Christmas Day arrived early for the McGregors. Dougal and Minerva were woken early by three rambunctious toddlers excited to see if Father Christmas found them in their new home. The couple smiled at the children and sleepily escorted the children downstairs to the living room.
Minerva cried happy tears as she saw the children grinning when they saw the colorful presents under the large Christmas tree. "Momma," Harry shouted excitedly. "Father Christmas came!"
"I see," she said as she went and sat down next to the children. "Pass out the presents love," she said as the children flocked to sit next to her.
Dougal smiled and did what she asked. They spent the next few hours opening presents and enjoying each other's company.
Sirius and Remus arrived for Christmas dinner dressed as elves. They carried a magnitude of Christmas presents for the children it seemed. Minerva smiled widely when she noticed neither wizard wanted to shrink the presents so they could make Christmas memorable for the children.
"More presents?" Fiona asked, eyes wide in her disbelief.
Sirius grinned happily and nodded. "We couldn't let Father Christmas outdo us now, could we?"
"You are spoiling my children," Minerva said good-naturedly as she rolled her eyes.
"That's the plan Min!" Sirius said teasingly and started to pass out presents. Sirius and Remus had no issues being honorary uncles to Fiona and Duncan and quickly treated them the same as they did Harry.
"Don't shoot the messager," Dougal said as he gently laid the morning's edition of the Daily Prophet beside of her on the bed.
Minerva frowned at him before she stretched very cat-like and sat up. She had slept in this morning and it had been glorious in her opinion! She grabbed her glasses from the bedside table and pushed them on her face. She gripped the paper, unfolded the paper and gasped in suprise.
Minerva McGonagall Adopts More Children and Makes British History! splashed across the front page. A picture of Minerva holding Harry on one hip and Duncan on the other one in the orphanage. Dougal stood beside of her with Fiona hugging him tight was the first picture. It was the night they adopted the children. She had been dressed in a red muggle suit, a far cry from her teaching robes. The next picture showed her sitting in the floor in muggle jeans of all things. The three children were in the floor with her as she attempted to teach them how to catch a snitch. The picture showed Harry clasping his hand around the snitch, smiling mischievously before pouncing on Minerva and knocking her over. The children then peppered her face with kisses prompting her to laugh uncontrollably. The last picture showed Minerva laying on the couch with the boys on either side of her. Fiona laid contently on top of her. All of them asleep with a children's book in her hand. Dougal walked into the picture, chuckled at the scene before grabbing the forgotten book and draping a blanket over his sleeping family.
Minerva looked up at her husband in suprise before looking back down and reading the article with interest. It told of her soulbond to Dougal and James and Lily's will that left Harry and House Potter under her control. It told of her adoption of Fiona and Duncan and how they were magical, and left abandoned in a muggle orphanage. The story told of how Minerva opened her heart and her home to the two muggleborn children, a feat others refused to do in the magical community. What intrigued her the most was the statement by Sirius Black. He had explained that so many magical children were lodged in muggle orphanages and bullied by the children that couldn't grasp the concept of magic. He begged Magical Britain to be like Professor McGonagall and chose love over the blood purity nonsense. He also hinted to a piece of legislation he planned to present to the Wizengamot at their next meeting.
"Sirius sent his apologies for using our personal moments in the story but said you were the perfect example to help those magical children find homes in the magical world," Dougal said with a grin. "He may have also sent you a very expensive bottle of Scotch and a rare Transfiguration book."
Minerva snorted in amusement at that. "I guess I shall have to forgive him for broadcasting our private family moments to all of Magical Britain in that case."
Minerva sat in the Wizengamot chambers with a huge smile on her face. Sirius Black just managed to get legislation passed to protect magical children. He managed to get magical families to sign up to be foster families and found a way to fund Hogwarts expenses for said children.
She didn't mind that he had proposed a committee to be in charge of placements for the children and that he had volunteered her to be one of the members of said committee. He also proposed to have heritage tests performed for all children in hopes of revitalizing extinct lines if possible. If said children did manage to find themselves heir to a House then he proposed having another Lord mentor those children in wizarding traditions and how to effectively run their Houses. He had nominated Lord Greengrass for that position. That had been a stroke of genius in her eyes. Lord Greengrass was well respected and notoriously neutral. It allowed both sides to agree to help the children.
"Did I do you proud Regent Potter?" Sirius asked teasingly.
"Aye," she said with a grin. "Your legislation may very well be the changing point in the blood purity nonsense."
"We can only hope," he replied. "That Prophet article was necessary. You don't realize just how many lives you have made better just by caring for the students. I guarantee those that you have touched will seriously look into fostering magical children if they see those pictures."
Minerva looked at him with skepticism. "I seriously doubt that," she retorted.
"Then you sell yourself short," Lord Greengrass said as he neared the couple. She turned to him in suprise, unsure what to say to the dignified wizard. "My brother was being recruited rather heavily in Hogwarts. He had almost caved and joined up after our mother died. He once told me that he had secluded himself in an unused classroom and stared hopelessly at a family photo he had with him when you happened upon him. He was amazed you sat down next to him wordlessly, a Slythrein no less, and merely pulled him into your embrace when you saw his struggle. He confessed he cried against you for hours struggling with his decision and it was what you told him that caused him to remain neutral."
"Any wizard can follow the crowd," she uttered in remembrance. "It takes an exceptional one to remain true to himself regardless of what pressures he faces. I had forgotten about that."
Lord Greengrass smiled at her. "My brother remained true to himself to the very end," he confirmed. "He sacrificed himself to protect my pregnant wife. His last words were he remained true to the family and could die happy."
Minerva teared up at the impact she had made on the younger Greengrass. "I am glad I could help him."
"You are a rarity Minerva McGonagall and I hope you shall be at Hogwarts when my children start their education," Lord Greengrass said with gratitude showing on his facial features.
"I shall try my best to be there." she said simply.