So i wasnt going to post this up, i know i need to finish Dueller's Legacy but i've got a whole warren of plot bunnies going on here apparently.

Anyway this is a HGMM fic. I own nothing.

Reviews please.

Every weekend, for the last 10 an a half months, Minerva McGonagall found herself at the London Zoo. More specifically she always returned to the one exhibit. Tiger Territory. She couldn't explain way, but since Hermione Granger went missing 11 months ago, only two months after the fall of Voldemort, Minerva hadn't been able to stay away. While Hermione's friends were out scouring Europe to find her Minerva was visiting a zoo of all things.

It frustrated the Scot to no end that she felt compelled to return again and again but it was only time she felt content. The stress seemed to melt away and the weeks worries no longer matter. Minerva could focus better when she was looking through at all the tigers. This week though, something was different about the enclosures. The glass separating her from the creatures within was spotless as always and the habitat on the other side was pristine. The difference though, was the lack of tigers.

Where usually the animals were spread out through the jungle within, instead they were all gathered along a wall pacing anxiously. Frowning Minerva watched them closely until she finally saw what was upsetting the regal animals. Standing several yards from the group of anxious cats, glaring at them all like it was looking at food, was a large tiger. Minerva instantly knew this was a new addition to the enclosure, she had visited enough that she almost knew all the tigers names.

The menacing creature before her though, was larger than the others and surprisingly was mostly black. The orange coat hardly showed through the black stripes that seemed to bleed together over the tigers body. Around the tigers muzzle was the usual white markings along with the insides of the animals ears but where the legs would usually be white also they were instead dark grey, almost black. From the angle she was standing Minerva couldn't see the beasts eyes but she imagined they were quite menacing.

"She's new. She was found roaming the Forest of Dean after mauling some campers. Right unusual spot for a tiger to be roaming. She has since been here getting accustomed to the place. She attacks any of the keepers that go near her and terrifies the rest of the tigers but we were ordered to let her in with the others." A Zoo Keeper speaks up from beside Minerva.

"Do you have a name for her?" Minerva asks conversationally though her eyes don't stray from the glaring beast.

"We call her Rogue. I've never seen anything like it, she's Pseudo-Melanistic, which is why she is so black but... well tigers usually calm down after a few weeks. Rogue just gets angrier. There has been talk of putting her down." The Keeper explains sadly and finally Minerva turns to look at him.

"Is there not something else you could do?" Minerva frowns slightly for some reason put off by the thought of the animal being killed.

"Not really. Because she is so savage and we have been feeding her we have kind of buggered her for release. There is too higher chance she will stumble upon a village and become a man eater." The man sighs softly looking at the savage tiger now obviously snarling as one of the others gets bold and stalks towards her.

"What is Java doing?" Minerva was suddenly concerned when Rogues ears lay back.

"I don't know. She is the dominate female in this group. Maybe its a territory thing." The Keeper was suddenly rather anxious as well.

"She needs to stop. This isn't going to end well." Minerva was beginning to panic.

"Maybe you should clear everyone out of here Zane." Minerva spoke the familiar name, the young man was almost always here on the weekends and she had gotten to know him.

Zone nods and turns to the groups of people calling to get there attention, he ushers them out but Minerva remains unable to take her eyes off of the scene about to unfold before her. Java stalked closer and closer to the large almost black tigress and began to circle her. Rogue turned with her never giving her back but finally when Java doesn't seem to be advancing further Rogue snapped. What happened, happened quickly as Rogue lunged forward, a heavy paw knocking the surprised tigress' legs from beneath her.

Java didn't have a chance and thankfully Rogue delivered death quickly to the smaller female. Rogue had ripped Java's throat right out before looking up and her eyes locked directly on the Headmistress'. Minerva breath caught when she finally saw the pure malice in the yellow-brown eyes. Rogue regarded the woman for a moment before suddenly charging the woman. Despite the glass barrier Minerva took a step back as massive paws landed on the glass separating the tiger from its intended prey.

