Harry Potter Hogwarts Caretaker

Chapter 3: Minerva

Harry and Neville followed Charlie all the way to the doors of Hogwarts. Neville and Charlie were chatting away happily talking about old friends and the latest developments in the wizarding world.

Harry listened with half an ear, but it all meant nothing to him. Some of the people they talked about he'd never known, the others not heard from in years and he'd not bothered to learn of the events in the wizarding world in ten long years. He wasn't a part of that anymore and he wondered why he was letting himself get sucked back into it.

'Because I don't have any other chance.' he thought bitterly. 'What alternatives did I have? None. I'd really be better off dead.'

But that hadn't worked either. He tried to ignore the two old friends and their happy chatter. They weren't ignoring him on purpose. They were just friends who hadn't seen each other in a while and needed to share the latest gossip. Harry was a stranger however hard they tried to treat him like one of their own. He knew they didn't really want him. How could they after what he'd done? But they were kind enough to make an attempt at making him feel welcome. He ought to feel grateful, but all he did feel was out of place and left out.

Behind him the children were discussing the sorting in excited voices. How would they be sorted? Would there be difficult tests to pass? What houses would they get sorted into? The children from wizarding families were explaining the merits of the different houses to the muggle borns.

"Slytherin is the best of course. Most of the great war heroes were Slytherins and Professor Snape is simply the greatest anyway." one girl was saying. "He was Dumbledore's highest placed spy in Voldemort's army. Saved more lives than you can believe."

"And he also was the one to lead Voldemort into Dumbledore's trap. He knew he'd likely be killed the moment Voldemort realised, but he did it anyway. He'd have given his life for the fight." joined in another.

"He always risked his life for Dumbledore and his people. And he actually put a few curses on the dark lord himself during the duel. They say that's what turned the tide of the battle. It distracted Voldemort and gave Dumbledore the chance to get his own curse in." the first continued. "I've just got to be in his house."

"Everybody wants to be in Slytherin, you see." explained another child. "They're the cleverest and most successful. A Slytherin will always get what they want. They're a really tight group, you know and their members are strategically placed everywhere. They can help you wherever you want to go."

"What about the other houses? Don't they help each other too?" asked somebody.

"Sure, but they're not as good at it as the Slytherins and definitely not as organised. Though Ravenclaw's not bad either. They're the wisest of all houses and usually get the best grades. But they're more the booky ones. Not as heroic as the Slytherins. Their head of house is cool though. He's an old Slytherin war hero too, you know. If I can't be a Slytherin, I want to be a Ravenclaw. It's really the only other option."

"Why? Didn't you say there were four houses? What's wrong with the other two?"

Harry wanted to know that too. Slytherin the best house? And Ravenclaw the second best, because their head of house was a Slytherin? And all of them war heroes. It made him feel so guilty. He should have been there. Should have helped at least a little bit like Charlie.

"Well, Hufflepuff is a nice house, but they're not very successful and they don't have any heroes to speak of there. But they are helpful and kind people. Hufflepuff's good if you want to learn medicine or become a social worker. They're good at Herbology too. But mostly they're good at helping people. There weren't any Hufflepuff heroes in the fight, but they helped out a lot with the rebuilding. Took in the homeless, cared for the injured. That sort of thing. They're also real hard workers. Without them we might still be rebuilding parts of Hogsmede. So being a Hufflepuff's okay I guess."

"And the fourth house? Who are they?"

"Gryffindor. They're said to be very courageous." Harry winced when he heard that. "But they're also a bit too naive and trusting. Most Gryffindors just charge ahead into danger without thinking and then get killed. They're easy to read, straightforward people. Easy to manipulate too. Always say what they think and expect others to do the same. There were some Gryffindor war heroes, but most of them died in the battle. Dumbledore himself's a Gryffindor though, so they cant all be stupid, but the other houses have a better survival rate. Slytherins are clever and Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs usually avoid danger. Only the Gryfindors rush straight in."

'Well, I didn't do that, at least.' thought Harry. 'Or did I? I was easy to manipulate. That's for sure.'

He sighed softly. He didn't want Neville or Charlie to hear him. They'd ask him what was wrong and wouldn't be satisfied with a quick 'Nothing, everything's fine.' He wished he was far, far away from this place full of people who'd fought the dark lord and children wishing to be Slytherins. Who'd have ever expected that a whole load of first years would want to go into Slytherin. There had to be something wrong with this year's pick.

Charlie soon led them to the same door Harry remembered from his own first year. The wooden door looked very new though. It must have had been replaced after the battle.

Charlie knocked and the door opened to reveal Professor McGonagall. She looked just the same as Harry remembered her. Well, maybe there was a little more white in her hair, but it was still the same Professor McGonagall he knew.

"Here you go, Minerva." Charlie smiled at her. "The new pupils and new staff members delivered to your door by yours truly."

Minerva McGonagall smiled back slightly, thanked Charlie who took off in the direction of the great hall immediately, cast a stem look over the children and then turned towards Neville.

"It is good to see you again, Neville. I'm very proud of your achievements. I have to admit that I never expected it, but you have turned out to be one of the most successful Gryffindors of your Generation."

"Thank you, Minerva." Neville blushed. "I never did expect to come this far myself I worked hard for this."

"That you did and that is why I'm so proud of you. You might not have as much magic as others, but you never let that stop you from working hard and doing the right thing. You will be a good example to your students no doubt."

