The eighth child of Weasley

chapter seven

The first of September 2000

Almost 3 months have passed since the birth of Athena, and Minerva is beginning to adapt to being a mother.

The first month after the birth of the baby was very difficult for Minerva. The baby had to be fed every two hours even during the night, her diaper changed, and taken care of throughout the day.

Minerva and her daughter lived in the McGonagall family house on the outskirts of Caithness in the Scottish Highlands, in a village where muggles lived. Minerva chose this house because it was in the middle of the muggles and far from the magical world, unlike her home in the village of Hogsmeade.

Minerva was now sitting in the rocking chair in her room (Athena often stayed in her mother's room).
She bore Athena after she nursed her and shook her tenderly, and suddenly she smelled a strange smell. She looked at her daughter and said, "Athena, are you kidding me? I just changed your diaper." And Athena was smiling at her mother, that smile that showed her toothless mouth, that smile that Minerva could not resist and Minerva said to her, "How sweet and beautiful you are, my little girl. Let's clean you."
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Minerva was getting ready to go out and buy some groceries that she needed. She had transferred some of her money in Gringotts Bank into muggles money so that she could live temporarily among the muggles .

And of course she was going to take Athena with her, she was preparing her to go out. It was mild today, and she was going to take a short walk before buying groceries.

She had put Athena in a baby carrier on her chest, made sure she was comfortable, then took her bag and left the house.

I walked a little until I reached a public garden, and there I sat on one of the chairs. Athena was napping in her baby carrier, and Minerva thought.

Today was the first of September. It was the first academic year at Hogwarts that she had not attended since she started teaching there. She considered the school her home, as she spent most of the months of the year there. She loved her job very much. Now she is on vacation for a year in order to take care of her daughter, and This is not the reason I indicated in the request for leave, of course.

When Minerva looked at her sleeping daughter, Minerva smiled. She did not feel remorse at all for her decision to keep her daughter. On the contrary, despite the physical fatigue that Minerva was suffering from because of her interest in a baby her age, but it was worth the trouble, so one laugh or one look from her daughter It took away all her tiredness.
She placed a kiss on her red-haired daughter's head and got up to go to the store.
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Minerva was in the store buying groceries and vegetables, and there she was met by one of her neighbours. Katherine was one of those neighbors who knew Minerva and her family and remembered her, although she was a little intrusive. She helped Minerva a lot in taking care of Athena and was answering her questions and offering her service. This was very useful to Minerva, as she had no knowledge of taking care of infants.

When she saw Minerva, Katherine said, "Minerva, how are you, oh, it's little Athena! And she smiled at Athena, who was looking out of her carrying case, putting the pacifier in her mouth and holding her mother's clothes.

Minerva replied, "Katherine, I'm fine, and you, my dear, how are you? I heard that you're going to enter the competition for the best garden in the neighborhood, is that true?"
"I think about it, Minerva," said Katherine, "for I have a beautiful garden, but did you hear......?"

And they continued their conversation while they were shopping until they finished and each one went to her home.
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December 2000

Minerva was sitting in the living room and Athena in the baby chair playing with her stuffed cat toy.
She started to love and prefer this game since she saw her mother turning into a cat at times when she cried to silence her, and this method always succeeded. Now she put the cat's ear in her mouth and chewed it, how nice it looked.

Minerva was reading one of her brother's letters, he was worried. It was the second Christmas that Minerva apologized for not attending with them, and Minerva was trying to choose a suitable excuse for him, as the work excuse was not enough, Minerva exhaled herself as the lies and continuous arguments piled on her.

She stood up and went to her daughter and took the cat's toy out of her mouth and said, "Athena, leave the poor cat. Come on, I will prepare some food for you. You look hungry." And she took her daughter to the kitchen. Athena had begun to eat some food, such as mashed vegetables and fruits.

Minerva put her on the baby chair and started feeding her some mashed food. Minerva was right, as the little girl was hungry and started to eat.
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June 6th, 2001

Today was Athena's first birthday. Minerva couldn't believe it. It's already been a year since this angel was in her life.

It was a special day, she was going to prepare a special party for the two of them only, she woke up early and next to her was Athena, who would rather sleep next to her mother than sleep in her bedroom, Minerva knew that she had to get her used to sleeping in her own room, but she loved cuddling her when sleeping and She used to worry about her a lot also at night.

Minerva went to the kitchen to drink a cup of tea. It was not yet time for Athena to wake up. Minerva was sitting at the kitchen table planning for the day. She was going to make a cake suitable for Athena's age and biscuits in the form of cats, and prepare gifts. She bought her a broomstick suitable for her age and some toys. The other, magical and non-magical, also brought a camera to take pictures of her and her daughter.

Then she started making their breakfast and smiled as she cut strawberries, which was her daughter's favorite fruit, remembering when she craved it so badly during pregnancy،
and after she finished he went to wake her daughter.

When I entered the room I found Athena awake with some toys floating in the air above her. This was not a strange sight to Minerva. Her daughter, like her and her father, is a magician, and she showed the occasional magic of children from time to time. When she saw her mother she laughed and said, "Mama." Minerva went to her daughter and tickled her a little bit and kissed her and then carried her and changed her diaper and went to breakfast.

Minerva said while they were at the breakfast table, "Today is a special day, Athena. It's your first birthday. What do you want us to do today?" Athena said in her childish voice, "Fly, garden." She meant to spend some time in the garden to play with the cats, as she loved them and playing On the swing and fly, she loved to fly on the broom with her mother.

Minerva used to take her sometimes away from the eyes of the muggles and tie her tightly to her chest and put a talisman to fix her, so that she would not fall and then fly with it on her broom.

Minerva said to her, "Agreed, my kitty."

They spent the day in the garden, playing, then having lunch, and Minerva chose the favorite foods of Athena for that special day, then after a short rest, he went to fly a little, and when I finished, they returned home.

Minerva dressed her daughter in a new green dress for this occasion, matching the color of her eyes and her beautiful red hair. And the dress was close to the clothes of the witches more of the muggles, just as Minerva wore her own witch clothes.

She sang happy birthday to her daughter, and when she finished, Athena laughed and applauded her little hands excitedly, and Minerva said, "Happy birthday to you, my little kitty." And Athena answered her with incomprehensible words, from which Minerva learned that her daughter was happy.

Minerva sat on the floor with her daughter in her arms, offering her gifts to her, and When Athena saw the small broom, she shouted with great joy.

she took her experiment and Minerva next to her to protect her, in the end Athena fell asleep from fatigue as it was a day full of activities, Minerva took her to her room and they changed their clothes into clothes Sleeping and Minerva embraced and kissed her daughter and slept.