Disclaimer: See "Stories of the Hogwarts Sisterhood"
To flamers: I don't take kindly to flames so get out of here, if you know what's good for you.
Note 1: This is a sequel to "Stories of the Hogwarts Sisterhood"; taken place several months later during Easter holidays, so read that first.
NOTE 2: This chapter contains the birth process of Athena. If you can't take it, skip this chapter.
Rated Pg-13 for language, content and characters' death.
Thank you for your reviews!
Chapter 29: Athena's birth
"When the mist clears, we are going to see myself and everything that I have done on 2nd of July 1986." said Artemis when a silver mist covered up the mirror from the inside.
The mist disappeared, revealing a handsome man with wavy blond hair. His chest was bare. Everything he had was golden. He was wearing a pair of golden shorts. His boots were golden, even his arrows and bow looked as if they were made by gold.
"That's my brother, Apollo." introduced Artemis.
In the mirror, Apollo looked directly at Artemis and said, "Still thinking about Minerva, Sis?"
The Artemis in the memory was wearing a white robe and sliver sandals. She answered, "Yes. Bro, you are the God of prophecy, you can see into the future. Tell me exactly when is she giving birth?"
Apollo closed his eyes and thought for a while. "Tonight."
"Tonight?!" exclaimed Artemis.
Apollo nodded. "But her contractions come in the early afternoon."
"Afternoon? That will kill her! I don't think she can take it."
"Now, Arty, don't worry, she will be all right." said Apollo calmly.
"Well," Artemis stood up. "I better take a look at what Minerva's doing."
The mirror showed the room where Apollo and Artemis were as Artemis moved. There was a big, tall and thin mirror standing alone at the corner of the room.
Artemis walked to it and called, "Mirror to the mortal world, show me Minerva McGonagall Dumbledore!"
White clouds appeared in the mirror and a minute later, it cleared up. Apollo got up from his seat and walked to his sister.
"She looks okay." he commented.
The mirror was showing the 53 year old Minerva reading a book on an armchair, reading a novel in the living room. She looked younger (of course), but had gained a little weight. Her stomach was barely visible under her clothes.
Artemis was relieved to see the Queen Cold-As-Ice being so relax in her armchair.
"Well, I better go now." said Apollo before he left the room.
Artemis just nodded in response. She then summoned a chair and sat down, continuing to watch over Minerva.
Time seemed to pass quickly; Minerva remained reading her book without moving an inch. Artemis was about to fell asleep when she noticed that Minerva was frowning slightly. She then coughed a little and gripped onto the armchair. Artemis turned her head sharply to the sundial in her room. 1pm.
"Uh oh." she muttered.
Then she saw Albus entering the room. He froze for a moment before he rushed forward, asking "Minerva? Minerva, are you all right?"
Minerva whispered something that Artemis couldn't hear. Then Albus carried her up in his arms and Disapparated.
***
"Bring her here!" said Poppy quickly in the school hospital wing.
Albus put Minerva down onto one of the beds. Beads of perspiration had appeared on Minerva's forehead. Albus was about to wipe them away when Poppy called, "Albus, you better go and get Mandy and Georgia."
Albus hesitated and looked at Minerva.
"Just go, Albus. I will be fine." said Minerva weakly but firmly.
***
"Oh Merlin, Minerva, are you okay?" asked Mandy anxiously.
"No......" said Minerva.
"I afraid she won't be giving birth until night falls." said Poppy.
"Night falls?!" exclaimed the rest of the Hogwarts Sisters, including Minerva.
Poppy nodded slowly.
"Oh hell!" cursed Minerva suddenly when pain took over her again. "I can't imagine that I will be experiencing this sort of pain again!"
"Albus, I think you better go outside and wait......" started Poppy quietly.
"No, I will stay here." said Albus determinedly and rushed towards Minerva.
He wiped away her sweat. "Don't worry, Minerva. You will be just fine."
***
Artemis licked her lips nervously as she watched Minerva through the mirror. She looked paler and weaker as the time went by.
