Chapter 1
Secrets of the Past Revealed
The sound of crisp parchment pages flipping filled the air in the headmistress' office every few minuets. This was by far Minerva's favorite time of year. It was time to send out the letters. The books would spend all year filling themselves in with the names of each student that would be eligible to attend Hogwarts for the next year as first years. On July first she would sit down and scan through the entire list to see how many of the names she would recognize as children of previous students. Yes it was her absolute favorite time of year.
So many years had passed. With them change after change took place. But this, this yearly ritual always remained the same. Through wars, through triumphs, the yearly letters always happened the same way they had year after year after year.
The names where in no particular order, just randomly inserted into the first year letter call pages. She always wondered why some previous headmaster hadn't charmed the books into alphabetical order. But wonder as she may, she never did it herself.
She scanned the pages. The twins of Harry and Hermione would start this year; Lily Jane and Ronald Sirius Potter. Some days it was hard to believe that it had been sixteen years since the end of the war. But entries like this one served to remind her of just that.
Another Weasley child to add to the growing roster of Weasley grandchildren, Marie Anne, eldest child of Ron and Padma Weasley, according to the notes seemed to the newest Weasley to attend Hogwarts. Jacob Ryan, son of Percy, would also be entering. This would make thirteen Weasley children at Hogwarts this year. She couldn't resist a laugh. Molly must thoroughly enjoy having a gaggle of children running wild around the Burrow once more.
One name towards the end of the list caught her attention. Serenity Grace Malfoy. "Albus are you in your painting?" Her voice was a tad loud, but she knew from experience she had to be. He had a tendency to be off elsewhere running his mouth with some eager portrait.
"Yes Minerva I am."
"What would you say in response to the name Serenity Grace Malfoy?"
The painted features of Albus Dumbledore contorted into a questioning sort of mirth. "I would say it sounds like you are reading the first year's list Minny. But I don't recall there being a Malfoy still alive, at least none capable of having children."
"To my knowledge there isn't. At least there isn't supposed to be. But the name is here plain as day Albus."
"Certainly the parents are listed with the child's name. Do tell."
She looked down at the entry again and over to the column where the child's parents would be listed. She gasped. "You're not going to believe this one."
"Oh do give an old man something to smile about. Whose child is she?"
"Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley. Both are listed as living. That can't be right Albus."
"The book is never wrong."
"It has to be. Ginny and Draco should, by all accounts, both be dead."
"I was under the impression Miss Weasley simply went missing several months before the final battle?"
"She did Albus. Her brothers and the Order searched for months. But with the war going on it was hard to devote much time to searching for one person when we were trying to find so many others as well. After an extensive and very long search we were forced to assume she was dead."
"Well where is the little flaming sprite? Certainly an owl post address is listed."
"According to this it's Shadowy Secrets Vineyards. The apparation coordinates make it appear to be the former Malfoy vineyards in Italy, if I recall correctly. Great Merlin, I wonder how long she has been there?"
"I would wager since the very moment she went missing my dear."
"This makes no sense Albus. Draco was at the final battle. I could have sworn he was declared dead."
"There have been others thought to be dead that weren't as you well know."
"Too true Albus, too true."
Quill in hand, Minerva started her first letter. Serenity Grace Malfoy would be the first she invited to Hogwarts this year.
A chortle of laughter rang from the portrait overhead. "Starting the letters so soon my dear?"
"You very well know which letter I'm writing."
"I believe I do. I might guess that this is going to be one that you will be delivered by hand."
"You would be correct. I have to know for myself what has become of Miss Weasley and Mr. Malfoy."
"Oh I would wager to guess she is a Mrs. Malfoy now Minny."
"That is not what I meant Albus and you well know that."
He laughed. "Oh I did my dear, but I do enjoy getting a rise out of you my dear. So many years and it still brings me such great amusement."
"Oh bugger off you. I have work to do."
"Such language Headmistress, whatever would your students say?" With a wink and a smile, the enchanted image of Albus Dumbledore was gone from his portrait.
DGDGDGDGDGDG
Stacks of letters adorned Minerva's desk. The first year class for the coming fall would be over two hundred large if all the letters were accepted. She knew other schools sent out letters in both larger and smaller quantities, but this was the most she had ever had appear in her book. Granted it seemed like every year there seemed to be more and more children appearing in the book; a fact that Minerva would credit to fewer pureblood marriages if she had to give a wager.
Of course history told her that would not be the case. No less than half of the students that received letters from Hogwarts would also receive invitations to Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, or any one of several dozen other magical secondary schools around the world. Times had changed after all. Any school could contact nearly any student no matter where they lived. A child could receive only one invitation or as many as a couple dozen. It was up to the parents of a student to decide which if any a child attended.
In general, the only rule for contacting prospective students concerned muggle born, for obvious reasons. When the headmasters from the world's magical schools had met four years before, they had decided that muggle born students should remain close to home for their first year at the very least. Thus, it was decided that children from magical families could be contacted by any school. However it would be up to the school closest to a muggle born child to contact them, preferably in person.
Even with the changes to the rules, most of the students whose names appeared in the Hogwarts First Year's book were from Britain. The larger portion of those who appeared in the book from outside the UK generally were children of alumni or exceptionally powerful children.
Rarely did a child's name appear in the book for no clear reason. Even still, many of the students whose letters were in the piles on her desk would accept an invitation to another school. The stigma of years gone by still plagued Hogwarts despite the fact that the school was by far the best school for magical learning anywhere.
Minerva adjusted her robes and walked to the floo. Tossing a pinch of sparkling powder into the grate she leaned her head into the green flames as she called out the name of the residence she was seeking. "Severus, are you busy?"
