Diagon Alley - Harry Potter One Shots

It's A Small World After All

Eleanor was sitting on the counter of the shop, listening to Hope's high-flying adventures at Hogwarts as the girl was home for the summer. The mother was laughing as Hope described her encounter of turning her pin cushion into peach, when that wasn't the task during class at all.

"I bet Nixie loved that one," Eleanor thought out loud.

"Yeah well, she loves me so..." Hope gave a shrug of her shoulders before hopping onto the counter and sitting beside her mother. There came a loud explosion from the backroom causing the two to turn their heads around to look in the back.

"What was that?" Hope asked.

"We probably don't want to know," Eleanor shook her head. Moments later, Fred and George poked their heads out with grins on their faces.

"We're okay," Fred called out.

"I'm not so much concerned about you two," Eleanor said. "Is the backroom okay?"

The twins made faces at her that she quickly returned when the sound of the bell went off, signaling that someone had entered the shop. The group was confused as the closed sign was hanging outside, but were pleasantly surprised when they saw Remus walk in.

"Grandpa Rem Rem!" Hope greeted jumping down from the counter and running over to the man, launching him in a hug.

"Goodness!" Remus nearly fell back and the power hug that came at him. "Hope, you've only been out of school for a day, you couldn't have missed me all that much."

"Well of course I did, don't be riddikulus!" She winked at him.

Remus sighed. "You need to stop hanging out around Sirius."

"Is Tonksy and Teddy with you?" She asked with a hopeful look.

"I'm afraid they're at home right now debating hair colors as Teddy doesn't agree that his mother's hair is teal this morning. He believes it's much too blue to be considered teal."

Eleanor joined the area where her daughter and father were standing.

"What brings you to the shop, Dad? Did you miss Hope that much?" She said in a teasing tone. Remus smiled before shaking his head.

"Of course I enjoy every moment when it comes to spending time with my favorite granddaughter."

"I better be the favorite, I'm the only one!" Hope said.

Remus patted her head but looked to his daughter. "I'm actually here to see you, Ellie. I..I have something to share with you that you might find very interesting."

"Really? What is it?"

"Well, all of you can gather around and listen," he invited Fred and George who were obviously eavesdropping from behind the counter. 

Remus held out a book and held it out to Eleanor. 

The woman glanced down at what appeared to be a photo album and opened it up to look over something ancient looking photos.

"Who are these people, Dad?"

"Your family," Remus said. "At least on your mother's side. The Ross family."

"I...I don't understand," Eleanor said scrunching her face up in confusion. "How did you get this album? I have all of my mother's belongings."

"I got this from an extended member of your family. Which is how I made the connection that you still have a relative that is closely related to your mother's side."

"I do. There's another Ross?"

Remus nodded his head. "However, she doesn't go by Ross anymore."

"She doesn't? You know her then?"

"I do. And you know her very well too. You all do."

"Say whaat?" Hope chimed in. "What are you talking about Grandpa Rem Rem?"

Remus took the book gently from his daughter's hands and flipped through a few pages of photos before he came upon one. He held it up and showed the photo of a woman that Eleanor didn't recognize.

"Uh...am I supposed to know who that is?"

"No," Remus chuckled. "Allow me to explain. This is Isobel Ross and she was a brilliant witch who went on to marry a man named Robert. Together they had three children. Two boys and one girl. "

Hope glanced around at the adults to see that they all looked completely confused. 

"Isobel had a brother, though, named Marion, who unfortunately was born a squib. You are aware that most squibs normally tend to live and marry into the muggle world, correct?"

"Yes, but...are you saying that we're related to Marion?" Eleanor said before looking down at Hope for a brief second.

"Yes, he is an ancestor to you."

"Wicked!" Hope cheered. "But wait...so...what about Isobel and all of them? What does that matter?"

"It matters a great deal," Remus said with a growing smile. "Because as I told you earlier. Isobel had three children. Her sons were Malcolm and Robert. Her daughter was named Minerva."

The shop grew silent for a moment as everyone registered what the man had just informed them. Eleanor's eyes were widened as Remus flipped the book to the next page and revealed a young photo of Professor McGonagall.

"Wh...how..how did you...figure all this out?"

"Well, to be honest, Ellie, I wasn't the one. I was talking to McGonagall and we got to sorting it out. She was the one who made the connection. She got out the book and brought it to my office, we did our research and it all added up."

"So wait," Hope held her hands up. "Professor McGonagall is family?"

Fred and George suddenly looked very pale in the face.

"I'm afraid so," a voice caused all of them to jump as they turned around and saw the Headmistress. "I hope I'm not intruding-"

"No, not at all, Pro-" Eleanor stopped herself from addressing the woman as professor, but she wasn't sure what to call the woman at that time. "You're more than welcome. I just...can't believe none of this was put together sooner, you know? I think...wow."

The woman stood with a kind smile as Hope looked over. Obviously, no one knew what to do or say in that moment, making the air around them awkward.

Suddenly, Hope cleared her throat loudly before opening up her arms wide.

"Bring it in, fam!"

Before Professor McGonagall could react she found herself in the girl's hold being hugged tightly. 

"That means Mum needs to make you a jumper! Everyone in the family gets one!"