A/N Thank you Maria aka Minerva Dumbledore1 for being my beta. Special thanks for going over all of this chapter twice and some parts no less than three times. Any remaining errors are things I added after I sent Maria the supposed 'final' draft.
If you are reading, please review. It tends to speed my writing and posting along.
Keep in mind that these memories were put together many years after the events occurred. Therefore though Dumbledore now has knowledge about things other people did and their thoughts, he did not have that knowledge during the memories he narrates.
Also don't forget that a narrator's perspective on events and what they chose to notice is slightly skewed by their own expectations and personality. It's not so obvious now but there will be chapters where I will show you the same event from two different perspectives that will seem like two entirely different events in their interpretation.
And before anyone thinks Dippet doesn't like Dumbledore that's not true. He just has a slightly different, older perspective on things. Being as he is over 200 years old and Dumbledore is under 100, he tends to lump Dumbledore into the 'foolish young person' category.
#### reflects a change in narrator
**** a lapse in time. Can be as little time as it takes to travel from one room to another.
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"Whatever are you doing to that kitten?"
Armando Dippet wandered into the classroom just in time to see the hissing, spitting kitten transform into a hissing, spitting little girl.
No one said a word for several minutes. Even though it was what he had expected, the actual reality of it still came as a shock to Albus Dumbledore. After a moment, he recovered enough to look at the others. His fellow professors certainly looked surprised enough. Pomfrey kept blinking. Binns looked like he was stuttering without any sound actually being produced. Shackleton was clutching his chest as if he were having a heart attack. Dippet was frowning. He looked more disappointed than surprised. Any questions about the reason for Armando Dippet's reaction left Dumbledore's mind with one glance at Tom Riddle's face. The expression of surprise on Tom's face looked too calculated, too insincere.
Putting his suspicions aside for the moment to deal with the more important matter, Dumbledore again faced the little girl. This time he really examined her. She wore the same white cotton nightdress, a little worse for wear, that she had on the last time he had seen her. A bit of blood was spattered on it, but it was likely his own. She had clearly grown a few inches, as it didn't reach as far as it once had. Her black hair was longer and in need of a trim to even it out. The complete lack of tangles made him again suspect Riddle of having known, but the meticulous way cats groomed themselves offered doubt to that idea.
When he took a step closer to her, the renewed hissing advised him to step back. Dumbledore was more than a little grateful when even without having been summoned, Fawkes arrived in the dungeon. As soon as his wounds were healed, the phoenix eyed the girl suspiciously and flew away.
After another minute of the girl's continued hissing, Armando Dippet asked the question surely everyone in the room was wondering.
"She has been transfigured by Grindelwald to live as a kitten for months now. What effect would that have on her mind?"
Dumbledore furrowed his brow.
"Human transfigurations aren't meant to be maintained that long. Anything past a few days, the subject can begin to permanently take on the characteristics, instincts and behaviors of the resulting animal. The effects on the human mind from this long of a transfiguration, well its not something previously researched. Ethically speaking, its just not possible to research."
Armando Dippet frowned. "I was in my animagus form for days before the fire at the Ministry of Magic went out and it was safe to change back. Grant you, I tend to sit a tad closer to a warm fire than I used to, but I considered that more to do with advancing age than-"
Dumbledore interrupted. "Animagi are something slightly different."
Pomfrey swallowed compulsively before speaking quietly.
"I'll go get Madame Griselda."
Dippet made another inquiry.
"Minerva as a kitten belonged to Mr. Riddle, I take it?"
Her name is 'Kitten'."
Dippet seemed to take Riddle's response as an affirmative.
"Well Mr. Riddle, why don't you see if you can get her to settle down."
Tom looked uncertain for a moment, but the girl allowed him to pick her up off the table. Her hissing ended when he began to stroke her long hair. By the time the aged school nurse arrived, Tom was seated with the young girl settled in his lap.
"Madame Griselda."
The nurse nodded to the headmaster and then stared, puzzled at the young girl.
"How? Who? I don't understand."
Dumbledore spoke up.
"It would seem Grindelwald or one of his house elves transfigured his daughter into a kitten to evade Ministry capture. We want you to examine her and tell us what if any harm it has caused."
Seeing that did nothing to clear up the matter for the woman, Dumbledore went on.
"I don't think any of us really understands it. She stepped on some broken glass. You might want to start with her pa-well hands and feet."
Madame Griselda gave her most reassuring smile as she slowly approached the young girl. Apparently it was not reassuring enough because as Headmaster Dippet tried to calmly explain to the young lady what was going on, Minerva became unsettled again.
"Madame Griselda is going to examine you. Not to worry, she is the school nurse -"
The gray eyes lit up suddenly at the Headmaster's words. The school nurse cried out in pain as the young girl bit the hand that was examining her. Again hissing, the young girl moved nimbly from Riddle's lap to a counter and onto the top of a cabinet before anyone could stop her.
"She bit me!"
When the young girl began raining the various potion bottles that were stored on top of the cabinet down on the nurse below, the long suffering Madame Griselda had finally had enough.
"You need someone from the Ministry's Beast Division, not a nurse!"
Shortly after she departed, the uncertain looking Care of Magical Creatures Professor arrived.
"Nurse Griselda told me to come here? Someone let one of my hippogriffs loose in the dungeons?"
Headmaster Dippet nodded.
"Master Kettleburn, we could use your expertise. Can you get the girl to come down?"
Kevric Kettleburn's eyes traveled in the direction Dippet was looking.
"What's the problem?"
"She thinks she is a housecat."
Kettleburn observed the hissing child for a few moments before he managed to make eye contact with her. When Kettleburn bowed formally to the girl, Dumbledore wondered if the other professor had not realized the hippogriff comment was sarcastic. Still, he supposed, anything was worth a try.
The try did not appear to be working. When Kettleburn picked up a stool and moved closer, the girl changed from hisses to growls and roars.
Kettleburn paused a moment before picking up the long pointer Pomfrey had been using earlier. The stool he had been bringing over to the cabinet to step on to reach the girl now found a new use. The Care of Magical Creatures professor wielded it in front of himself like a lion tamer while gently prodding the roaring girl with the stick.
"Back, back I say!"
Dumbledore stared at the young man in wonder. He was about to ask just what exactly he was trying to accomplish when the most unexpected thing happened. The little girl started giggling.
"I was only pretending to be a lion!"
Kettleburn winked at the stunned group around him before feigning shock.
"You mean you really aren't a lion?"
After a few more giggles, the little girl corrected him.
"I am a kitten!"
"Oh, I see."
Kettleburn gave an unknowing shrug to the rest of his audience. It was still far more progress than anyone else had made.
The girl's mouth opened wide again, but what Dumbledore thought was going to be another roar was really a yawn. The giggling had settled down now that Kettleburn had stopped his antics. The girl's attention turned to more serious matters.
"Where is my lunch? My Tom usually feeds me by now."
"Are you ready to come down now?"
When young Minerva made no negative remarks to Dippet's question, Kettleburn put the stool to his original intended use. She allowed him to lift her down. Dumbledore made the same request of the Care of Magical Creatures Professor as he had of the school nurse.
"Kettleburn, check her hands and feet for cuts."
The girl hissed when Kettleburn tried to examine her, but he just hissed back and began to tickle her. After a few moments of giggling and wriggling combined with a cleansing charm, Kettleburn pronounced his judgment.
"Some dried blood, but no broken skin."
Dippet nodded.
"Let us go to my office and have lunch there."
Tom Riddle stepped forward to reclaim the young girl now that she was down. The girl, still in Kettleburn's grasp, held out her arms to her former owner indicating he should again carry her. After Dippet's nod in response to Kettleburn's questioning glance, the girl was transferred back. Dumbledore found the affectionate way Riddle received the girl unsettling.
As Riddle passed him to follow Dippet out the door, young Minerva wrapped her arms around Tom's neck and hissed at Dumbledore. Riddle's smirk in response and the tightening of his protective hold on the girl did nothing to allay Dumbledore's concerns.
Dumbledore put a hand on the Care of Magical Creatures Professor's arm to get him to pause.
"How did you know she was pretending?"
Kettleburn explained it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Housecats can't roar. Only the larger Panthera genus roar"
Leaving the Potion's Master to deal with the cleanup, the other professors left.
#######################################
Pomfrey whistled, surveying the damage to his classroom. What a day! None of the potions from the shelf the girl had perched on were salvageable. A more than decent amount of blood was pooled on the floor and trailed to the shelf. He knew what blood allowed to set for too long attracted, so he quickly began the work of banishing the stains.
Even with repeated castings of 'Scourgify,' some of the blood refused to come off. He gave up on the most persistent of the stains as the first of his last class of the afternoon arrived. Maybe the Red Caps would have better luck than him.
At least he would have one hell of a story to tell at the Three Broomsticks later this evening.
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Once in his office, Dippet's wand provided chairs for all present. Minerva ignored the chairs and remained with Riddle instead. Seeing the way Minerva curled up comfortably on Tom's lap even in girl form, Dumbledore could contain his questions no longer.
"Tell me Tom, how long have you been aware your cat wasn't really a cat?"
Before Tom could again deny the allegation, Armando Dippet interrupted in an unusually hesitant fashion.
"Let us not dwell upon who knew what when. There are matters of far greater concern now."
Following this statement Dippet waved his wand to produce a tray of sandwiches. When the Headmaster attempted to offer the girl a sandwich she turned her head away. Riddle intercepted it and after taking a bite offered it to the girl.
She regarded Tom for a moment before taking a tentative bite. Dumbledore wondered briefly if she would spit it out given the look on her face. Instead, she returned it to Tom with a slight hiss.
Binns snorted.
"My thoughts on these sandwiches exactly!"
Shackleton's dark look had no effect on Binns's smirk so the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor tried to show influence elsewhere.
"Maybe she is thirsty?"
Another wave of Dippet's wand produced two glasses of pumpkin juice for the children and tea service for the adults.
"Kitten always makes me sample anything before she will try it."
Dippet nodded and didn't even bother to offer the juice directly to the girl.
Tom took one glass for the girl, but declined the second.
"I would prefer tea."
Even with Tom sampling the juice twice, the girl wrinkled her nose at the offering.
Dumbledore frowned, considering the things he had seen.
"How much does she remember? Does she think it is poisoned?"
He realized his error in speaking in front of her when Minerva Grindelwald turned sharply at his words. Whether she remembered before or not, his question had either revived some memory or introduced the idea to her. When Kettleburn paused in the raising of his teacup to his lips in order to speak, she turned her attentions to him.
"Or maybe she just doesn't like pumpkin juice."
"Personally, I find pumpkin juice to be almost as foul as Sha-"
Binns was startled into silence by the girl's next actions.
She moved quickly to tear the teacup out of Kettleburn's hand and smash it to the floor. Not quite knowing what to do, no one stopped her as she made the rounds smashing the teacups that people were holding.
Binns recovered his ability to speak and even went one better. He smashed his own teacup before she could get to it.
"Jolly good fun!"
Dumbledore was still staring at his older colleague when the quiet hissing announced her presence before him. While she could speak it seemed clear this was her preferred communication method. He regarded her over his half-moon glasses. Though she would not get close enough to take the cup from him, he chose to take it as a good sign that despite his actions earlier she was still trying to warn him away from drinking the tea. After a moment's thought he followed Binns's lead.
She moved on to smashing the items still on the tea tray. Only when just the creamer remained was she truly appeased. She handed it to Tom expectantly before climbing back into his lap. It would seem like most, cats she was unable to resist a container of milk.
Rising from his seat, Dumbledore remembered other obligations.
