A Twinkle Of Emotions

Chapter 1: A Unlikely Bond

Walking along the cobblestone roads of Hogsmeade, Minerva McGonagall eyed the various shops with a longing look stretched across her aging visage. She remembered visiting them, smiling painfully at Dervish and Banges a shop she frequented with Elphinstone her deceased husband. Succumbing to a vicious Tentacula bite Elphinstone died soon after leaving her alone once again, their happy marriage cut short in an accidental incident. Sighing a little to herself at the thoughts of her former husband Minerva continued on her walk, moving by other villagers nodding soundlessly as she stared at her empty cottage a quivering frown adorning her countenance. Though small, the magically equipped home felt lonely without Elphinstone his warm embrace now forever gone in the shadowy void.

"I do miss you every day Elphinstone." Minerva whispered her sad gaze finally dropping to the basket containing her daily shopping list. Muttering once again, she eyed the basket containing a helping for two she had done it again. How many times would her rituals with Elphinstone vanish. Before she could ponder her current issues once more a crackle filled the sky and a glowing object collapsed behind her small cottage. Hurrying to the back with her wand out and ready for a attack, the witch approached the woven basket laying at the center of a small crater. Readying a spell, Minerva prepared to lift the basket with a spell, the piercing wail of a child filled the air.

Rushing to the basket with her wand stoled away, she kneeled down the aging witch felt her heart cry out for the boy. Grabbing him with a mother's hold, Minerva pulled the wrapped child and rocked him slowly calming his hiccuping cries. Finally her tender moment with the babe ended, sleeping in her arms his gentle chest rising and falling no longer releasing tears from his eyes. Looking down to the basket, she found a small paper left attached to the basket's side ripping it from its grip Minerva studied the words.

'His name is Naruto please take care of him'

Furrowing her brow at that, Minerva stood and grabbed the basket with her free hand. Strolling into her cottage with her gaze still glued onto Naruto she lit the fireplace and placed the basket away. Deciding to send a message to her longtime friend and mentor Dumbledore, shooing the owl off Minerva returned the boy into her arms seated comfortably on the chair seated by the fireplace. Smiling at Naruto, the witch released a deep breath staring contently at the baby sleeping in her hold. Before she even knew it, slumber overtook her mind leaving her consciousness to dream, Naruto snuggled deeper into her embrace joining his unlikely savior in the dreamlands.


Albus Dumbledore never expected his most esteemed friend and confident would send her a owl about a child. Nevertheless he shook off his duties as Hogwarts Headmaster, flicked his wand and teleported himself to the cottage Minerva resided with Elphinstone her former husband. Knocking at the front door and waiting patiently for her to answer, the old wizard frowned a little when he brushed his knuckles against the wooden door once more. Worrying about Minerva's safety Dumbledore brandished his wand and prepared to quickly rush in. Before he could blast the door open the aging hinges creaked and soon enough Minerva stood there her drowsy expression surprising him somewhat.

"Did I catch you at a bad time, Minerva?" Dumbledore asked a kind smile stretching onto his wrinkling face.

"No, no, come in Albus I am in desperate need of your expertise." Minerva assured opening the door wider for the older man to join her. Once Dumbledore strolled in she closed the door locking it a second later, "Would you like some tea?"

"I would not mind some."

Nodding her head at the response, she put the metal boiler over the fireplace with a single swipe of her wand and gestured to the unoccupied seat, "Please sit Albus, Naruto is still asleep."

"Naruto?" Dumbledore asked eyeing the blonde bundle laid on the single seat yawning a little before returning to his slumber. Brushing a finger on Naruto'a cheek he chuckled brilliantly when the boy grabbed it with a strong grip clutching the long digit cooing cutely. Studying the baby he watched in fascination, Dumbledore smiled a little more when Naruto began stirring once the boy wiped the drowsiness from his eyes he gargled toothlessly, "It seems your boy is awake, Minerva."

