15. Growing Up

A/N: Thanks to Cielita for all her help with this one.

Surprisingly, it was Diana who answered, not Minerva. "Actually, Michael, Minerva and the others do have distant cousins." Michael, Henry, and Billie all looked surprised by this news. "Their uncle David moved away when I married because he didn't want to see me married to a much older man. Though why Minerva was contacted instead of one of you, I'll never know."

"They'd heard of Min, Mum," Arabella contributed. "They knew of her, but not myself or the others."

Minerva breathed a silent sigh of relief, quite glad that that question had been answered without too much scrambling on her part. Galatea fired the next shot. "How can we be sure that you adopted Harry? You might have been keeping him secret for the last five or so years."

"Why are people so convinced that Harry is our biological son?" Minerva demanded, exasperated. "I didn't even meet Harry until this past December. Is that so hard to understand?"

Albus wrapped an arm around Minerva's shoulders, murmuring soothingly to her. "Minerva, he looks very much like he could be our son biologically as well as legally, naturally people wonder."

"Gallie, I was with Min when she met Harry," Arabella added. "Trust me, he's adopted."

Harry abandoned his new playmates to sit beside Minerva. "Is being adopted that bad?"

"No, Harry-lad," Minerva replied, gathering her son to her and kissing the top of his head. "Never think that."

Harry cuddled against Minerva as the questioning continued. "How exactly did you two end up getting married?"

"When Minerva told me she would be adopting Harry, I offered to help her raise him," Albus replied, looking at Michael. "You probably noticed that, Michael."

The large man nodded, smiling. "Yes, it was hard to miss how close you and Min seemed to be with Ro commenting on it every chance she could."

"Indeed." Albus nodded his agreement. "We came to realize that we were very much a family already." At this point, he looked at his wife. "Minerva and I decided that marriage was the next logical step and I have never regretted that decision."

Albus and Minerva shared a soft kiss that conveyed better than words how they felt about each other. "Obviously, Michael didn't know of your marriage. Are you two trying to keep it quiet?"

"For the time being, yes," Minerva responded to Artemis' question. "Eventually, people will find out, but don't expect to see an announcement in The Daily Prophet."

There was a general sound of acknowledgement before Diana announced. "I think that's enough for today, time for some fun!"

The next few days were rather nice. Minerva enjoyed spending time with her family now that they weren't hinting that she should get married. Albus endeared himself to his new in-laws even further. Harry, for his part, loved playing with his cousins. They were much more fun than Dudley. Before they returned home, they were invited to visit with every one of Minerva's siblings, as well as her nieces and nephews. "That went rather well, don't you think?"

"Yes, I enjoyed not having a hint dropped that I should be married," Minerva agreed with her husband as the three of them walked along the drive leading from the McGonagall home.

Albus chuckled, kissing Minerva's temple. "As am I, my dear."

"Why would they hint that you should be married when you are, Mum?" Harry asked, glancing up at his parents curiously.

Minerva ruffled his hair as she replied, "Before I married your father, my mother and sisters would always ask when I was getting married whenever I saw them. I eventually stopped visiting so I wouldn't have to listen to their nagging."

"Now she doesn't have to worry about that," Albus added as they came to a stop outside the gates.

Harry giggled just before they were whisked back to Leómann Cottage by portkey.

The next several years seemed to fly by for the small family. The teachers at the school provided Harry's primary education. Mysteriously, they each had an hour free every day in which they had time to teach Harry math, English, history, and so on. Severus wasn't happy with the arrangement, but grudgingly went along with the plan. Harry truly flourished under the care of his new parents and they discovered so much about themselves and their son as he grew up.

One thing they learned that was quite unsettling for all involved was the fact that Harry was a Parseltongue. Shortly after Harry's ninth birthday, the three of them were walking through the woods behind Leómann Cottage when a loud hiss stopped them in their tracks. Minerva, who happened to be in the lead, froze when she spotted the large snake in front of her. She couldn't move as it slithered closer to her. "Harry, stay back."

"No." Harry squeezed next to his Mum on the path and opened his mouth. The series of hisses and sibilant sounds that emerged caused Minerva to jump badly, startling the snake. Harry didn't stop making the sounds, his eyes on the snake. Finally, the snake turned and slithered off into the forest. Turning to his parents with a smile, it faded when he saw the looks on their faces. "What?" He looked from one to the other, worried. "Did I do something wrong?"

Albus was the first to recover, clasping his son's shoulder. "No, m'boy, no. You just gave your mother and I a bit of a fright there."

"What do you mean?" Harry looked at them curiously. "I told the snake to go away and leave Mum alone."

Minerva had recovered from her fright, both of the snake and of realizing her son was a Parseltongue, by now and hugged him tightly. "It's all right, Harry-lad. Let's go back to the house and we'll explain more fully."

"All right." The family returned to the cottage in silence.

