AN: Thank you for all the kind words. Wow! Y'all are awesome.
FAMILY TIES
Chapter Two
Innocent Poo
Doodleberry held on to his Lady-Miss's hand tightly. The last time he'd been at the clinic was when she'd been kidnapped by an Imperioused Draco Malfoy. The clinic held horrifying memories for the young elf.
Feeling her elf's convulsive grip, Hermione patted the small creature on the shoulder, "Easy. I'll only be a moment." She moved towards her office as his grip freed her hand.
The young creature cautiously glanced around, then let out a tiny squeak and trotted after his Miss.
"Waaaa! Waaaaa! WAAAA!"
The unhappy wails of one Michaela Dawn McGonagall caused Minerva and Dawn to look at each other once more.
Dawn shrugged and muttered, "That's your kid."
Minerva took a deep breath and steeled herself, "Into to breach we shall go." She mumbled as she headed down the short hall to the nursery.
As she entered, she was greeted by the sight of a teddy bear whirling through the air.
Winnie the Pooh to be precise.
The infant's display of incidental magic caused the elder witch's mouth to fall open. After all, this was the child's first day!
Pooh Bear soared high and low, this way and that. Finally whizzing right at Minerva. Using her cat-like reflexes, she stepped to the side as the stuffed toy zoomed out of the open door and down the hall.
A muffled thud and an outraged, "Hey!" from her sister-in-law caused a small smirk to appear on thin lips.
Stepping closer to the crying infant, Minerva cooed to her daughter, "Oh, there there my wee bairn. What seems to be the fuss?" She was greeted by another set of wails from her indignant daughter.
Leaning down, she could see the source of Michaela's unhappiness.
Raising an eyebrow, the Headmistress whispered, "Looks like your mother was correct." A rank odour wafted up to assail her unprepared nostrils.
"Oh Merlin... you are a wee bit ripe I say."
Carefully, Minerva leaned down and scooped up her bawling daughter.
"Waaa! Waaaa! WAAAA!"
Dawn tossed Pooh Bear onto the sofa and called, "Hey Stick are you ok?"
An unearthly wail sounded, then a surprised grunt followed by...
Dawn squinted her eyes as something white and folded up came floating out of the nursery directly at her!
"Hey that's not even funny!" She growled as the object floated by to land gently by the front door.
Frowning, the youngest Granger groused about stick-like witches floating dirty nappies at her. Her frown deepened as Minerva's voice floated out of the nursery saying, "That was not me!"
Hermione sat at her desk reading the letter that David Pennyworth had sent to her.
Healer Pennyworth had been her mentor at medical school and was now the Chief-of-Staff at St. Mungo's. The letter he'd sent was an open invitation to peruse some case files that had him and his staff stumped.
An unknown ailment had cropped up at Azkaban.
The Azkaban Ailment.
Hermione had recalled reading something about it in the Daily Prophet only this morning. A small article towards the back of the paper that only Corny would've read. The bald candy maker had sent an early morning owl, cluing her in to the article which she'd read with some interest.
"Um Miss?"
Hermione turned to her elf, "Yes?"
"We's shoulds be gettin' back."
Hermione smiled, "In a minute."
Rolanda Hooch smiled jauntily as she went to open the door to Hermione and Minerva's private quarters. She wanted to have a little "Auntie Ro" time with the newborns and thought her friend wouldn't mind the intrusion.
She opened the door and stepped into...
SQUISH.
Yellow eyes widened in horror as the flying instructor realized that there was a dirty nappy stuck to the bottom of her nice new quidditch boot.
"Get it off!" She bellowed, her yellow eyes widening in horrified realization of just what is was clinging to her boot.
Dancing around on one foot while wildly kicking the other. Her momentum carried her further into the living area bouncing off walls and into furniture.
Hooch was hopping dangerously near the fireplace when Dawn moved to grab her soon-to-be stepmother. Unfortunately her fingers grasped the nearest part of Ro she could reach which happened to be the outstretched foot with the...
"Uggg it's on me! It's on me!" The young woman squealed flinging her hand to and fro trying to dislodge the sticky substance that clung to her skin with such tenacity.
At that moment a cloud of baby powder exploded out of the nursery followed by a loud cat-like yowl.
