Revert To Type

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

Chapter 18.

--

Albus took immense pleasure in watching the interaction between the three individuals sitting to his right. In the space of just a few days the family unit had seemed to be drawn even closer together and the memory of the 'Daidein' incident, as it had come to be called, brought a smile to his face. It wasn't that everything was perfect, it wasn't that there were likely to be no further problems in the future but what made the difference was that they seemed so content. Minerva, Anna, seemed so happy now and there wasn't a bone in his body that regretted that fact for an instant. The sound of Georgina Sprout trying valiantly to stifle her amusement drew his attention back to the world around him and it didn't take him long at all to see what had caused her mirth. Lunch that day was pasta. More specifically it was spaghetti, in a tomato and basil sauce. Now there was nothing intrinsically wrong with this meal, in fact it was one of his personal favourites, despite how difficult it was to eat without staining his snowy beard a vivid red. Having said this, it should hardly have surprised any of them that the youngster, likely never having come across spaghetti was going to struggle to keep herself anything approximating clean while eating it.

--

Someone had had enough foresight to tuck a napkin into the neck of her dress and it was a good thing to, as what had once been white linen was now entirely covered in sauce, as was the child's face. The look of concentration on her face as she valiantly tried to wind the pasta around her fork the way someone had obviously shown her, and yet failing miserably was a picture. As were, of course, the faces of the two men on either side of her. Severus had his head in his hands shaking it slowly back and forth, Remus on the other hand was grinning as he leaned down to help their charge tackle her food. Albus was quite happy to sit back and watch as the Werewolf took the much smaller hand in his own, helping her to twist the fork and then to manoeuvre it towards her wide-open mouth. The scene was so natural that it was almost hard to believe that they had only been in charge of the girl for less than a fortnight.

"Come on Madam - we had better get you cleaned up." Severus said standing once they were finished and pulled back her chair so that she could slide to the floor.

"Good bye!" She said with that endearing Highland lilt as she smiled up at the rest of the table.

"Good bye my dear." He said with amusement and was rewarded with a renewal of that cherub like smile.

--

A query from Fillius about who was supervising the detentions that evening occupied his attention until there was a flurry of noise throughout the room as an unfamiliar owl swooped into the hall in his direction. He suspected from the moment he saw it, what it was, though events of the day had resulted in him forgetting for a few minutes what day today was. Today was Thursday: the Thursday two weeks after the original incident which had thrown them all into this surreal position in the first place. The day of the deadline. He was far calmer than he suspected he would be, or probably how the others thought he might be, judging from the way that they had been watching him. He supposed, as he untied the roll of parchment from the birds leg, that it was probably because of the certainty that he had held deep inside him from the start that he had lost her, that this official blow did not seem to fall so deep. Whatever the case, and however he might have felt, he was in something of a dwam as he broke the Ministry seal.

Dear Sir/Madam,

The Ministry of Magic would like to inform all concerned parties that after the stated period (14 standard days) the incident and all consequences that resulting there-from, pertaining to one Minerva Anne McGonagall, can henceforth be referred to as stable. Due to this change in status, the newly created individual 246.01, will be taken into official custody to await the trial of those deemed by the Ministry to be responsible for the incident on Thursday 7th October that lead to individual 246.01's creation. After the conclusion of these proceedings the Department of Social Responsibility and that of Magical Law Enforcement may be petitioned in regard to the care of the afore mentioned individual, should they be a minor.

Yours Sincerely

Percy Weasley

For Cornelius Fudge (Minister of Magic)

It wasn't the contents of the letter that stunned him so much as it's format; the fill-in-the-blanks-style of the letter, as if it were as routine as a reminder that your taxes were due next month.

--

Albus looked up from the sheet that he held in his now trembling hands at the crack that signified the arrival of one of the schools house elves.

"Professor Dumbledore?" The creature, Spritey, asked.

"Yes?" He prompted having drawn back from his reverie just a little.

"There are people at the door Master, they are saying they are coming from the Ministry Sir." She continued quietly yet with a note of urgency in her voice, toying with the corner of her pillowcase as she talked.

"Thank you Spritey." He told her before pushing back his chair and standing up. The elf gave a quick nod before popping out of existence. "It would seem we have guests." Albus said leaning towards Rose and Fillius. "This probably ought to explain it clearly enough." He continued handing over the roll of parchment before leaving the table and heading for the entrance hall.

--

He walked towards the four men standing there in official looking black robes with his head held high and with confident steps.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting gentlemen. What can I be of assistance with today?" He asked by way of greeting.

"We're here to collect 246.01, and to take possession of the belongings and records of one Minerva Anne McGonagall." Came the reply from a young and somewhat arrogant man. "And of course to conduct interviews with all those who were involved in the incident."

