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Chapter Ten

Maia sat nervously on the ground, her hands clasped so tightly in her lap that the knuckles were going white.

The men pointed their wands and both of the boys in turn, first to remove the blisters and burns, and second to whisper a spell that made their faces go oddly blank. When they were done, one of the wizards held a boy under each arm, turned on his heel and vanished. Maia jumped up, "Where is he taking them?"

The other three wizards turned to look at her and she sunk back to the floor, looking at the grass. A youngish looking wizard, with mousey-coloured hair, smiled and said, "It's ok, he's taking them both home. They won't remember anything."

Maia nodded.

An older, sterner wizard walked over to her and pulled her roughly to her feet, "So, missy, are you going to tell us what happened?"

Maia looked at the floor, "I don't know, sir..."

"Don't go getting smart with me, girl-"

"Oh, come off it, Diggory, how old is she anyway, six?"

"Yes, and just set off a very powerful Burning Hex on two muggle boys! She set of the alarm for crimes against muggles!"

The younger wizard nodded, "Yes, but she probably set off the Trace as well... Our office just responded faster. I'm sure it was only accidental magic."

"I didn't mean to!" begged Maia, her face already wet with tears.

"A likely story! You don't set off hexes like that by accident, not that strong, not enough to set off an alarm in the Auror office! You're clearly from a magical family, so who told you that you could use your magic against innocent muggle boys? Come on, spit out your story!"

He still had a tight hold of her shoulders, "Please, sir, you're hurting me! It was an accident!"

"Hey!" came a voice, and Maia looked up to see her mother marching towards the men, her eyes blazing. "I don't care who you are, or who you think you are, but you will let go of my daughter this instant or, heaven help me, I will make sure you live to regret it!"

Maia had never been so pleased to see her mother come home early in all her life, even if she had never seen her quite so... unkempt before. Her hair was falling loose from its elegant knot and her cheeks were flushed and her hands were shaking. He pushed Maia away from him and rounded on Caroline instead.

"Are you threatening me, madam?" Growled the man, pointing his wand at her.

Caroline neither flinched, nor missed a beat, "Not unless you're threatening my daughter."

"Well then, perhaps you would like to explain why your daughter attacked two muggle boys, Mrs..."

"Black."

Maia and Caroline both watched as the three wizards at the back exchanged a knowing look. "I think we've got our answer then." whispered the younger wizard, his tone losing its earlier kindness.

Diggory smirked, "We are an emergency response team from the Auror Office. An alarm was activated indicating an attack against muggles. We have come here to remove evidence of magic, investigate and apprehend the perpetrator." He glanced down at Maia and back at Caroline, "And those responsible for them, of course."

Caroline swallowed. "Maia, would you like to give these gentlemen your version of events." Her eyes never left the wand narrowed between her eyes, and the other wizards were plainly starting to wonder when she would draw her own. If only they knew, the stupid, prejudiced, bigoted people...

"I was just reading, when the boys came out. At first, I asked if they wanted to play, or if they were lost. But then they said no, and they starting making fun of my clothes and the Herbology patch, and of course I couldn't tell them about that because it would break the Secrecy Statute that dad told me about. Anyway, they kept on being mean and I asked them to go away, so they wouldn't, so I decided to leave because dad said I should never be rude back to people unless they're really, really bad. But then they pushed me other and started kicking me and then they were screaming and then you all turned up and pointed your wands at me!" She ended the story with a new and rather impressive set of tears, which were completely and utterly real, and ran towards Caroline who put her arm around her.

"I think that's an adequate explanation, sirs." Said Caroline, icily.

"Not entirely. It doesn't explain why she set off a Burning Hex."

"I beg to differ, sir, it was clearly a case of accidental magic."

Diggory frowned, not happy that he was losing this argument. "Accidental magic is very rarely violent and it doesn't explain her rather negative attitude to muggles, does it? Or where she learnt such a violent curse in the first place?"

Caroline laughed coldly. "Perhaps, you people ought to do more research into a situation before you start making accusations and drawing wands-"

"Spare me, Mrs. Black," snapped Diggory, "from your platitudes. The reputation of your family precedes you. She has clearly learnt her attitude, regardless of whether or not she was provoked, from her upbringing. As for the hex, she must have learnt it or seen it somewhere in order to have replicated it so strongly."

