Professor Minerva McGonagall winced as she rubbed her wrist and palm muscles. No matter how many times she did this, her wrist always complained. Signing yet another letter to a new student for the upcoming new school year, Minerva placed her quill in the ink pot and sighed. Every year she told herself that she’d buy a self writing quill for this job, and every year she convinced herself that it was somehow better to do it by hand. It was a bit sentimental, she knew, but sometimes sentimentality won out over logic or reason. 

After she rubbed some of the ointment that Poppy had given her after the last time she complained about the pain, Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts froze as she read the name of the next letter. Hailey Potter. She frowned as she considered the implications of this. Surely it was some other Potter, right? It’s not as if it was a unique name or anything. Minerva quickly flicked through the rest of the letters that she hadn’t gotten to yet, searching for the Potter that she knew would be in there. 

Minerva’s frown became severe as she failed to find the letter addressed to Harry Potter, the boy who lived. Who was Hailey Potter, and why was their name on the letter, instead of Harry? He was supposed to be starting school in the new school year. Stretching, Minerva looked at the time as the golden light of the morning shone on her face. It was just coming up eleven in the morning, leaving her with plenty of time to investigate this mystery. 

She briefly considered mentioning it to Albus, before dismissing the idea. Even if this was a strategy of his, there was a fairly low chance that he’d tell her much, if anything about it. He would’ve told her by now if he was going to. After working with the man for so long, Minerva had eventually realised that he wasn’t quite as great or intelligent as he would like everyone to believe. 

Throwing on the robes she wore whenever she greeted a muggleborn and their family, Minerva quickly strolled out of her office, her office door closing automatically on its own. 

“Ahh, Minerva. Just the person I wanted to see. Do you have a minute?”

Poppy Pomfrey, the head nurse of Hogwarts rushed up to walk beside her. Minerva could very easily guess what it was that Poppy wanted to ask her. It was a well known secret among the staff that Poppy and Rolanda Hooch were dating. Minerva had never understood people being attracted to someone else, she saw it all the time with her students and adults around her, it had just never seemed to interest her. She’d always said that maybe she had just never found that special someone, but that someone never showed and eventually she realised that romance, or even, dare she say it, sex, was not on the table for her. It was just something that didn’t interest her. Not like transfiguration did at any rate. 

“If this is about the school governors voting to let you and Rolanda share a room as more than friends, I am afraid to say that they voted against it. I’m sorry, Poppy.” She placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder as she slumped at the bad news. “I know you and your friend were hoping for something better than that,” she finished, laying the sarcasm on thick. Several of the governors had had the gall to speak like that. Foolish old men. She might not understand romantic love, but Minerva didn’t understand why they’d refuse love that wasn’t harming anyone. 

Poppy nodded sadly, sighing. “It’s about what we feared, to be honest. At least we get the holidays together,” she blushed and whispered, “and stolen moments in between.”

Minerva stopped, looking Poppy in the eye. “I’m sorry, if Dumbledore would involve himself, I’m sure we could clear it up. But for whatever reason, he continues to stay out of it. He keeps telling me he has other more important things to do.” Minerva took a deep breath. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have ranted like that. I have an urgent errand that I have to take care of. I’ll see you and Rolanda tonight for drinks. I’ll open up my liquor cabinet and we’ll share a drink of some of my finest.”

With a small smile on her face, Poppy agreed for drinks with her girlfriend that night. She smiled at herself as she left the castle, no one could resist a taste of Minerva’s finest. 

⚡

A quiet pop preceded Minerva’s appearance in front of Hailey Potter’s current residence. Thankfully there were no muggles about, although Minerva noticed there was an anti-muggle charm in place around the spot that she had apparated to. Minerva nodded approvingly, so many mages didn’t bother putting a muggle free apparation area for guests, she had heard many complaints from former students who work in the ministry about that very issue. 

Adjusting her wide brimmed hat, and making sure that she was still presentable after apparating, Minerva started for the front door. Before she could knock, the door flew open with a bang against its stop. A girl who looked like she’d rolled around inside of a rainbow stood in the doorway, looking surprised to see her. 

“Professor McGonagall? What’re you doing here?”

Minerva’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Dora? I didn’t realise that this was your house…” she cleared her throat. “Do you have a… Hailey Potter living here, with you now?”

Dora hesitated momentarily, enough for Minerva to notice and find curious. She had found that Dora, while a troublemaker, was generally a hard working student, as to be expected of a Hufflepuff really, if one put any stock into how the houses were divided. So she was interested in why Dora would be cautious now. 

“Hey, Mum! You better come out here. Professor McGonagall is at the door.” 

Minerva heard a noise that sounded like a seat being hastily pushed back followed by quick footsteps. 

Andromeda Tonks appeared behind her daughter, slightly out of breath. “McGonagall! I didn’t expect to see you.” She sighed and rubbed her face. “Although I probably should have…” she trailed off. 

“Oh? And why is that? Is it because of this Hailey Potter?”

Wincing, Andromeda gestured for her to come in, stepping aside while dragging Dora with her. “Why don’t you come in and have a seat? We can clear this all up.”

Minerva gave the Tonks women a brief nod and stepped inside their house. She’d had no reason or opportunity to come here before. She glanced around, noticing it had that lived in feel that homes that held families usually had, unlike her own place. Following Andromeda through the hallway, Minerva noted a door ajar, leading into a room that was surprisingly tidy, considering the fact that the clothes she saw were sized for a child. A well read child, if the various books laying around were any indication. 

