A/N: What's this you see? An author? Back from the dead?! Tis me dear readers, I arise like a phoenix, I just hope all of you are still around to delight in this little story of mine! It's been a little while, life gets in the way, you know. But starting today, we're getting a schedule going and becoming accountable for every word I write. No less than 500 words a day - which is nothing really, and totally achievable. Next stop. Age of Healing, Ch24.
This chapter has NOT been beta-ed by my awesome beta Spin, cos she was asleep when I finished it and I'm sick of looking at it. Love you guys. Thanks for sticking by me and not leaving. Special love to my love xxx
-0-
The news that Ron had a warrant out for his arrest was not common knowledge. Not even a week after Minerva had alerted the Auror department of his crimes. He had gone into hiding and she knew Harry wanted desperately to be the one to bring him in. The Auror department had complied with his request – as they did with most requests Harry Potter made - and left him to it, passing his other duties to other Aurors.
Harry's appearance on Minerva's sofa was a regular occurrence, sharing details he shouldn't be sharing with her, to help understand what had made his friend snap in such a way.
"Harry, I can only tell you what I have told you many times before. War damages people in ways that are sometimes never obvious until something happens," she walked over to the Álainn's room, checking that she was sleeping soundly. Minerva shut the door and poured herself a glass of brandy before joining Harry once more on the sofa.
"Like Hermione, you mean."
Minerva sighed and took a sip, savouring the warmth before answering.
"Oh, I think Hermione had trouble the minute the war ended. I was just too absorbed with my own troubles I could not see hers."
"Something nobody can fault you for," Harry mumbled.
"And yet, nothing you say will ever absolve me from my guilt."
"How is Molly?" Harry changed the subject.
"She is on a treatment, though they are unsure as to how much damage there will be, owing to the unknown dosages," Minerva rubbed her forehead. "If we can interrogate Ron, then William can better instruct his physicians to treat her."
"I'm trying," Harry growled.
"I know, my boy," Minerva touched his knee. "I know."
"And Arthur?" he asked, surprising her. She thought it entirely possible he would have heard more regarding Arthur's progress than she.
"I've been trying not to ask. Given my personal connection."
"Keeping your eyes on the prize," she nodded. "A good idea."
"I should go," Harry said after a time. "There's evidence he escaped to Bulgaria, but he's proving hard to track."
"Harry," Minerva said, cupping his cheek. "This man was your friend and your closest ally for a while. like he thinks, not like you do. We both know that you are not of the same intellectual calibre."
Harry chuckled and pulled her into a hug.
"Thanks Minerva."
"You're welcome," she winked. "Don't worry about us here. Focus on apprehending him, and then we can all get back to normal."
"Even Hermione?" he glanced towards the closed door.
"She is due another potion," Minerva said regretfully. "This one more powerful than the last. I have no idea how old she will be when you next see her."
"That will hurt her, no?" he asked quietly.
"I'm hoping to take her to my cottage where she can be cared for privately."
"Should I ask the great Minerva McGonagall where this cottage is?" he laughed.
"You would have to ask Filius," she smiled. "As he is my secret keeper."
"I will pop in and see him before I leave then," Harry stood, holding out his hand and pulling her up off the sofa with him. "Thank you for your counsel Professor."
"Thank you for your candour," she smiled, kissing his hair. "I'm afraid if you were to owl, I could not reply."
"I understand," he said, straightening his Auror cloak. "Goodnight Minerva."
"Goodnight Harry."
He left ia the stairs this time, in order to catch up with Filius before he left, and she shut and locked the door before turning down the fire and checking on Hermione again before she turned in herself. Harry had given her a lot to think about.
-0-
"Mama?"
Minerva smiled as she stirred. She was quite sure that nothing could be better than being awoken by the innocent little voice that was Álainn's every morning, even if it was incredibly early.
"Álainn, little love, why are you up so early all the time?" she asked, wondering if the little girl would be able to answer.
