Belle Brenna's pureblood family has high expectations and dangerous acquaintances. Belle craves freedom and wings to fly away from the impending war. With training to become an Animagus she believes she can finally attain the freedom she desires in...
"So how'd it go?" Samantha's mother asked as Samantha brushed the snow off of her cloak.
"About as good as I expected." Samantha smiled as she pulled off her cloak. Duke flew out of her pocket and shook off the snow on his back. "McGonagall's been begging me to take the job for years. Easiest job interview I think I'll ever have. She likes to claim she doesn't favor me, but by the ease of that interview, I think we can't deny that she does."
Samantha's mother laughed putting her warm hands on Samantha's cheeks, "You are frozen."
"Yeah, it's picking up again too." Samantha looked out the window on the door. She turned her head back into the house. Her mind instantly thinking of her daughter. "How's my girl? I hope she wasn't too much trouble."
"She's barely four months Samantha." Her mother released her cheeks and rolled her eyes, "She couldn't be too much trouble yet. And you were only gone two hours."
"Sorry, not used to leaving her yet." Samantha followed her mother into the sitting room where her daughter was laying on her tummy in a small wooden crib. She pushed herself up and watched Duke fly around with her large brown eyes.
"As the new Hogwarts Transfiguration teacher, I expect you are going to have to leave her sometimes." Her mother chuckled.
"Well, I'm only taking on the first and second years. Two days a week only, and on Tuesdays my class will be when Nev doesn't have class, so he's taking her then and when I mentor the Gazette." Samantha laughed but quickly went over to pick up her daughter. She smelled like lemon lotion. Samantha kissed her delicate forehead where dark curly hair was already forming. Samantha sat down for a moment.
Her daughter's eyes still followed Duke as he practically twirled in the air. Samantha suspected Duke flew around in such patterns because he knew the baby liked watching him.
"I'll take her on Thursdays then." Her mother insisted before sitting down beside them on the sofa, "And any other time you need me."
"Thanks mum." Samantha was grateful. She still worked for the Prophet remotely, but she hadn't written an article in a few weeks. She wanted Albert to stand on his own two feet. Not to mention since his book had been released a month prior, her deal for her brother's return was now public. It wasn't bad press for the Ministry, since Kingsley had already announced his retirement, but she didn't want any bad press befalling the Prophet.
"Honestly, McGonagall tried to insist I could just bring Minnie and she'd watch her." Samantha cackled a little as her daughter pulled at her hair. Samantha pulled her hand out of her hair before mimicking McGonagall's voice, "I would care for a bit of time with my namesake."
Samantha's mother laughed heartily, "Did you remind her I also wanted a bit of time with my namesake as well?
Samantha nodded, "She conceded after I mentioned that."
"I know middle names aren't as important. But I'm also her grandmother." Her mother tickled Minnie's pink cheeks. "Isn't that right Minerva Aine?"
Minnie giggled out a little bit at her grandmother's touch. The belly on her little strawberry covered onesie wrinkled as she laughed.
"Middle names are important." Samantha rolled her eyes, "Besides, I didn't pick her first name. If I had, I'd have named her after you. "
"I don't want another Belle." Her mother shook her head. "Besides, I like her name."
"I mean, there are worse things than being named after two very strong women." Samantha cackled.
"Too true." Her mother nodded. "And you kept my tradition of Gaelic middle names. I love anything that spites the Brenna's."
"Me too. That reminds me." Samantha said before summoned a book with dark blue binding from her satchel, "This came back from the publisher's today."
Her mother took the book into her hands and read the silver title aloud, "The Flight Of The Vulture, by Samantha Aithne Fyre."
"I thought you should have the first copy." Samantha said before kissing her mum's cheek.
Her mother ran her hands over the cover again. Her eyes danced across it before dancing over to Samantha, "I love you my Lion."
"I love you too mum." Samantha felt her face form into a smile.
She had to admit she felt a deep sense of love being sandwiched between her mother and her daughter.
