Is That My Daughter?

[Isabelle]

This was a lovely update! It's a good thing Brianna's friend knocked some sense into her! Bravo!

Liz

[Jestana]

Yay! I love weddings! I'm glad Brianna's friends made her stop and think about why she's upset. *growls and rips idiot reporter to shreds* Great chappie, you really know how to keep us on our toes!

[ginger newts]

Chapter 8

In the few minutes before his first class, Albus used the floo network to call Minerva. “Did you see the paper,” he asked.

“Of course I did,” she answered tersely. “I imagine this is Crouch’s doing?”

“Most likely. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, but the hate mail is already pouring in,” she said with disgust.

“Yes,” he nodded. “I’ve been getting some as well. Have you destroyed it yet?”

“Not yet.”

“Well don’t, I have an idea. I’m going to speak to the headmaster this afternoon and I’ll send a message with Fawkes telling you whether to expect Brianna and I home tomorrow or not. I have to go now, I’ve got a class in two minutes,” Albus said.

Minerva looked a little confused, but she agreed, “Alright, I’ll talk to you later then. Have a good day.”

“You too, don’t let this get under your skin. I love you.”

“And I you. Good bye, Albus.”

“Good bye for now, my dear,” Albus pulled his head out of the fire and hurried to his classroom.

After classes that day Albus went to the headmaster’s office and, having read the paper, Armando agreed to let him take Brianna and go home for the day on Saturday. He sent a message to Minerva with Fawkes and used a school owl to inform Brianna, she was instructed to meet him in his office at eight the next morning.

She did as instructed and Albus created a portkey to take them home. Minerva had gotten up and attempted to make breakfast for them, but the smell of frying bacon and eggs had proved too much for her and she’d been forced to give it up. Albus took over and fixed their breakfast quickly before they all went into the sitting room to talk. Brianna hadn’t noticed the stack of parchment or the pensieve that her father had brought with them until he laid them on the coffee table. They were all sitting in the same places they had been when they had talked about the wedding and the new baby and Brianna looked expectantly at her father.

Albus picked up the combined stack of letters that he and Minerva had received following the newspaper article and handed them to Brianna. “Skim through these,” he said.

Minerva tucked her feet up beside her on the couch and relaxed against Albus’ chest as they watched Brianna read through the letters. There was silence for close to a full hour as she tried to comprehend the things that strangers had written to her parents. Some of them wanted her dad fired, they called him a lecherous old man, but most of the negativity seemed to be aimed at Minerva. The writers called her every derogatory name imaginable and suggested many nasty punishments for her supposed “immoral behavior” and “outrageous abuse of magic to seduce the good professor.” She was accused of ruining Albus’ name and his life and of being “the reason today’s youth have no morals.”

When she finished reading, Brianna looked up at her parents in shock. She had no idea that people would believe the obvious lies in the Daily Prophet or that they would react so violently toward her mother. She let her worry and confusion show on her face.

Albus nodded, “The general opinion of supposed well meaning witches and wizards all across the country upon reading a falsified newspaper article planted for just that reason. Notice that there was just enough truth in the article to make it believable. Also notice that instead of turning against me, most of these people immediately placed the blame on your mother. This is an extreme manifestation of the kind of prejudice and cold shouldering your mother lived with for twelve years.”

Albus paused and looked at Minerva. She didn’t have anything to say, but she knew what he was planning and mutely nodded her agreement. Turning back to Brianna, Albus explained, “In order for you to get a clearer picture of what your childhood was like for your mother she’s going to give you access to some of her memories. It is a rare privilege, offered only to trusted individuals, to view another person’s thoughts and memories. I hope you will keep that in mind when we begin in a few moments.”

Brianna just nodded. She had no idea it was possible to look inside someone else’s memories and she had never seen her father look so serious, not since the day he told her off for yelling at her mum. She watched in silence as Albus encouraged Minerva to place some of her memories in the rune covered bowl on the table. Minerva raised her wand to her temple many times and withdrew shimmering silver strands of thought, which she placed carefully into the pensieve. When she finished, she looked anxiously at Albus, who wrapped an arm reassuringly around her shoulders.

“Come here,” he said to Brianna. “When I tell you to, I want you to lean forward and let your head come into contact with the liquid in the bowl. Don’t be frightened when you fall head over heels into the memory, your mother and I will be right behind you.”

