Hello loves, I hope you like this short little chapter.
Chapter 1
September 19, 1988, McGonagall Manor
In the centre of a small darkened room nearest to the stone wall a large fireplace suddenly roared to life, illuminating the area in a warm gentle glow. Hot flames gently licked away at a small stack of wood causing a pop to sound off every now and again. At the far end of the room, Professor McGonagall glanced up whilst pouring a small cup of evening tea towards the fireplace and sighed in contentment. Drinking of her a cup of family's own special blended tea and what Albus coined as 'fire watching' had become her favorite way to relax these days. Of course the habit was not exactly new to her all English women began picking up the habit once they had reached a certain age. Taking a sip, her face scrunched in disgust as the bitter hot liquid made contact with her tongue. Mentally, she cursed Poppy for making her promise to cut down on the amount of sugar and milk she consumed. She shook her head in disgust. How in Godric's name was she supposed to drink this? Glancing down at the cup, Minerva frowned then sighed in defeat and carried it to the side table, gently she placed it down. She glided over to a nearby chair and gracefully sat down. Once situated, she once again moved her gaze back to the inferno and a random memory came forth. One that included a piece of advice her father told her older brothers years before.
The elder man had been sitting in his favorite black leather and mahogany chair whilst staring straight into the very fireplace that Minerva was gazing into now when he suddenly let out a deep ragged breath. "Women, my dear lads, are like those flames." He gestured to the fire by the movement of an index finger off of his scotch tumbler. "Their beauty will drawl you in close, so close that you will feel their warming caress but as you finally work up the courage to touch them." Hard emerald eyes narrowed to slits "They'll burn you."
Of course at the time Minerva, whom was only six, was ignorant of the meaning behind her father's words. It was a good many years afterward until she finally worked up enough courage to question her eldest brother Micheal. His answer was spat out in a series of swears and broken sentences, something about their mother being a whore and running off with some half bloodied rich bastard. Minerva, however, did not know how to feel about this new information on one hand she was sort of pleased that a woman like that didn't get a chance to raise her but on the other she felt ashamed of the whore's blood was running through her veins.
Lost in a sea of thoughts, she suddenly was startled back to the present by sharp knock at the door. Quickly, she grasped the wand strapped underneath heavy robes and crept cautiously toward the noise. She opened it just enough for emerald green eyes to peek out. There, merely inches for the entrance stood a figure blanketed from head to toe in a long deep blue robe.
With the wand trained directly on the dark clad form she wearily pulled the heavy oak door open all the way. Suspiciously, she eyed the person up and down before reluctantly deciding to offer him/her entrance. Opening thin pink lips, she was just about to question their agenda when the other person's voice broke through the silence. "Professor McGonagall it-it has been a long time. May I please come in?"
Recolonization dawned but Minerva dared not lower the wand still grasped in white knuckles. "Narcissa Malfoy?"
The hooded head nodded.
Cat-like eyes narrowed in farther suspicion. "What in Godric's name do you want?" She never really heard anything bad about the youngest Black sister but other hand neither did she hear anything good. The only thing she knew about her was limited to how the younger witch acted in Hogwarts. Narcissa was the quietest of the Blacks, she used to move through the halls like a ghost and only spoke when called upon.
Stepping forward Narcissa once again pleaded. "Please, let me in."
"Alright then but if I suspect anything sinister Mrs. Malfoy I shan't hesitate to hex you." Minerva warned in a cold voice, sending spites of fear up and down Narcissa's spine.
As she strode past, Minerva noticed for the first time that the younger witch was carrying something. With emerald eyes glued to the smallish lump protruding underneath the dark fabric, Minerva cursed herself for so careless. Daft old cow she scolded how could you not notice that she has not attempted to remove her hood. Raising her wand once more she jabbed the tip into the flesh of Narcissa's chest "What are you holding?" She demanded and as if on cue, a weak muffled cry rang out, startling both witches.
With a slightly shaky hand, Narcissa carefully placed a hand on the wand and pushed it downward and away from her person. She then moved the hand to the opening of the dark cloak. "This-" She carefully removed the thick fabric away revealing a baby that couldn't be more than a few days old wrapped in emerald silk. "This is the reason why I came to you."