"There's so much to do Mama," she said with her over the top, exasperated voice. "So much to learn I need to knows things."
Minerva chuckled and offered the warm space under the covers where Álainn might snuggle for a moment. It was heartily accepted and Minerva was content to have a small cuddle before Álainn began twitching again.
"All right little one, let's get up."
"Will you teach me to change a teacup today?"
"No love," Minerva said, brushing Álainn's hair from her eyes. "Today we need to pack for our trip."
"We going away?" Álainn asked. "Toge'v'er?"
"Yes love. To my house, near the water."
"Is it in Scotland Is it near a loch? Will we see any water kelpies?"
"Gracious, I dearly hope not," Minerva mumbled. "Remind me when you're older to tell you about the Cù Sìth that we saw one day when you were naught but a babe."
"Yes Mama," Hermione smiled. She skipped off into the living room and picked up the long suffering Minnie cat and turned with great pride. "I ready Mama."
"Sweetheart, I think Minnie would prefer to stay here, so that she can play with her friends."
"No, she wants to come wiv me. She told me so."
Albus and Severus both sniggered quietly in the background as she took a deep breath and looked at the cat. As only Minerva could see, Minnie the cat seemed resigned to her fate, so Minerva shrugged and agreed.
"We will let Winky take her though. I doubt Minnie will enjoy travelling via Floo as much as you do sweetheart."
Hermione agreed and put Minnie down again, patting the cat's head a bit too forcefully for Minerva's liking.
"I will instruct Draco to package it up and bring it to you," Severus said, leaving his portrait for that very purpose.
"Do you have someone coming to help you?" Albus asked as they watched Álainn playing.
"William is sending a nurse that he trusts with his life. I do not doubt him. Filius is completing the arrangements as we speak I believe."
"Excellent, good luck my dear," he said in that way that he did. She smiled at him and gathered as much of her immediate paperwork as she could, figuring that while Álainn slept, she would busy herself. She wasn't sure how successful she'd be, but it was a thought.
"Álainn? Are you ready?"
"Yes Mama," Álainn called, skipping into the room with her school backpack on her shoulders.
"Let's go then," she said with a smile, holding out her hand. They stood in the green flames, Álainn tucked firmly in front of her and between her legs. "Ready?" she asked. Álainn tightened her grip on Minerva's cloak unnecessarily as Minerva had put a sticking charm on the two of them to make sure there wouldn't be any grate accidents. "Thistledown Cottage."
They were whisked away promptly, through noisy, then silent grates. It wasn't a short journey, but up in the highlands, there were a great many grates to pass by when they finally spun out of the grate," Minerva cancelling the sticking charm so they wouldn't topple over.
"Go and put your things away Álainn, then we'll have tea and cake."
"Cake!" Álainn squealed, running out of the door then back in again. "Mama? Where do I sleep?"
Minerva scoffed at herself and shook her head.
"I'm sorry little one, here, I will show you."
She walked Álainn down the short corridor to a room that had been simply a spare room previously.
"II know it's not like your room now, but we will decorate it tomorrow."
"Yes Mama," she said happily.
Minerva stood for a moment watching, before leaving to fulfil her promise of cake. Baking was not her strong suit, but she could make a passable carrot cake when she needed to, and knowing carrot cake was Hermione's favourite at least was a great help. She hoped it translated to Álainn's too.
It wasn't long before little footsteps made their little way into the kitchen and Álainn hugged her leg as she poured the batter into the tin.
"You going to magic us a cake Mama?" she asked around a yarn.
Minerva smiled and slid the cake into the oven before hoisting Álainn up into her arms.
"My grandmother used to say that a cake should be baked, rather than magicked. While we wait for that to bake, I would like to talk to you about something." She sat them both on the sofa and pulled Álainn onto her knee.
"It's time isn't it," Álainn said. "For me to grow again?"
"Yes love, it is. This time will be a little different. This time, I'm sorry to say, will most likely hurt."