Brianna swallowed and nodded as she watched her father prod the silvery liquid with his wand. When he found the first memory, Albus told Brianna to go ahead and then he took Minerva by the hand and they followed their daughter into the past. This would be the first time Albus would be seeing first hand some of the things Minerva had told him about and he suspected that some memories might be more involved than she had admitted.

The first memory they encountered was Minerva telling her parents that she was pregnant. “Mum? Dad? There’s something I need to tell you,” she took a deep breath. “I’m pregnant. About two months ago I ran into Albus – Professor Dumbledore – at that Ministry ball and well, we spent the night together and now I’m going to have a baby.”

Albus was looking back and forth between the young Minerva standing in front of her formidable looking parents and the Minerva standing next to him. They both had the same frightened look on their face, but the older Minerva had shuttered her eyes so as not to show the pain he knew she was re-experiencing. He stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her snugly against his chest and kissing her cheek. She showed her appreciation by laying her arms over his as they continued to watch.

“You’re what?” her father roared.

“Pregnant by your old professor?” her mother shrieked. “We did not raise you to behave as some common harlot!”

“Get out of this house, I have no daughter,” her father commanded and Minerva began to cry.

“Please, I’ve nowhere to go. Please, dad,” she begged.

“You should have thought about that before you got yourself in trouble,” her mother shouted. “Go to your professor and if he doesn’t want you then learn to fend for yourself.”

Her father grabbed Minerva roughly by the arm and dragged her upstairs. A few clothes were thrown into a bag and then Minerva was forcibly expelled from the house and into the snow, tears streaming down her face even as she tried to stand tall and proud. She looked broken and helpless as she set out walking down the lane. Albus watched as she counted her money and he knew she was wondering if she could afford to take the Knight Bus. Minerva stuck out her wand and the memory ended.

They spun through blackness for a moment and then landed in a noisy pub. The smoke was thick and multicolored and almost impossible to see through. Minerva felt Brianna grab hold of her arm and knew the child was out of her element in such a place. After a moment, they saw the Minerva of the memory walk by with a heavily laden tray of drinks. She looked at least seven months pregnant and her robes were torn and shabby, but she was still receiving a great deal of unwanted attention from the unsavory all male clientele. Albus felt Minerva tense in his arms as her younger self was groped by a particularly dirty and drunken looking old man. They stayed in this memory only long enough for Albus and Brianna to understand what Minerva had done to make ends meet after she left her parents’ home.

The next memory took place in a shabby and cramped apartment. The only rooms were the tiny kitchen and the multifunction sitting and bedroom. Minerva was currently pleading with a very unsympathetic looking landlord to give her two more days to scrape together the rent. Minerva’s hair was cut short, unevenly as though she had done it herself, and her clothes were almost as ragged as they had been in the previous memory. It was obvious to Albus that she was living in this dump and wearing her clothes until they fell apart in order to save every possible knut. In the corner of the sitting room was a simple but lovely bassinet from which crying could suddenly be heard. Minerva rushed over and picked up Brianna, who appeared to be less than a year old, and all those observing the memory noticed that she looked perfectly healthy and was wearing an immaculate and new looking pink onesie. She stopped crying as Minerva picked her up and began to sing softly as she rocked her back and forth.

That memory faded and they moved on to a parent’s night at Brianna’s primary school. Brianna could be seen through the window on the playground with the other children. She looked happy and well fed. Minerva was inside with the teacher and some other parents, she looked much better than she had in the last two memories, but a close observer could tell that her clothes were homemade and she looked thin and pale. The teacher made her way toward Minerva.

“Where is Mr. McGonagall tonight?”

“Oh, there is no Mr. McGonagall,” Minerva said stiffly. “It’s just Brianna and I.”

“Oh,” the teacher said suddenly coldly. “I see. Well...” she went on to say that Brianna was very clever but a bit unusual and that she had caused some trouble. The discussion was punctuated by digs at Minerva’s status as a single mother and by looking around the room they could see the other parents whispering and shooting furtive and judgmental looks at Minerva.

[ginger newts]

They watched a few more short memories that showed Minerva sacrificing everything possible in order to give Brianna nice things, working all night on her books because she had spent the day with Brianna, and quite a few in which she received the cold shoulder or was the focus of some very nasty remarks because she was an unwed mother. When the last memory faded, Albus pulled them all out of the pensieve. They turned head over heels and landed in the sitting room at Minerva’s house. She was shaking from the rush of emotions she had experienced while watching her earlier struggles and Albus gathered her close, his expression an unreadable mix of shock, pain, and guilt. Brianna had a similar expression on her face, she’d had no idea what her mother had been through because of her.

