Harry Potter 1. Prelude

A/N: I know it's been years since I originally posted this, but I'm going to revamp, and try to finish it if I can! Please reread chapters, if you read them a long time ago, as I'll be going through and correcting some important information (Such as changing Minerva's mother's name to Isobel.)

Minnie's Mistake

Tears had stained her cheeks in the early hours of the morning as she decided on the best course to take…and now those cheeks were pale against the reddened nose and eyes of Minnie's face. She was not quite eighteen, and had only just past her N.E.W.T. at Hogwarts. Her mother had been ecstatic when she'd received A's on nearly all of her exams. She wondered what her mother would think when she learned of Minnie's misfortune…

There could be no doubt, now that she had awakened every day for nearly two weeks and been ill, and no potion she could concoct to settle her stomach had been effective. Minnie fumbled with the buttons of her skirt as she dressed. Already her clothing had grown tight, and she could not be two months along. Hazel eyes rose to look into the mirror and glance at her figure.

She could not recall walking down the stairs, but a few moments later she was standing in front of her mother, wondering how best to break it to her. "Mother?" She spoke timidly, and Isobel looked away from the pot she had just bewitched to stir itself on the stove.

A second's glance upon her daughter's face and she lowered her wand. "What is it, Minnie?"

"Mother, I've…..I'm….th-there's….." But Minnie couldn't seem to get the words out.

Finally Isobel nodded, and led her daughter to a chair at the table. "Sit down, dear, and tell me what's wrong."

Minnie took a deep breath, as tears started dripping down her cheeks again. "I think I'm going to have a baby…" Her hands were clenched together, and her knuckles showed white. How would her mother handle this news? Would she ask about the father?

The color drained from Isobel's face as she studied her daughter's tearstained cheeks. "Oh…." And for a moment that was all the sound she could manage. Minnie wished she'd say something more than that, but Isobel turned back to the pot on the stove and checked to ensure it was still stirring as needed. The girl hung her head and waited, knowing that Isobel would eventually speak.

It was a few moments before her mother did break the silence and by this time Minnie's sleeves were wet with the tears she was still shedding. "Do you know who the father is, Minnie?"

The girl did not want to reply, not because the father was anyone to be ashamed of, indeed, he was an outstanding teacher and he'd been quite interested in her ever since she'd started school. At last she nodded, before looking up to see her mother was still facing the stove. "Yes, mother."

When this was met with more silence, Minnie took a deep breath and added. "But I'd rather not say….he….doesn't know…."

She thought back on the day it had all happened. They'd been under the tree by the lake, going over her notes for a Defense Against the Dark Art's exam, and the Saturday afternoon had already begun to fade into dusk. As it grew darker, Minnie'd moved closer to Albus, as fear of the dark forest grew in her mind. She'd never been so close to it at night. He'd put an arm around her and they'd kissed, until the kissing turned into something more, and they'd returned after-hours to the Gryffindor dormitories.

"Minnie.." Isobel's voice broke through the memory. "You need to tell him. I'll spell your stomach once you start to show to hide it...if you wish to put the child up for adoption, but the father should know.."

She and her mother fought over telling Albus or not, until finally Minnie said she was going back to bed. She never sent an owl to Albus. His mother died a short time later and Minnie didn't think it would be wise to tell him when he was mourning; and then he had to take care of his brother and sister and he stopped sending owls asking how she was doing. He never came to visit and they soon stopped correspondence altogether.

Minerva grew determined to keep her little secret, even a boy she'd met and spent a lot of time with during the summer never knew.. Dougal was a funny boy who made her laugh, and forget the once upon a time attentions of her transfigurations teacher.

Seven months later, Minerva lay abed with aches such as she had never imagined before, as she suffered the labor of childbirth. She gave in to the urge to push as her body struggled to expel the child, squeezing the blankets on either side of her with each contraction until finally she heard the scream of the newborn baby and an ease in the pain.

Andreta, the nurse from St. Mungos suddenly busied herself with the care of the child while Isobel tended to her daughter's needs, healing her torn perineum with a muttered spell. "It's alright Minnie, you did great honey…just relax…the baby's fine."

Minerva could tell her mother was just talking to comfort her, to ease her into a much needed rest, but she wanted to see the baby, wanted to hold it… she didn't even know if it was a boy or a girl, but before she could ask her mother had handed her a mug of something warm. She took a sip of the calming potion, and was asleep before the mug reached her mother's waiting hand.