"I need to owl Moody and the Ministry."
Dippet rose and motioned him to be seated again.
"Let us not be hasty."
Dumbledore of course knew what the Sorting Hat was for, but he still couldn't stop himself from asking as the Headmaster took it out.
"What are you doing?"
Dippet shrugged but did not look him in the face while he responded.
"She is a child. This is a school. She has no family to speak of. Can you think of a better place for her?"
Even knowing the matter was nowhere near that simple, Dumbledore still didn't know what to say. The Sorting was over before he could even think of a response or a rebuttal. Dippet barely even had the aged hat over the girl's head before it made its announcement.
"I stand by my earlier decision - Slytherin!"
Leaving the hat in place, Dippet then asked a question not usually asked of the Sorting Hat.
"Tell me the why?"
The hat's response was without hesitation.
"Helga prizes loyalty and she hasn't got enough yet. She is clever enough, but Rowena despises cats. She is certainly fearless and foolish enough for Godric to want her, but most of all she embodies Salazar's trait. Those cunning folks use any means to achieve their ends."
The girl seemed unfazed by this pronouncement. Finished with the milk, she gave another yawn before knocking the hat off during a stretch. She shifted Tom's arm and used it as a cushion when she laid across the chair. Tom gently stroked her hair with his free hand until she drifted to sleep.
While the girl was unfazed, Armando Dippet seemed quite disturbed. His face held a concerned, thoughtful look as he spoke softly to the sleeping girl.
"Then perhaps the answer is to ensure the ends you desire are not something the rest of us cannot content ourselves to live with."
After a long period of uncomfortable silence, Dumbledore again rose.
"We really should contact the Ministry. They will wonder why we waited so long."
This time Dippet sighed but his only attempt to stop him was a few cryptic words.
"Master Dumbledore, I can only hope you come to understand before all is lost that the things we need to do are not always the things we should do."
Shackleton added on a bit of his own wisdom which thankfully was not so indecipherable.
"If what Dumbledore suggested on the walk here is true, and from what we have seen I see no reason to doubt it…well, than I'm sure the Ministry will be thrilled to learn of this what with the way they have been telling everyone for the last eight years that all the Themis are dead."
Binns scowled at the sleeping child.
"Now I have to update my lecture!"
Shackleton rubbed the bridge of his nose while staring at Binns.
"Come along Dumbledore. My office is on the Floo network. You can use my fireplace to contact the Ministry."
##############################################
Armando Dippet sighed listening to the others. When Shackleton made his offer to Dumbledore, Dippet made no further attempts to ward off what was to come.
"After you contact the Ministry you may return to your afternoon classes."
In order to leave the young Transfiguration Master with no room for doubt, Dippet added a few more words.
"Both of you."
Binns rose as well.
"Yes, I too have classes to teach."
"Not today, Master Binns."
Watching the History of Magic Master squirm, he went on.
"Go leave notice on your classroom door that the remainder of your classes are cancelled. Then go to the dungeons and find a room for Miss Grindelwald. It would be wise to keep her a bit segregated from the other children. This year's Head Girl is a Hufflepuff so prepare the Slytherin Head Girl's room for Miss Grindelwald's use."
He didn't even bother to attempt to make out the words Binns mumbled under his breath during his departure. He briefly considered the remaining adult in the room.
"Master Kettleburn, you appear to have established a rapport with the girl. Leave notice canceling your classes as well, and then go to the History of Magic classroom. You will find Master Binns hiding behind a stack of books. Assist him in his preparation of the room for the girl's use."
Kettleburn nodded.
"Shall I take the girl, Minerva or Kitten, with me now?"
Dippet shook his head.
"Mr. Riddle and Master Dumbledore will escort her down shortly."
Kettleburn paused.
"You told Dumbledore not to return."
Armando Dippet sighed again. He was old but he wasn't so old that he couldn't remember what he had said only moments before.
"Master Kettleburn, I think you will shortly find it quite apparent that Master Dumbledore is under the misbegotten impression that he knows best about all things. Why you young people behave so foolishly is beyond me."
Kettleburn didn't offer any further challenges. He just nodded and departed as requested.
Dippet examined the young man that remained appraisingly. He knew there was not much time for contemplation. The Ministry's response would be swift.
"Mr. Riddle, I know that you know things."
He frowned as Riddle began to protest his innocence.
"Do not bother to deny it to me. We do not have the luxury of time for that. I am sure by now, you have noticed things about young Minerva -"
"Kitten, her name is Kitten."
Rather than waste what precious little time remained, Dippet acquiesced.
"Kitten. Now kindly do not argue or interrupt. I am certain by now you have noticed things about young Kitten. It would be in neither her best interests nor our own to share that information with the Ministry."
He paused a costly moment to allow his words to penetrate. When Riddle gave a guarded nod he continued.
"Should anyone inquire, you have noticed an odd prescience about her. She tends to respond to things before they occur."
Following a slight nod of understanding, Dippet resumed.
"Do not concern yourself with Master Dumbledore. I will deal with him and the Ministry. When they arrive remain silent unless spoken to, irregardless of what is said. Keep Kitten with you and do not permit her to misbehave.
The girl trusts you. You will continue as her primary custodian. You must not allow others to handle the girl. If others were to become aware of her abilities, the consequences would be most -"
Dippet reigned in his words as the sound of heavy footsteps approached. Surely steps so boisterous on the revolving staircase to his office could only belong to a large group of Ministry officials. Even the sleeping child awoke to regard the door as it flung open.
Dippet was surprised to discover instead the young groundskeeper's assistant carrying his toad. With a smile Armando Dippet greeted Mr. Keys.
"Thank you, Mr. Hagrid. In all the day's excitement I fear I had forgotten about you, Mr. Keys. An intolerable oversight I am sure."
While the presence of a child at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was not at all unusual, having one so young as Miss Grindelwald was not a normal occurrence. This peculiarity did not escape Mr. Hagrid.
"Well 'ello there."
The girl regarded Mr. Hagrid for a moment before returning the greeting minus the accent.
"Hello."
"My name is Rubeus. What's yers?"
There was no hesitation after the first exchange.
"Kitten."
"Eh?"
Quickly Hagrid realized that was not the most polite response and attempted to make amends.
"That's a right pretty name fer a right pretty girl."
As young Kitten Grindelwald corrected Mr. Hagrid, Dippet began to speculate that perhaps the reason Miss Grindelwald had not been more vocal earlier had something to do with the fact that the adults for the most part had been talking about her rather than to her.
"I am a kitten."
Still her words, now that she chose to use them to communicate, lacked a certain reassurance in their content. Placid Mr. Hagrid wisely chose not to engage the girl in debate.
"Eh well being as yer a kitten than I would say deh name Kitten would just about cover it."
Looking back to the girl to see if she would add anything further to the conversation, Dippet realized her attention had moved on. Armando Dippet was a gifted Seer but even one of the Blind could see what was about to happen. The sandwiches may not have done anything to interest the girl's appetite but the same could not be said of the room's more recent addition.
"Mr. Hagrid, please return to your other duties at this time."
With another glance at the way the eyes of the girl who believed she was a kitten trailed Mr. Keys's every movement, Dippet added a second instruction.
"Please keep Mr. Keys with you as you do your afternoon tasks. I will call upon you later to retrieve him."
Mr. Hagrid frowned and clutched Mr. Keys protectively after also noticing where the girl's attention was. With a curt nod he departed.
Mr. Riddle did not appear to make the connection.
Dippet's aspirations of a few more minutes alone with Mr. Riddle were short lived as Master Dumbledore returned, followed only moments later by an out of breath young Mr. Moody.
"I don't bloody believe it! I cast on that kitten a dozen times! Any idea what curse Grindelwald used?"
Dippet shrugged honestly not knowing or caring.
"Either Grindelwald was so much more powerful than you that you could not reverse his spell, or perhaps when he had custody of your wand he did something to cease its being operational."
Mr. Moody frowned.
"Something did happen to my wand, but it was after I got it back. It worked fine for a while, but when I tried to help Turpin…. Grindelwald had so many traps in the house we never figured out what happened to the wand."
Any further considerations of the 'how' were interrupted by the arrival of several other Ministry representatives, including the Minister of Magic himself.
Dippet nodded to the new arrivals.
"Minister Augustus."
The Minister ignored the greeting and stared intensely at the young girl. Thankfully the young girl did not hiss, but rather just stared back. After a moment the Minister turned his look of wrath to young auror Moody.
"Well this is a fine mess you have gotten us into."
Mr. Moody blushed furiously, but clearly knew better than to try to defend himself.
Minister Augustus soon turned his attentions back to the girl. He motioned to two of the hit wizards that had accompanied him.
"Take the girl. We will sort this out at Azkaban."
Were the matter not so grave, Dippet would have scoffed to see Master Dumbledore finally realize the consequences of his haste. The look on Master Dumbledore's face was inestimable. Nor did the tightening of Riddle's hold upon the girl escape his attention.
"Azkaban? How can you possibly conceive of taking a child to such a place?"
Clearly Master Dumbledore had underestimated - or perhaps the better word was overestimated - the temperance of the man before them. Really, what had Master Dumbledore expected from the man who had fortified himself in an office in fear for his own life rather than do anything of use to unearth the assailant that had terrorized the Wizarding World for years?
Minister Augustus snorted.
"Child? That would hardly be the first word I would chose to describe that monstrosity. The Ministry needs to find out exactly what we are dealing with here. Dumbledore you were there the night Grindelwald was taken into custody. You saw the things she did. Grindelwald was a mad man. Merlin knows what else he taught her. I have full confidence that Azkaban will be the ultimate destination for her."
Dumbledore again tried to intervene.
"She only did those spells under Grindelwald's direct orders. Surely the Ministry cannot -"
Dippet had no more interest in hearing the remainder of Master Dumbledore's protest than did the Minister of Magic himself. Master Dumbledore's look of outrage at both the interruption and Dippet's words faded, to be replaced with a guarded look of comprehension as Dippet continued speaking.
"Quite right, Minister Augustus. The Ministry does need to determine exactly what we are dealing with. You have been informed, I am sure, that she has been transfigured for many months now into the form of a cat. So far we have had no indication at all that she has any recollection of past events that have transpired."
Dippet's pause was so slight as to go unnoticed by the Ministry officials. It was more than enough however, for Master Dumbledore to meet his eyes and silently agree to leave the statement unchallenged. Thankfully, Master Dumbledore's Gryffindor sensibilities were now being reigned in by his common sense, so Dippet continued.
"If I may be so bold as to make a suggestion, Hogwarts would be much better suited to determining precisely what skills the girl may have cultivated from Grindelwald. Leave her here and let us handle the matter. We shall enroll her in classes and determine precisely what knowledge she possesses."
The Minister appeared to consider the matter for a brief moment before dismissing the idea as outrageous.
"Far too dangerous, Dippet. You of all people should know that, given your experiences with her grandmother."
With a suppressed sigh, Dippet moved on to his second point of argument.
"Certainly it would not do to take her to Azkaban. It would after all be difficult to explain the cause of a child's presence there without giving a detailed explanation, including a public recognition by the Ministry of its error in having denied her very existence for years now. A matter certainly better left until after this year's elections. Don't you agree Minister?"
How he despised playing at politics. Despite Dippet's best efforts to keep his tone as lacking in presumption as possible, the Minister's nostrils still flared along with his temper.
"Are you threatening me Dippet?"
"Certainly not Minister Augustus. I merely wish to ensure you move ahead in this with a carefully thought out strategy. It really does not do to move hastily without thinking out the consequences of our actions."
