Chapter 1

Welcome, Lord Dagworth-Granger

The summer sun was just rising over the high London buildings, and shining into one particular small bedroom within 'The Happy Homes' orphanage where the occupant was packing his considerable belongings. This particular nine year old child was standing a solid five feet tall in the middle of the room with one hand stretch slightly out in front of him as he called particular books, clothes and small possessions gained over the years towards him, then into one of the two trunks resting open on his bed as the springs strain under the increasing weight. His short dark brunette hair rustled gently in the breeze of the various objects that circle him, his bright, almost shining hazel eyes focused on the different objects as he mentally willed his power to direct them into either of the trunks and positioning them how he wanted them, and his lightly tanned skin was starting to glisten with sweat on his brow, all the while he felt and heard the tell tale buzzing, almost purring, sensation of his power.

As the last object, a book reading 'Introduction to Psychology', into the second trunk which contained his other books and various gains, he flourished his hand to will his power to close both trunks and lift them down to the floor. As he lets out a relief sigh and begins to stretch his body from standing in the same position for the last hour, he looks around at the now barren room; he gets a sense of nostalgia and irony at the fact that just a couple years ago it was just that, barren. That was until he learned of what was in him.

~Flashback~

His earliest memory was when he was three years old, one of the caretakers were teaching the younger children the basics of phonics and letters, when they realized how intelligent he was for his age. The praise he received bolstered him more, fed his desire to stand out from the other twenty children, to be recognized. When he was placed with the older children, while they were reading story books, he was being to read novels and found an interest in science. This started to create jealousy among the other children when he started the first grade with the older kids and they started to bully him after he became the top of the class. This continued for the next two years, becoming more physical and aggressive over time. It was first insults and name calling, to hiding the few toys he enjoyed using, to ripping pages out the novels and school books bought for him, to attacking him in the middle of the night with the aid of some of the delinquents that also lived at the orphanage. He could never prove to the caretakers that this was happening, as they would take the side of the majority when they all said that he was the one who was doing it for more attention. When he was punished by the caretakers he learnt that you could not rely on others for protection, and when they became physical, he never told anyone due to the fear of reprisal and his inability to fight them because he was weaker, and from this, he learnt that for one to protect themselves and possessions, power was needed. But as the years past he bottled his rage and it continued to build and build within, until one night after his birthday in December.

He awoke with a sudden start. Feeling himself being held down with his sheet covering his head, repeated blows to his body and the quiet taunts and jeers of those in the room. As he felt the pain, he gritted his teeth at them in anger, and the rage that he contained finally exploded at the unfairness of the world and the desire to make them finally feel the pain he felt. What happened next was one of his fondness memories, he felt something within him explode outwards and he heard a rushing almost roaring sound in his ears along with a yell of voices from those in the room. As he got up he looked around the room at the four older children, three lying flat on the backs groaning in pain, while one was on the other side of his bed, closest to him, unconscious against the wall. He can remember the panic he felt when a caretaker came running into his room and upon seeing the various children, yelling for an explanation for the noise and why they were out of bed. Before the others could regain their senses he looked at the caretaker and told her they were attacking him, but lied in the cause of the noise was of them tripping on one of his toys. While outwards he was projecting himself the victim, inside he was screaming his lungs off for her to believe him, not wanting anyone to know what happened. He then felt something inside him pulse from his eyes towards the caretaker's head, making her reel back slightly. After blinking owlishly, she started yelling at the other children and planning punishment, all the while collecting and leading them out, complaining about the headache they've caused her due to the late hour, while they tried that tell her what happened.

The next day he avoided the four that attacked him and their suspicious glares, all the while thinking of what happened last night and the gently flow he could now feel within him. He spent that day trying to recreate what happened to the four on at stack of books the place on his bed as he sat crossed legged staring at it in concentration. He remembered how he actually just sat there staring at the stack for a good half hour before he became irritated and started commanding it to move in his head, then yelling, then screaming for it to move till he became frustrated and fall back onto his pillow with his eyes closed. When he finally calmed down, he thought of the feeling that has been flowing through him, and willed it out. He then raised his right hand and willed this feeling…this power, to mov-no, push the stack. He watched in elation as the stack began to tremble, then shift when he called forth more of his power, then finally flew clear across the room. He wanted to jump in celebration at the time, but collapsed forward in exhaustion, feeling a pleasant almost painful strain feel all over his body, all the while a content purring sound filled his ears from within.

