Hey there! Here's my new story, written for "A Baby is Found" challenge at HPFC forum. Enjoy! :) And just to let you know - the "past" part takes place a year before Harry and Ron started Hogwarts.
DISCLAIMER: Oh, how I wish I owned Harry Potter... But unfortunately I don't.
"I'm glad you want to teach in Hogwarts, Percy, but why have you rejected the Minister's offer?"
Professor McGonagall and Percy Weasley were sitting in the Headmistress' office. Last rays of sun were coming through the open window, lightening McGonagall's face.
Percy studied her carefully. She was now much calmer than a few years ago, when she had had to clean the mess that was left after the war. She had never given up, or shown weakness, but Percy knew it had cost her a lot. Back then, she had looked a hundred years older.
Now Minerva McGonagall was a great Headmistress, loved by all Hogwarts students, always willing to help them. And she was smiling more than ever.
Percy wiped off his glasses. "Well, the Minister's offer was very tempting - being a member of Wizengamot is really prestigious - but it would mean no time for my family. Audra wants to go back to her work, and that would be impossible if I accepted the offer."
"Dada! Look!"
They both turned to a little red-haired girl, standing at the window. She was pointing at a flying owl with so much excitement that McGonagall couldn't help laughing.
"It's an owl, darling," said Percy patiently. "Owl. Say 'owl'."
"Oww," repeated the girl.
"Not bad," McGonagall smiled. "I'm so glad you took Molly with you, Percy. She is so sweet."
Percy thought that McGonagall who had taught him would've never call anything - or anyone - sweet. Amazing how people change.
"Oh yes, she can be nice when she wants. But the problem is, she usually doesn't."
"Oww! Dada, oww!" Molly said again.
"Yes, honey, I see. Play for a while and don't disturb us."
"Oww! Molly wants oww!"
"You have one, remember? Now, why don't you sit and read your favourite book?" He took out 'Cinderella' and handed it to Molly. The girl immediately sat on the floor and started watching the pictures.
"I haven't heard of that story," said McGonagall with surprise.
"It's a Muggle fairytale. Dad's gift." Percy rolled his eyes. "But Molly loved it, and there's some magic in it, so we can live with it. Now, back to your question... I really need more time for Molly. I had to take her here, because Audra is starting her job today. As you see, I'm a nanny now. And I really can't imagine Molly yelling 'oww!' in the court."
"That would be a nice change for all of them."
Percy smiled. "I didn't dare check. We would like to move to Hogsmeade, and I could come here every day. We'll arrange it somehow."
"You can take Molly with you from time to time. Now that I don't teach, I don't have much to do, so she can play here."
"Really?"
"Oh yes, I'd be happy to help."
"That would be great, Professor."
"Dada! Look!" Molly apparently finished her book and wanted to attract their attention.
"Not now, honey," Percy didn't even turned his head. "Daddy is talking."
"Look at Molly! Look!" repeated the girl and stamped her foot.
"Okay, Molly. What's up?" Percy finally stood up and walked towards his daughter... Or rather towards the place she had been standing only seconds earlier. Now Molly disappeared.
"Molly? Where are you? Do you want to play hide and seek?" Percy knelt on the floor in front of the big cabinet. "May I?" he asked McGonagall before opening it.
"Of course."
Percy opened the cabinet, but, to his surprise, Molly wasn't inside. "Molly, it's not funny. Really, come out! I have no time for that."
"Where could she hide? I swear, she was standing right here... Oh, no. No." McGonagall covered her mouth.
"Professor? What's wrong?" Percy gave her an anxious look.
"My... My Time-Turner..." She pointed at the empty shelf. "It's gone."
"For Merlin's sake, it's impossible! She couldn't use it," Percy shook his head, although he already knew it was the only explanation. "What am I supposed to do now? Audra will kill me!"
"Oh, be a man," McGonagall reproached him. "We have no time to cry, we must act."
"But how? What can we do? She has no idea which day she started from! We'll never bring her back!"
"It doesn't depend on us. It's all up to the people who find her. They have to find out what happened and who she is, determine the exact time she comes from-"
"You know it's impossible!" Percy was still kneeling at the floor, with the most desperate face McGonagall could imagine. "There must be another way, we have to find it!"
At that moment the golden clock standing on McGonagall's desk disappeared.