Albus sat down on the sofa while Harry sprawled on the floor in front of it and Minerva retrieved a book Harry recognized quite well. It was the one he'd wanted to read four years ago. Minerva handed the book to Harry before sitting down beside her husband on the sofa. They watched quietly as the boy read the book, which was the story of how Harry had defeated Voldemort. When he finished, he looked at them with an unspoken question in his eyes. "Yes, Harry, the Boy-Who-Lived is you."

"That's why you changed my appearance and my name," Harry murmured, his gaze falling on the book in his hands. "So I wouldn't be seen as a celebrity."

Minerva nodded. "Exactly. You wouldn't have had a chance at a normal childhood if everyone in the castle knew you were Harry Potter. It was the only way we could think of for you to grow up without having to deal with all the fame and publicity."

"Why did you leave me with the Dursleys, though?" Harry asked, looking from one to the other. "Why didn't you take me in right from the start?"

Albus sighed heavily, suddenly looking old. "That was my decision, m'boy. Your mother gave her life to protect you, Harry, and that protection is what caused the curse that had killed so many before to rebound off you and onto Voldemort." Minerva suppressed a shudder at the name. "I wanted to take advantage of that protection that resides within your very blood and the only way to do that was to leave you with your aunt and uncle." He paused, clearing his throat. "I didn't expect them to welcome you with open arms, since your aunt and uncle have never liked the wizarding world. However, I didn't expect them to abandon you. By doing so, the protection afforded you by your mother's blood was broken. Staying with the Dursleys wouldn't protect you any more and would probably have harmed you had you stayed with them. That is why I had no objection to Minerva adopting you. If she hadn't, I probably would have myself."

"Then I would have helped you raise him, Albus," Minerva inserted quietly.

He smiled and covered her hand with his. "So, you see, Harry, I left you with the Dursleys to protect you. Had there been another option at the time, I would have taken it."

"I think I understand," Harry answered quietly, absently tracing the title of the book, which was The Boy Who Lived. "I'm glad you told me, but what does this have to do with me talking to the snake?"

Albus sighed again. "The ability to speak with snakes, called Parseltongue, is a rare gift. The most recent known Parseltongue is Voldemort. It's quite possible that, when he tried to kill you, some of his abilities were transferred to you, including Parseltongue."

"All right, that makes sense." Harry set the book aside. "Is there something wrong with being a Parseltongue?"

Minerva shook her head. "Not exactly, Harry-lad, but the ability has traditionally been associated with the Dark Arts. Salazar Slytherin was a Parseltongue himself. We don't wish you to be ashamed of yourself and your abilities, but please try not to speak it in front of others."

"All right." Harry nodded, seeming to accept this. "Thank you for telling me all this, but I need to think right now."

Albus leaned forward to clasp his son's shoulder. "That's quite all right, m'boy. Take all the time you need, but remember that we're here should you need someone to speak to."

"Thanks, Dad." Standing, Harry hugged Albus and Minerva before turning and leaving the room.

Still sitting on the sofa, Minerva burrowed into her husband's embrace, wanting the comforting reassurance of his embrace after what they'd discussed with Harry and the encounter with the snake. Albus gladly held her close, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. It was a long time before either of them moved.

That night, Albus was abruptly awakened from a sound sleep. Wondering what had woken him up, his gaze landed on his wife when her foot made contact with his shin. Looking at her, he realized she was in the throes of a nightmare, tossing and turning while mumbling under her breath, "No, please! Not Harry! Don't kill him! No!"

"Minerva, wake up." Albus shook her shoulder. She tossed her head and thrashed more wildly.

After several more attempts, she woke with a start. "Oh, Albus! It was horrible!" She flung herself into his arms, sobbing. He enfolded her in his arms and held her as she cried, rubbing her back soothingly and murmuring nonsense words of comfort.

"Dad? What's wrong with Mum?" Harry stood in the doorway, wearing his dressing gown over his pajama pants.

Albus gestured for Harry to join them before answering. "She had a bad dream, m'boy."

"Really bad?" Harry asked, climbing on to the bed to hold Minerva.

Minerva was still shaking, but her sobs had faded. "I dreamt that I was in Lily's place." At Harry's confused look, she explained, "Lily is your mother and James is your father." Harry nodded and Minerva continued. "Anyway, I was in her place, trying to protect you from V-Voldemort. Naturally, he killed me anyway, but it was so real and I didn't want him to go after you. I knew you would live, but I just, I didn't want him to even go near you." Her eyes were shimmering with tears when she looked at her son. "I may not have given birth to you, Harry-lad, but I couldn't stand to lose you."

"Aw, Mum." Harry blushed, ducking his head.

Minerva laughed. "It's true, Laddie. I love you as if I'd given birth to you."

"I'm glad, Mum." Harry hugged her. "Very glad."

Albus watched as Minerva hugged her son back. "M'boy, why don't you join us for the rest of the night?"

"Join you?" Harry asked, surprise slowly being overtaken by delight. "Really."

Minerva flashed a grateful look at her husband as Harry scrambled under the covers. Since Minerva was the one who'd had a bad dream, she found herself sandwiched between her son and husband. Comfortably snuggled together, the family went back to sleep. None of them had bad dreams for the rest of the night.