The next days of the holiday were spent practicing pushing, pulling and holding the merger objects in his room. With permission he'd go to library and started to research what about his power. Though he was young at the time, he still knew it was very unlikely to find anything written about he could do, but he went to science fiction, and likened what he could do to telekinesis, and what he did to the caretaker to some kind of telepathy. From then on, when he practiced his power and when he wasn't, he likened it to having water flow through a pipe. From there he wondered how he could increase the flow and control of the' water', call more of it out when he needed to use it, and make the 'pipes' bigger, ensuring that he doesn't strain himself when he uses too much and get exhausted when he does.

The two years thereafter were of discover and changes. At first he allowed the continued bullying, buying his time to get stronger physically to use more of his power and gain more control. He was able to rediscover his telepathy by staring at his teachers during lessons in order to avoid being conspicuous, and learnt not only how to manipulate other's minds, but how to use less power that caused the headache they received and making it more subtle. Also, he learnt how to read the minds of others and their emotions, but that was difficult to do since it was more of a continuous stream of images and connected feelings, that when he first tried caused both him and the teacher he first tried it on to black out when he couldn't stop it, which taught him his third lesson: Great power required great responsibility …or it hurts like hell. He also was able to use his telepathy to improve his own mind and retain and recall memories much better by focusing his power at his head. This happened after he tried an experiment to improve how far he could see with it, and due to the constant use in that area, his power created a new 'pipe' to his mind. Those two abilities were his most used, and it started to show results when he would use them to subtly and sometimes not so subtly fight back the bullies, then making them forget what happened, all except two things: his face and the pain they felt; and avoiding greedy foster parents looking to adopt him for prestige when he started gaining grants and scholarships when he was allowed to progress further ahead in school.

His last two abilities manifested themselves in unexpected ways. The first one was when he was six during his third grade class. He was sitting at the back of the class using his powers to practice reading the thoughts of his teacher until he got tired from the mental strain and looked out at the heavy showers of the thunderstorm, washing against the window panel. He could never put his hand on it, but water, or at least large amounts of running water, always seem to make the power within him seem to rush inside him. As he enjoys the pleasant feel within him, he placed his hand on the window panel, and feels a gently pull of his power on to it. When he removed his hand, he was shocked to see in that particular spot, the water had concentrated into a sloppy looking smiley face. Since then on, he practiced manipulating water, but found it extremely difficult to do unless in small amounts, and even then it was a draining task. The last power he has manifested to date showed itself during an early semester field trip to the zoo in his grade for class. Throughout his entire academic career he has been alone due to his age difference, sure there were a few who pitied him or the occasion girl who thought he was cute and make a great little mascot, their thoughts not his, he avoided them, so it was no surprise he was alone when the teachers in charge allowed them all to wonder back to the animals that interested them for their reports. He re-entered the reptile house that caught his interest, when he heard a snake whispering for them to go away, during the tour. It was left unsaid that he spent the rest of the field trip learning that he was what the snakes called, "a speaker", and writing what they told about themselves and where they were from, by those that were recently captured.

A major turning point that he remembers was on the night of the twelfth, the day after his birthday. He was meditating on the future and what he wanted. While he knew was young and still had plenty of time for this, he felt empty, he had nothing to do with his powers. The bullying had long since stopped and based on the surface thoughts of his old reoccurring bullies, survival instincts and self-preservation seem to have subconsciously kicked in. Now, he had nothing. The original purpose for wanting power was no longer there, so he began to think of a new purpose. He was an orphan with nothing to his name…nothing but power. The grants helped, but they could only pay for supplies and the utmost necessities. So he needed money…but how? He could do it in a lot of ways with his powers, but all of them were either too overt or could end up him being a government science experiment.

He remembered spending the entire holiday pondering this till the term started again. He remembered walking down the hall thinking how to earn money when he saw a couple of fourth graders bully the other about a project that was handed out. Then it hit him, why not do for others what he did for himself: a protection service.

His business started off slow at first, he kept that particular student from being bullied, but every now and then allowed it to happen or even used his powers to subtly create the scenarios through manipulation, till the student started paying a small fee of a pound a day to make it stop, but he didn't stop there, he even offer the would be bully to do the work for him at another small fee of five pounds an assignment, which were simple an less time consuming for him due to his knowledge and creative use of his powers to manipulate a pencil to write the assignment in the now clients hand writing. It soon started spreading like wildfire into his year, those below and even above. He now had a reliable source of income and even recruiting a few other students in each year to help when the workload was becoming problematic. He became quite popular after all this, even attracting a number of the old bullies to form a 'guard', which took care of problems that could not be handled subtly and required a show of strength for instances of refusal to pay or when certain older students felt they were allowed to start their own services. All this happened throughout the school year and the next, under the watchful eyes of the faculty, due to his ability to make them turn a blind eye to it with his power which he was constantly growing through the use of finesse and physical training.