Dippet noted the way Dumbledore flinched in response to his words. In a seemingly eager to please tone, Dippet continued speaking.
"Leave the girl here for now. The arrangements for her stay are already complete. Allow her to remain here while you give the matter the diligent consideration it deserves. Your decision today need not be absolute."
That the Minister appeared to be irresolute was to Dippet's mind a good sign.
"I can assure you the matter will be kept confidential by myself, as well as Misters Dumbledore and Riddle. Mister Moody and these other gentlemen are under your authority."
Dippet's assessment of the Minister of Magic as a man always willing to take the easiest way out of a quandary was not at all misguided.
"This arrangement is only temporary, Armando. And if word gets out I will hold you personally responsible."
Dippet nodded his understanding. Again he attempted to keep his tenor innocent as he made another suggestion.
"It might attract attention having a large group of aurors at the school, not to mention the Minister of Magic himself. Might I suggest you return to the Ministry and leave behind one or perhaps two aurors to arrange security matters?"
The Minister's suspicious glance made Dippet fear he had finally gone too far. But after a moment, Minister Augustus gave a brusque nod.
Not surprisingly, Mr. Moody was the first to volunteer to remain. Minister Augustus's answer was somewhat lacking in civility.
"I would expect so, Moody. After the way you fouled this entire matter, you should be grateful I don't send you to Azkaban!"
The second man to stay behind was not a man to whom Dippet had yet been introduced. Nevertheless, the man's habit of wearing a hat even indoors in an attempt to hide from view the series of ghastly scars on the back of his neck left no doubt as to his identity.
Once the Minister and his entourage left, Dippet found there were still too many people remaining in his office for his liking. Presently he had the desire to be in private with only one of the gentlemen.
"Mr. Riddle, please take Miss Grindelwald down to the dungeons and acquaint her with her new rooms. After I speak to the aurors I will select one of the elves to assist Miss Grindelwald."
Mr. Riddle's confidence in him appeared to be waning.
"I can take care of her."
"And you will, Mr. Riddle. There are however some tasks for which you are ill-suited to be of assistance."
The boy certainly had a short fuse, but then the day's events had been quite stressful.
"Headmaster, you promised me-"
Armando Dippet sighed.
"Mr. Riddle, I hardly think it would be appropriate for you to handle Miss Grindelwald's bath, dressing, and other such matters."
Thankfully, after only a second Mr. Riddle realized the validity of his statement.
"Yes, sir."
With Mr. Riddle's leaving, Master Dumbledore was not of a mind to remain either.
"I will accompany Miss Grindelwald and Mr. Riddle."
Not surprisingly now that Mr. Moody had finally located Miss Grindelwald, he was loathe to let her out of his sight. His words were hardly out of his mouth before he was out of the door.
"Loki, I'll keep an eye on the girl, you set up the security measures with the Headmaster."
Once alone with the older auror, Dippet could no longer restrain his curiosity.
"You will remove your hat while in my office."
The auror hesitated only a moment before complying with a roguish grin.
"I am aware that the Ministry employs a number of people who are not, shall we say, the best and the brightest. Still Mr. Loki, tell me exactly how you managed to get that past a room full of aurors and hit wizards?"
Mr. Loki's boyish grin did not at all match with his shortened silver hair.
"It's just Loki. No Mr."
Loki shrugged and ran a hand along the scars on the back of his neck before offering an explanation as to why none of the Ministry people had figured out why the young girl's touch had caused the burns that had later formed the scars. As he began to speak his grin quickly disappeared.
"You should have seen the looks I was getting. I thought I was done for until Minerva 'disappeared' from her room leaving only her 'kitten' behind. Everybody had a different idea about what had happened to her.
One of the wizards, Turpin, he started taking books off of the shelves in Grindelwald's study. He thought there might be a hidden passage behind the paneling. One of the books, when he touched it, his hand started to burn. He tried to put the book down, but he couldn't. The burning, it wouldn't stop. There was nothing we could do, it just kept spreading all over him until… one of the others accidentally brushed up against him. Whatever it was, it spread to him as well."
Loki sighed before continuing.
"Did you know Grindelwald practiced axinomancy? MacDougal picked up his hatchet to break down what we thought was a false wall. You would have thought that the hatchet had a life of its own. I refuse to believe MacDougal ever would have of his own volition…
Even before that, Perks tried to see if any of the wands were salvageable. She wanted to use one of his sideromancy irons to sift through the ashes in the fireplace. Myrrdhin's beard! She used to have the most beautiful eyes."
Loki broke off, unable to continue. After a moment he rubbed his own scars and continued on a different thread.
"Suffice it to say, Grindelwald was not keen on other people handling his belongings. The idea that Grindelwald put a charm on the child wasn't such a stretch for anyone to believe. I wasn't even the one to suggest it"
Not knowing quite what to say, Dippet merely nodded. He knew in time the other man would begin to talk again.
"I know you probably think it callous of me, what I did with the child. I couldn't think of what else to do. I knew if I left her at the house sooner or later someone would figure it out and the mood those people were in that night… I couldn't very well keep her myself. What kind of life would that have been? Children need love and affection. Touch is such an important part of that."
Loki shook his head.
"I left her at a muggle animal shelter. The people seemed nice."
Loki's next words came out fervently.
"I made sure before I left her there that it was a no kill shelter. They assured me that a kitten that cute would be easy to place. She seemed so content just going about her kitten business."
His grin had reappeared.
"The Fates would certainly appear lined up against me. How the devil did she end up back here?"
Dippet knew despite the question Loki did not actually expect an answer. The man's skill at having a conversation entirely by himself was quite staggering.
"Do you really think you can keep her here? I mean even if the Ministry doesn't interfere - which would be an amazing feat by itself. Do you really think it wise to keep her here around all these other people? Around children?"
This was a topic Dippet did not care to dwell upon.
"You are aware then about the protections set upon children of the line. To be honest, I'm not sure how much things will effect her. Through the ages the spell or spells have tended to wear off. Usually the mother would cast spells for reinforcement, but somehow I don't think Artemisia got around to that.
If the protections do remain on her, skin piercing will heal without aid. Harmful spells cast against her will be deflected, which can be a dangerous circumstance in a magical school with children going around jinxing one another all the time. The protections will begin to fade as she gets closer to being of age, the enchantments are only intended to protect a child until she is capable of defending herself."
Armando Dippet already knew all of this. Even as a child Artemisia had not been the most well adjusted person. She had taken great delight in exploring the boundaries of the protective spells. More than once he had discovered her deliberately piercing her own skin to watch the wound seal itself as soon as the offending object was removed.
"I have had some experience in the matter before."
Loki nodded. His face expressed a fierce internal conflict before he spoke again.
"Do you know how to stop the girl if she gets out of hand? It is useless if she has already done something, but if you catch her when she is just beginning something…"
It was Dippet's turn to nod. He had long ago learned the secret weakness of the line of Themis, the way to temporarily render them as weak as any other wand-less witch or wizard. It was certainly the only useful thing to be learned from Artemisia's disturbing habit.
"Well I don't really know what to tell you about security measures beyond what the school already has. Which is assuming they are even strong enough to hold her."
Dippet found it to be time to carefully broach the topic that was likely to cause the most trouble.
"Will the Ministry be sending anyone to test the girl for…special abilities?"
Dippet was surprised and relieved at the older man's dismissive shake of the head.
"No need. Standard is only one ability per person and it's already clear she is a Seer. How else would Grindelwald have made all his successful predictions after killing Artemisia? Powers gained through a marriage bond are lost when the bond is broken. He was working off of the girl's Visions."
That the auror came to the same logical, but erroneous conclusion Dippet himself had once made would make things a great deal easier. He supposed when the girl had touched the auror she either had not been projecting at the time or perhaps the great pain from contact with the girl had masked the lesser sensation that might have accompanied her touch.
Not that the truth would remain hidden for long. Dippet still wondered of all the creatures to conceivably turn the girl into, why ever had Grindelwald picked one so likely to bite and scratch? No, if the young kitten had been biting and scratching people, than others would eventually notice the signs of what she truly was.
Again looking at the man who was older than himself, Dippet's curiosity got the better of him.
"May I inquire as to what, if any, special abilities you have?"
The awkward way the man smiled and refused to meet his gaze would seem to indicate the answer to that question was negative.
"I should really be getting back to the Ministry now."
Dippet nodded, but as the man reached the staircase Dippet spoke again.
"May I suggest referring to him as Merlin? It tends to give something away when you refer to him by his ancient Celtic name, Myrrdhin."
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*****************************************
Albus Dumbledore sat in a chair in the Slytherin Head Girl's room watching Tom Riddle's interaction with the child. He simply did not trust Tom Riddle.
In an effort to put some distance between the two on the way down to the dungeons he had suggested Tom allow the girl to walk on her own. Granted it was true, but the smug way Tom had pointed out that the girl had no shoes had not sat well with Dumbledore. Nor had he liked the boy's grin while reminding Dumbledore that the girl didn't like him in response to Dumbledore's offer to carry the girl.
So instead, Dumbledore had spent the journey down to the dungeons repeatedly saying, 'I don't know,' in response to Alastor Moody's multitude of questions. Now he decided it was time to improve his relationship with the girl. Despite Moody's misgivings about the girl's appearance at Hogwarts, Dumbledore wanted to make the best of it. He put on his warmest smile before summoning a tray of hot chocolate. He held a mug, not a teacup, in each hand as he approached the girl.
"Would you like to try some hot chocolate? It is my own recipe and quite delicious if I do say so myself."
The girl eyed him suspiciously while he took a large sip. He held the same mug out to her at arm's length. He could see the girl's nose twitching as she sniffed the offering that was still in his outstretched hand. The strong emotion in her voice startled him when she spoke.
"What did you do to it? You ruined it!"
Again, Tom was there with a smirk to point out his obvious error.
"She doesn't like things added to her milk."
Before Dumbledore had a chance to recover from his surprise and attempt to make amends, Riddle had already supplied the girl with milk.
Temporarily admitting defeat, Dumbledore spent the next few minutes examining the room around him. He was later surprised to learn Kettleburn had no children or younger siblings. The young professor had certainly done a fine job of preparing the room for use. All the dust and the doxies had been banished from the room that had not been in use for years. Various little toy magical creatures were around the room, none with a Ministry designation above XX. The bed had been lowered enough to allow for the girl's shorter height.
As for Binns's contribution, well the man was entirely too fascinated by goblins. Kettleburn had removed them so they wouldn't give the girl nightmares later on. Binns's response since had been to sulk in a corner.
Dumbledore suppressed a sigh as Moody finally took a break from staring at the girl to approach.
"I don't like this. I don't like it at all. After the things Artemisia said, how can you be so calm? Do you really think it a coincidence that she ended up here of all places?"
"Alastor, she isn't a threat, she is a child."
"Name one of Artemisia's predictions that ever turned out to be wrong?"
Dumbledore frowned. It was true no prediction of Artemisia's had ever been proven wrong. But that didn't mean the prediction about the girl would be true. There was after all a first time for everything.
"Just because she is a child doesn't mean she isn't -"
Moody gave up as Dumbledore walked away from him and towards the girl. Having allowed a few minutes to elapse since the cocoa incident, Dumbledore decided to try to engage the girl in conversation.
"Headmaster Dippet will be here soon."
This statement did not appear to at all impress the girl.
"He is going to bring one of the house elves to help you."
The girl did not seem at all pleased at the idea of a house elf coming, so Dumbledore moved the as yet one sided conversation on.
"The Headmaster thinks you need a bath."
