The Boy Who Lived

Just Harry

The toddler inserted himself easily into the lives of those around him in Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. No mention was made of his surname and his scar was kept Glamoured; people seemed to assume he was simply Harry McGonagall. There had been a trend in calling newborns "Harry" since events in October 1981, so no one seemed particularly perturbed that this was another Harry, albeit, one of the identical age as James and Lily Potter's son.

Dumbledore had agreed that, until Harry was a little older, the boy could sit in the corner of Minerva's classroom as she taught her students. It caused a terrible distraction at first, especially amongst some of the older girls who wanted to coo over the young boy and have him on their knees and play with his rebellious curls. Harry was often happier just sitting in a playpen with some toys or cloth books or he would watch his Minnie intently as she taught the students Transfiguration, pretending he held a wand and mimicking the movements or trying to say the spells too.

In the afternoons, he would nap in a little cot beside Minerva's desk and those students who had their classes in the afternoon seemed to be surprisingly respectful of the young boy; despite the silencing charms around the boy's cot, the classes were always murmured and gentle and surprisingly productive.

Interestingly, as he got older, Harry seemed to bring the school together, perhaps because he didn't understand the divisions between the Houses, so he would spend time with any of the students who he wished to be with, inserting himself at any table he wanted during meals times. The students began to follow his lead and, for a time, the Houses were more accepting of each other, despite the ingrained competition, despite the war that had barely ended.

What surprised Minerva was how quickly the students accepted Harry into their ranks and how protective they were of the little boy. They might have spoilt him but purely because he was a charming and adorable young child. Interestingly, Harry shied away from those who wanted to mollycoddle him, he liked those who treated him like a young adult, those who taught him things and were patient and sharing with their time. He was particularly enamoured with the eldest Weasley boy who had just joined the school. Perhaps because Bill had younger siblings too, but he doted on little Harry and Minerva implicitly trusted the elder boy if Harry wanted to go off with Bill to watch him learn to fly or to his Care of Magical Creatures classes.

Minerva's biggest fear was that the Press would get wind of the arrival of Harry in Hogsmeade or at the school, partly because if news got out, it might bring vengeful Death-Eaters descending down upon them. But it seemed they were to be left alone. Rumour had reached the Daily Prophet that Dumbledore had placed Harry Potter with Muggle relatives under heavy Wards for safeguarding and that was that. The matter was not pursued. Partly because no one knew what the child looked like beyond possessing a lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead.

Harry seemed blissfully oblivious to the fact that Minerva cast a Glamour on him each morning or that his surname was never used, but he was only seventeen-months-old when this started. He was simply just Harry.

The first time Harry called Minerva 'mummy', it caught her completely off guard.

It was barely six months after she taken him in and they were sitting in her little garden watching butterflies flitting between the colourful dots of flowers in the warm sunshine.

He turned to her and solemnly said, 'Mummy Minnie, I love you and when I grow up, I want to marry you because I think you're the cleverest witch in the world.'

He watched her for a while and then asked, 'why are you crying?'

She hadn't meant to cry but she couldn't help herself. This sweet wonderful boy who had been through so much had the most precious heart of gold. 'I'm afraid you can't marry me, Harry,' she said softly.