Disclaimer: I so wish I could say that I own anything and everything dealing with Harry Potter, but alas I cannot. If I could, would I honestly be here writing fan fictions about our favorite coupling (although always a delight), living in Southern California, and be going by the nom de plum "Always Hopeful"? Probably! LOL!
A/N: I know, I know, if you just read my disclaimer, you probably think that I am a dorkfish. LOL! Well, what can I say? I live to entertain and to present people with quirky, comic relief. LOL! Well, this is the part where I normally reply to your reviews, but I no longer shall be because not only does it take up space, but because the invention of the reply button is a great tool. So, if you reviewed anonymously, then I shall like to thank you personally right now. Thank you, thank you, thank you so very much! But thank you so very, very much to all of you. This means a lot to me!
Chapter Eleven: Something More…
The next morning, the news of Minerva's random memory had reached the others and everyone was absolutely thrilled by the prospect that she was coming closer and closer to regaining her memory.
"This is most definitely a good sign, Min," said Poppy, hugging her friend as they all sat down for breakfast.
"I know," smiled Minerva, settling herself into her usual spot at the Head Table. "It is so exciting to finally have that connection of familiarity with somebody." Though she didn't see it, Poppy and Pomona took the opportunity to glance at each other and smile. They both knew that if she was going to have a sense of familiarity with anyone, it would be Albus.
"So, whom shall I be meeting with today?" asked Minerva, happily beginning to fill her plate.
"That would be Pomona and Filius," Albus replied.
"Two?" Minerva asked.
"Yes, dear," said Pomona. "You see, we're not going to be showing you much."
"Besides," continued Poppy, "you have had a memory already. Perhaps, then, if we should show you more at one time, then perhaps you can get some more memories faster." Minerva nodded. That made sense.
"Very well," she said with a smile. "That will be splendid. Very splendid indeed." With that, they went about eating breakfast, all the while not knowing what was about to unfold.
Ooooooooooo
Roberta Kingston walked into the Three Broomsticks, pulling Lenora rather roughly by the wrist behind her. She quickly scanned the room for the wizard she was looking for, and quickly spotted him. He was brooding in the far corner once again, his hood pulled heavily over his face. She sighed and went over to him, all the while pulling Lenora by the wrist.
"Ow, mommy, you're hurting me," whimpered Lenora.
"Oh, hush now, Lenora, before you make mommy mad," she hissed. "Now, if you are silent the entire time, mommy will buy you lunch at that fancy place you like so much." Lenora's eyes widened with excitement.
"Can I have two desserts?" she asked, smiling hopefully.
"You may not have any desserts if you keep asking all these silly questions," Roberta snapped. They arrived at the table. She sat down, nodding to Lenora to sit on the floor. The small girl obeyed, petrified that if she did not do as she was told, her mother would become even angrier with her and not let her eat any dessert.
"Hello, Roberta," said the dark figure, hovering over his fire whiskey. "It's been a long time since I saw you last."
"Yes, it has been a long time," she smiled. Her sickening sweet smile could give Dolores Umbridge a run for her money. The man looked down at the girl on the floor.
"Is that the bastard child?" he asked gruffly, his nose wrinkling slightly as he looked at Lenora. He looked as though he had caught a whiff of something which resembled rotten eggs in smell. Roberta cast a despairing look at her daughter.
"Yes, it is," she sighed. "Quite a burden, this one is, but since she is my own flesh and blood, I have looked deep within my heart and watched over her. A sort of charity, as it were." The man looked her in an approving way.
"You are stronger than most," he said. The whole time they spoke, Lenora never said a word. She only listened, the whole time withholding tears which she knew would fall later that night.
"I'm sorry mama," she said. The two adults looked at her. "I'm sorry I'm such a burden."
"Hush up, Lenora, mommy's talking," she said. Lenora nodded and looked down. Roberta looked back at the man in the hooded figure.
"So, what's this about some proposition you told me about in this here letter of yours?" he asked, showing her the folded up piece of parchment she had sent her.
"Yes, that is what I needed to talk to you about," replied Roberta, leaning her head in and whispering. "I'm sure you know about Minerva McGonagall's… condition?"
"Yes, I do," he nodded. "You wrote about it to me." Roberta nodded. The man chuckled. "My, my, my, Minerva McGonagall… She does not remember who she is. Poor wrench." Roberta rolled her eyes.
"She is a wrench, but not so poor as you might think," she said. "Her income is well enough, all her needs are met at Hogwarts, and she has numerous friends, not only among the staff but among so many of the parents of the students as well… And she still has the love and affection of Albus Dumbledore." Roberta cringed. The man nodded.