"Now that looks rather painful." she said as Minerva clutched onto the bed sheets tightly and bit her lip hard from crying. "And I can't even do anything about it!"
***
"Minerva, don't bit your lip, you are going to hurt yourself!" cried Georgia when Minerva relaxed a little.
"Yeah, go ahead and yell, we don't mind." said Mandy.
A few minutes later, Minerva did really scream as the contraction came again.
***
Poppy looked at the clock hanging on the wall. 8pm.
"Aren't she ready yet?" asked Albus.
Poppy silently made a circle with her finger, which meant that Albus was required to turn his back to Minerva. Curiously, Albus just turned around.
A rustle sound of material was heard and Poppy reported, "Not in next two hours."
"Two hours?" asked Minerva tiredly.
"At least I think so. In the mean time, do you want anything to eat?"
Minerva shook her head and took in a sharp breath when a wave of contractions came. "I, I just want to give birth as soon as possible."
"But you don't eat anything, you don't have any energy to push." protested Georgia.
"I don't care!" Minerva suddenly snapped when she felt pain in the lower part of her body again. "AH!"
Poppy looked up at the clock again. 8.01pm. "Hey, I think you will be ready in an hour or less, since your contractions gap is getting shorter."
"Great." mumbled Minerva.
***
"Albus, you should wait outside, she is due giving birth in any moment." said Poppy after ½ hour.
"No, I want him......." began Minerva when she groaned in pain.
"Go. Please." said Poppy, firmly as she ordered Minerva to spread her legs.
Silence.
"Fine, I will simply wait outside." said Albus and went outside before Minerva could say anything.
A few seconds went, Minerva looked as if she was going to collapse any moment.
"This is worse than the time when I gave birth to Achilles!" she complained.
"Okay, I think you are ready." said Poppy, ignoring Minerva's complaints.
Mandy went out of the hospital wing for a moment and came back with a long towel. She pulled it with her two hands and folded it into half. She then twisted it to make it looked like a stick and offered it to Minerva.
"Here, bite this while you are at it." said Mandy gently.
Minerva said something that Artemis couldn't hear again and bite onto the towel.
***
Artemis clutched her hands tightly and swallowed when Poppy took a deep breath and said, "Minerva, when I say so, push as hard as you can, okay?"
Minerva, who couldn't talk with the towel in her mouth, simply nodded.
Mandy and Georgia looked at each other and the two of them held Minerva's hands. Mandy held the left while Georgia held the right.
"Good luck, Minerva." said Mandy sincerely.
"You can do it." encouraged Georgia.
Poppy smiled at her three friends before she said, "Minerva, you, you can push now."
Minerva responded by lowered her chin as low as possible and lifted her behind as she started pushing.
"Come on, Minerva, that's it......" said Poppy slowly. "Now try to push a bit harder."
Minerva sank her teeth onto the towel hard and tried to push harder. Unlike other labours, Athena's birth process was quieter, since Minerva was biting on the towel to prevent herself from screaming her head off. However, Minerva's muffled screams could be heard sometimes and they sent chills down the Hogwarts Sisters' spines.
"I rather take away the towel and let Minerva to scream as loud as she wants." said Mandy.
"You can't, she must have the towel because you can't scream when giving birth. And if you take the towel off, she might bite her tongue or something." protested Georgia.
Soon, Poppy was heard yelling excitedly, "I see the head! I see the head! Now just a little longer, Minerva, bear with it!"
Minerva tightened her grip on Mandy's and Georgia's hands before she continued with the labour. At 9.00pm, Minerva had become a mother, again.
"Ah......." said Poppy softly and happily when she received the crying baby girl. "Minerva, it's a girl!"
No response.
"Minerva?"
Poppy looked over Minerva's legs and found Mandy frantically took away the towel from Minerva's mouth. Minerva's eyes were close. Her face was wet with sweat and was pale as chalk.
"Oh no, Minerva, wake up!" cried Georgia and gently slapped Minerva's face. "Poppy, she has fainted!"