Through the cloud of white, both Hooch and Dawn saw someone running pell-mell into the living room with something burning on top of their head.
It was Minerva.
Her hair was aflame!
Doodleberry cocked his head almost like he was listening to something. Golden eyes widened suddenly. "Lady-Miss! Lady-Miss! We's must goes!" The tiny creature began bouncing from one foot to the other.
Hermione smiled indulgently and motioned for the door, "The loo is down the hall on the left."
Mouth falling open, the elf stopped, "I's not having to go wee Miss. We's needs to gets back!"
Closing the folder, Hermione mumbled, "Fine then." She stood and pulled out her wand, "Accio stasis bags."
Two blue stasis bags floated into her grasp. Tucking them and the folder into a carry all, she turned to the elf, "Let's get back then."
A small clawed hand grasped her, "Yes Miss." With that they disappeared with a pop.
Dawn Granger's dark mocha eyes widened as she watched her sister-in-law race around the living room with her hair on fire.
Forgetting her own sticky issue, she ran into the kitchen and reached under the sink for the fire extinguisher her mother insisted Hermione have.
Galloping back out into the living room she watched as Hooch was trying to bat out the flames while still balancing on one foot. The nappy stubbornly remained attached to her boot.
Pointing the extinguisher at Minerva, Dawn flipped a toggle and squeezed the handle.
FOOOM!
Fire retardant blasted out of the canister and covered Minerva McGonagall from head to toe in a fine, white powder. Quite reminiscent of the baby powder which had now formed into a tornado-like object and was whirling about the room.
In the direct centre of the maelstrom was the image of a very unhappy Michaela.
Hermione and Doodleberry reappeared into absolute unadulterated chaos.
Chocolate eyes bugging, mouth falling open, the young witch gazed in wonder at was once her home but was now a mass of destruction.
Furniture was overturned, misty powder floated in the air and covered every surface. Hooch was standing on one foot with something that looked like a dirty nappy clinging to the other. Her sister was holding a fire extinguisher and pointing it at...
"Tabby?"
All movement in the room stopped.
With the exception of the white tornado.
"What the bloody hell is going on?" Was spoken in words so low, one had to strain to hear.
"Waaa! Waaa! Waaa!"
"Oh Merlin." Hermione muttered as she charged down the hall to the nursery.
Dawn grinned, "Mummy's home!"
Her smile was short lived, as at that moment Hooch gave an almighty kick which caused the nappy to fling itself from her foot and through the hair.
Landing with a thudding finality straight into the center of emerald robes.
Yellow eyes widened, "Ooops. Sorry Min." She glanced frantically about trying to find something to scrape the evil nappy from her friend's chest.
"Expecto Patronum!"
The three women looked up at Hermione's shouted spell. Immediately a ghostly lioness appeared out of the nursery and quickly surrounded the white tornado bearing Michaela's face. As the patronus calmed the raging storm, Hermione carried the now freshly changed Michaela McGonagall into the living room.
"We need to talk about this."
Minerva McGonagall shot her an incredulous expression that spoke volumes. She watched as her young wife fixed an intense stare at her.
"Oh. My. God." Hermione uttered, eyes dilating into huge orbs of solid brown.
An eyebrow rose, "Whut?"
Dawn glanced where her sister was staring. "Oh crap."
"Uh Min?" Came a timid attempt to get Minerva's attention. Hooch awkwardly hobbled over to her friend. She was pretty sure that the bottom of her boot was covered in baby shite and didn't want to track it all over the place.
Minerva took in the expressions of the three women near her. All of their eyes seemed to be looking at her head. So raising her hand she went to feel what was amiss.
Or missing in this case.
"What happened to my hair?" Came a demand in a Scottish brogue so thick that it was nearly unintelligible. She pulled her hand down to examine what came away.
White powder and bits of charred... hair?... Fur?
Hooch sat herself on the sofa and pulled her boot off. Checking out the sole, she confirmed her suspicion that yes indeed, her boot was soiled.
That was putting it mildly.
She looked up to see Dawn pulling the nappy that started it all off of Minerva's robes. The young woman's nose was scrunched up as she grumbled, "This is just soooo disgusting!"
