4. Happy Christmas, Harry
A/N: Happy Christmas to you as well, no matter what time of the year you read this.
"Do you wish to be assigned guardianship of Harry, or do you wish to adopt him?" Albus asked quietly as Poppy bustled into the bathroom to help Harry. Minerva stared at him for so long that he became worried and asked, "Minerva?"
She shook her head as if to clear it. "I'm sorry, Albus, you surprised me again."
"Twice in one day?" he asked, his eyes twinkling. "That's quite an accomplishment."
She smiled. "Indeed it is."
"That still doesn't answer my question, however," he countered. "Do you wish to merely be assigned as his guardian, or adopt him?"
She glanced back at the bathroom, where they could hear the water running and Poppy and Harry's voices echoing slightly. "He needs a mother, Albus." Her eyes were determined when they met his, as if expecting him to gainsay her. "I will adopt him."
"Very well, then." He nodded. "I shall go start the paperwork while you attend to your son."
She smiled again and, closing the distance between them, kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Albus."
"No need to thank me, Minerva," he replied, feeling his cheeks warm slightly. "I shall be in my office should you need me."
She nodded and watched as he turned and left the hospital wing.
An hour later, Albus was disturbed from his reverie by three brisk raps on his office door. That would be Minerva. "Come."
"Hello, Albus," Minerva greeted him as she entered. A trill from the corner brought a smile to her lips. "Hello, Fawkes."
Albus smiled as he watched Minerva stroke the phoenix in greeting before crossing to where he sat before the fire. "Hello, Minerva." He waited until she had settled in the other chair before asking. "How is Harry?"
"Clean as a whistle and sleeping soundly in the hospital wing," Minerva replied, her eyes dancing with some amusement. "He didn't want me to leave, but I promised him I would see him tonight before I go to bed."
Albus felt his mood darken considerably at what the small story meant. "Did you tell him that you'll be adopting him?"
"Yes, he was very pleased to learn he'd have a 'Mum of his own'." Her smile faded as she continued. "His next question was whether he would have a 'Dad of his own', too."
"What did you say?" he asked, anxious for a reason he could not comprehend.
She was somber. "Maybe in the future, but not now."
"Ah." He sat back in his chair.
Silence reigned for a few moments. "Albus?"
"Hmm?" He turned to look at her.
She hesitated before asking, "Are you sure you wish to help me? It's not going to be easy, raising him."
"I'm quite sure, Minerva," he replied, forestalling further protests. "Now, don't you have things to do before the day is done?"
She blinked and nodded. "Oh, yes, of course. I'll be in my office."
"Yes, of course." He waited until the door closed behind her before returning to the paperwork he'd been filling out when she arrived. It would be a long time before he was finally able to focus once more.
This time, he knew exactly where he was when he woke up: the hospital wing of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He still had trouble believing that he could be a wizard, but the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Any time something unusual had happened, his aunt and uncle would go ballistic. At those times, he would step softly in their presence and wait for them to calm down. He'd never been allowed to talk to strangers, particularly the rather odd ones. He found delight in oddities and peculiarities. Now, though, he wouldn't have to see the Dursleys ever again. He had a 'Mum' of his own now, who would take care of him and love him the way the Dursleys never had.
Thinking of her, his eyes popped open to find her sitting in the chair by the bed, wearing a tartan dressing gown and a hairnet. She'd promised last night to be there when he woke up in the morning. Mr. Dumbledore was nowhere to be seen and the boy felt a pang of disappointment. Get a grip, Harry. He didn't make any promises. She did. As he was giving himself the pep talk, his mother began to stir and wake. She smiled when her eyes opened and she saw him. "Good morning, Harry-lad."
"Morning, Mum," he replied, testing the endearment on his tongue.
"Did you sleep well?" she inquired, moving from the chair to the edge of the bed.
He nodded, still a little shy. "The bed's very comfortable."
"Yes, Poppy would make sure of that," she commented, a small smile playing across her face.
His eyes grew huge. "She would?"
"Yes, Harry-lad." She laughed. "She would."
When Mr. Dumbledore arrived moments later, it was to find them laughing together over nothing in particular.
By the time Poppy released Harry from the hospital wing a day later, Minerva had formally adopted Harry and, though no one realized it just yet, Albus had informally adopted the boy as well. Minerva was determined to give Harry the best Christmas ever and Albus was glad to help her. During the day Harry was still confined to the hospital wing, they set up a Christmas tree in Minerva's sitting room and decorated it with tiny magical candles that twinkled like tiny stars. Tin trumpets that actually tooted and whistles that whistled Christmas songs hung from the branches. Red and gold glass balls gleamed in the candlelight. Presiding over it all from the top of the tree was an angel with red hair and emerald eyes.
