Minister Harold Minchum did not expect such a start of the day. His morning office hours were always fixed in advance. He dealt with matters that had emerged on the previous day while he himself was on the road on various types of inspections and delegations. Therefore, he was very surprised when his secretary knocked on a deluge of moments after he entered his office.
- Minister, you have a visitor. - the girl who was his eldest daughter's age said uncertainly. - Mr. Albus Dumbledore wants to talk to you. Apparently it's an urgent matter.
- Okay. Let him in, but not for a quarter of an hour. Let him not think that I am at his every command.
xxx
A middle-aged woman sat in her office. Her brown, curly shoulder-length hair was already interspersed with threads of silver. There was a distinct crease between the eyebrows that always appeared when she was worried about something. Resigned, she put the memo on the desk and began to rub her fingers nervously at her temples.
- I can't let that happen. Once again, they rejected my project to study magic in squibs. I will have to move to the private sector ... - she said aloud even though no one could hear her.
Helen Granger was one of the numerous victims of Magical Core Disability. Considered a squib, she had never received the honor of attending any school of magic. She was cursed by her family. Even so, the Dagworth-Grangers were "gracious" enough to allow her to leave half of her name, which would allow them to track her down just in case her magic did show. And that's how it happened. However, Helen declined a generous offer. After completing the independent study and passing the required ones, she started to create a project that would save at least some of the children considered squibs. The woman believed that many of them might have had the same disease as her.
The boy sighed as he stood in front of the Italian branch of Gringotts Bank. He stared at the envelopes in his hand, wondering if the people he had chosen to write to were worth it.
- Severus, go ahead, you don't have the whole day off. - he said to himself.
Severus Snape, soon (though he did not know it yet) Prince, staggered in front of the bank's baroque door. He was aware that he would soon regret his decision, but he knew that he would also regret it if he had not made it.
xxx
Yesterday he did not think that he would have such a sight in front of his eyes. The man in front of him was nothing like the confident wizard who saved the world from Gellert Grindelwald's terror. Albus Dumbledore was clearly tired. His bloodshot and dark circles under his eyes were all too visible. It was also impossible to miss his hunched form.
- What is it that you are bothering me at this time? - The minister said, trying to maintain his usual, official tone of voice.
- You know Steven Frost? the director replied without unnecessary politeness. - Yesterday he came to Hogwarts and ordered a school inspection. He has already deprived Minerva and Horace of the function of caretaker of the house. Two students were dismissed from the function of the prefect. He even ordered a medical examination by a healer unrelated to the school.
If Harold had stood, he would have sat down immediately. It was a long time since he had heard of Frost's group taking care of any school without notifying the Ministry of Magic. If that happened, there had to be only one reason.
- Holy shit, Albus! The main task of the Frost's Department is to protect the rights of children, but ... Most of their cases are about something else. Bullying, leading to an obscurus, crashes onto his desk. The man swallowed. - it is rare that it is about something else. Are any of your students missing this year?
The older wizard only whispered - Severus Snape.
- You have to work with Frost. He is very spiteful towards rebellious people. It's like the wizarding version of the Muggle Holy Inquisition. He believes in his mission and will dig as deep as possible until he finds all the evidence. And when he digs into what we both know, you can share the cell with your former lover.
xxx
At breakfast, the Great Hall was still boiling after yesterday's events. Nobody could believe that someone virtually unknown to them could make so many changes within five minutes of arriving at the castle. Many of the students wondered if these would be the only changes.
Sirius prodded Remus sitting next to him. - See that Frost will be speaking again.
- There will be no classes today. Before you can rejoice, you should know that ten healers will be here in an hour or so. Including one dealing with werewolves and vampires. After all, one of you is suffering from lycanthropy. I cannot disregard this student's rights to appropriate medical care. - The man smiled and sat down in the place where Principal Dumbledore used to sit.
xxx
Severus and Corvus entered a small cafe. He expected more customers at breakfast time, but the only people inside were two very similar-looking men. Both are quite tall, both with almost white hair. The only difference was that one of them had blue eyes and the other black eyes.
- Chodź. Nie bój się. - Severus wiedział, że Corvusowi zależało na tym spotkaniu. - O to nas dziadkowie. Romulus i Remus Prince.
Young Snape's heart skipped. He forgot about his good upbringing by surprise. - Remus? Really? - he felt the blush appearing on his face at the moment when he understood what the first impression he made on his never-seen family. - Sorry. Remus Lupine was one of my tormentors ...
Why is each new beginning colored in some way with what we take from the end of the old one?
xxx
Today a chapter shorter than usual. I had a problem with getting started with this chapter. Hope I didn't let you down.