Perhaps if he tried something that actually expected a reply.
"Do you realize how long it has been since you have had a bath?"
"I've already had a bath today."
Having finally succeeded in getting a response from the girl, Dumbledore was shocked at her revelation. His head turned sharply to peer at Riddle over his half-moon glasses. He tried to keep his tone calm as he asked another question of the young girl.
"Who has been giving you baths?"
He turned his attentions back to young Minerva as she answered.
'I have."
"You have been giving yourself baths?"
The girl nodded. Eight he realized, was probably self-sufficient enough to manage a bath alone, but still…
"Tom, you never noticed someone else was using your bathtub?"
He frowned when Tom shook his head and raised an eyebrow at the girl's response.
"Tom has seen me having baths before."
His eyebrow lowered and Tom lost the adamant look of denial from his face as young Minerva finished her thought.
"But I use my tongue and paws."
Not having a response for that, Dumbledore allowed the conversation to die out.
Armando Dippet arrived shortly after. The Headmaster returned alone and looked a good deal less sure of himself than the last time Dumbledore had seen him. Dumbledore found his apprehension growing with Dippet's first words.
"It would seem we have a minor setback."
"How minor?"
Dippet waved his hand to summon Dumbledore closer and presumptively out of the hearing of the young girl.
"Do you recall when Mr. Moody expressed the opinion that the house elves knew where Minerva was but could not share that information with him?"
Dumbledore nodded.
"It would seem Mr. Moody was for once correct about something. Apparently house elves can however gossip amongst their own kind. None of them want anything to do with the girl. They rather unaffectionately refer to her as the 'devil woman's child' or simply the 'devil child'."
Dumbledore frowned.
"I am not entirely surprised. When Grindelwald had her demonstrate some of the curses she knew, he said something about doing it the way they had practiced on Dibby, one of their house elves."
He considered the matter for a moment. At present all the staff positions, with the exception of school nurse, were filled by males. The young girl had been quite…expressive in her dislike of Madame Griselda. Still, something about Tom Riddle set off warning alarms in his mind. He found the prospect that Tom had been the primary, if not only influence in young Minerva's life for the past few months disturbing. He felt it imperative that her care be taken away from Riddle as much as possible, to slowly wean her away from that influence.
"It would be far from the best solution, but temporarily, what about giving one of the elves a direct order? They are bound to you as Headmaster of this school. They have to obey you."
Dippet fixed him with a penetrating glare.
"I hardly think it at all in the girl's best interest to leave her in the care of someone who is terrified of her and openly despises her, however temporary that placement might be."
Dippet sighed before continuing.
"Besides none of them would come. As soon as I even began to suggest it, a rush began to see who could get inside the lit ovens first. I have never in all my years had a house elf refuse a direct order, but when I specifically ordered Fitzy to come with me, she flung herself out a window."
At Dumbledore's shocked look Dippet waved a hand dismissively.
"Fitzy did it just to make the point. She apparated back into a cupboard in the kitchens right before she would have hit the ground."
Kettleburn had noticed the quiet whispering and joined them.
"Everything okay?"
Dippet quickly explained the situation to the Care of Magical Creatures Professor.
Kettleburn pointed out an obvious flaw in Dippet's plan that everyone had overlooked so far.
"It was a bad enough idea with the house elves helping, but without a house elf staying I really don't think it's a good idea to leave her here. She may be only a few years younger than a first year, but those few years are pretty important. Kitten is too young to be left alone all night in a strange place."
Dumbledore couldn't help but notice the other man's use of Riddle's name for the girl, but refrained from interrupting as Kettleburn continued talking.
"She should stay in one of the professor's quarters or in a room with some first years. If you aren't going to do that then at least put her in someone else's House, other than Binns's. I mean for Merlin's sake, the man tried to make the bed using sheets depicting goblins burning down people's cottages."
Dumbledore admitted the validity of Kettleburn's statements. Dippet however disagreed.
"Out of the question, Master Kettleburn. The only professors currently on staff are male. To have her stay with one of them would be improper in the extreme. As for putting her with other children, I have my reasons. The girl will be fine here. I do have some experience in the matter. After all, the girl's mother was almost the same age when she came into my care."
That Kettleburn greatly overstepped any number of bounds with his next statement in no way lessened the truth of it.
"Yes and we all know how spectacularly that turned out! Surely you kept her mother in adjoining rooms with you? You didn't leave her all alone at night in a room away from everyone else?"
Dumbledore found Dippet's response surprising and yet given how formal the older man was, perhaps not as surprising as it could have been. After all, the man refused to even call his familiar by its first name.
"Well of course I didn't keep her in my rooms. That would have been indecent."
The conversation ended as the slightly raised voices garnered the attentions of the others in the room. When Moody excused himself to report back to the Ministry, Binns too tried to leave.
Dippet sighed while ordering Binns to remain.
"I need to go speak to Masters Shackleton and Pomfrey. Binns, since no house elf will be arriving, you will remain to ensure Miss Grindelwald has a bath before I return."
For some time after the Headmaster had left, Robert Binns remained staring at the door in shock. He steadfastly refused to look at the girl or the bathroom. Dumbledore, himself slightly uncomfortable, made no move to help his older colleague. It was Kettleburn who came to Binns's rescue.
"For Merlin's sake, Robert! Just go turn on the taps and I'll get her ready."
Binns refused, so Dumbledore pulled him into the oversized bathroom. As he turned on one of the taps, Binns decided to help.
"Bubbles! Lots of bubbles! Then we can't see anything!"
As Binns filled the bath with far more bubbles than water, he called out to Kettleburn who was still in the bedroom.
"Dippet left me in charge and I say leave her clothing on!"
Dumbledore couldn't see Kettleburn's face but he had a fair idea of the man's expression from his tone in response.
"You really are too much, Robert. It's going to be a lot more difficult to get this nightdress off wet than it would be dry."
Dumbledore could see Binns's face quite well. The older professor was clearly of the Headmaster's era and scandalized by the idea.
"Well, not to worry, it is never coming off! Dumbledore can transfigure it into a new dry one. Riddle, bring her in here and let's get this over with."
When Riddle tried to lower her into the water a moment later, the very unusual girl had a very confused expression and asked the strangest question.
"Are you going to drown me now?"
Riddle was so shocked he almost dropped the girl.
'Never!"
Riddle's reassurance did nothing to remove the confused look from the girl's face. Binns was facing the wall and not the girl, but he was still in a rush.
"Don't be ridiculous! Muggles drown. Witches float. Everyone knows that. Now everyone look away."
The girl considered the matter a minute before allowing Tom to finish lowering her into the water.
From his own position facing the wall, Dumbledore began to wonder if Kettleburn just enjoyed needling Binns, when the younger man pointed out the older man's oversight.
"Robert, if no one watches her, how do we know she is alright?"
Binns's response was swift and not at all thought out.
"Make noise! Splash!"
With the first splash came a delighted giggle. Binns seemed to reconsider his position on the matter after a few more splashes soaked through his clothes.
'No more splashing! No more splashing!"
The girl took no notice of his words. She seemed to be splashing more each time he said it. Her lack of response and wicked laugh did nothing to deter Binns from saying it.
Finally Binns gave up.
"Would someone get her out of there before she grows gills?"
Dumbledore thought Binns's conduct was ridiculous. Personally, he would have helped but he knew the girl was not very fond of him so he continued counting the number of tiles on the wall. Tom, inspired by Binns's sense of modesty was also still facing the wall. It was Kettleburn who finally caught hold of the slippery little girl. By the time Dippet returned, the girl's nightdress had been transfigured into something new, and Kettleburn had her mostly dried.
"I found Shackleton easily enough, but no one has seen Pomfrey since his last class. Dumbledore and Kettleburn, I want you two to come help me check the village. Binns will remain here."
The idea of leaving the young girl under the supervision of Binns and Tom Riddle did not sit well with Dumbledore. He was about to offer an alternative suggestion when Dippet rolled his eyes and spoke again.
"Not to worry, Master Dumbledore. Mr. Riddle will be returning to his own rooms. I am certain he has some course work to do. Binns will remain to entertain the girl and put her to bed."
Not the best of plans, but Dumbledore found it more acceptable. Binns however seemed not at all pleased with the arrangement.
"Why should I have to do it? Make Dumbledore or Kettleburn stay! I don't even know when she should go to sleep."
Dippet explained his reasoning in a tone disapproving of all involved.
"I have been informed that Master Pomfrey is likely to be in one of the two taverns. Master Kettleburn is familiar with the Three Broomsticks and Master Dumbledore is more than familiar with the proprietor of the other. After that I need Dumbledore to explain the delicacy of the current situation to Mr. Hagrid."
Before Kettleburn followed after Dippet, he gave Binns a suggestion.
"Kitten is eight, so let her stay up until 8 o'clock."
Dumbledore waited for a very reluctant Riddle to leave before heading out himself.
##################################
Robert Binns fumed at the indignity of it all. Imagine, leaving him here to entertain the child and put her to bed. He stared at the girl who just stared back at him impassively. He was triumphant in their staring contest as the girl gave into a yawn during which her eyes closed briefly.
The yawn gave him an idea. Kettleburn's suggestion of letting the girl stay up until eight in the evening because she was eight years old had been absurd. Why if you followed that logic no one past the age of twenty-four would ever sleep.
Binns looked out the window at the sun beginning to set. Six o'clock was close enough to eight o'clock. He pointed to the bed.
"Of with you now! It is your bedtime."
The girl didn't argue with him over the time, but she still found something to argue over.
"I want to sleep with my Tom."
Binns snorted at such a scandalous idea.
"Miss Grindelwald, I have a whole list of things I want, but that doesn't mean I am going to get them. Now off to bed with you.:"
Later, Binns would briefly wonder if she had complied so easily out of tiredness or deceitful intent. Either way he didn't really mind as he was able to leave rather quickly.
After she climbed onto the bed, he wasn't at all trying to justify his own actions when he next spoke.
"Tomorrow will be your first day of classes and you know what they say about the early bird."
Seeing her unknowing expression, he shared the full adage with her.
"The early bird gets the worm."
The girl wore a thoughtful expression as she sat up in the bed and asked a question. Not quite knowing what to say in answer, Robert Binns ignored the question and carefully closed the bedroom door behind him as he left.
"Who gets the bird?"
########################################
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The young man had been pacing this room relentlessly since his return. Alone. The little kitten who had been his constant companion for some time now was nowhere to be seen.
Above the fireplace, the room's other presence couldn't help but wonder what had become of the kitten. He was still wondering if her absence was a well or an ill omen when the door opened. His carefully drawn eyebrows went up as the kitten entered the room in the girl form he had glimpsed several times in her sleep.
The girl rubbed her eyes as she spoke.
"I want to sleep with you, Tom."
All the tension that had fueled the young man's pacing seemed gone the instant the girl had appeared.
Having long ago learned it did not do to argue with his little pet, the young man nodded. He easily lifted her and carried her to the bed. After the young man tucked the blankets around her, he placed a chaste kiss upon her cheek before laying beside her above the coverlet, still fully dressed.
At some point in the night, the girl was again replaced by a kitten.
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A/N
Thank you Minerva Lea, Static-Filled Star, Jbfritz, Tabby Girl, Laura Kay, Tamora Kitase, Redwoman06, Mavidian, and Margo Wulfric for reviewing.
As for Dippet's ban on live mandrakes there was a little hint back in one of the earlier chapters. I think a better question would be why did Dumbledore lift the ban when he became Headmaster. I mean think about the effect of live fully grown mandrakes.
