Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

"Lost Bastion" (7/?)
by Christine Anderson
aka Lilly Malfoy

Early the next morning, Minerva called the Order of the Phoenix's leaders. They met before the sun had risen, around the ancient long table in the staff room, its mahogany surface lovingly polished to a sheen.

It was, Minerva thought, an odd place for a council of war, though not the oddest she could think of. Moody had suggested the owlery for its commanding view of the castle grounds, but this suggestion had been unanimously vetoed by the others.

She looked over the room, and her breath caught in her throat at the sight of the chair at the table's head- the chair which had by custom of long years belonged to Dumbledore, the chair which had now passed to her, with all the burdens and responsibilities it implied.

Minerva bowed her head and tried to still the flood of tears that threatened to overwhelm her. Not now... I'll cry when it's over. If it's ever over.

Her shoulders shook. "Oh, Gods and Goddesses..."

She heard the door creak open behind her, and squared her shoulders, prepared to turn and meet whoever had arrived, say whatever she needed to say in order to convince them that she was alright-

Before she could speak, she was enfolded in warmth and soft black cloth. She caught the scent of spices and something almost sickly-sweet, and choked back another sob as those arms tightened around her.

"Minerva." That voice, like velvet, whispering her name... but it cracked around the edges, turned rough and hoarse.

"Who are you," she said, "to tell me I can weep, when you won't?"

He sighed. "Someone who knows you. Someone who is only too aware that this is a crack in your armor you cannot afford. For the love of those gods you call on, let it out!"

She spoke her earlier thought aloud. "I'll cry when it's over."

Snape shook his head, but caught her chin, tipped her face up towards him. "Did you get any sleep last night?"

"A bit." Her eyes narrowed. "I can see that you didn't. Severus-"

"It was an eventful night. I had a great deal to think about."

"Did you?" she asked. Then, quietly, hardly daring to breathe the word, "Draco?"

Snape nodded. "Yes. Hermione didn't tell you?"

"I haven't seen her yet this morning. That is very welcome news-"

"If he tests true," Snape interrupted.

"You think he won't?"

He sighed. "I don't know," he whispered. "I hope- but I don't know. I am concerned- and I hate that I cannot trust him yet." Snape paused. "I changed the Slytherin password again. Veritas."

She laughed, clutching at his shoulder. "Severus-" Minerva shook her head. "We'll talk later. They'll be here soon."

He nodded. "Yes. You're right."

She stepped back, but took his hand before he could drift too far. "Sit with me?"

"If you wish."

Minerva didn't answer, slowly approaching the head of the table. "For Merlin's sake," she told herself quietly, "it's just a chair." But she was shaking as she sat.

Snape followed after her, and gave her hand a hard, almost painful, squeeze. "You know every one of us stands behind you, Minerva. Him, too." He jerked his chin towards the portrait of Dumbledore which had been hung upon the wall.

A knock sounded at the door, followed by the scarred visage of Alastor Moody peering around it. "Ah, good. You're here. Good morning, Minerva. Severus."

"Alastor," Minerva smiled.

Snape just nodded sharply, gave her hand another squeeze, and took his seat.

"You look tired, both of you," Moody said, pacing around the table and examining the room in detail. The old Auror was looking at neither of them when he said this. There was perhaps just the slightest hint of a leer in his voice.

"None of us are getting much sleep lately," Minerva said, in a drop it now sort of tone.

"Aye, true enough," Moody said easily. He sighed as he settled into his own chair, at Minerva's left hand. "Wish we had time to do a proper vigil for Dumbledore."

"I, too," she said. "But when was the last time we were able to, for anyone so dear to us?"

"I think," said Sirius from the doorway, "it was Peter, actually."

Moody scowled. "Well, if that doesn't beat all. Vigil for someone who wasn't even dead, and wouldn't have been worth the trouble either way. Bloody hell."

Sirius muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, "Order of Merlin, third class...hah!"