The child had wailed as she walked away from the orphanage the next morning, and she'd flinched, fighting the urge to look back on the infant as she climbed into the car beside her mother. The girl had blue eyes, like her father, and the fuzzy hair that covered her head would be replaced with brown curls someday.

"Minerva, are you sure this is what you want to do?" Isobel asked as the car's engine roared to life. With a nod of the young woman's head they pulled away from the building, the wailing infant held securely in the arms of the headmistress. Tears were once again trailing down her cheeks, but she could not go back. She was not ready to be a mother, she was not yet eighteen, and she had a future she needed to think about.

Her younger brother Malcom sat in the seat behind her. Malcom was dark haired, and his dark blue eyes were just like their fathers. "Minnie, you made the right decision…you're too young to be a mother." Her brother's know-it-all tone grated on her nerves. "Mal, shut up." She snapped back as they drove away, back toward their cottage in Little Hangleton.

Minerva spent much of the following weeks in bed. She either slept or lay awake thinking about the baby, and how the little girl must be doing, wondering if the headmistress at the already overcrowded orphanage had enough time for the child, to tend to her needs. She wondered whether the little girl would show any sign of magic, and if she did, what would be done to separate her from the muggle children who shared her new home.

After a month of her daughter's moping, Isobel decided it was time to send Minerva somewhere far away to forget about the baby who lived in the muggle village of Great Hangleton only a few miles away. One morning Minnie sat at the breakfast table while her mother put the finishing touches on some fruit salad. The girl looked thin and a bit older than she had only a few months ago. Her mother's hazel eyes met hers as she sat down, and Malcom's ramblings about the Potters and their daughter Andreta who was so beautiful and funny were brought to an abrupt halt when Isobel spoke. "Minerva, I thought it might be best if you went to stay with Aunt Bathilda, in Godric's Hollow. Gellert's there, so you won't be bored, and maybe a change of scenery would do you well?

The silence was harsh, and a frown appeared on her brother's brow when Minnie didn't respond right away. She looked as though she were under some sort of confundus charm, but Minnie was thinking about Albus, who lived in Godric's Hollow. With a subtle nod to her mother, Minnie agreed to go, but she dreaded the moment when she'd come face to face with the father of a child that had once been hers.


	2. The Orphanage

Disclaimer: Events and Characters of this first chapter are my own property except those of Minerva who belongs to J. .

A/N. Alright, I know I've already got one story starting in an orphanage, but I liked the idea for this one. Always was a romantic, and it seems fitting that MacGonagall should have some sort of love life. She was young once you know?

The Orphanage

The little blonde haired girl looked up from the swing and across the yard to where the new viewer stood beside the headmistress. With a sullen scrunch of her nose she kicked herself forcefully into the air, and let the swing rock to and fro rapidly, pumping her feet until she nearly overswung the branch. She blinked her eyes, one blue, one more of a hazel, and turned her thoughts inward, to the idea of having a family. She'd hated it every time a couple came and took away one of her friends..and not her. So many had seen her as a freak, or unusual, and left her in the care of the headmistress.

Each time she swung the swing creaked, and slipped against a lower branch. One such knocking of rope on branch resulted in a sudden jar that caused her to fall to the ground below. It was a minor injury, but the woman who'd come in with the headmistress ran to her aid, lifting her from the ground where she lay, now surrounded by other children.

_The Headmistress_

_As I looked over to the woman who'd come to view our children, I was cautious. She seemed unique..unlikely to be the sort I'd have expected to adopt a child, but I could find no fault in her application papers. As she ran to the aid of little Sreana, I could not help but hide my surprise. None of the viewers had ever even seemed to see the girl. I followed quickly behind, but before I could stoop to examine the child, Minerva had lifted her into her arms, and was cradling the crying toddler against her thin body._

Minerva looked at the headmistress, her eyes welling with a look of concern, and hidden deep within a look of happiness. She had found the child she would adopt...it seemed that she had known. As if she had come here searching for a specific child. This little blond haired Sreana snuggled against her as Minerva caressed the girl's side, wiping from her garb the remnants of sand and leaves from under the swing. She was so like Minerva had imagined her daughter to be, though she did not possess the brown curls, or the deep blue eyes of her father, as Minnie had expected.

