Harry Potter and the Stitch in Time

Chapter 19

Professor McGonagall was surprised on Saturday afternoon when there was a firm knock on her office door. "Come in" she called curtly, readying herself to give whatever student it was a lecturer about the difference between knocking on a door and trying to knock one down. However, when it opened, instead of a student there were two red-robed Aurors standing there with grim expressions, who walked in and closed the door behind them. The Scotswomen had taught both of them so she knew who they were immediately. "Shacklebolt, Tonks? What has happened?" Images of a seriously injured Gryffindor student started to come to her mind.

Seeing the conclusion that Professor McGonagall had jumped to, Shacklebolt held up a hand and said. "It's nothing like that, Professor McGonagall. However, due to an irregularity, we have found we need you to come with us to the D.M.L.E. to answer some questions." That shocked the professor, but when she tried to object she was informed that she was going to the D.M.L.E. and that she didn't have any say in the matter. They did, however, Floo from her office to the D.M.L.E. so none of the students saw their professor being walked out of the castle by Aurors.

In the D.M.L.E. she was shown to an interview/interrogation room, and after confirming her identity and some paperwork it was time for the questions to begin. First Auror Tonks read the Scottish witch her rights. "Minerva McGonagall, you are being interviewed under suspicion of attempted murder of a minor. You do not have to say anything, and you may not be magically compelled to answer any questions. You may, however, volunteer to take Veritaserum or offer an Unbreakable Vow of truth if you wish. It may also harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on before the Wizengamot."

McGonagall was shocked again. "Attempted murder of a minor, what the hell are you talking about?" She demanded.

Shacklebolt took the lead again. "We have found evidence that you may have been the one who put Harry Potter's name into the Goblet of Fire. Can you tell us your point of view from the arrival of the other schools up until the Goblet of Fire made its decision?"

The Scots witch was shocked again, how could they suspect her of putting Mr Potter's name into the Goblet of Fire? She explained how after the arrival of the foreign students, she was busy shepherding her House students around, getting them back into the Great Hall for the feast. After the feast there was more shepherding of students, getting her Gryffindor prefects to shuffle the lower years back up to their common room, before returning to her office. "There was no point watching the Gryffindors; they would be up half the night with their excitement. Especially after Karkaroff brought that famous seeker of his. It's better to let them burn the excess excitement from their system in one night rather than wasting time trying to calm them over the next week. So I went back to my rooms and poured myself a scotch - it wasn't my night to patrol so I was off duty - and did some homework marking I had left to do, as I lost the time I would normally have done it on that day. I went to bed around ten after telling a portrait to watch for any emergencies in the Gryffindor common room." She then expanded her next day, mentioning where she was and who would have seen her there, right up until the start of the Halloween feast. She never once said anything that could be considered even attempting to put Harry's name in the Goblet of Fire. "Right, now I have told you what I was doing. I want to know what evidence you think you have that you dragged me in here like a common sneck-drawer" (sneak thief), as she slipped into Scots at the end in her frustration and anger.

Shacklebolt pulled out a clear plastic document holder from his pocket and slid it across the table. For the most part, the magical world didn't use muggle things like this, but the DMLE liked having this to protect evidence while still being able to read it. "Can you identify this document, professor?" He asked.

McGonagall picked it up and had a look. "It's an essay on animate to inanimate Transfiguration, one I gave to my fourth year students in late September to early October in preparation for turning live animals into objects. It's not signed, but by the look of the handwriting it's Mr. Potter's essay."