Revert To Type

Disclaimer:  I own little to nothing of what it is named/referred to and am making even less from it.

Chapter 4.

            Georgina Sprout woke almost immediately when the fire in her setting room sprang to life with a muffled roar.  After more than fifteen years as Head of Hufflepuff, it was second nature to respond to knocks or calls in the night with a measure of urgency.  Pulling on her dressing gown she quickly headed out to see who it was that required her at, she checked her watch, half past five in the morning.  She was a little surprised to see the Headmaster's head sitting in the grate as she had all but assumed that it would be Poppy telling her that she had just seen one of her students.

"Albus?"  She asked kneeling before the grate so that they were on more level ground.

"Georgina.  Sorry to awaken you so early but…" He paused, and she took this opportunity to take in his appearance, noting that he certainly looked as he had been up all night and that now something was worrying him deeply.  "There's been…well we have something of an incident on our hands."

"What happened?  Are you alright Albus?"  She asked, her apprehension growing.

"I think it might be easier if you came up to the hospital wing, I've already spoken to the others and Fillius is on his way."

"I'll be there as soon as I can."  She replied, already standing up.  The headmaster gave her a little smile and disappeared with a gentle pop.  As she pulled on some clothes she ran through a whole series of events that she felt could be responsible for this most unusual summoning.  A year ago she would have automatically thought of the Dark Lord, but since the war had ended there had been little sign of trouble even from those such as the Malfoy's whom everyone was certain had been up to their neck in the whole damned business even if they had managed to escape scot-free.   It would have been easier for her to come up with an explanation had the Headmaster told her that he had summoned all four Heads of House; perhaps it had to do with some of their students.  She hurried down the stairs from the Hufflepuff warren and towards the hospital wing at something approximating a run.  When she arrived at the door, Albus and Fillius were standing outside in quiet discussion. 

"Albus?"  She asked.

"Oh, hello – thank you for your haste.  Right, well…I think it would perhaps be a good idea if I were to explain the situation to both of you before we go any further.  I'm not sure if either of you remember Minerva referring to an incident that occurred while she was teaching Severus' class yesterday?"  Georgina certainly remembered seeing a rather seething Minerva enter the Staff Room after last class of the day but she wasn't sure if there was a connection. 

"I saw that Mr Malfoy had been set a weeks worth of detentions."  Fillius said, shifting uneasily from foot to foot. 

"Yes well.  She did mention it to me at dinner last night, but she made no reference to the actual nature of the incident.  When Severus returned he obviously went to go cheek the Log.  In any case it seems that Minerva was rather drenched in a potion that shouldn't have been created.  She obviously brushed it off, but when Severus went to check on her she didn't answer so he came and fetched me.  When we  did get in we found that perhaps…well, it would seem that the potion was more potent than Min had accounted for."  Georgina had been expecting something like this but couldn't repress her startled gasp. 

"Is she…?  I mean…"

"Oh, she's alive and unharmed.  Well, at least sort of."  He added as an after thought.  Georgina glanced at Fillius and then back to the other man.  "There were obviously some aging related properties in it."

"How many, I mean how much…" Fillius began.  "How old exactly is she now?"

"We're…we're not certain at the moment.  But we think about three years old."

She was more than a little shocked by this;  it had indeed been a big jump.  On the other hand however, she did realise that it wouldn't have taken too much more to lower her age to such a huge extent that she had ceased to exist.  She tried to listen to what Albus was saying now but she certainly understood why he had seemed a little out of sorts.  She knew enough about Minerva that the revelation about the language barrier actually made sense when she thought about it.  It wasn't until he made a comment about her seeming to have taken a liking to Severus that she looked up a little startled and snapped out of her thoughts.

"Why in Merlin's name would a child favour Severus of all people?"  She asked out-loud before she even thought about it.  Albus smiled a little at this.

"I suspect that he probably reminds her of her father."  He began, and seeing that this obviously wasn't going to be satisfactory, went on.  "Malcolm McGonagall was always a stern man, though he loved his wife with all his heart and made certain that Minerva was given all the praise and encouragement she could need at least till he passed on, but he was strict and would stand no nonsense from anyone.  I suspect that Severus merely reminds her of those qualities."  When he put it like that Georgina supposed he could well be right really.  "Well, I had better go speak to Severus and see what he managed to get out of the students."  The older man continued with a gentle smile.