_As I saw her expressions shift, I spoke. "Where is the intended father today?" For it was customary for the husband to come along in this process...but Minerva's eyes clouded, and the words she would have spoken seemed choked back for a moment before she finally answered me. I was slightly disappointed to learn that he was home, doing little more than last minute preparations. This was the most important moment of this child's life. I remained silent though, as we went through the final processes, and little Sreana was allowed to say farewell to her friends here at the orphanage._

Sreana clung to Minerva, her new mother. She had an odd feeling about her new parents. Where was her new daddy? Would he be as gentle and caring as Minerva seemed to be? As she was cradled in the young woman's arms, she was carried out to a waiting carriage, and lifted into the seat, warmly wrapped with two fleecey blankets, and one heavy quilt, and Minerva took up the reigns, sending the horses into a soft gallop.


	3. Meeting Daddy

Disclaimer: All events and characters of this chapter are the creation of myself, except for Minerva and Albus, who are the creation of J.K. Rowling

A/N Forgive me..Albus just had to be the Daddy. Aren't they the perfect couple? I bet this probably isn't an idea I myself have been the solitary creator of, but, this story is indeed mine. And as I'm reading, I appologize now for all my continuity errors of the past! Wow...this story didn't flow very well at all, but I will try to fix that as I go.

Meeting Daddy

When they arrived in the cottage that Minerva called home, Albus was waiting for her at the door, pacing so that his footsteps had worn into the packed earthen path to the threshold. He nearly lept to the carriage-side to lift Sreana from Minerva's arms.

Sreana looked over the two adults she would now be calling Mama and Daddy. Minerva was a tall-ish woman with brown hair that hung to her shoulders, and spectacles that slightly hid her caring eyes. She had an air of someone who would not tolerate trouble about her, but the man who held Sreana was full of mischeif and tenderness. He was already greying, but only slightly, and as he wrapped one arm around Minerva and held Sreana so that her head rested against his shoulder, he led the two of them into the cottage.

As Minerva moved to the range where dinner sat simmering, she smiled back at the man who held Sreana, her voice was slightly shaky as she said "you didn't have to start dinner Albus" and Sreana looked up at the man's face, seeing a twinkle in his eye as he smiled down at her. "Come little one, let us see what trouble we can cause in the nursery?"

His grin grew as he looked across the kitchen to Minnie. When she'd learned that she'd never bear another child, Minerva had nearly gone insane. But Albus had had this little one in mind for some time, and he was proud of Minerva for picking her out of a croud of children he knew must've been hard to pass up for this little urchin, but the four year old child wrapped in his arms would have a rough life for all the indulgence she'd get from her new parents.

They went into the nursery, and Albus played with Sreana, pulling out a little broom, and pretending to sweep the floor with it. He laughed amusedly, as Sreana straddled the broom to pretend to be a witch, and started galloping around the room, little would she know that some day, a simple command would raise the broom from the floor and she could soar!

After supper, they tucked Sreana in, wrapping her warmly in several soft blankets. She slept soundly for the first time in a long time, no nightmares which had plagued her for so long seemed able to penetrate the walls of the cabin around her, and the soft blankets she was wrapped in kept her warm against the howling winds outside.


	4. Betrayal of Happiness

Disclaimer: All Events and characters of this story are my own property except Albus and Minerva, who are the property of J.K. Rowling

A Betrayal of Happiness

In the little living room, Minerva and Albus sat curled up together on the sofa, Albus's arms wrapped around her shoulders as they watched the fire crackle and dance, flickering light across the room, and shadowing part of her face.

Albus looked softly into her eyes, the mischevious twinkle that usually played there was gone, as he traced the shape of the light on her cheek. He bent forward softly, placing a gentle kiss on her nose, and felt her back strain against the deep breath she took to release a sigh. He blessed the day that Minerva had realized she could never marry the muggle boy Dougal McGregor, and the day she had left the ministry and come seeking a job, just a year ago, at Hogwarts. Their relationship had come slowly after the anguish of the past, and Minerva, ever cautious not to reveal her early pregnancy, had been slow to begin to show how she still felt for him, but eventually she had warmed up to his attentions once more, and now, as fellow teachers, it was much less innappropriate for them to be together.

He slid a leg over hers as they lay beside eachother, gently nibling her ear. They lay together silently for a while, just relaxing in the last night of their time alone together. Sreana would not sleep so peacefully in the future.

