June 3rd, 1998

All she could do was walk away from the unconsolable woman with her infant. She felt no better than a kidnapper. The baby was screaming as if she knew she wasn't going back to her mother's arms.

"Please give me back my baby! I want my baby."

Minerva escaped into Kingsley's office and shut the door but it did nothing to ease the screams coming from the other side.

"Hope! Minerva! I changed my mind! I need my baby, please!"

The next noise she heard was just an anguished scream from Tonks. The only time Minerva had ever heard a similar scream was when she had to deliver the news of the deaths of students to their parents after the war a month ago. It was a cry that only a parent who lost their child could make.

Minerva fought back tears. She wasn't an overly emotional person but the sight of Tonks just crumpling to the floor after she had taken her baby would haunt her forever. Remus had remained silent just letting the tears stream down his face as he also dropped to the floor in an effort to calm his wife. Even though Remus had his arms tightly woven around her, Minerva could still hear Tonks screams.

When the screaming in the hallway completely stopped, due to most likely Tonks and Remus being lead away from that area to undergo an obliviation, Minerva dropped into the chair in front of the desk and could focus more energy on the baby she was holding. Her hair flashed all different colors as she wailed and Minerva tried to do what she could to calm her. Needless to say her attempts were unsuccessful.

She adjusted the blanket Hope was wrapped in and found a small ring tangled in there. It was a beautiful gold ring with a heart made of pink gemstones and the initial N. She knew without a doubt that Tonks had purposefully put the ring there probably as an effort to make sure her daughter had a piece of her. She knew Kingsley would take the ring wanting all traces of the parentage to be hidden. But she couldn't do it. She slipped the ring inside of her robe right as the door to the office opened and Kingsley came in.

Kingsley sat in his chair behind the desk and stared silently at the wall for a few moments. "That was just about the worst sound that I have ever heard a person make."

Minerva didn't answer instead choosing to look down at the baby, who had now possessively wrapped her hand around one of Minerva's fingers. Thankfully this small gesture helped to calm the baby who began to let out whimpers instead of screams as she drifted to sleep.

"What is going to happen to her now?"

"Narcissa Malfoy has agreed to take her in even though she really didn't want to."

Minerva's head jerked to look at Kingsley. "Malfoy? I thought the whole point of taking the baby was to get her away from Tonks and Lupin and keep her safe."

"Narcissa doesn't speak with Andromeda or Tonks. There is no risk of them seeing the infant. The concealment spell would work better if she's in a blood relative's house."

"No."

"Sorry?" Kingsley frowned at her.

"She can not go to that house. Lucius will be out of Azkaban in a couple more years time. They will not be good for her. She will be neglected and abused at the very least verbally and emotionally." Her eyes drifted down to the baby still sleeping. "This situation has already happened once. We can't have another Harry Potter."

"Minerva, she has to go to a house with strong magic. It's the best way to ensure no one can find her true identity. Not to mention there is always a chance as she grows older that she might end up having lycanthropy there have been a few cases of one born and not showing signs until puberty. I'm trying to keep her alive."

Tonks falling to the ground. Tonks begging and pleading to have her baby back. Remus' distraught face as he tried to comfort his wife.

"No." Minerva repeated. She held way to much respect for the couple to be okay with their daughter being placed in a toxic home. "Those two people out there love this baby. They're trusting us to keep her safe. I cannot allow this baby to go to a house where I know she will not thrive and be happy."

Kingsley was silent as he regarded the older woman in front of him. He knew the Malfoy's was not going to be a happy place for the young girl, but she would be fed and have clean clothes and toys. Presumably. Was happiness more important than being alive?

"There is no one else who can take her, Minerva, at least not someone strong enough to hold this charm for the next seventeen years."

"I'll take her." Minerva slammed her mouth shut as the words came out. She hadn't planned to say that. She never really wanted children and she was much older than what would be ideal to having a child. But the more she looked at the baby, the more she wanted to do it.

"You? What about your age? Your job?"

"I am not that old," Minerva countered. "There is no reason she can't come with me to Hogwarts during term. I'm skilled enough to keep her safe. I can do this."

"She can't be around Tonks or Lupin at all. Are you going to be okay with essentially cutting them from your life?"

