December 2, 2005. Oliver rushed to his wife's side, smiling when he saw her holding a little pink blanket in her arms. Sofia Wood smiled and held out their baby girl for Oliver to hold. Oliver took his daughter, and said, "What should we name her, Sofia?" Both looked thoughtful, before Sofia stated, "Ebony."

"Ebony Alexandra Wood" Oliver stated, and the nurse who was previously unnoticed wrote down their choice, magically sending the birth certificate to the Ministry of Magic. Oliver starts to tear up, stating, "I wish Mom and Dad could be here for this." Sofia, being helped into a laying position, nodded. Ebony slowly opened her eyes, looking up at her Dad. She gurgled. Oliver smiled, and handed Ebony to her mother, who started to feed Ebony for the first time.

Ebony, now four years old, ran towards her Daddy. "Hi, Daddy! I came to watch you play Quittich!" Ebony said, messing up the word Quidditch. Oliver picked up his little girl, and spun her around before planting a kiss on his wife's cheek. Sofia smiled, saying "Oliver, I'm going to go shopping for a special event. I'll see you tonight." And she left Oliver and Ebony. Ebony ran around the Quidditch pitch until she wore herself out, whereupon she lay down in the grass and fell asleep.

Oliver, after a few more hours of training, picked Ebony up and carried her home, to wait for his wife. After Sofia wasn't home in time for dinner, Oliver was worried beyond belief. He phoned Angelina Weasley, and asked her to watch Ebony while he went and searched for Sophia. Ebony, confused, went through the Floo Network to stay with Angelina.

"Ebony, dearie. I'm going to have you stay here for a few hours. I'll pick you up soon, love. See you around 10pm" Oliver said, as he left the Floo and went in search of his wife. Ebony, shy and scared, sat on Angelina's lap until Angelina needed to cook. At that point, Fred II and Roxanne came running into the house along with George Weasley. Angelina told George what was happening, and Fred II, who was 6, helped George set the table for dinner. Ebony sat where Angelina left her, wishing her Daddy was there too.

Meanwhile, Oliver went to the Ministry to file a missing person's report. He had searched all of Sofia's favorite shops looking for her, and she was nowhere to be found. Oliver was just about to turn into the Department he needed, when he heard his name being called. "Oliver! Wait up!" He turned around, and immediately recognized the Savior of the Wizarding World. "Harry, how're you doing? I haven't seen you in forever." Harry simply relied, "I'm doing well," until his face went solemn. "Oliver, do you by chance know someone named Sofia Wood?" Harry asked, hoping it wasn't someone important to his former Quidditch Captain. Oliver's heart broke.

When the Head Auror mentioned his wife, he fell to his knees. "What happened to my Sofia?" Harry helped Oliver to his feet, leading him towards another floo. "She's at St. Mungo's at the moment. We don't know if she's gonna be alright. Some former death eaters, a la Bellatrix, decided to Crucio several muggles in a child's store. Sofia was among them, and we are trying to stabilize her. Draco Malfoy, Head Healer, is working on her case as we speak." Harry led Oliver through the floo into Malfoy's office, where Draco sat there, head in his hands. Draco looked up when he heard the flames erupt, and when he saw Harry, Draco simply shook his head. "W-What happened?" Oliver asked, his voice breaking as he dreaded the news he was about to receive.

Draco stood, and stated, very professionally, "She couldn't handle the stress of the curse. Sofia took 10 Crucio curses, trying to save a few muggle children who were treated for minor injuries in a local muggle hospital. None of the children were injured, but Sofia… Life support is the only thing keeping her heart working. And the machines and spells we have cast are only wearing her down more. She's fading, Oliver, and there's nothing we can do to stop her. She only has a few hours left."

Harry, knowing the couple had a small daughter the same age as his youngest son, said, "Oliver, where is your young one? I'll go collect her and bring her to Sofia's room."

"S-she's with George and Angelina Weasley." Oliver said, numb from the knowledge that he would soon be alone to take care of his daughter. Harry left them, and Draco helped Oliver to his feet from the chair Oliver had collapsed into. "This way, Oliver."

Ebony looked up when the floo roared to life, an hour earlier than her Daddy had said he would be returning. Seeing that the man entering wasn't her dad, Ebony visibly deflated. She wanted her Mommy and her Daddy. Angelina immediately stood and helped Harry, who still hadn't gotten the hang of the Floo network after all these years, to his feet from the soot-covered stop on the floor. "Sorry Angelina. I've come for Ebony. Something happened to Sofia Wood." Angelina, nodded, and Ebony stood from her chair by the couch. Harry knelt down to Ebony's level, and said, "Ebony, darling. I am an old friend of your daddy's. He sent me to come get you to take you to him and your mommy. Alright?" Ebony nodded, and took Harry's hand. Both disappeared through the floo, with Angelina hugging George as Ebony's last sight of the house.

