The Leaky Cauldron was the last place Neville expected to meet Minerva McGonagall. Yet, at 6 pm, wrapped in an emerald green robe and sitting ramrod straight, she was there, in the corner, surveying the room with slight contempt. The bar was filled with young couples, laughing and chatting away as they ordered butterbeers and firewhiskeys from Tom the bartender. As Neville entered the room, Minerva stood, awaiting his presence with her usual stony face.

"Evening, Professor. You wished to speak with me about something?" He smiled at the stern old lady, not intimidated at all by the piercing grey eyes, iron posture, or disapproving look. He waited for her to seat herself, and then joined her, waving Tom over for a butterbeer.

"Longbottom, I have repeatedly told you: as my colleague you are to call me Minerva, not Professor."

"Professor, you still address me as Longbottom. Old habits die hard, don't they?" He gave her an impudent grin she had never seen on his face before the final battle; it was one of the many changes in her timid former student she had observed since his graduation.

"Touché. That's not why I asked you here today. There is a student in the muggle world whom I would like you to collect. Her name is Silena Ashington, and she is currently residing at Burlington Orphanage, in Sussex."

"An orphan? Does this seem wise, Professor? Considering the last orphan from an orphanage turned into a rampaging dark wizard and nearly destroyed the entire world as we know it?"

"I've my cautions as well, Longbottom. However, the Dark Lord was a special case. It is my belief that this Silena girl will be different. Very different." Her tone suggested some irksome detail that Neville wasn't going to like.

"Professor? What's the catch? You've got that tone you used to get when Harry did something stupidly brave and didn't get killed."

Chuckling softly over the memories that surfaced with that name, Minerva McGonagall locked her gaze with Neville's.

"Silena Ashington isn't a full wizard… Actually she isn't fully human."

The silence grew thicker as Neville tried to comprehend what the headmistress had just said.

"If she isn't fully human… What else is she?"

"Half elf."

"Professor, you're nuts!" Neville sat up in shock. A half elf?! Elves were notorious for being mischievous, but they could never lie, so at least there was a limitation to their danger. However, their illusions were still dangerous to even the most powerful wizard. A mix of elfin and human blood… The possibilities were more than even Hermione Granger could calculate.

"I am not 'nuts', Longbottom. It would be dangerous to have this girl at Hogwarts, yes, but would it not be even more dangerous to leave a child running around England without the ability to even control whatever powers she may develop? At least having her in the castle will help us keep an eye on her. She won't be in danger, and she won't be a danger."

Sighing slowly, Neville leaned back in his chair again. "And you want me to go collect her?"

"I've observed that orphanage, and the treatment of the children is absolutely dreadful. I'm afraid her powers are also getting stronger. I was hoping she could stay with you or Potter before the beginning of term in a few weeks. If we can get her out of there, we could stall whatever damage the abuse is doing to her mind. We'll have to hope her situation isn't as potent as the Dark Lord's was. Besides, you both have family in first year this year, don't you?"

"Yes, but Professor, do you think it wise for her to stay with her professor's family for the first couple of weeks? It's going to be a big shock for her to learn she's a witch, without the added confusion of not knowing whether to treat me as host or professor. And with Hannah expecting the baby I don't want to add the stress on her… Would you like me to talk to Harry?"

"I understand, Longbottom. I'll talk to him myself. I've been meaning to visit anyways."

Standing to leave, the witch and wizard shared grim looks. "Owl me when you've spoken to Harry and I'll collect her straight away. Let's hope this girl has a sweeter disposition than her ancestors."

After receiving the Potters' welcoming reply, Minerva McGonagall apparated a few feet from their home in Godric's Hollow. She didn't seem to be the only company for dinner, as she saw Rose and Hugo Weasley racing around the yard on broomsticks with James. The third year seeker was as excellent at Quidditch as his father and grandfather before him, and though she would never admit it, she was glad to have the impertinent boy on her team.

As she walked to the front door, she observed through the window the happy family. She hoped Harry and Ginny would take in the little elfin girl, because she knew if they did, the little girl might learn what a real family was like.

"Hullo Professor! Come to join us for dinner? We're celebrating Harry's birthday and there's room for one more." Ron Weasley called out as he came striding up behind her, Hugo climbing all over his back.

"Yes, I had a favor I wished to ask of Harry and Ginny. I would quite enjoy staying. Thank you for inviting me." The old woman responded, ever the poised teacher. Smiling and swinging his eleven-year-old son back to the ground, Ron motioned for his old professor to follow him inside.

"So Professor, what was it you wanted to ask us?" Harry and Ginny had led Minerva into the kitchen for a private talk while Ron and Hermione watched the children. While Ginny busied herself with the dishes, Harry cast the muffliato curse at the door to discourage his nosy sons from listening in.

"There's a little witch out in Sussex, in a muggle orphanage-"

"Are you worried she may turn out like Voldemort? I'm sure that was a specific case, Professor." Harry quickly interrupted, although his brain began to think of worst-case scenarios, his Auror training never ceasing to spring to mind.

"Please, Potter, don't interrupt. While that was a concern, I do believe his was a… special case. This little girl, Silena Ashington is her name, is a special type of witch. I'm worried about the treatment of the children at the orphanage. I've been observing them day and night, and the mistress of that place is nearly as bad as your aunt and uncle, Harry. I do believe they've turned the cellar into a dungeon, and not for potions lessons! It's quite terrible. I was hoping that you could take her in for the remainder of the summer, before the children left for school. It may be good for her to meet children her age, and Lily will be a first year as well, won't she?"

"We would love to, Professor, wouldn't we, Harry? We can fit another bed in Lily's room, and I'm sure she would enjoy having another girl in the house." Ginny smiled at the thought, clearly not only thinking of Lily's enjoyment.

Harry, who had been in trouble with McGonagall enough times to recognize when more bad news was to be expected however, looked the head of his old house straight in the eyes and got to the point.

"Why is this little girl so special? There's something amiss here, Professor. All of this could have been said in a letter."

"This girl may not be exactly… human. Do you remember the delegation we had with the elves a few years after the end of the war? While we aren't sure of the father, we do know that this girl was the result of that visit. She was placed in the muggle world because she didn't fit in with the elves."

Ginny dropped the plate she had been levitating into the sink with a loud clatter. "You want us to take a half elf into our house for a month?! Professor, elves are notorious for being mischievous and untrustworthy, despite their inability to lie. What type of abilities would a half-elf have? Is she safe?"

"In all of my observations, my dear, I have not seen a malicious intent once. However, she is obviously very clever and has gotten herself into trouble multiple times with her raids on the pantry. To be quite honest, she reminds me of your twin brothers, dear." McGonagall replied with a rueful smile, recalling with fondness the multiple pranks the Weasley twins had played upon the entire castle in their 6 years at Hogwarts.

Harry spoke up from the corner, where he had been siphoning water off the plates his wife had washed. "Do you, in your honest opinion, believe any harm will come to our family if this girl stays with us?"

Minerva locked eyes with her former pupil, reading the challenge in them, knowing he would fight tooth and nail for his family and would read any lies in her eyes immediately. "I believe, with all my heart, that if you show this girl the love and care you show your own children, she will stand by you through thick and thin and never cross you. But if you treat her with the abuse and disrespect shown to her by those despicable muggles in that orphanage, you will find in her a most formidable enemy."

Harry and Ginny took her words in, sharing a look that seemed to hold hours of conversation. With one slight nod, Harry turned to Professor McGonagall and said, "We'll take her."