She stood there in silence for a long time, watching her father comfort her mother, who had obviously been very effected by the memories. Finally, she decided to break the silence. “Mum?” she asked timidly.

Minerva pulled out of Albus’ arms and turned to look at Brianna, she didn’t speak and she almost looked surprised to find herself back in the present.

“I – I had no idea...” Brianna didn’t know where to start.

“I know you didn’t,” Minerva said quietly. “That’s why we showed you.” She reached blindly for Albus’ hand and he helped her by reaching out and taking her hand in his own as they sat down.

Brianna shuffled her feet and studied her hands, “I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry I never realized you had such a hard life.”

“You don’t need to say anything and you’re certainly not the first child in the world who didn’t realize her parents had their own lives,” Minerva told her.

Albus decided to speak up, “We know that this situation has been hard for you, Brianna, and if we could we would gladly go back in time and change things but we can’t. We didn’t show you these memories to make you feel guilty, but to help you understand that you weren’t the only one who suffered. It’s late now and we’ve just had a very emotional experience. I think we should all go to bed now and we’ll talk tomorrow before we have to return to school.”

Brianna turned and walked silently upstairs to her room and after a few minutes Albus and Minerva followed her. They dressed for bed without speaking, but before they laid down Albus walked to Minerva’s side and cupped her face in his hands.

“You told me you struggled, but I had no idea how much,” there was so much pain in his voice. “I’m so sorry.”

Minerva covered his hands with her own, “Don’t be, Albus. It’s like you keep telling Brianna: we can’t change the past. I always worked as many jobs as I could and saved every spare knut so that I could buy this house and put Brianna through school. When I applied to write the textbooks I received a small grant and that helped set us up here. It also gave me more time to spend with Brianna. I did what I had to do and she always had the necessities.”

“I know, but you looked so pitiful in all those memories. Your strength was apparent and it amazes me, but I wish I could have been there to help you,” Albus answered, resting his forehead against hers.

“You’re here now,” Minerva said gently, “and I’m very glad you are. Let’s just move on and be happy. Come on, it’s time for bed.”

Albus let her take him by the hand and lead him to the bed. They climbed in and before he would let Minerva pull up the covers Albus put a hand over her stomach and leaned down to talk to the baby.

“Hello, little one,” he said softly. “I don’t know if you can hear me yet, but I’ve got to tell you that your mum is one strong lady. She’s going to do whatever it takes to care for you, but I’m going to make it easy on both of you, I promise. There’s a lot of love in our little family and we can’t wait to see you.”

When he looked back up at Minerva she had tears in her eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered, pulling him to her for a sweet kiss.

Albus wrapped his arms around Minerva and they drifted off to sleep. In the morning, they woke to find Brianna sitting on the edge of the bed watching them. Minerva reached out to her and Brianna crawled under the covers next to her.

“Thank you for always working so hard for me,” she said quietly.

“You don’t have to thank me, baby. You’re my daughter and I was happy to do it. Times were hard, but I wanted you to have the most normal childhood possible. Are you ready to be part of a family with us and the new baby now?”

“Yes,” Brianna nodded. “I’m sorry I was such a brat last month. I was having trouble coping with the way everything keeps changing all the time and it seemed so easy for both of you that I didn’t know how to talk to you about what I was feeling.”

“You can always talk to us, Brianna, about anything,” Minerva said gently. “It hurt us to see you so angry and to know you were pushing us away.”

“I’m sorry,” she said again. “I still wish we had been a family all along, but I know we can’t do anything to change the past. I’m going to try very hard to be happy with things the way they are now.”

“I think once you’ve had a chance to get used to everything it will be much less confusing and you’ll realize that you are happy,” Albus said. “We need to go back to school this morning and then you’ll have plenty of time away from us to think.”

“But we’ll always be here when you need to talk,” Minerva added quickly.

“I know you will be,” Brianna said. “I’ll go get dressed so we can leave.”

Albus and Minerva watched her go and then looked at each other. This visit hadn’t completely solved the problem, but it was a beginning. Brianna now had a better understanding of the hardships Minerva had faced and she knew that she should talk with her parents when she was upset about something rather than sulking. She would always regret not knowing Albus earlier and she would probably always be a little jealous of the new baby for having the family she didn’t have right from the start, but given time she would be less angry about it. Albus was certain that as Brianna grew older she would realize that finding her family a little late in life was better than never finding it at all or losing it early in life.

