Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

A special thanks to The Lonely God With a Box for beta'ing my story.

Here is chapter 21. Enjoy!

Chapter 21

“Aberforth,” Minerva sneered. “Why are we here?”

“Insurance,” Aberforth answered, waving his wand in a large circle then walking towards the cot.

“Insurance. Insurance, for what?”

Aberforth sat down on the cot and looked at Minerva.

“You know, I never congratulated you on your new son.”

“I beg your pardon,” Minerva raised her eybrow.

How did he know about Severus? Minerva thougth.

“You care about your son, don't you, Minerva?”

“How do you know about Severus?” Minerva's getting nervous. Her breath catching in her throat. Not even Hagrid knew about Severus being her adoptive son.

“I know a lot,” Aberforth nodded. “I know that he's a Death Eater.”

“He's renounced the Death Eaters,” Minerva cut in.

“I know that Albus owns him,” Aberfort continued without acknowledging what Minerva said. “I know that if he doesn't take Harry Potter back to his relatives, things are going to happen. Bad things. Hurtful things. Especially for you.”

Minerva unconsciously took a step back. She was so close to Hagrid that she was almost leaning on him for support. Hagrid, being the friend he's always been to any Hogwarts Professor, allowed it.

Minerva couldn't believe what she was hearing. They were using her to make Severus take Harry back to those relatives.

“What are you planning on doing?”

“Well,” Aberforth drawled out. “We are going to be waiting.”

“Waiting?”

“We have about,” Aberforth said looking down at the watch on his wrist. This was always one piece of Muggle artifact that he was fasinated with. Having his watch, showed him that Muggles weren't as useless as some thought. “Three hours left. Once I have confirmation that Potter is back with his aunt and uncle, then I will let you go.”

“No, he won't hurt Harry like that,” Minerva demanded.

“Well,” Aberforth drawled. “For your sake, he better deliver.”

Aberforth walked out of the room. Minerva stood there in disbelief. She couldn't believe what she just witnessed.

They were blackmailing her son, she thought.

“What's going on, Professor?” Hagrid asked, bringing Minerva from her thoughts.

Minerva looked at the Grounds keeper.

“Let me ask you something, Hagrid,” Minerva said walking towards him. “When you delievered Harry's letter, what did you see?”

“Well,” Hagrid began. “He was wear'n clothes that were too big for 'im. His uncle was fiercely apposed of Harry going. I may have done somethings that I shouldn't have.”

“What are you talking about?” Minerva's eyes narrowed. “What did you do?”

“I know I shouldn't,” Hagid began. “But his was just awful. I gave him a tail.”

Minerva's eyes widen in shock. “You gave his uncle a tail?!”

“No,” Hagrid shook his head. “His cousin. He was eating Harry's cake. Harry was such a tiny thing when I got him. He needed that cake, and his cousin just ate it. I was mad. And I gave him a tail to show what he really was.”

“Oh Hagrid,” Minerva said.

She walked back to the cot so that she could sit down, and came to some resistance. There was an invisible barier in the middle of the room. She waved her hand to what seemed like nothing. Hagrid looked at her.

“What's wrong, P'fessor?”

“It would appear that we are stuck here,” Minerva sighed.

Hagrid took off his jacket and folded up.

“P'fessor,” Hagrid called to her holding out his hand.

Minerva turned and faced the Groundskeeper. Hagrid was holding out his hand towards her.

“Come sit,” He offered. “I know that you must be tired. I don't have much to offer, but at least you won't be on the floor.”

Minerva saw that Hagrid's folded jacket was on the floor. A small smile graced her lips.

“Thank you, Hagrid.”

Minerva took the preoffered hand and he assisted in lowering the older Professor down to the floor. No, it was not ideal, but she wasn't just standing. A small sigh left the professor's lips.

“Everything alright, Professor?”

“When Harry and Severus are safe, everything will be fine.”

Hagrid nodded in agreement, then another thought came to his mind.

“Professor,” Hagrid asked.

“Yes, Hagrid.”

“How long has P'fessor Snape been your son?”

Minerva smiled at the question. She remember the blood adoption ceremony as if it just happened. With a contented sigh, “In his seventh year. I have never been more proud.”

Minerva couldn't wait for the end of her last class. She had been destracted all day. Her mind wasn't on teaching, or patroling the halls during breaks. It was on the sixteen year old in the Infirmary. She hated that she couldn't get away so that they could have lunch together, but she sent him a parchment telling Severus to eat and get some rest and she would see him after her last class.