"I was so worried I wouldn't find the right one Albus..I'm so happy I found her." Minerva's breathing was faster than normal, but Albus knew that her heart beat with a happiness it had not known. As his fingers softly caressed her lips, she nipped him, then lifted her head, and turned to face him. Her kiss was soft upon his own lips, but the joy she felt flew through them. He could not help but smile.

"I'm glad you did, little Sreana has a good home now." For a moment a shadow flickered across her face; he thought that it was nothing more than the flicker of doubt..and as he started to assure her that it was indeed a good home, Minerva's strong voice interupted him, faltering as she asked him how he'd known the girl's name.

Color faded from Albus's face as he realized his mistake. He wondered if there was a way to tell Minerva that he'd known for over three years that she would not bear another child, that Malcom had come in the night, after the babe was born, to report the difficult birthing she had had, and that the nurse, Andreta, had reported to Isobel that Minerva was unlikely to conceive again.

When Minerva had given the child up for adoption, Albus had followed her, and gone in after she'd left to speak with the headmaster of the orphanage. He'd spoken temporarily, deceitfully about adopting a child, and had looked upon the little girl for only a moment. As he left, the headmaster had asked if he had any suggestions for a name for the child, as she had come recently, and without any name at all to go by.

Albus thought about that day over in his mind again, and knew it was not yet time. Softly he reminded her that he'd gone to the orphanage to pick up the papers before, and had seen a few of the children then. This was not a lie, but it was not the truth either, and he hated the deception.


	5. Where a New Life Begins

Disclaimer: The only parts of my story which do not belong to me, so far, are the characters Minerva and Albus.

A/N If you have noticed any errors in the story line so far, such as something that changed from an earlier chapter to now, please point it out to me! Reviews welcome!

Where a New Life Begins

A new life greeted little Sreana as she opened her eyes for the first morning in her new home. Her adoptive father, Albus sat in a rocker near her bed, and seemed very distracted by the shape of her mother moving about in the kitchen.

With a slight giggle, Sreana drew his attention to her, and his eyes seemed to sparkle with a hidden meaning. Little did she know what her new life would hold, but it appeared that her father knew all. He stood, a tall man with a long dark beard with a few wisps of gray, and moved over to where she lay in her bed. He reached a hand over and tickled her stomach so she shrieked with laughter. Minerva came rushing in.

"What is it?! Is everything...oh!" and Minerva laughed as she saw the giggling child, and Albus's wide smile. "Well then, breakfast is nearly done, but I'll never get it done if you distract me so!" And with a wink to the child, and a "humph!" she turned about and went back to the kitchen.

Albus sighed and turned to little Sreana. "So, my little angel, how did you sleep?" His voice was soft, and full of love and care. Ana, as she was to be called later on, smiled and said "good!" as quick as you please. She climbed up onto his lap and hugged him.

He could not help but smile at the child who had so recently gone from having no family at all, to having a family she already seemed to love. He wrapped his long robed arms around her, and squeezed her gently, a ringing laughter hiccupping it's way from him as Minerva called the breakfast call from the kitchen stove.

"Come on then, time to go see what Mommy's prepared for us to eat!"

As they sauntered into the kitchen, Ana clinging to Albus's neck as he'd flung her over his back and bounced into the kitchen like a centaur, Minerva smiled brightly again, lifting Ana from his back and hugging her, then plopping her down in a chair at the table.

Albus took a seat to her right, and softly patted her hand as a plate laden with an egg, a piece of toast, and some fried potato sticks appeared in front of her, and then, a plate with twice what she had on her own appeared before him. Minerva took her seat opposite Albus, and to Ana's left.

She bowed her head to pray, as she'd been taught in the orphanage, but Albus coughed, and said "Good bread, good meat, good food let's eat!" and proceeded to dig into his plate with nary a hesitation, and a stomach full of hunger. Minerva smiled at Ana and daintily began to eat her own plateful.


	6. When Relatives Meet

When Relatives Meet

Minerva tucked Sreana into her coat and tied her boots tightly about her feet while Albus readied their transportation. Ana looked up at her mother with a giggle and kicked her foot against the table she sat on. Minerva laughted softly and hugged four year old Ana. "Albus, are you ready?"