Yes, it was Amelia Bones in Chapter 27. The same woman who will later work for the Ministry and have a seat on the Wizengamot. And yes that will be of significance later.
If you are reading, please review. It tends to speed my writing and posting along.
Keep in mind that these memories were put together many years after the events occurred. Therefore though Dumbledore now has knowledge about things other people did and their thoughts, he did not have that knowledge during the memories he narrates.
Also don't forget that a narrator's perspective on events and what they chose to notice is slightly skewed by their own expectations and personality. It's not so obvious now but there will be chapters where I will show you the same event from two different perspectives that will seem like two entirely different events in their interpretation.
And before anyone thinks Dippet doesn't like Dumbledore that's not true. He just has a slightly different, older perspective on things. Being as he is over 200 years old and Dumbledore is under 100, he tends to lump Dumbledore into the 'foolish young person' category.
#### reflects a change in narrator
**** a lapse in time. Can be as little time as it takes to travel from one room to another.
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"Whatever are you doing to that kitten?"
Armando Dippet wandered into the classroom just in time to see the hissing, spitting kitten transform into a hissing, spitting little girl.
No one said a word for several minutes. Even though it was what he had expected, the actual reality of it still came as a shock to Albus Dumbledore. After a moment, he recovered enough to look at the others. His fellow professors certainly looked surprised enough. Pomfrey kept blinking. Binns looked like he was stuttering without any sound actually being produced. Shackleton was clutching his chest as if he were having a heart attack. Dippet was frowning. He looked more disappointed than surprised. Any questions about the reason for Armando Dippet's reaction left Dumbledore's mind with one glance at Tom Riddle's face. The expression of surprise on Tom's face looked too calculated, too insincere.
Putting his suspicions aside for the moment to deal with the more important matter, Dumbledore again faced the little girl. This time he really examined her. She wore the same white cotton nightdress, a little worse for wear, that she had on the last time he had seen her. A bit of blood was spattered on it, but it was likely his own. She had clearly grown a few inches, as it didn't reach as far as it once had. Her black hair was longer and in need of a trim to even it out. The complete lack of tangles made him again suspect Riddle of having known, but the meticulous way cats groomed themselves offered doubt to that idea.
When he took a step closer to her, the renewed hissing advised him to step back. Dumbledore was more than a little grateful when even without having been summoned, Fawkes arrived in the dungeon. As soon as his wounds were healed, the phoenix eyed the girl suspiciously and flew away.
After another minute of the girl's continued hissing, Armando Dippet asked the question surely everyone in the room was wondering.
"She has been transfigured by Grindelwald to live as a kitten for months now. What effect would that have on her mind?"
Dumbledore furrowed his brow.
"Human transfigurations aren't meant to be maintained that long. Anything past a few days, the subject can begin to permanently take on the characteristics, instincts and behaviors of the resulting animal. The effects on the human mind from this long of a transfiguration, well its not something previously researched. Ethically speaking, its just not possible to research."
Armando Dippet frowned. "I was in my animagus form for days before the fire at the Ministry of Magic went out and it was safe to change back. Grant you, I tend to sit a tad closer to a warm fire than I used to, but I considered that more to do with advancing age than-"
Dumbledore interrupted. "Animagi are something slightly different."
Pomfrey swallowed compulsively before speaking quietly.
"I'll go get Madame Griselda."
Dippet made another inquiry.
"Minerva as a kitten belonged to Mr. Riddle, I take it?"
Her name is 'Kitten'."
Dippet seemed to take Riddle's response as an affirmative.
"Well Mr. Riddle, why don't you see if you can get her to settle down."
Tom looked uncertain for a moment, but the girl allowed him to pick her up off the table. Her hissing ended when he began to stroke her long hair. By the time the aged school nurse arrived, Tom was seated with the young girl settled in his lap.
"Madame Griselda."
The nurse nodded to the headmaster and then stared, puzzled at the young girl.
"How? Who? I don't understand."
Dumbledore spoke up.
"It would seem Grindelwald or one of his house elves transfigured his daughter into a kitten to evade Ministry capture. We want you to examine her and tell us what if any harm it has caused."
Seeing that did nothing to clear up the matter for the woman, Dumbledore went on.
"I don't think any of us really understands it. She stepped on some broken glass. You might want to start with her pa-well hands and feet."
Madame Griselda gave her most reassuring smile as she slowly approached the young girl. Apparently it was not reassuring enough because as Headmaster Dippet tried to calmly explain to the young lady what was going on, Minerva became unsettled again.
"Madame Griselda is going to examine you. Not to worry, she is the school nurse -"
The gray eyes lit up suddenly at the Headmaster's words. The school nurse cried out in pain as the young girl bit the hand that was examining her. Again hissing, the young girl moved nimbly from Riddle's lap to a counter and onto the top of a cabinet before anyone could stop her.
"She bit me!"
When the young girl began raining the various potion bottles that were stored on top of the cabinet down on the nurse below, the long suffering Madame Griselda had finally had enough.
"You need someone from the Ministry's Beast Division, not a nurse!"
Shortly after she departed, the uncertain looking Care of Magical Creatures Professor arrived.
"Nurse Griselda told me to come here? Someone let one of my hippogriffs loose in the dungeons?"
Headmaster Dippet nodded.
"Master Kettleburn, we could use your expertise. Can you get the girl to come down?"
Kevric Kettleburn's eyes traveled in the direction Dippet was looking.
"What's the problem?"
"She thinks she is a housecat."
Kettleburn observed the hissing child for a few moments before he managed to make eye contact with her. When Kettleburn bowed formally to the girl, Dumbledore wondered if the other professor had not realized the hippogriff comment was sarcastic. Still, he supposed, anything was worth a try.
The try did not appear to be working. When Kettleburn picked up a stool and moved closer, the girl changed from hisses to growls and roars.
Kettleburn paused a moment before picking up the long pointer Pomfrey had been using earlier. The stool he had been bringing over to the cabinet to step on to reach the girl now found a new use. The Care of Magical Creatures professor wielded it in front of himself like a lion tamer while gently prodding the roaring girl with the stick.
"Back, back I say!"
Dumbledore stared at the young man in wonder. He was about to ask just what exactly he was trying to accomplish when the most unexpected thing happened. The little girl started giggling.
"I was only pretending to be a lion!"
Kettleburn winked at the stunned group around him before feigning shock.
"You mean you really aren't a lion?"
After a few more giggles, the little girl corrected him.
"I am a kitten!"
"Oh, I see."
Kettleburn gave an unknowing shrug to the rest of his audience. It was still far more progress than anyone else had made.
The girl's mouth opened wide again, but what Dumbledore thought was going to be another roar was really a yawn. The giggling had settled down now that Kettleburn had stopped his antics. The girl's attention turned to more serious matters.
"Where is my lunch? My Tom usually feeds me by now."
"Are you ready to come down now?"
When young Minerva made no negative remarks to Dippet's question, Kettleburn put the stool to his original intended use. She allowed him to lift her down. Dumbledore made the same request of the Care of Magical Creatures Professor as he had of the school nurse.
"Kettleburn, check her hands and feet for cuts."
The girl hissed when Kettleburn tried to examine her, but he just hissed back and began to tickle her. After a few moments of giggling and wriggling combined with a cleansing charm, Kettleburn pronounced his judgment.
"Some dried blood, but no broken skin."
Dippet nodded.
"Let us go to my office and have lunch there."
Tom Riddle stepped forward to reclaim the young girl now that she was down. The girl, still in Kettleburn's grasp, held out her arms to her former owner indicating he should again carry her. After Dippet's nod in response to Kettleburn's questioning glance, the girl was transferred back. Dumbledore found the affectionate way Riddle received the girl unsettling.
As Riddle passed him to follow Dippet out the door, young Minerva wrapped her arms around Tom's neck and hissed at Dumbledore. Riddle's smirk in response and the tightening of his protective hold on the girl did nothing to allay Dumbledore's concerns.
Dumbledore put a hand on the Care of Magical Creatures Professor's arm to get him to pause.
"How did you know she was pretending?"
Kettleburn explained it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Housecats can't roar. Only the larger Panthera genus roar"
Leaving the Potion's Master to deal with the cleanup, the other professors left.
#######################################
Pomfrey whistled, surveying the damage to his classroom. What a day! None of the potions from the shelf the girl had perched on were salvageable. A more than decent amount of blood was pooled on the floor and trailed to the shelf. He knew what blood allowed to set for too long attracted, so he quickly began the work of banishing the stains.
Even with repeated castings of 'Scourgify,' some of the blood refused to come off. He gave up on the most persistent of the stains as the first of his last class of the afternoon arrived. Maybe the Red Caps would have better luck than him.
At least he would have one hell of a story to tell at the Three Broomsticks later this evening.
*****************************************
#######################################
Once in his office, Dippet's wand provided chairs for all present. Minerva ignored the chairs and remained with Riddle instead. Seeing the way Minerva curled up comfortably on Tom's lap even in girl form, Dumbledore could contain his questions no longer.
"Tell me Tom, how long have you been aware your cat wasn't really a cat?"
Before Tom could again deny the allegation, Armando Dippet interrupted in an unusually hesitant fashion.
"Let us not dwell upon who knew what when. There are matters of far greater concern now."
Following this statement Dippet waved his wand to produce a tray of sandwiches. When the Headmaster attempted to offer the girl a sandwich she turned her head away. Riddle intercepted it and after taking a bite offered it to the girl.
She regarded Tom for a moment before taking a tentative bite. Dumbledore wondered briefly if she would spit it out given the look on her face. Instead, she returned it to Tom with a slight hiss.
Binns snorted.
"My thoughts on these sandwiches exactly!"
Shackleton's dark look had no effect on Binns's smirk so the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor tried to show influence elsewhere.
"Maybe she is thirsty?"
Another wave of Dippet's wand produced two glasses of pumpkin juice for the children and tea service for the adults.
"Kitten always makes me sample anything before she will try it."
Dippet nodded and didn't even bother to offer the juice directly to the girl.
Tom took one glass for the girl, but declined the second.
"I would prefer tea."
Even with Tom sampling the juice twice, the girl wrinkled her nose at the offering.
Dumbledore frowned, considering the things he had seen.
"How much does she remember? Does she think it is poisoned?"
He realized his error in speaking in front of her when Minerva Grindelwald turned sharply at his words. Whether she remembered before or not, his question had either revived some memory or introduced the idea to her. When Kettleburn paused in the raising of his teacup to his lips in order to speak, she turned her attentions to him.
"Or maybe she just doesn't like pumpkin juice."
"Personally, I find pumpkin juice to be almost as foul as Sha-"
Binns was startled into silence by the girl's next actions.
She moved quickly to tear the teacup out of Kettleburn's hand and smash it to the floor. Not quite knowing what to do, no one stopped her as she made the rounds smashing the teacups that people were holding.
Binns recovered his ability to speak and even went one better. He smashed his own teacup before she could get to it.
"Jolly good fun!"
Dumbledore was still staring at his older colleague when the quiet hissing announced her presence before him. While she could speak it seemed clear this was her preferred communication method. He regarded her over his half-moon glasses. Though she would not get close enough to take the cup from him, he chose to take it as a good sign that despite his actions earlier she was still trying to warn him away from drinking the tea. After a moment's thought he followed Binns's lead.
She moved on to smashing the items still on the tea tray. Only when just the creamer remained was she truly appeased. She handed it to Tom expectantly before climbing back into his lap. It would seem like most, cats she was unable to resist a container of milk.
Rising from his seat, Dumbledore remembered other obligations.
"I need to owl Moody and the Ministry."
Dippet rose and motioned him to be seated again.