He dressed quickly and spent as long as possible saying good bye to Minerva before taking Brianna back to Hogwarts. Brianna had hugged Minerva before they left, it was their first hug since the day she left for school over a year ago. Albus smiled when he saw how much the simple hug effected Minerva, he understood what it meant to her.

Albus went back to Hogwarts and spent the day helping Armando answer owls from concerned parents who had read the Daily Prophet article. He was pleased to find that there were many letters in support of him, people who didn’t believe the story and wanted Armando to know that they would be upset if actions were taken against Albus. When he finally got back to his own office, Albus wrote a letter to an old friend who worked for the Prophet. He wanted a chance to tell his side of the story.

His friend wrote back the next morning and apologized for the article. He was out of town all week and his reporter and her sources used the time to their advantage. He was more than happy to print Albus’ story, which ran three days later.

Editor’s Corner
by Daniel Brown

I had an opportunity this week to speak with Professor Albus Dumbledore, who was unfairly maligned by this paper last week. Let me first say that the opinions of Ms. Flanagan do not reflect the opinions of the editors. Professor Dumbledore had a few things to say in defense of himself and his family; his remarks are printed in their entirety below.

I want it understood first of all that I feel no need to defend myself or my family or to answer all of the accusations in last week’s article, but I do want the readership to know the truth. I have never in all my days as an educator engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a student. I did not become involved with my wife until after she left school. When we did become involved, I did so willingly and of my own volition, the only influence she used was her natural wit and beauty. We are now very happily married with one child and another on the way and I will no longer answer any questions or accusations regarding my home life. Concerned parents can be assured that I am the same man they have always thought me to be and no one has had any malicious influence over my life or my choices.

[ginger newts]

The months following the two articles passed as normally as time can pass in the wizarding world. Crouch made no further attempts to discredit Albus and basically disappeared from public life and Albus and Minerva even received a few letters of apology after the second article ran. Brianna settled into life with two parents and learned to accept the fact that she would soon be a big sister. One day in March she noticed that her father wasn’t at lunch and she guessed that her mum must be having the baby. The headmaster caught up to her after the meal and gave her the note Albus had left.

Brianna,

Your mother went into labor this morning and I’m on my way home to help her have the baby. I’ll write to you again when it is over.

We love you,
Dad

Albus had received a letter from Minerva right after breakfast telling him that she was starting the labor and he had rushed home after writing the note to Brianna and speaking quickly with Armando. He found Minerva in the expert care of her friend Poppy, who had undergone Healer’s training after leaving Hogwarts and currently worked at St. Mungo’s. Even though it was somewhat unusual, Albus was allowed in the room with Minerva. He held her hand and rubbed her back as the contractions hit. Once they started coming more frequently, Poppy prepared them for the actual birth. Minerva pushed and yelled her way to becoming a mother again as Albus watched in amazement at the things women were capable of and tried to be helpful.

When it was all over, Poppy cut the cord and cleaned up the baby and the bed before handing the proud parents their new son.

“It’s a boy,” she said as she placed him in Minerva’s arms before making a discrete exit.

The baby began to suckle at Minerva’s breast and she looked up at Albus with a tired smile. He leaned down and kissed her tenderly before stroking the hair off her sweat soaked forehead.

“You’re amazing, my dear,” he said quietly.

“No, I’m not, but he is,” she nodded toward the baby.

“Yes, he is,” Albus agreed as he reached out to stroke the crown of the baby’s head with one long finger.

“Well, dad, would you like to name your son?” Minerva smiled.

“Welcome to the world, William Percival McGonagall Dumbledore,” Albus said grandly with a wide smile. Then he turned his attention back to Minerva, “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” she said, raising her head to kiss him. “I’m going to sleep now, will you hold me?”

“Always.” Albus helped Minerva settle the baby in her arms as he wrapped his long arms around both of them.

Albus never slept that night, he just watched his wife and son. He had missed so much with Brianna, but he promised himself that he would be present for all of William’s milestones.

He had to go back to Hogwarts a few days later, but he promised to check in every night by floo and Minerva assured him that she would be fine. She had spent the fall turning Brianna’s room into a nursery and the downstairs study into a bedroom for Brianna so that the baby could be close to Minerva at night; her work load was lower than usual this year and thanks to her book sales and the addition of Albus’ inheritance and income they were more than comfortable, she knew they would do just fine on their own. The months between William’s birth and the end of the school year passed smoothly, despite Minerva’s lack of sleep, and both mother and son were healthy and happy when the other half of their family arrived home in June.

There will be a brief epilogue...