As Albus re-appeared in the doorway, and nodded, Minerva lifted Ana to her hip, and proceeded to the doorway. "The device is prepared, but you'll have to hold on to her tight, I'm not sure about travelling with attachments." Albus warned, as he held out the paper bill set up to transport them to Godric's Hollow where Minerva's brother, and his wife had just had an addition to their family, little James. It had been some time since she'd gone to see her brother, so she was excited, and her eagerness showed by the short wail of protest that Ana put out at being squeezed so tight.

Albus chuckled, a faint twinkle in his eye as he wrapped an arm around her, and waited for her to touch the small paper. He felt the all to familiar pull of his naval as he was yanked into the portal, and the loud pop rang in his ear, then was repeated as the three of them popped into Godrick's Hollow.

Malcom met them at the door with a smile, and welcomed the trio in, out of the cold. James slept in a rocking cradle near the fireplace, and Andreta Potter, his wife lifted her eyes from the paper she read in a big easy chair. She smiled and rose to her feet, setting her reading down to join her husband by the door. "Good evening Albus, Minerva! Glad you could make it!" Malcom's loud voice boomed as he welcomed them in as well. One hand stayed on Andreta's hip, while the other motioned inward toward the hearth.

Minerva smiled, half trying to clasp her brother in a warm hug, and trying to keep Sreana from squirming to the floor. "Malcom!" "Minerva!" they both said happily as they tried to exchange hugs. It was then that Andreta took a step back, and looked over little Ana. "My my, she looks a sight like your mother Minerva, you did well to adopt her, what is her name?"

Sreana volunteered the name she'd been given. "I'm Sreana Dumbledore!" she said eagerly, mumbling over her last name until it sounded like "Dundlerod." This brought a gale of laughter from her parents, and from her aunt and uncle. It was through her embarassment of the moment that brought her eyes to the cradle near the fire, and she tried to squirm down again.

"Alright, Sreana, you keep out of the fire, and be quiet near the baby." Minerva's admonishing advice came as she was set to the floor and her two little legs carried her across the room to the rocking chair near the cradle. She climbed up on the seat and tried to look down into the crib, but the rocking of both objects made it difficult to maintain a steady grasp on either, and before she could say "Bob's your uncle" she was in the crib with little James, who woke long enough to grasp her sleeve and hold her there, before falling back to sleep.

Outside the crib the exclamations of "Oh My!" and "Ana!" and "goodness is she alright!?" seemed to echo about the large room. Seconds later all four faces leered over the crib and broke into laughter at the sight of little James Potter McGonagall and Sreana Dumbledore, cousins by blood, cuddled together in the large crib.

Ana giggled and wrapped her arms protectively about the wee babe. As an orphan, she knew what it was like to take care of another child.

A/N: Okay, I know there are a few inconsistencies here, but please forgive! I thought it might be fun if Minerva had a good reason to be so protective over Harry later on :D)


	7. A Visit to the Riddles

Visiting Muggles

When Albus asked to be excused from their company to tend to some Hogwart's business with his boss, Headmaster of Hogwarts, Malcom nodded and assured him it would be all right for Minerva and Ana to spend the night there. Albus rose from the chair he'd occupied at the table for two hours, occasionally glancing at the clock, and waiting for time to pass. He kissed Minerva on the forehead as she played with the now wide awake little James, and squeezed Ana's hand as she looked up at him from the floor beside her mother and aunt.

A short time later, Albus, and a small handfull of other wizards approached the Riddle house. Within, a boy had been born only a short time ago, and the husband had had no notion that he had married a witch. Mrs. Riddle had called upon them for backing her up, though Albus was sure little would reassure the small man.

Sure enough, little did reassure Mr. Riddle. For hours he argued with the group of witches and wizards over the black haired boy (I've suddenly realized how similar Tom Riddle and Harry Potter would have looked at birth..) who lay wrapped in blankets and diapers (even harder to imagine Tom Riddle in diapers!) in the wooden cradle his father had carved by hand for him.

When it was all said and done, it appeared that things had smoothed over, and that Mr. Riddle had remembered how much he loved his wife, and how special his son was to him.

Back at the Hollow, Ana and James had both gone to sleep, and Andreta and Minerva sat by the fire, while Malcolm busied himself with bringing in wood and finishing up the chores for the evening. Minerva spoke in quiet tones to Andreta about the adoption, and the unusualness of Albus's offer to take little Ana into their home and claim her as theirs.