Harry led Ebony through white hallways, and into a room that smelled of cleaning supplied and antiseptic, not that Ebony knew what the smell was. Ebony saw her Daddy and immediately went to him. Oliver picked her up and held her close. Ebony, unsure of what had just happened, hugged her daddy close and both father and daughter started to cry. Harry and Draco both silently exited the room to give the family time to grieve. Ebony had missed her mother's passing by three minutes.

A few days later, Oliver dressed Ebony in a black dress, complete with a mini veiled hat. Oliver, wearing a suit, then held Ebony close to him as he disapparated to the location of the burial. Ebony, not knowing what was going on, simply stayed silent as they lowered a human-sized box into the ground and people she didn't know come over to her daddy and her and hugged them. Ebony, who had just turned 5 years old, witnessed her mother's funeral without knowing. The only thing that Ebony knew for sure was that Mommy wasn't coming home and Daddy was going to be taking care of her as best he could.

At age 8, Ebony was given a toy broomstick to play on while her Dad coached Quidditch. She missed her mom and knew that her dad did too, but Ebony was beyond fairy tales and wishing wells. Ebony knew that her mother had died, and that her dad was the one who suffered the most. As she flew, Oliver was again coaching the Puddlemere United.

Ebony, very self-sufficient at 9 years old, was pushing the toy broom to its limits, playing keep off the ground with the quaffle when the chasers dropped it. She tosses the red ball back up into the air towards the first chaser to dive by close enough.

Soon after practice, Oliver and Ebony return to their apartment by the Leaky Cauldron, Muggle side. Ebony places her broom in the closet, and heads to her little bedroom, changing into more comfortable clothes. Oliver starts dinner after showering, making chicken sandwiches. Ebony begins making a small salad for them to eat as well. The TV blaring in the background turns to news, which reveals the weather for the next day. "The rain coming in from the west will be a freezing rain, followed by a cloudy, but thankfully dry Saturday. Back to you, Jim." Jim, the anchorman, is drowned out by the traffic from the busy street outside. Ebony closes the window and turns the TV down. "Dad?" Ebony asks, only to cringe as the oil in the pan starts to spatter, almost hitting Oliver's hand. He shakes it off and turns the heat off.

"Yes, dear?" Oliver replies, removing the chicken and placing them on a plate to serve. Both father and daughter sit at the table and begin to eat. "Were the chasers dropping the Quaffle on purpose today? I was catching a lot more than normal." Oliver laughs, and nods. "They were testing you. I'm very proud of you, dear. Not dropping a single Quaffle they purposefully dropped to let you catch." Ebony, looking down at her food, nodded embarrassed.

"You'll make a fine keeper one day." Oliver says, as they clean up. Ebony, after doing her part of the dishes, starts up an old PlayStation, putting in one of her favorite games that Uncle Arthur gave her, "Spyro the Dragon TM" She plays until her father sends her to sleep.

Oliver wakes his ten year old daughter, almost a year later. The calendar on the wall showed the date of December 2. The days before this are crossed off, and there's a sticker of a cake on the square for today. Ebony, wiping the sleep from her eyes, looks over to her dad to see he's holding a parchment envelope addressed in green ink. Ebony's eyes widen and she immediately grabs for it. Oliver hands it to her, after a quick game of 'keep the envelope away from Ebony'. Ebony opens the letter reverently, and pulls out both of the parchment slips inside.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall

Order of Merlin: First Class, Professor of the Year for 10 years

Dear Ms. Wood,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Filius Flitwick

Filius Flitwick

Deputy Headmaster

Ebony squealed as she grasped the parchment to her chest. Oliver laughed, and hugged his daughter before stating that he already sent the acceptance. Ebony immediately rushed to the empty frame on her desk, placing the letter in the glass pane to display it proudly. She hugged her dad, before asking when they were going shopping. They decided to go get a congratulatory gift (a broom, as decided by Ebony) now, and get the rest over the summer.

Ebony and Oliver walked into Diagon Alley and walk over to Quality Quidditch Supplies, and upon entering, Ebony rushes over to look at their broom selection. They ultimately settle on a Comet 720, the newest model, and take it to the register to pay. They then return to their flat to eat food and spend the day goofing off.

A few days later, they go to the graveyard where Sofia was buried. Tears in her eyes, Ebony spoke to Sofia about her Hogwarts letter, and how she couldn't wait to experience everything that her parents had. Oliver then lays a bouquet of white roses, Sofia's favorite, on the ground in front of the headstone. Ebony lays a single red rose with them, paid from her allowance, as well as another framed copy of the letter Ebony was sent from Hogwarts. Both turn and walk home, tears in their eyes and their thoughts on Sofia.