Once the final bell rang, Minerva dissmissed her 3rd year Ravenclaw/Hufflepuff class with a reading assignment. When the last child left the room, she gathered her things and went into her office behind her desk. She didn't want to walk from her office to the Infirmary, so she went through the Floo. Call it impatience, but she was just to excited to see her boy.

Adopting Severus. Just the thought of finally taking him out of his home environment and giving him the support that he needed just brought a smile to her face and warmed her heart. When she walked through the hearth, she saw Severus was laying against the headboard, asleep. Quietly, she walked over towards him and sat down on the edge of his bed.

The sudden dip in the bed woke Severus up with a start. Minerva quickly cupped his face and stroked his cheek with her thumb. She could see that when his eyes opened he didn't recognize where he was, but slowly recognition shown on his face. When he saw how was holding him, a small smile came across him.

“Minnie,” Severus sighed out. He leaned into the touch. After the Headmaster coming to see him at lunch time, Severus was relieved that it was Minerva that woke him up. He looked up to her so much. After his mother died, he didn't think there would be anyone, besides Lily, that would care for him. That would show him love. But that was what he felt when he was around his Minnie.

“How are you feeling?” Minerva asked still cupping his cheek. She could tell he was needing the phyical contact.

“Better.”

“Well,” Minerva straightened up. “I'm very happy to hear that.”

Minerva looked at the boy and gauged how to proceed in telling him.

“Is something wrong, Minnie?”

“No, baby,” Minerva smiled. “I was just thinking.”

“About what?”

“You, actually.”

Severus' eyebrows rose to his hairline. What could he had done to make her think about him? He was a nobody. Just a half-blood. According to his housemates and the Headmaster, no one would ever give him a second thought. Why Minnie?

Severus tried to swallow down his nervousness. He wasn't sure what was going to happen. And the longer his Minnie – no he wouldn't think of her like that if she was going to refues him – Professor McGonagall was looking at him and not talking, she was trying to find the words to let him down easy.

“Severus,” Minerva broke through Severus' musing. “When you walked in here, I...no, I will not let this happen again.” She could feel the lump in her throat growing bigger, but she was not going to break down. Not yet. “I can not allow you to go home to that man any more.”

Severus looked up at Minerva with pure shock on his face.

“Ma'am.”

“Severus, have you been coming to school like this every year?” Minerva asked. Deep down she knew the answer, but she had to be certain.

“I – I don't....”

“Severus,” Minerva mildly admonished. “Don't lie to me. Nothing will happen if you tell me the truth. Do you come here this hurt and sneak off to the potions lab and heal yourself?”

Severus put his head down. He could not look at her any more. He just couldn't bare seeing the shame on her face.

“You weren't suppose to find out,” Severus mumbled out.

By that admission, Minerva slid closer to Severus and pulled him into an embrace.

“Never again,” Minerva said holding her boy. “You will never feel that pain again. I will not allow it.”

Severus tensed when Minerva first put her arms around him, but after her decleration, he melted into her embrace.

“Severus,” Minerva said slowly rocking back and forth with her heart in her arms. “I know you're in your last year here at Hogwarts. And I hope you know how much I care for you.” Severus didn't respond. He just buried his head in her shoulder and tightened his hold on her.

“I know that you will be of age by the end of the school year, and I just don't trust Tobias to continue to...” Minerva's heart ached with anticipation and worry. She didn't know how he would respond. Would he turn her down? She was the Head of Gryffindor, so she took a deep breath, gripped Severus shoulders and pulled him out to arms length. Her eyes met his.

“Severus, how would you like it if I adopted you?”

She looked at the boy. There was very few times since she's known Severus Tobias Snape that he has shown his emotions on his face. But in that moment, she was privy to see three emotions. She saw surprise, then hope, and finally happiness.

Severus could not believe his ears. She wanted him. Severus Snape the half-blood. Could it really be true that someone would love him. Looking at his Minnie's face, there, it said everything. There was no falsehood in what she asked. There was no joking or ridiculing laced in her words. There was only love and kindness in those words. He put his head down trying to control his emotions that seemed to be all over, and in a very quiet voice as he did not trust himself speaking right now said, “Yes, please.”

Tears pooling in the Transfiguration Professor's eyes, she once again, pulled her now ward and soon to be son in her arms.

Minerva sat on the floor with her back leaning against Hagrid's arm. With every thing that has happened, the only thing that worried her more was Severus.

Looking around the room, Minerva thought of her son and her student. What do they have over you, son? Why are they making you do this?

She couldn't help the heartbreak she was feeling. She knew there was something that they were using against her son. And now, they were using her to make her son do what they wanted.

“Oh, Severus,” Minerva sighed.

TBC