Chapter 14: The one where I wake up to home.

Disclaimer: I am just a mere visitor in the sublime world constructed by J.K Rowling. Anything that rings a bell is hers.

A/N: It's a bit hard saying great great great grandchild so when I say Ky is Dumbledore's granddaughter take it for granted that I mean great great great granddaughter. Forgive my laziness. Enjoy

Nipote- granddaughter in Italian

Zia- aunt in Italian

Zio- uncle in Italian

Zia Mona is Professor Sprout

Chapter 13

I woke up the next morning feeling replenished and fresh. After last night's minor setback, I went up to the room and practiced Defence Against the Dark Arts spells until I collapsed on my bed from exhaustion. Preparing for third year exams wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Some subjects were a bit harder to grasp than others, but I thrived off a challenge. Most of the teachers seemed happy with my progress, but they, just like I did, chalked it up to being the granddaughter to the fabulous Albus Dumbledore.

I read somewhere that children that grew up in adverse circumstances acclimatized to change faster and had a compensatory heightened cognitive function due to having to try harder than children that didn't grow up with much to worry about. But then what did I really have to worry about? Linus and Lenzo made sure I had everything I needed. That theory explains their natural talent, but mine? Or maybe all witches are this attuned to their skill; I'm just judging that I was doing well by the remarks of a few teachers. Maybe I'm perfectly average. I know I had pretty decent recall in general, however Linus always told me, there's no use being able to remember the details if you don't know how to use it to your advantage.

I probably should get out of bed, get dressed and start with Herbology. I just couldn't stop staring up at the beautiful Summer sky. The British weather wasn't as bad as everybody said it would be. I mean the sky was a calming blue and there wasn't much cloud cover. It was hypnotising me to sink lower in the soft bed, chaining me by its comfort. Wait…. why could I see the sky above me!

I shot up and continued to look at the canopy, which was usually just red silk but was now most definitely the sky. Just like the Great Hall. I tore my eyes away from the bizarreness and seemed to sink deeper into the rabbit hole with every glance I took.

I jumped up in realization and squealed in excitement! There was the mesmerising chandelier, but its green emeralds where swapped for sparkling diamonds. There was the enchanting vanity, but what was once silver, was now white marble. The four poster was now a white plush mattress with black lace bed curtains, with beautiful red and green silk pillows that tastefully added a shock of colour. I didn't bother about bathing or even brushing my teeth and shot out of the room like Road Runner.

When I ran in everybody was seated for breakfast and I bounded on my victim, who was making his way out of the Great Hall.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you. You are the absolute best!" And with each shout of gratitude, I kissed his cheek. He laughed at me, his beard shaking.

"As much as I'd love to take all the claim for this accomplishment nipote, I cannot. This was actually Severus' and Minerva's doing."

I rushed over to Zia Minnie and gave her a peck on her cheek. She smiled slightly,

"Oh, Zia Minnie, I adore it, thank you so much! And Sensei Sev! "I said, wrapping my arms around his neck whilst he was sitting. He stiffened from the contact but that didn't stop me, "I knew all that mirth and sarcasm was just a cover up for utter adoration."

"No, the mirth and sarcasm was just a cover up for killer intent. And don't get ahead of yourself; I was just a spare set of hands that Minerva requested."

"A spare set of hands that challenged me at every decision. I wanted to dress the room in Gryffindor scarlet and gold, but everything I changed he magicked back to green." Minnie said smiling at Sev's continued discomfort as I still didn't let go of his neck.

"Well, that's Slytherin territory and I won't have you tarnishing it with those demonic colours."

"But I thought you said that that was too far away from you and Zia, not that I am complaining but what made you change your mind?" Nonno smiled at me and then Sev.

"Well, that was before someone volunteered to help with your guardianship."

"I offered no such thing. I knew that you would be in a tyrant of a mood being the spoiled brat I am sure you are. And then you'd take out all your wretchedness on me, and I really wanted to get some reading done today. And I knew the Old Fool would give into your whims anyway, what with the way his face dissolved after you left. I decided to cut to the chase. And this by no stretch of that deluded corrupt imagination of yours means that you can just barge into my office at ungodly hours insisting I protect you from the boogie man. I told the Headmaster I would be responsible for ensuring that you don't sneak boys in whilst school is on, and that if someone tries to assassinate you, I can be there to point them in the right direction. I don't know where guardianship came about."