"What the heck does that mean?" Percy looked at her with surprise.
"Well, it probably means that your daughter just damaged this clock in the past. It also means that we have to hurry up before she sets the whole school in fire."
"Thank you, Severus, I think that's all for now-"
"Look at me!"
Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape immediately turned their heads. For one full minute they watched a red-haired girl standing in front of them.
"Dumbledore," Snape eventually dared ask. "What is a toddler doing in your office?"
"I have no idea," Dumbledore replied cheerfully and stood up. "Hello," he smiled to the girl. "What's your name?"
Snape thought that he would ask a totally different question. Like, 'How, for Merlin's sake, did you get there?'. Probably the one Dumbledore chose was the only one the girl could answer, though.
"Molly!" she smiled, showing her toothless gums. "I Molly."
"And I'm Albus. Like 'bus', only with 'Al' at the beginning."
"Bus!" repeated the girl and giggled. "Would you like a lemon drop?"
"You know, Dumbledore, this conversation is getting a bit awkward," said Snape, frowning.
Suddenly Dumbledore noticed the golden hourglass in Molly's hands. "What is this? Is it a... Time-Turner?"
"Turner!" nodded Molly and showed it to him.
"Interesting..." Dumbledore turned the hourglass in his hands and suddenly smiled. "So now we know what happened!"
"Do we?" During the whole conversation Snape hadn't smiled even once.
"Of course! Our little guest comes from the future. She managed to use the Time-Turner somehow, and we have to send her back."
"Back to where? Or rather when?"
"I don't know yet, but it won't be difficult to find out. Just look at her."
Molly was now running around the office with a heavy golden clock in hands.
"I'd say that zoo will be appropriate."
Suddenly the clock slipped from her hands and smashed on the floor. Molly looked up at Dumbledore and started crying.
"I have never liked that clock," said the headmaster cheerfully. "There's no need to worry."
Molly clutched onto him, sobbing quietly.
"Isn't it obvious? Red-haired girl, called Molly, with the amount of energy similar to Fred and George..."
"Are you trying to say she's a daughter of one of them?"
"Not necessarily. Maybe Bill's or Percy's... Or even Weasley's youngest son's, what was his name? Ah yes, Ronald. But certainly she's Molly Weasley's granddaughter."
"So now that we established that crucial fact, can we send her to the Weasleys?"
"Oh, it's not that easy, Severus. We still don't know how to send her back. I need some time to figure it out."
"I can assure you that thinking is much easier without a two-year-old running around," answered Snape, watching Molly wandering around the office. She was now pulling Fawkes' tail, and the poor bird was squeaking pitifully.
"You're absolutely right. And I think that Fawkes' feathers wouldn't survive that. But there's one little problem - the Weasleys are spending Christmas in Romania, with Charlie. We can't send Molly there."
"So what are you going to do with her?"
"Well, I was thinking that maybe... maybe you could take care of her?" said Dumbledore with a twinkle is his eye.
"Me? Dumbledore, are you mad? What am I supposed to do with a toddler?"
"Oh, you know... Things you usually do with toddlers. Play with her, tell her a goodnight story, feed her, teach her how to say your name..."
"You. Must. Be. Kidding." Snape would never dare yell at Dumbledore, but his voice was shaky. "I'm a Potions master, not a nanny."
"Oh, come on, Severus. It's Christmas time. Everyone should be happy."
"I was very happy until now."
"Severus, please..."
"Pwease!" They both turned to Molly, who was now holding the edge of Snape's robe. She apparently had no idea what they were talking about, but wanted to catch their attention.
"See? Molly agrees," Dumbledore smiled widely.
Snape freed his robe from Molly's hands. "I don't know how to look after kids."
"Oh, I'm sure you'll be great. Molly," he knelt down. "Will you go with uncle Severus now?"
"Molly go!" The girl took Snape's hand and looked up at him. Snape didn't smile.
"Cheer up a bit, Severus. I'm sure it will be fun."
"Fun!" agreed Molly and clapped her hands.
Dumbledore glanced at the clock. "Oh dear, it's really late. You'd better go."
"Molly go!" repeated the girl and pulled Snape towards the door. "Bye bye, Bus!"
Dumbledore waved to her. He waited until the door closed behind the two and then burst out laughing.
Okay, so this is the first chapter ;) Hope you liked it! And review, pwease :)