Chapter 12

Minerva and Harry were settled on the love couch in Minerva's quarters at Hogwarts simply enjoying being together. Minerva was draped across Harry's lap. He had her wrapped up in his arms and was content to hold her. Dinner in the Great Hall had gone well; however, Harry had been delayed by several lovesick girls on his way to the Head table. He had been embarrassed by it whereas Minerva had found it hilarious and was unable to hide her mirth. Harry had just glared at her which increased her amusement. They had missed the shared looks of wonder from those present at the Head table at the softer, emotional side the Headmistress was showing. Those present had shared the belief that Harry Potter had been good for Minerva!

A knock on the door startled the couple; however, Minerva had no desire to leave her husband's embrace. She would have normally moved to a more professional position; however, the soul bond had changed her. She was more carefree and no longer hid her emotions from others. She had researched soul bonds while at Potter Estate and realized she would not only make herself miserable but Harry as well. Each book she had read, warned about closing one's self from their intended. Minerva feared if she closed her emotions to others than she would unconsciously do the same to Harry. She knew she didn't want to do that and decided to lay the stoic Headmistress act to the wayside. Harry simply meant too much to her!

"Enter," she commanded.

Hermione strolled in and sat down in the high back chair across from the couple. "I just returned from the Ministry. Kingsley had owled me and asked me to visit," she started then continued. "Apparently Rory Stewart stood trial today and then was immediately chucked through the veil."

"Really," Harry said confused by the deviation from normal proceedings. "Why the change up in policy?" he asked.

Hermione saw his and Minerva's confusion before she explained what she knew. "Kinglsey had a special team investigating him since the night of the attack. They uncovered quite a bit of illegal activities. The bastard had stolen from or cursed someone close to each member of the Wizengamot. They didn't take to kindly to him when the truth of his activities came about. They had so much evidence against him that Kingsley didn't even show our memories of your attack. He just added attack against Minerva McGonagall onto the charges brought against Rory Stewart and let it be. He gave me the memories back and reassured me no one had witnessed them."

Minerva closed her eyes in relief. She had feared having the entire wizarding population knowing what had truly happened to her. "I am certainly glad those memories are safe," Minerva said. "I am surprised by the dealings of Rory Stewart though. I knew he was the unsavory type; however, I did not expect him to be mentally capable of fooling so many people."

Hermione chewed on her bottom lip before she told the rest of the story. "You were extremely lucky Minerva. When the aurors raided Stewart's property, they discovered two women confined in the dungeon heavily pregnant and a couple of toddlers. He had experimented on them with the drugs he used on you to make sure they would work. The women were muggles that worked in London brothels and he was sure wouldn't be missed by others. The children are magical but the women want nothing to do with them nor do they want the ones pending birth. The women are confided to St. Mungos until they give birth which should be in the next month or so. The women are receiving therapy and will be healed before they are obilivated and sent back to muggle London. Kingsley has reassured me he would ensure the women will go back to a better existence then the local brothels. The children are being held in a room at the Ministry and being supervised by a few trusted Ministry employees for the time being. Kingsley fears the wizarding population will treat the children poorly and doesn't know what to do with them."

"Can they not be adopted by magical families," Harry asked, saddened by the thought of children growing up without families to love them.

"They are half-bloods," Minerva answered sadly. Tears were streaming down her face as the thought of what the women had to endure. "Even after the war, magical Britain is still snobs when it comes to blood status."

Harry gave his wife a reassuring kiss before suggesting, "It's time to change that opinion. How do you feel about adoption?"

Minerva looked at Harry in surprise. She was continuously surprised by the wizard holding her. How did she feel about adoption? she wondered. She loved children obviously or she wouldn't have been a Professor or live most of the year at a school amongst children. She had never considered adoption but she wasn't opposed to it. "I am fine with adoption; however, we both have full time jobs so I am unsure it would be feasible," Minerva answered honestly. "I have wondered how we will handle everything once our daughter arrives."

"A girl," Hermione exclaimed excitedly.

Harry and Minerva shared a look before nodding. "My pregnancy was confirmed today by Poppy. She will make an appearance at Christmas," Minerva answered then added, "I am designing the nursery on my own."

Hermione looked at her friend sheepishly. "Sorry," she said. "I have a habit of taking over."

"While a trait I admire," Minerva said, "You will just have to settle buying clothes, toys and books for your niece. I have dreamed of children for a lifetime so I plan on decorating her room. I was perfectly fine with you planning the wedding but the nursery is my territory."

