Oh my. Alastor was great with Malcolm, and I'm sure it helped him to hear about Alastor's mother, as well as to be able to talk things out with him. I'm sure he had never told anyone about how things were before. That's one thing Minerva isn't good at -- talking through things. I'm sure she'd try if she thought about it, but it just isn't in her nature.

But Gerald. I don't know if it was ordinary alcoholism and abuse, (if there is such a thing), or the unique Macnair insanity, or a combination of the two, but for Minerva to go through that, not only from him, but from his creditors as well... and for Malcolm to have to hear it... I reeaallly hope Gerald is dead, but no doubt he'll manage to mess Minerva up even if he is. Hmmm -- I just remembered that when Minerva's father confronted Kenneth, way back when, he told Gerald that after he had a place of their own for Minerva and Malcolm, he was going to send a house-elf to keep an eye on him. So Elgar's primary responsibility wasn't keeping house was it? It was protecting Minerva and Malcolm. And how bad would Gerald have been after he found out Minerva gave the creditors her wedding ring? How long could she keep that hidden? Although I suppose she could transfigure a facsimile, if she remembered to do it.

Great chapter! Alastor is growing on me. I've been a bit wary of him. 

See, you can write fluff! Well, fluffyish. Except for Minerva's flashback when Alastor held her down, which bothered him a lot more than it did her. I know love is blind, but surely he realizes there are things she hasn't told him?

I still adore Malcolm. Tall, Churchill-reading, fish-cleaning, chess-playing Malcolm, who wants to grow his beard as long as Dumbledore's. I loved his thoughts about Alastor's 'tetchiness'. And it was cute when the transfiguration prodigy was so flustered he could barely manage a pair of earplugs. I really hope you don't have some dreadful fate planned for him.

Alastor is quite sweet (words I never thought I'd write), but I can easily see him becoming the character we meet later. I'm glad he appreciates Minerva's intelligence and perseverance, and that he wants to protect her. I suspect that she might not appreciate it though. Amelia's right too, she definitely wouldn't want him poking around her past. I predict she will be quite upset when she finds out about it.

*snip*"Mum, I'd like to come to Hogwarts."There. It was out.He held his breath for a few moments as she stood saying nothing but looking at him in shock.He was taken aback when he saw tears form in her eyes and begin to spill down her cheeks."Oh, Mum! I'm sorry!" he exclaimed and went to her."No, no, Malcolm," she sniffed. "You've nothing to be sorry for. Nothing."He conjured a handkerchief and handed it to her, earning him a wan smile.*snip*That sounds so... so.... so.... very Albus to me.... *grins*

I love this chapter. (Yea, fluff!) Malcolm is just adorable, trying to be tough and grown-up, and Elgar sees right through him. I wonder how much he is like Minerva at that age (or even now). Malcolm's thoughts about Gerald are revealing -- the last months with him were 'frightening', but his youth shows in his conclusions. We know Gerald really wasn't in any position to run off with anyone (unless he met an heiress with a need to be abused and taken advantage of; he's really not even superficially charming), anyway, as far as he was able (not much), he loved Minerva. But I'm sure that didn't stop him from trying to abuse her as he spiraled deeper into insanity.

Poor Professor Yates, but now there is an opening for a new deputy!

Other things I like about the chapter:

Minerva in mother-mode.
Ginger-lemon curd.
Malcolm's prowess at transfiguration.
Auburn fuzz.
Malcom's coming to Hogwarts!
Minerva trembling with ... happiness??

I like this exchange:

"See? Professor What's-His-Name didn't try to hold you back, he helped you get ahead!"
"Dumbledore."
"I'm sorry?"
"His name is Professor Dumbledore," she said quietly. "And yes, he did help me."

I love this chapter. (Yea, fluff!) Malcolm is just adorable, trying to be tough and grown-up, and Elgar sees right through him. I wonder how much he is like Minerva at that age (or even now). Malcolm's thoughts about Gerald are revealing -- the last months with him were 'frightening', but his youth shows in his conclusions. We know Gerald really wasn't in any position to run off with anyone (unless he met an heiress with a need to be abused and taken advantage of; he's really not even superficially charming), anyway, as far as he was able (not much), he loved Minerva. But I'm sure that didn't stop him from trying to abuse her as he spiraled deeper into insanity.