The loud snarling could be heard even through the reinforced glass as the tiger stared with deadly intent at green eyes. From this distance Minerva took in the animals eyes and felt fear spike down her spine, but also she felt recognition. As if she understood what the headmistress was thinking Rogue glanced very briefly as her left foreleg. Frowning slightly Minerva stepped forward and looked at the briefly indicated leg only to gasp in shock. There upon the tigers front leg, carved into flesh was a wound that she would know anywhere.

The word mudblood was an open bloodless wound on the tigers leg.

"Hermione?" Minerva whispered and the earth shaking snarl grew louder.

This tiger, was not a tiger at all but Minerva couldn't understand how Hermione had ended up the way she was now. How did the book-smart, powerful and incredibly intelligent witch become a creature that seemed to almost lust for blood. The Hermione Granger she knew would never maul campers and if she had just been changed magically into an animal then it would have been far too soon for the animals characteristics to show. It was a startling when she realised this wasn't Hermione Granger, this creature before her was Rogue.

"What happened to you?" Minerva whispered still in the same soft surprised tone.

"She will definitely be put down now. I've never seen a tiger be so brutal before." Zane reappeared at Minerva's shoulder again.

"No... Zane please I... I need you to buy her some time. I cant explain why." Minerva turns pleading suddenly and Zane looks stunned.

"I will do what I can but I cant make any promises Minerva." Zane says reluctantly and Minerva nods.

"Ok just... please try. I have to go." Minerva turned to look at the furious cat before stepping back.

Before Zane got the chance to say anything Minerva turned again and strode away, her pace was brisk. The moment she made it into a secluded enough spot she pulled her wand from her sleeve and appirated directly to Grimmauld place. Appearing on the doorstep just outside she knocked once before simply pushing the door open and striding in. She was greeted in the hall by the entire Weasley family and Harry Potter, along with Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood. They looked at the Headmistress a little startled to see her, she usually floos in.

"I've found her." She states much to shock of the people present.

HGMMHGMMHGMM

Rogue paced the enclosure, the foolish people had let the spineless cats back into their cages but had decided to leave her out. She didn't know what would happen, she didn't want to be here, she wanted to me out there. Away from people, away from the spineless ones, away from the noise and the stink of this place. Rogue hated this fake jungle, these starved trees and see through walls. The green eyed one gave her hope, the green eyed one didn't fear her as much as the others did.

There was still fear, Rogue could see it in the green eyes and would have smelled it if not for the see through walls. The one called Java was a fool, she had the green eyed ones affections and Rogue wouldn't stand for that. The green eyed one belonged to her, not the spineless ones and not the human male. She was sure she would smell arousal if the see through walls weren't there but she wouldn't have it, the male would die if he tried to mate with the green eyed one.

Rogue could hear the humans talking about trying to get the spineless ones carcass, good luck to them. The kill was Rogues and she wouldn't let them have it, it would rot right where it was. That was her plan at least but the moment she felt sharp darts pierce her rump she knew they had won this one. Snarling she struggled to stay awake, this was not how things were supposed to go. Stupid humans were so weak, not fighting fair.

HGMMHGMMHGMM

"Where is she? Why isn't she with you?!" Ronald Weasley was the first to come out of the shock.

"Something is wrong." Minerva stated walking forward and pushing through into the kitchen of Grimmauld place where Surprisingly Narcissa Malfoy and Andromeda Tonks were looking up at her anxiously.

"Minerva is she alright?" Andromeda asked seriously, the Headmistress eyed Narcissa for a moment before sitting down with a sigh.

"No, no she is not. She is days away from being killed." Minerva rubbed her temples, she felt a massive head ache coming on.

"What? How? Why didn't you save her?" Ginny asked as the others sat down around the table, Molly set about making tea.

"Because its not that simple Miss Weasley. She's literally not herself any more. She is in London zoo." Minerva sighed knowing she would need to explain. She held her hand up to halt any more questions.

