Disclaimer: I do not own Familiar of Zero or Harry Potter, they belong to their respective owners. I'm not making money, this is just for fun and a hobby at most.
AN: This is a side project story.. One which I've been pushing out releases for while ignoring my other works. I'm sorry readers of my other stories! This was meant to be a much bigger chapter too, but I split it, since I ran out of time to write... And then I decided to publish what I had so far anyways. Duel will be in next one, sorry. So, if you are fine with all that, please enjoy!
Chapter Five: Prelude To A Duel
Colbert let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. The trek up the stairs had been a long one, exacerbated by carrying the portrait of Albus Dumbledore. The portrait wasn't particularly heavy, but when combined with their animated discussions whilst climbing the stairs, it made for quite the workout.
"Perhaps you should consider a work out professor Colbert? I find that a rousing game of quiditch or exploding snap can add quite a bit of muscle." Said the previous headmaster of Hogwarts.
"Games are hardly a proper substitute for proper exercise. That said, I've not heard of such games?" Colbert asked.
It had already been established to the two gentlemen that Albus was from another world. It was quite fascinating. Yet it seemed Tristain was very similar to a place called France, as they both shared the same language. Another oddity, Albus was from Great Britain, an island nation much like Albion. In fact you could draw several parallels including their languages.
"Albus if you don't mind hanging around here for a moment, I can acquire about our meeting." Colbert informed the painting.
"Hanging around is a new past time for me. Not much else for a painting to do?" Albus chuckled.
The old man's humor was not lost on Colbert, although he couldn't imagine the irony of living such an existence. The thought of immortality was tempting, but it wasn't real immortality. To become a copy of a person, no, just an object. A portrait to be bought, used, and have no fate of ones own. In other words, a slave?
"I'll be just be a moment then." Colbert said as he went to check the headmaster's room.
Albus watched the young professor depart. What an interesting place this was. Nicolas would have been very jealous of him, even if he was only a portrait. Only Merlin himself had ever been known to cite the ancient lands of the Holy Romalia Empire. Supposedly he was trying to find it, specifically Albion. Here Albus was, it had him intrigued, an entire hidden magical land?
The secretary's desk had been empty for the last few years. Colbert had a suspicion it was because of a certain mouse Familiar and his masters reputation. Alas no one wanted the position despite a rather good salary. That said, it was also a position requiring skills which most commoners did not or could not afford such as literacy. It wasn't as if the commoners couldn't read however, but to act as a secretary required other skills, like fast free hand writing, cataloging, and of course the dreaded paperwork.
"Knock Knock!" Colbert rapped on the door. "It's professor Colbert, I need a moment of your time Headmaster."
"One Moment Professor Colbert, I have seemed to become buried in paperwork... Have your brought the cataloged runes for the schools archives?" The headmaster inquired.
"Ah no headmaster." Colbert stepped into the office it opened. "I'm afraid this is another matter concerning Miss Valliere."
"Hmmm... I thought she successfully summoned a Familiar? A bird right? We only discussed expelling her if she failed the ritual right?" Old Osmond responded.
"Let me get you up to speed Headmaster Osmond, then I shall see about grabbing our guest."
Osmond's eyebrows raised. "A guest you say?"
*Chapter Five: Prelude To A Duel*
Winky the house elf was currently very busy. She was working for Siesta, a very nice squib, if Winky could attest. Siesta seemed to think she needed to carefully supervise her at every turn. It seemed that the witches and wizards here were not easy to please. But that was fine for Winky, as that meant there was plenty of work to be done.
"Squawk!" Came the sound from a chicken followed by several other hens. Collecting the eggs, feeding the chickens, and cleaning the stalls. It was all a house elf could ever hope for. Sometimes at Hogwarts there wasn't enough work to go around. Here however, she found herself with plenty to do, despite her overseer begging her not to overwork herself. Yes this squib was odd.
"Missy Siesta, Winky wills be right back. Headmaster be needing something.." Winky bowed.
Before Siesta could Argue the house elf popped away. Leaving poor Siesta holding a large tray of eggs.
*Chapter Five: Prelude To A Duel*
The wizarding war was over, some many losses, so much recovering that needed to be done. Honestly Headmaster Minerva McGonagall wanted to just go and drink. After the battle of Hogwarts, much of the school had been left in shambles. Still returning Hogwarts to normalcy was a must.
Much had already been done, but the signs of battle were still raw and fresh. She continued walking down along the halls of the empty school. Burnt marks from Bombarda spells. Hexes and Curses which left slashes on the walls. So many paintings loss as well. Thankfully their occupants ran to other paintings within their vicinity, otherwise old knowledge might have been lost as well.
Mr. Longbottom was considering a teaching post whence the school reopened. He was outside in the schools greenhouses, trying to return them to a normal state. The greenhouses had been hit by errant spell fire, resulting in the loss of many plants and tools. Yet there was still so much more to be done around the school.
The order of the Phoenix had barely declared their dissolution. Minerva hadn't had time to go herself. Most likely a missed opportunity to drink back at the order's previous headquarters. She wondered what the surviving members would do. She hoped that Neville Longbottom might take up a position at Hogwarts as the Herbology professor, but he seemed keen to become an Auror. Even if she didn't get him to join the faculty this year when Hogwarts reopened, she at least hoped he might change his mind by the next year.
For now he was really making a difference. Minerva was glad to see young Alice and Franks son become such a fine man. They would be so proud of him.
