Chapter 53: A Riddle and A Mudblood
"Mother, father please stop that it's embarrassing," Minerva groaned as she walked beside them through Diagon Alley. It was the end of summer and the couple had brought Minerva and Poppy Pomfrey school shopping.
Stewart was spinning his wife around as he hummed her favorite tune and her skirts flew around.
"I think it's sweet they're still so in love," Poppy sighed dreamily.
"Not when you're in public. People can see," Minerva moaned.
Stewart continued to hum in his deep voice as he bobbed his head and spun his wife around. Katherine was laughing with her musical voice as she twirled.
They were so lost in each other they didn't see the person till Katherine had bumped into him and made his packages fall.
"Oh dear. Oh we are so sorry," Katherine gasped.
Stewart waved his wand and picked up all the boy's packages and handed them to him.
"Sorry about that son. Next time we'll watch where we're dancing," Stewart chuckled.
"It's fine," the boy replied.
"I'm Stewart McGonagall and this is my wife Katherine and this is our daughter Minerva and her friend Poppy," Stewart introduced.
"Pleasure," the boy nodded, "I'm Tom Riddle."
"So school shopping I see. What year are you?" Stewart asked conversationally.
"Starting second year in Slytherin," the boy answered.
The boy was pale and a little on the tall side. He was skinny with black hair he wore combed back and he had black as night eyes. He didn't look like anyone Stewart knew and yet there was a certain something about him that gave the man the impression he should know the boy.
"My wife here was a Slytherin. Who are you parents?" Stewart asked.
The boy mumbled a good bye and hastily walked off.
"Daddy…he's an orphan. He doesn't have any family," Minerva replied.
"Oh…oh dear me so he's mudblood of half-blood?" Stewart asked.
"Half I think…but you shouldn't use the m word it's not nice," Minerva said shaking her head.
"What's it mean…mudblood? They call me it at school a lot," Poppy stated.
"It means dirty blood. Mudblood is a word a pureblood uses to refer to someone of a none magical family that is a witch or wizard. One who is muggleborn," Katherine explained.
Little Poppy looked absolutely stricken. She knew the word had been bad; why else would the others say it, but to hear her friend's parents use the word so carelessly was like a punch in the gut. She paled and ran off.
"Nice Da," Minerva growled.
"What?" Stewart shrugged, "Minerva she's got to get over how that effects her all of the mudbloods should. It's because the word upsets them that the ruder purebloods use it to taunt them."
Minerva just crossed her arms and glared at him like her mother did when Stewart stuck his foot in his mouth.
"Let me talk to her," Katherine said as she headed off in the direction of where the girl had ran.
Poppy had gotten turned around and had found herself lost in Knockturn Alley. She was terrified and rightly so as the people and creatures in the alley started coming closer and closer.
"Such a pretty little thing."
"Come with me deary."
"We'll help you find your way back."
Two hags started pulling at the girl and she screamed just as a deadly hiss reverberated around the walls.
"Let the child go or loose your heads!"
Poppy watched through watery eyes as most seemed to shrink in the shadows and the remaining parted like the Red Sea as Katherine came into the little bit of light there. Poppy was so happy to see a familiar face that she ran straight to the witch and buried herself in the woman's rich robes.
Katherine held the small child close as she navigated out of Knockturn Alley and they entered the brightness of Diagon Alley. She found a bench outside of a store and sat down with the girl standing in front of her. Katherine took a sating handkerchief from her sleeve that was embroidered with the McGonagall Crest and gently wiped away the girl's tears.
"Poppy you are going to here that word a lot growing up being who you are. That is not to say you can't be whoever you desire to be," Katherine said softly, "It doesn't matter if every pureblood in the world calls you mudblood if you believe you are better than that you be it. No one dictates who you are but you do you understand?"
"I-I…I think so Ms. Katherine," Poppy nodded.
"Good girl," Katherine smiled standing and pulling the girl into a hug, "Now how about some ice cream?"
Poppy sniffed and nodded giving a small smile as they walked back to Minerva and Stewart.