On that note, no one else spoke until the rest arrived; Remus Lupin in dusty brown robes which had seen better days, better decades; Hermione with a stack of books in her arms; Ron Weasley, bearing a large plate of sandwiches and looking a bit exasperated.

Ron set his tray down. "House elves practically threw this stuff at me," he said apologetically. "I don't know if anybody wants it, though..."

"Thank you, Ron," Sirius said kindly. "Hermione, would you like some help with those books?"

"No, thank you," came Hermione's voice from behind the stack. "If you could just point me at my chair- Oh, I'm sorry, Professor Snape, I didn't see you there-" This as she crashed headlong into the head of Slytherin.

Snape didn't make the mistake of asking if she wanted help, simply took the stack of books from her arms. "What is all this, Granger?"

"A little bit of everything," she said, grabbing the nearest chair. "I'm never sure what I'll need, and I hate having to run off to my room to look things up."

"Of course," Snape said, leafing through a large tome. "Creatures of The Dark," he said quietly. "This may be useful- one of the things I think we need to discuss is our defenses."

"Second the motion," said Lupin. "The school's anti-Apparition spells are a fine start, but we need to do more, or risk the consequences of narrowing our focus too far."

"I agree," Minerva said, "but there are a few things I'd like to discuss before we get to that. Firstly: Dumbledore's memorial. A few of us were just talking about this, and a vigil is simply out of the question."

The others were nodding. "I'm sorry we can't do it," said Ron, "but I think he'd understand. Probably tell us off for wasting the time if we tried, you know?"

"I think so, too," said Moody.

Minerva nodded. "Alright. Second- speaking of wasting time, the investiture-"

"-is necessary," Hermione interrupted. "It's not just symbolism, Professor. The investiture ties you to all of us of the Order, and you're going to need that."

She sighed. "Alright. That brings me to the last thing...and probably the most difficult. I think it's time we brought Harry Potter into this."

"No!" Sirius exclaimed. "Hasn't he done enough? He's just a boy!"

Hermione and Ron were shaking their heads as one.

"If he were one of us, he'd be here right now," Hermione said.

And, "Everyone who wanted to help, everyone who wanted to fight, you've welcomed with open arms. Well, and Veritaserum, but you can't be too careful," Ron said. "The point is that everyone who wanted to be a part of this has been allowed- except Harry."

"Minerva, I'm begging you. Just leave him be. Please." Sirius looked at her, his eyes showing clearly the fear for the young man that Sirius was not willing to convey aloud.

"He's your godson," Minerva said. "You love him, you want to keep him safe. I understand that, Sirius. But he has never been an ordinary boy, and I believe in the end it is going to be Harry who wins this for us. I am certain that it cannot be done without him."

The others sat in silence. Finally it was broken by Ron.

"You-Know-Who killed Harry's parents," he said. "I know they were your friends, some of you- but they were his parents. Doesn't he deserve a chance to strike back? To help make sure it never happens to anybody else again?"

"Al... Alright," Sirius said. "But- oh, sweet Merlin, someone's going to have to tell him about Dumbledore."

"You don't think he knows already?" Moody asked. "Hard to keep that a secret."

"He's not in the wizarding world," Sirius said with a sigh. "We- thought it best."

"Not those horrid relatives of his?" Ron asked. "You didn't."

"He is safe there," Snape all but snapped at him. "Dumbledore made sure of it."

"Dumbledore is dead!" Ron screamed. "And Harry is miserable there, you know he is. Not that I can expect you to care-"

"Ron," said Hermione, but he ignored her.

"-bastard, always did hate him, and we all knew it-"

"His misery," Snape snarled, "is no worse than any of ours, significantly less in fact, and you will forgive me if I admit to having greater concerns than the total happiness of Harry Potter. We are at war here, Mr. Weasley- in case you had failed to notice. And if he is miserable, what of it? He is safe, which I remind you all of us here are not, and he is out of it. So he's not as well off as he could be. You think he has the worst lot in this? Get in line."

