A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers. Here you go ppl!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Thank you Kaylee Tonks-Lupin! My Beta, you rock girl!
Chapter 6: The Day Their World Crashed
October 24th had been a strange day indeed for the young Dumbledore children. Their father had woken them up that day at four in the morning and dropped them off in the dungeons. He had told them to be good for their aunt and uncle while he and mommy went to see the doctor. When asked why; he merely answered with, "I'll see you tonight!" So it was now noon and all five children, along with their cousin were eating lunch in Professor Snape's office.
The feeling in the room was mutually anxious, though not all for the same reasons. Jonathan, Kenneth, Varick, and Andromeda were upset because their sister had done nothing but worry and stare out the window all day. They missed their bubbly and inventive sister. Professor Snape, Victoria, and Correna were upset because they knew the real reason why the Headmaster and his deputy were not at school today. Snape kept checking his fireplace for word from Poppy when he could take Correna to her parents. Victoria was a ball of energy, totally jazzed out about what was coming, and Correna had a terrible feeling that something had gone wrong.
"Don't worry so much Cor," Victoria replied pulling her cousin away for the window yet again. "Your mum is the most powerful witch in our world; she'll be fine. Besides that this is supposed to be a happy time. Remember when we got the Marauders?" "Yes I do," she said smiling fondly at her brothers and sister, "But that doesn't mean she'll be fine Vi." "Sure it will," Victoria retorted. "All the power in the world couldn't save Voldemort and Grindelwald from themselves."
"It couldn't save Grandma McGonagall either," Correna gloomily replied. "Well yeah…but look Cor those guys were evil; Auntie Min isn't and well….your grandma was really old," Victoria countered. "She was the same age as mum was when I was born," Correna sighed.
"All right, now just stop that," Victoria snapped, "I'm sick of you acting like this. Where's the cousin that can make up a game off the cuff of her sleeve? Where's the cousin that can get my daddy to laugh? You can't keep acting like this you're scaring the little ones." Correna looked over at her siblings. Oh how nice it must be to be completely oblivious to the fact that it's three months too early, she
thought. "Now come on let's play a game with them and then it might be time to see Auntie Min and Uncle Al," Victoria added. Correna half-smiled and nodded to her cousin, "All right, you win Vi." The two girls picked up a few balls and Correna said, "Come on kids I got an idea!" The little ones cheered, happy to have their sister back at least for the moment.
The children played for almost four more hours till Madam Pomfrey Flooed into the room, accompanied by Madam Hooch. The nurse said she would take the little ones while Snape and Hooch were gone. So now Correna and Victoria found themselves following Victoria's parents down a long and winding hallway. They stooped in front of large white door as Madam Hooch gave a timid knock.
"Come in," they heard the dejected voice of Correna's father say. The four visitors walked in to a truly heartbreaking sight. Minerva McGonagall was lying on the bed curled in a ball looking lost and forlorn. Her head was turned away from them, but they could tell from her shaking figure that she was crying. Sitting in front of her stroking her hand was Albus Dumbledore, looking utterly hopeless with no twinkle in his clouded eyes.
"A-Albus, what's wrong?" Madam Hooch tentatively asked. "Yes Albus, please tell us," Snape gently prodded. "Not here," he said shaking his head and led the adults out of the room. They pulled the door to so the girls heard muffled voices. Being naturally curious they quietly crept toward the door where they heard Albus say, "…and so the doctors say she probably won't make it through the night. The boy was fine but apparently he got all the nutrients and she didn't. Th-they also said that if M-Min tried for anymore kids s-she…"
"Oh Albus we're so sorry," Hooch replied and pulled the crying man in her arms. "But Albus, there's still a bit of hope. She may make it," said Severus. "Hope? Hope for what?" he asked bitterly. "Even if she did make it they said she'd be very small and probably have a lot of health problems. What kind of hope…what kind of life is that for a child?
"Oh Cor, I'm so sorry," Victoria whispered to her cousin. "Uh y-yeah," she said and walked over to her mother's bed. She stood in front of her father's vacated seat and looked into Minerva's tear-stained face. It broke the child's heart to see her mother like this. Her mother, always so strong and compassionate was lying on this hospital bed ash white looking so lost and helpless.
"M-mummy?" the little girl questioned. "I'm a failure as a mother, I can't even keep my children safe in the womb," she cried, "I'm gonna lose my kitten." Correna stood there biting her lip, tears streaming down her face. She was only five years old, but she knew this shouldn't be happening to her mother. Her parents were good people; she didn't understand why this tragedy happened. She didn't know what to do; so she did the only thing she could. She crawled into bed, wrapped her mother's arms around her, and they both cried themselves to sleep. That's how the adults found them when they later walked in; as Correna slept she made a vow that she would help her sister pull through. She would help them all pull through.
A/N 2: Grandma McGonagall died giving birth to Minerva and her twin brother Neptune. That's why it bothers Correna so much.
Stay tuned to find out if the baby makes it.