AN: This is the last chapter I have written—but the story is NOT complete yet! I'm going to try to get another chapter written soon, but with schools closing (because of the Corona Virus) and my 4 kids being at home, I don't know how much time I'm going to have to write… Good luck, everyone!
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CHAPTER 17
(Summer 1989)
Another knock came from the front door, sounding more insistent.
"I'll get it." Minerva said, "It's probably for me."
She opened the door, where two people stood. One was a handsome, dark-skinned man who looked to be in his early twenties, the other a regal-looking Native American woman who looked to be about seventy.
They were both dressed in convincingly muggle clothing. Minerva had noticed that American witches and wizards tended to know how to blend more easily with their muggle counterparts than did many of the magical population of the UK.
"Minerva McGonagall?" The young man asked.
"Yes." Minerva answered.
"Agents Peregrine and Picquery with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement." He said in a no-nonsense tone.
"Please, come inside." Minerva said, resignedly, and opened the door wide for them.
The woman nodded as she stepped first through the door, her young companion clearly deferring to her.
Daniel, Lizzy, and Will had all followed Minerva to the door, and everyone stood apprehensively in the entryway for a few moments before Minerva said, "This is my cousin Lizzy and her husband Will and our friend Daniel." Then she gestured to the two agents, "These are Agents…" she trailed off. She'd been too flustered to retain their names.
"Agents Peregrine and Picquery." The younger agent filled in for her. "We're law enforcement agents for the Magical Congress of the United States of America."
Minerva looked at Daniel, Lizzy, and Will. They seemed to be trying to wrap their heads around the idea of a magical congress while attempting to appear unsurprised.
Lizzy cleared her throat and said, "Please come through to the living room and sit down."
They walked into the living room and all perched, rather awkwardly, on the edges of sofas and chairs.
The younger agent opened his satchel and removed a folder, which he opened and read aloud in a brisk, authoritative tone, "Minerva McGonagall, you have been charged with violating the International Statute of Secrecy by performing several acts of magic, including a summoning charm, in the presence of several no-majs…" he gestured towards Lizzy, Will, and Daniel. "…this afternoon at approximately 12:47pm."
"Yes, I did." Minerva stated frankly.
"Do your actions fall under one the legal exceptions to the ISOS?" He demanded.
"Indeed, they do." Minerva answered in a calm, reasoned tone, "I was in the yard talking to Daniel" she gestured to him. "While my cousin, her husband, and their two young children were playing on the beach."
She paused in her explanation. "Have you ever heard of or encountered the phenomenon that is generally known as a 'sneaker wave', agents?" she asked.
The woman, who had yet to speak, simply nodded, and the man tilted his head in curiosity and said, "I have."
"Well, we encountered one today." Minerva explained. "Before we knew what had hit us, my cousin's husband and their seven-year-old son were swept out to sea. They would have been lost—drowned. I had to perform the summoning charm to preserve their lives, and the other charms were simple cleansing and diagnostic spells, to quickly ascertain whether or not further medical attention was required." She finished.
Daniel nodded emphatically.
"Yes!" Will said.
At the same time Lizzy said, "It's true!"
The young agent looked at the older one, who nodded at him. He closed his folder, leaned back in his chair, and smiled.
"We were hoping it was something like that." He said, his tone relieved. "You wouldn't believe the number of no-maj drowning deaths that are prevented by witches and wizards all along the East and West coasts of the United States."
"Are you the Minerva McGonagall who is the Deputy Headmistress and Transfiguration Professor at Hogwarts?" the older agent asked, speaking for the first time, in a surprisingly deep and melodious voice.
"I am." Minerva answered.
"I am Misty Peregrine." She stood and put her hand out for Minerva to shake. "I've wanted to meet you for years." The woman smiled, her teeth very white and even, "Ever since Uncle Albus told me about your cat animagus."
Minerva shook Peregrine's hand in surprise. "Uncle Albus?"
"Well, he's more of a distant cousin, through his mother's side, but he's so much older than I, I've always called him Uncle Albus." She laughed then continued, "I wonder, would you be willing to show us your animagus transformation?"
"Of course!" Minerva said. This conversation was more and more surprising.
She quickly transformed into her tabby cat form and jumped onto the back of the couch.
"Wow!" said the younger agent, Agent Picquery.
"That is never going to get old!" Daniel whispered to Will and Lizzy.
"Most impressive!" Peregrine said and held out her hand. "May I?"
Minerva gave a brief nod, and the woman gently stroked her head.
