CHAPTER 1: A NEW WORLD
It was late January and the winter was it's strongest in London with the snow just thawing out.
In the dreary weather Minerva McGonagall made her way to the Sunnydale Orphanage, with an envelope in her hand reading
To Perseus Vindictus Black,
Third bedroom,
Sunnydale Orphanage, London
Minerva wondered the parentage of the young Black, the only Blacks the child could have been born to would be Sirius or Bellatrix both of whom she despised with all her heart. Sirius Black, the right handed man to the dark lord and to her personally the one who betrayed her once favorite student James Potter. Would the child, she wondered would be as his father... she doubted Bellatrix would ever give birth to a child. With trepidation in her every step Minerva finally reached the orphanage door and rung the bell.
"yes can I help you? "came the voice of the matron after a few minutes.
"Yes sister, I have with me an acceptance letter for one of the children here, is Mr. Black here? "Minerva asked in her thick Scottish accent.
"I will take you to him."
Minerva made her way down the hall and finally stopped in front of room no.3. "We have this room just for him, we get good money for his care and well the other children distract him a lot from his studies." The orphanage caretaker said as she knocked on the door.
"Yes madam Sophie, may I help you?" said the voice as the door opened giving Mcgonagall a first look at the supposed son of Sirius Black. With dark violet eyes, almost black, and raven hair he looked like a boy version of a young Bellatrix or Andromeda. His high sculpted cheekbones and an aristocratic pale face confirmed him as a Black. He was quite tall for his age standing at nearly 5 feet with an athletic frame.
"Ma'am?" Minerva was shut out of her reverie and saw the boy looking at her expectantly.
"Perseus Black?" Minerva enquired.
"Yes, ma'am" the boy simply stated.
Reminding herself not to think of the child's parents, Minerva spoke "I would like to speak to you in private about an acceptance letter."
"Follow me."
The room wasn't much with a bed and a desk near it with a window on one side of the room, covered by cheap curtains. The walls were a light blue color with a drawer attached to it.
"My name is Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"Hog-warts?"
"Yes, Mr. Black, Hogwarts?" Minerva asked her lips in a thin line expressing her disapproval of the word play.
"Now Mr. Black, what do you think of magic"
"If you are another representative sent by some institute run by an old guy in a wheelchair I suggest you consider our conversation over" the boy said with a bold air of authority matched with a haughty expression. "I do not have the time to waste on a completely hypothetical situation."
Minerva wondered who in the world was the child talking about but had enough experience in dealing with skeptical parents of a few muggle-born. Taking out her wand from her sleeves she transfigured a book lying on the table into a parrot and enchanted it to start singing.
" Mr. Black magic is real and you have the capability of performing it" said Minerva as she reverted the parrot into its original state." Now why don't you read this letter"
Minerva watched as the boy opened the letter gracefully and started reading.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Mr. Black,
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 September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
HOGWARTS SCHOOL
of WHICHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
sets of plain work robes (black)
plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)
by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection
by Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring and owl OR a cat OR a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
After a while, Perseus snidely said "we await your owl by no later than 31 July , because naturally I just happen to have an owl somewhere right about here.."
Minerva hid a scowl, she was being taken to task by a 11 year old, albeit one with the derisive wit of an adult.
"So, will my trust fund pay for this as well?" Perseus asked when it was clear a reply was not coming on that matter, not that he expected one it was a rhetorical question really.
"I don't know which trust fund you are referring to here Mr. Black but if my suspicions are true then yes." Minerva replied.
"So what subjects are offered at your school?"
"Hogwarts is the premier magic school in the country, Mr. Black" Minerva said.
"Yes but that doesn't answer the question does it?" the boy asked.
Minerva thought the boy was certainly unlike his supposed parent who she was sure would have jumped with joy rather than asking serious questions. This question was often asked by some of the muggle-born families and well it was quite strange to her how the parents would react in these cases.
"We have transfiguration, charms, potions, defence against the dark arts, astronomy, history and herbology for the first years followed by the various electives one can opt for in the third year."
"And if I do join the school, do mind the if, how will I complete my education here in the wider world?"
"The ministry officially does not support any muggle, that is your mundane, studies but I have known many to complete their studies in the world by far learning?" McGonagall stated confused by the term.
"You would mean distance learning I presume"
"Yes that's the term distance learning"
"What is the duration for the schooling?" Perseus asked.
Minerva was thoroughly appreciating the fact that the child was so concerned about his studies and readily answered "It takes seven years to complete your tutelage at Hogwarts."
"And if someone completes it faster?"
"It is rare that one does complete learning before the end of 7 years but they are generally taken as an apprentice by a professor."
"Where exactly do I find these things, I don't suppose you can pick them at the department store can you?"
"Pack your things, Perseus we leave for Diagon Alley in 10 minutes." McGonagall said as she got up and left the room.
After seven minutes, McGonagall saw the young Perseus Black exit his room carrying a backpack with him wearing a black sweater and blue jeans. Due to the magic in his blood he looked equivalent to a 14-year-old muggle. As she got up she saw a bulky child coming down the hall, as soon as he saw Perseus he doubled back to run away as fast his chubby legs could carry him. Minerva chalked it up to some childish game played between the two and failed to see the satisfied smirk on young Black's face.
"So where is the alley? "Minerva heard the boy question specifically avoiding the name to avoid people from wondering the name of the alley and its location.
"Near Charing Cross." Minerva replied as she took a seat in the London Underground.
They completed the remaining journey in silence with Minerva observing a few of the young teen girls checking out Perseus. He certainly was handsome Minerva mused with the aristocratic high rise of his cheekbones, his unique deep eyes and a toned physique and a powerful aura of magic, which though not the strongest she had seen, would certainly make him a heartbreaker by about his first magical maturity that usually came about at 14.
After about an hour they reached Charing Cross and walked to Leaky Cauldron, the entrance of the magical world's shopping district Diagon Alley.
"This is Leaky Cauldron, a wizarding inn and pub with heavy measures to repel Muggles. From here we proceed to Diagon Alley."
The boy nodded and walked with her to the end of the pub, the winter season and the afternoon time making the pub a little less crowded than it usually was.
"This wall now leads us to the alley." Minerva said tapping the wall with her wand in the set pattern making the bricks slide into themselves as the path opened up.
"Welcome Perseus, to the Diagon Alley."