Pine boughs were hung about the room, trimmed with red and gold ribbon and clusters of holly. The best part of all was the enchanted snow falling, warm and dry, from the ceiling. Harry's emerald eyes grew wide with wonder and delight when Albus and Minerva led him into the room. The Dursley house at Christmas was no match for what magic can do. Most of all, though, his eyes were drawn to the gaily-wrapped packages at the foot of the tree. "Are those all for me?"
"Yes, Harry-lad, all for you," Minerva assured him, leading him to the small ottoman that awaited him.
"I've never gotten more than one at a time," he admitted as Albus handed him the first gift.
Minerva and Albus exchanged looks before turning back to the boy. "You'll have to get used to getting more than one present at a time, then, won't you, Harry-lad?"
"Yes, Mum." Harry smiled brilliantly before opening the present. He stared at the leather-bound book in his hands. At Minerva's urging, he opened it up and gasped. "Are these my--"
Minerva nodded, kneeling beside. "Yes, Harry, those are your parents: James and Lily Potter."
"They look so happy," Harry murmured wistfully, gazing at the picture.
Minerva hugged Harry tightly and he gladly buried his face in her shoulder, his arms tight around her. "They were, but they wouldn't want you to be unhappy, Harry-lad. They died so you could live."
When Albus' arms enfolded both of them, Minerva jumped, but Harry merely took comfort in the man's embrace. After a moment, Minerva also took comfort in Albus' embrace. After holding on to each other for a few minutes, they broke apart so Harry could finish opening his presents.
Minerva and Albus had used Christmas as an excuse to outfit Harry with an entirely new wardrobe, as well shower him with toys and books beyond his imagining. Most of them had been bought the previous afternoon and Minerva and Albus had stayed up late to wrap them all. The piece de resistance, however, was Harry's bedroom, which opened off Minerva's sitting room and had it's own bathroom so neither would have to worry about sharing. There was a door to Albus' sitting room in Harry's bedroom, to provide ready access on both sides. Several paintings hung on the stone walls, all done by Minerva. One was of a pond deep in the woods, sunlight just glinting on the surface. Another was of a lion, serpent, badger, and eagle lounging together in a grassy meadow. A third was a portrait of James, Lily, and Harry, painted shortly before that fateful night four years ago. The last was a painting of the McGonagall crest on a tartan background. Numerous thick rugs covered the wooden floor, all in bright colors. The bedcovers matched the rugs, as did the curtains, both on the bed and at the windows. The bathroom matched the bedroom, right down to the towels. The four-poster bed, wardrobe, dresser, and desk were all made of rich mahogany wood. The ceiling, however, was the best part: it reflected the sky above Hogwarts so Harry could see what the day was going to be like without looking out the window. The bed curtains were enchanted to block light if necessary.
Harry loved it and thanked Albus and Minerva profusely. Once he'd been settled in bed with his new teddy bear, the two adults returned to the sitting room. The house-elves had already cleaned up the mess and a tea service was waiting for them. They sat down on the sofa and Minerva busied herself with pouring the tea and adding the exact amounts of sugar and lemon Albus liked, before adding milk and lemon to her own tea. "I'd say it was quite a success, wouldn't you agree, Minerva?"
"Mmm, a success," she murmured, staring into the fire over her cup of tea.
He watched her for a few seconds, becoming concerned. "Minerva?"
"Mmm?" She didn't look away from the fire.
He hesitated a moment before continuing. "Is something wrong?"
"What?" She blinked and glanced at him before returning her gaze to the fire. "Oh, no, nothing's wrong."
He set his teacup down and leaned towards her. "Minerva, you're very distracted right now. Can you tell me why?"
"This was his first truly happy Christmas, Albus," she answered after a long silence, setting her teacup down. "That he can remember, at any rate." Her sigh was soft and sad. "I don't know how anyone could mistreat him. He is so sweet and humble. He asks for nothing when you want to give him the world." Albus gathered her to him as tears slid down her cheeks. "Lily and James would be heartbroken to see their son treated that way. He deserves better!"
Albus laid a cautioning finger against her lips. "Shh. You'll wake him." She sighed again and laid her head on his shoulder, letting the tears slip silently on their way. "Part of the blame comes to me, for leaving him in their care four years ago. My only thought was to protect him from Death Eaters. I did not think his own kin would hate and despise him the way they do."
"I spoke with Lily many times and she mentioned several times how much Petunia hated our world and the magic we can do." Minerva's voice was quiet, tinged with sadness as she thought of the lovely redhead. "It would not surprise me if part of that hatred is rooted in jealousy."
Albus nodded, rubbing her back in soothing circles. "Yes, jealousy drives us to do many deeds we would not otherwise do." He rested his cheek against her forehead with a deep sigh.
"Indeed, whether we acknowledge that jealousy or not," Minerva added, seemingly content to stay in his arms.
For his part, he had no wish to release her now that he had her in his arms. His nose was filled with the unique scent of cinnamon and mint that was hers alone: sweet and spicy like she was. They were still holding each other when the long day of excitement and joy caught up with them and fell asleep together on the couch.