DISCLAIMER TO END ALL DISCLAIMERS (because, seriously, they are annoying): I, Cynder2013, do not own any canon Harry Potter characters. They, along with the original story-lines, belong to the undisputedly awesome J. K. Rowling.
Chapter 4
Passages from British Wizarding Houses of the Twentieth Century-4th Edition by Joan Vesta (published 1983 by M.L. Books), read by Patricia Stimpson at the age of ten, does not include notes made by her
The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black
Coat of Arms: (described from top to bottom) Skull with laurel wreath above red and white shield bisected horizontally with black chevron, armored hand holding wand and black stars in red section, three black ravens overt in white section (pictured)
Motto: Toujours Pur (Always Pure)
The Black family is one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight (see Appendix A). Notable family members include Phineas Nigellus Black, a former Hogwarts headmaster and the most loathed headmaster to date, Licorus Black, the inventor of the Blood-Replenishing potion, and Phoebe Black, who was one of the last true dragon tamers.
The Blacks are a well-noted Dark family and most branches of the family were on the side of Voldemort during the time his Death Eaters were active. Such members were Regulus Arcturus Black, who died in 1979 at the age of eighteen, Sirius Orion Black, who remains in Azkaban after being sent there after betraying James and Lily Potter to Voldemort and murdering Peter Pettigrew, and Bellatrix Lestrange née Black, who also remains in Azkaban.
At the time of this book's printing the only member of the Black family that is alive and not in Azkaban is Walburga Black, mother of Regulus and Sirius. Every member of the Black family has been educated at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and all of them have been in Slytherin except for Sirius Black, who was a Gryffindor. The Black family is rumored to execute their house-elves once they have become too old to carry tea trays and then mount the severed heads on a wall of their mansion, but these rumors are unproven.
For more on the Black family see A History of the Ancient and Noble Houses by Horace E.F. Slughorn.
For more on Voldemort and Death Eaters see The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts by Maurice Copperfield.
House Jordan
Coat of Arms: None
Motto: None
The Jordan family emigrated to Britain from Uganda in 1968. At the time the family included Dejen Jordan, his wife Eshe, and their three sons, Kato, Kirabo, and David. It is currently comprised of David Jordan, a wizard, and Asha Jordan, a Muggle, and their son, Lee Jordan, who was born on October 31st, 1977 in St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Lee Jordan is slated to go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, just like his father did. Kato and Kirabo were killed in 1977 by Death Eaters. They were twenty-seven years old.
For more on foreign wizarding families see Wizarding Cultures of the World, Volume 3 by Ida Laura Pfeiffer.
The Noble and Most Ancient House of Lestrange
Coat of Arms: Black and gold shield containing family name written in gold from bottom to top (pictured)
Motto: Seulement les Forts Survivent (Only the Strong Survive)
The Lestrange family is one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight (see Appendix A).Overall this family is one of the darkest in Britain with most members being highly skilled in expressly banned magic such as Blood Magic and the Unforgivable Curses. Such magic was used by Bellatrix, Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange, known Death Eaters, during their murder of the Stimpson family and their later torture of Alice and Frank Longbottom. All three are now residing in Azkaban. One notable member of this family is Radolphus Cola Lestrange, a former Minister for Magic who attempted to close down the Department of Mysteries before resigning from the position in 1841.
For more on the Lestrange family see A History of the Ancient and Noble Houses by Horace E.F. Slughorn.
For more on magic banned in Britain see 1001 Spells that Will Get You Sent to Azkaban by Ida Specter.
For more on Voldemort and Death Eaters see The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts by Maurice Copperfield.
House Lupin
Coat of Arms: None
Motto: None
The Lupin family is one of the smallest wizarding families in Britain consisting of only one member, Remus John Lupin. His father, Lyall Lupin, was a world-renowned expert on Non-Human Spirituous Apparitions and his mother, Hope, was a Muggle who worked in what is called "in-sure-ants". Remus Lupin attended Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry as a Gryffindor student from 1971 to 1978. He is believed to be registered as either a werewolf or a partial Animagus, though as both registries went missing in1977 it is impossible to confirm which.
For more on Animagus transformations see Walking on the Wild Side: A Guide to Animagus Transformations and Other Forms of Self-Transfiguration by Honoria Dumbledore.
The Noble House of Potter
Coat of Arms: White and red shield with a grey stag at gaze supported by red dragon on left and white unicorn on right (pictured)
Motto: ad caelos volans (Flying to the heavens)
There is far too much to write about the Potters. The most well-known Potter is Harry James Potter, who is rumored to be the cause of Voldemort's defeat on October 31st, 1981. He disappeared that night and hasn't been seen since. His parents were Lily Evans Potter and James Charles Potter, who were killed protecting him.
For more on the Potter family see A History of the Ancient and Noble Houses by Horace E.F. Slughorn.
House Stimpson
Coat of Arms: Blue and green shield with adder stone and green snake rampant (pictured)
Motto: Be Aware of Possibility
The Stimpson family was formed in 1976 with the marriage of Bulgarian pureblood Stanislav Stefanov and Greek pureblood Pythia Floros. The new couple chose to take an entirely new name when they were wed and they legally became Stanislav and Pythia Stimpson in November of 1976. Stanislav was educated at the Durmstrang Institute and Pythia was in Slytherin House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After her graduation Pythia went on to become a well-known seer, while her husband was one of only two Rune Masters in Britain at the time. Unfortunately both Stanislav and Pythia were murdered by Death Eaters on October 31st, 1979. They are survived by Pythia's two sisters, her mother Kalliope, Stanislav's brother, Blagun, and his parents, Filip and Gabriela. Their daughter, Patricia, went missing at the time of the murder and is assumed dead.
