Author's Note: This is my first fanfiction! I'm not sure how often I will update, but I welcome feedback of any kind. Thank you for reading my very short Prologue!
Minerva McGonagall sat with a weary thump at her desk, the moon and star filled sky shining in on her office. The soft, plush cushions of her chair did little to soothe the weariness in her bones after her long day. She and the other volunteers had done their last sweep of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry earlier that morning, making sure all t's were crossed and all i's were dotted. The School Board had come by late afternoon to inspect the once esteemed and prodigious school to make sure the school was safe for students and staff to return. Although she, Filius, Pomona, and Poppy had stayed at the school after the Battle of Hogwarts the previous year, the Board still needed to approve the school before they let students come back.
It had taken a year to rebuild the wizarding world after the defeat of Voldemort. The school had been in shambles; Diagon Alley had been near ruin; families had been grieving; funerals and trials had been held. The community had come together after the tragedy and helped rebuild Hogwarts and Diagon Alley, although it had taken more time than they had planned.
Many the Death Eaters that were caught were sent to Azkaban for life after their trials. Minister Shacklebolt made sure each Death Eater was held accountable for his or her actions, so each person was given a fair trial. To the dismay of many in the Wizarding World, the Malfoy family was given leniency thanks to the testimonies of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, two of the Golden Trio. Lucius Malfoy was given a permanent trace on his magic and five years in Azkaban with a chance of a shorter sentence for good behavior, while Narcissa and Draco were sentenced to 100 hours of community service.
Headmistress McGonagall let out a long sigh as she thought of the task before her. There would be double the first years this year and a much larger seventh year class than usual. The seventh-year class would be made of what should have been the class of 1999 as well as any student from the class of 1998 that would like to sit for their NEWTS exams. Although it was late into the night, she knew she needed to begin the letters and make a list of Muggleborns she needed to visit if she were to have her tasks completed by the end of the week. She looked up at the sleeping figure of Albus Dumbledore and prayed to the gods for a peaceful year as she began preparing Hogwarts acceptance letters.