"Severus," Minerva snapped.

He rounded on her. "Just because it is unpleasant does not make it untrue, Minerva. You know it as well as I do. The boy has been sheltered too long. If he is needed, go to him. He is young; foolish enough, I think, that he will probably volunteer. Let him do his part for once."

"You are a bastard," said Sirius. "And to think I'd almost gotten to respect you. So much for that!"

"You," Snape told him, "are blinded by your love for the boy, for which I can almost forgive you. Well, I will tell you this, gentlemen- done is done. We left Potter where he would be safe, for Dumbledore had assured it so. But Weasley is correct. Dumbledore is dead. What, you fools, do you think that means?"

"Oh, god," said Hermione. "He's right. Don't you see? He's right!"

"What are you on about?" snapped Ron. "I can't believe you- defending the likes of him, Hermione. Really!"

"Are you all blind?" Snape asked. "Well. As you will not listen to me- tell them, Miss Granger."

"I-" Hermione looked very much as if she wanted to hide under the table when Snape turned his now icily furious voice upon her.

"Tell them."

"What Professor Snape is saying- what he's saying is that with Dumbledore's death, the spell, whatever it was, that protected Harry at the Dursleys', may be fading. It may already be gone. Which he could have simply said," she added, with a glare at Snape. "There was no reason to-"

"There was every reason," Snape said coldly. "I thought you understood. We don't have time for this. Whatever we choose to do, Potter cannot remain where he is."

"Damn you," Sirius said. "Damn you, Snape-"

"Take a bloody number," Snape shot back. "Well? Would anyone else care to take a shot at me, or can we get on with this?"

"The choice belongs to Harry," Minerva said. "The same as it did to everyone else who returned to us. Let us give it to him."

The others nodded, some of them unhappily.

"This isn't finished, Severus," Sirius told him.

"It had damned well better be," Minerva said, losing her temper at last. "Sirius, that's enough. You are upset about Harry. I understand that, but Severus is right- we do not have time for this. And we cannot afford to fight amongst each other."

Snape wore a self-satisfied smirk, but he did not keep it long.

"And you- Severus, would you do Voldemort's work for him? You promised me you would work with them, that you would not do what you are doing right now. You gave your word."

"And what do you think the word of a Slytherin is worth?" Ron asked.

"Enough! Stop it, all of you, at once! I have had enough." Minerva leveled her gaze, swept it over all of them. "Try to remember who and what you are, and what we are about here." She rose. "If you will excuse me, I have a dear old friend to bury today."

Mouths which had opened in protest snapped shut, and as one they looked to the floor.

"I..." said Ron.

"Weasley, Sirius..." Snape sighed. "I...apologize. Minerva is right. Whatever differences we have, we must set aside. We can settle this any way you would like, after we have dealt with Voldemort."

"Agreed," said Sirius. "Truce?"

Snape nodded. "Truce."

Ron shrugged. "If he can put up with you, I bloody well can. Truce."

"Done, then," said Snape.

"'Bout time," said Moody. "Can we get on with it?"

"Right then," Ron said. "Hermione and I will go after Harry-"

"I'll go," Sirius said. "If I don't come back, you'll know-"

"If you go alone, Sirius, you're the one who has to tell him," Minerva pointed out.

He winced. "I'll manage it, somehow."

"Alright. But you don't go alone." She glanced about the room as she resumed her seat at the table. "Alastor is needed here, as are the two of you, Hermione, Ron." She folded her hands on the table. "Which leaves Remus, Severus... or me."

"No," Snape and Lupin said as one. They looked at each other, shrugged.

"We can't risk you, Minerva," Lupin said. "Least of all before the investiture."

"It's my responsibility now," she said. "I have to go."

"Minerva..." Snape met her gaze and held it.

"Think you can stare me down, Severus?" she asked quietly. "You never could before."