He could remember the summer at the end of his fifth year; he had received some particular items from cashing in on certain favors he had gained from his 'friends', it was a bulky black cell phone, it wasn't supposed to be out till next year, but this particular client wanted to stay in touch for the summer. His room at the time was filled with many of useless trinkets received from various students, which he had plans to sell or gift to as rewards to the select few on his payroll, but a few who knew what he liked gifted him with advanced books or what they at least thought was advance. With the money he was now earning, he had bought various psychology books to help him understand how the mind work or reacted due to certain stimuli; his telepathy and other powers had advanced further than they were in the previous years. He was now very fit due to the constant training he had done. With his telekinesis he could now lift almost twice times his weight and levitate multiple objects without strain, his telepathy was at a plateau since he could think of no other way to improve it, but his retention and recall were amazing, along with how he was able to manipulation a person's mind, so that they not only felt a certain emotion, but he could remove longer amounts of memory or create fake memories, though those were harder and very draining to do. Also he now had enough power to properly train his water manipulation, which he learned he could decrease the temperature of by willing his power to remove the heat into the air, almost to the point of freezing it.

It was during that slow summer that his next business venture fell into his lap by a phone call on his new phone. A recent graduate that was a part of his 'guard' from his school was attacked while trying to sell drugs for a gang he joined during the summer. While usually something like that would not be his problem, but this was the first time that his loyalty to those that follow him was being tested in such away, and he also saw an opportunity that helping his old employee would create by making those still in the school more enamored to him.

He had gathered a hand full of guard with him to help 'fight' the drug dealer. When they arrived at the spot in a secluded alley way they were met with three teenagers, what the five 'guard' saw was one, fit and tall for his age, eight year old take on one teenager by himself while they handle the other two, then was panting from probably exhaustion or adrenaline, and the three teenagers saw and felt an eight year old take them on and from the feel of it, break a few rips before blacking out. What he really had done was use blunt force with his power to knock them around, and then rummage through their memories, then altering the two minutes they all experienced, leaving him drained. But what he learnt fueled his drive and ambition further.

There was currently an internal struggle for leadership among the relatively well organized and profitable gang in the city due to the recent death of their long standing boss. The gang mainly trafficked drugs but also did extortion.

It took time, but by his ninth birthday, he had tracked down each of the contenders, one gang member at a time through telepathy, and supplanted himself as the old leader's protégé, even going as far as to add himself into meetings they had with the old boss, There were those that were against being led by at the time an eight year old, but that was quickly snuffed out by his three new lieutenants. He spent rest the of his sixth year maintaining his now small venture and learning how to use a knife properly and the inner workings of the underworld, which something he found he enjoyed, out maneuvering both the law and rival gangs through the use of his power to create a small, but going network of informants in both. And with the use of his powers and increase knowledge, he started expanding the gang, even merging with smaller ones when they saw how well he was doing and how well his members were treated. He learnt another vital lesson: Power attracts others, but loyalty required respect.

This all came to turn on its head when the reason why he was no longer an orphan happened. It was earlier in the summer, with his sixth year completed with high honors and a list of schools making him offers, when he received a call from an informant in the police force about the recent kidnapping of a woman, Nymeria Cunningham, which was currently being held for ransom by a gang in the city. He would've ignored the call, but something primal, perhaps his conscience wouldn't allow it to happen. So with a few calls into each of his informants in the rival gangs around the city, he had found the location. It was an old warehouse by the waterfront, looking like it was on the verge of collapse. He managed to sneak in unnoticed, but what he saw made him see red and his power to roar, causing a sudden drop in temperature.

Nymeria wasn't the only one recently captured; she was forced to stand with her hands being held up by chains, with her clothes ripped in several places while being molested and forced to watch the rest of the gang rape three other women with silent tears running down her face. One was screaming herself hoarse, while the other two were apparently unresponsive. It was the first time he had ever not think before he acted, he just saw red at the way these women ever being treated and started blasting the gang members all around the warehouse, launching various machinery crushing them, and water from the bay to rapidly force itself down their throats; drowning them. After he was able to calm down, he looked at the various blood stains, dismembered and drowned gang members, and almost promptly threw up. He could feel the guilt and emotions flooding forward, but used his power to repress them till later when he could deal with it, then went to check the women. The two that he had saw earlier that were unresponsive were in fact dead, which almost opened the flood gates once more before he got back under control, he then checked the other woman which was catatonic. From what he could see from her memories, they had just recently started with her, but the trauma of what happened made the memory to embed for him to remove it with his currently skill level, so he made it mist in areas where she saw him and his powers, in hopes to make her believe it was a hallucination. When next move to free Nymeria, he was able to see shock, awe and disbelief from her thoughts. The memory was also too embedded to do anything about, which caused him to promptly curse under his breath.

