Don't Look Back In Anger (Completed)

Chapter 2: Spirit Rover

Albus was just holding the dram of whisky Minerva had given him earlier, he was still too shocked to drink it. "How could I have been so wrong... The Dursleys were delighted to hear Harry had been arrested, and ready to start celebrating when I told them their own nephew wouldn't be back."

"At least they're going to move from Privet Drive..."

"Oh they can't wait to do that. They claimed it was my fault they were still living there, but those wards could have easily been transferred to a new property. Harry just needed his family staying in their home to anchor the wards, that home didn't have to be in Privet Drive."

Minerva felt she was stating the obvious here but it had to be done. "Albus, did you ever take the time to explain that to the Dursleys?"

Both already knew the answer to that question. Albus now sipped his malt whiskey as his thoughts wandered. "More and more, Miss Granger's angry words are coming back to haunt me. I'm reminded of a phrase I once heard as a young wizard, 'the road to hell is paved with good intentions'. I have the best of intentions, Minerva, but either fail to follow through or get it totally wrong in the first place. I certainly have failed Harry, and Miss Granger too."

"What can we do, Albus?"

"At the moment, very little. Please keep a close eye on Miss Granger, it's easy to see she still blames herself for what happened to her best friend. She'll need support to get through her final days with us."

-oOoOo-

It was easy for Minerva to see how accurate Albus' prediction proved to be when Hermione arrived in her office a couple of days later. The young witch appeared as if she had the weight of the entire world on her shoulders.

"Professor, I have my completed and signed transfer form here. Hedwig returned with it this morning, along with a letter from Remus. A certain big black dog was set to charge the ministry and personally rip Fudge's throat out. Is there any more news?"

Taking the form from the young witch, Minerva had no comfort to offer. "I'm sorry, Miss Granger, there isn't a peep escaping the ministry about Harry. I'm also sorry to see you leave Hogwarts..."

"Professor McGonagall, the worst terrorist this country has known in the last fifty years just returned from the dead, and the head of the government threw a fourteen year old wizard in prison to cover that fact up. What choice do I have?"

Hermione needed a couple of deep breaths to steady herself before she could continue. "My parents are muggles, I need to get them out of the country before the killing starts. Malfoy is well aware of who I am, and my relationship with Harry, they'll eventually be coming for me and my family. Neither you nor the magical government can protect us, the government won't even acknowledge there's an actual problem in the first place. What am I supposed to do?"

Minerva was finding that, once again, she had no answers for one of the best young students she had ever taught. That this student was also one of her Gryffindor cubs just made the pain of having no answers to give all the more acute. "I shall personally hand your school records to Madame Maxime, and I promise to let you know if I hear any news about Mr Potter."

"Thank you, Professor. I'm sorry it had to come to this too, I just don't see any other alternatives. Voldemort will be getting organised, while Fudge buries his head in the sand. I've read his death eaters went after the muggle borns during the last war, I need to protect my parents. My mum and dad wouldn't hurt a fly yet these death eaters would torture and kill them, simply because I'm their daughter. I can't allow that to happen. The headmaster was right to say what he did, I just wonder how many people really listened."