"Ah, yes, the famous Albus Dumbledore; the headmaster of the most prestigious wizard's school, defeater of Grindlewald, the man who helped Harry Potter defeat Lord Voldemort, and the only man to have totally and utterly humiliate Roberta Irene Kingston." Roberta glared at him.
"Yes, that is him," she said through gritted teeth. "Anyway, if you help me in my little endeavor, not only will I have my revenge on Albus Dumbledore, but I will also rid myself of Minerva McGonagall, leaving Albus wide open to marry, and a certain someone," she indicated towards Lenora, who still had her eyes cast downwards, "off to a boarding school in America. Albus and Minerva will rue the day they ever met me." The man simply stared at her from underneath his hood.
"And what's in it for me?" he asked. He scratched his beard, which was black with streaks of grey running through them. Roberta pulled out a large pouch of galleons and dropped it on the table. The man took it, opened it, and shifted a few of the pieces. "How much is in there?"
"Five hundred galleons." The man seemed to consider this for a few moments before he nodded his head.
"Very well," he said. "I shall do it." Roberta smiled.
"Excellent." When Roberta and Lenora walked out of there a few moments later, Lenora couldn't help the thoughts going through her head. Her mom and that man in the Three Broomsticks weren't going to harm Minerva and Albus, were they? If they were, Lenora wished her mother wouldn't. But she knew that if she said anything, especially if she was wrong, then Albus would send her and her mother away, and her mother would be angry with her. And Lenora knew all too well, even at the tender age of seven and a half, that her mother in an angry fit would be far worse than anything else in the world. She even had the bruises to prove it…
Ooooooooooo
Filius brought Minerva back to the main entrance of the castle.
"Well, Minerva my dear, it seems that we have come to the end of our little time together," he said. "Lunch was good, wasn't it?" Minerva nodded as she looked down at him. It seemed rather odd at first to be looking down at him, but she quickly got over that.
"Yes, it was indeed," she said.
"You know, Minerva, out of all the teachers on our staff, you have always been the one I've looked up to. Well, I suppose I look up to all the teachers, but that's not my point." Minerva couldn't help but let a small laugh escape from her lips. Filius smiled. "It's good to hear you laugh again, Minerva." He looked around as they reached the outside.
"It feels good to laugh," she replied.
"Well, Minerva, it seems as though Pomona is not out of her gardens just yet. So why don't we just sit down here on the bench for a minute or two until she arrives?"
"Yes, I do believe that would be nice, Filius," she said. They sat down. Filius jumped onto the bench and Minerva smiled as she watched his feet come up short on the bench. Just like a child, she thought. This brought her thoughts to Lenora.
The poor little girl was obviously mistreated by her mother in so many ways. Minerva's main regret was that she just couldn't prove it. She had this gut feeling that she knew more about the little girl than she could remember, but she just couldn't put her finger on it. Yes, she now knew the entire past between Roberta and Albus, but there was just something… some hidden factor about Lenora that she didn't know about. Or rather, something she just could not remember.
"Minerva, is something wrong?" She jumped when she heard Filius speak once again. She looked at him and smiled.
"What? Oh no, nothing's wrong," she replied. "I was just thinking about something." Filius nodded, though he did not entirely believe her.
"Ah, Filius, Minerva, there you are," smiled Pomona as she walked up to the two of them. She was carrying some strange looking plant in her hands. "Sorry I'm late, but these mandrakes just needed to be planted."
"Mandrakes?" asked Minerva. Pomona nodded.
"Don't fret, I shall explain them all to you," she said.
"Oh dear, more learning?" laughed Minerva. "I've already seen Filius' classroom, his rooms, heard about what he teaches, and even found a few secret passages. Now I learn about plants?" Pomona smiled.
"Yes, well, don't worry. There aren't very many plants you will learn about." Minerva nodded, bid Filius good bye, and prepared herself to not only learn of Pomona Sprout's field of study and where to find her, but also of something which seemed completely foreign and yet completely interesting at the same time… Plants!
A/N2: Okay, you all asked for it, you all wanted it, and now here it is. The next installment of our thrilling journey together. 'Tis a journey of life, love, and feelings; a journey of hope, faith, and nurturing; a journey where friendships are forged, allies are made, enemies are created, and love is tested; a journey full of people; people who can sing and dance, often at the same time; multi-talented people; people who need people. Okay, I know, I'm a dork as well as a Monty Python freak. But come on, you all know you like it! LOL! I hope you like this and I shall try to update the next story on the list, whichever that one is. I believe it is "Retrieving What Was Lost." I shall try to update as soon as I possibly can, I promise! Love ya, miss ya, mean it, bye! Always Hopeful