"What's your name", he remembered her asking softly as he saw her losing consciousness as he placed her on the ground to rest.

With sigh of exasperation he replied, "Now why in the world would I tell you that".

~flashback end~

"William Foster," he heard a female voice say as it came from the door as it was opened. He turned to see Nymeria Cunningham standing in a light brown business suit that accentuated her curves and Dark brown skin tone. As she walked in with a smug smile on her face and her light brown eyes shining with a sense of confidence and triumph, that was missing the last time he saw her, all framed by her dark cascading hair." Son of Samantha Foster, Father: unknown, who died during child birth at the Memorial Hospital. Currently lives at this…fine establishment. Age: nine; Grades: outstanding with schools across the county and further clamoring to get. Do you mind if I sit?" she asks while taking a seat anyways at his study table that faced the window.

From what he had glimpsed from her mind, she had spent the better part of the summer tracking him down. Then when from what he saw from her surface thoughts, she got word from her contacts two weeks ago and carried out what could be the fastest adoption he thought possible.

"How did you find me?" he asked as he took a seat on one of the trunks in front of his bed, both curious and wanted her thoughts turned to those memories.

"Well it wasn't simple, I had no name and for the oddest reason whenever I tried to remember, your face I drew a haze. I thought nothing of it till I questioned the other survivor about our lil' knight in jeans and a hoodie, and she came up with the same description as me. I wonder why?" she stared intently at William for an answer, seeing that she that she would receive none she continued," So I thought back, why on earth would a young boy come to such a place? Was it a coincidence or did he know. I remember my capturers making the ransom call to the police. So I checked their call log using some contacts in the telecommunication sector. Imagine my surprise that after the call was made, there was an outgoing call to a civilian own number, which then called fourteen other numbers in the span of a few minutes. Now this was the interesting part, I had a background check done on all fifteen numbers and imagine my surprise when fourteen came back as individuals with criminal records until the recent months they've keep their noses clean, which interestingly enough coincides with the time they started contacting an orphan. An orphan who hardly ever calls them, but seems to receive multiple calls ranging in duration, but definitely long enough for a decent conversation…a report maybe?", She smiled sweetly at him, but seeing no change in his demeanor, pouted and continued while leaning back in the chair, "then I thought that, since there was no way for me to repay my lost knight, but found someone that was roughly his age and seemed to oddly be in the center of my search, I should reward this poor but brilliant and gifted orphan adopting him, especially since his voices matches my lost knight. So hello, William Cunningham, heir to Cunningham Pharmaceuticals Inc.". She gestured grandly with a smile on her face.

All throughout her monologue, William had gone through her memories and looked for any falseness to her story, and found none. While externally he showed no signs of displeasure while she talked, he was seething at everything she said. There was no way for him to fix this. The information was out there, from what he saw in her memories the adoption was finalized, and even if he could stop it, the reason that started her on this witch hunt was too ingrained in her psyche to change. He felt trapped. He did not like that one bit.

"What done you want", he demanded with an edge in his voice as he stared at her intensely as the temperature in the room started to drop.

She frowned at his tone and the temperature change, but thought about his question then replied, "While your abilities got me fascinated in you to search you out, the really selling point in me adopting you was your potential. A young boy at nine years old is about to enter into his seventh year on merit alone, but also seems to control a loyal and rapidly expanding gang that if given the drop in recorded crimes, has improved to the point that they operate almost invisibly. I have to say, that last one impressed me greatly".

Detecting no falseness from her and hearing her last statement caused him to glow with pride, which caused her to chuckle softly and him to turn his head, blushing in embarrassment before he used his power to control it.

"Come", she said getting up with a delicate hand out stretched towards him," let's go home. On the way we can negotiate a few changes in both your business and life." The phrasing of her words was not lost on him. While she was to be his adopted mother, she saw him as no child, and was welling to treat him maturely. Though he was hesitant to accept her so quickly, once more sensing no deceit, but nervousness, he accepted the out stretch hand and got up, grabbing the trunks with him. As they walked downstairs and through the door towards a waiting van with a chauffeur at the passenger back door, who then collected the trunks and close the door behind them, He had not once look back at the orphanage or the many faces that were watching him leave.

