14. The McGonagall Clan

A/N: I knew what I wanted to do a McGonagall family reunion, I just wasn't sure how until earlier this week.

A few days after Harry's birthday party, an owl arrived for Minerva. She opened it and her face grew pale. "Oh, no."

"What is it, my dear?" Albus asked, concerned about her reaction.

Harry looked from one to the other with wide eyes as Minerva held the letter out to Albus. "Look, Albus."

He took the letter and read it quietly. "Your family wishes to hold a reunion. I don't see the problem."

"They must have heard that I've adopted Harry," she replied, sounding distressed as Albus set the letter on the table.

Harry slipped down from his chair and rounded the table to press against Minerva, who automatically wrapped an arm around the boy's shoulders. "My dear, what's wrong with your family meeting Harry? He's a part of it anyway, now that you've adopted him."

"They're going to poke and pry, wanting to know about my life," Minerva told her husband, picking Harry up and setting him on her lap.

Albus stroked Harry's hair and kissed Minerva's temple. "I know you would prefer they didn't, but it would appear you have no choice."

"I know." Minerva sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'll just have to grin and bear it."

Albus nodded, kissing the top of her head. "Exactly, although..."

"What is it, Albus?" Minerva lifted her head to look at him.

He hesitated a moment before asking, "Do you wish to keep our marriage secret from them? I can understand the wizarding world at large, but I'm sure we can trust your family not to say a word."

"I was just wondering that the other day and I would gladly tell Mother that we are married," Minerva suddenly smiled. "That would keep her and my sisters from hinting that I should marry."

Albus laughed. "You see? There will be at least some good."

"Does this mean we'll be going?" Harry asked suddenly, startling the two adults.

Minerva laughed and hugged her son. "Yes, Harry-lad. You'll get to meet my family."

"Yay!" Harry hugged Minerva tightly. Albus chuckled and wrapped his arms around both, quite glad to have them in his life.

Despite her resolve, Minerva was still nervous as she, Albus, and Harry made their way up the drive leading to McGonagall Manor. Albus seemed to sense her nerves and squeezed her hand reassuringly. She smiled up at him in response and turned her attention back in the direction they were going in time to see a girl and boy running towards her. "Aunt Min!"

"Fiona! Sean!" Minerva knelt to catch both in a tight hug. Fiona was ten with curly black hair, smooth golden-brown skin, and dark grey, almost black eyes. Sean was eight, with chocolate brown eyes, dark brown hair, and warm brown skin. "My, you two have grown!"

Fiona giggled, grinning, as her parents approached. "'Course we have, Aunt Min! I'll be starting at Hogwarts soon!"

"So you will," Minerva replied, smoothing the girl's hair back from her forehead. "I look forward to seeing you there."

A young voice piped up from behind Minerva. "Mum, who are they?"

"Mum?" Fiona and Sean's mother asked, exchanging looks with her husband.

Minerva gave the younger woman a look before turning to her son. "Harry-lad, Albus, I'd like you to meet my great-niece and nephew, Fiona and Sean McBride. Fiona, Sean, my husband and son, Albus and Harry."

"Husband?!" the young woman exclaimed as the three children began to get acquainted. "Since when? Does Mum know?"

Minerva's mouth twitched in a small smile. "Since this spring, Sarai. I'm sure you remember Albus Dumbledore?"

"Of course we remember him," Sarai spoke for herself and her husband, Robert. "I didn't know the two of you were a couple."

Minerva held up a hand to stall further questions. "Sarai, I'd rather discuss this with the entire family present so we only have to tell the family once. If you'll excuse me, I need to go find my mother. "

"Grandma's ensconced in her usual chair," Sarai informed her aunt as the group started up the drive.

Robert finally managed to speak up. "Minerva, you said that Harry is your son?"

"Yes, he is," Minerva nodded, feeling the boy's hand tighten in hers. She squeezed it to reassure him.

Uncharacteristically, Sarai kept silent as her husband continued the questioning. "Have you and Professor Dumbledore been together that long?"

"Please, Robert, call me Albus." The oldest of the group requested. "You're no longer my student."

Sarai rolled her eyes. "That still doesn't answer his question, Uncle Albus."

"We will answer any and all questions when the entire family is gathered together, not a moment before that." Minerva's voice was firm, telling the younger couple that further questions would be futile.

Once they reached the manor house, Minerva led her husband and son into the sitting room. Her mother sat in a rocker by the fire. "Mother, you remember Albus of course."

"Of course," Diana McGonagall rose from her seat and greeted Albus with a warm hug. He had been good friends with Minerva's father and uncles. "How are you, Albus? What brings you to a McGonagall reunion?"

Minerva looped her arm through her husband's. "He's my husband now, Mother."

"H-husband?" Diana repeated weakly, resuming her sat rather suddenly.

