Minerva McGonagall's office, January 1976 - Sirius Black

As the winter break drew to a close, she sat at her desk and closed her eyes. When she wasn't brooding on all the disappointing things in her life, such as two failed relationships and near marriages and a terribly strained relationship with her parents, she was doing her absolute best to keep her unruly Gryffindors from running amok of the castle.

And that damn Sirius Black...she just knew, before he had even properly sat on the stool to be sorted, that he was going to be an absolute thorn in her side.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, took a long, soothing sip of her tea and tried to stave off the oncoming, almost inevitable migraine that came with thinking of Sirius Black.

Speaking of Black, she kept a watchful eye on the fireplace within her office. He was one of the sixth years set to arrive back from the break via the Floo network, although why Walburga Black wasn't insistent that he wasn't allowed to take the train with everyone else was beyond her.

Minerva returned to her tiresome seventh year lesson planning, looking up every so often. An hour had passed before an average-height, dark-haired boy appeared in her fireplace, surrounded by a flurry of green flames.

"Black, top of the morning," She said, barely looking up from her work.

"And the rest of the day to yourself, Professor," said Sirius bleakly, struggling as he dragged his trunk behind him. He appeared to be in a hurry, perhaps to get back to Gryffindor Tower. But the Hogwarts Express hadn't even gotten back yet, so his friends were unlikely to be back yet.

"Come here."

He stopped in his tracks, keeping his eyes fixed on the floor, "I really should - "

She gestured sternly with her index finger, indicating that her statement had not been a question or an option. Sirius inched across the floor until he was standing on the other side of her desk.

"How was your break?" Minerva asked calmly, sensing that the boy expected to be in trouble. She couldn't blame him for his skepticism; any other time he was on the other side of her desk, it would have been because his name came across her desk for being involved in some foolishness or the other.

Without looking up, he said, "Fine, I'm just tired - and I expect James is waiting for me - "

"The Hogwarts Express isn't back yet," interrupted Minerva swiftly, "So I'm afraid you'll only find the students that spent their break here in Gryffindor Tower." She examined him thoughtfully, taking note of the fact that his hood was still pulled tightly over his head, she said, "Have a seat," She said, indignant and leaving no room for argument.

As he took the seat across from her, she leaned forward against her desk and rested her chin in the palm of her hand, "Black," She called as gently as she could, "Please remove your hood for me."

He stood up so quickly that his chair nearly toppled over, "I don't have time for this."

Minerva's eyebrows shot up, but she decided to let him have that one. "Sit down," She all but hissed at him, "And remove your hood."

His mouth curled into a scowl, but he obeyed, "I fell," The sixteen year old began to explain before she even had a chance to respond to the cuts and bruises on his face.

"I'm as inclined to believe that as much I believe that you belong in Slytherin House, which is, to say, not one bit," She said fondly, sighing deeply as she took in the sight of his injuries, "How did this happen? And the truth this time."

He visibly hesitated, "You have to promise you won't tell anyone," pleaded Sirius, "If you tell anyone, I swear I won't come back to Hogwarts."

"I will keep it as confidential as I can, bearing in mind that you are a minor."

And so she listened and listened, without interrupting. Apparently, Orion Black had a penchant for hitting, hexing and cursing things when he became upset...namely his sons, but more so Sirius because it had been so disgraceful for his oldest son, who came from a long lineage of pure-blooded Slytherins, to be sorted into the House of Gryffindor.

"And this has been going on since your first year?" She asked.

He nodded, refusing to meet her eyes, "It's my fault."

"And how might that be?"

His round, still slightly childish face tightened. "I get on his nerves, I test him, I disappoint him, I was sorted into Gryffindor, I might as well have been born a squib - "

"You," Minerva said, with all the authority of her thirty-six years, "are a child. I know you believe otherwise, but Ori - your father has absolutely no business taking his anger and frustration out on you." She paused, knowing that what she said next would not go over well, "I'm required to report this."

"NO!" Admittedly, she was startled at the outburst but not offended. Students rarely, if ever, raised their voice at her and he immediately looked apologetic, "Professor McGonagall, you can't tell anyone," Sirius insisted, a bit of shakiness to his voice. "If you talk to the Ministry, my father will almost certainly find out."

She closed her eyes, just as she had before when she was alone in her office. He had a point. "I will speak with Professor Dumbledore first," McGonagall said, hoping that was a sufficient compromise because, honestly, that was the best alternative she could provide in this situation. "And we will determine how to move forward."

He looked at her skeptically.

"You have my word that I will not speak to the Ministry until I've spoken with Professor Dumbledore," She repeated solemnly, standing up. She desperately wanted to send him to Madam Pomfrey, but it was a miracle that he had not taken any issue with her bringing this to Dumbledore's attention.

He nodded slowly, taking in her promise, "Okay," was the simple response.

"Now," McGonagall said, picking up her wand, "Hold still. I am not going to hurt you. I'm no Madam Pomfrey, but we have to do something about those cuts or they'll become infected," She said reassuringly, but also a little hurt when he winced as she waved her wand slowly across his face.

She could see his face twitch in pain, whether it was the sting of the spell binding the open cuts or the anticipation of a greater pain, which he was probably used to, she didn't know.

Stepping back, she managed a small smile, "I will let you know when I've spoken to the Headmaster. For right now, I think it would be best if you returned to your dorm and got some rest," She advised, trying to maintain her composure.

When Sirius Black walked out of her office, head still hung uncharacteristically low, she sat behind her desk, took a moment to breathe and thought of what exactly she would say to Albus.

"That old toerag Orion Black does not deserve to be a father."

Albus Dumbledore stood against his desk, hand stuffed in the pockets of his grey trousers, "Hello to you, too, Minerva," said her senior, "Yes, I'm aware of Orion's disdain of Sirius. He made it alarmingly clear when he demanded that Sirius be resorted all those years ago."

She smacked her forehead impatiently, "Albus, I'm not talking about merely resenting his son! He is using Sirius Black as target practice!" McGonagall nearly screeched. "Walked right out of my fireplace with fresh scars and bruises!"

Albus simply looked at her, with his typical curious expression. "What did you tell him?"

"I told him that I would speak to you."

He blinked blankly at her, "Surely you also told him that we are required to report this to the Ministry of Magic?"

"I did," She said, lowering herself to the navy blue sofa in his office, "But you know as well as I do that we are putting him in even more danger by involving the Ministry. The Black family is very well-connected."

Albus rubbed his dark beard, "Yes, I do," He said, sighing, "But I have a contact at the Ministry that I trust…" He trailed off as he reached for a bit of parchment and his quill.

She watched him intently. "Well?"

"I can't say just yet," said Albus, "But what I can tell you is that Sirius Black won't be going back to Grimmauld Place, I will make sure of that. You are going to have to trust me on this one."

Minerva huffed, "Very well then," She said, "But you will update me as soon as you have more information?"

"You'll know more as soon as I do." With that, she left his office and in his typical messy scrawl, he started to address his letter to Fleamont Potter.

A/N: Initially I thought Charlus Potter was James' father, but it turns out that his father's name is Fleamont! Let me know what you think.