"We've already lost Dumbledore," he said just as quietly. "Bloody hell, woman, do you think we can stand to lose you as well? I won't have it!"

A shocked silence fell, as the others took in Snape's outburst. Eyebrows were raised, and both Moody and Sirius looked about to speak, when-

"There should be three," Hermione said suddenly. "It's a good number, a magic one. Three went to the Malfoy place, and all of them came back."

Sirius nodded. "She has a point."

"Alright, enough of this," Snape said, sounding annoyed. "I'll go."

"You," Moody said, "I would trust at her back. Go safely, and come home quick. We have things to see to."

"Indeed we do," Snape replied. He stood up, calmly pushed his chair in. "Oh. Before I forget. Draco Malfoy returned to us last night. I will give him the Veritaserum when I get back."

Moody nodded. "I'll keep an eye on him till then."

---

"Muggle clothes," Minerva said as she swept down the hall with Severus at one side and Sirius on the other. "I'd rather not take the time, but the less they have to recall us by, the better."

Sirius nodded. "With any luck, they'll convince themselves the whole business of Harry Potter was a bad dream once he's gone."

"Luck seems a very flimsy thing to count upon," Snape said. "But I suppose anything is possible."

They arranged to change and meet up again in the entrance hall. Snape encountered Minerva upon the stairs as they made their way there, and for a moment he almost didn't recognize her.

Gone were the glasses and the knot in which she usually wore her hair. Gone, too, were the usual green robes and McGonagall tartan. Instead she wore- he raised his eyebrows as he took her in- a green silk blouse and a pair of blue jeans. A plain black shawl was looped over her arms. She smiled, long dark hair unbound, and with that smile ten hard and bitter years seemed to melt away.

Minerva paused on the landing and spun slowly. As her hair and shawl caught up to her, she gave Snape a frankly assessing look.

He, too, had not been able to set aside his customary wardrobe colors, and was thus garbed all in black. Slacks and a long sleeved shirt, covered by a long black trench coat. His hair had been bound back in a ponytail. And whether it was the clothing or something else, he seemed more relaxed. Tension had drained from him as the weight of years had from her.

A quick glance over the banister proved they were early, or Sirius late; whichever, he had not arrived yet. Snape turned back to her with a smile of his own.

"See anything you like?" he asked, his tone of voice as amused and teasing as she had ever heard it.

"I may have, at that," she replied. "You look very nice, Severus."

"Thank you." He paused. "Minerva? Can you see?"

She laughed. "Of course. Contact lenses, darling. Marvelous invention."

If only we had time, Minerva thought. If only.

She had no way of knowing Snape was thinking the very same thing.

He offered her his arm. She took it, and used it to draw him towards her. Being somewhat stronger he could of course have stopped her, but Snape chose not to. They kissed softly, quickly.

"Minerva, I..."

"Yes?" she asked, brushing a small speck of lint from the shoulder of his coat.

Snape glanced down at her hand, and covered it with his own. "You are beautiful."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes. You are." He kissed her forehead. "I wanted to do this right, you know."

She nodded, knowing just what he meant. "There is no wrong way to fall in love, Severus."

He laughed and held out his arm to her again. "Oh, I've been in love with you for a long time, my dear. But this- making you aware of it, acting upon it..."

She took his arm, and they descended the rest of the stairs. "I know. But if we must chose between the imperfect today, and the tomorrow we may never see... then I chose today."

"Still," Snape began.

"Still, nothing."

Seeing Sirius coming down the stairs, he felt the moment slipping away. Knowing another might not come, that if they were right about the danger into which they now walked, and if something went wrong, that this would be the last moment... There were too many words unsaid, too many things he had never told her, and now there was no more time.

Snape brought two fingers to his lips, kissed them, and blew the kiss softly towards her. It was the only bit of the code they'd ever had real trouble with, and it had never been used often.

"I love you," he whispered. In case she didn't know, didn't remember...