"If it means keeping their baby safe I am." There was no way she would take a child from a happy home and put her with the Malfoy's. "They did a lot for the war, Kingsley. This is a small way I can thank them."

"Well, she seems to have taken a liking to you."

Her eyes went back to the baby who was still gripping her finger. Her hair had seemed to settle on a light brown color that reminded her of Lupin's hair when he was younger.

She took a deep breath. "It's okay, Hope, I'm going to keep you safe for them."

--

July 14, 2014

"How long is this going to take?"

Minerva looked over at the sixteen year old beside her. "Fifteen minutes at most." They were in the elevator at the Ministry heading to the Auror department where she could leave Hope with Harry while she had a word with Kingsley. She couldn't be any longer than that because she had to make sure they were gone before Tonks arrived at work.

Hope was pacing in the elevator in a way that reminded Minerva of Lupin. She didn't do it for the same reasons that he did though. His pacing was more of a stress conditioning while Hope paced due to having too much energy. Her hair was a line green color today flowing down her back in ringlets.

"You like spending time with Harry," Minerva reminded her as they got off the elevator.

"I do," Hope confirmed. "But I also like getting my new books more than sitting in an office even if it is with someone I like."

Hope loved books. Her collection was massive and took over the entire spare room in their house. She was book smart but also just plain smart. She had aced her O.W.L.S the year before and was on track for whatever career she chose. Though Minerva wished she would actually pick a career already. Her favorite subject was Defense Against the Dark Arts and Minerva had always thought she would make a great Auror.

The teenager also had a deep love of music. If she wasn't reading she was probably writing songs or playing her guitar. Being Headmistress at Hogwarts meant that a lot of their time was spent at the school even during the summer so books and music was how Hope entertained herself when there were no other students around.

"I promise I will be quick," Minerva told her as they entered the right department.

Hope started to make beatboxing music before turning the music into words. "Nan says it'll be quick. Only here for a short lick. Turn this corner and what do I see? Mr H. Potter staring right at me."

"It's a really good thing you have no desire to be a rapper," Harry told the girl as she hopped on his desk planting her butt firmly on his pile of reports. "Here a little early, aren't you, Professor."

"Are you ever going to stop calling me that?" Minerva asked with a smile.

"Probably not," Harry admitted.

"I need to speak with Kingsley, can you keep an eye on her for a few minutes?"

"Of course," Harry answered. "I'd hurry though as the boss will be in soon."

Harry and Ginny were the only two people other than herself and Kingsley who knew Hope's true identity. The Potters knew because they were to take Hope in if something happened to Minerva. The story Hope had grown up with was that her parents were killed in the Battle of Hogwarts and she had taken her in to repay them. But Minerva was so tired of the lie. She loved Hope so much and just wanted the girl to know the truth about who she was.

She knocked on Kingsley's office door and only entered after his greeting. "Morning."

"Good morning, Minerva, nice to see you."

"I think it's time we told Hope the truth," she blurted out.

Kingsley frowned as he regarded the woman. She seemed to be quite anxious about something. Her age had turned her grey hair white still pulled back into a bun as before. "She is almost seventeen. That is when she'll learn the truth like we've always said."

"She keeps asking about them. She wants to know where she came from and I don't blame her for that. I am tired of lying to her about all of this."

Minerva truly was tired of lying to Hope but that wasn't the only reason for wanting her to know the truth. She had been diagnosed with cancer a couple years back and had miraculously managed to enter remission, but now it was back. She hadn't told anyone this news. She didn't know how much longer she would be around and she wanted Hope to hear from her all of the answers to her questions the last sixteen years. Not to mention as soon as she was dead the protection and concealment charm would be broken and she would again become a target. Her biggest fear was that Hope would hate her after learning her parents had never been dead.

"She will be better equipped to handle this information when she's seventeen."

"She's not going to be more mature in a years time. She is ready to know this now."

"Seventeen." The one word was said in a tone that Minerva knew meant that was his final decision.

"What does this prophecy even claim?"

Kingsley shrugged his shoulders. "I have no idea. I haven't heard it."

Minerva's frown deepened. "I thought you knew it." She was looking out the window at the desks of the Auror's. Harry was still the only one currently at work.

"I was told about it and given minimal information about it from the person who heard the prophecy from the seer's mouth. That information is what I used to decide she needed to be protected."

