Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious or Harry Potter, the former belongs to Dan and Nickelodeon, the latter to J. K. Rowling. This is a collab done with BloodyJesus, we're just working together to make this the best story possible.
Chapter 5: Barking Mad Brother
Valentine Apartment, 16:53
"Mom! Mom!" Cat called, entering the house as it began raining. "Mommy, I found a cat —"
"Kitty, honey," her mother began, calling from the living room; her daughter ran there, all smiles and giggles and showing with pride a wet, tabby cat with spectacle marks. "We've talked about this, and we can't handle another mouth to feed."
"But, mommy, look at this cutie!" The girl pouted, and the woman was taken aback by the stern glare from the feline.
"Kitty Cat," the redhead gasped, and turned, cradling the cat close; it was her brother, giving her a goofy smile, and extending his arms, "this, isn't a cat . . . did you receive a letter today?"
The girl squealed, passing the cat to her brother, who took the chance place a towel on the girl's head, then began using another on the cat. Their mother looked in wonder as the boy smiled kindly at the cat and treated it with uttermost care. Once he had dried the cat, did he place it on the couch with a towel around it and stepped away. It was then that she realized what her daughter had been saying.
"Wizard mommy!" Bright, mocha eyes beamed. "A wizard . . ."
"Actually lil' sis," the boy said as he patted her red mane; she returned his goofy smile, "the right term is: witch."
"Ohhhh . . . Momma," she turned back to her mother, "I'm a witch . . ."
"Well, I'm not sure if I'd call you that just yet," the woman replied with an uncomfortable smile, "but I'll recognize myself that you're quite magical."
"And as exceptional as her brother," a new voice said, "I must say, quite a lovely flat you have."
"Professor, it's been too long," the young man went to her and gave her a hug, "mom runs the cafe downstairs, and I make sure those who don't have, get some potions or meds to get better."
"Really, I thought you did more than practicing your potion making," the one he had been speaking too remarked softly.
"Ah yes, I earned a barista title recently," he confessed sheepishly.
"Yes, thought as much," the witch extended the now-dry towel back to him, "thank you, Theodore."
"Teddy Bear, how about some Mac and Cheese?" The girl requested and she was taken by him towards the kitchen.
"Did you give mom the letter?" He asked as she laughed, being held by him.
"No," she replied with some difficulties, being in the middle of a giggling fit.
"Then you better do so, Red Panda," he remarked, placing her down and motioning for her to get it done, "else, I'm afraid there won't be some Mac and Cheese."
"'Kay 'kay!" She went to her mother, and gave her the letter then went running back to her older brother. "Teddy Bear!"
The Muggle took the letter, speechless, then began shedding tears and shaking her head. Muttering beneath her breath, she said 'no' over and over again, remarking that 'it wasn't possible' and 'this can't be happening again' then placing a hand over her mouth, trying to contain the sobs and cries and preventing those from escaping. Her children loved her enough to try to cheer her up, and her baby girl would succeed, and this only made her sadder.
"I understand your reluctance, Ms. Valentine," McGonagall had a sad look upon her face, "but I can assure you, no harm shall fall upon her."
"How can you guarantee me that?" The woman inquired once she had controlled herself; tears still fell, but she felt entitled to shedding some. "How? When my son left for that school, he came back after he turned twenty one, and he was such a mess. . . ."
"This time, I'll send her over right after Hogwarts ends," McGonagall began, but a knock on the door made the two women stop, and turn.
"Mom, we've saved enough, we could go to England and start a new life," the man spoke demurely and softly, the two older females looked at him, shocked, "being away from magic may have allowed me to act . . . less insane, but I also feel the effects of not being surrounded."
"Mr. Valentine —" The Professor wasn't happy with what the young man was getting at, but her face turned conflicted when he took out his wand; the hazel wood was withered, then again the core was unicorn hair, which meant the wand was dead. "But, how . . ?"
"Magic was making me worse, so when I stopped using it, part of me died," he looked ready to burst in tears, "it took me years to compose myself again, but at least being surrounded by magic . . ."
"We're moving to England?" The redhead suddenly appeared, there were traces of cheese around her lips, with a mac sticking to some; she had brought her plate, so perhaps she wasn't done yet, "but, what about the new school?"
Her pout was such that even the stern woman felt her strings being pulled. Shaking her head softly, she noticed how mother and child looked so alike but for the hair, and she frowned at the red tone of the child. Looking at the boy — young man, she gave him a rather pointed look and once he noticed, he nodded softly.
"Your new school is in England baby," the woman kneeled and the girl went to her.
"But, I would like to spend Christmas with you and Teddy . . ." Cat's pout was moving.
The boy chuckled while their mother cried softly. "Okay then, we'll move to England, you can be with us that way."
"Yay!" She cheered, throwing her plate but before it could hit the floor and make a mess, the witch made it stop; the child blushed. "Uh, sorry . . ."
"It's okay darling," the woman replied with a chuckle, looking at her sadly, "I guess it must have been obvious, since you turned your hair that lovely shade of red velvet . . ."
"It's my favorite," the girl remarked, and this time, her blush made her ears burn softly.
"Ah, now I see why our Headmaster was so adamant about having Miss Valentine at our school," the woman remarked, and then two heads turned to her, "well, a magic school opened here, but it's too recent else Mr. Valentine would have been asked to join it and not ours."
"Why then, is she being invited?" The question was valid, and by then the young man returned from the kitchen after leaving the plate of food in the counter, and bringing something to clean the child's face. "What's the name of that institute?"