"Let us not be hasty."
Dumbledore of course knew what the Sorting Hat was for, but he still couldn't stop himself from asking as the Headmaster took it out.
"What are you doing?"
Dippet shrugged but did not look him in the face while he responded.
"She is a child. This is a school. She has no family to speak of. Can you think of a better place for her?"
Even knowing the matter was nowhere near that simple, Dumbledore still didn't know what to say. The Sorting was over before he could even think of a response or a rebuttal. Dippet barely even had the aged hat over the girl's head before it made its announcement.
"I stand by my earlier decision - Slytherin!"
Leaving the hat in place, Dippet then asked a question not usually asked of the Sorting Hat.
"Tell me the why?"
The hat's response was without hesitation.
"Helga prizes loyalty and she hasn't got enough yet. She is clever enough, but Rowena despises cats. She is certainly fearless and foolish enough for Godric to want her, but most of all she embodies Salazar's trait. Those cunning folks use any means to achieve their ends."
The girl seemed unfazed by this pronouncement. Finished with the milk, she gave another yawn before knocking the hat off during a stretch. She shifted Tom's arm and used it as a cushion when she laid across the chair. Tom gently stroked her hair with his free hand until she drifted to sleep.
While the girl was unfazed, Armando Dippet seemed quite disturbed. His face held a concerned, thoughtful look as he spoke softly to the sleeping girl.
"Then perhaps the answer is to ensure the ends you desire are not something the rest of us cannot content ourselves to live with."
After a long period of uncomfortable silence, Dumbledore again rose.
"We really should contact the Ministry. They will wonder why we waited so long."
This time Dippet sighed but his only attempt to stop him was a few cryptic words.
"Master Dumbledore, I can only hope you come to understand before all is lost that the things we need to do are not always the things we should do."
Shackleton added on a bit of his own wisdom which thankfully was not so indecipherable.
"If what Dumbledore suggested on the walk here is true, and from what we have seen I see no reason to doubt it…well, than I'm sure the Ministry will be thrilled to learn of this what with the way they have been telling everyone for the last eight years that all the Themis are dead."
Binns scowled at the sleeping child.
"Now I have to update my lecture!"
Shackleton rubbed the bridge of his nose while staring at Binns.
"Come along Dumbledore. My office is on the Floo network. You can use my fireplace to contact the Ministry."
##############################################
Armando Dippet sighed listening to the others. When Shackleton made his offer to Dumbledore, Dippet made no further attempts to ward off what was to come.
"After you contact the Ministry you may return to your afternoon classes."
In order to leave the young Transfiguration Master with no room for doubt, Dippet added a few more words.
"Both of you."
Binns rose as well.
"Yes, I too have classes to teach."
"Not today, Master Binns."
Watching the History of Magic Master squirm, he went on.
"Go leave notice on your classroom door that the remainder of your classes are cancelled. Then go to the dungeons and find a room for Miss Grindelwald. It would be wise to keep her a bit segregated from the other children. This year's Head Girl is a Hufflepuff so prepare the Slytherin Head Girl's room for Miss Grindelwald's use."
He didn't even bother to attempt to make out the words Binns mumbled under his breath during his departure. He briefly considered the remaining adult in the room.
"Master Kettleburn, you appear to have established a rapport with the girl. Leave notice canceling your classes as well, and then go to the History of Magic classroom. You will find Master Binns hiding behind a stack of books. Assist him in his preparation of the room for the girl's use."
Kettleburn nodded.
"Shall I take the girl, Minerva or Kitten, with me now?"
Dippet shook his head.
"Mr. Riddle and Master Dumbledore will escort her down shortly."
Kettleburn paused.
"You told Dumbledore not to return."
Armando Dippet sighed again. He was old but he wasn't so old that he couldn't remember what he had said only moments before.
"Master Kettleburn, I think you will shortly find it quite apparent that Master Dumbledore is under the misbegotten impression that he knows best about all things. Why you young people behave so foolishly is beyond me."
Kettleburn didn't offer any further challenges. He just nodded and departed as requested.
Dippet examined the young man that remained appraisingly. He knew there was not much time for contemplation. The Ministry's response would be swift.
"Mr. Riddle, I know that you know things."
He frowned as Riddle began to protest his innocence.
"Do not bother to deny it to me. We do not have the luxury of time for that. I am sure by now, you have noticed things about young Minerva -"
"Kitten, her name is Kitten."
Rather than waste what precious little time remained, Dippet acquiesced.
"Kitten. Now kindly do not argue or interrupt. I am certain by now you have noticed things about young Kitten. It would be in neither her best interests nor our own to share that information with the Ministry."
He paused a costly moment to allow his words to penetrate. When Riddle gave a guarded nod he continued.
"Should anyone inquire, you have noticed an odd prescience about her. She tends to respond to things before they occur."
Following a slight nod of understanding, Dippet resumed.
"Do not concern yourself with Master Dumbledore. I will deal with him and the Ministry. When they arrive remain silent unless spoken to, irregardless of what is said. Keep Kitten with you and do not permit her to misbehave.
The girl trusts you. You will continue as her primary custodian. You must not allow others to handle the girl. If others were to become aware of her abilities, the consequences would be most -"
Dippet reigned in his words as the sound of heavy footsteps approached. Surely steps so boisterous on the revolving staircase to his office could only belong to a large group of Ministry officials. Even the sleeping child awoke to regard the door as it flung open.
Dippet was surprised to discover instead the young groundskeeper's assistant carrying his toad. With a smile Armando Dippet greeted Mr. Keys.
"Thank you, Mr. Hagrid. In all the day's excitement I fear I had forgotten about you, Mr. Keys. An intolerable oversight I am sure."
While the presence of a child at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was not at all unusual, having one so young as Miss Grindelwald was not a normal occurrence. This peculiarity did not escape Mr. Hagrid.
"Well 'ello there."
The girl regarded Mr. Hagrid for a moment before returning the greeting minus the accent.
"Hello."
"My name is Rubeus. What's yers?"
There was no hesitation after the first exchange.
"Kitten."
"Eh?"
Quickly Hagrid realized that was not the most polite response and attempted to make amends.
"That's a right pretty name fer a right pretty girl."
As young Kitten Grindelwald corrected Mr. Hagrid, Dippet began to speculate that perhaps the reason Miss Grindelwald had not been more vocal earlier had something to do with the fact that the adults for the most part had been talking about her rather than to her.
"I am a kitten."
Still her words, now that she chose to use them to communicate, lacked a certain reassurance in their content. Placid Mr. Hagrid wisely chose not to engage the girl in debate.
"Eh well being as yer a kitten than I would say deh name Kitten would just about cover it."
Looking back to the girl to see if she would add anything further to the conversation, Dippet realized her attention had moved on. Armando Dippet was a gifted Seer but even one of the Blind could see what was about to happen. The sandwiches may not have done anything to interest the girl's appetite but the same could not be said of the room's more recent addition.
"Mr. Hagrid, please return to your other duties at this time."
With another glance at the way the eyes of the girl who believed she was a kitten trailed Mr. Keys's every movement, Dippet added a second instruction.
"Please keep Mr. Keys with you as you do your afternoon tasks. I will call upon you later to retrieve him."
Mr. Hagrid frowned and clutched Mr. Keys protectively after also noticing where the girl's attention was. With a curt nod he departed.
Mr. Riddle did not appear to make the connection.
Dippet's aspirations of a few more minutes alone with Mr. Riddle were short lived as Master Dumbledore returned, followed only moments later by an out of breath young Mr. Moody.
"I don't bloody believe it! I cast on that kitten a dozen times! Any idea what curse Grindelwald used?"
Dippet shrugged honestly not knowing or caring.
"Either Grindelwald was so much more powerful than you that you could not reverse his spell, or perhaps when he had custody of your wand he did something to cease its being operational."
Mr. Moody frowned.
"Something did happen to my wand, but it was after I got it back. It worked fine for a while, but when I tried to help Turpin…. Grindelwald had so many traps in the house we never figured out what happened to the wand."
Any further considerations of the 'how' were interrupted by the arrival of several other Ministry representatives, including the Minister of Magic himself.
Dippet nodded to the new arrivals.
"Minister Augustus."
The Minister ignored the greeting and stared intensely at the young girl. Thankfully the young girl did not hiss, but rather just stared back. After a moment the Minister turned his look of wrath to young auror Moody.
"Well this is a fine mess you have gotten us into."
Mr. Moody blushed furiously, but clearly knew better than to try to defend himself.
Minister Augustus soon turned his attentions back to the girl. He motioned to two of the hit wizards that had accompanied him.
"Take the girl. We will sort this out at Azkaban."
Were the matter not so grave, Dippet would have scoffed to see Master Dumbledore finally realize the consequences of his haste. The look on Master Dumbledore's face was inestimable. Nor did the tightening of Riddle's hold upon the girl escape his attention.
"Azkaban? How can you possibly conceive of taking a child to such a place?"
Clearly Master Dumbledore had underestimated - or perhaps the better word was overestimated - the temperance of the man before them. Really, what had Master Dumbledore expected from the man who had fortified himself in an office in fear for his own life rather than do anything of use to unearth the assailant that had terrorized the Wizarding World for years?
Minister Augustus snorted.
"Child? That would hardly be the first word I would chose to describe that monstrosity. The Ministry needs to find out exactly what we are dealing with here. Dumbledore you were there the night Grindelwald was taken into custody. You saw the things she did. Grindelwald was a mad man. Merlin knows what else he taught her. I have full confidence that Azkaban will be the ultimate destination for her."
Dumbledore again tried to intervene.
"She only did those spells under Grindelwald's direct orders. Surely the Ministry cannot -"
Dippet had no more interest in hearing the remainder of Master Dumbledore's protest than did the Minister of Magic himself. Master Dumbledore's look of outrage at both the interruption and Dippet's words faded, to be replaced with a guarded look of comprehension as Dippet continued speaking.
"Quite right, Minister Augustus. The Ministry does need to determine exactly what we are dealing with. You have been informed, I am sure, that she has been transfigured for many months now into the form of a cat. So far we have had no indication at all that she has any recollection of past events that have transpired."
Dippet's pause was so slight as to go unnoticed by the Ministry officials. It was more than enough however, for Master Dumbledore to meet his eyes and silently agree to leave the statement unchallenged. Thankfully, Master Dumbledore's Gryffindor sensibilities were now being reigned in by his common sense, so Dippet continued.
"If I may be so bold as to make a suggestion, Hogwarts would be much better suited to determining precisely what skills the girl may have cultivated from Grindelwald. Leave her here and let us handle the matter. We shall enroll her in classes and determine precisely what knowledge she possesses."
The Minister appeared to consider the matter for a brief moment before dismissing the idea as outrageous.
"Far too dangerous, Dippet. You of all people should know that, given your experiences with her grandmother."
With a suppressed sigh, Dippet moved on to his second point of argument.
"Certainly it would not do to take her to Azkaban. It would after all be difficult to explain the cause of a child's presence there without giving a detailed explanation, including a public recognition by the Ministry of its error in having denied her very existence for years now. A matter certainly better left until after this year's elections. Don't you agree Minister?"
How he despised playing at politics. Despite Dippet's best efforts to keep his tone as lacking in presumption as possible, the Minister's nostrils still flared along with his temper.
"Are you threatening me Dippet?"
"Certainly not Minister Augustus. I merely wish to ensure you move ahead in this with a carefully thought out strategy. It really does not do to move hastily without thinking out the consequences of our actions."
Dippet noted the way Dumbledore flinched in response to his words. In a seemingly eager to please tone, Dippet continued speaking.