Minerva nodded, holding tightly to Albus' hand. "Yes, Mother. My husband."

"When did you marry?" Diana asked, looking from one to the other.

"During the holidays this past spring," Minerva told her mother, feeling her stomach clenching nervously. Though Diana had been much younger than her own husband, Minerva was not sure if she would be accepting of her own daughter marrying a much older man.

Diana didn't speak for what seemed like an eternity to Minerva, but was only a few moments in reality. "I can't exactly object, since your father was much older than myself."

"Thank you, Mother," Minerva smiled, relieved by Diana's acceptance.

Diana laughed, obviously amused. "What are you thanking me for, Minerva? You haven't needed my permission for decades."

"It still means a lot to me to have your approval," Minerva answered earnestly.

Diana waved it off. "Tish tosh, Minerva. Where's this grandson you acquired before you were married?"

"Come here, Harry-lad," Minerva coaxed her son, who'd taken refuge behind Albus. "Come meet your grandmother."

Harry hesitantly approached Diana, the two looking each other over. Diana was the first to speak. "Hello, there, Harry. I'm your grandma."

"Hullo, Grandmother," Harry greeted her, ducking his head shyly.

She tutted and glanced up at her daughter. "Grandma will be just fine, Laddie. Come sit on my lap and tell me all about how your Mum and Dad got together."

"They've always been together," Harry answered, sounding a little confused.

Minerva covered her face with her hands while Albus chuckled. "She wants to know how your mother and I came to be married, m'boy."

"Oh." Harry thought for a moment. "Well, Mum adopted me in time for Christmas and Dad was always there. It just felt like we've been a family from the start."

Diana hugged him tightly. "You have more family than your mum and dad, you know."

"I do?" Harry asked, his eyes growing wide.

Diana nodded, matching Harry's solemnity. "Yes, and they should be arriving any time now."

With those words, Minerva's family began to trickle into the sitting room. There was Sarai and Robert with Fiona and Sean, of course. Sarai's parents, Artemis and Michael Kettleburn, found seats near their daughter and son-in-law. Galatea sat near her sister, with her husband, Henry Vector. Their twins, Victoria and Grant, sat nearby with their spouses (Blake and Kim) while their children (Carol, Norma, and Victor) romped around with the other children. Shortly after Andrew's wife, Billie, had died, he'd found it hard to attend the reunions, but he'd been drawn to Elizabeth, Duncan's widowed wife, and she to him. After a rather long courtship, they had married and now had two children of their own, Chris and Richard, to go with Elizabeth and Duncan's daughter, Melissa, and Andrew and Billie's daughter, Allison. Arabella sat with her daughter, Shawna, and granddaughter, Claire.

Doing some quick mental math, Albus calculated that there were four generations represented in the group. Five if he counted himself as part of a separate generation, which he didn't. Of those four, Diana was the only member of her generation present, as her husband had died several years earlier. The next generation consisted of nine people: Artemis, Michael, Galatea, Henry, Andrew, Elizabeth, Arabella, Minerva, and Albus (despite the fact that he was old enough to be Diana's father). The generation following Minerva's was even large, made up of eleven people: Sarai, Robert, Victoria, Blake, Grant, Kim, Melissa, Allison, Chris, Richard, and Shawna. The last generation was still growing up, so there were no spouses to take into account just yet, but it was still fairly large, with seven people in it: Fiona, Sean, Carol, Norma, Victor, Claire, and now Harry.

"Are we feeling a little overwhelmed?" Minerva asked from her place beside Albus.

"Just a little," he admitted to her, holding her hand in his.

Minerva squeezed his hand. "You know everyone here. You've taught most of us, or been Headmaster. Mother adores you and Harry is having a lot of fun with his cousins."

"He is?" Albus looked in the direction Minerva indicated to see Sean, Victor, and Harry playing with each other in a corner of the room. "So he is."

Before Minerva could make a comment in reply, Diana cleared her throat. "Technically, this is a family reunion, but I do believe everyone present would like to know more about the fact that Minerva is now married to Albus Dumbledore." Murmurs broke out amongst the adults at this announcement. Galatea and Artemis immediately began whispering together. "Before we wander off to individual pursuits, does anyone have questions they'd like answered?"

"I do, Mother," Artemis immediately replied. Diana nodded. "Minnie, how in the world did you keep the fact that you and Uncle Albus were together a secret from your family?"

Albus felt Minerva's spine stiffen and squeezed her shoulders in an attempt to help her keep calm. "I didn't, Temmi. Albus and I didn't start anything until early this year. We decided to marry quickly because neither of us could imagine being without the other."

"Then where did Harry come from?" Michael asked in his slow, deep voice. "You said you'd adopted him from a distant cousin, but I don't believe there is one."

Albus had wondered when this question would come up and wondered how Minerva would handle it.