Poor Professor Yates, but now there is an opening for a new deputy!

Other things I like about the chapter:

Minerva in mother-mode.
Ginger-lemon curd.
Malcolm's prowess at transfiguration.
Auburn fuzz.
Malcom's coming to Hogwarts!
Minerva trembling with ... happiness??

I like this exchange:

"See? Professor What's-His-Name didn't try to hold you back, he helped you get ahead!"
"Dumbledore."
"I'm sorry?"
"His name is Professor Dumbledore," she said quietly. "And yes, he did help me."

I just found this and finished catching up with it -- I love it! It really does have some of that old-school gothic flavor, although Minerva is way too resourceful and steadfast to be one of those damsels in distress fleeing the castle in their nighties ;) Cannot wait to see how the submerged secrets are going to play out.

Interesting developments. I wonder why she doesn't bring Malcolm to Hogwarts. Surely, it would be less expensive for her. Where is Gerald -- he seems to have disappeared rather quickly.

Well, this was almost a fluffy chapter. Obviously Minerva is special to Albus, even if it's not romantically. And Minerva gets to have Elgar with her! It's very sweet how they look after each other. He's probably the only one in the world that she truly trusts with everything. I wonder if he knows (or suspects) who Malcolm's father is, or if he will suspect after he meets Albus--and I'm sure they'll meet, for a variety of reasons, even if it's "off-screen".

Minerva is initially more relaxed and open than we've seen her since--well, last time we saw her with Albus. Then she remembers what she's hiding, and withdraws physically and emotionally. She wants to trust him, but because of Malcolm she is afraid to, afraid for them even to meet. And she doesn't want to even think about France, or Gerald. Possibly because she knows more than she's letting on?

Sometimes, he told himself, for a genius, you are remarkably stupid.

Great quote from Albus. Yes, he's a genius, and knows it, but is also aware that he makes mistakes, even if he only realizes it later. He needs to become more aware of that! He's missing some information here, so he draws the wrong conclusion. He has no way of knowing that the memory of that evening has been sustaining her emotionally for twelve years. (No doubt he'd be horrified that it was necessary.)

I think you portray Minerva's fear that Albus will learn who Malcolm really is, very well in this chapter - and I enjoyed the peek into Albus' mind as we learn a bit more abuot how he thinks - or at least, what he thinks... good in depth dip into what it is to be Albus Dumbledore.

Awe, I just want to give Minerva a hug. To have to be with him at the school and try to pretend that she has no feelings for him and the worst part is to be away from Malcolm so much. Well, Dumbledore really has no clue  how she really feels that is quite obvious.  At least he is able to realize and say to himself that  "  for a genius, you are remarkably stupid."   As they say that is the first step.  lol

Back to Hogwarts! What a quick decision she made on an opportunity both wonderful and frightening. I imagine it'll be tricky for her, at first.  

I'm glad things are working out for Minerva but am a bit worried that Gerald might still be "out there" and show up at a bad time. I'm loving this story. Thank you.

Finally, finally! She's away from Gerald, and back where she belongs! So what did happen to him? (I know, you're not telling.) He's only been missing a few weeks though, isn't it a little soon to have him declared dead? Not too soon for me (or her, obviously), but legally...?

I am curious about this too:

Her lips seemed set in a thin, horizontal line, and her nose had finally regained its normal, straight, unremarkable form with a little help from her wand.

Of course Albus kept track of her. She is extraordinary in so many ways, and easy to care for, even though she obviously doesn't realize it. Her thoughts about Albus, and their time together, show us just how desolate and lonely she has been. With her thoughts about Malcolm you show that even though she's coming home, she's still trading one set of worries for another. (Can't you write just one chapter of fluff?)

And this:

She peered at her reflection and knew she was no longer pretty.

