Author's Note: For the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition, Season Two/Round Ten, as Captain for the Caerphilly Catapults, writing about the Minister of Magic. Also, for the If You Dare challenge, prompt 420. Problematic.

Half Magic

(As the 1999 school year begins, Minister for Magic Kingsley receives an odd letter from Headmistress Minerva: a 'Squib' was admitted into Hogwarts.)

Eleven years ago, the Hogwarts Quill of Acceptance wrote the name in the Book of Admittance. Eleanora Martin. The Book didn't hesitate to let the Quill write the name; it was never thought of twice. When Minerva checked the book to see that the births of that year had all been written, nothing odd showed up, and she sent a letter to Kingsley to tell him the names and that all was normal.

It wasn't.

x x x

The next time Minerva saw the name was when she checked the book before she sent off the Hogwarts acceptance letters. She didn't particularly note it. No one did. At the time.

x x x

The next time Kingsley saw the name, he definitely noted it. It was in a letter that was innocently brought to his office, but seeing that it was an unexpected letter from Minerva, he opened it right after his next meeting.

Last night during the Sorting, the Hat said that one of our students, Eleanora Martin, is a Squib. But she had been admitted to Hogwarts, and there has never been a mistake before. However she is completely unable to perform magic….

Kingsley read all of the letter, and then read it again. If the girl was a Squib, she should've been sent home. But what if her magical potential was somehow just delayed?

He called a meeting of the Hogwarts Board of Governors and explained the situation.

"A Squib?" demanded one of the governors. "At Hogwarts?"

"It's a situation we have never faced before," Kingsley said calmly, slowly, deliberately; "so how we handle it now will determine how it will be dealt with in the future—if we ever have to face it again."

"Do you think that she's a Squib?" asked another governor.

"She never activated the Trace Charm, which is unusual. But she must have had a magical aura of her own strong enough to convince the Book of Admittance, which shows that she has… potential."

"Is it possible for her magic to develop later?"

Kingsley hesitated. "Possible? Of course; anything is possible. But, likely? No."

"So how long do we give her at Hogwarts?"

The first governor cut in: "If we give her any time at all."

"I would say that we give her some time," said Kingsley, "to see if all of the magic around her has an effect." He paused. "We also need to notify her parents when we've made a decision."

After debate, the governors agreed to give Eleanora two weeks at Hogwarts. If she showed no magical potential by then, she'd be sent home. If her magic blossomed completely, then, of course, she'd stay. And if she showed some… well, then they'd have to debate again.

They sent the letter to her parents, and Kingsley said, "We have to take into account how our decision will reflect on the Ministry's view on Squibs and their acceptance in the Wizarding World. This could be crucial to the future of Squibs' blood status in our society."

x x x

Two parents anxious about sending their only child off to school also got an unexpected letter.

"A Squib? Our little girl?" said Mr. Martin. "I know she never showed much magic, but I never thought… I never thought that she had none."

"But they didn't say that she had none; it's possible that she's just… different," said Mrs. Martin. "And if she can't go to Hogwarts, then she can be happy at home."

x x x

At Hogwarts, Eleanora slept in the one bed that would've been empty on the night of the Sorting, in the first year girl's Ravenclaw dormitory.

In the morning, she faced Charms class—and while she couldn't conjure a single Charm, her frustration caused a whirlwind to swirl through the room.

Things continued like this for two weeks.

x x x

"She's shown potential," said a governor in the meeting at the end of the two weeks. "But she's not… she's still not like the other students."

"She doesn't seem to have developed any control over her magic," Kingsley agreed, "but she is starting to show magic."

… "We'll give it another two weeks," decided the board.

x x x

Kingsley rarely moved about in his office, but on the day he expected the next report from Minerva, he paced. They couldn't keep the Martin child on probation forever. They couldn't deny a magical student education, letting their aura go uncontrolled. They couldn't let a Squib stay at Hogwarts, surrounded by magic they'd never be able to conquer.

Finally the owl came. He opened the letter. Four words jumped out at him:

Eleanora cast a spell.

x x x

"She can't be a Squib," Kingsley said to the governors. "Squibs can't cast spells."

"Well if she's not a Squib, what is she?"

"I've been thinking," Kingsley began, "and I've thought that it's possible she may be a partial Squib."

"A partial Squib! Those don't exist," exclaimed the same governor. "If this the beginning of a trend, what will we do?"

"We'll schedule her for extra lessons with our best teachers," said Kingsley. "And she'll learn how to be half magic."

x x x

The Quill of Acceptance and the Book of Admittance were silent on the matter. Minerva McGonagall tried to keep the magical accidents under control and oversaw the half-witch's education. Mrs. and Mr. Martin sent loving, supportive letters to their daughter. Eleanora learned. Kingsley paced.

x x x

Eleanora showed more and more capabilities in magic. She cast simple spells, brewed simple potions. Her magical accidents grew more under control.

But the governors were skeptical. Kingsley had faith, and let Eleanora stay for the rest of the school year. He worked with the Department of Magical Education to develop a plan for Eleanora and for other students who had less magical potential than the norm.

It became the great magical issue of the day—witches and wizards with varying levels of inherent magical skill. Kingsley developed a whole new Ministry department over the next years, the first time he created a new one—the Department of Magical Potentiality, and Eleanora went on to become its first Head.

Kingsley was proud.

END