"What is going on here?" Jennifer Blackthorne asked her children. David and Grace had a quick answer. "We were in the backyard, dueling and practicing and stuff, and we heard apparating noises. We heard them talking about the Minister, and the phoenix, and we knew it was the Ministry." Started David. "So we panicked and I sent my patronus to give you my message, and here we are." Finished Grace with a worried smile. Their mother listened to the whole thing silently with an expressionless look on her face. "Okay. So….. They want to make us leave?" asked their mother. Grace nodded and explained, "You know how we found the petrified wood that our wands are made of? And then we found a tunnel and then found the phoenix?" Grace reminded their mother. "Well, ya, that phoenix is the last phoenix in the world. The Ministry is apparently watching over it. Matilda and Sycamore's kids only not only moved out of the estate to stop magic and go into hiding, they did it to protect the phoenix. They were under Voldemort's watch, so if they moved, his watch would be blind from them, and he would know not to look at the house. If he didn't bother the house, he didn't bother the phoenix. But now we have the phoenix as our Familiar and we don't know what to do. The phoenix can't live forever without somebody by it's side, asking for it's knowledge- well it can, but that wouldn't be much fun." said Grace.
Jennifer clasped her hands together and said, "Kid's, the Ministry is not doing any harm. We have to go back and explain, it's the only way. I am in no place of running from the Ministry. You know Grandma Minerva? She was Sycamore's and Matilda's daughter."
"No. She- She can't be…" stuttered David. Their mother smiled. "Yes, David. Minerva McGonagall is your grandmother, and my mother. Haven't you wondered why you kids were so powerful?" she asked. David and Grace looked at each other, so surprised; all they could do was laugh. "She changed her last name to her mother's maiden name, to protect herself; though that proved worthless, being in Dumbledore's army and all. She went up against him anyway. I changed my name back to Blackthorne the minute it was for sure that Voldemort's rein had ended. So congrats kids, you're the grandchildren of Minerva McGonagall, skilled Transfiguration witch, registered animagus, former headmaster of Hogwarts, member of Dumbledore's Army, and now, the Minister of Magic." Jennifer said with a smile. "Well, then why doesn't she change her name back like you did?" asked Grace. "She has earned fame on her name. People of magic will know that name for generations, so if she were to change it, people would have to learn it all over again. It would take decades for everyone who knows her now to know her as Minerva Blackthorne. Enough of her, we can visit later. Now, if we don't go back, than they are going to be on our tails, and we will end up in Azkaban for potentially harming the last phoenix. Now open the door." she said calmly. "No! We can't. Mom, this is for the phoenix. They might take him away!" said David. Jennifer nodded with her head down. "Open the door. Trust me, everything will be alright. The Minister of magic is family, we'll be fine, Okay?" she said. The kids wearily agreed and opened the door together. But when their mother opened it, they were not back in the house; they were in the woods, looking at the house from the ground. Jennifer grunted at them and began to climb out. David produced another Protective Orb around Phledgon and drifted it out the door. "If we approach them from the outside, it could prevent us from scaring the ministry, and causing something regretful, okay?" said Grace. Jennifer agreed and they walked over to the blasted out front door. This time, David gave a message to his patronus saying that they have the phoenix, and to calmly meet them in the front of the house. They were not looking for a fight. When the message was spoken by David, his timber wolf pounced up the stairs to where the Ministry men were.
The three of them, with Phledgon, stood at the end of the yard, David and Grace with their wands in their hands, waiting for the men. Surprisingly, Jennifer pulled out a wand of her own, another one of petrified wood, looking exactly like David and Graces. "Mom…. Where did you…. How did you?" asked the kids. "What? I can't have a wand? I've had it ever since I was little- well, actually, I had it taken away from me when my parents moved out. I was about eleven at the time. They locked it up in the study, along with their parent's wands, which are now yours. You know, it's amazing that their wands fit you two." Said their mother. "But where did they put their wands? Who made them, by the way?" David asked.
"Well, your great grandfather, Sycamore, was a master wand maker. He was never as good as Ollivander or anything, but he was good. He took to making our families wands. Everybody down the family line, starting with him and his wife, had a petrified wood wand. The only thing that sets them apart is that they have the first hair clippings of the owner when they were a baby. I know it sounds weird, but we are a very magical family. Sycamore's and Matilda's contain some of their baby hair. Wizards parents like to bottle their baby's hair; it's when their magic is most concentrated; it makes for good potion ingredients. I still have some of mine, and yours.