I think she did what was right instead of what would have been easy but I understand that she sees it differently. And I wonder if her sons name has turned up in the book at Hogwarts, with Albus surname behind it, because that's how it tends to list  the names, I think. - I can't imagine that Albus doesn't know that Malcolm is his.

Awe, I had a feeling something like this was going to happen.  Now when is she moving their son into the school with her?  So glad that her husband is out of the picture since he was basically good for nothing.  Thanks for the quick update, can't wait for the next.

I'll be glad when Minerva can be rid of this whole, sorry excuse of a family... but for now, I shall concentrate on the bits I enjoy - such as Elgar.... love Elgar... love!

Wow. Well, poor Heloise is out of her misery, and Kenneth is in Azkaban (and no one deserves it more). Unfortunately, it seems to have cost Gerald his last shred of sanity.

Minerva is absolutely awesome (again), handling Gerald, taking care of things in Scotland, and shielding Malcolm from his 'father'. I like how you show her inner uncertainty, even while she is continuing to do what she has to do.

"Gerald, everyone cries."

"You don't," he said almost accusingly. "I've never seen you.

In future years, she would remember that night as the only one in which he had been truly tender, and the first and only one in which he took long enough to bring her to orgasm before he spent himself.

Poor Minerva, she deserves so much more.  I wonder if Dumbledore will recognize his son when he starts at Hogwarts.   Looking forward to another update soon.

What a bleak existence! Minvera is now physically as well as emotionally and intellectually isolated.

Her attempt to build a relationship with Gerald is doomed from the start. They don't have anything in common at all, and Gerald probably doesn't feel the need. It could be worse, I suppose--he could be more like his father. I wonder if the lack of money makes it better or worse; this way he's forced to employ a little bit of self-discipline in his recreation, and even though it makes him 'tense', it also probably keeps him grounded, or as grounded as he can be. Minerva's stoicism and pragmatism probably helps too. It's a losing battle though. At least he hasn't started beating her (yet); I hope she wouldn't submit to that (after all it is expressly forbidden in the marriage contract--but then, so is adultery). It's easy to see he's on a downward slope, and I wonder if Minerva has let herself be aware of that, or if she's so focused on surviving that she refuses to look ahead. What does he pay for in the brothels?

It's nice to see that she enjoys her teaching, and it seems she's very good at it. And she has Malcolm. Still, even for someone as self-sufficent as Minerva, to be stuck with her son and a house-elf (OK, Elgar isn't just any house-elf) for companionship has to be excruciating.

Oh --
Two hours later, Malcolm was happily laughing as he read aloud to Minerva from his well-loved copy of 'The Phoenix and the Carpet'.
Heh.

Great chapter! I loved the tutoring scene - very sweet and heartfelt. 

Minerva hadn't expected her father to react so dramatically to her tale. She had hoped only that he would shelter her and Malcolm until she could figure out what to do next.

I'm not sure what this says about Minerva's relationship with her parents. If I went home with a story like that, I would expect a pretty dramatic reaction. On the other hand, she's been living with the Macnairs for two years, and it was her father's idea to put her there. He had to have some idea what Kenneth was like. Kenneth doesn't appear to think he needs to hide anything.

Minerva is certainly single-minded isn't she? I don't think I would be thinking about repaying tuition at that moment.

At least Magnus did the right thing, despite his wife and daughter's protests. Fortunately he's able to speak in terms Kenneth can understand, and has the connections to back it up.

And Gerald is really something. It seems at first that he's ready to believe his father, then to equate "it's not your fault your father tried to rape me" with "I love you"... All I can say is poor, poor Minerva. How can she stand it? Because she must, I suppose.

What a sad chapter. Surely, something will change for the better for Minerva -- she deserves it.

I don't know who I dislike the more, Kennith the pig (though that insults pigs) or Glenna - Minerva's completely worthless mother, who is more concerned with the image of her family than the psychie of her daughter! Disgusting!.Magnus now gets cookies - and I'm glad he's finally owning up to his grand name... the sod - throwing Mineva into that marriage, knowing they were a filthy family.... glad he's regaining some worth.... more later...

Excellent _ I am so proud Minerva's father avenged the wrongdoing she suffered at the hands of that evil man.