In all of her time as a teacher then deputy headmistress, Minerva had learnt that sometimes silence got you better answers than asking questions did, and so she remained silent as her hosts led her into the lounge room. Taking a seat offered, Minerva relaxed as Dora got her an apple juice, after all, she was still in her official capacity as Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts. 

They sat in silence for a moment, Minerva silently sipping her drink before Andromeda spoke up, “I would imagine that you are here to meet Hailey Potter, is that correct?” 

Minerva hummed, “Mm-hmm,” while nodding. 

With a sigh, Andromeda glanced at Dora. “Would you please go and get Hailey? I believe she’s out in the backyard.”

Dora quickly walked out of the room with a short nod. Minerva turned back to Andromeda as she started to talk. “Several weeks ago, the DMLE received a tip-off about a mistreatment of a child.” Andromeda paused to take a sip of her own drink before continuing. “I’m sure that you’re wondering why magical law enforcement would be receiving a tip-off like that.”

Minerva had definitely wondered, but decided to just nod without interrupting her old student. 

“Normally they wouldn’t, but this is a special case, as it involved Harry Potter.”

If she hadn’t already been, Minerva would have been paying a great deal of attention just now. 

Andromeda continued, “A muggle family had contacted the police and the name of the child was, of course, Harry Potter.”

Professor McGonagall’s former pupil went on to explain everything that had transpired since then, or almost everything. Minerva could tell that she was holding something back, but decided to not push her on that just yet. So, somehow Harry Potter was actually Hailey Potter. This concept of being the wrong gender from birth was a fascinating one for Minerva. I wonder if transfiguration could help somehow? All she’d have to do was get around all of the pesky issues of permanent human transfiguration and it probably could. 

There was a racket behind Minerva. She turned, noticing a young girl, no more than eleven years old walking slowly, cautiously into the room. She was carrying a beautiful wand, which was surprisingly long. It was a dark red colour, with the pinkish red of a different wood type in a spiral shape running its length.

Her curly black hair was shoulder length and messy, just like her father and her eyes were a most vivid green colour, reminding Minerva so much of Lily Potter that it was almost like a physical blow in her diaphragm that she got to see them again. She noticed that the girl had a light sprinkling of freckles over her cheeks. She was an incredibly adorable child, except for the angry looking lightning bolt shaped scar on her forehead. There was something about her that Minerva couldn’t quite place, it was difficult to pinpoint what though. 

Andromeda interrupted the pair inspecting each other with a clearing of her throat. “Minerva, this is Lady Hailey Jasmine Potter, daughter of Lily and James Potter, The Girl Who Lived.”

Hailey’s mouth formed a small pout at the title, but didn’t interrupt. 

“Hailey, this is Professor Minerva Agnes McGonagall, head of Gryffindor house, deputy headmistress of Hogwarts, and in a few months time, your transfiguration teacher.”

Minerva idly wondered why Andromeda had decided to introduce her by her full name, but didn’t think anymore of it, the young girl’s eyes widened as Andromeda introduced Minerva. Hailey smiled a brilliant smile at her, reminding her yet again of Lily Potter. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Professor! I look forward to learning transfiguration with you. Andi forbade me to teach myself, it sounds fascinating.” 

Minerva struggled not to laugh as the young girl tried to sound so grown up, she did a decent job, until she pouted at the end. “Quite right, Lady Potter. Transfiguration is advanced magic, very dangerous in the hands of anyone, let alone a novice teaching themselves. Did - Andi? Not explain that you aren’t supposed to be doing underage magic outside of Hogwarts young lady?”

The young witch winced, pouting further. “I only do a little bit, I swear!” 

Andromeda sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “You aren’t even supposed to be doing a little bit, Hailey. You can get into trouble, you could get Ted and I into trouble.”

Hailey had a horror filled guilty look on her face and she flinched like Andromeda had struck her. Tears immediately sparkled in her eyes as she looked down at her feet. Andromeda stood up and slowly approached Hailey, like she was a wounded kitten. Just how terrible had her family been to her?

“It’s okay, Hailey. I know you didn’t mean any harm. Just, please, show some restraint, okay?”

Minerva could hear Hailey’s sobs as she hugged Andromeda. “I’m sorry. I just figured it was okay since the trace thing you told me about failed on me.”

Andromeda frowned as she looked down at the young witch she was comforting. “What do you mean, it failed on you?”

“I was so excited to be holding my new wand, that when I got home I pretended to do a simple levitating charm like in one of my books… and accidentally did it. I panicked when I felt magic begin to form on me, attempting to discover who I was but it failed. I, err, ate it,” she all but whispered the last part of her explanation. Minerva wasn’t sure if Hailey had meant to do that deliberately to keep her hearing or if she was just feeling self conscious about it. It didn’t matter in the end, Minerva’s enhanced hearing from her animagus form meant that she had heard it loud and clear. 

Frowning now herself, Minerva was curious about how Hailey ‘ate’ the trace that tracked all underage magic use in children. Clearly, Andromeda had left out more than she had guessed. As she sipped her apple juice, she realised that she had already spent too long there, Albus might notice if she is gone for too long. 

She wasn’t about to let him know anything about Hailey Potter, he had already done enough damage to this child. Watching Hailey, Minerva suddenly realised what it was she hadn’t been able to pinpoint that was different about her, her ears were slightly pointed. Sadly, she still had to go soon, so for now, the mystery of Hailey Potter would have to wait.