[Sensiblyquirky]

I really liked this chapter, and I loved the way you got Brianna to understand that her Mother suffered just as much if not more than she did at times. Excellent job, and I'm looking forward to the epilogue.

Christy

[Jestana]

You made me cry when they were in Min's memories. Congrats on that point. *grin* Fabby chapter, and I love how Albus countered the article. I can't wait for the epilogue. Bravo!

[Mellypoo622]

I'm glad Brianna began to understarnd! Loved the chapter! Can't wait for the epilogue!

[max]

Well, Ginger ... you asked for "honest critic" and ... here we go.

But let me say first: I like your writing. You've gotten talent, you know how to tell a story, your style is pleasant to read and you show that you work hard (and that's something I find very important). And therefore I like most of your stories. But with this I've got even a few problems.

The first one is something probably only bothering me, but it bothers me in two ways:
a) I can hardly believe that Albus would sleep with young Minerva. Even with her being a very mature young woman - with 18, just one out of school, she's simply too young for a man who's around 100.
You know, I'm living myself in a relationship with a much older man, but: There's (at least in my opinion) a big difference between Minerva and Albus coming together with her being around 70 and him being around 150 and they're coming together when she's 18 and he's 98. With 70 she's an experienced woman herself, one who has seen something from life and has gone through something. But with 18, just out of school?
Sorry - an adult man who sleeps with an 18 year old (who was only a few weeks before his pupil!) looks to me like a "dirty old man" (only exception: If he's very young too). And that's not the way I'd like to see Albus.

b) It's AU. Just so simple.
In the first scene JKR shows us the both of them, she makes absolutely clear that they're not in an intimate relationship with each other (remember: She addresses him with "Dumbledore", she doesn't expect him to know her to know her animagus form, she doesn't know how he spent the day - and even if some of this little details are seen by JKR herself as "bugs" now, the intention of this scene is clear: She doesn't want to show them as a couple).

My next point: If Minerva would have slept with him at the age of 18 and become pregnant by it - how would she react? If she's so mature as you want to show her (and as she would have to be for becoming desirable to a man like him), she hardly would keep something so important as having a child to herself.

The fact that she didn't hear something from her lover after their night together (although that's another point I'm a bit at odds with. Would Albus Dumbledore sleep with a very young woman, probably being her first lover and then not talking to her anymore? He would probably feel odd about afterwards, but I think he's gentleman enough to overcome his awkwardness to have a talk with her) - would that already be enough to keep something so important from him?

And even if she wouldn't feel like sharing her baby with him - would she really deny her child to have a father only because she's hurt by his silence?


Next point: The reaction of her parents. If I'd have come home as an 18 year old, telling my father (who's a preacher!) that I'm pregnant from my former teacher, he certainly wouldn't have kicked me out, but gone for kicking the teacher in question! Even if we take the magical world at this time as something alike to the Muggle world: A Victorian would have been shocked by learning that his 18 year old daughter is pregnant, but he certainly wouldn't have blamed only her, but the father of the child too. And he would probably have gone to make this man doing his duty in marrying the girl he'd got pregnant.


And I'm still not ready. Even if I could believe in her parents simply kicking her out, but not going after Albus - we know the magical world is rather small. Could she really hide a child for 11 years in this world?

That would perhaps work if she'd have gone from the magical world for living as a Muggle. But even then it would become difficult. Her former class mates would wonder about her whereabouts and so would Albus. They'd talk, they'd look for her - and wouldn't they sooner or later find her?

But even if they wouldn't - in your story Minerva (remember: Minerva, around 22 or 23 years, without having more education as her seven years at Hogwarts!) makes a living by writing text books. So sorry, but I don't believe that a publisher would buy a text book written by some one who isn't a "specialist" in the field. He couldn't sell it. And besides: You made Minerva write transfiguration textbooks. So she's in Albus' field - and with him being the transfiguration master in the only English wizard's school you can be sure: A publisher would ask him for his opinion before he makes a contract with some one for a new textbook! He's the man who has to recommand these books. A publisher not asking him beforehand would be an idiot.

So here we have another connection which would lead to Albus getting in contact with Minerva again.

Sorry, but in my opinion this story could only work if you find a believable reason for Minerva to keep his child away from him. So as it is the plot doesn't work for me.

Yours
Max

[Dewey]

I really like this story, it's super awesome! I'm looking forward to the epilogue. I really like how you write, it seems so relaxed and it's not rushed.

-Kathy

[Rikki]

Well, you should know by now that I just love your stories - and this one's no exception. ;D It's sweet and fluffy and just ... *sigh*

Thanks!