She touched the first two fingers of her own hand to her lips, smiled. Caught it, she signed. And, I love you, too.

Arm-in-arm, they turned to meet Sirius.

Sirius whistled. "Looking good, Minerva." He was dressed in a casual, almost disheveled, manner- a rumpled shirt and pair of slacks in indeterminate color, with a necktie he had been unable to knot properly.

"Oh, sod off, you old lecher," she replied wryly.

Before things digressed any farther, Snape said, "Let's go."

---

They were, Minerva decided later, an odd trio of Muggles for Privet Drive, but the idea of herself in the sort of garment that would have fit in here, or of her two companions in suits and ties of the respectable Muggle sort, was so ridiculous that she knew they would never have pulled it off. They could be only what they were.

The three of them went up the walk together, but it was Minerva who knocked upon the door.

Mrs. Dursley answered her knock. Minerva tried to find a sign of Lily in the woman's face, and could not.

"Yes?" asked Mrs. Dursley.

"Is your nephew home?" Minerva asked politely.

Mrs. Dursley was well on her way to slamming the door in Minerva's face when suddenly she stopped. Without looking Minerva knew that Severus and Sirius now stood directly behind her. Their message of support was as clear to her as it was to Mrs. Dursley.

The Muggle woman sighed. "What do you want with him?"

"What do you care?" Sirius asked. "Just answer the question. Is he here, or not?"

"He's here," Mrs. Dursley said, looking suddenly suspicious. "Are you friends of his?"

Minerva looked over her shoulder, and was shocked to see Severus and Sirius grinning at each other.

She smiled, too, and turned back to the woman. "In a manner of speaking. We were friends of his parents, you see. We all went to school together."

Mrs. Dursley gasped. "Vernon!" she screamed, turning to shout over her shoulder. "Get out of here, you-"

She fell silent as she caught sight of the three wands aimed directly at her.

"Tell Harry we are here, please," Minerva said in a voice gone frosty and cold.

Petunia Dursley nodded, and walked into the house. "Harry! Downstairs, now!"

"Leave me alone, Aunt Petunia!"

"There are three- people- here who insist on seeing you. Your kind," she added with a sniff.

Harry Potter bounded down the stairs and shoved past his aunt. "What- Sirius!" He threw his arms around his godfather, who returned the hug.

"Harry, we need to talk," Sirius said hesitantly.

"Alright," Harry said. "But- Hang on. Professor Snape?"

"Yes?" Snape said.

"Harry," Minerva said. "It's time. Get your things, please."

Harry shook his head. "I don't understand. Professor McGonagall, is that you? What are the three of you doing here?"

"We can't talk here," Sirius told him. "Get your things. Come on. Need some help?"

"No, I can get them; I haven't got much. But-"

The door slamming cut him off. Petunia Dursley had gone back inside.

"It has to be done," Snape said. "And it has to be done now. I'm sorry, Potter. Dumbledore is dead."

He did sound sorry, in fact; quite sorry. Snape turned away, studying the garden wall in great detail.

"I'm sorry, too," said Harry. Tears streamed down his face. "Was it Voldemort?"

"Yes," Minerva told him.

Harry nodded. "Just let me get my things."

They waited on the porch while Harry went back into the house, the three of them pacing up and down the walk and talking in loud voices until the door opened again. Mrs. Dursley looked out at them. "Be quiet or come inside," she said.

And so they went inside, where they were confronted by Mr. Dursley.

"I thought we'd made it clear," he said, "that we didn't want any of your kind coming around here anymore."

"Has anything strange happened here in the last day?" Snape asked. "Anything out of the ordinary at all?"

"No," Dursley snapped. "Just the three of you."

"Really." Snape looked as if he did not believe this. "Did your electricity go out, perhaps? Water pipes burst?"

"Yes, damnit!" Dursley yelled suddenly. "And I'm sure you knew all about it before you asked." Muttering something about long-haired freaks, he turned away.

