Prologue
The rain was pouring down on her black umbrella as she made her way through Privet drive, trying her best to save the long black skirt she was wearing from getting wet. She still couldn't believe she had to pretend to be a nun to give the next kid his letter. The veil she had to wear was interfering with her usual hairstyle, her hair being loose instead of the neat bun she preferred. The silver cross that was dangling on the chain around her neck was already annoying her. She had double checked if the glamour was properly applied to the letter, since she didn't want any harm done to the kid. Dumbledore had informed her that the household she was going to was a conservative Christian one who followed the bible strictly and probably believed anything magical was caused by Satan. What some muggles believed, she couldn't wrap her mind around.
As she passed Privet Drive number 4, she hesitated. Through the kitchen window she could see a kid with messy black hair, doing the dishes. Once again, she was hit with the resemblance he had to his dad at that age. She sighed as she once again had to leave him with those horrible people. But summer was almost over and in about a month he would be safe at Hogwarts where she could keep an eye on him. And hopefully the kid she was here for would too.
Three short knocks on the door and her sleeves were already drenched. A quick, wandless drying spell took care of that, just in time as the door opened.
"Can I help you?" A middle-aged woman, with short, dark-brown hair, stood in the door. Her cold blue eyes narrowed at her visitor. She had a thin face and pursed lips. She looked almost like a screwed-up piece of paper, with her severe looking facial expression.
"Good day, Mrs Cole." She said with a small, forced smile. "I'm sister Minerva. We've been in contact about the opportunity we can give him at Cardinal Wolsey's school for Christian boys."
"Oh, sister Minerva. Come in, please." Her attitude changed the moment she mentioned she was from the supposed Christian school and she had to keep herself from scoffing.
As she entered the hallway, she scrunched her nose at the blue plates that decorated the white walls and the cross that was hung at the top of the stairs.
Mrs Cole lead her towards a bright kitchen where her husband was sat at an oaken round table with a cup of coffee. The moment they entered, he looked up from the paper he was reading.
"Who's our guest, Josephine?" He asked, taking in the woman in front of him. His dull, grey eyes scanned Minerva, up and down, over his reading glasses. His dark hair was growing thin and speckled with grey, like Salt had been sprinkled on him. Harsh lines around his eyes creased as his face stretched into a thin-lipped smile.
"This is sister Minerva, Daniel dear." Josephine spoke, giving her husband a stern look. "She's been in contact with us about our Franky going to Cardinal Wolsey's school for Christian boys."
"Oh of course!" He said, just like his wife he seemed to open up the moment the word 'sister' was mentioned. "Take a seat, sister. Do you want something to drink?"
"No thank you." She said, sitting down, placing her folded umbrella on the back of her chair and her purse down on her lap, folding her hands over them. "If you don't mind I'd like to discuss the matter on hand."
"Of course, sister. I hope you don't mind me cooking in the meantime?" Mrs Cole asked. "We have guests coming over."
Minerva looked at the woman and raised her eyebrow.
"Please, go ahead." She said almost dismissively before turning back to the man of the house. "As I've informed your wife, I need to discuss two things with you and your son before we can agree to letting him join our school."
Mr Cole looked at her over his glasses, suddenly interested.
"Obviously we need to make sure that your son is going to be able to follow the classes at our school. They're very advanced and we only take the best. Could I maybe see his school grade results?"
"Of course, sister Minerva." Mr Cole quickly got up from his chair and rummaged through one of the drawers to get the document she needed. Obviously she didn't really need to see them since she already checked with the school to see if they were impressive, but it was needed to pull of this disguise. If they asked her the kid would have been taken away from these people ages ago, together with the Potter boy. But no one ever asked her anything… "Here they are."
Mr Cole handed her a map filled with papers and she adjusted her glasses so she could pretend to read the sheet of last year.
"This seems quite alright." She said after two minutes of dead silence. Even Mrs Cole had stopped chopping her carrots, holding her breath as they awaited the result. "But I do need to speak with Franky myself. I'm just gonna do a quick pop quiz with him."
"Of course, sister, I'll come with-"
"Alone." She interrupted Mr Cole. "We can't have him been distracted nor influenced. Strict policies. You can, however, show me the way."
*******
Dead silence, in Franky Cole's bedroom, besides the scribbling of his pen in his dark-blue notebook. His deep, pale-blue eyes were wide, alive, full of ideas and joy, as they were locked, unblinking down, at the words, that were pouring out of him. The handsome boy then sat up, took in a deep breath, and dropped his pen, triumphantly, almost as if he had just run a marathon. He leaned back into his bed and ran his hands through his dark-brown, messy curls. He sighed and smiled his lopsided smile. His head jerked towards the door as 3 staccato knocks filled his silent room. He turned back to his book before speaking.
"Come in. You probably don't care, but… whatever. I just finished my book. It's about an author who gets kidnapped by his biggest fan and she keeps him prisoner, until he rewrites his latest book, as he killed off her favourite character."
"That sounds very interesting." A soft voice spoke, with a hint of a Scottish accent. Franky's head shot around, startled by the unfamiliar voice, too friendly to be either of his parents. "Although I must admit, it sounds a bit like an existing book by Stephen King."
"I wouldn't know" muttered Franky, shrugging. "Mother doesn't allow me to read anything" he snorted, "except the bible of course. Sorry who-"
"Minerva McGonagall. Deputy headmistress and professor of transfiguration, at Hogwarts, school of witchcraft and wizardry"
Franky stared, blankly, with his big blue eyes up at the strange nun in his room.
"Come again?"
