Chapter Five, Grandma Minnie

~ Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, Ministry of Magic, London ~

As the day wore on within the Ministry with most getting ready to head home to their families or getting ready to start the night shift, Arthur Weasley sat at his desk head in hands reeling from the letter he'd received from his friend, Sirius Black. He had been amongst the minority who had never believed Sirius had committed those heinous crimes, Arthur had even tried to get others to look at the facts; but it had all been for nought. He was just glad Sirius's innocence had been proven and he was back with his daughter. He couldn't even begin to imagine how Sirius had felt being separated for four years away from his daughter, only to find she'd been hurt beyond belief.

Arthur knew that if he was ever in that position separated from his children for that length or any length of time guilt would surely eat away at him. He and Sirius were very much alike in that way; their children always came first no matter what. Which was why he hadn't gotten angry over the letter but had sat (for hours) thinking it over and trying to think back on the start of his relationship with Molly, but it was all hazy. A deeply concerning sign; Arthur knew that.

That and he'd heard Molly raving to herself over the death of Dumbledore, even though it was rightly so, given all he'd done, and how she'd need to continue their plan as Lilijana needed a mother and not be raised or surrounded by freaks and murderers. The very people who had gotten Dumbledore killed. The reverence in which she had spoken about the disgraced ex-headmaster and the conviction in which she'd mentioned their plan, whatever it was, couldn't be good, and had disturbed Arthur. If those two used any of his children to get at Lilijana, Molly would rue the day she was born. He would disown her from the House of Weasley and he knew her aunt Muriel would also disown her from the House of Prewett. Muriel may be many things but she loathed liars and thieves.

His mind made up, Arthur sent a copy of that memory and a letter of what it contained to Madam Bones as well as a letter to Sirius agreeing to take the test at Gringotts, as well as informing him of the letter and memory he'd sent to Madam Bones. Packing up his desk Arthur left a note to his colleague Perkins and sent Sirius's letter back with the house-elf it had been delivered by. Taking a deep breath to steal his nerves, Arthur left his office heading for the lifts down to the Atrium. The thought, 'his children deserved better', ran through his brain giving him courage and fought off the mind-fog. They deserved a father who was fully competent and not one whose mind was addled by potions.

Especially the twins; they deserved a chance with Lilijana and not be pushed to the side by Molly; he hated not being able to help his seven year old twins every time this happened and he could fully admit to himself that he has started to loathe Molly ever since the first instance. While the others didn't deserve to be used in their mother's machinations.

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~ Potter Manor ~

While Sirius was explaining the contents of Arthur's letter to everyone, all mildly surprised, the Floo suddenly flared causing everyone to tense and rush out of the family room to the foyer only to find Minerva McGonagall cleaning the soot from her emerald robes with a wave of her wand. A blotchy colour rose within Severus's cheeks as he suddenly remembered the letter he had received from his old colleague and had given her temporary access to Potter Manor until Sirius and Niklaus stated otherwise.

"I take it from your tense appearances and the colour rising in Severus's cheeks that Severus forgot to inform you of my letter and impending arrival." Minerva stated, raising an unimpressed eyebrow at Severus.
"My apologies Minerva, so much has happened the past two days it slipped my mind." Severus apologised, scowling at Sirius and Remus who were fighting back grins and at Kol who laughed raucously at him being scolded. It wasn't in a malicious way, Kol was just childish.

"How is she?" Minerva asked, waving away the apology as Sirius and Niklaus led the way back into the family room where Lilijana was happily playing with Draco under the watchful and attentive eyes of Arcturus and Wong. The latter who often decided to join in with their games.
"She's shy, scared and extremely weary of new people." Niklaus answered tersely, not at Minerva but at the situation.
"But otherwise she's a very sweet and a happy little girl." Rebekah added.

"Don't forget she's also mischievous too!" Kol added with a smirk. "OW! What was that for?" Kol asked, rubbing the back of his head where Severus had just slapped him.
"No corrupting my goddaughter!" Severus warned seriously, pointing a finger at the mischievous Original Heretic. "She already has to deal with it in her blood from James and Sirius, and a little bit from Niklaus. She doesn't need you adding to it."
"Oh but if I and Kol don't then those boys, Adrian Pucey and Fred and George Weasley surely will be it very far, far, far off in the future." Sebastian added, a smirk tilting the corner of his mouth up as his eyes sparkled.

