The Story of a Squib

Chapter One- The decree for muggle borns and squibs

This is my second fanfic I've wrote. I know it may seem unusual writing about Arabella Figg, but I decided to stray away from the usual stories focused around Harry Potter and co. although they will probably appear in this one. This first chapter is mainly setting up the scene and there is little dialogue but after this chapter it will get better after this so please read it. Thanks

Shuffling down the deserted desolate street of Wisteria Walk at dusk on the 20th August, Arabella Doreen Figg little knew that this may well be the last time she would ever step foot in the residence of Little Whinging. The last time she would walk back from the corner shop in her tartan slippers and housecoat after shopping for tinned cat food. The last time she would trip over Mr Tibbles on entering her small cat sanctuary of a house. The last time she would tuck up in her warm cozy bed. Perhaps more fortunately – the last time she would receive dirty glares off people who saw her as an old eccentric cat loving woman who associated herself with abnormally dressed people and who was often seen muttering to herself.

Arabella Figg was indeed rather fond of her many cats. Although it seemed to the muggle folk that she was growing unstable and mad talking to her cats. They could infact understand human speech and had proved extremely useful on many occasions. Just 4 years ago had the dreadful dementors swooped into Little Whinging and attacked the boy for whom so many years she had been keeping a careful watch upon. Mr Tibbles had then informed her of the absence of the useless Mundungus Fletcher allowing her to rush to the boy and escort him back home. However Harry Potter was now safe and she was no longer needed to watch over him. The years had past since Lord Voledmort was in power, creating destruction and disruption, when squibs such as herself were seen as dirt and lower value. Now Squibs and muggle borns were no longer seen as inferior and worthless, at least this is what she thought and how it had been until she woke up the very next morning to a very nasty surprise.

It seemed like a normal pleasant morning. Arabella got up out of bed, slipped on her tartan slippers and got dressed. She then headed down stairs intending to feed her cats, but to her surprise her cats weren't the only animals waiting down stairs for her. A large smart tawny owl was perched on the window sill, leg outstretched and holding a crumpled piece of parchment with scrawled handwriting that seemed to be written in a hurry. She carefully unwrapped the letter from the owl's leg and it fluttered off into the unusually dim sky. Mrs. Figg gasped as she read the letter through, unable to take it all in; she couldn't believe the terrible new she had received:

Dear Arrabella,

I am sincerely sorry to have to inform you, but you are in grave danger. You may have heard recently that the minister for magic has unfortunately suffered from a terrible accident involving a mysterious watch he received. When he pt it on it wouldn't come off and now is making him act on ways which mean he isn't in a fit place to carry on with his job. Unfortunately as a temporary replacement Mr. Draco Malfoy has now taken up his post. He is already starting to act as we feared he might. I enclose an article from the Daily Prophet which explains the new decree he has put into action. Unfortunately there is nothing we can do to stop it. So for your safety and many others like yourself, Hogwarts will be glad to offer you a room here where you will be safe. You will be escorted here tonight at midnight. I thank you for your cooperation and wish you a safe journey.

Yours faithfully

Minerva McGonagall.

She scooped up the scrap of the daily prophet that had fallen to the floor, not knowing what to expect she read it, her hands trembling more and more with every word she read:

Has the ministry gone one step too far? Draco Malfoy the temporary minister for magic has already began to make the wizarding public express concerns. But never did anyone think he would go as absurdly far as he already has. Malfoy announced yesterday his concern for the purity of the wizzarding race. "Once along time ago we were a great community with great blood," Malfoy addressed in his speech. "I only hope that one day soon we will restore this. I know many of us fear being found out and tortured like we have been in the past. That is why today I have great pleasure in putting the decree for squibs into action…

Arabella Groaned- she feared it may have something to do with the discrimination of squibs. "It's not my fault I am like… well like I am. It's not like I asked to be," She muttered distressed after she read this sentence, she often thought this many time. How could people be so cruel towards her and treat her like she wanted to be like this- different. She carried on reading not expecting it to get any better:

"…as of the first of September all Squibs will be taken to the ministry unless proven that they are actually being useful. As you know many squibs are naturally jealous of us real wizards and go blabbing and giving us away. To stop this all Squibs will be under ministry control unless they are proven trustworthy and in a useful position elsewhere. They will serve as servants to pure blood wizards and important figures in the ministry. I am sure you will all agree with me this will help us to move forward and become great again."

Arabella finished reading. She was breathing heavily and her muscles were twitching in anger. How dare he do this? How stupid people were to trust him with such power. Arabella stood in the middle of her kitchen her cats looking sorrowfully up at her. She examined the room around her that she had lived in her whole life. Sighing miserably she gazed down to her beloved cats and then back up to the kitchen that surrounded her. "I guess this is goodbye then."

Okay that's the first chapter done. It's probably the most boring out of them all but it's just setting up the story. Please review and I will update soon.