Leah and Rachel happily rambled through the Hogwarts halls, towards the
Faculty end, where Dumbledore's office was located. They had some things to
discuss, apparently. Leah had been summoned from Snape's Dungeons, Rachel
from Hagrid's.
"They're getting married," Rachel said in awe, as they held hands, walking up the candle-lit corridors of the school. "They're having a baby! This is SO awesome." Rachel paused for a moment, looking up at Leah. "You think they might be happy this time?"
"What do you mean, Rachie?" Leah asked distractedly.
"They fight all the time, in our time, I mean," she admitted quietly, stumbling on her words. "Maybe this time, you know, 'cause they're getting married again, sort of, maybe they'll be happy this time."
"That's a really nice thought," Leah said, not quite believing it herself. "I think we might have helped them learn more about each other. I think they may be happier this time around." I hope, she amended inwardly.
Dumbledore was waiting for them in front of the passageway to his office. "Girls, I am so glad you could join me! Come," he said, turning around, allowing for a stairwell to appear at the base of a large bird sculpture. They entered his office, familiar to them after the few meetings they had shared with him, talking, as he helped the two girls adjust.
"So, Professor Dumbledore," Leah asked, as Rachel and she made themselves comfortable on a pair of chairs, "the point of this meeting would be?"
"To share some exciting news," he answered, smiling. "You two get to go home!" The good Professor had expected this to garner some reaction from the young Miss Malfoys, so the fact that they just sat there threw him for a moment. "Well?"
Leah and Rachel exchanged glances. Rachel cleared her throat. "We really do want to go home, Professor Dumbledore. . ." Rachel started.
"But, see, our parents. . . they're going to get married soon," Leah finished.
"I know!" Dumbledore said, clapping his hands together. "I wished your parents, young Mr. Malfoy and Miss Weasley the best just this morning when they told me the news."
"We were sort of hoping that we might be able to stick around long enough to see it- the wedding, we mean," Rachel said.
Dumbledore laughed that infectious Grandpa Arthur-like laugh Leah missed from her own time. "If that's what you are worried about, Miss Malfoy, and Miss Malfoy," he said, looking at each of them when addressing the girls, "we can arrange for you to stay just long enough to see the ceremony."
"What changed, Professor? Why are we allowed to go home now?" Leah asked quietly.
"Miss Malfoy, while it would absolutely useless divulging the details at such a late date, let me simply say that any threats that may or may not have been lodged against you two do not seem to exist anymore. If anything were to be done to you two in your time, they would have acted already. In my opinion, it is now safe for you two to go home to your parents."
Rachel's eyed moved quickly between her sister and the old professor. Whatever they were discussing, she would make a point of talking to her sister about it later. All that mattered was that they were going home! To Pooches! To Harriette!
"Well, then, you two may continue with your day - Rachel, I am sure Hagrid is missing you, and Leah, I am absolutely confident that Professor Snape is missing you," Dumbledore commented snarkily, his eyes twinkling. "Please be prepared to travel directly after the ceremony, although I cannot pinpoint the exact moment when you shall leave. The sooner we get you back to your time, the better."
*****
Hogsmeade City Center Gardens. It had been a simple affair in Hogsmeade's Town Hall, and then perhaps lounging in the Gardens for a time. Until the girls disappeared back to their own time. Only two other people were present at the wedding ceremony other than him and his bride. Their children.
How completely modern.
As he stepped out of the building, attired in top-of-the-line dress robes, he walked side-by-side with his wife. His wife. Looking perhaps more beautiful than he had ever seen her before. Glowing with her, while unexpected, but never unwanted, pregnancy.
Their children led the way out of the Town Hall. Dumbledore had told them what to expect - Leah and Rachel would be going back to their own time. Perhaps in moments. Perhaps tomorrow. In truth, he would miss those two: Carrottop and the Rat. Quite a combination, those two, he chuckled inwardly. They ran all over the Gardens, despite being dressed to the nines thanks to a very excited Headmaster. New shoes, their hair done up beautifully.
Smiling, always smiling - the pair of them - whenever they were together.
And his wife, his bride, she was doing something she rarely did in HIS presence- she was smiling, looking quite a bit like her older daughter.
As he observed the serenity of the gardens, he had to grin. There was so much potential in the world. It amazed him how so many things once considered questionable could turn out so well.
You want proof?
There were two laughing girls playing in a garden.
