Author's Note: Professor McGonagall is one of my favorite characters and so I decided I'd try my hand at writing a longer fanfiction about her journey through adulthood. My plan is to go through her final year at Hogwarts on to when she meets her first love, Dougal, and continue on. I don't want to spoil too much if you haven't read her profile that J.K. Rowling posted on Pottermore, but if you want the official info, definitely go there!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, who belong to J.K. Rowling.

Chapter One: "Caithness"

Minerva McGonagall stood atop her favorite cliff in the Scottish Highlands, facing the sea and bracing herself against the strong gusts of wind, for once allowing her long black hair to fan out behind her. She stood with her eyes closed and arms hovering away from her body, palms inclined upwards, soaking in every second of the sun's brief appearance.

Today, she would leave her home in Caithness to complete her final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Rather than simply leaving home, however, Minerva felt that she was leaving home to go home. While she loved her parents and younger brothers dearly, she also loved her freedom at Hogwarts—the freedom to excel and realize her full magical potential. And excel she had by achieving top marks on her O.W.L.s, actively participating in the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and serving as a prefect since her fifth year. This year, she gained the additional honor of being named Head Girl, a title she was justly proud of, and was eager to prove her worth—as much to herself as to anyone else.

As the oldest of three, Minerva had always felt that she needed to assume a more responsible role in the family. Her parents had been childhood sweethearts and eloped when they were very young. Her father, a Muggle, became a Presbyterian minister and brought Isobel to the tiny town of Caithness.

Although they still loved each other, Minerva grew up very aware of the stress and tension in their marriage. Her mother, Isobel, was an extremely talented witch—Minerva came by her talent honestly—but had not told her husband, Robert, of her true identity until after Minerva was born, for fear that Robert would discover Minerva doing magic and not know what to make of it.

Even though Robert's love for Isobel never diminished, the trust between the couple took a considerable toll. Moreover, Caithness did not provide Isobel much in the way of stimulation, which the gifted witch required and she often felt depressed and lonely by being so cut off from the magical world. Minerva felt the tension between her parents acutely.

When her younger brother, Malcolm, was born, Minerva did all she could to shelter Malcolm, and later Robert, Jr., from that tension. She helped Isobel teach the boys to learn to hide their magical abilities from the tight-laced Muggle community. However, the boys, only a year apart in age, quickly adapted to this repression and achieved all sorts of non-magical mischief.

At Hogwarts, Minerva was free. She felt guilty for feeling relief at leaving her parents, but it she truly felt that way, when she actually allowed herself to admit her feelings.

"Oi, Minnie!" a familiar voice rang out, breaking her reverie. "I've been looking all over for you! Ma's been getting antsy. She wants us to be in London before lunch so we can get all our shopping in."

Smiling, Minerva turned around to see her youngest brother, Robert, or Rabbie as they often called him at home, approaching. All of the McGonagall children had abandoned their childhood nicknames when they arrived at Hogwarts. For Minerva, it was a chance to start fresh and reinvent herself in a new environment.

"Sorry for making Ma stress, Rabbie," she replied, "I must have lost track of time."

She walked over to where stood and, together, they trotted back down the path to the manse, which the parish had supplied to her father years ago.

The manse was a warzone. The root of the chaos derived mostly from Isobel, who wanted to micromanage everything. Because she felt so cut off from the wizarding world the rest of the year, she was perhaps more enthusiastic than her offspring about heading to Kings Cross Station.

It became such a to-do over the years, that the family, excepting Robert, Sr. who could never escape the duties of his congregation, made a trip out of it every year and traveled to London to stay the night before the train's departure.

"Minnie! Rabbie! There you are!" Isobel shouted over her shoulder. She seemed to be repacking Malcolm's trunk, while he stood there watching with a look of apprehension on his face.

"Maaaa," he complained. "You're ruining my whole system! How am I going to find anything now?" At that, he shot a meaningful look at Rabbie and added in a lowered voice, "I had all my supplies for our welcome back prank organized." Rabbie rolled his eyes, but shrugged his shoulders in a "not much I do for you" kind of way.

Isobel, after waving her wand one last time, turned her attentions to Minerva. "Minnie! Your hair looks like you've been wrestling bears. Go do something with it. We cannot have you out in public looking like a wild woman." As Minerva sighed and headed up the stairs, her mother called, "And put on something pretty! You always wear such drab clothing."

She reached her room and closed the door. Approaching her mirror, she quickly ran a brush through her hair and pulled it back into a bun.

Minerva never put much effort into appearances. She would much rather spend the time her time with other pursuits. She usually pulled her hair into a bun and called it a day. The other girls her age in the village loved to wear bright colored dresses with puffy sleeves and frilly bows. Minerva kept to earthier colors and practical styles. She knew, however, that today she would have to make more of an effort.

Moving over to her closet, she selected a blue dress that her mother had recently given her. It was too girly for Minerva's taste, but she knew it would make her mother happy. Isobel especially took an interest in Minerva and her success at Hogwarts. Minerva felt that her mother lived vicariously through her. Minerva wanted to please her mother, but she often felt pressured by her mother's wants rather than her own.

She heard a rustling noise from her bed and looked to find her tabby cat, Fergus, stretching. Fergus was technically the family cat, but Minerva had always been his favorite and went with her to Hogwarts ever since her first year. No one had made a conscious decision to have Minerva take him, he had simply followed Minerva that day, mewing plaintively, clearly wanting to accompany her.

"Well, Fergus, it's our last year at Hogwarts," she said to the cat, who turned his head to look at her, perking an ear. "Ready to go?"

Fergus stared at her for a moment and then hopped on to her trunk, making biscuits with his paws on the lid. Minerva chuckled to herself. "Guess that answers my question." She scooped Fergus up in her arms and, with a twitch of her wand, walked out of her room with her trunk floating along behind her.

Author's Note: I know this wasn't the most exciting chapter ever, but it should pick up in the following chapters. Also, I know that I'm no expert on Scotland and Scottish expressions, so if you notice anything wonky, let me know. I love reviews and feedback! Don't hold back on any constructive criticism you may have either. Thanks!