Disclaimer: In chapter one

AN: Please Review.

It was the day before Taranau's eleventh birthday that he received his armour. Carrog had spent a week forging it himself. The small octagonal plate bore Taranau's emblem, a stag made of flames, earned when he beat an alpha stag in a race through the forest, the image of the stag was near identical to the stag who Taranau had raced. Cysged placed the plate onto Taranau's bare chest and it disappeared from sight.

Then, suddenly, Taranau was covered in black armour made of thousands of tiny black scales from head to toe. His face couldn't be seen under the armour. The stag made of flames was stood rearing and kicking out its front legs on his chest. It had no gaps to see through, however, unlike Carrog's and Cysged's armour, the scales on the face shifted rapidly opening very small air holes that changed position in the mask of scales. A face had been painted on. It had cold dark green eyes and thin purple lips.

Cysged and Carrog had spent the whole day hiding any evidence that the occupants of the Hearth knew of magic and Alexander and Auradain had gone among the peoples of the forest and asked that they avoid the lands of the Grandparents the next day. The next day would be the day that a professor came from Hogwarts, should their plans go as intended, and explain to them the existence of magic and invite Taranau to Hogwarts. They knew Taranau was excited by the prospect of attending a school for humans, the professor tomorrow would be only the second human he had met.

After having received his armour Taranau ran down to the lake to be with Ginny. As soon as he saw her his smile grew across his face. She had grown to be even more beautiful over the last three years. She stepped forwards and he took her into his arms.

"Good morning my love." He spoke into her hair.

"Good morning to you as well Taranau." She spoke back. They were soon in the water and playing games with one another while talking about everything that had happened while they were apart, even if it had only been a few hours. Eventually as the sun began to fall and after the two children were curled up in one another's arms on the grass Taranau reminded her that tomorrow she wouldn't see him as he'd have to meet the professor. She had known this would be happening so simply snuggled closer into his body.

The moon had risen by the time they parted, both wishing that they might have more time together and both knowing that they would just have to wait. With one last kiss Taranau turned for home.


Minerva McGonagall was looking at all of the letters that were to be sent to Muggle-born students. The other letters were already gone but she sent these ones later so that a professor could take them, after they all got back from their summer vacations of course, indeed she had been visiting a nephew in Scotland for the past few weeks. When she finished dividing them into piles for the various professors she selected one to do that day. A soft golden light glowed around the edges of one of the letters in her pile. When she turned to the letter the light had faded away. She picked up the letter and saw that it was Mr Taranau Lloyd, who lived in the Hearth near the village of Ottery St. Catchpole and had a birthday today, so she elected to visit him. An introduction to the magical world would be an excellent birthday gift after all.

As she left, she did not notice Albus Dumbledore take the letter that had the name of Miss Hermione Granger.

She reached the Winged Boar Gates of Hogwarts, turned on the spot and appeared on a gravel path in front of a rather large log cabin. She could see a well-tended and bountiful garden peeking around the edges of the house and the contrasting wild forest around her. Above the door the words 'The Hearth' were carved. She knocked on the door.

A man opened the door. He was slightly taller than her and much younger, she was surprised that he could have a child old enough to attend the school. He looked rather handsome as well. He had dark brown hair and light green eyes.

"Hello, I am Professor Minerva McGonagall from Hogwarts School. There is a place at our boarding school available for Mister Taranau Lloyd. Does he live here?" She asked the man.

"Yes, yes, Taranau lives here. Why don't you come inside?" The man replied.

The house had the air of a wealthy family and it looked like a wealthy family lived there, the furnishings were clearly of a high quality and various other pieces in the house looked rather expensive. Yet the occupants and indeed the house itself were quite modest and from the look of the garden they grew their own food. Minerva sat down in a maroon armchair in the living room opposite a woman with long black hair who she took to be Mr Lloyd's wife. Mr Lloyd and his son entered after her and sat beside the younger woman. She was much too young to possibly be the boy's mother, Minerva was sure.

"This letter here is our standard invitation letter so if you would like to read this first then I would be happy to answer any questions that you may have."

They all read the letter. "What sort of joke is this? A school of witchcraft and wizardry!" Mr Lloyd exclaimed.