Hugs, Rikki

P.S. @max: you know what? You sound like Marcel Reich-Ranizki. This is fanfiction, not classic literature. So lighten up a bit.

[QuillofMinerva]

I enjoyed the fact that you made brianna see what her mother went through while she bringing her up, it added maturity to the character.
Peoples reactions and views to a pregnant young woman have changed a wee bit but there are cases every year when daughters get disowned by their families...I worked with a couple when I was on a work placement with social services, it is hard to believe but it does happen nowadays and it certainly happened years ago...so that was a nice touch to add in.
Im glad that Minerva has found happiness again with Albus and they can be the family, you have portrayed the struggle well and dealt with it from all aspects and points of views.
The story doesnt feel rushed and I cant wait to read the final installment...You have done really well with this story and Im really happy that you adopted my plot bunny because you have turned it into a really healthy bunny

[ginger newts]

Too lazy to quote...

Max,

You make some valid points. Actually, after I posted the epilogue I was going to include an A/N that said I consider this story to be extremely AU. I don't think that either of them would have remained out of contact for so long after spending a night together. Not if they truly loved each other.

Also, I know that a lot of people get offended by them having any relations when she was really young and I recognize that it more than likely didn't happen that way. I on occassion enjoy student!Minerva/Albus fics just because it's naughty and fun but I do consider those to be AU as well. The reason I made her so young, knowing it would alienate some readers, is that I wanted the child to start Hogwarts before she joined the staff so it had to be soon after she left school. There was only a margin of 2 or 3 years to play with.

I certainly don't want to offend anyone with my content, but this was an excellent bunny and it turned rabbid as I began writing. I do realize that I've written some things that were a tad far fetched, but over all I'm pretty pleased with the outcome of this one. And I thank all of you who have enjoyed and reviewed. I just wanted to say that I realized when I began that it would be AU and that not everyone would like it.

[ginger newts]

July, 1973

“Mum, Brianna’s just arrived,” William called up the stairs.

“Coming,” Minerva answered. She laid the rest of the clean laundry on the bed and made her way downstairs to greet her daughter.

“How are you, mum?” Brianna asked after a hug.

“Just fine, except for worrying about your father. How are things at the hospital?”

“Chaotic as usual,” Brianna shrugged. “Remind me again why I wanted to be a Healer? Where’s dad gone this time?” she asked after a pause.

“As if he’d tell us,” William said quickly. “He’s supposed to be home tonight though, isn’t he mum?”

“If all goes well, yes. Come on in the sitting room and I’ll make tea,” Minerva said as she ushered her children out of the entry way.

Albus was away on another of his missions with some other members of the Order of the Phoenix, a secret group he had formed to fight against the dark wizard Voldemort who had begun a slow rise to power a few years ago. Between his duties as Headmaster of Hogwarts and the Order his family hadn’t seen much of him that summer. As his deputy headmistress, Minerva also had a lot of work to do and helping William apply for Auror training wasn’t making it any easier.

Minerva had joined the teaching staff of Hogwarts in the winter of 1956, taking the not quite two year old William with her to the castle where the rest of the staff and the house elves aided greatly in his upbringing. When Armando Dippet had retired and Albus became headmaster a decade later he appointed Minerva as his deputy headmistress and his successor as head of Gryffindor. She also took over teaching Transfiguration and a new professor was hired for the Defense Against the Dark Arts post she had previously held.

All of this occurred the year that William became a Hogwarts student himself, which Minerva found to be very good timing. With all of her added responsibilities it was helpful that her youngest had a daily routine and was sleeping in the dormitory with his classmates. She could watch after him as his head of house rather than his mother, though she still acted as both. He had graduated a month ago and was currently hoping to become an Auror and help in the war against Voldemort.

Minerva poured tea for herself and her children and they fell into a comfortable conversation about their jobs and the war and what they thought the future would be like. Brianna had been dating the same man for almost a year and she was hoping that he would propose soon. Minerva immediately began making suggestions for the wedding, causing Brianna to chuckle much like her father always did.

“Slow down, mum,” she said. “He hasn’t asked yet.”

“But he will,” Minerva said wisely. “I like your Benjamin, he’s a good man. Can we expect grandchildren?”

“After the wedding, mum!” Brianna said with exasperation. “What about you, William, are you still dating that girl? What was her name?”

“Oh, you mean Margaret? No, we broke up when we left Hogwarts. She said she needed to experience the world on her own and ‘find herself’ whatever that means,” he rolled his eyes and picked up another biscuit.

