Prologue: September 2007
The clock ticked faintly, seconds away from midnight. It was a second too slow; a mechanic delay too small to be immediately noticeable, but one which over time multiplies itself into something ugly and unpalatable in its size and nature. It was seven years after the "New Beginning" and Hermione Granger, Head of the Department of Magical Creatures, was sitting at her desk at this unsociable hour reading a report from a Magical Creature activist on hostile troll activity in Kent. This third of the Trio at the heart of the battle which caused this new era of Wizarding history, had perhaps achieved the most success, at least in advancing her personal ambitions of reforming Magical Creature laws. She had become the youngest Head of Department in the Ministry in a hundred years and had already formed a fierce reputation of efficiency and passion amongst even the most hard-nosed of ministers. Intelligent, quick-witted and compassionate, she made an almost perfect commander of the department and was fast on her way to being considered as a future Minister of Magic.
But there was a fault within her brilliance, a small fault which she had not yet noticed, although the effects of it had been accumulating for many years. She didn't trust her heart. She wouldn't listen to it, not after the disaster it had caused only a few years ago. The confusion that her emotions had thrust upon her had forced an extreme reaction, an evil and devastating utterance which now she bitterly regretted ever thinking. From then on she refused to acknowledge what she knew in her heart to be true, thus prolonging pain on both sides of the same coin.
An urgent tapping on the window cut through the calm. For a reason which she would not recognise until many weeks later, Hermione felt a thrill, a rush of fleeting joy at the bird's talons against the glass. Quickly dispelling this unexplained emotion, she rose and let the bird in; she instantly knew that it was from abroad without knowing quite where. As she detached the letter from it's leg and returned to her desk, the bird settled on the chair opposite where she sat. The tired woman looked up briefly, curiosity increased by an expectation of immediate response, and then ripped open the envelope, which had been simply entitled: Ms Granger, Head of the Department of Magical Creatures.
After re-reading the letter, the minister quickly searched for blank parchment and dipping her quill, all tiredness completely evaporated, she thought for a single moment about her response. Taking up the letter again she waved her wand over it, found nothing suspicious and then found herself drawn to the bird still perching on the chair opposite. It's amber eyes, though harsh, did not seem deceitful. Hermione wrote:
Dear Captain,
I thank you for your letter and in the interest of speed will be brief. I must confess to have overheard rumours of the existence of your kind and am now completely convinced of the truth of your situation and your proposal, hereby offering my full support. I will require an ambassador from the Hybrid Union to assist me in drawing up preliminary plans and I vow to attempt to block any legislation which would prove harmful to hybrids or the Union.
Yours Truly,
Ms Granger
She hastily shoved her letter into an envelope and tied it to the waiting bird's leg. The creature gave her one last stare before flying out of the window. On it's departure, Hermione sat down again, heavily. So the stories were true. Hybrids existed.
For a few months now, travellers coming from the East had spoken of wizards who had demon powers, wizards who had been infected by the demon venom without turning. These "hybrids" had been reported to have magic beyond that of ordinary wizards, magic that was controlled without wands. There had been talk in the ministry, serious talk of Aurora's being sent to investigate.
Hermione had been sceptical about the rumours, but even within the short time in which she had read the letter and replied the thought of a new, and with all probability dangerous, branch of magic had been explored and organised in her mind. Although she had little reason to trust the letter and it's claims, she found that she did. However, due to her mistrust of her instincts, she made a note to make extensive investigations of her own, through her assistant's friend in the Muggle Department, who had supposedly told of seeing a hybrid.
Sinking back into her chair after making this note, she went over the details of the letter again in her buzzing mind whilst holding with her necklace with her left hand. The "Captain" who had claimed to have been the leader of this "Hybrid Union" had been courteous despite the urgency of the letter, this urgency explained by insider knowledge that the Ministry knew of their existence and was possibly planning offensive action. He, for some reason which again was inexplicable at that moment she knew the Captain to be male, had briefly explained the history of the organisation. The founders were victims of an experimentation programme studying the creation and development of hybrids, many of them turned into hybrids by the experimenters; they had managed to escape and form the Union to work with governments to outlaw this treatment of the growing race.
Deciding to leave the report until the next day, Hermione packed up her things, snuffed her candle and went home to sleep and have strange dreams of demons and a man with a deep sorrow.