"I never would have thought Albus would even consider adopting a child, not until they said at St. Mungo's that it was definite that I'd never bear a child..but..Andy, he doesn't know about the first..the little girl I gave up for adoption..I wish there was a way of finding her, but the orphanage where I brought her has long since been moved, and I never managed to find out where to. I never left my name, so they'd have no way of contacting me." she paused, taking a deep breath her grey eyes wandered up to look into her sister-in-law's.

When Andreta spoke, she was smiling and looking into the cradle that held her dear son. "Minnie, I hope that you find her someday. I know that when you left her there, there were reasons you couldn't raise a child...I know you were young and alone, but today, you've taken a little girl into your house, and you're going to raise her. You have to focus on what is best for her, and how you can make her life as good as you would have made your daughter's."

Minerva remained silent, and Andreta continued. "I'm surprised you didn't tell him that you were putting his child up for adoption three years ago, but then, I suppose it were best, no need to cause him that pain.." when Minerva remained silent, Andreta sighed and rose "I'm going to go on up to bed, you should do the same. Stop worrying about Albus, what he doesn't know won't hurt him."


	8. Mixups Foretold

Mixups Foretold

When Albus returned from his visit to the Riddle house, he hugged his wife, and their child, and bid farewell to his sister and brother-in-law. Taking them home that morning, he was quiet and seemed to Minerva to have turned his attention inward. Malcom had insisted that they take the buggy, instead of using the portkey, he suggested they enjoy a ride through the country on the way home.

Minerva rode beside him full of concern, and anxiety. What had happened with the Riddles? Albus still hadn't said a word about it. She'd met Mrs. Riddle, the witch who had gone to school with her less than ten years before, but she'd never met the man her schoolmate had married. She didn't even know that he was a muggle.

Ana sensed both of their concern, and started to fuss. She didn't like the silence between them, and the lack of Albus's usual twinkling eyes scared her. "Daddy, what's wong?" she asked, tipping bright missmatched eyes up to face him and waited for his answer as if his words might kill her.

When Albus saw the intensity in her face, he couldn't help but laugh. "Ana, tis nothing dear, nothing for wee one's ears anyhow." He looked over her head to Minerva. This was the first time he'd had to break up a dispute between a witch and a muggle over the birth of a child. He thought about Trelawney's prediction, the teenager who attended Hogwarts now who had a fleeting and occasional flicker of the Sight. The first year's grandfather was a well respected Seer, but he rarely shared his talents unless it was something important. It had been during Albus's sit in on a Divinations class that Sibyl had prophecied the Riddle's future conflict over the birth of a mixed-blood, only her prophecy had involved the death of one or more of those involved. So he wondered if there would be a future mix up, and he knew that it could be dangerous stepping between a witch and a muggle who shared a child, but something told him that the next time, circumstance would be entirely different, and death was involved. He shuddered to think of who might be killed.

They arrived home after a long ride through the country, and Albus lifted Ana, then Minnie down to the snow covered ground. Minnie carried Sreana inside and began the process of unwrapping them both, removing the layers of blankets, coats and extra clothes as the fire in the hearth rose and warmed their little home. She tickled the child softly, gazing into laughing eyes as Sreana squirmed and giggled. Minnie felt that pang, that twinge of feeling like Sreana belonged here, like their family was whole.

With little Sreana tucked safely into her bed that evening, Albus and Minerva once again sat quietly on the couch, his arm wrapped around her shoulders as they spoke in soft tones to each other.

"He was angry, Minerva, but he had calmed down, before we left. Still, I am worried that something has yet to happen. I do not think that the matter is entirely resolved. He was such a quiet child, too..like Sreana.. so calm."

Minnie smiled up at Albus, nodding. "She is so quiet, most of the time, more observant than participant."

Albus nodded. He'd noticed too, that for a muggle child Sreana was particularly quiet.

Minerva continued "I am glad that the ministry approved our application for adoption from a muggle orphanage. It was tough, convincing them that we were prepared to raise her as an unmagical child in a magical home."

Albus's soft smile faded for a moment, before he nuzzled Minnie's cheek. He would not lie to her, but he could not yet bring himself to tell her of Sreana's parentage. Instead, he whispered in her ear "Are you sure you won't marry me, Min?" He said, and when she turned once more to refuse him, he placed a warm kiss on her lips before she could speak. She laughed softly, pulling back from him as his hands began to roam. "Oh you awful man.." She teased, leaning back on the couch as he followed her body with is.