Minerva reached over and wrapped some of his shoulder length black hair around her finger. “Maybe if you would cut your hair,” she suggested for the four-hundredth time.

“Mu-um,” he brushed her hand away. “I don’t know why you care. You always say you love dad’s hair and it’s much longer than mine.”

She scowled at him, “That’s not the point.”

“Pray tell, my dear, what is the point?” came an amused voice from the doorway to the kitchen.

Minerva spun around, “Albus? You’re home?”

“I’m home,” he confirmed with a smile as she ran across the room to embrace him.

“I was so worried,” she said after a kiss.

William and Brianna walked over to greet their father. “She’s been driving me crazy the whole time you were gone,” William said as he clapped Albus on the back. “Don’t leave me alone with her anymore.”

“You spent most of the first two years of your life with only your mother for company and you never complained then,” Albus grinned.

“Well I suppose I didn’t know any better then did I,” William retorted with a wink.

“Alright, mister, that’s enough out of you,” Minerva playfully smacked the back of his head. “Albus, are you hungry? I’ll make dinner.”

He wrapped his arms around her waist, “Are you so eager to be away from me already?”

“Of course not,” she laughed. “Oh alright! William, would you...”

He cut her off, “Sure.” He disapparated with a soft pop before she could even tell him what to bring back, but it didn’t matter. They ordered the same thing every time they went to the Chinese take away.

The Dumbledore family enjoyed a long and leisurely dinner, keeping up a steady flow of chatter, most of which was of the teasing variety. Minerva sat back and watched her husband and children happily. William and Brianna had both gotten a healthy mix of hers and Albus’ personalities; both could be incredibly stubborn and hot tempered but also knew how to stay calm under pressure and had an easy going acceptance of almost everything. Brianna still looked exactly like Albus in Minerva’s opinion, while William had her dark hair and green eyes. Both children had a good sense of humor and possessed a quick wit and clever mind, and both had been sorted into Gryffindor which had made Minerva very proud. She thought that they had done a good job after all, they had raised two wonderful and caring individuals who knew who they were and what they wanted to do in life, which for both of them included helping others. They both had big hearts, but would never be walked on by anyone, and a fierce sense of loyalty that had gained them trustworthy and honorable friends. Minerva caught Albus watching her and she reached for his hand under the table, smiling softly at him. She knew he understood what she was thinking as he squeezed her hand and returned her smile.

Brianna left after dinner, she had to work the night shift at St. Mungo’s, and William went out to meet some school friends, leaving Albus and Minerva alone in the house. After almost a week apart from each other they were very glad to have some time to themselves and they put it to good use, pampering each other with a hot bath and massages before moving to the bed to reaffirm their undying love for each other. After so many years together, they might not express their passion as frequently as they had in their younger days, but they still held just as much desire for the other as ever. After years of loving each other they had learned exactly what pleased the other, making their time together very fulfilling and tonight was no exception. Neither of them knew for sure what the future would hold, but for right now they were content to live in the present. They had two wonderful grown children, a school full of students who respected and looked up to them, and most of all they had each other and that was enough.

The End

Thanks again to my wonderful reviewers, you ladies kept me going.

[max]

Thank you for the epilogue. I liked it a lot.

[Sensiblyquirky]

great way to wrap things up! Looking forward to the next fic...no rest for the weary.

CC

[TheEmeraldRose]

That was a wondeful story, gingernewts. Thank you so much for sharing it with us! ;D

-<3- LC

[Jestana]

Yay! Lovely ending! Shows how well they've overcome the twelve years of silence and really moved on. Bravo!

[Mellypoo622]

I really really really really enjoyed that story! I think you did an excellent job!

[Isabelle]

Aww, so sweet! I love how closed up everything. It was good for Brianna to see Minerva's memories. I'm glad she showed them to her! Bravo!

Liz

[griseldalafey]

Nice ending I'm glad they worked things out like this, although Minerva's memories were heart breaking.

I've said it before, but I just like to say it one more time, you did a great job with Brianna. Her reactions, although perhaps not right, where in my opinion very realistic.

[QuillofMinerva]

awwww thanks for finishing this story off, i have very much enjoyed it

[Nerweniel]

Absolutely wonderful. I've loved it from the beginning and well, the ending really was the crown on it all. Congratulations and thank you for this great fic!