Snape traded worried looks with Minerva and Sirius, ignoring the furious Muggle. "That's it, then," he said. They nodded.

"With luck, Dursley, this is the last you will ever see of our kind," Minerva told him.

Dursley sniffed. "Right."

"That reminds me," Minerva said. "When Harry came to live with you, there was a letter left with him."

"Yes. What about it?"

"I want it."

Dursley smiled unkindly. "That's too bad. I lost it years ago."

"Did you even bother to read it?" Sirius asked.

"Oh, I read it- rubbish that it was. Nonsense about the boy, his parents-"

"Please, you must tell us everything you can remember. It's very important," Minerva said.

"I don't remember anything," Dursley said. "Get away from me." When she didn't move, he reached out to shove her.

Minerva raised her wand, and she was not alone. Snape stepped up beside her, and he was armed as well.

"I truly wouldn't," Snape advised, "if I were you. Where is the letter, Dursley?"

"Upstairs," Dursley said. "Thought- thought it might've been cursed."

"Only with the truth," Minerva snapped. "Fool..."

"If I give it to you," Dursley asked, "will you take it and the boy and go?"

Snape nodded. "We'll go."

As Harry came downstairs with his trunk, Vernon Dursley shoved past him going up the stairs. He returned a few moments later with an envelope, still sealed, addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Dursley, 4 Privet Drive. The seal was unbroken.

He handed it to Snape, who tucked it into his coat.

"Alright," said Minerva. "Let's go."

She and Snape walked out the door. Harry followed without so much as a word to the Dursleys. But Sirius remained, and even the three on the front porch clearly heard him speak.

"I just wanted you to know," Sirius told the Dursleys, "that you are among the most contemptible people I have ever met, Muggles or not. That boy was your own flesh and blood, and you treated him like vermin. All the while you were trying to break down your own salvation, and you never even knew it. Lily always loved you, Petunia. We told her she was foolish, naive, but she didn't care. You were her sister, and that meant something to her. And you're a pair of raving idiots, the both of you. That's all."

The Dursleys did not seem too impressed by this little speech, but Sirius seemed to feel better for having made it as he joined the others on the porch.

"Are you quite through?" Minerva asked him, annoyed. "The spell is broken, Sirius- we have to go, now."

"What are you talking about?" asked Harry.

"We'll explain everything-" Sirius began, but he never finished. As they watched in horror, a figure in a black cloak appeared on the street corner, and moved quickly towards them.

Snape shoved Harry towards Minerva and Sirius. "Go. Take the boy and go. I'll deal with this."

"Oh, don't be stupid," Minerva snapped. "Move." They did as she said. Minerva whipped out her wand and aimed it at the figure now running towards them. "Stupefy," she whispered.

The figure fell face first onto the pavement. In falling, his hood fell back, and even at this distance they could clearly see-

"It's Goyle," Sirius said. "The elder."

"They won't have sent him out alone," Snape said.

Minerva nodded. "I know. Give me your arm."

"What-? No, you don't know what it will do-"

"It's time I found out. Now, Severus. I won't ask you again."

He pushed up his sleeve, baring the arm which bore the Phoenix Mark.

I am Dumbledore's chosen successor, she thought, steeling herself. I lead the Order. With a prayer on her lips she touched her index finger to the center of the mark.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked.

In that moment her concentration was broken, and she all but forgot the words whispering in her thoughts, the mantra that might have proven her an ally, not an enemy, of the Phoenix Mark.

She cried out and stumbled back, gasping for breath.

"Idiot boy!" Snape said. "See what you've done..." Shaking his head, he pressed his own finger to the mark, hard. "Hurry," he sent along the link that tied all members of the Order, that bound them as one.

Snape caught Minerva before she fell, Sirius took hold of Harry, and they cast the Apparating spell. As Privet Drive faded from sight, Snape saw dozens of figures in royal blue cloaks appearing from behind bushes and around corners, descending en masse upon the street, even as an equal number of figures in black appeared...