Poppy's eyes widened. "Get Albus, quick!"
As Georgia went out, Poppy put the baby down and started to clean her up. Mandy, on the hand, was lowering down Minerva's legs and trying to wake her up.
***
"Oh my Gods........" mumbled Artemis when Apollo came in. "Apollo, Minerva has fainted!"
Apollo came over and looked over Artemis's shoulder at the mirror. "Don't worry, she's just over-exhausted. She will wake up after an hour."
"Really?"
Apollo nodded. "By the way, some younger Gods and I are resting on the highest point of Mt Olympus, want to come?"
Artemis shook her head. "Not unless I know Minerva and her baby are okay."
Apollo shrugged. "Suit yourself."
Apollo went out and Artemis continued to look at the mirror, where Albus held Minerva's hand.
An hour later, she sighed in relief when she saw Minerva stirred a little and opened her eyes slowly.
***
Minerva opened her eyes and blinked.
"Minerva?"
Minerva blinked again. She then turned her head to the side and saw Albus sitting beside the bed. "A-Albus?"
"Thank the Goddess Artemis, you are okay!" said Albus happily.
***
"I didn't do anything." said Artemis guiltily when she heard that.
***
Minerva smiled a little before her smile vanished completely and she looked around quickly. "W-where's our baby?"
"Wait." said Albus and called, "Poppy! Minerva has awakened!"
Soon, Poppy came in with a bundle of blankets. "Minerva, you are okay!" she said and walked to her steadily. "Here's your new baby!"
She handed the baby to Minerva. "Here you go. She's so sweet......"
Minerva took over the baby girl and gently pulled the edge of a blanket aside to see her daughter. The baby was fast asleep. She looked at Albus affectionately and smiled again.
"Isn't she beautiful?" she whispered and Albus nodded.
"What are you going to call her?" asked Poppy quietly so that the baby won't wake up.
"Athena." said Dumbledore immediately.
"Why?"
"One, I think it is rather amusing to have her named after the Greek Goddess Athena, since her mother is named after the Roman counterpart of Athena, Minerva. Two, remember what happen in 1950?"
"Oh, that." said Poppy and smiled at Albus.
Minerva heard their conversation and looked at Athena. She was still sleeping.
Minerva kissed her forehead and whispered tenderly, "Sleep tight, Athena."
***
"Aw." Artemis said as she watched Minerva kissing Athena. "Well, time to celebrate!"
She went out of her room and practically skipped to the highest point of Mount Olympus, where the younger Gods were.
When she arrived, she saw Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, flirting with Apollo. Ares, the God of War, was playing cards with Hermes, the messenger of the Gods and Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom and War was sitting on a fluffy bench, playing with her owl Bubo.
Artemis walked to Athena and sat down beside her. "Hi."
Athena looked at Artemis and smiled, "Hi. You sound cheery, what's the news?"
"Oh, just that one of my favourite mortals has given birth to a baby girl just now." said Artemis happily.
"Really?" said Athena absentmindedly as she continued to play with her owl. "What's the baby's name?"
Artemis grinned. "Athena."
"Huh?"
"I said, the baby's name is Athena."
Athena paused and turned her head sharply to Artemis. "You're joking."
"No, I'm not. Ask Apollo if you don't believe me." said Artemis.
"Why does a mortal named her daughter after me?"
"What do you think?" asked Artemis and she stood up. "Now if you excuse me, I am going to celebrate her successful birth."
"How?" asked Athena.
Artemis smiled again and went to the edge of the cloud. She looked around before she raised her hands up high and released a shower of silver shooting stars.
***
"Minerva, look!" cried Mandy excitedly at the window.
Minerva turned her attention from Athena to the window and gasped softly.
The night sky was filled with silver shooting stars. They flew down to earth so fast at a point that the sky looked as if it was pouring sliver rain.
"It's beautiful......." muttered Georgia and Poppy nodded in agreement.
"Just like my wife and daughter." said Albus truthfully and Minerva blushed.