Love,

Liz

[MsPresident]

This whole fic made me want to go hug my mom. Great job! Can't wait for your next fic.(hint, hint) ;D


Alexis

[TabbyForever]

Buddy...Sorry its taken me so long to review but i love this story!!!
I don't care if its AU or not!!!!
Please go forth.....write AU!!!! Its what keeps student who don't want to live in the real world out of the real world for a few hours a day!!!
Thankyou for sharing your idea!!!!
It rocks!!!
J

[JKMcGonagall]

This story is wonderful. I thought I had read everything of yours on FF.net and here. I don't know how I missed this one before. It may be AU but it is very believable and well written. I really enjoyed how they finally became a family.

Kay

[amandahleigh]

I love this fic. I'd read it before, but I guess I didn't review (hmm...weird) so I am commenting now.

I didn't think that Briana was a brat. I felt that her reactions were entirely valid. I mean, she's how old? 11? 12? She's a kid. Of course she is going to be upset about the new baby. Albus "promised himself that he would be present for all of William’s milestones," but he wasn't there for hers. And she would stand out as havign a different last name. My mother was 7 when her brother was born and she was terribly jealous, and they have the same parents and had the same upbringing. I felt that was natural, and didn't make her a brat, just a kid unable to better express her jealousy, hurt, and fear.

Also, I didn't agree with quite a bit of Max's critique. I can certainly believe, first off, that her father kicked her out. I have a friend who's mother kicked her out because she found out that my friend and her boyfriend were being intimate. My friend was not pregnant, but she had about fifteen minutes to get out of her house (she stayed in a hotel for a few nights, until her grandparents said she could live with them as long as the boyfriend didn't come visit).

The reaction of her parents. If I'd have come home as an 18 year old, telling my father (who's a preacher!) that I'm pregnant from my former teacher, he certainly wouldn't have kicked me out, but gone for kicking the teacher in question! Even if we take the magical world at this time as something alike to the Muggle world: A Victorian would have been shocked by learning that his 18 year old daughter is pregnant, but he certainly wouldn't have blamed only her, but the father of the child too. And he would probably have gone to make this man doing his duty in marrying the girl he'd got pregnant.

If that is really true, why were so many women 'back then' forced to go 'away' to convents and boarding houses for a few months to have the babies that would later end up on shows like Unsolved Mysteries looking for their birth mothers?
I have another friend who's family is very religious, and her mother has never made it a secret that if her daughter was to get pregnant before marriage than that child will be "no daughter of (hers).
Some parents are cold. My brother has a friend who got pregnant, and her parents told her "abortion or out." so I can certainly believe that Minerva's parents would throw her out for getting knocked up.

That would perhaps work if she'd have gone from the magical world for living as a Muggle. But even then it would become difficult. Her former class mates would wonder about her whereabouts and so would Albus. They'd talk, they'd look for her - and wouldn't they sooner or later find her?

I don't think they necessarily would. If she didn't have any very close friends, why would classmates look for her? I just graduated from high school in 2003, and I have no idea what 98% of my class of 175 is doing now, where they are, if they have kids...and as for her very close friends, like Poppy, maybe, if she told them to keep it on the DL, wouldn't they?

I agree about the AU-ness and the age-thing. In my head, I like to change their ages accordingly (lol) because I don't like to picture Minerva, at around my age, dating a guy 20 years older than my great-grandmother. So I made her about 24, in my mind, and I put him at about 52 (lol, I'm such a dork).

Anyway, I loved the story. Even though it was rather AU, the characters were still, IIMHO, erally in character and I liked semi-batastic Briana. I think when she got to see her mother's memories it made such a difference, and I wish we could do that sort of thing in real life, because that would be awesome.

I think it's awesome that Max gave such in depth and detailed critique and I'm am not saying that Max's (or anyone else's) opinions are wrong, just that I see it a little differently.
Anyway,
Great fic, Ginger Newts!

:)AL:)

[ginny]

Ooh, I love this fic. It is grreat. I like your style of writing, its very...i dunno, but i like it! I read it all today, hehe. I liked the whole plot line, the whole thing with Brianna not knowing who her father was for her whole life then going to Hogwarts, and finding him...yeah, lol.
But I loved it! Keep up the good work!

[mininerva]

This is a wonderful story. I just discovered it today and read all of it! :-)

[harmonydumbledore]

I really like this story. In my opinion everything fit.
1) If she had gotten pregnant at 18, no matter how sinsible she is she would have been scared and tried to do it alone.
2) For a 12 year old, she was completely normal about the whole situation.
3) This was excellantly wel written and thus I say it rocks!