As the chauffeur got in the car and drove off with the divider up, ensuring their privacy, Nymeria started talking about herself as they worked their way through the London traffic and he kept his attention and power on her, listening to her and looking for any deceit in her telling. She was twenty-four with a degree in marketing and business administration, and was working on her masters when her father died and changing her decision to take over his company for the time being. From what he got while searching through her memories, she was overall a fun loving and cheerful person, but it seemed to now be tempered by the incident which she was seeing a councilor about in private.

"Ah, it seems we have arrived" she exclaimed looking out the window, causing him to turn. What he saw was not a house like the town houses in London, but a manor, with manicured lawns and an large grounds surrounding it, with what seemed to be forested area further back from the glimpse he got as they drove to the front, circling a large fountain of a white shining marble angels with their hands held in the hands of the other and their wings arching outwards. As she led him inside and through the halls and upstairs of the manor, he could see the rich history and culture from the various portraits and works of art, and the antique furniture in the rooms he glimpsed as they walked pass.

"And this, is to be your room from now on, feel free to personalize it, but I must ask you to inform me if you start blowing up walls for additional space" she said jokingly, but he highly doubted he'd be expanding anytime soon. The room was larger than four of the bedrooms in the orphanage put together. There was a large king sized bed in the center with dark blue heavy curtains tied to the four posts and an intricately designed headboard against the wall, and antique nightstands with lamps on either side of it. On the right was a couple of great back arm chairs facing a large fireplace and over the mantle hung two bastard swords crossing blades diagonally. On the left looked to be a balcony overlooking the back and forest beyond.

"Now before we have you settled in, I'd like you to hear my suggestions in regards to your education and your business", Nymeria said as she took a seat in on oh the arm chairs.

"Go on", William said encouragingly, a bit overwhelmed with everything and slightly drained from the constant use of his powers throughout the day and the long drive here.

"Well, I'd like for you to consider private tutoring for the next year or so. While I'm sure you've done splendidly on your own and with public school teachers, I wish to enter you into a private school that will cater to your particular skill sets" she replied smiling sweetly.

He frowned, thinking over her words, "Do you mean my powers?"He asked.

She laughed gently," I don't believe I'd be able to find anyone capable, let alone teach you how to use them my dear. No I was talking about your charisma and drive, I'd like to send you somewhere that would gloom you and help you to flourish. The tutors I had in mind were in regards to your personal safety given your…chosen enterprise. A combat and tactics tutor along with an economics and business management tutor. I'm sure you could manage, but I can also offer tutors for the general subjects that would be taught in your secondary education. I'm also quite fond of fencing and archery myself, perhaps you would like to learn?" she said with a small hopefully small at the end.

"That sounds ok…perhaps we can put off the additional tutors until later? What about your suggestions about my business?" he replied after seeing how this would benefit him in the future.

"Very well then, now your business. While you may not agree with me, the thought of you doing something so illegal without protection is…unsettling to me. While you've done extraordinary, especially for one so young to curb any attention to you by having others being the face others see and working behind the shadows, and the natural defense of being so young so no one would even dare believe you are in charge, I recommend we create a subsidiary if you will. A security company that will be the front of your organization, and create a way for you to launder funds when you earn your profits with your extortion and drug ring operations. I realize you're probably against this, especially after what happened after the incident, but have you thought about creating brothels? While its illegal, you could front it as an escort service and you got yourself an entire legal loophole as long as your employees are loyal to you…which you seem to have no problem with so far", she replied with that ever present gently smile.

He thought about everything about what see said for a good minute. If his business was ever discovered while being listed as a subsidiary to her company, not only would the company take most if not all the fire, she would too, especially since there was not really anyway to physical prove he was the one in charge. Not only would he be able to get his people training legally and improve their effectiveness, he could create his own legal force this way. The escort service had potential, it could be another source of income and information if he got the right clientele and security would be free since he'd use his own people.

"I agree with that. However, I want someone experienced as head for the management of the legal side of things with only myself having final say in anything; don't worry about them asking unnecessary questions. Military training and equipment for my employees, which will be footed by your company until it is up and running to which I shall repay you with ten percent interest within five years. Non-negotiable." He said with finality.

She laughed seeing the serious face on the nine year old, but quickly sobered up," Quite the shrewd businessmen aren't we. Very well, I can agree to those terms, however the controlling interest and running of the escort service shall be managed by me. After all, it requires a woman's touch."

He shrugged at her, it was her idea really and he was not fond enough of the idea to care, as long as his people were taken care of.

"Very well then", she said getting up and heading to the door," I believe the cook and maids shall have diner ready soon. So get settled while you can. Tomorrow will be a brand new day".