Reaching down and caressing Naruto's cheek, Minerva made two cups of teas placing them both down on the table. Though the witch performed the minimal task with little effort but, Dumbledore did not focus on the display of magic rather on Minerva's interaction with Naruto. Tending to the baby with the care only a mother would show, Minerva doted on him like as if he were her own something he knew the woman needed. After the heartbreak with Dougal McGregor and the recent death of her husband Elphinstone, Minerva needed the companionship perhaps Naruto and Minerva would be good together helpful for both of their situations.

"Have you found his parents?" Dumbledore asked playing with the child a little more his eyes laying on Minerva's visage.

"He appeared so suddenly, other than the letter pleading to whoever he was meant to be delivered to I have no lead." Minerva sighed handing her former mentor the short letter still holding onto the babbling Naruto. Playing with him somewhat, she beamed a little more as the young child giggled in joy clapping his hands shaking in joy. Waving his arms out, Naruto giggled in obliviousness as the books stacked on the table were launched into the air fluttering in circles before they were transformed into doves.

Chuckling heartily at the sudden display of magic, Dumbledore clapped alongside the child and waved his hand at the doves changing them back into books, "Now, I believe this answers our question whether or not he is a wizard."

"How is that possible? No child should be able to do such advanced magic..." Minerva muttered in shock eyeing the boy before her surprise was replaced with unknowing hints of pride. Pulling him up closely to her face, she cooed, "You're full of surprises, Naruto."

"For now Minerva I want you to care for the boy until we can find his relatives." Dumbledore announced standing up patting Naruto's bald head before making his way to the door, "Who knows, perhaps he wont have any relatives."


"Naruto get back here now!" Minerva demanded as she ran for the naked boy running joyously around the small cottage his giggles filling the air. Like many times before, it was bath time for some reason the boy despised the very idea with all of his being always running away or slipping out of the tub without her knowing, "You have to take a bath Naruto or else you will be dirty."

"No! Bath bad!" Naruto wailed as he refuted the logic as he ducked under a table his small frame allowing his access to the crevices a normal adult would not. Though only at the age of two he was developing both motor and verbal skills surprisingly swift something neither Minerva or Dumbledore expected, dodging to one side avoiding Minerva's outstretched arms Naruto giggled as his surrogate mother raised her wand. Waving it and capturing the boy before he could hop off the table, Minerva pulled him to her awaiting arms.

"Now, you are going to take a bath young man. And that is final." Minerva said holding the boy as they scaled the stairs heading toward the bath.

"No fair! No magic... Bad mom!" Naruto pouted as he crossed his chubby little arms, "Rules! You cheat."

Chuckling a little, Minerva planted a kiss on Naruto's forehead, "You are a little fox aren't you?"

"Yup!"

Placing him down into the warm bathtub, Minerva poured small scoops of water on her surrogate child's body. Helping him clean up in the water, Minerva squirted small amounts of shampoo onto the boy's growing hair scrubbing a moment later creating hundreds of small bubbles for him to play with. Washing it as Naruto splashed the water around his body he giggled in joy as Minerva began cleaning away the bubbles. Finally clearing off excess shampoo from his head, the witch grabbed a towel hanging on a rack before drying Naruto off without any rebellion from the blonde.

"Come on now my little fox, let's get you dressed and we can get some dinner." Minerva said smiling warmly at Naruto once more. Helping him into a pair of comfortable shorts and a bring orange shirt the witch beckoned for Naruto to the other side of the stairs, "Headmaster Dumbledore is coming tomorrow to help check up on you. Right now, I want you to help me set up the dinner table."

"Okay!" Naruto said bounding to the small kitchen pulling out two plates and utensils placing them on opposite sides of the table as Minerva worked on the kitchen bringing out a pot and placing at the center of the table.

"Once we finish, we can visit the market."

"I love you mommy."


Chapter End

A/N: This is a challenge from Challenge The Horizon a long time friend of mine, anyways this story is basically one where Naruto is adopted by Minerva McGonagall and is set on a early path to Hogwarts. I am planning on taking the story a bit slow the first few chapters will be Naruto in his younger stages and later on beginning his 1st year in Hogwarts though I am not exactly sure about the update time I will try to post as much as possible.

Horizon told me to use a template for the story that I tried to follow as much to his original work as possible, so tell me what you think and thank you for reading.