Thankfully the elves of Hogwarts were doing a fine job at cleaning and fixing the castle too. Still some things still required a Witches touch, such as the wards of the castle, or the parts which would need to be rebuilt.
She had arrived, the headmaster's office, her office. She really did miss Albus..
"Lemon Drop." She spoke the Gargoyle at the entrance to her office. She saw no reason to change the last headmasters password. The man really seemed to have a soft spot for that candy.. She never did have enough nerve to tell Dumbledore that he was eating pharmaceuticals. The apothecary in Daigon Alley was known for their calming drought lemon drops. A particular easy way for adult witches and wizards to calm their children without their knowledge, it was clever..
One day she had even asked him where he bought the Lemon Drops. Much to her confusion, Albus had gone on about a story of him going to multiple candy stores looking for them. He had loved them since being a kid apparently. His mother and father often giving Lemon Drops to him and his sister. In the end Albus said he had not been able to find them, instead he had sent his Familiar Fawkes. Even till his death, Minerva had never had the guts to tell him the truth. Perhaps she could calm herself with a Lemon Drop candy herself.
When she opened her office door, beyond the stairs, she found it much as she left it. It was odd though, she could sense something, no someone was missing?
"Mr. Dippet. Have you seen Albus's Portrait? I could have sworn he hung next to yours?" Minerva stared at the empty spot on the wall behind her desk.
"I'm sorry Minerva, I was sleeping. You know how boring it can get around here. Speaking of which you haven't been in your office for a couple of days now." Said the previous Headmaster.
"I've been busy." She spoke back.
"The war is over you know, you needn't stress yourself so much, Hogwarts will saunter on like she always has. Even now I've heard from the other portraits that much of the school looks better than it has in years." Said the old Headmaster.
"Be that as it may, the school is still not yet ready to accept new students. Besides I could use the wise words of Albus to get me through these trying times." She sat down.
"You are a fine Headmistress Minerva. I'm sure your doing a fine job." Said the old headmaster as several of the other previous headmasters nodded their heads.
She did not wish to further argue with her predecessors over the matter. The fact of the matter was that Albus's portrait had gone missing from her office. The room was warded against entry by apparition, and the wards which repelled intruders were very much intact, that left only one option.
"Winky!" Minerva called Albus's house elf. It wasn't known by many, but Minerva knew that Winky had been in his personal service. She was a house elf which Harry Potter had rescued from Crouch. However she wanted a master badly, she was depressed, drinking herself to death on butterbeer. The schools hands were tied though. The ministry would not allow free elves to enter Hogwarts service due to an inane pure blood law that had been passed a millennium ago!
The law was meant to keep house elves under the control of noble and powerful families, even now the only way for Hogwarts to attain new house elves was to bred or be gifted them. Breeding elves just felt so wrong to Minerva, and the majority of the older headmasters. Of course, Albus, being the kind man that he was, took pity on the house elf. While the magic of Hogwarts would have sustained Winky, had she been allowed to work there,. Thus Albus took the matter into his own hands, admitting her into his own house.
Albus did not care that doing such a thing would dishonor his family for seven generations. Nor did he care that taking in the elf would forfeit his decedents rights to have a seat as a lord of a noble house in the ministry. Old blood magic tied to the very laws of the ministry were powerful, but he did not care. He had no descendants, nor would he allow Harry to lose his Family's Noble rights. Dumbledore and his secrets...
He had Lied to Harry Potter, telling him that Dobby and Winky were employed by the school. In truth he had taken them both into his own family. Sparring the elves a most unfortunate fate. Still, he had lied to Harry. Elves could never really be free, the magical curse was Merlin's greatest triumph and greatest regret. When she finally gained the courage to ask him why he had done so he replied thusly.
"The truth… It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution."
Dumbledore sure had his secrets, even now Minerva wished to gleam into the man she knew. How much did she really know him, other then that he was a beacon of light?
*Chapter Five: Prelude To A Duel*
"How can I be's helping Head Mistress?" Winky curtsied.
"Ah yes, Winky have you by any chanced moved Albus's portrait to clean it, or perhaps one of the other elves?" She asked.
"Albus's portrait? I think it belong to my new master?" Winky stated.
"New master? I was under the impression Albus had left you with the school upon his death?" Minerva questioned the elf.
"Master Albus was very clevers. My servant contract was sent to his Familiar's next master in his will." Winky answered.
"Do I know this new master? Why did he take Albus's portrait?" Minerva questioned. With a Phoenix familiar, not even the wards of Hogwarts could prevent such a thing from happening. She was not worried however, as Phoenixes were know historically only to bond with good kind souls.
"I thinks she goes to a French Magic school. Although Winky felt like the place was differents." Winky slurred her words.
"She's a student? Winky can you please go get Albus's Portrait, I wish to speak with him." She firmly stated to the elf.
"Right away Head Mistress!" Winky popped away.
*Chapter Five: Prelude To A Duel*
Fawkes had a very nagging suspicion the author had forgotten to give her a segment in this chapter. No she was sure of it! What loathsome snake he was!
Truly she didn't know how she knew, or even why, but it was just a gut feeling. Who was author-san? Hmm so confusing! At least she had a picture now on the webz? Hmm, whats that again? Really she was confused... Perhaps a lemon drop...
Nope she was going back to hunting with Irukukwu. Never mind authors, whatever they were. Nope she was going to get that prey before her friend could, yup!
And so Fawkes Adventure continued.