"Even more than us'al?" Álainn said, her voice wobbling.
"I'm afraid so," Minerva said, rubbing her back.
"What will happen to me? Álainn asked. "Do I have to take it now?"
"No," Minerva said gently. "We'll have tea and cake first."
"And read?" Álainn perked up a little.
"We can definitely read."
They settled on the sofa and cuddled into the soft cushions together while Minerva read. They ate the cake and drank their tea and Minerva found the change of pace was lovely for Minerva, but she could feel the tension coming off the little body curled up on her knee. She ran her fingers through Álainn's riotous curls until she fell asleep, snoring softly.
Minerva, for one fleeting second, wondered if it was possible for them to simply run away. She was immediately disgusted in herself at her cowardice. A mCGonagall, running away. The babe in her arm would make her run from everything though. She would do all that she could for her.
"Mama?"
"Hello my dear," she smiled, pulling Álainn closer.
"I'm ready now," she whispered. "Hermione thinks it's time, even if I want to stay with Mama f'ever."
"My darling, i does not matter how old you are, and whether you call yourself Hermione, or Álainn, I will always love you, and I will always be your Mama."
"Good," Álainn smiled. "I ready now."
Minerva nodded sadly and patted Álainn's bottom to let her up and fetched the box that Draco had packed for her. She withdrew the bottle, frowning at how much there was for Álainn to take. Taking a deep breath, she returned to the sofa where she stood looking at Álainn. She was more and more like Hermione every day, even in her strange growth spurts. Minerva wanted to be able to tell her that this would be the last time she would have to do this, but she could not, would not, fill her with such hope. The thought was so bittersweet.
"If it hurts to bad Mama, will you hold me?" Álainn asked, eyeing the vial warily.
"I will hold you regardless little love," she whispered.
"Okay," Álainn tried to smile.
She took the vial in her hands and turned up her nose.
"When I am a potions mistress all my potions are going taste of chocolate," she said, grinning at Minerva in one last show of cheekiness.
"I have no doubt," Minerva laughed. "You will change the fate of the wizarding world one step at a time."
Minerva watched in distaste as Álainn swallowed the potion in two big gulps, coughing and shivering as the taste assaulted her.
"That was not nice," she complained.
"OKay?" Minerva asked.
"So far," she shrugged. "Will you read to me again?"
"Of course, sweetheart."
They curled up together, reading quietly without incident until Álainn once again, fell asleep.
Minerva wasn't sure whether she had fallen asleep, or had just been lulled into that place between sleeping and awake when a wretched scream tore through the air.
If Minerva could have wailed, like her Animagus form, she would have as the noise seemed to split the night. It took her a moment or two to understand where the noise was even coming from.
She patted the sheets, looking for Álainn, her heart racing as she struggled to untangle the sheets from around her. The little girl wasn't even forming words, just screaming inconsolably. Minerva managed to untangle Álainn's head first, startling at the wild look in the little girl's eyes as Minerva pulled her free.
"I have you Álainn," Minerva said, heaving the child onto her knee. "I have you."
As she held her, Álainn's screams quieted, but Minerva saw that it wasn't due to easing pain. Álainn was grippping her jumper so tightly, Minerva was afraid that there would be holes in it afterwards. She kicked herself for not thinking to call William to be on alert before Álainn had taken the potion.
"Álainn, I must contact Uncle William, he'll know what to do," she tried to disentangle herself, but Álainn's grip was deadlocked. "Álainn?"
Minerva looked down to see Álainn's teeth deadlocked, blood sliding down from her lip where she'd pinched her lip between them. Minerva could feel pure unadulterated panic setting into her heart and it was the single most terrifying feeling she'd ever felt.
"Álainn I don't know what to do!"
"Min, came a voice that she hadn't heard in so very long. "It burns. Everything," Álainn coughed, her voice changing to HErmione's with each syllable.
"Hold on, I need to get William," Minerva said again.