Then they were standing in the basement of The Three Broomsticks, where Moody, Ron, and Hermione were waiting.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Harry was saying over and over. "I didn't mean to hurt her, I didn't, I'm sorry-"

"Quiet," Snape told him.

Sirius gave the password, and only then did Ron and Hermione descend upon Harry.

"What happened?" Ron asked. "Harry? Harry!"

"Dumbledore's dead," Harry said in a dull voice. "And Professor McGonagall-"

The only thing keeping Minerva McGonagall on her feet was Snape, and after a moment of muttering into her ear, when she still didn't stir, he laid her carefully on the floor and knelt beside her.

"Stupid, reckless, fool bloody woman!" he said, none too quietly. "What were you thinking? There was no need for you to do that, one of us could have-"

"What did happen?" Hermione asked Sirius.

"You and Snape were right, Hermione. The spell was broken, and the Dursleys stalled us too long. She wanted- Dumbledore had left a letter, when Harry went to the Dursleys, and Minerva wanted it. By the time we got out of there- and I'm afraid I didn't help, stopping to tell them off and all- a Death Eater had shown up. Minerva stunned him, but it was only Goyle senior."

"Who they wouldn't have sent out on his own," Hermione sighed.

"More than likely," Moody said. "And let me guess. She-" He nodded to Minerva, "decided to try and use the Marks to call for help. Didn't work, did it?"

"It might have," Snape said in a scathing tone, "if Potter hadn't distracted her."

"But I didn't know!" Harry protested. "I'm sorry..."

Hermione, muttering angrily to herself, sat beside Minerva. "Professor," she said quietly, "I'm really, really sorry about this." And she slapped her- hard.

"Wait," Snape said, reaching for his wand. "Ennervate."

She did wake then, looking slightly bemused. "What-?"

"I told you," Snape said quietly, "that was a foolish risk."

"I almost had it," she shot back. "Which one of you slapped me?"

"Guilty, Professor," said Hermione. "I'm sorry. I thought-" She shook her head, looking embarrassed. "I'm sorry."

"Never mind it," Minerva said, sitting up slowly. "Harry, have a seat. We need to talk." With Snape's help she climbed unsteadily to her feet, and went seeking her own chair.

"I'm sorry I distracted you," Harry said, shifting uncomfortably in his chair.

"That's not important right now, Mister Potter," Minerva said.

"My aunt and uncle- they're horrid people, but I don't want anything to-"

"They'll be fine," Sirius said. "Did you see those people in blue, just before we left? Those are Aurors, members of the Order of the Phoenix. They'll take care of things."

"But why did they-?"

"If you'll hold off on your questions for a moment or two," Minerva said, "I believe I will be able to answer most of them for you. I think it is time you knew everything that we know, everything that has been kept from you. These secrets were kept for your own protection; things you did not know, you could be in no danger of accidentally revealing, and they are important things...

"Albus wanted to be the one to tell you this, when the time came," Minerva went on, "but with his death, that is not possible, and the task falls to me, to us. Severus." She held out her hand, and he pulled the letter from his coat and gave it to her.

"The seal's never been broken," Sirius said. "Dursley lied, he never read it."

"No, he read it," Minerva said. "Look here. The seal's been removed, probably with a hot knife, and then put back."

"But why?" asked Harry.

"I think that there were things in here your uncle didn't want to face, things he did not know how to face," Minerva said. She looked at the seal- a phoenix in flight, in shimmering gold wax. "This was Dumbledore's personal seal, and he rarely used it. For most things the Hogwarts crest would do."

"I know you said not to ask questions," Harry began hesitantly.

"But?" she asked.

"Do you know what's in there?"

Minerva sighed. "I probably know more of it than anyone in this room- possibly more than anyone now living. But that isn't much. Dumbledore told me a few things, and there are others which I have guessed and strongly suspect are true, but that is all."

She broke the seal.