Catching the movement of robes out of the corner of her eye, she saw him move towards the floo. "Yes Minerva, I am. To what do I owe this pleasure?" His deep voice dripped with sarcasm.
"Oh Severus, do stop being so foul. I need you to come to Hogwarts. I have to talk to you. Please bring an overnight bag with you. We will not be staying here. I need you to accompany me somewhere."
"You will have to give me some time Minerva. I am in the midst of brewing at the moment."
"Put a stasis charm on it and get moving. This needs to being taken care of right away."
"Well if you would perhaps tell me what it is I am going to be doing I might be more inclined to `get moving' as you suggest."
"This is not something I wish to discuss via floo. Now do hurry. We both have other things to be doing. The sooner this is taken care of, the sooner you can return to your brewing."
He grumbled under his breath. No doubt about pushy women interrupting his research. "You can expect me in half an hour."
She pulled her head from the floo long enough to close the connection to Spinner's End and grab another pinch of powder and toss it into the grate, this time she calling to the office of Remus Lupin. "Remus, please come to my office."
She pulled back and set about gathering together a stack of letters from her desk just as the floo flared to life. Remus Lupin stepped through. "You called Minerva."
She turned to him and held out the stack of letters. "Yes I did. I was wondering if you would like to hand deliver these over the next few weeks. I have a rather large list of muggle born this year. Well, more so than most years. I simply don't have the time to deliver them all myself."
"I would be glad to. But wouldn't someone else be better suited for this?"
"Now Remus, you are more than capable. If you have any questions wrangle Albus to his portrait for a little pep talk. Plan to spend at least a couple days talking to each family and be prepared to prove the existence of magic. Normally within a couple of days you will have a firm answer one way or the other. Don't be discouraged if you get a few doors slammed in your face. It happens. Just ring back a few days later and generally with your wand waving."
"How am I supposed to get some random muggle to let their child attend an unknown magic school?"
"Very easily. Point out that all those odd occurrences will only get worse as the child gets older. They can be assured if the child is not taught how to manage their power it can become dangerous for both the child and the parents. That almost always gets them. But don't go in wands blazing if you don't have to. Stick to simple and polite. You catch more flies with honey after all."
She grabbed another stack of letters and placed them in a small bag. "I will be starting my own deliveries today. Professor Flitwick knows that we will be gone and will be here to send the remaining letters as well as receive replies."
"If you're sure, then I'll be off as soon as I can pack a bag."
The floo behind them flared to life once more. The dark surly form of the once Hogwarts potions master, Severus Snape, stood there. He dusted his robes off over the grate before stepping out. "Remus, Minerva."
"Severus, just in time." Minerva turned back to Lupin, putting her hand on his shoulder as she walked him to the door. "Now Remus, don't worry so much. You'll do fine. I shall see you in a couple weeks." She smiled as she all but literally shoved him out the office door without letting him get in another word.
"Minerva I would like an explanation as to why you have called me away from my potions to attend some as of yet mysterious function that I am most certainly not needed at."
"For the love of Circe do calm down. There is a perfectly reasonable explanation and it's one I'm sure you will be glad I called you for. And for the record it is no function I am demanding you attend. It's a house call."
Realization hit him. "A first year invitation letter? Whatever do you need me for then? For as long as you have been taking care of them I would think you are capable of handling one little letter by yourself Minerva."
She rolled her eyes. Her former colleague would never change. "I am quite capable thank you very much. I called you to join me for this particular letter because I thought the parents might interest you. They are both former students."
He raised his eyebrows in a questioning sort of mockery. "I am fairly sure you cannot think there is any parent of some insipid dunderhead that I would actually wish to see. Most certainly since I probably taught said dunderhead's parents to begin with and they were most assuredly a matched set of dunderheads when I taught them."
"You really must look into reevaluating your outlook on your former students Severus. I taught the same students you did and found most of them to be fairly intelligent even if they were not always willing to employ their intellect. This truly is a special case Severus."
"Minerva, do stop prattling on and just tell me. I would prefer to get this over and done with so I can return to my research."
"Oh fine, be that way. The child is Serenity Grace Malfoy." In all her years of observing Severus Snape she could swear to never having seen the look of utter surprise that now colored the face of the potions master.
"Malfoy? That is impossible Minerva. There are no Malfoys alive, aside from Narcissa. You are well aware that she is unable to produce another child. I would be willing to bet every galleon in Gringotts on it."
"Then you would have one very large problem because every goblin in Britain would be out to kill you my surly friend. The books do not lie as someone reminded me recently. The child is a Malfoy. Now would you care to know who the parents are?"
"Were."
"No Severus, are. They child's parents are listed is living."
"Impossible."
"So you keep saying, but I assure you the book does not lie."
"Well then do tell. To whom does this mysterious Malfoy child belong?"
"Ginevra Molly Weasley and Draco Lucius Malfoy."
There were not words to describe the look of disbelief that covered the face of Severus Snape. "That is highly improbable. Both, by all accounts, are dead."
"Apparently not. The book…"
"Does not lie, so you have said. Then I gather you wish to deliver her letter in person so you can attest for yourself whom her parents are?"
"You would be correct."
"Then I do suppose we had best be off then. Where am I to apparate to?"
"Not apparate, portkey. It's too far away to safely travel by apparation." She presented a broken plate to him. "Do mind the edges, they are a bit sharp." He picked up his own bag and hers in one hand before placing a finger on the edge of the proffered dish.
Minerva tapped her wand on the plate and muttered the incantation. "Portus."
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