"And I must beg leave to teach you some manners, in order to be spared the ordeal of listening to your incompetence. It is best not to interrupt someone more acquainted with the facts of the matter yourself, and to then appear a fool in consequence. Had you done your research before you turned up, you would have realised that I, myself, am a muggle and my husband, Marius Black, is a Squib. It is therefore highly unlikely that we have either taught her to hate muggles, or taught her, or even shown her, any magic or hexes. Moreover, you are now threatening me, a muggle, with a wand, and have been doing so for the last fifteen minutes in full view of other Ministry officials and my young daughter, who, given her age, would also be unable to defend herself if subjected to an attack by a fully grown, fully qualified adult wizard. We've had very few dealings with the Ministry over the years, for obvious reasons, but I'm fairly certain that your actions contravene Ministry regulations regarding the protection of muggles."

Diggory's face blanched and all of the other wizards shifted uncomfortably. "Diggory, mate, she's right." Hissed another of the wizards and Diggory looked at his wand in horror, before slowly lowering it to the ground.

"I beg your pardon, Mrs. Black."

"You won't be having it."

"This was clearly an unfortunate understanding."

"You mean, this was a clear demonstration of the Ministry actions being guided by false assumptions with a healthy dash of incompetence."

"She activated the alarm and there were no other witches or wizards within a ten mile radius..."

"So naturally, you immediately corner and manhandle my daughter on suspicion of crimes against muggles, when she is a six years old and has close muggle relations and was attacked by aforementioned muggles, which thus led to accidental magic."

"It was a very strong hex..."

"Which only highlights how threatened she felt herself to be, and that she will one day be a very competent witch."

"Yes, Mrs. Black. I'm very sorry, Mrs. Black."

"Forgive me if I doubt the sincerity of your emotions, as you are now clearly trying to cover your own back. I suggest you remove yourselves from my property instantaneously."

None of them required any further encouragement.

...

Marius Black was still fuming four days later, after having sent a number of infuriated howlers to the Ministry and having received many apologies, the promise of an inquiry and a hefty lump of compensation in return.

None of that meant anything thought when he remembered how he had returned home to find his wife still shaking three hours after then event and his young daughter jumpy, tearful, and convinced that the Ministry were still going to come back and take her away. If he could have got his hands on those boys who also thought they could kick his daughter and get away with it, that too would also have been rather nice...

Over the last few days, Maia had calmed down. Remus was back and they had resumed their lessons as normal. Caroline had even come to be rather proud of her moment of righteous indignation. Marius, however, could not calm down and had no way to mollify his own perception of events. Muggles had attacked his daughter and Ministry officials had manhandled and interrogated her, and insulted Caroline.

The incompetence of the department had even caught the attention of the Prophet, who had then dedicated a whole page to the story. He wouldn't have minded so much if they hadn't described himself and Caroline as so woefully and pitifully defenceless. It was not how he wanted to be viewed by the wizarding world, though he was not so arrogant as to think that they were really interested in him. It was a matter of personal pride, nevertheless. Dumbledore had even sent them another letter, demanding a detailed response and his own version of events and analysis of Maia's interpretation. Did he think it had influenced her perception of muggles? Was she starting to display a negative attitude towards them? Or perhaps the Ministry? Did he have any idea how she had produced such a strong hex?

Marius had to admit that his response was rather curt. In short, he asked Dumbledore if he really thought such questions were appropriate, and if he would really be asking for them if it were not for Maia's true father. He knew that, over the years, he was guilty of worrying that Maia would turn out like Sirius, but she was six years old and had reacted out of fear. If she had been sixteen, it would have been very different. But the point was, that she was not.

As yet, Dumbledore had not responded.

Marius sighed wearily when he heard the tell-tell tapping at the window. Of course, Dumbledore would not take the hint that he was offended and leave him alone. He opened the window and reached out for the letter, opening it without even looking at the seal:

Marius,

I have to say, I thought that you died years ago. It would seem, however, that you are alive and, more than that, that you have bred with the muggle filth you married and somehow, that you produced a witch as a daughter.

Yes, I read the article in the Prophet.

Anyway, thank Merlin that you managed to have a witch. Your shame would have only been made more complete had your wife given you another useless muggle like herself. As it stands, it would seem that you must have some magic in you. Out of the goodness of my heart, I am obliged to consider your daughter a half-blood and may, even, acknowledge her as my relative if she proves satisfactory in her magical progression. From what I gather in the Prophet, she produced an outstanding Burning Hex. For a witch so young, even I am almost inclined to consider it an impressive feat.

In consequence, I invite your daughter to afternoon tea tomorrow in order to discuss her magical education. You and your wife will obviously be incapable of managing such an important and delicate task. Nevertheless, you are invited to accompany Maia Violetta if you feel the journey is too long for one so young. Don't bring your wife, she will not be welcomed.

I expect a prompt reply,

Cassiopeia Black.

Marius thought that he might actually be sick.

...

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