Amazed, Minerva could do nothing but stare at the sleeping infant. The child had skin so pale that it was almost see through and from what little tuff of hair Minerva could see she could only presume that the color must be a golden brown. The baby looked so much like porcelain doll that when she finally moved it caused the animigus to jump. The small face scrunched up in displeasure at being handled.
Minerva reached over toward the child and ran an index finger over a warm pale cheek soothing the young one instantly. "Whose-Bellatrix's" Narcissa interrupted walking slowly away from the older witch towards the fireplace.
The elder witch's eyes widened to the size of saucers and hastily she trailed after the younger woman as an endless sea of questions flooded the tip of a curious tongue. The baby was Bellatrix LeStrange's. Minerva visibly shuddered and images of the last run in with the deranged woman took control over her mind.
She and few others of the Order had been on a mission to find information on numerous bodies of muggles found in and along several streets of London. They were found with no signs of struggle or fowl play of any kind. Of course the order knew the reason why. All of the muggles had been cursed by Avada Kedavra the killing curse. Which could mean only one thing deatheaters.
It was when Minerva was crouched over the broken body of what she assumed was a muggle man that she was captured by Bellatrix. The dark witch had crept up behind her and shot her with a stunner causing Minerva to go down like a ton of bricks. When she had finally awoken she found herself naked and chained upright with her back fully pressed into a cold stone wall of what appeared to be some type of jail cell.
For what seemed like an eternity, she remained fully conscious alone with nothing but the occasional rat and her mind for company before she finally came. First she taunted her with the usual name calling and threats but when that did not work the cursing and touching began. For the next few hours that woman or should she call her a demon violated her in more ways than any man could ever dream of until one day she just up and left. In the pitch darkness, alone once more the days seemed to drag onward. Until she began to actually scream for Bellatrix to come back. But when her pleas remained unheard madness began to creep in and that's when the voices came. They whispered of suicide and sweet relief. Beckoned her to bite at her wrists or to slam her head against the unforgiving stone wall until it cracked open like a pumpkin. And that's how Albus found her huddled in the corner with knees drawled up to a barely breathing chest and nibbling on a emaciated wrist until blood was dripping down her chin.
Minerva shook her head to rid it of the invading unwelcome memories. "Ho-how could that be? She's been in Azkaban for over a year." She questioned, inwardly cringing at how pathetic her voice came out.
Narcissa turned to face the older witch once more. "Honestly, I don't know the details I only received a letter this morning informing me to come to Azkaban quickly." She sighed heavily. "And that my sister needed me but when I arrived there was a young guard standing near the gate holding this baby.
Minerva furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Well, did you at least question him?"
Narcissa nodded. "I attempted to but unfortunately he could only tell me that it was Bellatrix's and a girl."
"What are you planning on doing with her?"
"I-" She paused letting out a ragged breath "I want you to take her." Minerva's mouth fell open to argue only to be silenced by a raised her hand. "I didn't mean for you to rear her yourself, Professor. The true reason I came to you is that I have no knowledge of the muggle world and she needs to be brought to an orphanage. Preferably a muggle one." Narcissa added the last through gritted teeth.
This surprised the older witch because not just the Blacks but pure bloods in general were notorious for their prejudices against muggles, mudbloods, and halfbloods. "If your family is as pure and honorable as I've heard then why bring the child to a muggle shelter?"
"Do not play the daft fool, Professor." Narcissa scowled and stared the older witch down with hardened blue irises. "You know as well as I that if people got wind that this child is indeed Bellatrix's child then they would no doubt seek her out for their own petty revenges." She spat out then sighed heavily in emotional exhaustion. "I can not protect her all the time and eventually someone would find a way to kill her."
"Then why come to me of all people? Why not Dumbledore?"
"Because Dumbledore is a manipulative old fool. He places and plays human beings like chess pieces and I can not, will not allow my niece to become one of his pawns."
"Do you have any idea of what your beloved sister did to me!?"
Narcissa looked her dead in the eye without hesitation. "Yes, but I trust your unbiased nature. I know you won't harm a child simply because of whose blood runs in their veins."
Emerald gazed deeply into icy blue then down to the sleeping child pressed against Narcissa's chest and as if she felt someone observing her the baby wiggled and squirmed a bit. It's not her fault. It never will be. Minerva took in a much needed calming breath and let through her nostrils. "Alright."
TBC...
AN: Please, tell me how you think this should go. Should Minerva keep the child or should she bring it to the orphanage?