"And my parents took their wands with them, for protection reasons, should they ever get caught. They're still somewhere in the Study. Maybe your kids will have them." she said.
"Awwwwww. My theory was wrong about my wand's magic." Said David.
"No, no, no. you were right- partially. The magic of the phoenix is infused in the wood that petrified, making it an even more powerful wand, but the baby hair personalizes it, and adds its true owner. It just so happens that their wands work for you two. Now that I think about it their mother finished.
David and Grace looked at their mother's wand once more. To think that they were a part of their wands made them feel more close to magic.
"Where's the phoenix?" asked a deep voice from in front of them. The man in front of them was tall, and burly with a bushy beard, and plain black traveling cloak on. He held his wand under his cloak, and said gently, "Jennifer, you mustn't have something to do with this, do you?" said the man.
"No, Dulbrid. it's just….. My kids, David and Grace, they found the entrance to the den and found the phoenix. They made it their Familiar and have been keeping it in the Study ever since. Don't worry; no harm is in its way." Replied their mother.
"Wait, you know this man?" asked Grace, pointing to him stupidly.
"Ever since your great grandparent's refusal to Voldemort, the family has been in close contact with the Auror's Office, for safety reasons.
Dulbrid rubbed his beard before speaking, "Well, then. Excuse me so I could make a message." From under his cloak, Dulbrid pulled out his wand and pointed it at his, what David and Grace thought to be, his pocket watch. "It's called a Witch's Glass. You can talk to other witched and wizards with it, like a visual phone, but better. I have one which I use to sometimes talk to grandma." Said their mother.
Small sparks burst from his wand and made the glass scream of the watch turn a liquid blue. A scene appeared on it, the head if the Auror's Office sitting at his desk. He muttered a few words, with occasional grunts from Dulbrid.
Then, Dulbrid turned back to them. "Okay, so, the Head said that you lot can keep the phoenix as your Familiar, but you have to keep it in the Study. It feeds on anything that a fire would, so be wise with the last of its existence. I'm sorry to trouble you people. I'll be on my way now." He said. He raised his wand to the sky and was about to apparate when Jennifer stopped him. "Wait, Dulbrid! Surely, you have to join us for some coffee or maybe tea, to your preference. And might I ask, is he with you? I'm sure my kids would like to meet him" she said. Dulbrid nodded with a smile and called for him, "Boy!" towards the house.
Jennifer turned to her kids. "There's someone you should meet. You've read all about him."
Who could it be, thought David and Grace.
Coming out form the back door was the one and only, Harry James Potter. "Come on now! This isn't a cat walk or anything fancy, get over here!" Dulbrid yelled at Harry. The two of them, Harry and Dulbrid, laughed and when Harry approached, Dulbrid messed his hair up playfully. "Ah, I love this kid." He said. Harry hadn't said a word, but smiled at them like a friend. "So you two are McGonagall's grandkids, huh. Out of what I heard of the Trace picking up, you kids are pretty skilled." David and Grace had nothing to say, they were too mesmerized. To read about someone in a book, look into his mind, and then meet him, you'd be speechless. "Well why don't you show me what you've got. Don't be bashful now, show me the best you've got." Said Harry. David and Grace dreamily took a step back, but gathered their minds. With the motion of their wands, and the mental scream of the spell, they produced their patronuses. They danced around playfully in the air, perplexing Harry into asking them "How old are you two?" David answered "Twelve." And Grace answered "Ten.". This amazed Harry. He was no longer the youngest wizard or witch to accomplish the Patronus Charm. "Well, that was amazing! There can't be anything more great than that." said Harry, trying to challenge them further. "Oh, we got a couple more things." Said Grace. "This is one of our favorites." Said David. The both of them morphed into a timber wolf, and a swift, right in front of Harry Potter's circle framed eyes. "Bloody hell! I can't believe it. An animagus at pre-teen! Just like their grandmother, just much, much younger." he enthused.
They went back to being human and smiled at Harry, it felt like they were making friends with him in a way.
"Come in for some tea now. We can talk about the rest in there." Said their mother.
David, Grace, Jennifer, Dulbrid, Phledgon in his bubble, and Harry Potter himself all walked into the house took their seats and relaxed.
Jennifer put a pot of tea on the stove, waived her wand over it and brought it instantly to a whistling boil. She poured some cups and set them on a tray with some cookies and levitated them over on the table. Phledgon licked at is bright plumage while sitting on his newly-conjured stand.
"So, you must be so proud to have Minerva as your grandmother. I know I would." Said Harry. His green eyes flashed in the lamp that shone from above them. "When did you kids find your magic? I know your mother tried to hide it from you, just like my aunt and uncle, but for a better reason. It shows no use, obviously. Do you realize how skilled you are? Hogwarts would be proud to have you, I bet. " He said.
Hogwarts! That was real too. Would this dream and for David and Grace? Did they want it too? "Yes, we do know and we're grateful, but I have some questions I have been dying to ask." Said Grace.
Harry waved his hand and sat back, gesturing her to speak. "Well, how did J.K. Rowling know your entire life, and your inner thoughts?" she asked.
Harry laughed at the question. "She didn't know. I told her the majority of my story, but everyday life, thoughts and feeling, small decisions- she made them all up based on what she thought of me as a real character." Said Harry.
This time, David asked the question. "Okay. So is Hogwarts the same as in the book."
"Well, that one is easy, yet hard to answer. Yes, Hogwarts is as every bit as good in the book as it is in real life. But the hard part is that Hogwarts is better than in the book. there is no way to describe the feeling you get when you walk in its huge front doors, going to the feasts, and waking up knowing that you're in one of the most magical and safe places in the world. I often visit, I love it so much. You can never get enough. Muggle children dream of the day when they can leave their schools, but for Hogwarts, we dread it. I will never miss anything more than to be at Hogwarts. After all, you practically do grow up there. Say, when do you turn eleven?" Harry asked Grace.
"In a little bit actually. November 14th. So only about a month away." Said Grace.
Harry's face lit up, then looked at David and said, "And you're already twelve. You two are ready to go to Hogwarts this next year! I can start making arrangements with the Headmaster, Hermione. She took the job after McGonagall was offered a spot as the Minister."
"Yes, yes, yes! We would love to go!" yelled David for him and for Grace.
"Well than it's settled. You two are going to Hogwarts. And David, would you mind if you started as a first year, trust me, you'll want all the time you have there." Asked Harry.
David happily agreed. They conversed over the usual topics of magic and what had been going on in the wizarding world, who did what, major events, and such. Apparently, Hermione created a program in the Care for Magical Creatures class which involved students swimming with the mermaids, and learning more about their culture. It started towards the end of the year when it was warmer. Ron joined his Dad on his job. And Harry, he had become an Auror despite his O.W.L.s exam scores. But first, he was a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, which he did for three years. Then he moved on to an Auror. He said he hoped to go back to being a professor, but only when he was older. His kids were coming along fine. He showed them pictures of them, along with Ron and Hermione's children.
"Alright then, we probably have to leave now. But we will keep in touch, obviously. Good bye Jennifer, and talk to you soon kids- oh, and remember, no magic until school. Just a little bit and you can charm your brains out. But until then, don't. You wouldn't want to be expelled from Hogwarts, or have your wand snapped." Said Dulbrid.
"Oooohh. Well, alright. Can we use it on the train?" David and Grace asked.
"Um, well, I guess so. Everybody does anyway. Good luck on everything." Said Dulbrid. Just as he and Harry were about to leave, Dulbrid gasped, remembered one last thing- to give them all a witch's glass. He waved his wad and three fell into the open palms of Jennifer, David, and Grace.
"Now to work it, just point your wand at it and think of the person you want to talk to, like a non-verbal spell which I'm sure you little geniuses mastered already." Said Harry.
"But I thought we couldn't use magic." Said Grace, a smile pulling at the sides of her mouth. Dulbrid put a finger to his lips for silence, laughed and turned around while saying "You know how the Trace works. It detects magic, but it doesn't detect who did the magic. Your mother is old enough now, it won't know the difference as long as you only use magic for this, and this only."
The two Auror's gave their goodbyes and left their home, turning in the spot and disapparating with a loud pop rather than a crack this time.