	9. Discovering Magic

A/N: Trying to move forward now, this is the first of the new chapters. I am going to try to update it frequently until I can get an end written for it!

Discovering magic

Weeks passed into months, and months into years, as Sreana grew healthy and strong, the palor of malnutrition fading from once thin cheeks, as she was fed good meals every day, and given the loving attention she needed. Albus never managed to bring himself to tell Minnie his secret about Ana, deciding as time went on that it wasn't important anymore.

Minerva secretly searched for information about the orphanage where she had left her daughter, years ago, but every lead she tracked down seemed to go cold, and she never managed to find out what had come of the headmistress, or any of the children there. Finally, when Ana was 6 or so, Minnie gave up, realizing that Ana was their child now, and she was perfect for them. Minnie carried the guilt of her secret from Albus, and the anxiety of wondering what had come of her daughter with her in silence.

When Ana was nearly 8, she surprised her mother so much she nearly fainted. Minnie was cooking in the kitchen when Ana came in from playing in the flower garden. Ana had settled down on the floor near the stove to play with some stones she'd gathered. When Minerva had turned to carry a pot of scalding water and potatoes to the sink to drain she had slipped on a stray stone, her foot rolling from under her and the pot of water went flying toward Ana before Minnie could stop herself.

Ana looked up as Minnie slipped, shreiking in fear, but the hot water and potatoes which had flown out of the pan with the tilt and momentum of its flight had fanned out around her, leaving a perfect circle around Ana where no water or potato fell and she remained unharmed.

Minnie gaped from where she had landed, staring at Ana with both fear that the child had been harmed, and awe that she hadn't. When she managed to gather her wits enough to get to her feet she picked Ana up and set her on the table where she could look her over. She checked for even the smallest of scalds, her heart racing as she came to the only conclusion she could, and nearly fainted. "Ana, my dear Ana..." She said, hugging the girl to her. "We need to speak to your father.." She said, reaching for the floo powder that sat beside the hearth nearby. She tossed a handful of it into the fire and called to Albus at the school.

He stepped out of the fire a moment later, a look of alarm on his face. "What is it dear, is Ana okay?" He asked, looking the child over himself to reassure himself as Minerva collected herself.

Minerva looked at him, then at Ana, trying to form the words she wanted to say. Finally, she stuttered "I...I don't...know...how w-we managed t-to pick a ch-child...oh..." She took a deep breath. "A magical child from that muggle orphanage! She should have been scorched, covered in splattered water, bruised by all those hot potatoes, but it just went around her, and she was sitting there safe as you please!"

Albus frowned. "Well, I'm glad that she's okay.." He replied, eyeing his daughter, and his beloved Minerva for a moment. He kissed Ana's head, and then helped her off the table. "Why don't you go return those stones to the garden, my dear.."

Ana collected each of the little stones she had brought in, and dashed back out to the garden with them, not sure what the fuss was about, and half afraid that Minerva would send her back, even after all this time, to the orphanage. She'd been considered an odd child there, too, she remembered, always the child that couples seemed to overlook. She pouted, sitting down on the bench in the garden and kicking at the dirt beneath it, while she waited for her mother or father to come tell her she was being sent back.


	10. Telling Secrets

Telling Secrets

Albus turned his attention to Minerva. He wondered how so many years had passed before it was necessary to tell his little secret. Taking a deep breath, he guided his beloved Min to the couch, and helped her to sit before joining her, he took her hand softly in his, his piercing blue eyes gazing into her intensely uncertain ones. "Minerva, there's something I should have told you years ago...only I never could find the right moment, and as time went on, I decided I wasn't sure it was important, and, well, we love Ana so much... I...I was selfish in keeping it to myself.. you see...I kept tabs on her, the four years she was in the orphanage." For once, Albus seemed at a loss for words, but finally managed to finish what he had been keeping to himself. "You see, the summer after you graduated, I was so in love with you, but there was so much going on in my life, I'd just lost mother, and had to take care of my sister and Aberforth, but occasionally I would slip away to see how you were doing.. I knew that you'd fallen for that McGregor boy, Dougal..so I never showed myself to you.. I watched as you began to show.." There was a slight gasp from Minerva, as he revealed that he'd known she was pregnant, but she didn't speak yet, merely watching his eyes, listening to him tell his story. "And when you went into labor, I wanted to come forward then, I was concerned the babe was a bit early then, to help you through it, but you had your mother, and Malcom and Andreta were so attentive... but Malcom saw me, I guess, because he came to see me after, to tell me about the babe, that she'd been healthy..that she looked a lot like you, and a lot like your mother.." His voice trailed off for a moment, as he reflected back on the way he'd felt when she put her child up for adoption. He'd assumed then that it was Dougal's child, and that she was afraid he'd be angry because she'd turned him down, and refuse to help with the child.