The following months were intense but satisfying for William. His tutors and nothing but glowing remarks about him, all except his combat and tactics tutor, a retired MI6 agent who doubled as his head of his company named Jacob Evans, who constantly grumbled about "prepubescent teen punks" and "getting too old for this shit", but gave grunts of approval during their war games and training. His time and closeness grow with their training or meals they shared. He learnt how dangerous and elegant she was with foils and a sabre in hand, and how much of a sharpshooter she was with a bow. Their relationship and reached the point in which he had explained his powers to her, and even join her at work to uproot any insubordinate or chances of espionage in her company, and instilled a few subtle suggestions in the board and other employees. She even, after hearing about his ability to talk to snakes, imported a hatch-ling of his choosing. She regretted that choice when he chose a female black mamba which he named Sashet, after the Egyptian goddess of wisdom.

While his abilities had stagnated, his water manipulation had improved to the point he could now levitate large amounts of it and make shapes out of them. He could now freeze into solid ice and was starting to work on heating it up and drawing it from the air.

The Security Company, "Cunningham's Legions" was going well, already protecting both public companies and private homes, and with the trained and paid employees it was a great success, while in the underworld they had a strangle hold in drugs and prostitution, but William kept certain gangs free to keep the status quo and also keep others from looking closely on what was happening in London, while he started to expand to other cities. Nymeria's Escort Service was a hub of information with its discreet policies; it had a clientele ranging from politians to rival company shareholders, and it benefited her company greatly.

Currently it was the morning of his eleventh birthday. William was sleeping in his large bed with Sashet, who had grown to thee feet long now with her scales so black they seemed to absorb light, coiled on a white pillow that she had designated as hers on the other side of the bed. He was now five feet two inches tall, and had filled out into a swimmer's physique after discovering the pool at the back of the manor, which he swam in every morning much to the pleasure of power as it seemed to rush more whenever he did. He woke with a start to the feel of someone jumping onto his bed and giggling as she did so.

"I see you decided to wake up, happy birthday dear." said Nymeria as her eyes shined with mirth.

"Must you be so childish", William groaned out, placing a pillow over his head.

"One of us has to be, since you refuse to be one that title falls to me", she said proudly, thumping his pillow covered head repeatedly.

§Ssstupid human female, waking me and my pet up. Pet, tell the ssstupid human female to go away or I ssshall demand two mice asss payment for not biting her.§ Sashet demanded, first glaring at Nymeria then looking at William's covered head from the other side of the bed.

§Sssashet, if you're hungry, go hunt in the forest, and don't take too long its cold out. We don't bite family. No matter how annoying they are. § He replied to her after talking the pillow off and sitting up on the bed.

"Someone's grumpy" Nymeria said, watching Sashet give out an irritated hiss before slithering to the balcony and down a supporting column. "Come, she has the right idea. Breakfast and a quiet birthday like you requested…party pooper".

"Good. Now get out and let me change before I add pedophilia to the long list of things wrong with you" he said while using his power to lift her up and out the door, closing her and her laughing voice out.

They were sitting down having breakfast in the dining room with Sashet lazing by William with a noticeable bulge, when a brown tawny owl flew with a letter attached to its leg, and a maid racing after it, before landing in front him and his plate, presenting the letter to him. After Nymeria sent the maid away when he took the letter, he looked it over. It had an emblem of a large 'H' with four animals surrounding it. He opened it:

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. Cunningham,

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 1st September. We await your owl by no later than 31st July. A representative will come on August 3rd for an orientation.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Second page

HOGWARTS SCHOOL ofWITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4. One 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)

byMiranda Goshawk

A History of Magic

byBathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory

byAdalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration

byEmeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi

byPhyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions

byArsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

byNewt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection

byQuentin 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, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS

ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK

As William read through the letter, his eye brows rose higher and higher. At the questioning look from Nymeria, he slide the letter to her while he thought. 'Magic!, there was no way his power, his abilities, were MAGIC!?'.Hearing Nymeria struggle to not laugh, he became irritated," Shut it. The letter is obviously a fake or one of my employees pulling a holiday prank on me". He said annoyed.

"Come now dear, you are smarter than that. It is too elaborate. An owl well trained enough to deliver this letter, and wait for a reply? The extensive listing of supplies?, and let's not forget the fact that only the two of us are aware of your powers.", she replied fighting a fit of laughter at the novelty of the situation.

"You're certainly taking this very well." He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"With the things I have watched you do with your pow-sorry, magic," she giggled at his annoyed expression when she said that," I am not very surprised of the fact that there are others like you. While we agreed you would attend the private school this coming term, this is too good any opportunity to miss. And even though you could still go, we both know you'd rather spend your time researching and reading any and all information".

