A/N Thanks again Maria for making the time to beta this. Any remaining errors are entirely my own doing.

Reviews are, as always, greatly appreciated.

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Albus remained there, standing outside the infirmary, for how long he couldn't say. He kept hoping that Poppy would come back out looking for him. That she would tell him that Minerva had asked to see him. But it was obvious that wasn't going to happen.

If only he could just see them for a moment - just to know Minerva and her son were all right. Minerva and her son. He hadn't even the right to call the baby his in his own mind.

His mind drifted back to when Poppy had come out to tell them the news. He supposed it had been too much to hope for that she come out holding the baby. What he wouldn't give for even a glimpse of Minerva and the baby. But Poppy had prevented him from getting even that. With her in the way, all he had been able to see was the window on the far wall.

Wondering at the possibilities presented by that half open window, Albus headed down the hall to the first empty room.

Opening one of the windows and looking out, he considered the width of the ledge versus the height to the ground. Who ever thought it a good idea to put the Hospital Wing on the third floor of the castle? The ground floor would have been much more sensible.

Transfiguring, he cautiously made his way along the ledge towards the Hospital Wing. Lucky to find the window still open and doubly lucky to not find Poppy still in the room, he climbed through to the other side.

All the students had been sent home the week before, so finding the sole occupied bed didn't present a challenge. She looked a vision – sweaty, exhausted, hair matted, but still to him a vision – asleep with a bundle in her arms that was no doubt their baby.

He wasn't going to disturb them. He was just trying to get to higher ground to better see. To that end, he was in the process of leaping onto the unoccupied bed beside her when he felt a rather unkind jerk on his tail.

"How did you get in here and just what do you think you are doing?" It didn't take Rowena Ravenclaw to figure out who it was whispering.

Poppy looked first to the still closed door, but then her eyes fixed on the still open window. "If that's the way you came in, then that's the way you can go out! I've always heard cats will land on their feet, but I wonder if the same is true of kneazles?"

"Poppy?" Minerva's voice was more than somewhat sleep addled. "Who are you talking to?"

Poppy moved to be certain he remained out of sight. "No one, dear. Go back to sleep."

Thankfully, Minerva wasn't buying it. "Poppy?!"

Making an exasperated sound, Poppy finally raised him up in the air by the tuft of his tail so Minerva could see him. Twisting to look at Minerva, but unable to actually say anything without transforming and thereby giving everything away, Albus let out his most pathetic meow.

Seeing him there, Minerva's expression became as close to crying as one can get without crying. Then she smiled. "You came."

With a sigh, Poppy dropped him.

Ignoring the unoccupied bed beside Minerva, Albus leapt onto her bed. Getting his first glimpse of the baby, Albus found him to be perfect – all he could see in him was Minerva. It wasn't until the baby opened his eyes for a moment that Albus saw something of himself in him.

When he moved closer and sniffed the baby, Poppy had had enough. "You!" She pointed at him. "The foot of the bed. And you – " she pointed to Minerva, "get some sleep."

Seemingly disgusted, Poppy returned to her office.

Albus wanted to speak, but even more he wanted to remain there. If he transformed, even if Poppy didn't discover him and make him leave, he would no doubt manage to say the wrong thing and give Minerva cause to ask him to leave. Perhaps the inability of his animagus form to speak was a boon. Besides, Poppy was right, Minerva needed to rest. So the whole of the afternoon and long into the evening, he remained just watching the pair slumber and listening to their contented sighs as they snuggled into each other.

At some point in the night, he must have drifted off. He awoke to a kick in his side. By the light streaming into the room, he could tell it was already morning. He had been there nearly a whole day. He didn't even give a thought to all the appointments he must have missed the day before.

Standing to stretch his legs, he looked at Minerva - the one who had kicked him. She motioned toward Poppy's office with her head.

Through the open door of her office, Albus could see Poppy occupied, speaking with someone through the Floo network.

After walking to the entrance of the Hospital Wing, he transformed back to his human form. He quietly opened the door, only to loudly slam it shut.

Naturally, Poppy immediately stormed out of her office. "How did you get in? That door was locked from the inside!"