She recovered quickly and sighed at the beautiful scene that Artemis had created.
To flamers: I don't take kindly to flames so get out of here, if you know what's good for you.
Note 1: This is a sequel to "Stories of the Hogwarts Sisterhood"; taken place several months later during Easter holidays, so read that first.
NOTE 2: This chapter contains the birth process of Athena. If you can't take it, skip this chapter.
Rated Pg-13 for language, content and characters' death.
Thank you for your reviews!
Chapter 29: Athena's birth
"When the mist clears, we are going to see myself and everything that I have done on 2nd of July 1986." said Artemis when a silver mist covered up the mirror from the inside.
The mist disappeared, revealing a handsome man with wavy blond hair. His chest was bare. Everything he had was golden. He was wearing a pair of golden shorts. His boots were golden, even his arrows and bow looked as if they were made by gold.
"That's my brother, Apollo." introduced Artemis.
In the mirror, Apollo looked directly at Artemis and said, "Still thinking about Minerva, Sis?"
The Artemis in the memory was wearing a white robe and sliver sandals. She answered, "Yes. Bro, you are the God of prophecy, you can see into the future. Tell me exactly when is she giving birth?"
Apollo closed his eyes and thought for a while. "Tonight."
"Tonight?!" exclaimed Artemis.
Apollo nodded. "But her contractions come in the early afternoon."
"Afternoon? That will kill her! I don't think she can take it."
"Now, Arty, don't worry, she will be all right." said Apollo calmly.
"Well," Artemis stood up. "I better take a look at what Minerva's doing."
The mirror showed the room where Apollo and Artemis were as Artemis moved. There was a big, tall and thin mirror standing alone at the corner of the room.
Artemis walked to it and called, "Mirror to the mortal world, show me Minerva McGonagall Dumbledore!"
White clouds appeared in the mirror and a minute later, it cleared up. Apollo got up from his seat and walked to his sister.
"She looks okay." he commented.
The mirror was showing the 53 year old Minerva reading a book on an armchair, reading a novel in the living room. She looked younger (of course), but had gained a little weight. Her stomach was barely visible under her clothes.
Artemis was relieved to see the Queen Cold-As-Ice being so relax in her armchair.
"Well, I better go now." said Apollo before he left the room.
Artemis just nodded in response. She then summoned a chair and sat down, continuing to watch over Minerva.
Time seemed to pass quickly; Minerva remained reading her book without moving an inch. Artemis was about to fell asleep when she noticed that Minerva was frowning slightly. She then coughed a little and gripped onto the armchair. Artemis turned her head sharply to the sundial in her room. 1pm.
"Uh oh." she muttered.
Then she saw Albus entering the room. He froze for a moment before he rushed forward, asking "Minerva? Minerva, are you all right?"
Minerva whispered something that Artemis couldn't hear. Then Albus carried her up in his arms and Disapparated.
***
"Bring her here!" said Poppy quickly in the school hospital wing.
Albus put Minerva down onto one of the beds. Beads of perspiration had appeared on Minerva's forehead. Albus was about to wipe them away when Poppy called, "Albus, you better go and get Mandy and Georgia."
Albus hesitated and looked at Minerva.
"Just go, Albus. I will be fine." said Minerva weakly but firmly.
***
"Oh Merlin, Minerva, are you okay?" asked Mandy anxiously.
"No......" said Minerva.
"I afraid she won't be giving birth until night falls." said Poppy.
"Night falls?!" exclaimed the rest of the Hogwarts Sisters, including Minerva.
Poppy nodded slowly.
"Oh hell!" cursed Minerva suddenly when pain took over her again. "I can't imagine that I will be experiencing this sort of pain again!"
"Albus, I think you better go outside and wait......" started Poppy quietly.
"No, I will stay here." said Albus determinedly and rushed towards Minerva.
He wiped away her sweat. "Don't worry, Minerva. You will be just fine."
***
Artemis licked her lips nervously as she watched Minerva through the mirror. She looked paler and weaker as the time went by.