"Leave the girl here for now. The arrangements for her stay are already complete. Allow her to remain here while you give the matter the diligent consideration it deserves. Your decision today need not be absolute."
That the Minister appeared to be irresolute was to Dippet's mind a good sign.
"I can assure you the matter will be kept confidential by myself, as well as Misters Dumbledore and Riddle. Mister Moody and these other gentlemen are under your authority."
Dippet's assessment of the Minister of Magic as a man always willing to take the easiest way out of a quandary was not at all misguided.
"This arrangement is only temporary, Armando. And if word gets out I will hold you personally responsible."
Dippet nodded his understanding. Again he attempted to keep his tenor innocent as he made another suggestion.
"It might attract attention having a large group of aurors at the school, not to mention the Minister of Magic himself. Might I suggest you return to the Ministry and leave behind one or perhaps two aurors to arrange security matters?"
The Minister's suspicious glance made Dippet fear he had finally gone too far. But after a moment, Minister Augustus gave a brusque nod.
Not surprisingly, Mr. Moody was the first to volunteer to remain. Minister Augustus's answer was somewhat lacking in civility.
"I would expect so, Moody. After the way you fouled this entire matter, you should be grateful I don't send you to Azkaban!"
The second man to stay behind was not a man to whom Dippet had yet been introduced. Nevertheless, the man's habit of wearing a hat even indoors in an attempt to hide from view the series of ghastly scars on the back of his neck left no doubt as to his identity.
Once the Minister and his entourage left, Dippet found there were still too many people remaining in his office for his liking. Presently he had the desire to be in private with only one of the gentlemen.
"Mr. Riddle, please take Miss Grindelwald down to the dungeons and acquaint her with her new rooms. After I speak to the aurors I will select one of the elves to assist Miss Grindelwald."
Mr. Riddle's confidence in him appeared to be waning.
"I can take care of her."
"And you will, Mr. Riddle. There are however some tasks for which you are ill-suited to be of assistance."
The boy certainly had a short fuse, but then the day's events had been quite stressful.
"Headmaster, you promised me-"
Armando Dippet sighed.
"Mr. Riddle, I hardly think it would be appropriate for you to handle Miss Grindelwald's bath, dressing, and other such matters."
Thankfully, after only a second Mr. Riddle realized the validity of his statement.
"Yes, sir."
With Mr. Riddle's leaving, Master Dumbledore was not of a mind to remain either.
"I will accompany Miss Grindelwald and Mr. Riddle."
Not surprisingly now that Mr. Moody had finally located Miss Grindelwald, he was loathe to let her out of his sight. His words were hardly out of his mouth before he was out of the door.
"Loki, I'll keep an eye on the girl, you set up the security measures with the Headmaster."
Once alone with the older auror, Dippet could no longer restrain his curiosity.
"You will remove your hat while in my office."
The auror hesitated only a moment before complying with a roguish grin.
"I am aware that the Ministry employs a number of people who are not, shall we say, the best and the brightest. Still Mr. Loki, tell me exactly how you managed to get that past a room full of aurors and hit wizards?"
Mr. Loki's boyish grin did not at all match with his shortened silver hair.
"It's just Loki. No Mr."
Loki shrugged and ran a hand along the scars on the back of his neck before offering an explanation as to why none of the Ministry people had figured out why the young girl's touch had caused the burns that had later formed the scars. As he began to speak his grin quickly disappeared.
"You should have seen the looks I was getting. I thought I was done for until Minerva 'disappeared' from her room leaving only her 'kitten' behind. Everybody had a different idea about what had happened to her.
One of the wizards, Turpin, he started taking books off of the shelves in Grindelwald's study. He thought there might be a hidden passage behind the paneling. One of the books, when he touched it, his hand started to burn. He tried to put the book down, but he couldn't. The burning, it wouldn't stop. There was nothing we could do, it just kept spreading all over him until… one of the others accidentally brushed up against him. Whatever it was, it spread to him as well."
Loki sighed before continuing.
"Did you know Grindelwald practiced axinomancy? MacDougal picked up his hatchet to break down what we thought was a false wall. You would have thought that the hatchet had a life of its own. I refuse to believe MacDougal ever would have of his own volition…
Even before that, Perks tried to see if any of the wands were salvageable. She wanted to use one of his sideromancy irons to sift through the ashes in the fireplace. Myrrdhin's beard! She used to have the most beautiful eyes."
Loki broke off, unable to continue. After a moment he rubbed his own scars and continued on a different thread.
"Suffice it to say, Grindelwald was not keen on other people handling his belongings. The idea that Grindelwald put a charm on the child wasn't such a stretch for anyone to believe. I wasn't even the one to suggest it"
Not knowing quite what to say, Dippet merely nodded. He knew in time the other man would begin to talk again.
"I know you probably think it callous of me, what I did with the child. I couldn't think of what else to do. I knew if I left her at the house sooner or later someone would figure it out and the mood those people were in that night… I couldn't very well keep her myself. What kind of life would that have been? Children need love and affection. Touch is such an important part of that."
Loki shook his head.
"I left her at a muggle animal shelter. The people seemed nice."
Loki's next words came out fervently.
"I made sure before I left her there that it was a no kill shelter. They assured me that a kitten that cute would be easy to place. She seemed so content just going about her kitten business."
His grin had reappeared.
"The Fates would certainly appear lined up against me. How the devil did she end up back here?"
Dippet knew despite the question Loki did not actually expect an answer. The man's skill at having a conversation entirely by himself was quite staggering.
"Do you really think you can keep her here? I mean even if the Ministry doesn't interfere - which would be an amazing feat by itself. Do you really think it wise to keep her here around all these other people? Around children?"
This was a topic Dippet did not care to dwell upon.
"You are aware then about the protections set upon children of the line. To be honest, I'm not sure how much things will effect her. Through the ages the spell or spells have tended to wear off. Usually the mother would cast spells for reinforcement, but somehow I don't think Artemisia got around to that.
If the protections do remain on her, skin piercing will heal without aid. Harmful spells cast against her will be deflected, which can be a dangerous circumstance in a magical school with children going around jinxing one another all the time. The protections will begin to fade as she gets closer to being of age, the enchantments are only intended to protect a child until she is capable of defending herself."
Armando Dippet already knew all of this. Even as a child Artemisia had not been the most well adjusted person. She had taken great delight in exploring the boundaries of the protective spells. More than once he had discovered her deliberately piercing her own skin to watch the wound seal itself as soon as the offending object was removed.
"I have had some experience in the matter before."
Loki nodded. His face expressed a fierce internal conflict before he spoke again.
"Do you know how to stop the girl if she gets out of hand? It is useless if she has already done something, but if you catch her when she is just beginning something…"
It was Dippet's turn to nod. He had long ago learned the secret weakness of the line of Themis, the way to temporarily render them as weak as any other wand-less witch or wizard. It was certainly the only useful thing to be learned from Artemisia's disturbing habit.
"Well I don't really know what to tell you about security measures beyond what the school already has. Which is assuming they are even strong enough to hold her."
Dippet found it to be time to carefully broach the topic that was likely to cause the most trouble.
"Will the Ministry be sending anyone to test the girl for…special abilities?"
Dippet was surprised and relieved at the older man's dismissive shake of the head.
"No need. Standard is only one ability per person and it's already clear she is a Seer. How else would Grindelwald have made all his successful predictions after killing Artemisia? Powers gained through a marriage bond are lost when the bond is broken. He was working off of the girl's Visions."
That the auror came to the same logical, but erroneous conclusion Dippet himself had once made would make things a great deal easier. He supposed when the girl had touched the auror she either had not been projecting at the time or perhaps the great pain from contact with the girl had masked the lesser sensation that might have accompanied her touch.
Not that the truth would remain hidden for long. Dippet still wondered of all the creatures to conceivably turn the girl into, why ever had Grindelwald picked one so likely to bite and scratch? No, if the young kitten had been biting and scratching people, than others would eventually notice the signs of what she truly was.
Again looking at the man who was older than himself, Dippet's curiosity got the better of him.
"May I inquire as to what, if any, special abilities you have?"
The awkward way the man smiled and refused to meet his gaze would seem to indicate the answer to that question was negative.
"I should really be getting back to the Ministry now."
Dippet nodded, but as the man reached the staircase Dippet spoke again.
"May I suggest referring to him as Merlin? It tends to give something away when you refer to him by his ancient Celtic name, Myrrdhin."
#######################################
*****************************************
Albus Dumbledore sat in a chair in the Slytherin Head Girl's room watching Tom Riddle's interaction with the child. He simply did not trust Tom Riddle.
In an effort to put some distance between the two on the way down to the dungeons he had suggested Tom allow the girl to walk on her own. Granted it was true, but the smug way Tom had pointed out that the girl had no shoes had not sat well with Dumbledore. Nor had he liked the boy's grin while reminding Dumbledore that the girl didn't like him in response to Dumbledore's offer to carry the girl.
So instead, Dumbledore had spent the journey down to the dungeons repeatedly saying, 'I don't know,' in response to Alastor Moody's multitude of questions. Now he decided it was time to improve his relationship with the girl. Despite Moody's misgivings about the girl's appearance at Hogwarts, Dumbledore wanted to make the best of it. He put on his warmest smile before summoning a tray of hot chocolate. He held a mug, not a teacup, in each hand as he approached the girl.
"Would you like to try some hot chocolate? It is my own recipe and quite delicious if I do say so myself."
The girl eyed him suspiciously while he took a large sip. He held the same mug out to her at arm's length. He could see the girl's nose twitching as she sniffed the offering that was still in his outstretched hand. The strong emotion in her voice startled him when she spoke.
"What did you do to it? You ruined it!"
Again, Tom was there with a smirk to point out his obvious error.
"She doesn't like things added to her milk."
Before Dumbledore had a chance to recover from his surprise and attempt to make amends, Riddle had already supplied the girl with milk.
Temporarily admitting defeat, Dumbledore spent the next few minutes examining the room around him. He was later surprised to learn Kettleburn had no children or younger siblings. The young professor had certainly done a fine job of preparing the room for use. All the dust and the doxies had been banished from the room that had not been in use for years. Various little toy magical creatures were around the room, none with a Ministry designation above XX. The bed had been lowered enough to allow for the girl's shorter height.
As for Binns's contribution, well the man was entirely too fascinated by goblins. Kettleburn had removed them so they wouldn't give the girl nightmares later on. Binns's response since had been to sulk in a corner.
Dumbledore suppressed a sigh as Moody finally took a break from staring at the girl to approach.
"I don't like this. I don't like it at all. After the things Artemisia said, how can you be so calm? Do you really think it a coincidence that she ended up here of all places?"
"Alastor, she isn't a threat, she is a child."
"Name one of Artemisia's predictions that ever turned out to be wrong?"
Dumbledore frowned. It was true no prediction of Artemisia's had ever been proven wrong. But that didn't mean the prediction about the girl would be true. There was after all a first time for everything.
"Just because she is a child doesn't mean she isn't -"
Moody gave up as Dumbledore walked away from him and towards the girl. Having allowed a few minutes to elapse since the cocoa incident, Dumbledore decided to try to engage the girl in conversation.
"Headmaster Dippet will be here soon."
This statement did not appear to at all impress the girl.
"He is going to bring one of the house elves to help you."
The girl did not seem at all pleased at the idea of a house elf coming, so Dumbledore moved the as yet one sided conversation on.
"The Headmaster thinks you need a bath."
Perhaps if he tried something that actually expected a reply.
"Do you realize how long it has been since you have had a bath?"