Hermione just smiled at Minerva before agreeing. "I am glad that's settled," Minerva said turning her attention back to her husband. "Now back to the children."

Harry smiled at his wife before throwing his suggestion out there. "How about I stay at home? I find myself growing tired of being an Auror and feel like I would do more good if I were to use my status as current wizarding savior to make political changes. As loathe as I am to throw myself more into the public eye, I can't help believe Magical Britain needs someone who is willing to go against the grain in order to make the changes that desperately need to happen."

Minerva and Hermione were thoroughly surprised by his admittance. They shared a look before turning their attention back to Harry. He gave a somewhat sad smile before forging on. "As Lord Potter, I will be able to sponsor the laws we need to pass to move past blood statuses. If we are to avoid another Dark Wizard gaining popularity amongst the purebloods, we have to change the beliefs of Magical Britain in general."

"You have thought about this for a while, haven't you," Hermione asked as she studied her best friend. "You are too calm about giving up the career you strived for."

Harry nodded his head slowly before answering his dearest friend. "For months I have witnessed small interactions at the Ministry that have bothered me. A comment here or sabotage from a co-worker encouraged by greed or jealousy, it has been so discouraging. We have barely dealt with the last wizarding war and already there is discord amongst those that should be leading the public. I realize I will never fit in at the Ministry as it is nor do I want to. I would like to play a part in building a better Magical Britain and if I have to use my fame to do it then so be it."

Minerva gave her husband a huge smile before saying, "You do have a saving people thing." Harry blushed at her comment. Minerva laughed out loud before adding, "If you are not happy at the Ministry then I am all for you going to battle with the arrogant old purebloods and changing laws."

"Truly," he asked hopeful. He didn't want to make any decision without his wife's input.

Minerva nodded her head yes. "About the adoption bit," she continued. "I suggest we go to the Ministry and see how the children respond to us. We can go after the leaving feast in a few days. If they respond well to us I am all for adding them to the family. A child cannot change its start in life nor the parents it is born to. I do believe we can change how a child grows up though and am willing to see."

"Great," Harry said happily and wrapped his wife up in a passionate embrace.

A throat clearing broke the couple up. "I'm still here," Hermione reminded them.

Harry grinned impishly before asking, "Why's that? Don't you have something to do?" Hermione laughed at her brother before she left the couple alone. "Now where were we," he said to his wife before he pulled her up into another passionate kiss.

Kinsley met Harry and Minerva in his office and went over all of the information he had on the toddlers. "The girls are in pretty good shape considering the lack of care provided to them. I am not sure if anyone actually held them or cared for them. Giving them something to eat and changing a nappy is probably the extent of the affection shown to them," he said honestly. "What kind of mothers ignores babies?"

"Broken, terrified ones," Minerva answered sadly. "Those women probably went through hell."

Kingsley nodded his agreement. "The reports from the healers are disturbing and will be sealed. We don't need any one else getting any ideas."

Harry nodded his agreement. "So shall we go see the children?" he asked. Harry didn't understand why he wanted to see those girls so badly but he did. Minerva grasped his hand and squeezed it reassuringly. He merely smiled at her lovingly and in silent thanks for her reassurance.

Kingsley led the couple through the Ministry to the place he had the girls kept until he could figure out what to do with them. He relieved the Ministry workers present for an hour. He figured the couple would like some privacy. "Thank you," Minerva whispered to Kingsley. "We prefer to keep our privacy when we can."

"That's understandable," he replied. "Stay here for a moment and I will go get the girls."

Kingsley walked into the next room momentarily and returned with two small girls in his arms. Both girls were pale skinned with dark ringlets of hair and deep green eyes. Both girls were obviously underweight for their age. "I am sure you have noticed similarities between the girls and yourself Minerva," Kingsley said matter-of-factly but knew she needed all of the information he could provide her. "Stewart chose women that shared similarities with you."

Minerva frowned at that piece of information. She hadn't given any thoughts of what the women Rory Stewart had held captive looked like. She had pushed thoughts of them out of her mind once she realized they were receiving help. The poor women had been chosen just because they resembled her. "That bastard," she whispered brokenly as a couple of tears slipped down her cheek.

Harry wrapped his arms around his wife and pressed a reassuring kiss her to temple. He hated seeing his wife so upset. "I have you my love," he whispered tenderly.

Minerva gathered herself a few moments later and turned her attention to the girls still in Kingsley's arms. "What are their names," she asked trying to gain control of her emotions.

Kingsley sighed sadly before answering, "They don't have any. They were simply referred to as girl. We decided to hold off on names until we could figure out what to do with them."