"Don't," Hermione groaned. "It's okay. Just hurts."
"But."
"It's okay," she groaned. "I think this might be the last one I take," Álainn said sadly.
"I think so too," Minerva said, trying to wrap her brain around Álainn's form on her knee and Hermione's voice and thoughts from inside.
"I will be here, no matter what my dear."
"Álainn," Hermione whispered, as she jerked in pain. "Please don't stop calling me Álainn Mama."
Minerva smiled even though there were tears streaming down her face.
"I promise, my little Álainn."
Álainn jerked again and it was only Minerva's quick thinking and wandless magic that saved Álainn from falling off the bed head first. Minerva pushed her quickly onto the bed, conscious of the potential interference that spells sometimes had on potions. She made sure Álainn was in the middle of the bed and run to the fireplace, scrambling for the Floo powder.
"St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Head Mediwizard William Pomfrey," she squealed, disregarding the spilt Floo powder that floated in the air beside her as she dropped to her knees.
"Minerva?"
"I need you quickly. Hermione, Álainn, she's in pain!"
"Calm down, step back and I'll come through."
Minerva did as she was told and stepped back, allowing William's steady form to emerge from the green flames.
"Minerva, we discussed this, we said that there would be pain," William said gently as he checked the writhing child over. "She is as fine as she can be, under the circumstances."
"What do I do?" she asked, the desperation in her voice creeping in to match her wringing hands.
"Just be here, for the whole thing," William said apologetically. "I will come back myself, as soon as you call for me. Send a Patronus, so you do not have to leave her side. It will be alright Min, she will likely not need another dose. If what you say is true and her mind is once again back to where it was, a few years either side won't matter so much."
"I cannot help but mourn a little," Minerva said quietly, as they looked over the fretting Hermione.
"As all do when they look at their growing children I don't doubt. Just rejoice the unique and," he chuckled, "magical experience you get to have with her. You will both cherish it, I know."
"Thank you William," she sighed, accepting the arm squeeze he gave her.
"Take care Min," he said, taking his leave. "I'll send someone through at 10, then a new shift at 5 tomorrow. If you need someone before then, let me know."
She thanked him again and watched him set off into the fire. There were a thousand questions swirling in her brain but she knew nobody had the answers. Nobody that she could find had ever been through this process. The potion that Draco had brewed for them was a first, as far as Severus had explained. Being a portrait meant that he did not have all of his knowledge, only his essence and it frustrated Severus to not have all the answers. Minerva had reminded him that to have some at all was exceptional - it must have meant that he was truly the greatest potions master of his time - something he'd preened over for days. Between Severus and Draco, they had made it work and he and Draco had gained a better understanding of what Hermione may have done. He was holding off giving his ultimate answer to what he thought she may have done until Hermione had all of her thoughts. Minerva knew it would be a nerve wracking night, and she had to prepare for it as best as she could. She transfigured her clothes and summoned the comfy chair from the living room, taking care to weave in a shrinking charm. It would be better to not have to go through the house tomorrow repairing sofa sized holes in the walls. She summoned her - and Álainn's - favourite book, and smiled as Minnie the cat popped into view, cleaning her paws nonchalantly.
As she was preparing to summon the courage to order some muggle food over the telephone, Álainn cried out, and Minerva's eyes nearly bugged out of her head as Álainn's body seemed to bow in half. There were a few disturbing crunches that made Minerva's hair stand on end.
"I'm here Álainn," she said over the noise. "I'm here sweetheart."
Álainn showed no sign that she could hear but her hand gripped Minerva's tightly. Minerva winced at the pain, but it gave her hope that Álainn could hear her at least. There were tears leaking from Álainn's eyes and Minerva crawled up to the head of the bed and Alainn' dropped back to the bed, Minerva gathered up Álainn's hair and ran her fingers through it, putting it up in a bun so it wouldn't get in a mess. Her heart ached for the pain her baby was in, and the pain that she knew Álainn was yet to feel.