18. KA-BOOM!
A/N: I'm glad for all the positive reviews I got for the last chappie. It'll be interesting to see what people have to say about THIS chappie.
When Tracey awoke the next morning sandwiched between two larger bodies, she panicked and began struggling to extricate herself. A large, warm hand landed on her shoulder and her father's deep voice rumbled beside her. "Calm down, Tracey. You are safe here. Calm down."
"Thanks, Father," Tracey replied, taking slow, deep breaths. She opened her eyes and looked around. The room was furnished in deep red with gold accents and oak wood trim. "Where am I?"
She jumped when Professor McGonagall's voice answered from her other side. "In my bedroom. There is no need for you to worry, Lass."
"You scared me!" Tracey exclaimed, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Is there anyone else in here?" A 'meow' warned Tracey just moments before Jestana plopped herself in the girl's lap. "Well, that answers that question."
The three of them laughed as Tracey began stroking her pet's soft fur. "I am glad to see you in a good mood this morning, Tracey."
"Why's that, Father?" Tracey asked, looking up as Albus sat up beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as he did so.
She unconsciously leaned into him, taking comfort in his warmth. "Minerva tells me you were rather distressed by last night's events."
"You saw?" Tracey asked, opening her eyes to look at her Head of House. Minerva was sitting up as well, her black hair pulled back into a rather messy plait and her face relaxed for once, although Tracey could see the worry in her eyes behind the square spectacles. Speaking of those... "Where are my glasses?"
Minerva turned and plucked something from the bedside table. When she turned back, she was holding Tracey's glasses. "Here you are, Lass." Tracey slipped them on. "I did not see your distress myself, but your pet did."
"Jestana?" Tracey asked, looking down at the cat in question. Jestana's vivid green eyes were closed at the moment, her tail placidly swishing back and forth. "How could you find out from her?"
Minerva raised an eyebrow. "I can turn into a cat, Lass. Or have you forgotten already?"
"Sorry," Tracey mumbled, dropping her gaze from the professor's.
Albus tipped her chin up. "There is no need to apologize, Child. You have had much to absorb and take in."
"Father, please don't call me that," Tracey requested, fighting back the anger that his endearment had triggered. He looked over at Minerva and the Deputy Headmistress nodded. Without a word, she rose and waved her wand at the room. Looking around, Tracey noticed that all of the breakable items had been moved, either to a safer spot or out of the room entirely. She felt a twinge of nervousness and looked up at Albus. "Father? What's going on? What are you doing?"
He looked resigned as he eased Tracey from him. "What I must, Child."
"Father! Don't call me that!" Tracey hardly noticed when Jestana jumped out of her lap and quietly left the room.
A touch on Tracey's shoulder made her turn and look straight into Minerva's eyes. "Let it out, Lass. He can withstand your anger."
Tracey looked from one to the other, comprehension dawning. "You're doing this deliberately, aren't you?"
"I am afraid so, Child," Albus replied, resolution in his gaze.
Anguish mixed with anger. "Why? Why are you doing this? Can't you just leave well enough alone?"
"No, Lass," Minerva's voice sounded sad and Tracey looked at her. "You cannot hold it all in. You must let the dam break."
Tracey growled her frustration, balling her hands into fists, fighting to control her anger and her magic. "NO! I WON'T! I TOLD YOU WHY NOT! WHY CAN'T YOU ACCEPT IT?!"
"Child, your anger is a poison, eating at you from the inside out," Albus explained quietly. "Minerva's rooms have silencing charms on them and anything you break can be easily fixed."
Tracey struggled against her mounting anger and frustration with them. Why couldn't they leave her alone? She had only a few more weeks! Why did it have to be now!? "I don't want to hurt either of you. I care too much. Can't you just leave me alone?"
"There is a reason I am the only wizard Voldemort ever feared, Child," Albus told his daughter in ringing tones. "Minerva is a powerful witch in her own right. You will not harm us."
Tracey let out a cry that was equal parts anguish, frustration, and anger. "DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU BOTH! I DON'T WANT THIS! I DIDN'T ASK FOR IT! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"
"Let it go, Lass," Minerva's quiet voice pushed Tracey further.
Her magic whipping her pajamas now, she spun to face her future stepmother. "You know why I won't, Professor! Please stop!"
"We are truly sorry, Child, but we must." Her father's voice pushed Tracey over the edge.
