"Who's that bloke next to Snape? The one with the caterpillars on his face?", Ron asked his fellow Gryffindors.
"Recon he's here to teach DADA?"
"I hope not... That's Arthur Kirkland!"
Harry and Ron looked at Hermione at her exclaiming that.
"Who?"
"You... You have never heard of the Kirklands before?! They are the most influential wizarding family out there!"
"You do know I live with the Dursleys right..."
"Hold on. I think dad might've mentioned that name once or twice, ministerium related..."
"Why don't you want him to teach? Is his family..." In league with Voldemort was left unsaid.
"Nothing much is known about them in that regard but there are rumours... You see, they are an ancient family, they have been around since before the founders even and... They haven't changed. Apparently are metamorphmagi, all of them. And there are always 5 of them the oldest being Allistor Kirkland and the youngest Arthur Kirkland. That's how it's been since the family has been on record."
"What? You're saying that bloke is thousands of years old?"
"No Ron. I'm saying that every now and then there are five new Kirklands that take over, looking exactly like their predecessors... Just five... No one has ever heard of any other Kirklands. No one knows how and where they raise their successors. There are only five. Four men and a woman."
"But... What would happen if their children don't fit in that pattern? If a second girl gets born? Or the kid isn't a metamorphmagi?"
"That's where the rumours start..."