Albus thought it simplest to tell the truth. "Magic."

Poppy seemed to find his answer unsatisfactory. "Headmaster, I know I did say tomorrow, but don't you think the hour is a bit early for visitors?"

"We're awake." Minerva assured Poppy before turning to Albus with an offer he couldn't refuse. "Would you like to hold him?"

Albus had held other babies before, but nothing – nothing – had ever prepared him for the experience, for the emotion of holding his own child.

When Poppy left to retrieve Minerva's breakfast tray, Albus felt a bit apprehensive. There had been some comfort in not being able to speak of certain matters.

"Minerva, I'd like to at least try to explain-"

"Albus, I'd rather not talk about it."

He nodded, accepting the rebuff. "Maybe we can discuss it in a few days when you are feeling-"

"No, Albus. I mean I don't want to talk about it at all. Not now, not ever."

His grasp on his son instinctively tightened. Minerva had had a chance to send him away yesterday, and again today. She hadn't, but he wasn't sure where her words left him.

"Albus, you said and did what you did and I said and did what I did. Talking about the past isn't going to change it."

Holding their child, he wanted to say so many things to her, but listening to her, Albus felt any words die in his throat before he could get them out.

She didn't look at him, but rather at their son as she continued speaking. "Tell me what it is that you want now, Albus. Do I take my son and leave Hogwarts tomorrow as planned? Or do you want to be a part of our child's life?"

He waited until her gaze was on him before he answered. "More than I have ever wanted anything before in my life."

More than just a trace of smugness was detectable in her response now that it was all said and done and she had been proven correct. "Albus, it was an either or question."

He realized she said it only in jest, but the past few days – no months - had all been too much. "Stop tormenting me."

Her hand came to rest on his. "Then let's stop focusing on the past and get on with our lives."

Minerva was quick to pull her hand away as Poppy approached the curtained area. On one hand she balanced a tray, while in the other the school nurse held a parchment. When she set it before Minerva, Albus saw that it was the baby's birth certificate.

"I've saved you the trouble of filling in all the rest of the information, but there was one part I didn't know the answer for."

Albus couldn't hide his dismay looking at the paper before him, seeing it officially written in the section for father: unknown. He tried a smile to mask the hurt in his eyes when Minerva noticed him looking at the certificate, but he wasn't very successful.

As Poppy went on talking, Albus realized that wasn't the section that she was referring to. "This little boy is in need of a name. What were you planning to call him?"

Minerva's hand found its way to the baby's curled fist. "I don't have a name picked out. I…I only ever thought about girl's names. By the time you told me the baby was going to be a boy, with the complications … I wouldn't allow myself to start thinking about the future."

As Minerva kept speaking, Albus moved his hand to cover hers in a gesture of comfort … and apology.

"I don't have anything ready for him. No name, no crib, no clothes, no diapers, not even any of the little pink dresses. I sent them all back."

"I'll take care of all that." Albus promised. "I'll go today and get everything you will need."

"Nonsense!" Poppy interjected. "What would you know about picking out baby things?"

Albus was beginning to find Poppy's presence rather irksome. Now he wished she would just leave so they could be alone. "I think I could manage –"

Squeezing his hand, Minerva interrupted him. "I'd rather Poppy went." She turned to face the nurse. "Poppy, I'm sure you would know just what to get."

Albus wasn't sure what to make of Minerva's mixed signals; rejecting his offer, yet squeezing his hand.

"True." Poppy gave him a smug look. "I would know exactly what to get, but you know I can't leave you all alone."

When Minerva again nudged his hand, Albus got what Minerva was trying for. He tried to hold back his smile as he offered to remain sans Poppy. "I have no pressing matters at the moment. I could stay to keep an eye on them until you return."

"All right." Excited at the prospect of shopping, Poppy agreed. "But first we need to finish filling this out."

His buoyant mood collapsed as his attention was again drawn to the form, but looking down at the babe contentedly sleeping in his arms, he knew the omission was necessary. What ever sacrifices needed to be made to ensure the safety of Minerva and their no name baby, he was willing to make them.