"I've already had a bath today."
Having finally succeeded in getting a response from the girl, Dumbledore was shocked at her revelation. His head turned sharply to peer at Riddle over his half-moon glasses. He tried to keep his tone calm as he asked another question of the young girl.
"Who has been giving you baths?"
He turned his attentions back to young Minerva as she answered.
'I have."
"You have been giving yourself baths?"
The girl nodded. Eight he realized, was probably self-sufficient enough to manage a bath alone, but still…
"Tom, you never noticed someone else was using your bathtub?"
He frowned when Tom shook his head and raised an eyebrow at the girl's response.
"Tom has seen me having baths before."
His eyebrow lowered and Tom lost the adamant look of denial from his face as young Minerva finished her thought.
"But I use my tongue and paws."
Not having a response for that, Dumbledore allowed the conversation to die out.
Armando Dippet arrived shortly after. The Headmaster returned alone and looked a good deal less sure of himself than the last time Dumbledore had seen him. Dumbledore found his apprehension growing with Dippet's first words.
"It would seem we have a minor setback."
"How minor?"
Dippet waved his hand to summon Dumbledore closer and presumptively out of the hearing of the young girl.
"Do you recall when Mr. Moody expressed the opinion that the house elves knew where Minerva was but could not share that information with him?"
Dumbledore nodded.
"It would seem Mr. Moody was for once correct about something. Apparently house elves can however gossip amongst their own kind. None of them want anything to do with the girl. They rather unaffectionately refer to her as the 'devil woman's child' or simply the 'devil child'."
Dumbledore frowned.
"I am not entirely surprised. When Grindelwald had her demonstrate some of the curses she knew, he said something about doing it the way they had practiced on Dibby, one of their house elves."
He considered the matter for a moment. At present all the staff positions, with the exception of school nurse, were filled by males. The young girl had been quite…expressive in her dislike of Madame Griselda. Still, something about Tom Riddle set off warning alarms in his mind. He found the prospect that Tom had been the primary, if not only influence in young Minerva's life for the past few months disturbing. He felt it imperative that her care be taken away from Riddle as much as possible, to slowly wean her away from that influence.
"It would be far from the best solution, but temporarily, what about giving one of the elves a direct order? They are bound to you as Headmaster of this school. They have to obey you."
Dippet fixed him with a penetrating glare.
"I hardly think it at all in the girl's best interest to leave her in the care of someone who is terrified of her and openly despises her, however temporary that placement might be."
Dippet sighed before continuing.
"Besides none of them would come. As soon as I even began to suggest it, a rush began to see who could get inside the lit ovens first. I have never in all my years had a house elf refuse a direct order, but when I specifically ordered Fitzy to come with me, she flung herself out a window."
At Dumbledore's shocked look Dippet waved a hand dismissively.
"Fitzy did it just to make the point. She apparated back into a cupboard in the kitchens right before she would have hit the ground."
Kettleburn had noticed the quiet whispering and joined them.
"Everything okay?"
Dippet quickly explained the situation to the Care of Magical Creatures Professor.
Kettleburn pointed out an obvious flaw in Dippet's plan that everyone had overlooked so far.
"It was a bad enough idea with the house elves helping, but without a house elf staying I really don't think it's a good idea to leave her here. She may be only a few years younger than a first year, but those few years are pretty important. Kitten is too young to be left alone all night in a strange place."
Dumbledore couldn't help but notice the other man's use of Riddle's name for the girl, but refrained from interrupting as Kettleburn continued talking.
"She should stay in one of the professor's quarters or in a room with some first years. If you aren't going to do that then at least put her in someone else's House, other than Binns's. I mean for Merlin's sake, the man tried to make the bed using sheets depicting goblins burning down people's cottages."
Dumbledore admitted the validity of Kettleburn's statements. Dippet however disagreed.
"Out of the question, Master Kettleburn. The only professors currently on staff are male. To have her stay with one of them would be improper in the extreme. As for putting her with other children, I have my reasons. The girl will be fine here. I do have some experience in the matter. After all, the girl's mother was almost the same age when she came into my care."
That Kettleburn greatly overstepped any number of bounds with his next statement in no way lessened the truth of it.
"Yes and we all know how spectacularly that turned out! Surely you kept her mother in adjoining rooms with you? You didn't leave her all alone at night in a room away from everyone else?"
Dumbledore found Dippet's response surprising and yet given how formal the older man was, perhaps not as surprising as it could have been. After all, the man refused to even call his familiar by its first name.
"Well of course I didn't keep her in my rooms. That would have been indecent."
The conversation ended as the slightly raised voices garnered the attentions of the others in the room. When Moody excused himself to report back to the Ministry, Binns too tried to leave.
Dippet sighed while ordering Binns to remain.
"I need to go speak to Masters Shackleton and Pomfrey. Binns, since no house elf will be arriving, you will remain to ensure Miss Grindelwald has a bath before I return."
For some time after the Headmaster had left, Robert Binns remained staring at the door in shock. He steadfastly refused to look at the girl or the bathroom. Dumbledore, himself slightly uncomfortable, made no move to help his older colleague. It was Kettleburn who came to Binns's rescue.
"For Merlin's sake, Robert! Just go turn on the taps and I'll get her ready."
Binns refused, so Dumbledore pulled him into the oversized bathroom. As he turned on one of the taps, Binns decided to help.
"Bubbles! Lots of bubbles! Then we can't see anything!"
As Binns filled the bath with far more bubbles than water, he called out to Kettleburn who was still in the bedroom.
"Dippet left me in charge and I say leave her clothing on!"
Dumbledore couldn't see Kettleburn's face but he had a fair idea of the man's expression from his tone in response.
"You really are too much, Robert. It's going to be a lot more difficult to get this nightdress off wet than it would be dry."
Dumbledore could see Binns's face quite well. The older professor was clearly of the Headmaster's era and scandalized by the idea.
"Well, not to worry, it is never coming off! Dumbledore can transfigure it into a new dry one. Riddle, bring her in here and let's get this over with."
When Riddle tried to lower her into the water a moment later, the very unusual girl had a very confused expression and asked the strangest question.
"Are you going to drown me now?"
Riddle was so shocked he almost dropped the girl.
'Never!"
Riddle's reassurance did nothing to remove the confused look from the girl's face. Binns was facing the wall and not the girl, but he was still in a rush.
"Don't be ridiculous! Muggles drown. Witches float. Everyone knows that. Now everyone look away."
The girl considered the matter a minute before allowing Tom to finish lowering her into the water.
From his own position facing the wall, Dumbledore began to wonder if Kettleburn just enjoyed needling Binns, when the younger man pointed out the older man's oversight.
"Robert, if no one watches her, how do we know she is alright?"
Binns's response was swift and not at all thought out.
"Make noise! Splash!"
With the first splash came a delighted giggle. Binns seemed to reconsider his position on the matter after a few more splashes soaked through his clothes.
'No more splashing! No more splashing!"
The girl took no notice of his words. She seemed to be splashing more each time he said it. Her lack of response and wicked laugh did nothing to deter Binns from saying it.
Finally Binns gave up.
"Would someone get her out of there before she grows gills?"
Dumbledore thought Binns's conduct was ridiculous. Personally, he would have helped but he knew the girl was not very fond of him so he continued counting the number of tiles on the wall. Tom, inspired by Binns's sense of modesty was also still facing the wall. It was Kettleburn who finally caught hold of the slippery little girl. By the time Dippet returned, the girl's nightdress had been transfigured into something new, and Kettleburn had her mostly dried.
"I found Shackleton easily enough, but no one has seen Pomfrey since his last class. Dumbledore and Kettleburn, I want you two to come help me check the village. Binns will remain here."
The idea of leaving the young girl under the supervision of Binns and Tom Riddle did not sit well with Dumbledore. He was about to offer an alternative suggestion when Dippet rolled his eyes and spoke again.
"Not to worry, Master Dumbledore. Mr. Riddle will be returning to his own rooms. I am certain he has some course work to do. Binns will remain to entertain the girl and put her to bed."
Not the best of plans, but Dumbledore found it more acceptable. Binns however seemed not at all pleased with the arrangement.
"Why should I have to do it? Make Dumbledore or Kettleburn stay! I don't even know when she should go to sleep."
Dippet explained his reasoning in a tone disapproving of all involved.
"I have been informed that Master Pomfrey is likely to be in one of the two taverns. Master Kettleburn is familiar with the Three Broomsticks and Master Dumbledore is more than familiar with the proprietor of the other. After that I need Dumbledore to explain the delicacy of the current situation to Mr. Hagrid."
Before Kettleburn followed after Dippet, he gave Binns a suggestion.
"Kitten is eight, so let her stay up until 8 o'clock."
Dumbledore waited for a very reluctant Riddle to leave before heading out himself.
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Robert Binns fumed at the indignity of it all. Imagine, leaving him here to entertain the child and put her to bed. He stared at the girl who just stared back at him impassively. He was triumphant in their staring contest as the girl gave into a yawn during which her eyes closed briefly.
The yawn gave him an idea. Kettleburn's suggestion of letting the girl stay up until eight in the evening because she was eight years old had been absurd. Why if you followed that logic no one past the age of twenty-four would ever sleep.
Binns looked out the window at the sun beginning to set. Six o'clock was close enough to eight o'clock. He pointed to the bed.
"Of with you now! It is your bedtime."
The girl didn't argue with him over the time, but she still found something to argue over.
"I want to sleep with my Tom."
Binns snorted at such a scandalous idea.
"Miss Grindelwald, I have a whole list of things I want, but that doesn't mean I am going to get them. Now off to bed with you.:"
Later, Binns would briefly wonder if she had complied so easily out of tiredness or deceitful intent. Either way he didn't really mind as he was able to leave rather quickly.
After she climbed onto the bed, he wasn't at all trying to justify his own actions when he next spoke.
"Tomorrow will be your first day of classes and you know what they say about the early bird."
Seeing her unknowing expression, he shared the full adage with her.
"The early bird gets the worm."
The girl wore a thoughtful expression as she sat up in the bed and asked a question. Not quite knowing what to say in answer, Robert Binns ignored the question and carefully closed the bedroom door behind him as he left.
"Who gets the bird?"
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The young man had been pacing this room relentlessly since his return. Alone. The little kitten who had been his constant companion for some time now was nowhere to be seen.
Above the fireplace, the room's other presence couldn't help but wonder what had become of the kitten. He was still wondering if her absence was a well or an ill omen when the door opened. His carefully drawn eyebrows went up as the kitten entered the room in the girl form he had glimpsed several times in her sleep.
The girl rubbed her eyes as she spoke.
"I want to sleep with you, Tom."
All the tension that had fueled the young man's pacing seemed gone the instant the girl had appeared.
Having long ago learned it did not do to argue with his little pet, the young man nodded. He easily lifted her and carried her to the bed. After the young man tucked the blankets around her, he placed a chaste kiss upon her cheek before laying beside her above the coverlet, still fully dressed.
At some point in the night, the girl was again replaced by a kitten.
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A/N
Thank you Minerva Lea, Static-Filled Star, Jbfritz, Tabby Girl, Laura Kay, Tamora Kitase, Redwoman06, Mavidian, and Margo Wulfric for reviewing.
As for Dippet's ban on live mandrakes there was a little hint back in one of the earlier chapters. I think a better question would be why did Dumbledore lift the ban when he became Headmaster. I mean think about the effect of live fully grown mandrakes.
Yes, it was Amelia Bones in Chapter 27. The same woman who will later work for the Ministry and have a seat on the Wizengamot. And yes that will be of significance later.