"I assure you Mr Lloyd that it is not in a fact a joke but rather magic is indeed real. Perhaps you would like a demonstration?" Minerva replied. At their nods she continued. "I shall perform a very simple spell that we teach our students in their first year." She drew her wand. "Wingardium Leviosa!" A book rose from the table and hovered about two foot above it. She took Mrs Lloyd's wide eyed stare to be a look of disbelief, Minerva didn't see that the book was titled 'Potions for Trainee Healers' nor did she see Mrs Lloyd hit Mr Lloyd's arm as she lowered the book again. "As you can see, magic most certainly does exist."

"Can I really do magic?" Taranau asked her.

"Of course, if your name is on our list then you're definitely capable of magic."

"All this stuff that he needs, where do we get it?" Mrs Lloyd asked.

"There is a place that I can take you to where you will be able to purchase all of the items that he needs." Minerva replied.

"Is there a tuition fee for your school?" Mr Lloyd had asked.

"Only 50 Galleons per term, you need not worry, I'm sure."

"Galleons?"

"A single Galleon is about five Pounds Mr Lloyd, we have our own currency."

"Can I go to Hogwarts please? I really want to go." Mister Lloyd had asked of his parents, or perhaps adoptive parents, yes, Minerva felt that would explain their young age.

"Yes, Taranau, you can."

Minerva stood. "We should leave now or we won't return until late." She tapped her wand to a plate that she had brought with her and asked them all to hold on. When they did they suddenly found themselves in Diagon Alley. Taranau looked about in awe, despite going to Sammuntia often he had never been to anywhere that was built by humans and the architecture was very different. Where Sammuntia held arches and curved walls Diagon Alley had sharp features and simple wooden doors, evidently the shopkeepers felt that they needed to keep people from entering the stores with locked doors, it was rare to find a locked door in Sammuntia, or a door at all.

Minerva took them to Gringotts where they exchanged Pounds for Galleons despite the fact that Carrog and Cysged had an ancient and very full vault of gold hidden away in the deepest part of the bank, they had been founding members of the bank. It was almost one when after having bought everything else they came to Ollivander's wand shop.

"Hello there Mister …" He glanced at Carrog and Cysged then at Minerva. "… Lloyd. I've been waiting for you. A friend of mine," he glanced at Carrog again, "who just so happens to be an exceptionally skilled wand crafter, gave me a gift only yesterday. He said that the very first new first year to enter my shop today would be destined for the wand. And that just so happens to be you." Ollivander, who at the start of his speech was hanging upside down in front of them, was now opening a wand box I front of Taranau. "Which arm is your wand arm Mister Lloyd?"

"Er, well I write with my right." Ollivander raised an eyebrow at Carrog.

"Then that too shall be your wand arm. Take this wand please Mister Lloyd." And Taranau did. A shower of golden sparks flew from the end of it. A shrill scream came from the back of the store. Ollivander glanced at where the noise had come from and tsked. "I should have expected that," he mumbled, "This is a very unique wand Mister Lloyd. There is no wand like it since, it would seem, only the one wand crafter knows how to craft wands from metal. I do not know which metal the wand is crafted from nor do I know what core it holds, however, I do know that this is a very powerful wand. I also know that it will be eight Galleons thank you."

After Carrog paid for the wand Minerva took them all back home. "This is your ticket on the Hogwarts Express, I would advise that you go early so that you can learn how to access the train by watching the other students. Good evening to you all, I must be returning to Hogwarts now." Professor Minerva McGonagall apparated away into the night.

Taranau flew over the forest with Ginny and told her about everything that had happened that day. Ginny expressed her wish that she'd be going to Hogwarts with him and Taranau replied with a simple and sweet kiss, before diving down into the trees as fast as his broom could weave amongst them. Ginny dove down after him close on his tail.


Albus Dumbledore returned to his office thoroughly exhausted. It had taken some effort but Miss Granger was now a member of the inner circle of the Order of the Phoenix and could easily help in monitoring Edward Potter during his time as a student. Her parents had been an issue but a powerful confundus charm had altered their way of thinking enough that the problem had been easily resolved.

Alas the things people forced him to do for the Greater Good.