Minerva gently intruded on his thoughts. "Albus, can you think of any names?"

Albus hesitated a moment before responding. "I've always been rather fond of the name Waldorf myself. If I had a son that would be the name I would choose for him."

"Waldorf?" By her grimace he knew it was not a name she would have chosen herself, but she was making an effort to involve him. "What a...lovely name…Waldorf."

Poppy didn't seem to care for the name much either. "You know we really don't need to do this right now. If you would like some more time to think on it…"

"No," The look Minerva was giving the baby was almost apologetic. "I think it suits him."

"Waldorf it is then." Poppy sounded less than enthralled as she bent to fill in the last blank on the certificate.

Straightening back up, Poppy bit her lip. "Now about that owl you wanted sent to Alastor."

"What owl to Alastor?" Albus saw the curt movement of her head that Minerva made - she was trying to get Poppy to drop the subject. "What owl to Alastor?" Albus repeated.

Poppy missed Minerva's signal or else didn't care. "Minerva has decided that she would like totake Alastor up on his offer."

"Yes, well, never mind that right now, Poppy." To Albus, Minerva suddenly seemed quite shifty eyed. "Right now we need to worry about getting some clothes and a place to sleep for …" Minerva wore a distasteful expression as she said the word. "… Waldorf."

As soon as Poppy was out the door, Albus stated in disbelief. "You were going to marry Alastor?"

"No! Not that offer! He offered to lend a hand in repairing the wards around my cottage."

Albus wasn't entirely sure he believed her. More than a bit miffed, he made no attempt to cushion the blow. "Well he is a little busy right now planning his wedding to Poppy and besides, there is nothing left to be fixed. Voldemort burned the cottage to the ground!"

Minerva gasped. "That's not true! You're making that up!"

Albus was dismayed by her strong reaction. Was it because of the news of Alastor and Poppy?

Her next words assured him that that was not the case. "I was just there a few weeks ago!"

"Why do you think he did it?" Albus retorted.

Frowning Minerva went quiet.

Albus asked hesitantly. "You weren't still planning to leave Hogwarts to live there, were you?"

Minerva seemed to still be a bit put off, perhaps because of the way he had broken the news. She snapped in response. "No, but I still would have preferred it not be burnt to the ground!"

Fair enough, a more cheerful Albus had to concede.

Minerva held out her arms for the baby. "You've held him long enough. Let me have him."

Albus objected. "I'm not done yet."

"You really are. It's my turn."

Albus shook his head. "My turn isn't over yet."

Minerva still had her arms out. "Which one of us carried him for the last nine months?"

"Ah," Albus countered, "But that is precisely why I should get to hold him now. You've already taken a very long turn."

Whatever no doubt witty response Minerva would have had to that, Albus never got to hear. Getting Poppy out of their way had also gotten her out of the way of everyone else who wanted to sneak a peak at the baby.

"What are you going to call him?" Pomona asked.

"Waldorf. Albus helped me pick it out."

Kettleburn derided the choice. "Albus, I can see why you don't have any children. Let me hold it."

"No." Albus didn't really want Kettleburn in the same room as his child, never mind touching him.

Kettleburn insisted. "I just want to see it."

Albus offered only one word in response. "No."

He offered the same response to both Pomona and Filius. Filch didn't even try.

"Let me hold him." Minerva insisted.

Relenting at last, Albus relinquished the baby.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Filius produced from his robe pocket the two parcels that Albus had seen earlier.

Unwrapping one of the parcels, Minerva raised an eyebrow. "Ice mice."

If Minerva didn't think much of the first present, she seemed at first sight to despise the second. Turning it over in her hands, she offered an insincere 'How considerate' before setting it atop the paper wrappings – no doubt hoping the toy kneazle would be discarded with the other rubbish.

Not having any of that, Filius picked it back up and gave it directly to the intended recipient. Much to Minerva's dislike, the baby immediately seemed to take a liking to it. He turned to rest his cheek against the soft fur.

"Suffocation hazard." Minerva declared plucking it from the baby's grasp.

