Title: It's not losing a daughter; it's gaining a son!
Summary: AU
The town of Hogwarts is a quiet town. Four great mansions stand on the four cardinal points of town: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. The Gryffindor Mansion has been abandoned for centuries but what happens when a new heir to the mansion is revealed?
Prologue
It was a clear night and the full moon could be seen clearly rising on the horizon. A small bit of moonlight shone on a great mansion, isolated and dilapidated on a small hill with four figures slowly approaching the north side of the mansion. The figures stopped just in front of a small side entrance that was probably used by servants and house elves centuries ago. After a short time a rat quickly scurried out of a small hole that had developed at the side of the door and miraculously transformed into a short, out of breathe, bald man.
"Where is the amulet?" The figure with silver blond hair demanded.
"I can't get to it, there are too many wards protecting it and there is a ward preventing me from transforming back into my normal self once I'm inside the manor and I can't dismantle the wards in my animagus form." The former rat explained quickly to the silver blond man.
"Master won't be pleased with this news. The amulet is essential to his plans." The blond replied angrily.
"Perhaps there is a way," Wormtail replied. He knew his master did not take failure lightly. Many a servant had suffered severe torture or death for trivial failures. The other figures among the group listened anxiously, as they didn't want to fail their master either.
"There are paintings inside the mansion." Wormtail started.
"So there are paintings in every house in Hogwarts!" The tall blonde woman replied.
"Yes but these are of the family. Each picture shows a Gryffindor and what year they were born and died." The rat continued to explain.
"Get to the point!" Another figure said angrily.
"After a gap of a few centuries there are two portraits on the wall of people who are presently alive."
"That's not possible!" The silver blond man said. The thought was echoed among the group. It was common knowledge that the Gryffindors had all died centuries ago leaving the house magically sealed to all outsiders.
"But how can this be?" Another figure asked
"Master will know what it means." The blonde woman replied confidently.
"Did you recognize the portraits?" The silver blonde haired man asked.
"Yes, I know the boy very well." Wormtail replied as they headed back to their master to deliver this latest bit of information to him.
-*-
Inside the mansion two elves stood in the master bedroom window and looked out at the five retreating figure.
"Did he see the portraits?" The elf said looking at his wife who was standing besides him.
"He did." She replied without breaking her gaze on the retreating intruders. Lord Gryffindor had left his house elves the task of protecting his Manor but with one exception. They were supposed to allow a rat to enter the manor and view the portraits on the wall that would have appeared as the rat entered.
"The prophecy is coming true." The elf said looking at his wife who was standing besides him.
"Our masters will return soon. We need to prepare the house. I shan't allow our new Mistress to live in such a condition." She replied sternly to him.
He nodded knowing how much work they would have to do in such a short space of time.
An: The next chapter should be up next week Friday.
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