"Of course Mr...." He replied coolly.

""Cuthbert." He said in an equally cold tone.

"Well I'm not certain how you would like to do this; I can take you to where the child is presently or if you would like to split up I'm sure our Caretaker, Mr Filch will be happy to escort you wherever it is that you need to go." He said knowing that the other man was standing in the shadows with his cat. Right on cue he stepped out into the light.

"That would be for the best I think – Appleby, Carmichael – you go with… Mr Fitch was it?"

"Mr Filch." He corrected gently.

"Right…right. Well if you'll lead the way…" Albus did just that, part of him wishing that he could give Severus and Remus forewarning of what was about to happen, though he was certain they knew as well as he did what today was. He took them down the stone stairs at quite a pace, wanting to get proceedings started, all the quicker to get them over with. Arriving at Severus' door he rapped briskly on the oak.

"She's with Snape?" Asked Cuthbert's other accomplice Dibble.

"The child is in the care of Professor Snape and Professor Lupin and has been for some time." He replied dryly.

--

After a few moments the door was opened by a somewhat disgruntled Head of Slytherin.

"Afternoon Albus," He greeted sceptically while rolling his sleeves back down from above his elbows (this action made Albus suspect that up until very recently he had been on his knees taking an active part in bath time).

"Afternoon. These are the gentlemen from the Ministry – I don't believe I caught what department you were from Mr Cuthbert?"

"Magical Law Enforcement." Came the direct reply.

"Ah." Was all Severus said.

"They're here for Anna of course."

"Of course, I'll just go fetch her. Lupin should have her out of the bath by now. In the meantime, do come in." He said taking a step back and opening the door wide enough to be a fraction more inviting.

"Anna?" Asked Cuthbert when they were alone again.

"It was what we decided to call the child to save confusion both for us and the students. She seems to have taken to it quite the thing." He added with a smile but received nothing but stony professionalism in return.

--

Through the open door that led to Anna's bedroom Albus could hear muffled whispers of the two men's voices. Eventually though, Remus appeared, with Anna in his arms, and made his way over to them. It was plain to see that the child sensed that something was wrong as she had her arms around his neck and was half hiding her face in his robes.

"Severus is just packing up some of her things for you take with you." He said somewhat nervously and it was just as clear that the werewolf wasn't comfortable with the way that things were proceedings.

"There won't be any need for that." The Ministry Official snapped and Albus would have sworn there was an unhealthy gleam in his eye. "Appleby – take her would you." The other man stepped forward and the awkwardness in the way that he dealt with the child was in stark contrast to Remus' comfortable embrace from which she was ripped. Albus could barely take his eyes off of Anna, as she simply looked from one of them to the other her fright plain to see in her face.

"Now if you'd all three like to sign this evidence receipt…" Cuthbert asked as Snape returned to the room, obviously having been listening to the conversation.

"First I'd like an explanation of why you seem so against her having some of her own things to take with her." He asked in a drawl that would have most of his students frightened half to death.

"Departmental policy sir. You'll be given a receipt for what she's wearing at the moment too – we'd hate for you to be out of pocket." The smarmy answer did nothing to placate the notoriously intimidating man but Albus spotted Remus place a hand on his forearm and that seemed enough to stop him from saying any more. Haltingly, Albus reached forward and took the proffered quill and dipping it in the inkwell that the official had set out on the Potion Master's desk, shakily signed the document lying next to it. Lupin was next up and having read the simple terms quickly carefully signed and dated it before handing the quill over to his partner.

"Will it be possible for us to visit her?" He asked as he took a step back from the desk.

"She'll be kept in an isolation room in St Mungo's, with stringent security, until after the trail." Came the non-response that was none the less perfectly clear.

"And after that?" Severus asked.

"That depends, but it's usually possible for a petitioning party's legal representation to have access to the child in question. However, this is hardly a usual case now is it?" It certainly wasn't that, and Albus was rarely so aware of the bizarre nature of what was going on around him as when he stood at the top of the steps leading down from the main doors of the school as the child who had once been Minerva McGonagall was carried down the path and out of view through the gates. He was barely aware of the sound of Severus' impatient steps as he turned and re-entered the castle before the group disappeared or even of the hand that Remus placed on his shoulder. All he could see was Minerva's face as he had bid her good evening that fateful night a fortnight ago and Anna's as she had reached out for her Daidein and Moony while being carried away from them all.

A/N – All I shall request is that you don't hate me. And that even if you do – REVIEW and vent ( in a nice constructive fashion please grin) Thanks to those of you who did review last time.

xLx

PS - I hate formatting. Apologies cause it sucks...