"Who told you about it?"

"Severus Snape."

Minerva turned sharply to look at Kingsley. "Severus Snape? Why would you believe him?"

"The prophecy is here in the Ministry so there had to have been one spoken. When Hope is seventeen she will be allowed to listen to it and know what it entails."

"Why would Snape want to save this child though? He hates Lupin."

"Lupin saved his life during the Battle of Hogwarts. Snape felt this would repay that debt. If Lupin had not saved him, he never would have told anyone about the prophecy and Hope would more than likely be dead right now."

Minerva looked at the time, it wouldnt be long before Tonks turned up.

--

"Ginny wants to know what you want for dinner on Friday."

Hope looked thoughtful for a moment. "Hmm...something with meat. Other than that specification anything will work.

Hope spent a lot of time at Harry and Ginny's house, especially during school breaks. As her godfather, Harry and Hope had formed a close relationship over the years. The girl sat quietly on his desk which was a very unusual occurrence for her.

"Are you okay, Hope?"

"Do you think Nan is okay?"

Harry leaned back in his chair and shrugged. "She seems like she's fine."

Hope picked at a spare piece of paper on his desk her brows furrowed in concentration. "She's been sleeping a lot. If I don't have dinner ready by six she'll usually go to bed without eating. It reminds me of before when she was sick. I'm scared for her," she whispered.

Harry stood up and wrapped the young girl in his arms. "She's fine, Hope. She would tell you if she wasn't."

Hope smiled against his shoulder. Throughout the years Harry had been almost like a father to her. He had his own kids of course but he made sure to always be there for Hope. Even now he made it a priority to be at every single Quidditch game, though she wasn't sure if that would continue with James going into his second year and planning on trying out for the team. She really hoped that no one who tried out was better than him because she would have a hard time picking James over a better player even though he was like a brother to her.

Harry kissed her forehead before he froze as a familiar voice sounded in the office.

"Wotcher, Harry!" Tonks stopped short when she noticed that he was standing in front of a very young girl who was most definitely not his daughter. "She's a little young, don't you think? Relationships between older men and younger women very seldomly work out."

Harry rolled his eyes at the huge smile that broke out on her face. "Yeah, you would know all about that wouldn't you, Tonks."

"Touche."

He dropped into his chair before explaining more to Hope. "Her husband is thirteen years older than her. She loves to joke about it, well she loves to joke about almost everything."

He took a deep breath. Tonks and Hope weren't supposed to be around each other but there was nothing he could do now except introduce them and hope it didn't ruin anything.

"This is my boss, Tonks. She's head of the department. Tonks, this is McGonagall's daughter, Isabel."

Tonks had started to walk towards the girl to greet her but for the second time in minutes stopped short as she turned and Tonks got a clear view of her face. She knew she was staring but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the girls piercing pale blue ones. She knew those eyes. She saw them every night when she was with her husband. They were the same eyes that she saw in her dreams about the baby.

"Don't call me Isabel, please. No one does. I go by my middle name Hope."

"Hope," Tonks murmured quietly.

Harry wasn't sure what to do. The shock on Tonks' face was clear and it didn't take a genius to figure out why. Hope was almost a carbon copy of her father. She might have gotten her mom's heart shaped face and metamorphagus abilities, but the rest was Lupin.

"Come along, Hope, we have to get to Diagon Alley."

Hope saw her Nan standing behind Tonks and nodded with a wide smile. "Time to get some new books," she said in a sing songy voice. "Bye Harry."

"Bye," the man replied still watching Tonks.

"It was nice to meet you," Hope told the woman as she passed her in order to leave the office. She hadn't seen the looks exchanged between Minerva and Harry.

"You too," Tonks said, confusion written on her face as the two disappeared down the hallway. "Who were her parents? She looks so familiar."

Harry shrugged. "I've never been told. A lot of people died in the war." He hated lying to her but it was necessary.

Tonks nodded before she shook her head and ran a hand through the short pink hair on her head. She didn't have a child. That child was not related to them. Remus was right, she was starting to just make up these images of a baby that didn't exist. "Hopefully we will have an easy day today. I didn't get nearly enough sleep last night."

"Work?"

