave.