A/N: Greetings, readers! I can't believe this, but for some reason completely unknown to me, I am starting another story. This popped into my head when I read another story commenting on the connection between genetics and magic (if it's yours, let me know and I'll credit you for reminding me about it! I really want to say it was Mother of Tears in her story "The Better Solution", but I might very well be wrong. Nevertheless, you should go read it anyway!). I'd thought of this possibility before I started writing fanfiction, but the reminder of it recently sparked the idea for a story. Hopefully my knowledge of genetics from senior year Biology AP has not been completely buried under chord structure, modes, and analysis of music, lol! So, here it is. Don't worry too much; I'll continue with my other stories! This is going to be more on the humorous side, or so I'm planning at the moment. Enjoy! (This is an updated version of the first chapter.)
The Boy-Who-Lived Defeats Dark Lord
Golden Trio receives Order of Merlin
Bones named new Minister of Magic
Death Eaters sentenced – Azkaban no longer in control of Dementors
Severus Snape alive – pardoned of all charges
Hermione Granger looked over the headlines the graced the Daily Prophet just over five years ago. She couldn't believe that time had flown by so incredibly quickly. It seemed to just be yesterday that she, Harry, and Ron were celebrating both their graduation from Hogwarts and the fall of Voldemort with the huge party at Grimmauld Place.
Tossing the papers aside and beginning lunch, Hermione smiled at the memory. They had been so young and carefree in the months following the Final Battle. The party had been a multiple night affair of people coming and going consisting of butterbeer, laughing, dancing, and, for some, snogging. Molly Weasley had finally stepped in after a while to stop the chaos that had begun to ensue.
So much had happened since then. Grimmauld Place had now been totally redone and was home to Harry, Ginny, and two little ones. Ron had an apartment for when he stayed in London, but having joined the Chudley Cannons as Keeper, he traveled a lot.
Hermione jumped when she heard a rustle outside. Could that be the owl with the reply? She rushed to the window and looked out. She sighed; not yet. Hermione had been anxiously awaiting a reply from him for what seemed like forever. Today had to be the day; she just knew it!
Recalling the letter she had sent a week ago, she finished the sandwich she had made for lunch and began to eat.
To Whom It May Concern:
After completing my degree in Magical Research and Experiments with an emphasis on Potions, it is my desire to begin an extensive project on the magical inclinations of Wizards, Witches (Pureblood, Halfblood, and Muggleborn), Squibs, and Muggles. I have several theories as to the reason behind Muggles bearing wizards and witches and conversely, witches bearing Squibs. I would be honored if you would consider being my partner during the course of this experiment. My college thesis is included in this letter.
If you are interested, please notify me via Owl Post, as soon as possible, a suitable time to meet (perhaps over lunch?) to discuss the finer details.
Yours,
Hermione Granger
Attached to the letter was the thirty page proposal of what she was intending. Oh how she hoped he'd accept! Of course, she could easily complete the research, write the paper, and present the results herself, but she wanted a partner to argue the details with and inspire enlightenment when she might be heading down the wrong road.
After graduation from Hogwarts, she had traveled to America for five years to attend the esteemed University of Salem. Here, she was able to study both magic and Muggle science. Not many did, because most Muggle born witches and wizards devoted themselves fully to magic. Hermione, however, just couldn't completely leave behind her love for math and science. During her breaks from Hogwarts, she would often pick a Muggle subject to study. One summer she tackled Algebra and Geometry, another Calculus, and still another Biology and Chemistry, among countless others. Her favorite of all of them though, had been Genetics.
Ever since receiving her letter when she was eleven years old, she wondered why she, of all people, possessed magical ability. Why her and not her parents or cousins? And furthermore, why couldn't people such as Filch, who came from powerful families, perform even the simplest levitation charm?
However, ever since the summer she had studied genetics she wondered if there could be a connection. Could magic simply be a certain dominant or recessive gene on a certain chromosome? Was it something that ran in your blood like the midiclorines in the Star Wars franchise? Was it just a divine choice with no scientific explanation? For once, nobody could answer Hermione's questions, and so she was going to find out for herself.
It was with these questions still laying heavily on her mind that Hermione chose a degree based in Research, Potions, and Genetics. This difficult degree kept her five long years at the University, the last year being fully devoted to the proposal she had just sent off to her prospective partner as a capstone project to her degree.
She had come back to London for Christmas and summer breaks and when Harry and Ginny's children were born, as well as other random times throughout the course of five years, like when the Chudley Cannons had made it to the "semi-semi' playoffs, the first time in over a hundred years!
As she cleaned up lunch, she found herself constantly looking out the window for an owl, but it was when she had her head buried in the fridge putting food away that the knock came. Careful not to hit her head, she rose and sprinted to the window. A great eagle owl flew in and perched importantly on her counter holding a letter. She fed the owl the crusts she had cut from her sandwich noting the similarities between owl and owner.
In her haste, she almost tore the letter in half, but finally managed to unfold the parchment.
Miss Granger,
First I must offer my congratulations on the completion of your degree.
Furthermore, the idea is an acceptable one for a college graduation and even with which to begin the start of what promises to be a intriguing career for you, but I must ask your reason behind asking somebody else, much less a man twenty years your senior, for assistance when you obviously have everything planned already? Of what use am I to you?
However, I cannot deny my curiosity for the results this will undoubtedly produce and if the answer to the aforementioned question is adequate, I should be willing to collaborate with you on this project.
I am free to dine with you this following Monday at 11:00 am if this time suits you. Perhaps the café in Diagon Alley next to Madam Malkin's?
Sincerely,
Severus Snape