"Most impressive." She said again. "Thank you."
Minerva leaped from the back of the couch and transformed mid-air back into her human form.
"Wow!" Picquery said again, and Minerva smiled at him.
"Well," he cleared his throat and opened the folder again. "Now we just have the small matter of obliviating the no-majs."
Minerva's smile disappeared and she looked at Daniel in dismay.
Did you think they were just going to forget? She chided herself.
"Coincidentally," the agent continued, "We have on record accidental magic performed by one William J. Adamson, Jr., seven years of age."
"Liam?!" Lizzy said, her surprise mirrored on the faces of Will, Minerva, and Daniel.
"At approximately the same time that Mistress McGonagall was performing her spells this afternoon, young William performed a wandless bubblehead charm—purely instinctual and accidental magic, to prevent his drowning. He probably doesn't even know he did it." The agent explained.
"Liam is a wizard?" Minerva said, completely gobsmacked.
"He is?!" Will asked, surprise and delight growing on his face."
"Yes."
"Are you sure?" Lizzy squeaked.
"Yes. It was a very powerful charm." Agent Peregrine answered in her deep, smooth voice. She continued with a smile, "In fact, his charm was so powerful that his name instantly appeared on the enrollment book at Ilvermorny."
"What's that?" Lizzy and Will said together.
"It's the magical school here in America—much like Hogwarts, the school where I teach." Minerva answered with a reassuring smile.
"This is going to take some getting used to." Lizzy said, clearly still stunned.
"Perfectly understandable." Agent Peregrine agreed. "But you're lucky enough to have Minerva McGonagall—one of the world's preeminent witches—to answer your questions and help you adjust."
"And we'll put you in touch with your official liaison officer as well." Agent Picquery added.
"Alright." Lizzy said, looking for reassurance from Minerva, who smiled and nodded at them.
"Since your son is a wizard, and you would have to be informed about that in a few years anyway, there will be no need to alter your memories." Picquery continued. "However, you do understand that you may not tell anyone who is not already a witch or wizard about magic, nor about the wizarding world?" Picquery said, and they all nodded.
"Your liaison officer will be in touch shortly, to go over official rules and regulations with you." Picquery stated, and they nodded again.
"So, now we'll just need to obliviate Mr. Daniel Jamison." He said in a matter-of-fact tone, "And then we can get out of your hair."
He stood and drew his wand.
"Wait!" Minerva had jumped to her feet before she knew what she was doing. "Cannot some exception be made for him?" she said, her tone anguished.
"What's going on?" Daniel stood too, looking anxiously at Minerva.
"They're going to modify your memories, so you won't remember seeing the spells I performed today or what your learned about the world of magic." She quickly explained.
"But…I won't tell!" Daniel said to Minerva, then turned to the agents. "I promise!"
"I'm sorry," Agent Peregrine said. It was clear to her that there was something more than friendship between these two. "But we have very strict rules—they protect us, you see."
Minerva couldn't stand it. She had told him. He knew she was a witch. And not only had he accepted it, he had embraced it—embraced her, told her it was wonderful. And now he'd have to be obliviated. And they'd be right back in the heartbreaking dilemma they'd been in before.
Minerva's breathing became labored and her eyes swam with unshed tears. Without a word, Daniel stepped over to her and pulled her into his arms in a tight embrace. Minerva, usually so stoic, burst into tears, sobs wracking her chest.
"Shhhhh…shhhhhh…" Daniel rubbed her back and stroked her hair. "It's going to be alright, Emmie." He whispered in her ear. "We'll figure it out, my love."
"I love you." She whispered into his neck, and he squeezed her tighter.
"I love you, too." He smiled softly at her. Then he took her face between his hands and—unconcerned with the small audience around them—he kissed her deeply. She kissed him back even as she continued to cry.
A throat cleared behind them, and they reluctantly separated.
"I'm sorry about this, folks." Agent Picquery said. "Maybe this would be easier if we left with Mr. Jamison and performed the obliviate spell at his house."
"Wait, wait!" Daniel said, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. "Isn't there some sort of exception for couples? I mean…" he glanced at Minerva. "…what if we were engaged?"
"Are you engaged?" Agent Peregrine coaxed in her deep voice.
Minerva gazed into Daniel's pleading, love-filled, hazel eyes. "We are!" She said with a smile, allowing Daniel to sweep her into his arms. They leaned in for another tender kiss while Lizzy and Will cheered with delight.
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To be continued…soon, I hope!