Tonks gave Harry a huge grin. "Nope, just my insatiable thirteen year older husband. His stamina is always best around the full moon."

Harry fake gagged. "And that is what they call too much information." His smile made it clear that his harsh tone was a joke.

Tonks winked at him before heading towards her office. Just think about work and Remus and not the young blue eyed witch that she had just met.

--

Minerva sat heavily on her bed, wincing at the pain that wrecked her body. The pain was so much worse this time around. She regretted so many things that had happened today. Tonks saw Hope. That wasn't supposed to have happened for another year. Now Hope and her weren't even talking after a huge fight earlier in the evening about the topic they always fought about lately. The identity of Hope's parents.

However, Minerva had already decided what to do about that. She was done lying, Kingsley would definitely be mad, but she didn't care any longer. She scribbled a quick note on some parchment inviting Lupin and Tonks to dinner the next night and sent the message along with her owl. She already knew they would be heartbroken. They had lost watching their daughter grow up. Minerva had only managed to save three pictures of the three of them together before everything was gone but maybe the pictures would somehow give the Lupins some happiness.

She looked to her doorway to see Hope standing there looking in at her, the girls hair was now a dull light brown color. "Yes, sweetheart?"

Hope didn't answer her. Minerva watched as she came into the room and climbed beside her on the bed. Hope covered up and laid her head gently on Minerva's shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Hope said quietly.

"You don't need to apologize." Minerva kissed her forehead. "You deserve to know about your parents. Soon you will, I promise."

"I don't ask to hurt your feelings. You've raised me."

"You're curious where you came from. It's normal." She thought back to the books Hope bought earlier. "Have you read any of your books yet?" There was one in particular Minerva wanted her to read.

Hope shook her head. "I was trying to write some lyrics for Garrison, but I couldn't come up with anything."

Minerva nodded. She had to bite back a remark about Hope's nineteen year old boyfriend who had a habit of taking Hope's songs and claiming them as his own. She had never liked him especially when he was a student.

"You should read The Pink Werewolf first."

Hope chuckled. "I still think that is such a weird name for a defense book. Why should I read that one first? Have you read it?"

"No, but I know the author."

Hope chewed on her lip as she tried to remember. "Remus Lupin?"

Minerva nodded. "He's married to that witch you met this morning, Nymphadora Tonks. They're good friends of mine."

"Nymphadora? I guess I can't complain about Isabel anymore."

Minerva smiled as she knew Hope was joking. She gave Hope her mother's name of Isabel but for some reason the girl had always only answered to Hope. "She hates it. That's why she goes by her surname."

"Why have I never met them?" Hope thought back to the pink haired witch. When she had looked at her, she had felt like she knew her. However, she knew that they hadn't ever met.

"You always had plans when I met up with them."

"Is he good at Defense?"

"He's very good at it. He taught for a year at Hogwarts when Harry was in his third year. He was an excellent teacher. I was quite sad when he resigned."

"Why did he quit?"

Minerva sighed. "Politics."

"I really am sorry for yelling at you earlier. I feel like I'm getting more angry lately about everything and I don't even know why."

That sounded a lot like Lupin. It was a trait of werewolves to be angrier and more aggressive. While Hope had some traits of her parents she had never had a werewolf trait as far as Minerva knew. Maybe the lycanthropy gene hadn't missed her.

"Can I sleep in here tonight?"

"Of course."

"I love you, Nan." Hope hadn't moved from her position on Minerva's shoulder.

The older woman laid her head against her adopted daughter's head. "I love you too, sweet girl."

After the girl fell asleep, Minerva gently pulled her arm out from under her. She reached into the drawer beside her bed and pulled out a pain potion. Her whole body ached terribly. Hope would be so mad at her when she found out her illness was back. She snuck out of the bedroom and into her office.

Three written letters later she signed names onto the envelopes, Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks, Harry Potter, and Isabel Hope. She put them in one of the secret compartment of the drawers where she hid the pictures of Remus, Tonks, and baby Hope. They were there just in case something happened.

"Just in case," she whispered to herself before she made her way back to her bed.

She sat down wincing at the pain of movement. The pain potion had helped a little but no where near enough to where she was comfortable. She cautiously wrapped her arms around Hope and turned out the light heading into a painless sleep.