"That's horrible," Harry said sadly. "To not even name the girls seem so wrong."

Minerva nodded her head in agreement with her husband's statement. She took a deep breath and then walked over to the girls. She gently pushed an errant curl behind one of the girls' ears and then caressed the others' cheek. "Hello wee lassies," she whispered in a kind and soothing tone of voice.

Without prompting, both girls launched themselves at Minerva and burrowed into her embrace. Minerva lifted her shocked face to Kingsley and then turned to Harry silently questioning what was happening. "Máthair," one of the girls whispered excitedly. "Mhamó said you would come for us."

"Mhamó told us to be brave and you would come for us Máthair," the other girl said excitedly.

Shakily, Minerva sat down in the freshly conjured chair her husband provided as she processed what the girls had said. Her heart skipped a beat at the Gaelic word for Mother. She had never heard it directed at herself before but she admitted that she liked the sound of it. Her brow crinkled in her confusion. These precarious toddlers, lacked proper care, but could articulate well above their age group. "Any of the women speak Gaelic," she asked Kingsley trying to figure out how the girls knew the Gaelic words.

Kingsley nodded his head negatively. "The girls haven't said that many words the entire time they have been here," he confided. "I had no idea they could speak so well especially given their age and start at life."

"It is puzzling," Minerva admitted and then focused her attention back on the smiling girls in her lap. "Why did you call me Máthair?" she asked needing to know their thoughts.

"Mhamó showed us when we slept," one girl answered, sincerity showing on her face.

"In your dreams," Minerva asked trying to solve the puzzle handed to her.

"Yes," both girls answered and then placed one of their hands against Minerva's temples. Suddenly images flashed through Minerva's mind. She saw images from their life and how scared they were from the life they had endured thus far. Images of them huddling together against the dungeon wall constricted her heart painfully. Images of her own mother filtered across her mind. A ghostly figure surrounded by a golden aura. Her mother comforting the girls and explaining how their Máthair needed them and how she would come for them if they only held on. "You're Máthair needs you so very much even if she doesn't know it yet. She will love you so tremendously and protect you fiercely," the image had reassured then added, "Your Daddy will spoil you with attention and affection. They will help you grow into the amazing witches you are destined to be. You must simply hold on until they come for you!"

Tears streamed down Minerva's face as she pulled the girls closer to her. Her heart was nearly bursting with images of mother and the girls. She knew somehow her mother had been there in the dungeon with the girls and knew they had been brought into their life for a reason. She gazed at her husband; her questioning eyes met his understanding ones. A simple nod from him prompted a sob of relief to spring from her mouth. "Oh my little lasses, Máthair is here now," Minerva whispered emotionally. "Máthair will not leave you."

"We are going to need magical and blood ritual adoption options immediately," Harry said to Kingsley commandingly. "Minerva isn't going to leave the girls here so we are going to need someone to perform the adoption today as well."

Kingsley looked from Harry to Minerva and then back to Harry. "You are completely sure," he questioned, surprised by the quickness of it all. Harry simply nodded. "I will call in some favors and get some blood adoption specialists called in."

"Will you ask Hermione to speak with her contacts at the Daily Prophet and bring them along?" Minerva asked surprising the wizards in the room. "If we are going to change the pureblood views, we will need a front page story that will turn the wizarding world on its head."

Harry smiled at his extremely private wife who was willing to share her most private moments with the wizarding world because she knew what it meant to him. He sent a surge of love through their bond before handing Kingsley a letter he had carried on his person for the past week. "My resignation," he answered Kingsley questioning glance. "I am willing to stay on as a reserve Auror for times of need."

Kingsley frowned at the envelope but accepted Harry's decision. The Auror Department would feel Harry's departure but he knew all of the men would respect it. Harry had gained the respect of the most veteran employees within the Ministry and suspected the young wizard had a plan for all of the connections he had made. "Am I to assume Lord Potter will be visiting the Ministry more often," Kingsley asked, hopeful of the possible changes the young wizard before him could make towards the betterment of Magical Britain.

"It's time for serious changes to the Wizarding World," Harry answered, sounding more confident than his youthful appearance belied. "I will be damned before I witness another Dark Lord rise simply because no one challenged the bigoted purebloods."

Kingsley couldn't keep the smile off his face as he left the room to do as requested. The old-world pureblooded pricks wouldn't know what hit them. It had been a long time coming but Kingsley firmly believed Harry Potter would change the Magical World for the better and he couldn't wait to witness it!