"Do you think it would be ok if we went in to see her?"  She asked, all of a sudden feeling like a student again. 

"I can't see why not, but Poppy was thinking of trying to get her to take a nap.  Don't know how successful she's likely to be but…"

"We'll be as quiet as we can then." Inserted Fillius.

"Right, well hopefully we'll have some more information once Severus is done with the 7th years.  No doubt I'll see you shortly."  And with that he was gone. 

"Well you could never say working here was boring."  Her companion said as they pulled open the heavy doors and entered the sterile wing. 

"Or safe."  She added in a whisper.  She supposed there were few people who could genuinely say that Minerva McGonagall had been their friend because she had always been so closed with her emotions and trusting very few people to hold her secrets, but over the last fifteen years, they had grown closer, she and a few others, who primarily made up the middle-aged female sector of the staff.  Poppy and Xiomara Hooch along with the two Heads of House had begun to spend more time together, had banded together to act when one of their number needed their help or most often, to drag Minerva away from her office for any length of time.  She supposed their bond had been solidified primarily because of the war, or the second war she really ought to have said, when stresses and strains pulled many people together, perhaps even more than were pushed apart.  She was pulled out of her reverie though when they came into sight of the hospital wing's only inhabitant.   The little girl was sitting on the edge of the bed in a long nightdress, swinging her legs nonchalantly as she drank from a glass of milk.  As she obviously realised she was being watched, she lowered the glass and very carefully laid it on the bedside table then returned her gaze to them, licking her top lip clean.  Georgina could hardly get over how similar the grey eyes looking at her now and those of her old friend were.  The thick jet hair was pulled back from her face in a braid, which was laid over her shoulder and she could see the child, Minerva, playing with the end of it.  Her skin was pale but her cheeks had a dusting of freckles and a colour that gave the impression of someone who had spent a lot of time outdoors.  She tilted her head to the side a little and before speaking in an accent that Georgina was certain could mesmerize almost anyone.

"Càite a bheil m'athair?"

"Ah."  Said Fillius quietly.  "Roll on the invention of a worthwhile translation charm."

"I though you were working on one?"  She asked him in all seriousness.

"I am, but it's designed for modern languages – French, German, Spanish, Italian and the like.  I can tell you for a fact right now, that it would make complete nonsense out of Gaelic."  Just as he finished, Poppy appeared from out of her office.

"Oh hello."  She said with a smile, as she draped a pile of black material over her arm.  "I'll assume the Headmaster told you who this is then."  She said, lying what the other woman could now see to be spare school robes over the end of the bed.

"Indeed." Said the Ravenclaw before turning back to the child.  "Hello."  She continued to look at him curiously.  With care she turned herself around and dropped down to the ground.  Now that she was on the floor she obviously realised that she was barely shorter than him and this seemed to amuse her as a little smile spread across her face.

"Halò.  Is Mise Minerva."  She said quite calmly holding out a hand towards him.  Chuckling softly, she watched as her colleague shook the girl's hand and introduced himself.  Minerva seemed to give it thought but didn't feel the need to repeat the name.  She seemed more apprehensive when Georgina approached and so the Hufflepuff knelt down next to Fillius.

"Hello, my name's Georgina."  Though she didn't shy away from her, the girl seemed more unsure of the other woman.

"You're just in time."  Poppy said as she stood back up again.  "I was about to try and transfigure her a dress."  She continued holding up the garments.  The Herbologist couldn't help but frown knowing neither of the two women, or Fillius for that matter, were particularly stunning at the subject.  "And this one was going to be getting some more sleep."  This was said with a slight frown and pursed lips that showed frustration with herself more than anyone else.

"And I had really better go get organized – I'm on breakfast duty this morning."  Fillius added.  "You'll be sure to let me know what Severus finds won't you?"

"Of course."  She replied without a thought.    Even at the beginning of October the sun was already climbing into the sky by a quarter to six, and so as they headed towards the medi-witch's office, Poppy pulled the blinds closest to the girl's bed down leaving only a nightlight glowing softly on the bedside table.

A/N: 

Halò.  Is Mise Minerva. – Hello.  My name is Minerva.

Well there it was.  Hope you enjoyed it – let me know other way I really do appreciate it when you do *grin*

Thanks again to M my beta

xLx