"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" she howled, her magic lashing out at Albus. He staggered from the sheer force of it, but Tracey didn't have enough training or control to do much damage. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE! MY FRIENDS KEEP ASKING ME IF I WANT TO KNOW WHO MY BIOLOGICAL FATHER IS, TELLING ME THERE ARE SPELLS THAT CAN TELL ME! I CAN'T TELL THEM THAT I ALREADY KNOW! THAT HE'S THE HEADMASTER! I CAN'T TELL THEM ANYTHING! I CAN'T TELL THEM THAT MY MOM WAS TRANSPORTED OVER A HUNDRED YEARS THROUGH TIME!"
Minerva and Albus watched as a maelstrom of small objects gathered around the girl, her long auburn hair whipping around her. "You're doing fine, Child."
"FA-THER! STOP IT!" Tracey could feel her anger surging through her, pouring out of her. "I JUST WANT A NORMAL LIFE! MY FRIENDS JUST HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT KIND OF BROOMS THEY CAN GET, HOW MUCH POCKET MONEY THEY'LL HAVE OVER THE SUMMER, OR KEEPING THEIR KID BROTHERS OUT OF THEIR STUFF! I HAVE TO KEEP SECRET AFTER SECRET! I CAN'T TELL ANYONE WHO MY FATHER IS, OR THAT HE'S ENGAGED! THERE'S SO MUCH I CAN'T TELL ANYONE AND I HATE IT!" Tears were streaming down her cheeks now. "YOU BOTH GREW UP IN THE WIZARDING WORLD! YOU DON'T KNOW HOW OVERWHELMING IT IS FOR ME TO COME HERE! I DIDN'T EVEN GROW UP HERE IN ENGLAND! I MISS MY FRIENDS IN CALIFORNIA! I MISS THE WARMTH AND THE BEACHES! I MISS THE SMOG AND ICE CREAM ALL YEAR 'ROUND! I WANT TO GO SWIMMING AND SURFING, BUT THE WATER HERE IS TOO COLD! I WANT--I WANT MY LIFE BACK..."
Tracey's voice trailed off into sobs as she fell to her knees, the storm of magic petering out as she began sobbing uncontrollably, rocking back and forth, her arms wrapped tightly around her. She only cried harder when her father wrapped his arms around her, her tears now spotting his beard. A touch on her back told her that Minerva was there, too. They stayed like that for a long time, the two adults comforting the girl between them. When the sobs finally stopped, Albus asked, "Feel better now, Tracey?"
"Yeah, I guess--" She froze and slowly sat up, bright blue eyes wide. "You called me Tracey."
He nodded, a faint twinkle appearing in his eyes. "Yes, I did."
"Just don't ever call me 'child' again," Tracey warned him, wiping at her tear-streaked face.
He smoothed her hair back from her face. "Only if you promise to come to me if I do anything to upset you. All right?"
"Deal." She held out her hand and he stared at it for a moment before shaking it.
Minerva offered Tracey a handkerchief. "Here, Lass, wipe your face."
"Thanks, Prof--um, Aun--uh, Mother," Tracey replied, stumbling over what to call Minerva.
Minerva smiled, stroking the girl's hair as she scrubbed her face with the handkerchief. "'Aunt Minerva' will be fine until Albus and I are married."
"Then may I call you 'Mother'?" Tracey asked hopefully.
Minerva laughed softly and kissed Tracey's forehead. "Of course you may, but only in private."
"Yeah, I know, another secret to keep," Tracey made a face at that. This time, the thought of keeping a secret didn't bother her and she was mildly surprised.
Albus' beard and mustache tickled as he kissed Tracey's forehead. "I am sorry, Tracey, but we have no choice."
"I know, Father," Tracey leaned into him with a soft sigh. "I'll just have to get used to it."
Her father sighed as well. "Unfortunately, yes."
"Here's your handkerchief, Aunt Minerva." Tracey offered the object in question to Minerva.
The Deputy Headmistress accepted it and cleaned it with a muttered spell before looking at the clock. "We are going to be late for breakfast if we are not careful, Albus."
"We are?" Tracey felt Albus move so he could look at the clock as well. "I see. Tracey, look at me, please."
She sat up and looked into her father's face. "Yes, Father?"
"We do not have time to finish this discussion now, but I want you to come to my office tonight after dinner so we can talk. Understand?"
She nodded. "Yes, Father."
"Good." He kissed her forehead again. "You had better get along to Gryffindor Tower."
Tracey rose to her feet and headed for the door. "I will take you, Lassie, if you will not mind."
"Not at all, Aunt Minerva," Tracey replied, waiting in the doorway as Minerva slipped on her dressing gown.
Together, they left Minerva's rooms and headed up to Gryffindor Tower. Minerva left the girl in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady and Tracey continued her trip up to the dormitory she shared with her friends on her own.