For more on foreign wizarding families see Wizarding Cultures of the World, Volume 3 by Ida Laura Pfeiffer.
For more on Voldemort and Death Eaters see The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts by Maurice Copperfield.
The Most Ancient House of Weasley
Coat of Arms: Red shield with yellow weasel rampant (not pictured)
Motto: fide, fiducia, familia (Faith, Trust, Family)
There is even more to write about the Weasleys than the Potters. They are part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight (see Appendix A), but they deplore their inclusion on the list, which has caused them to be labeled as "blood traitors" by many pureblood families. They are one of the largest wizarding families with the current generation including no less than 20 children, all of which are male. The Weasleys are noted for their distinguishing red hair and solid devotion to Light magic. Notable Weasleys include Tessie Weasley, an avid adventurer who battled Manticores and was adopted by sirens, and Arthur Weasley, who drafted the Muggle Protection Act.
For more on the Weasley family see A History of the Ancient and Noble Houses by Horace E.F. Slughorn.
September 9th, 1988- Raven's Nest Maximum Security Prison, Yorkshire County, England
The radio clipped to Remus' belt crackled. He had just finished his round of the men's wing and had been heading towards the locker room so that he could change out of his uniform and go pick Patricia up from school. As a treat for her birthday, and to alleviate her disappointment at not yet receiving her Hogwarts letter, Remus had planned to take her to Diagon Alley for ice-cream at Fortescue's and to buy her a strong owl so that she could send letters to her mother's and father's family. He hoped that whatever he was being called for wouldn't spoil their plans.
"Remus?" the radio cracked again. Remus unclipped the radio and spoke to Charles Turpin, who was on the other end.
"Yes Charles?"
"There's a lady out here asking about Patricia. Could you come talk to her?" Charles was on duty guarding the gate, which was a position that had been created since Patricia had been left there. It was also a good position for Charles since it forced him to not show up to work drunk, which he had done once or twice.
Remus held down the button on the side of his radio and replied, "Give me ten minutes to get out of my uniform."
"Roger. See you in a bit."
Remus hurried to the locker room and quickly changed from his uniform into the grey suit that his coworkers teased him good-naturedly about wearing all the time. He hurried because he felt sure that the lady at the gate was from the wizarding world, specifically Hogwarts. Or perhaps he was just strongly hoping that that was the case. Either way it wasn't nine minutes before he arrived at the security check, nagged the men running it to hurry up, and then was out of the prison before they could say "You're clear to go."
"Remus Lupin?" the short blond woman waiting at the gate, who looked uncomfortable in her short blue dress, asked with shock when he emerged. It took a few seconds, but Remus recognized the woman as a Ravenclaw girl who had been two years older than him when he was at Hogwarts. It took a few more seconds to realize that she had been Head Girl and another couple to recall her name.
"Bathsheda Babbling?" The woman nodded.
"So, I guess you know each other." Charles muttered.
"We went to the same school." Remus told him. Charles nodded in understanding. The two wizards looked at each other. "I was just about to go pick up Patricia." Remus said suddenly. "Won't you join me?"
Bathsheda had tempered her surprise and merely said, "Of course." before Remus led the way to the staff parking lot.
"Professor McGonagall was very worried when she saw the address that was written on Ms. Stimpson's letter." Bathsheda said once they had gotten into Remus' car. "Unfortunately none of the staff could be spared until today." She flinched as the car's engine started up with a roar.
"You're a teacher." Remus commented as he turned out of the parking lot. "What do you teach?"
"Runes." Bathsheda replied. "I took over when Professor Osborne died last year." She looked out the window for a few moments and then asked, "Mr. Lupin, how did Ms. Stimpson end up living at a maximum security prison in the Muggle world?"
Remus told her about how Patricia had been left at the gate of the prison the night her parents had been killed. He mentioned the letter that had been left with her that influenced the Muggles into raising her, and that had turned into a letter for him when he arrived there. He then assured her that there was no need to worry about Patricia's safety, and that she was very well taken care of by all of the prison staff.
"Can I assume that you brought her letter with you?" Bathsheda nodded and patted the small purse that she was carrying, which Remus suspected had an Undetectable Extension Charm on it since a Hogwarts letter wouldn't be able to fit in the purse unless it was folded several times. "Good. She was very disappointed when it didn't come."
"Any magical child would be." Bathsheda said lightly.
Remus pulled up to the kerb across from Patricia's school, shifted the gear the neutral, and turned off the car. He looked around at all of the other cars that were parked in the street and snaking through the school parking lot, and realized that they had just gotten there on time. On cue, the bell rang. Bathsheda flinched again. Remus forced himself to not shake his head. It seemed that he had forgotten how most wizards felt completely uncomfortable around everything Muggle.
He looked over Bathsheda's head and surveyed the crowd of students that was rushing out of the school like a tidal wave. With that day being Friday it seemed as if every child was trying to get out of the building as fast as possible. He quickly spotted a familiar head of red hair. "There she is." He got out of the car and stood beside it so that Patricia would be able to spot them.
"Oh!" Bathsheda gasped when she saw Patricia. "She looks exactly like Pythia!"
Patricia walked up to the car after detouring to the crosswalk so that she could cross the street safely. She eyed Bathsheda with interest, but she spoke to Remus first.
"What was the first gift that you gave me?"
"A book of Greek myths." he answered. "What was the first gift that you gave me?"
"A purple unicorn form one of my colouring books." Having satisfied the security question requirements, Patricia looked back into the car at Bathsheda. "Who's that?"
"That is Professor Babbling." he told her. Her eyes widened.
"From…?" she didn't even finish the sentence, hardly daring to hope.
"From Hogwarts," Remus finished for her. "with your letter."
He didn't think he'd ever seen a bigger smile on her face.