"That's it. I'm retiring!" Minerva exclaimed, she's heard all about those boys and she dreaded to think of what a child made of them and Lilijana would be like. Ignoring the laughter she slumped into the chair Remus had shown her to. She never normally would have acted in such a way but her mind was still reeling from that information. "Marauders 2.0." She sighed heavily. She only hoped Lilijana wasn't a prankster like her father's and uncle.

"Let me introduce you to everyone, Minerva." Remus stated as Sirius called Lolly asking for some tea and biscuits and to make sure there were some Ginger Newts for Minerva. He, Remus and James all knew from the amount of time they'd spent in her office during their school years that that particular biscuit was the Scottish witch's favourite.

"I'm sure you know Arcturus, Sirius's grandfather. Beside him is Wong Lui and this is his wife, Nadia. Then this is Jane Simon and Sebastian Myers, all four of them are born werewolves but turned into vampire hybrids willingly by Lili's father Niklaus Mikaelson, the Original Hybrid. This prankster is Kol, Nik's younger brother and is a Wiccan warlock and vampire, the Original Heretic, and finally, this is Rebekah Mikaelson Nik and Kol's little sister and Kol's twin. She is an Original Vampire." Remus explained pointing at everyone in turn.

"Everyone this is Minerva McGonagall, an old school friend of mine and who currently teaches Transfiguration at Hogwarts." Arcturus introduced, smiling. At that moment Lili used Accidental Magic to transfigure a wooden block into a nest for the dragon. Draco then copied her actions by turning a different block into a den for the wolf and Grim soft toys, pulling everyone from the small talk they were quietly making after introductions were made.

"Sirius, Niklaus, Narcissa, Lucius." Minerva croaked, having to clear her throat several times before she could continue. "I think it would be prudent if you allowed me to train Lilijana and Draco in Transfiguration. That was some powerful bit of Accidental Magic and if left unchecked it could prove to be dangerous for them."
"If you think that would be wise." Lucius agreed, after sharing a look with his wife, Sirius and Niklaus.
"I do." Minerva confirmed.
"Draco, Lili, could you come over here please sweethearts." Narcissa requested.

The two five year old cousins, who look more like twins, paused in their game to look over at Narcissa before they noticed the new woman who was sitting in an armchair close to their grandfather. Straight away Lilijana tensed up and cast her eyes down to the floor with Draco rushing to comfort her as he held her hand to help her up. Once the pair were on their feet, Minerva noticed that Draco kept Lilijana a step behind him protectively with her hand still in his, bringing a smile to the elderly woman's face.
"Yes Mother?" Draco asked, standing behind the coffee table with Lilijana behind him just slightly.
"I want to introduce you both to Minerva McGonagall." Narcissa smiled reassuringly at the pair.

"She teaches Transfiguration at Hogwarts and wishes to train you both in Transfiguration early. She will never hurt you, I promise Lili." Narcissa rushed to reassure her young niece.
"No I would never." Minerva rushed to agree. "I used to teach both godfathers, your Daddy Sirius, your Mother Lily and your Daddy James, Lilijana. It was also James's favourite subject."
"Really?" Lilijana asked delightedly, her mismatched eyes seemed to glow with happiness. She loved learning things about her Mother and Daddy James.

"Of course. There is a little secret you can eventually learn with Transfiguration." Minerva said with a wink before she turned herself into her grey tabby cat Animagus form and back again to the delight of the children who rambled excitedly.
"You just love showing that off don't you, Minnie." Sirius teased.
"I have told you repeatedly not to call me that Sirius." Minerva reprimanded sternly.
"You're like Daddy!" Lilijana cried with elation.

"He can turn into the Grim." As she said that she turned to look at Draco, the pair sharing matching mischievous grins that Minerva almost did a double take; it was like looking into the past. Right at Sirius and James, and again with Arcturus and Fleamont, and she couldn't help but dread what they would come out with next.
"Can we start now, Grandma Minnie?" Lilijana and Draco asked sweetly, matching innocent smiles upon their faces but it was the matching mischievous gleams in their eyes that gave them away.

"See what you did?!" Minerva demanded of Sirius but her only answer was a bark-like laugh. "Don't think you're so innocent, Arcturus. You and Monty were just as bad as James and Sirius when the three of us were in school." She added, earning a glare from the man as Sirius and Narcissa immediately started demanding answers from the stoic man they grew up with. If they wanted to throw Minerva a curve ball then she would certainly do the same as she had a feeling that Draco and Lilijana would persist with the name much like Sirius, Remus and James did (and still do for the former two), and suppressed a groan. However, she will forever deny that a smile pulled up her lips at the thought.

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Author's Note: DO NOT ask me to update! There are other ways to say whether you like this chapter or not.