"Aunt Minerva!"
Minerva opened her arms, catching the child- no, the young woman- that so much did resemble her. Those long, ebony-colored, wavy hairs, those clear, grey-blue eyes, that tall, yet slender figure…
"Noctua!"
They held each other for quite a long time, and as they broke off the embrace, both of them were crying. Minerva grabbed one of her well-known, large, tartan handkerchiefs.
"I am sorry, dear. I don't want to make things more difficult for you…"
"Oh you aren't, Auntie, no, you certainly aren't!" the girl assured her aunt. But as she stared at the beautiful green landscape in which she'd grown up, she sighed.
"It is just… I feel like… I love Scotland. I loved my parents. I had to leave them. Now I am leaving Scotland as well…"
Minerva smiled at her niece.
"I felt the same way when I left this place, Noctua. But now I know better. We'll always remain Scotland's girls, dear. Always. Here."
She laid her hand on her heart.
"Here, dear. And there, you'll never leave your mom and dad. We'll always remain Scotland's girls. McGonagall girls."
Noctua chuckled and nodded.
"I know, Auntie. Now- let us go. Let it be over as quick as possible."
And with those words, the girl turned around, looking at the woman who stood behind them. It was an old woman- but Minerva did recognize her- her curly, still slightly reddish hairs and those always-laughing, brown eyes.
"Kirsty! I'll never forget what you've done for me. Thanks."
The girl embraced her, and the older woman raised her hands.
"No needs to thank me, dear. I love you, be happy in England! And write me, from time to time."
"I will…"
Minerva faintly smiled.
"I too have to thank you, Kirsty."
"No needs, Minerva, no needs."
Minerva laughed.
"Well, we'll be off then. So, Noctua, have you packed already?"
The girl nodded and Kirsty smiled.
"Everything ready, bound to her broomstick and all. Accio Noctua's broomstick!"
The broomstick landed next to Noctua.
"Okay. Let's go."
Minerva opened her arms, catching the child- no, the young woman- that so much did resemble her. Those long, ebony-colored, wavy hairs, those clear, grey-blue eyes, that tall, yet slender figure…
"Noctua!"
They held each other for quite a long time, and as they broke off the embrace, both of them were crying. Minerva grabbed one of her well-known, large, tartan handkerchiefs.
"I am sorry, dear. I don't want to make things more difficult for you…"
"Oh you aren't, Auntie, no, you certainly aren't!" the girl assured her aunt. But as she stared at the beautiful green landscape in which she'd grown up, she sighed.
"It is just… I feel like… I love Scotland. I loved my parents. I had to leave them. Now I am leaving Scotland as well…"
Minerva smiled at her niece.
"I felt the same way when I left this place, Noctua. But now I know better. We'll always remain Scotland's girls, dear. Always. Here."
She laid her hand on her heart.
"Here, dear. And there, you'll never leave your mom and dad. We'll always remain Scotland's girls. McGonagall girls."
Noctua chuckled and nodded.
"I know, Auntie. Now- let us go. Let it be over as quick as possible."
And with those words, the girl turned around, looking at the woman who stood behind them. It was an old woman- but Minerva did recognize her- her curly, still slightly reddish hairs and those always-laughing, brown eyes.
"Kirsty! I'll never forget what you've done for me. Thanks."
The girl embraced her, and the older woman raised her hands.
"No needs to thank me, dear. I love you, be happy in England! And write me, from time to time."
"I will…"
Minerva faintly smiled.
"I too have to thank you, Kirsty."
"No needs, Minerva, no needs."
Minerva laughed.
"Well, we'll be off then. So, Noctua, have you packed already?"
The girl nodded and Kirsty smiled.
"Everything ready, bound to her broomstick and all. Accio Noctua's broomstick!"
The broomstick landed next to Noctua.
"Okay. Let's go."