"Have you ever done anything odd? Strange things you could never explain? Moved items without touching them for example?"
Franky continued to stare, stunned by her words.
"H-How did-"
"You're a wizard, Franky. A powerful one at that too. You just don't know it yet" She smiled and folded her arms. "That's why I am here." She reached into her sleeve and pulled out a letter, with a crimson red seal. "This is for you," She added, handing it to him.
He accepted the letter, looking at it as if it was filled with all the miracles of life, or all the poison of the world… He wasn't out on which he believed.
"What is it?" the boy asked
"It's your invitation to Hogwarts. We'd be honoured to have you as a student, Mr Cole. We've had our eyes on you for a while"
"How do I know that you're not just lying to me and are gonna put me in an Asylum?"
McGonagall smiled again.
"Do you like cats?"
Franky scrunched up his face, confused at the random question and convinced this woman was mad.
"No way. I'm allergic. But look, I don't see what this-" the boy's speech was stopped dead in its tracks as the woman before him, shrunk. Her skin turning grey, and her face morphing into something… not human. She disappeared behind the foot of his bed. Franky clambered to the end and peered over his bed post. A silver tabby cat sat on the floor, licking her paw, before looking up at him, a hint of cockiness in her big, green eyes.
"Woah… Okay, now I'm convinced" Franky stuttered, as McGonagall returned to human form.
"Well then, Mr Cole." she said, placing a hand on his shoulder "We hope to see you soon." She turned for the door, which swung, slowly open, without a single hand placed on it. She stopped and turned back. "Oh, and keep this between us." she said. "Your parents cannot know." She added with a wink.
Franky smiled his lopsided smile, once more and watched as she left the room.
*******
"Petunia, Vernon! How lovely to see you both" exclaimed Josephine, as she stood in the front door, with a beam on her face. "Come in why don't you?"
The couple entered the house, just as McGonagall was coming down the stairs.
"Ah, Sister Minerva. Leaving so soon?" Said Daniel, joining his wife and friends in the hall.
"I am pleased to tell you that I believe your son has a very high chance of making it into Cardinal Wolsey's school for Christian boys . He's a very bright boy, indeed."
"Oh that's wonderful news!" Josephine squawked, clapping her hands together
"It is indeed. Congratulations to him and to you both. You have a raised a fine young man"
Petunia had followed the conversation with interest and scanned McGonagall from head to toe. She really had the feeling she had seen this nun before, but she couldn't place where.
"Good day to you all, I must return to my school." McGonagall turned for the door, instead locking eyes with Petunia. She raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips.
Petunia spoke. "Forgive me, but do I know you from somewhere?"
"I should hope not. Good day." She bowed her head and walked past, brushing shoulders lightly with Petunia causing her eyes to follow her as she left the house. She leaned closer to Vernon and whispered.
"I swear we know her from somewhere"
Brushing of his wife's suspicion with a simple with a simple shrug of his shoulders, he turned towards the man of the house.
"A remarkable woman that is, Daniel. Did she come here for your son?" He inquired politely.
Like thunder, Franky's excited footsteps erupted from his room, and shortly after, down the stairs.
"What have I told you about running in the house?" Josephine said sternly.
"But, mother, you have-"
"But nothing! We're having dinner with friends, you can wait upstairs."
Franky's mood instantly dropped.
"Can't you just be happy for me?"
"We are. Now give us some space." She said folding her arms.
"But look. Prof- I- I mean Sister Minerva gave me this." Franky reached into his pocket and pulled out his Hogwarts invitation.
The moment he pulled out the letter, the Dursleys went white.
"Another bloody letter?! Can't we escape them anywhere?" Vernon exclaimed frustrated.
"What do you mean?" Said Daniel, with a frown of concern.
"We're leaving right now, Petunia!" Without a second look at their hosts, he left the house. Leaving his wife with a shameful look on her face.
"You have to excuse Vernon." She quickly said. "All day we've been having letters like that popping up everywhere in the house."
All the Coles stared at her as if she had suddenly sprouted a pigtail.
"Don't ask" She muttered, and added. "Just know that Hogwarts, is not what it seems."
"Hogwarts?" Franky's parents exclaimed
Petunia nodded.
"I knew I recognised that woman from somewhere. She's not normal. She can't be trusted. 'messenger of the devil himself' as Vernon always says."
Josephine and Daniel looked at each other.
"Surely not. She's a messenger of God" said Daniel with a nervous laugh.
Petunia shook her head.
"That was a disguise." She took Josephine's hands in to her own and pleaded. "Please. Just trust me. You would be good to keep your son here."
"But wait-"
"I'm sorry, Vernon is waiting for me." She stuttered and left, quicker than she had arrived.
The three Coles, stood still, silent for a moment, not looking at each other. Finally Franky broke the silence.
"So… Do I not get a say in this?"
His mother and father turned slowly to face them, their faces cold and severe.
Daniel spoke, harsh, stepping closer to Franky as he did
"You will not be attending this school, boy. Not now, not ever!"
Josephine snatched the letter from Franky's grip.
"What do we do with this, Daniel?"
"Give it here" he scoffed, ripping it from her hands. He tore it in half, right before Franky's sad blue eyes, slowly and painfully. The tearing noise sent a shiver down Franky's spine. Daniel then continued to rip it up, piece by piece, until it was little more than confetti. He tossed it in the air. Franky's eyes followed each piece flutter to the carpet.
"Now get upstairs, young man." His mother spoke coldly. "If there is anything we learned from this experience it's that we need to purge you some more. To the attic, you know the drill.