A/N Heads up, dear readers, the conclusion to this story, entitled "Blessed," will be making its premiere within the next couple of days. Stay tuned!
"They're getting married," Rachel said in awe, as they held hands, walking up the candle-lit corridors of the school. "They're having a baby! This is SO awesome." Rachel paused for a moment, looking up at Leah. "You think they might be happy this time?"
"What do you mean, Rachie?" Leah asked distractedly.
"They fight all the time, in our time, I mean," she admitted quietly, stumbling on her words. "Maybe this time, you know, 'cause they're getting married again, sort of, maybe they'll be happy this time."
"That's a really nice thought," Leah said, not quite believing it herself. "I think we might have helped them learn more about each other. I think they may be happier this time around." I hope, she amended inwardly.
Dumbledore was waiting for them in front of the passageway to his office. "Girls, I am so glad you could join me! Come," he said, turning around, allowing for a stairwell to appear at the base of a large bird sculpture. They entered his office, familiar to them after the few meetings they had shared with him, talking, as he helped the two girls adjust.
"So, Professor Dumbledore," Leah asked, as Rachel and she made themselves comfortable on a pair of chairs, "the point of this meeting would be?"
"To share some exciting news," he answered, smiling. "You two get to go home!" The good Professor had expected this to garner some reaction from the young Miss Malfoys, so the fact that they just sat there threw him for a moment. "Well?"
Leah and Rachel exchanged glances. Rachel cleared her throat. "We really do want to go home, Professor Dumbledore. . ." Rachel started.
"But, see, our parents. . . they're going to get married soon," Leah finished.
"I know!" Dumbledore said, clapping his hands together. "I wished your parents, young Mr. Malfoy and Miss Weasley the best just this morning when they told me the news."
"We were sort of hoping that we might be able to stick around long enough to see it- the wedding, we mean," Rachel said.
Dumbledore laughed that infectious Grandpa Arthur-like laugh Leah missed from her own time. "If that's what you are worried about, Miss Malfoy, and Miss Malfoy," he said, looking at each of them when addressing the girls, "we can arrange for you to stay just long enough to see the ceremony."
"What changed, Professor? Why are we allowed to go home now?" Leah asked quietly.
"Miss Malfoy, while it would absolutely useless divulging the details at such a late date, let me simply say that any threats that may or may not have been lodged against you two do not seem to exist anymore. If anything were to be done to you two in your time, they would have acted already. In my opinion, it is now safe for you two to go home to your parents."
Rachel's eyed moved quickly between her sister and the old professor. Whatever they were discussing, she would make a point of talking to her sister about it later. All that mattered was that they were going home! To Pooches! To Harriette!
"Well, then, you two may continue with your day - Rachel, I am sure Hagrid is missing you, and Leah, I am absolutely confident that Professor Snape is missing you," Dumbledore commented snarkily, his eyes twinkling. "Please be prepared to travel directly after the ceremony, although I cannot pinpoint the exact moment when you shall leave. The sooner we get you back to your time, the better."
*****
Hogsmeade City Center Gardens. It had been a simple affair in Hogsmeade's Town Hall, and then perhaps lounging in the Gardens for a time. Until the girls disappeared back to their own time. Only two other people were present at the wedding ceremony other than him and his bride. Their children.
How completely modern.
As he stepped out of the building, attired in top-of-the-line dress robes, he walked side-by-side with his wife. His wife. Looking perhaps more beautiful than he had ever seen her before. Glowing with her, while unexpected, but never unwanted, pregnancy.
Their children led the way out of the Town Hall. Dumbledore had told them what to expect - Leah and Rachel would be going back to their own time. Perhaps in moments. Perhaps tomorrow. In truth, he would miss those two: Carrottop and the Rat. Quite a combination, those two, he chuckled inwardly. They ran all over the Gardens, despite being dressed to the nines thanks to a very excited Headmaster. New shoes, their hair done up beautifully.
Smiling, always smiling - the pair of them - whenever they were together.
And his wife, his bride, she was doing something she rarely did in HIS presence- she was smiling, looking quite a bit like her older daughter.
As he observed the serenity of the gardens, he had to grin. There was so much potential in the world. It amazed him how so many things once considered questionable could turn out so well.
You want proof?
There were two laughing girls playing in a garden.
A/N Heads up, dear readers, the conclusion to this story, entitled "Blessed," will be making its premiere within the next couple of days. Stay tuned!