"Charmed against it." Filius countered in a forced cheerful voice as he returned the toy to the baby.

Albus wasn't sure if the evil eye Minerva was casting was directed at the toy or Filius. Either way, with a mock yawn, she cut the visit short. "It was wonderful of you all to stop by, but I fear it's a bit early for visitors still. We're still both quite exhausted."

Albus was glad to be rid of them. Another time, he might have enjoyed their company, but right now he wished a bit of privacy to speak openly with Minerva and bask in the magnificence of their new son.

After ushering them to the door, he returned to find Minerva with her eyes closed, pretending to be asleep.

"It's all right, they're gone. You don't have to pretend to be tired anymore."

Not getting a response – even after several nudges – he realized she hadn't been pretending.

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Albus looked around the half packed room one last time. "So you have everything you need?"

Minerva eyed him as she answered. "Almost." Filius, Poppy, and Pomona had also shown up to see her and the baby off, so Minerva could elaborate no further. Still Albus knew the kiss she pressed to the top of their baby's head was intended for him.

Filius spoke the words that Albus himself was feeling. "I can't believe you and the baby are leaving! Are you sure you won't stay?"

Minerva looked to Albus, not Filius, as she answered. "It's just for the summer. We'll be back when classes start."

Poppy decided to join in. "Where are you going? And I don't understand why you are going in the first place! The castle has wards and incantations. Where ever you are going can't possibly be as safe as here!"

Seeing that Minerva was getting a bit overwhelmed with all the questions, Albus stepped in to try to end it. "I made all the arrangements, including the portkey, myself. Their destination is known only to Minerva and myself and I assure you, it is every bit as safe as the castle."

"If it's only as safe as the castle, why go through all the bother?"

Minerva hesitated not wanting to hurt anyone's feelings. "I think … we'd like some time to be alone together."

That put a damper on the conversation, but Filius soon started a new topic. "What about a fresh nappy for the road? Please, allow me."

"I just changed him not long ago."

"Oh." Filius sounded disproportionately disappointed. "Still, you never can be too sure." Without another word, Filius and the other ladies absconded with the baby to the changing table in the next room.

Minerva turned her head to keep a watchful eye on the goings on.

Albus took a step closer and put a comforting hand on her shoulder before beginning to speak. "I'll stop by to check on how you two are settling in just as soon as I possibly can." Now that the others were in the next room, he could start to say some of the things that he had been holding back. "I'm going to miss you when you go."

Minerva gave him an odd look, but didn't say anything in response, so Albus began to prompt her. "This is the part where you say that you will miss me too."

Minerva rolled her eyes. "You truly are daft."

"Perhaps," he agreed, "but it's true. I will miss you."

To the unfamiliar eye, Minerva's expression would no doubt appear annoyed or exasperated, but knowing her as well as he did, Albus was able to detect the trace of pleasure at his declarations.

"I suspect you will manage to get over it soon enough."

"Never could I-" As the others returned, Albus found himself unable to continue.

Though very happy to take the baby back from a crestfallen Filius, Minerva looked quite worn. "We're both still a little fatigued. I think it's best we get going now."

When he simply nodded understandingly, Minerva prodded him. "Albus, the portkey, please."

Reluctantly handing over the portkey to Minerva, he stroked the few dark hairs on the baby's head. After a last round of goodbyes were exchanged by all, Albus touched his wand to the portkey, setting it off.

Watching that portkey go off without him had to be one of the hardest things that Albus had ever had to endure.

Picking up the toy kneazle that Minerva had no doubt deliberately left behind, Albus held it close. He was so overcome with emotion, he had to clear his throat several times to be able to sound something approximating normal when he finally managed to address the others. "If you all will excuse me, I have some paperwork to take care of in my office."

He needn't have concerned himself about trying to sound normal for them.

Poppy and Pomona were on the sofa, seated on either side of a dejected looking Filius, trying to console him.

Leaving the room, still clutching the kneazle, he heard Filius sigh. "Do you think maybe the tail will grow in later?"

Poppy sounded quite skeptical, but refrained from ruling out the possibility. "I suppose anything is possible."