"I've been going to London Zoo every weekend since she left, I cannot explain why. The Tiger enclosures in particular soothed me the most. Today they let out a new tiger and it was... she was massive and such a unique colour but so so savage and just, well she was just angry. They named her rogue and the young man that I talk to there, he explained that Rogue just gets angrier every day where most tigers get calmer the longer they are there." Minerva explains but the group don't seem to be getting.

"She charged the glass and looked right and me and right there on her left foreleg in the scar." Minerva explained further and it slowly dawned on them.

"The tiger is Hermione? Well cant you just turn her back? Its just transfiguration right, like what fake-Moody did to Draco?" Ron asks frowning but everyone looks to Minerva wondering the same thing.

"I cant tell. She is in a muggle zoo I couldn't just pull out my wand and cast a finite but I think its worse than that. I don't think that will work... she's.. she's more Rogue than Hermione any more I've never seen some one, animal or human, more savage." Minerva explained seriously and everyone looked thoughtful.

Andromeda stared at the table deep in thought gently bouncing the little baby boy on her shoulder while he slept. The Weasley's all looked at one another before also looking at the table, Ginny was fiddling with a napkin and Harry had his arm around the youngest red-head. It was Narcissa though that was the first to speak up.

"Where did they find Rogue?" Narcissa asked curiously looking back to the Headmistress.

"From what the Keeper said she mauled a couple of campers in the Forest of Dean." Minerva informed seriously and Narcissa looked to Ron.

"Ron isn't that where you and Draco found Rowle?" The black and blonde haired woman frowned sure that was what Draco had told her. Ron paled.

"Yeah he was all tore up. We had to identify him by his wand." Ron muttered his response remembering watching Draco lose his lunch at the rotting mass they had found to be Thorfinn Rowle.

"Do you think he cursed her somehow?" Molly asked finally returning with the tea that she sat on the table.

"It's likely. He was quite a powerful wizard, we struggled to take him out on the night of Fleur and Bill's wedding when we left. They followed us to a muggle cafe." Harry spoke up a look of contemplation on his face.

"Does it matter though really? What do we do now? You said she is days from being killed." Ginny pointed out after a moment and Minerva heaved a sigh.

"She is and we need to get her out of there." Minerva says standing and beginning to pace.

"Well that is the easy, we can use Harry's cloak and go get her." Ron speaks like its obvious.

"Yeah but where do we put her?" Minerva points out the major problem.

"I know you're going to hate this but... The Cellar at the Manor is reinforced." Narcissa suggests hesitantly.

"Cant we just take her to Hogwarts and put her somewhere?" Ginny immediately suggests the alternative.

"Absolutely not. If we cant fix this and she got lose or a student stumbled upon her? No." Molly stated seriously a deep frown on her stressed face.

"Couldn't we put her in a restricted area and tell the students not to go there?" Ron suggests and Harry looks questioningly at the Headmistress who pursed her lips and fixed the two boys with a pointed look.

"Yes because forbidding students to go somewhere stopped the three of you didn't it?" She asked and was pleased to see them both flush.

"I can assure you I'll kept her fed and watered and you can all come and go as you please. Ron will be there on and off anyway." Narcissa pointed out and reluctantly the group had to agree.

"Alright well, Who is going?" Harry asks finally.

"Well it would probably simplify things if I went with the Headmistress. The cloak should cover us both and we should be able to get Rogue straight to the manor and into the cellar." Narcissa pointed out and again no one could argue.

Over the months since the battle Harry had gotten closer to the remaining Black sisters and befriended them both. During Narcissa's frequent visits to Grimmauld Place she had often had Draco with her and the Malfoy heir and Ronald had grown considerably closer than anyone would have expected. Narcissa was always welcome company and though Ginny had her problems with Draco they all accepted him as well.

"Alright. I'll nip up and get the cloak then. I'd like to see her when she is settled. Tomorrow maybe?" Harry asks pausing at the door and looking from one woman to the other.