"True…I'm not waiting till I have only a month left before the school starts to find out information. I'll write this deputy head, and have her come here sometime this week." He said penning a reply after using his…magic…to retrieve it. He then attached it the tawny, and carried it to a window spending it off.

A reply was received from the deputy headmistress about her arrival at noon the next day. At the allotted time, Minerva Mcgonagall appeared into existence outside a large open metal gate and started walking up the winding driveway, wearing an emerald green dress robe and a dark purple pointed hat. She looked to be in her late fifties, but and vibrant red hair with a few strands of grey streaking in places. When she reached the manor's door and knocked, she was greeted by a maid, that made no comment on her attire, but led her and the hall and into what she presumed was the day room. The sight that greeted her was of an elegantly dressed young woman sitting on the arm of a large high back arm chair, which was occupied by an equally well dressed young man. They both stood as she made her way in the room.

"Deputy Headmistress I presume, welcome. I hope this appointment hasn't inconvenienced you on your holiday?" The woman asked her, extending her hand out.

"None whatsoever, It is not unusually that I would have to make appointments with muggleborns who request proof or have other queries before the allotted orientation period, and I usually go by professor, but you can call me Minerva", she replied taking it.

"Then you must call me Nymeria, and my adopted son, William". She pointed to the young man sitting in the chair who had not taking his eyes off her since she entered," Please, take a seat." The now named Nymeria offered pointing to the next arm chair facing the occupied one, as she poured a cup of tea and handing it to her, before returning to her original seat.

"Muggleborn, professor?", The boy, William, questioned.

"It is a term wizarding society has given those born from two muggle parents. Muggles are those people who are born without magic." Minerva replied after a sip from the cup in her hand.

"And those born with one or two parents with magic?" he asked.

"Halfblood and Pureblood respectively. Now please, Mr. Cunningham, I'm sure you're more excited to hear about the magic you can do and the school you will be learning it at?" she said in an attempted to change the subject.

"While I'm sure my son will be absolutely fascinated by what you have to tell him and hopefully demonstrate, but what you said has me concerned. They sound like social classes. Will my son be facing difficulties for being what you called it? muggleborn?", Nymeria asked with a frown marring her face.

Minerva sighed, while it was not the first time she was asked that question, she still found displeasure as always when speaking about it. "While there are a few in the society that believe that since they have always had magic in their blood, making them "pure" and elites of the wizarding world, and believe those that born from parents without it somehow "stole" magic. While many don't care, such as the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, and believe that a person can be talented regardless of blood, there is a counter theory that magic simply lays dormant in a long line of Squibs, those are people that were born with magical parents but could not use magic, till it relieves itself again."

"And has either of the theories been proven?" William asked curiously with the same neutral expression Minerva has seen him wear so far.

"As far as I have seen no, though no one has truly sought to prove or disprove either. There have been a few cases of muggleborns discovering they have relatives in the wizarding world during an inheritance test". Minerva replied.

"And how do we do this test?" Nymeria asked, knowing it would be something William would want to know. Though he never looked it, she knew he had done research into finding out more about his biological parents but had reached the same end she had. Samantha Foster was an average Jane, with no living relatives. Was a med. student up until she got pregnant by his unknown father and died during labor.

"It is done at the wizarding bank, Gringotts. Privately of course, so all I'm aware of is the cost of a hundred galleons, our currency, which is roughly ten pounds to a galleon." Minerva said before taking another sip of her tea, finishing it and placing on the side table that was present." Now, if we are to take to collect your supplies before the day has ended, we must carry on with the orientation."

The next few minutes were that of the professor explaining briefly the branches of magic, and demonstrating it by transfiguring the cup into a canary, which buzzed around the room before changing it back, much to the wide eyed amazement of Nymeria and the ill-concealed one of William. She also talked about the school about the school and an overview of the ministry and the jobs available with a magical education.

After a pause in the discussion, William decided it was it to get the questions he wanted answered." Professor, are there any particular special talents or abilities in the wizarding world?"

Minerva peered at him curiously before answering," Yes. There are individuals who can change their appearance at will called metamorphmagus. Also, there are those who after extensive training can transform into an animal they have a natural affinity to called an animagus. I am one of the latter, with an animagus of a cat."

"What about reading minds or moving things with the mind? Surly magic is capable of that?" Nymeria asked, seeing what William was trying to do.

"Well…it is impossible to move things with just the mind out a spell or a magical equivalent of one, mind magic is an esoteric field of magic that is heavily regulated by the ministry and can only be taught with its approval." Minerva replied.