"Magical Academy for Gifted and Intelligent Children; M.A.G.I.C. for short," the woman shook her head, grimace in place, "I swear, complete lack of imagination . . ."
"Maybe we can still apply there," the woman knew she was holding onto hope in vain.
"No mom, they wouldn't be able to handle her," he shook his head, and then turned to the girl, "show mom all the tricks you know."
"You said I couldn't show anyone," the girl remarked shyly (she had shown Jade, but before she had shown her brother), but she swayed her head from side to side, humming beneath her breath, "I'm a bunny, with long ears and, an, adorable, fluffy puff of a tail!"
As she said long ears, she motioned with her hands towards having long ears, and these appeared, like the ones she had worn at the party. Afterwards, she placed her hands on her waist, turned around and pulled the strap down to her coccyx, squealing when the 'adorable, fluffy puff of a tail' the color of red velvet appeared.
"But puppies have long, bushy tails," she shook her body and the bunny tail was replaced by a brown, long bushy tail, and then taking her long ears, she bent them down then let go, her hair turning the same golden-brown of the tail, the same color her mother's hair, and letting her ears go, they were triangular shaped and flopped down on her head, "but their ears are so soft and tender, I can see why they would bite them!"
Giggling fits, especially happy at the awed struck behavior of her mother and the other woman, she looked at her brother with the biggest smile. He had promised her she could show her mom the dance, but he had only seen the ears ever. She pouted when she realized he was blushing and hiding his face.
"But then again, I am Cat," she remarked with a little less enthusiasm, "meaning my ears are standing, with a really long and elegant tail . . ."
She raised her ears, hair turning dark as her brother's and turning around, she had a really, really long cat-like tail, also black. After shaking herself in a very, puppy-like fashion, she turned with an uncertain smile to everyone.
"I swear mom, I had no idea about the tail thing!" The young man exclaimed.
"Then what about all those cartoons you watch?" The woman demanded softly, McGonagall was mildly scandalized and horrified.
"Anime is super fun," the girl remarked, going to her brother, "Anima+ showed me all different ways, although I can't make feathers; it's a tad hard. I can make scales though."
She grinned, showing her two arms, showing bright scales on both then small, short feathers.
"Anyway, this is why she cannot go to a recently began school," the young man spoke as he took a deep breath, red coloring his cheeks, "this is why she should go to Hogwarts."
"Last time you needed funding," the woman sighed, shaking her head, "I did what I could but, if we move, we won't be able to properly support her . . ."
"Uh, mom," the young man gave her a sheepish look, "even though I didn't come back until she was five, there's a reason why I came back the way I did . . ."
"He was gathering us Intel, actually stumbling upon it," McGonagall finally got over her shock, "trouble magnet indeed."
"I now have a vault filled with magical currency," he remarked softly, "it's enough to get her decent school things, and get a business started."
"Mr. Valentine —"
"Yeah, Muggles are impervious to magic but," he pointed at the woman who had given birth to him, "she gave birth to me and my sister because she felt alone, we don't have another donor, I made sure of this myself, so she has a level of magic far undeveloped, but she has it!"
"That isn't a way of saying I'm a single mother!" The Muggle exclaimed blushing furiously and swatting at her son, who was taller than her.
"Yay!" Not being one used to being left out, Cat began following her mother's example.
They stopped their family antics once they noticed the woman was holding her wand out, and was spraying them with some kind of mist. It had taken them about ten minutes to realize this. Not sure what was happening, Kathryn turned to look at herself then her children, but there was nothing wrong.
"I believe you might be onto something young man," the witch remarked, then nodded at them, "I believe you still have an owl . . ."
"Yes ma'am!" He saluted, and the redhead giggled and did the same.
"Then I expect an answer soon —"
"Okay," the mother sighed heavily, taking her baby girl into a possessive hold, "okay . . . she can go, but please, please take care of her."
"Mom, Kathryn, if we go to England and can open a business in Hogsmeade," the witch looked at the young wizard with surprise, "then we can take good care of her."
"Wiiii!" The girl began jumping about in the small living room, and would have made a mess had her brother not stopped her.
"Red Panda," he warned softly, but she just took him into a crushing hug.
"My Teddy Bear is my Hero!" She exclaimed happily, all giggles. "And Jade says you're barking mad!"
"Well, I can now take my leave," McGonagall looked out the window, and sighed in relief when she noticed that the rain had stopped, "I have another child to visit; I wanted to come here afterwards, but your child and the rain caught me by surprise . . ."
The young man opened the window, and jumping through, the Professor turned into the tabby cat.
"I'm hungry!" The redhead stated, then went to the kitchen to finish her mac and cheese.
"Dinner rush time," the mother sighed, getting ready to head downstairs, "make sure to eat some veggies, the two of you."
"Awwww," the girl pouted.
"Yes mom," the wizard replied obediently and his sister looked at him with surprise.
"Barking mad," she remarked softly, expression turning to fear, "I can see it now! Jade was right!"
"Oi!" He frowned at her and she dashed away. "Come here and try saying that again!"
"No veggies!" She cried as though it were a battle cry.
Kathryn sighed and shook her head. Some days, it was hard on them all; others, it was easier. She had never questioned where they came from, she just embraced them and loved them. There was nothing else she could do, that she wanted to do, so she was happy to be able to be close to her daughter and son. Smiling at the patrons, she felt her heart constrict; Kathryn would miss this place, but she valued her Catarina more than anything, and leaving her lifestyle to be with her bundle of joy . . . it was worth it.