The Potions Master's Daughter

A Night of Pain

True to her word, Minerva found poor Sadie screaming and crying for her mummy in the hands of a very desperate Herbology professor. Minerva had told the girl many times that she was not her mother, but Sadie saw Minerva as such, and Minerva reluctantly realized that she was now the girl's adopted mother whether she liked it or not. After all, she had done the necessary paperwork when the girl was a year and a half. Sadie immediately reached towards Minerva as she came into sight. Minerva sighed, picking up the small girl. Sadie snuggled into Minerva's embrace, resting her head in the crook of the professor's neck. Pomona Sprout sighed in relief.

"Thank you. I tried, but the wee one just wouldn't stop crying," she said, sitting down on the loveseat.

Minerva couldn't help but smile slightly at the feeling of warmth that gave her, that Sadie stopped crying almost immediately after coming into her arms. "I suspect she's tired. I don't blame her. It's been quite a day." Her eyes welled up with tears again at the thought of what she had to do earlier that evening.

Pomona sighed, patting the spot on the loveseat next to her. "C'mere, Min."

Minerva sat obediently, resting a now sleeping Sadie in her lap. Pomona then proceeded to pull the woman into a hug, and Minerva cried into Pomona's shoulder. "They're gone, Mona. They're really gone."

"I know, love. I know," Pomona whispered, rubbing her back comfortingly. "Shh. Just let it out, Min. It's alright. Shh."

They just sat there for a while, Minerva letting out all her worries and fears to Pomona, who listened patiently.

"I feel so bad about everything with Severus! His own daughter birthed by the love of his life who just died is living in the same castle as him, and I can't even tell him that because I think it would break his heart! I suppose I could always move into Hogsmeade Cottage with her, but I'm not sure I'm ready to ever live there again after Elphinstone...

(YES I KNOW THAT ELPHINSTONE AND MINERVA AREN'T MARRIED YET! DEAL WITH IT!!)

"I can't even turn to Malcom for help because every time I look at him, I see Robert! It was only a month ago, and we couldn't even grieve properly ! And now, I'm not sure I'm ready to raise Sadie! I though Lily would want her back eventually, but now, I have to raise her! I owe Lily and James that much. I couldn't even stop Albus from giving away Harry! I'm a horrible person! We left him with muggles! Muggles, Mona!!"

Pomona sighed, kissing Minerva's forehead. "You are not a horrible person, Min. I have absolutely no doubt that you are going to be a wonderful mother. I think that you're worrying too much. You've got too much stress on you right now, and any sane person can see that it's weighing you down. What you need to do is relax. Take a breather, Min. We don't have classes tomorrow. Spend some time with Sadie. Don't do any work. You've earned a day off."

She walked Minerva up to her quarters and bid her goodnight at the door. Minerva took the sleeping girl to the guest room and put her in the bed. The minute the girl wasn't in Minerva's arms, she started whimpering, not even awake. Minerva groaned, realizing the child would have to go to bed with her lest she wish to wake up to crying in the middle of the night like the last few nights. So, after changing into her night clothes, she picked Sadie up and brought the girl to her own bed. She placed the child down and then got in the bed next to her.

As the memories of the earlier day came back to Minerva, tears rapidly filled her eyes, not for herself or Albus, but for poor Sadie and Harry who would never know their parents now. She felt exhausted, so she was disturbed, knowing she'd have a nightmare. She usually did when she was exhausted. She pressed a light kiss to Sadie's forehead and snuggled up next to the girl, falling asleep quickly.