"Sure no problem. Thanks Harry." Narcissa nods after seeing that Minerva wasn't going to speak up.

Harry nodded and headed upstairs to his room where he got the cloak. While he was gone the remaining group of people chatted amongst themselves about what this could mean and what might have happened to Hermione to land her like this. Minerva was looking more anxious by the minute and only stopped pacing when she felt Narcissa's hand on her arm. She hadn't even noticed Harry come back down and hand the cloak to the youngest Black.

Minerva wasted no time guiding Narcissa out onto the front step of Grimmauld place and let the younger woman cover them both in the cloak. Narcissa braced herself and placed her hand back on Minerva's arm as the Headmistress took her wand from her sleeve. After a rather brief feeling of displacement the two women appeared in a shaded spot between two buildings at the zoo.

"Damn maybe we should have waited until tonight." Minerva huffed.

"We can still. I can transfigure my robes to look more muggle and we can fetch something to eat and walk around maybe get a feel for the staff here and then go back under the cloak at closing." Narcissa suggested seriously, she wasn't looking at Minerva so she missed the impressed look on the Scots face.

"Ok good plan, they close in a few hours anyway." Minerva knew the closing time as she was usually here watching the tigers until Zane would come and ask her to leave.

HGMMHGMMHGMM

Rogue woke up hurting, her muscles were flexing continuously and her head hurt. Staggering onto her paws she found the water dish and lapped at it before snarling and batting at it. The water was stagnant and sour and she deserved fresh water. The water in the enclosure was just as stagnant, foolish humans had no idea how to keep a cat happy. Rogue paced the inside of her cage batting at the door on each pass.

"Jesus Christ Rogue is awake already. We hit her with enough tranquilliser to keep an elephant down all night. That's not normal." Rogue snarled at the male that was standing a safe distance from the cage.

"Nothing about this tiger is normal man. Look at it, must have been dropped on its head as a cub." A female this time but in the same clothes as the male.

Rogue snarled and glared with deadly intent at the humans too scared to even go near her cage. If she could get out of here she would rip their cowardly throats right from their bodies. Maybe, just maybe, she could get out, these flimsy doors look weak. Rearing up on her hind legs Rogue brought her large heavy pays down on the door. They sounded weak too. Repeating the action Rogue could have purred like a little kitty when the hinges started to grate together. She would rend the flesh from the humans bones.

"What is she doing? She cant do that she's too heavy for those doors." The female sounded panicked and Rogue growled when she scented the fear wafting from the humans.

"Well what the fuck do we do? She will have the door busted down before we can get another tranquilliser in her." The male was backing up and pulling the female with him.

Rogue continued battering the door, she would be free, she would have their lives for restraining her. Call her a freak will they? Not normal. Rogue would show them not normal she would show all of them what this prison of a body could do to them. She was better than humans, she could tap the sleeping girls mind, she would protect her from anyone who tried hurt them again. Her girl would live and Rogue would see too it, she was smarter than a human. Smart enough that battering the door a final time she was able to snap the silly hinges right from the frame and the whole door crashed down.

Snarling still Rogue prowled out of cage just as the door closed behind the humans that had fled for their life. No matter, if she could break one door she could surely break another. Slowly, glaring at the spineless ones cowering in their cages, Rogue made her way to the door only to pause when the door opened and then closed. She could smell them, humans and both female, but she couldn't see them. Snarling Rogue took a calculated risk and suddenly lunged towards the door only to slam into something she couldn't see. Before Rogue could do anything else a whispered word and a flash of light was seen before again she found sleep unwillingly.

HGMMHGMMHGMM

"Merlin's balls! We could have bloody died!" Narcissa practically shouted as she dragged herself from under the sleeping massive tiger.

"Calm down Cissy. The Keepers might hear." Minerva huffed as she took Narcissa's hand and let the younger woman help her up.