"I went to the orphanage after you left, to see the child, and reassure myself that she would be okay. The headmistress asked if I might name her, so I did. And as the orphanage moved, I followed it, making sure that I always knew where the girl was.. she was a piece of you, when you were still denied me.. and when you joined the ministry, I had all but given up hoping you'd ever care for me the way I cared for you. Then, when you came to teach at the school, we had a second chance to be close! I was so thrilled, right up until the healer confirmed something your brother had said after the baby was born..he said you had had a difficult delivery, and that you were unlikely to have another child. So when the healer confirmed it, I thought...why not reunite you with your daughter, now that you wanted a child... and she still needed her mother, so desperately. She was sad, there, she was considered an oddball.. that's why I suggested you go to that orphanage..how I knew the child's name before you'd told me...because I had named her. I never understood why no one ever told the girl's father...I was a bit disappointed in you for not telling Dougal..it was the right thing to do." His voice at the last was a bit scolding, but he still held her hand softly, waiting for her to react, afraid that she would be angry that he'd never told her he knew, that he'd kept such a big secret from her all these years.

Minerva's eyes were dripping tears as he concluded his story, but at his last words, she choked back a sob. She looked up in wonder at Albus Dumbledore, her former Transfigurations teacher, and now the headmaster at Hogwarts, an impressive wizard by all accounts, and yet he'd gotten this so wrong. She pulled her hands from him, afraid of the hurt she was about to inflict on the man she had always admired, and come to love so much over the past four years. She lifted her hazel eyes up to meet his sharp blues, and took a deep breath. "Dougal McGregor was not her father.. " She said, rather sharply. "I fell in love with him, I think, to get myself over you..I resented you, Albus, for that day under the tree, by the lake...you seemed to get over me so quickly, that for a while I was sure I must not have been the only girl you wooed..."

She paused, thinking back on that summer with regret..why had they not just kept in touch? Why had she been so afraid to tell him? She still didnt' know the answer to that question. Taking a deep breath, she spoke her own little secret. "Albus, Dougal never knew about the baby, because he was not the father...you are Sreana's father."

Albus's slightly graying beard had twitched. She looked down at her hands. A woman who made a formidable opponent in a duel, and an excellent transfigurations professor, made for a nervous young woman when revealing such a deep dark secret. He struggled with the emotions he was feeling for only a moment. After all, he had ensured his daughter's safety, even though he had not cared for her the way he would have, had he known she was indeed his child, and he loved her mother so much, he could never be angry at her long. "Why, Minerva, didn't you tell me?" He asked, his voice soft, slightly reproving, but not accusatory. He merely wanted to know what he had done wrong to make her feel she could not speak with him.

Minnie looked up nervously. "I was afraid...afraid that that evening by the lake had been a mistake..afraid that though I had thought you cared for me, you were only satisfying a lust...I was angry...it seemed that you had swiftly forgotten me, and when I knew for sure I was expecting, you'd just lost your mother.. I wasn't sure how you would handle it.I don't know, Albus, I was young...barely more than a child, and I knew I wasn't ready to be a mother yet...and you with all your goings on, I doubted you wanted to be tied down by a baby.."

Albus leaned forward then, pressing a soft kiss to his beloved's forehead. "I was a busy man, Minerva, with my head full of plans for the greater good of the Wizarding world, but I have always loved you..and now, we have our daughter back, our own flesh and blood is right where she belongs. Things could not have worked out much more perfectly."

A/N: No, that's not the end, merely the beginning of the story really, but the end of the first part of it... please stay tuned...It may take a little while for me to update again, but assuredly not in terms of years, as it has been...hopefully only a few days, tops!


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