"Maybe he added it in like how you added sneaking boys in whilst term commences." Zia still had that amused smile on her face; she was enjoying this too much. "As I recall Albus said, 'someone to ensure that if anything happens, as things tend to at Hogwarts, that would be near to assist.' Seems very guardian like off you to add the other parts in Severus."

Sev stood and I let go of him, "I won't sit here and have my actions dissected any further. All I wanted was to levitate you onto that cobwebbed bed, so you do not suffocate me with your incessant whining today. Then Minerva comes along with her, 'sanitation' and 'colour scheme' and 'dust is bad for children'. I knew I would end up regretting this decision, and thanks so much Albus for keeping this between the three of us. The Wizarding World is in such great hands knowing their saviour is as steadfast with secrets as a Gringotts vault." He muttered all this whilst walking out, making his way to the dungeons. I looked down at his plate and saw all the veggies remaining.

"Dramatic exit just to distract from the fact that he didn't eat his veggies. He is a sly one he is." Nonno laughed at me and made his exit. I looked at Zia Minnie, "But really, thank you. You didn't have to; I was fine with the old room. I guess I just wanted the room as a kind of souvenir of my first Hogwarts adventure. And I actually like the colour scheme. All the brightness of day yet still retaining all the mystery of being down in the dungeons."

"Well, you have Filius and Mona to thank for that." She said, with the slightest hint of a blush on her face.

Zia Mona laughed at Minnie. "If we hadn't, Severus and you would have destroyed the dungeons. They were a few seconds from casting, weren't they Fil?"

Flitwick laughed, "Don't remember them fighting over something so strongly since the House Cup three years ago."

"He wanted to make everything green! And a ghastly one at that too. He seems to think you'll be put into Slytherin, says you're too sly for Gryffindor, too evil for Hufflepuff and too dumb for Ravenclaw."

I laughed at that, that does sound like something Sev would say. "Well, I don't really mind whichever one it is, I can tell that I would be in good hands either way." I smiled up at all of them and began breakfast. "And no need to be so modest Zio Fil, I know it could only be you that enchanted the canvas." He looked at me puzzled.

Minnie cut in, "Actually it wasn't. That's the way it was when we got there. A point Severus rubbed in continuously. He seems to think that that proves that the enchantment on the Great Hall ceiling must therefore have been Salazar Slytherin's wandwork. He went on and on about it being one of the famous things in Hogwarts, and it was accomplished by a Slytherin. I tried to tell him that Godric could have easily just taught him the spell…"

"Or Helga."

"Or Rowena."

"You guys really take this House thing seriously, don't you?" I looked at the three amused.

Zio Fil smiled down at me, "Well you see, your House will become like your family Ky. Your best friends would probably be from your own House."

"Well not necessarily Filius. Mona and I were very good friends in school, and we were from different houses."

"You know each other from school years? That's amazing. So, tell me Zia Mona, was Minnie a naughty girl in school. Did she make the boys go loco?" I laughed, moving my eyebrows suggestively.

"I, unlike you, knew how a young lady should carry herself."

"Oh yes Ky, she sure did. Carried herself right into that broom closet on the second floor with Edward Mc…."

"Mona!" She said cutting Zia Mona off! She looked at me, trying to cut my laughter off with her steely gaze, "Edward McDonald was Head Boy at the time, I was Head Girl. We were looking for this group of boys that snuck out whilst on duty and somebody locked us in there. And no, alohomora, didn't work. So, we had to wait in that cupboard all night. Edward was a perfect gentleman."

"I'll be taking my leave; I see where this conversation is going. Ky, pleasant day."

"Thanks, Zio Fil! Same to you."

"We better get a move on Ky. We've got a lot to cover today." Zia Mona Zia said rising from her seat.

"Will you be joining us, Zia Minnie? I know all you'll be doing is correcting Transfiguration articles up in your room, at least now you can do it and get some vitamin D."

"I'll come along, but don't think I don't see what you're doing. There will be no more talk of Edward McDonald."

"Or Reggie Fenderson. He had the mightiest crush on her."

"Mona!"

I laughed and looped my hands through their arms and walked to Herbology. I didn't miss that Zia Minnie's initial reaction of stiffened resistance, softened considerably after a second or two.

Progress.

Reviews appreciated greatly.

Kalina