"Now that looks rather painful." she said as Minerva clutched onto the bed sheets tightly and bit her lip hard from crying. "And I can't even do anything about it!"
***
"Minerva, don't bit your lip, you are going to hurt yourself!" cried Georgia when Minerva relaxed a little.
"Yeah, go ahead and yell, we don't mind." said Mandy.
A few minutes later, Minerva did really scream as the contraction came again.
***
Poppy looked at the clock hanging on the wall. 8pm.
"Aren't she ready yet?" asked Albus.
Poppy silently made a circle with her finger, which meant that Albus was required to turn his back to Minerva. Curiously, Albus just turned around.
A rustle sound of material was heard and Poppy reported, "Not in next two hours."
"Two hours?" asked Minerva tiredly.
"At least I think so. In the mean time, do you want anything to eat?"
Minerva shook her head and took in a sharp breath when a wave of contractions came. "I, I just want to give birth as soon as possible."
"But you don't eat anything, you don't have any energy to push." protested Georgia.
"I don't care!" Minerva suddenly snapped when she felt pain in the lower part of her body again. "AH!"
Poppy looked up at the clock again. 8.01pm. "Hey, I think you will be ready in an hour or less, since your contractions gap is getting shorter."
"Great." mumbled Minerva.
***
"Albus, you should wait outside, she is due giving birth in any moment." said Poppy after ½ hour.
"No, I want him......." began Minerva when she groaned in pain.
"Go. Please." said Poppy, firmly as she ordered Minerva to spread her legs.
Silence.
"Fine, I will simply wait outside." said Albus and went outside before Minerva could say anything.
A few seconds went, Minerva looked as if she was going to collapse any moment.
"This is worse than the time when I gave birth to Achilles!" she complained.
"Okay, I think you are ready." said Poppy, ignoring Minerva's complaints.
Mandy went out of the hospital wing for a moment and came back with a long towel. She pulled it with her two hands and folded it into half. She then twisted it to make it looked like a stick and offered it to Minerva.
"Here, bite this while you are at it." said Mandy gently.
Minerva said something that Artemis couldn't hear again and bite onto the towel.
***
Artemis clutched her hands tightly and swallowed when Poppy took a deep breath and said, "Minerva, when I say so, push as hard as you can, okay?"
Minerva, who couldn't talk with the towel in her mouth, simply nodded.
Mandy and Georgia looked at each other and the two of them held Minerva's hands. Mandy held the left while Georgia held the right.
"Good luck, Minerva." said Mandy sincerely.
"You can do it." encouraged Georgia.
Poppy smiled at her three friends before she said, "Minerva, you, you can push now."
Minerva responded by lowered her chin as low as possible and lifted her behind as she started pushing.
"Come on, Minerva, that's it......" said Poppy slowly. "Now try to push a bit harder."
Minerva sank her teeth onto the towel hard and tried to push harder. Unlike other labours, Athena's birth process was quieter, since Minerva was biting on the towel to prevent herself from screaming her head off. However, Minerva's muffled screams could be heard sometimes and they sent chills down the Hogwarts Sisters' spines.
"I rather take away the towel and let Minerva to scream as loud as she wants." said Mandy.
"You can't, she must have the towel because you can't scream when giving birth. And if you take the towel off, she might bite her tongue or something." protested Georgia.
Soon, Poppy was heard yelling excitedly, "I see the head! I see the head! Now just a little longer, Minerva, bear with it!"
Minerva tightened her grip on Mandy's and Georgia's hands before she continued with the labour. At 9.00pm, Minerva had become a mother, again.
"Ah......." said Poppy softly and happily when she received the crying baby girl. "Minerva, it's a girl!"
No response.
"Minerva?"
Poppy looked over Minerva's legs and found Mandy frantically took away the towel from Minerva's mouth. Minerva's eyes were close. Her face was wet with sweat and was pale as chalk.
"Oh no, Minerva, wake up!" cried Georgia and gently slapped Minerva's face. "Poppy, she has fainted!"
Poppy's eyes widened. "Get Albus, quick!"