Neville blushed even more.

"But Minerva I'll only teach Herbology. It's not like many students consider it a mayor subject. I do intend to try and make it more appealing to them though. It is quite fascinating once you get deeper into the matter."

"I'm sure you'll get their attention. Maybe not all of them, but then again none of us do get all our students to listen. People have different talents and interests and even the best teacher can't change that." said Professor McGonagall. "Albus would like to see you in his office before the sorting. The password's lemon drops this year."

"Then I'd better go right now. Hope to talk to you more later when everything's settled down." Neville disappeared in the direction of the headmaster's office.

Harry wondered if he should have followed him, but it hadn't sounded as if Dumbledore's invitation extended to him as well.

"He'd like to talk to you too of course, but there just isn't enough time now so he's decided to postpone that till after the feast." Professor McGonagall seemed to have read his mind. Well, maybe she'd just read the expression on his face.

"I'm sorry Professor. You can't be very proud of me."

"No I am not." McGonagall admitted beckoning towards Harry and the children to follow her into the castle. "But please call me Minerva. We're colleges now."

Harry nodded even though she couldn't see it as her back was already turned to him. The offer hadn't sounded as if it had been her idea anyway. Most likely it had been Dumbledore's order. An attempt to make him feel at home? Harry wasn't sure if he liked it or not.

Suddenly a small white something dashed past Minerva and towards Harry. Harry stopped frightened for a moment. The children shrieked excitedly and pointed at the white something craning their necks trying to see what it was. It was too big for a mouse. A white rat perhaps? Minerva too had been a little startled when the something had whisked past her. She immediately regained her composure however and turned towards the white thing.

"Twichy? What are you doing here? Don't you have better things to do than to cause chaos among the kids just before the sorting?"

Twichy stopped and turned to look at her slightly apologetically and Harry got a first clear look at him. A white ferret. Very pretty with a constantly twitching nose and quivering long beard. He also didn't seem able to hold still for more than a few seconds. He fidgeted to the right, then to the left, turned and ran towards Harry once again where he stopped for a moment and regarded his jeans with a slightly confused expression. Obviously he was not used to people wearing muggle clothes. The ferret seemed to shrug in almost human fashion, grabbed a hold of the jeans and climbed up to his shoulder within seconds. For a moment Harry could feel his nose and beard tickle his right ear, then he was off again and had reached the left shoulder within a heartbeat.

Harry turned his head several times to try and get another good look at the ferret, but it seemed he was always a tad too slow. Twichy? Twitchy would have been a more apt name for the little creature.

Harry finally caught sight of him on his left shoulder where he'd stopped for a moment and then started to lick his fur.

"Don't worry about that." Minerva said almost laughing at his expression. "Twichy is the friendliest little creature you can imagine and he seems to have taken a liking to you."

Harry assumed that Twichy must be the pet of one of the older pupils that obviously had the run of the castle. He was most likely absolutely unstoppable he decided. With the speed and energy the ferret had just demonstrated he'd never be caught if he didn't want to.

Minerva didn't give any further explanations concerning the ferret. She seemed to find something very amusing in the way Twichy had taken to Harry.

Harry decided that the animal was obviously indeed harmless and a rather pleasant companion at that and walked on careful not to disturb him.

"It seems you have a rather unusual crowd of first years this year." he remarked hoping to start some sort of conversation with Minerva to distract himself from his nervousness about meeting the rest of the staff and being introduced to the pupils.

"Unusual?" asked Minerva. "How so?"

"All the way here they've been talking about how they all want to be Slytherins and how that is the greatest house and all."

"Oh, that's not unusual. Slytherin is very popular. It's been that way ever since the defeat of Voldemort. The kids just look up to Severus so much they all want to be in his house. Nothing out of the ordinary."

"But doesn't that trend worry you?" Harry asked her confused. "After all that house has produced more dark wizards than any other."

"It also has produced more and better aurors than any other, Harry. Not to mention all the potions masters and teachers. Slytherin is a very versatile house. It's members are chosen for their ambition and that is a trait that can easily lead to evil, but also is the inspiration that leads to many other things. Every house has its bad side, but we usually tend to ignore it and look at its good sides instead. But we ought to do so for all houses, not just the ones we like best. Slytherin won the war for us, Harry. Never forget that."

Harry felt another wave of guilt wash over him. Slytherin had won the war. His old enemies had fought by the side of his former friends and where had he been? He stared at the floor not wanting to meet Minerva's eyes again. Twichy brushed against his cheek with his soft fur, but Harry didn't react. The ferret pushed his cheek with his twitchy little nose then slipped into his pocket.

This time Harry reacted. He tried to grab the little fellow and pull him out, but Twichy slipped expertly through his fingers and squeezed himself into his trouser pocket where he found the rest of Harry's muggle money. He sniffed that for a moment then noticed that Harry obviously wasn't after him anymore and climbed back out. Pushed against Harry's hand. Then raced towards the next pocket. Harry didn't grab for him.

Twichy stopped again, returned to Harry's hand and pushed. 'Come on, come on! Catch me, catch me, catch me!'

Harry finally obliged and didn't even notice the smile with which Minerva watched the game. Twichy sure knew how to cheer somebody up.

In the next chapter: we meet the new divination teacher, get a first view of the rest of the staff and Harry is in for some not so pleasant surprises when he sees who they are.