Minerva looked down at herself, not saying a single word.
Hooch suspected that she was deeply in shock.
Spying a copy of the Daily Prophet, the spike haired witch laid it open on the coffee table, "Here Dawn. Put it on this."
The young woman dangled the offending object between her thumb and index finger and whined, "Why don't I just throw it in the fire?"
"Because I'll hex your arse if you do." Came Hermione's growled response.
Handing her daughter to Doodleberry, she whispered, "Put her to bed, then check on Michael for me please?"
The little elf nodded and solemnly marched his charge into the nursery.
Dawn gently lay the nappy on the coffee table and faced her sister. There was a fierce look simmering in Hermione's dark eyes that told Dawn to keep her mouth shut. Instead, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a credit card.
Moving to Minerva, the young woman proceeded to scrape baby poo off of Minerva's chest.
Recognizing the markings on the card, Minerva hissed, "What are you doing with my Gringotts card?" She snatched the plastic square away from the young woman.
"Uh, I was gonna order a pizza for everyone."
Minerva issued another hiss as she realized that her daughter's waste product was now clinging to her fingers. Something snapped at that moment and the mighty McGonagall threw back her head and roared.
Loudly.
It was a pretty impressive sight. What with the top of the Headmistress head still smoking and all.
"Ewaaa! Ewaaaa! Ewaaaa!"
"Waaa! Waaaa! Waaaa!"
Now both babies were wailing.
Dawn closed her eyes and shook her head.
Hooch grabbed a throw pillow and buried her face into it, letting out her own scream.
Hermione eyed all of them and bellowed, "ENOUGH ALREADY!"
Silence ensued.
Not a peep could be heard anywhere.
Snarling, the young doctor opened the stasis bag, pulled out her wand and stated, "Accio Innocent Poo!"
From all corners of the room, the substance that caused grown women to tremble in fear quietly floated into the blue bag Hermione McGonagall held in her left hand.
From the bottom of Hooch's boot, to the splatter across Minerva's chest, from the nappy lying peacefully on the coffee table to the sticky glob clinging to Dawn's hand, all of it formed an orderly procession and quietly entered the bag.
Once it was full, the young healer sealed it and banished it to the clinic with a wave of her wand. Another wave scourgified the destruction in the living room.
Walking passed her wife, Hermione snarked, "I trust you can right the furniture."
Shaking her head, the older witch realized that her wife was not pleased by the actions of herself, Hooch and Dawn. Gazing at the two of them, she said, "I think it best that you two escape while you can. I fear I may be spending time in the proverbial dog house this evening."
Hooch pulled her boot back on and nodded, "Come on Butterfly let's leave while we still can." The younger woman nodded and trotted after Hooch as she walked to the door.
"I'll talk to you later." Hooch said to Minerva as she and Dawn left.
"If I am still living." Minerva muttered as she lowered herself to the sofa.
She could not believe that her daughter had caused such mayhem. Now granted, it really was the actions of the grown women that aggravated matters but still...
Hermione returned to the living room holding a naked Michael. Handing him to Minerva she growled, "The nursery is a mess, hold him while I go fix it."
Minerva didn't dare say a word. She just stood with her son cradled against her chest.
Not more than a minute later, she felt a trickling, heated wetness spreading across her front. Pulling her son away and dangling him in front of her, she saw that the little bugger had just...
Hermione chose that moment to reappear saying, "All done."
She looked at her wife holding their son, dangling at arms length in front of her. There was a look of utter defeat on the Headmistress' face as she stared at the wet mark decorating the front of emerald robes.
The young witch stepped up to her wife and gently removed their son from Minerva's trembling arms.
Staring up into glistening emerald orbs, Hermione saw Minerva's lower lip quiver as she whispered, "My daughter nearly destroyed this room, burnt my hair off and then my son pee'd on me."
Hermione couldn't help the giggle that spat out of her mouth.
She watched as her wife whirled around and stared at her with blazing eyes.
The dark eyed witch reached out a gentle hand and placed it over her wife's heart, "Welcome to parenthood."
"But this is only the first day!" The Headmistress wailed.
Corny watched as his cousin and his wife walked out of the candy shop for the last time. It was officially his. A look of proud satisfaction gleamed in his dark eyes.