As Georgia went out, Poppy put the baby down and started to clean her up. Mandy, on the hand, was lowering down Minerva's legs and trying to wake her up.
***
"Oh my Gods........" mumbled Artemis when Apollo came in. "Apollo, Minerva has fainted!"
Apollo came over and looked over Artemis's shoulder at the mirror. "Don't worry, she's just over-exhausted. She will wake up after an hour."
"Really?"
Apollo nodded. "By the way, some younger Gods and I are resting on the highest point of Mt Olympus, want to come?"
Artemis shook her head. "Not unless I know Minerva and her baby are okay."
Apollo shrugged. "Suit yourself."
Apollo went out and Artemis continued to look at the mirror, where Albus held Minerva's hand.
An hour later, she sighed in relief when she saw Minerva stirred a little and opened her eyes slowly.
***
Minerva opened her eyes and blinked.
"Minerva?"
Minerva blinked again. She then turned her head to the side and saw Albus sitting beside the bed. "A-Albus?"
"Thank the Goddess Artemis, you are okay!" said Albus happily.
***
"I didn't do anything." said Artemis guiltily when she heard that.
***
Minerva smiled a little before her smile vanished completely and she looked around quickly. "W-where's our baby?"
"Wait." said Albus and called, "Poppy! Minerva has awakened!"
Soon, Poppy came in with a bundle of blankets. "Minerva, you are okay!" she said and walked to her steadily. "Here's your new baby!"
She handed the baby to Minerva. "Here you go. She's so sweet......"
Minerva took over the baby girl and gently pulled the edge of a blanket aside to see her daughter. The baby was fast asleep. She looked at Albus affectionately and smiled again.
"Isn't she beautiful?" she whispered and Albus nodded.
"What are you going to call her?" asked Poppy quietly so that the baby won't wake up.
"Athena." said Dumbledore immediately.
"Why?"
"One, I think it is rather amusing to have her named after the Greek Goddess Athena, since her mother is named after the Roman counterpart of Athena, Minerva. Two, remember what happen in 1950?"
"Oh, that." said Poppy and smiled at Albus.
Minerva heard their conversation and looked at Athena. She was still sleeping.
Minerva kissed her forehead and whispered tenderly, "Sleep tight, Athena."
***
"Aw." Artemis said as she watched Minerva kissing Athena. "Well, time to celebrate!"
She went out of her room and practically skipped to the highest point of Mount Olympus, where the younger Gods were.
When she arrived, she saw Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, flirting with Apollo. Ares, the God of War, was playing cards with Hermes, the messenger of the Gods and Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom and War was sitting on a fluffy bench, playing with her owl Bubo.
Artemis walked to Athena and sat down beside her. "Hi."
Athena looked at Artemis and smiled, "Hi. You sound cheery, what's the news?"
"Oh, just that one of my favourite mortals has given birth to a baby girl just now." said Artemis happily.
"Really?" said Athena absentmindedly as she continued to play with her owl. "What's the baby's name?"
Artemis grinned. "Athena."
"Huh?"
"I said, the baby's name is Athena."
Athena paused and turned her head sharply to Artemis. "You're joking."
"No, I'm not. Ask Apollo if you don't believe me." said Artemis.
"Why does a mortal named her daughter after me?"
"What do you think?" asked Artemis and she stood up. "Now if you excuse me, I am going to celebrate her successful birth."
"How?" asked Athena.
Artemis smiled again and went to the edge of the cloud. She looked around before she raised her hands up high and released a shower of silver shooting stars.
***
"Minerva, look!" cried Mandy excitedly at the window.
Minerva turned her attention from Athena to the window and gasped softly.
The night sky was filled with silver shooting stars. They flew down to earth so fast at a point that the sky looked as if it was pouring sliver rain.
"It's beautiful......." muttered Georgia and Poppy nodded in agreement.
"Just like my wife and daughter." said Albus truthfully and Minerva blushed.
She recovered quickly and sighed at the beautiful scene that Artemis had created.
