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fourteen | hogwarts

~no pov

Harry woke up to something absolutely fucking terrifying. 

There we six people standing in the same room as him. With his glasses off, they were six, terrifying strangers. With his glasses on, they were..

Teachers?

Old-school "professors."

What were McGonagall, Dumbledore, Lupin, Hagrid, Snape and some mysterious other guy doing here? And why did he look kinda homeless? Was he living here? 

"Mr Potter." Professor McGonagall began when she realised Harry was awake. "Are you alright?" 

She was Harry's favourite teacher, along with Lupin and Hagrid. McGonagall was his English teacher, and a damn good one at that. She was Head of Gryffindor, but not his head of year. Miss Harlow was, and she hated him.

Lupin was his history teacher, and he somehow made history enjoyable. Harry used the orphan excuse to force Dumbledore into letting him have Lupin teach him GCSE History, same with Hagrid and McGonagall.

Hagrid did PSHE and REP, two subjects that you have to do all through secondary school, so for three out of five years, Harry got Hagrid.

What was best, was that two of them taught Harry's parents and one of them was close with Harry's parents. In fact, he was in his parent's school year.

The other guy was his headteacher, who was fond of Harry but Harry was not fond of him. And then there was Snape, and there was nothing needed to be said about Snape.

And the homeless-looking guy. Who Remus was blushing around?

i knew u were a fag like me.

"Mr Potter?" McGonagall repeated.

"'Arry?" Hagrid walked closer to Harry, snapping him back into reality and backed himself into a wall. "Are you a'right?"

Harry realised it was only Hagrid, and stood up. "I'm fine. Why are you guys here? Did you know I was here? How did you get in?"

"The door was unlocked, Potter." Snape drawled. "You should be more careful. Especially in an unknown area."

"As for finding you, we had a talk with Severus, here, after finding out you skipped school and did not come home." Dumbledore explained.

"How- how did you, erm, know I never went home?" is vernon mad? did he snake on me?

"Your uncle called. Said you'd not been seen and asked if you were in school. We checked, found out you had a detention, told him about it and noticed you didn't show at all." McGonagall explained.

"But you won't be in any trouble. We all know how important yesterday was." Lupin interrupted. He sounded like he was trying to convince everyone.

"Indeed, Mr Potter. Now would you like one of us to take you home or?" the Scottish woman offered.

"Can you?" Harry asked. He was untrustworthy of men, no matter who. And after the ride home from the hospital, he didn't want to be in a car with any man. 

That's why he let Hermione pick him up with her mum everyday for school. She said she didn't mind. She never does. 

And she lived close enough.

Lupin gave Harry a strange look, but it was brushed off.

"You know, Lily was one of my brightest students at Hogwarts." McGonagall began as she walked out of the cottage. "Rarely ever got into trouble. Your father, however... Mischievous one, he was. But a good person nonetheless."

"Can you tell me more about them?" Harry asked. "Please?"

"Of course. We have an entire hour drive for that."

Over the course of the ride, Harry found out that his father pined over his mother for years. Always thought of her as the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. 

Minerva told him Lily was always so confident and happy with herself. Sometimes, she had bad days, but even then she was a happy-seeming person. 

Harry wondered if his parents would be proud of the person he was.

He wanted validation, and he wanted to ask. But he was afraid. Because what if he wasn't given an answer that would provide him with the confidence he needed.

"You're quite like your mother, despite having James' looks." McGonagall stated, turning right into the school neighbourhood. "Smart and defensive. I heard you're taking self-defence classes with Remus. I mean, Lupin."

"I'm told I'm a lot like my dad." 

"Oh you are." She laughed. "He was always so heroic, like he had this hero complex that got him in trouble often. And loyal. He would do anything for his friends. And family."

i'm not heroic. i'm a coward.

"When the crash happened, after analysing the video, I noticed how he tried to protect Lily, whilst she tried to protect you." McGonagall smiled at the younger Potter. "Lily was an amazing mother. I will never forget watching her cover you."

"Do you think she would, erm, would they both," come on, harry, just say it. "Would they be proud of me?"

"Oh, Harry." She smiled sadly. "Of course they would. You're independent, resilient and brave. And so strong. Of course they would."

"Be safe, be strong."

Harry felt his eyes water, so he looked out of the window trying to blink them away. Minerva knew how rough of a topic this must be. She couldn't imagine growing up the way Harry did. 

And she always had some doubts about the Dursleys, and often visited the house. But she could never find the courage to go in and check up on the boy.

"Harry?"

"Yes, professor?"

"Oh, no need to call me professor right now. We aren't in school. Call me Minnie." 

Harry hesitated. This felt unprofessional and quite frankly weird. But he did so anyway. "Minnie? Oh that sounds strange. Do you think they're in heaven? Do you think I'll see them again some day?"

She honestly felt her heart break. No child should have to ask that. Everything Harry asked just made her want to cry. 

"Of course they're in heaven. And they're watching over you." She reassured. "Of course you'll see them again. I see them in you. In your eyes, I see Lily. Everything else just screams James, and in your heart, I see Lily too."

"Thank you, professor." 

"It's nothing, Harry." Minerva smiled. "We're here. Privet Drive, yes?"

"Yeah." Harry replied.

im not going back. not yet.