"Just... Try a Finite and lets get her out of here. She's bloody terrifying." Narcissa's grumbling was annoying but Minerva could understand it. Rogue really was terrifying.

Standing and dusting herself off slightly the older woman pointed the wand at Rogue and while tracing the general shape of a knights shield with her wand she spoke the word Finite firmly, a red jet of light shot out and encompassed the large cat. Rogue immediately sprung back to her paws, the snarl that had ripped from her throat upon waking stopped the moment she noticed Minerva. Narcissa stepped back and both witches realised the mistake they had made, a rookie mistake at that.

While Rogue was distracted staring coldly at the Headmistress, Narcissa discretely pointed her wand at the cat and whispered Somno as she waved her wand in a slow circle, the soft blue light caught Rogue in the face and she immediately fell asleep. Both witches sighed in relief and Narcissa slumped against the door. Minerva leaned against the wall for a moment before moving closer to the cat and kneeling beside it.

"Lesson learned. Don't sleep a murderous tiger and then cast Finite on it." Narcissa mumbled and Minerva had to agree.

"We should get her back to the Manor, I can feel if fighting the charm." Minerva says tracing a hand over the massive dark felines side.

Rogue should have been peacefully asleep but instead the animal was restless and twitching as if trying to rouse from sleep. It worried Minerva, she was convinced the cat was Hermione and even double checked to make sure she could see the scar on its foreleg. Sure enough 'mudblood' a bloodless open wound on the tigers foreleg. Narcissa knelt on the tigers other side and with one hand on a massive furred shoulder and the other on Minerva's arm she apparated them all directly into the cellar at the manor.

The tigers throat rumbled in a displeased growl though the animal remained asleep, Minerva didn't stand like Narcissa did but instead remained kneeling beside the big cat. Narcissa regarded the Headmistress for a moment, something about the way Minerva was looking at the tiger made Narcissa feel like she was intruding so she stepped further into the cell and picked up one of several boxes there. Turning she went to walk back past the tiger only to see Minerva standing a little awkwardly waiting for her.

"I'll take that and you seal the door?" Minerva offered holding her arms out for the box. Narcissa just nodded and handed the box to the woman before they stepped on the bottom step a heavy barred door swung closed and separated the witches from the tiger.

After a few intricate waves of the wand Narcissa and Minerva turned and headed up stairs into the drawing room. Lucius was sitting sipping a fire-whiskey when the two women walked in and Narcissa ignored him, she could barely stand to look at him any more let alone live with him. Lucius didn't even seem to notice them, instead staring into the fire without seeming to even see it.

"What are these?" Minerva asks setting the box down on a small coffee table.

"Books. Notes and things of Sev's from Spinner's End. I went and cleaned out his place after the battle... I kind of miss him. But I also thought we could look through these, never know we might get lucky and find something to help us with Hermione." Narcissa admitted softly looking at the box.

"All that stuff was his?" Minerva frowns slightly, she had seriously misjudged Severus Snape. In fact the entire wizarding world had.

"Yes, just knick knacks mostly, I put all his books from the cottage in this box." Narcissa sat down heavily and stared at the box.

"I really should get to Hogwarts. Can we copy these? I will send the stuff i've collected on his from Hogwarts." Minerva says resting a gentle hand on the younger woman's shoulder.

"Yeah sure. That would be great thanks." Narcissa stands again a small smile on her face as she took her wand and cast a Gemino on the box and its contents. A perfect copy of the box and what was inside appeared on the floor by the coffee table.

Only after thanking Narcissa and collecting the box did Minerva leave. She hesitated on the way out looking towards the entrance to the secret cellar with a look of longing before sighing and apparating directly out of the house. She appeared in front of the Gates of Hogwarts and touching them with her wand they disappeared allowing her entry. Once through they reappeared and she used her powers as Headmistress to apparate directly to her quarters where she sat the box down and conjured a glass of fire-whiskey

"I will help you Hermione. I will find a way to get you back." Minerva spoke softly to the empty space. The promise reverberating in her mind.