"What about speaking to animals?" William asked while he thought about her last answer and the unintentional answer that she had given him.

"Hmmm, there has never been a witch or wizard that could speak with all animals. But there is parseltongue, the ability to speak to snakes, but that became a dark after it was known to be a ability that a few Dark Lords possessed, especially after You-Know-Who" Minerva said while in deep thought.

"You-Know-Who" both Nymeria and William asked, though Nymeria's voice had a hint of amusement to it.

"A recent Dark Lord named Lord Vol-Voldemort. His evil inspired fear of even his very name, even after his defeat ten years ago" Minerva had replied fighting the subconscious flinch she had made at the name of You-Know-Who.

"How was You-Know-Who defeated?" William decided to humor the professor with the use of the nickname.

"He attacked a family, The Potters, but was destroyed when his spell backfired when he tried to kill the baby at the time, Harry Potter. The spell he used was known to never fail when it was used on someone, so Harry Potter was named 'The-Boy-Who-Lived'". Minerva replied, checked the time with a flick her wand. "We should be head out now. I'll be showing you how to call the 'Knight Bus'. It is a regular means of commuting for those who dislike or unable to do the other means of wizarding transport."

Professor Mcgonagall led them out and down to the gate, where she then held her wand out stretch and up-right in her fist, calling a red triple-decker bus. After a series of near misses and stunts at break neck speeds they arrived at the 'Leaky Cauldron'. The Cauldron was not what they had expected. It was a bar that looked worse for wear with a bartender cleaning glasses in the currently full bar. After a quick introduction to the now named bartender called Tom, and Mcgonagall revealing Diagon alley in all its loud and colorful glory, and leading them towards Gringotts while pointing out the various shops that they can collect his supplies, William decided to act when the stopped in front of the White building of the wizarding bank.

"Thank you professor, but I believe we can handle it from here" He said, while deciding to try using his magic to convince her to leave. It was harder than usual, as if there was a barrier that stopped him, but after another subtle pulse, he got through and it took hold.

"Very well, but do keep on the alley and not stray to the off shooting streets. Nymeria, it was a pleasure meeting you. Mr. Cunningham, I'll be seeing you in a few months." Minerva said as she turned on the spot and disappeared with a pop.

Nymeria looked down at the slightly short of breathe William with concern. "Are you alright, you aren't usually like this unless you manipulate multiple people".

"I'm fine. I think she had a natural barrier like what my magic does with my mind. It wasn't very strong, but it was draining to push through it like I usually do…I'll have to be careful in the future if there are trained adults that can do what I do." William said as he started walking up the stairs and passes two goblins that stood guarding the door without a blink of an eye, while Nymeria looked incredulously at the creatures before hurrying to catch up with William who was walking towards an available teller.

"Good afternoon…teller" William said with a short pause, not sure how to address the goblin sitting on a high rise chair over the counter. "I wish to exchange some pounds into galleons, and carry out an inheritance test please." After a quick exchange of two thousand pounds and the required galleons for payment, the goblin led them into a small conference room that had a round table with long opened scroll that was blank and an intricate dagger with strange symbols craved into it.

"An inheritance test is performed thusly: you cut your hand over the open scroll, once your blood lands on it, the information of your heritage will be shown. Magical relations will be shown as red, Squibs grey, Muggles black and heirs/heiresses blue" the goblin said blandly in a rehearsed sort of tone.

With a sense of anticipation of finally knowing who both his parents are and the additional knowledge of his history, William cut his palm and watched as the blood spread rapidly in a barrage of red until it turned grey. He noticed at the last of the reds was a 'Hektor Ademus Dagworth-Granger; Son of Ademus Dagworth-Granger and Belladonna Dagworth-Granger (nee Slytherin). The scroll continued down the line with twelve generations of squibs that had dropped the name 'Dagworth', but kept 'Granger', with each generation having a single male child that continued the grey with a muggle based on the black of the names. The scroll came to a stop, showing different colors at the end. In the centre as the last grey as a 'Daniel Richard Granger', on either side of him were two blacks. On the left was his mother's name, Samantha Foster; the right had an Emma Granger (nee Smith). However what really got his attention was not his name in a bright blue with a coat of arms beside his name. No, it was the name in red that stunned him into silence:

Hermione Jean Granger

While he was just staring at the name, the name of his apparent sister, Nymeria had place a comforting hand on his shoulder and giving a gently squeeze, the goblin spoke," It seems you are the heir apparent. Allow me to be the first to bid you welcome, Lord Dagworth-Granger. The Noble House of Dagworth has been missed by the goblin nation."