Left With More Than a Memory

Telling

Welcome back! Thank you beyond words for continuing to read, it means the absolute world to me! Hopefully, you will like Chapter 4 just as much as the others. Enjoy!

Telling

The first of September, 1997 was an absolutely glorious day. The sun shone unclouded on Hogsmeade station, providing a little warmth to the chilly highland air. But, however fine the weather, the Death Eater occupation took something out of the once purely joyous air that had surrounded the Hogsmeade Station. For now, Hogwarts was largely left alone by the war around them. Primarily because Potter and his crew had not been near there in weeks, but also because the active Death Eaters had pushed hard for somewhere safe and removed for their children. Voldemort had allowed it but the castle still remained under strict surveillance in case Potter came anywhere near. Muggle-borns had also been banned from the school, any who showed up would have their wands snapped, names put on a registry and a punishment that left little up to the imagination. But for those allowed back, for what the faculty and many students knew deep in their souls was only to be a short time, Hogwarts was safe. As the student disembarked, they passed the 4 on-guard Death Eaters and although instructed not to make contact with anyone unless there was trouble, their simple presence loomed heavy. But, despite all that surrounded them, there was still excitement aboard The Hogwarts Express.

Minerva was again at the helm of the sorting process, but before that she was, as head of Gryffindor house, a part of the committee making sure everyone found their correct dorm and got settled. Owing to the complete removal of a whole demographic from Hogwarts, there were many empty beds. So the dorms had been rearranged en mass so as not to make the school look as lacking as it was.

'Mini!" rang out a familiar voice. Placing a paper down she raised her head to find her spritely niece, Louise, barreling toward her.

"Hello Lou" she smiled, accepting a warm embrace

"Dragged you into this palaver, have they?" Louise said, glaring across at the headmaster who stood imposingly at the end of the hall.

Her aunt rolled her eyes as she gave Louise her dorm assignment.

"I haven't seen Kit anywhere, have you?" the young woman continued.

Kit, Catherine Bodenfield, had been Louise's best friend since they were 3 years old. Their fathers had been on the same auror squad and had been relocated to the same street in London on assignment. There, they had lived for 10 years until an injury sustained by Malcolm forced him into an early retirement. His position had to be filled, so the family were forced to move to make space for the new recruit. They found a beautiful highland cottage to call home and had been there ever since. The move hit Louise and Catherine hard, but Hogwarts meant that the two were never apart for long. Their summers were also spent alternating houses for weeks at a time. Louise's little Scottish voice had not survived the decade in England and having a Scottish father and an Irish mother meant that she was never allowed to forget it.

"No, I haven't Louise, I'm sorry. You didn't travel together?"

"We did, but we got separated after getting off. She went to say hello to somebody and I didn't see her so I assumed she'd left already. Ah well, she'll be around somewhere, but tell her I've gone up if you see her."

"I will. Oh, Louise!" Minerva called after her niece as she began to leave. Her heart lept to her mouth as she continued. "Come and have tea with me after the feast, it's been ages"

Louise smiled and heartily agreed before making for her new dorm.

Minerva had just returned from the feast. Her heart was pounding as she nervously prepared the promised tea. She had run what she would say through in her mind over and over. She knew the moment she found out that Louise would be the first person that she would tell about the baby. The two were exceptionally close as well as her being her only family at Hogwarts. But as the minutes ticked by she found that she had never wanted to do anything less in all her life. She jumped in her chair as the dreaded knock rang through her quarters. Taking a deep breath, Minerva rose and called for Louise to come in. Here goes nothing, she thought to herself.

"Hello Min!" she said cheerily, giving her aunt another hug. "I see they haven't put the bars on your windows yet, I hear Azkaban chic is all the rage at the moment"

"Now Louise," her aunt said disapprovingly as she walked back over to the table with the tea things. "You know as well as I do that we have it very well compared to most".

"I suppose." the girl scoffed. "But onto lighter matters, how was your summer?"

Minerva put off the point of the visit for a good while, engaging in small talk and gossip, catching up with her niece's life since she's made her summer visit. But as she did her mind wandered back to the upcoming subject and she absentmindedly began to fiddle with the lace cloth on the table. Spending a good deal of time with someone and getting close to them makes you very aware of their being and its tendencies. So Louise quickly picked up on the fact that her aunt's mind was elsewhere. And the fidgeting? Minerva McGonagall did not fidget. She then watched her aunt take her empty teacup to the sink at the edge of the room, an action that raised further red flags for Louise. Why wash a single cup and not wait for the whole set to be finished with? Puzzled, Louise attempted to figure out what was going on.

"Are you alright Minerva? You seem very distracted".

Making sure she had her back to her niece she slowly started to answer.

"I'm fine, really I am. It's just...I went to see Poppy a little while ago".

"Oh? There's nothing wrong is there?" asked the girl, suddenly worried.

"No, no, nothing wrong. Just-" she paused, bracing herself.

"Mini please, you're frightening me now," Louise said.

Minerva finished rinsing the cup and slowly turned around. She was met with a troubled gaze. Taking a deep breath and dropping her gaze nervously at the ground she finally made her announcement.

"There is nothing WRONG with me Louise. I've just...had some news that-." Breathing deeply one last time:

"Lou, I'm Pregnant".

I hope you enjoyed Chapter 4! Thank you so much for reading and again a review or any feedback would mean the world! Have a great day/night!