Rubbing his hands together, he moved to the sweet counter and pulled out a bit of parchment. A few ideas for new types of sweets had occured to him last night after to listening to Dumbledore mutter, "Peaches and cream," for several hours.
A tap at the window caused the big man to look up.
Ron Weasley was motioning, asking if it was alright to come in.
Smiling, the big man beckoned the red haired wizard to enter. As the door opened, Corny's deep voice boomed, "Hiya young man. What brings you here?"
Grinning the tall red head pointed in the direction of the clinic, "Was seeing if the clinic was open."
Corny scratched his bald head and said, "I don't expect Hermione would be too much in the mood to see patients today."
Nodding, Ron moved around the shop. Peering into a large glass dish filled to the brim with sherbet lemons, he answered, "I thought maybe Dawn might be there fiddling with her computer-thingy."
Chuckling, Corny muttered, "Ah young love." Moving to a door behind the counter, he added, "I was going to go downstairs and start a batch, do you want to come?"
Interest sparked in the young Weasley's eyes. With a nod, he followed the large man.
Jean Granger puttered about the flat with a dust rag. Here and there, she wiped down counter tops and flat surfaces. She loved living in Minerva's London flat, but wished she could find somewhere more permanent. She supposed when she and Ro finally married, then they would be living together.
An eyebrow quirked as the older woman mused that she just might well end up living at Hogwarts. The little girl that still lived inside her heart giggled at the thought of living in an enchanted castle. She heard a rustling sound outside on the balcony and realized that Hedwig must be hungry.
Hurrying to the kitchen, she opened the refrigerator and reached for the plastic container that held the owl's food. Hermione had brought the package a few days ago saying something about it being charmed to always be full.
Magic was so amazing.
Opening the plastic lid, Jean moved to a cabinet and pulled out a small plate. She hoped Minerva wouldn't mind her using the good china to feed an owl with.
Grinning, she opened a drawer and pulled out a spoon. Dipping into the container, Jean filled the plate with an oozing meaty substance. She really didn't want to know just exactly this substance was however. Shuddering slightly, she replaced the container in the fridge, tossed the spoon in the sink and headed out to feed Harry's owl.
Opening the door, she was greeted by a friendly hooted trill.
"Good morning to you too." She replied. Carefully, she set the plate on a platform just below the perch and watched as the snowy owl dropped down and began eating.
Watching that sharp beak ripping the meat to small pieces caused Jean to make a face, "Ewww."
She turned to walk back inside but stopped and asked, "When you're done do you think you could carry a message to Hermione for me?"
The owl looked up and gave an affirmative hoot.
Snickering, Jean walked back into the flat.
She loved magic.
Minerva stood in front of the mirror in her and Hermione's en-suite. Peering into the reflective surface, she turned her head this way and that.
Yes, her hair was well and truly gone.
Pinching the bridge of her nose in an unconscious effort to fend off the headache she could feel approaching, she sighed.
In the meantime, Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose as well.
She was standing in the centre of the nursery gazing down at her sleeping children. The young mother watched as Livvy paced back and forth in front of the baby beds.
"I say that the Mistress hads magics when shes was a wee one too."
Hermione listened to the squeaky voice of the elf who'd cared for Minerva as an infant.
"So what did her parents do?"
Livvy shrugged, "All magical babies has episodes."
Hermione nodded, "Yes I know. I studied the phenomenon at school. It's called Incidental Magic." The young mother moved to sit on the nursery sofa. Her movement was slow and a bit awkward.
The elf was reminded that the witch had only given birth yesterday. Frowning, golden eyes sparkling with concern, Livvy said, "You's musts rest."
Hermione nodded distractedly. She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, then asked, "Have you ever been aware of Incidental Magic being displayed by infants so young?"
Livvy shook her head no.
"You are thinking that she needs to have her magic bound?"
Hermione looked up to see her wife standing in the doorway. The young woman could see that her wife's head was red and blistered in places where the hair had been burned off. The young mother sighed, "I don't know yet, I need to talk to Molly and Poppy."
She rose painfully and moved to her wife.
Livvy and Minerva both moved to lend an assisting hand and claw.
"I'm alright." The healer replied waving a dismissing hand. She crooked her finger and asked Minerva to follow.
"Keep an eye on them Livvy."
"Yes Lady-Miss."
Dawn Granger sat in the stands on the pitch watching as Ro taught the first years how to fly. Seeing the youngsters so full of enthusiasm and joy as they lifted off of the ground, caused the young woman a moment of envy.
This was the one thing she was jealous of Hermione over.
Not having magic per se, but being able to fly.
To be able to ride a broom up into the clouds. Gliding with the birds, feeling the shifting winds pulling at you. To be able to enter the misty mysteriousness of a cummulus cloud at high noon.
That was what she envied these youngsters for.
She was interrupted from her thoughts as Hooch sat beside her.
"Wha'cha thinkin' bout?"
Dawn sniggered as she felt a finger poking her in the side. Then another. Batting at her mother's lover, she mumbled, "Quit it."
"Tell me what's buggin' you."
Another finger poked her ribs.
The young woman hugged herself. Her eyes displayed a melancholy longing swimming in their mocha depths. Sighing, the young woman muttered, "I never really was all that jealous of 'Mione's magic except for this."
She pointed at the first years as they cautiously and not-so-cautiously moved about on their brooms.
"Accio broom!"
The slender young woman watched as Hooch's broom flew into her out-stretched hand.
"Come on then." The Flying Instructor held out her hand beckoning for Dawn to mount the broom in front of her.
"What about Minerva? She won't like me mixing with your students."
An ornery gleam twinkled in yellow eyes, "What she doesn't know won't hurt her now will it?"
Grinning, Dawn Granger climbed onto the broom in front of her soon-to-be step-mother, "Cool."
The two women soared over to the pitch to mingle with the younger students. Dawn grinned as she heard Hooch grumble, "Behave yourselves, this is the Headmistress' sister-in-law."
Dawn nodded at the friendly greetings from a few of the young witches and wizards.
Hermione sat Minerva in a chair in her office as she closely inspected her wife's wounds.
"Boy, she really gave you a proper roasting."
Minerva frowned, "Is that kind of magic normal in a child so young?"
"When said child is your's and Hermiones, I'd have to say yes."
The women looked up to see Poppy's tired blue eyes gazing thoughtfully at them. The medi-witch moved into the room saying to Hermione, "You need to sit."
She took the tube of healing ointment from the young healer and helped her to sit in the chair behind her desk. Moving back to tend to the Headmistress, the older witch commented, "I suggest you find a short hairstyle you like too."
"Why?" Minerva queried, her emerald eyes intensely staring at Poppy.
The latter glanced at Hermione, "Have you not told her?"
Hermione shook her head, "I haven't had the chance. I wanted to make sure her wounds were tended to."
Minerva was getting peeved at being talked about like she wasn't even there, "In case either of you have not noticed. I am sitting right here!" A tiny bit of smoke rose from the top of the elder witch's head.
Poppy waved her wand muttering, "Easy Minerva, you might re-ignite."
"What are you both blathering on about?" The green eyed woman demanded.
Hearing a tired sigh escape her wife's lips, the elder woman locked eyes with the brown eyed witch.
"I can't restore your hair."
"Why?"
"Because I don't know the specific incantation Michaela used."
"Michaela?" Minerva's eyes widened incredulously.
Hermione nodded, "I'll need to see your memory Tabby if I even have a hope of reversing the spell. If I can't, then we're going to have to wait until she's older to lift it."
"Why?"
Hermione shook her head, "Because it's HER magic that's done this."
Minerva McGonagall frowned, "So I am to be bald for the next few years?"
Poppy snickered, "You're not bald. You're just going to have to get used to having short hair for a while that's all."
"But...but.."
The older medi-witch smiled, "It's just hair."
"Yes... my hair. My beautiful ebony hair..."
Hermione rose from her chair and moved to her wife. Cupping her chin, the young woman gazed into saddened emerald, "I will figure something out. I promise. In the meantime, I'll ask Dawn to come and do up your hair in something spiffy. Okay?"
A single tear slid out of her wife's left eye and slowly meandered down a sculpted, creamy cheek.
- to be continued
AN: Y'all be nice and no flames please. I know I did a bad thing, but it'll work out. You'll see. ;D
