Theresa cautiously flames into the bathroom of her house before using house elf invisibility to check if Donald has any guests. As she makes her way downstairs she finds Donald asleep in a chair that he's turned to face the front door, surrounded by empty beer cans and takeaway cartons. Lying on his lap is the photo they normally keep on the mantlepiece, and the TV is showing BBC 2 in the background.
Silently she asks, "Can anyone teach me how house elves do that instant cleaning up thing?"
"Nissy will be right over and clean up."
"No! This is my house, I will clean it."
"Is house elfs job to clean."
"It is my house, and my job to clean it."
"Loopy think Tessy should be house elf. Tessy need imagine where rubbish go then click fingers with magic. Then imagine clean things and point at what needs cleaning."
"Thank you Loopy. What are you doing here?"
"Loopy looking for fixing books."
"I'll show you to a bookshop in a few days time."
It takes her several tries, and some guidance from Loopy, and she's still not sure where the first pile of rubbish went, as it wasn't in either of their bins. However, the living room is once again tidy, and the carpet stain free. Once she's finished, she sits on the stairs and watches Donald sleep thinking about how old he looks compared to her memories. That thought leads onto the thought that Ptiana is considered young by phoenix standards, at only 600 years old. Which then leads to thinking about some of the ancestral memories, and just how short her own life appears in comparison to those of the sentient queens. Is it right for her to remain in a relationship with someone so fragile, who she has barely any memories of, from the last 10 years.
As she does, she looks down at her nails, that have grown again while she was away, nails that can scratch glass.
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Narcissa sits disconsolately in the small solar of the Malfoy mansion. Arrayed on the coffee table in front of her are a few bits of jewellery and Lucius's personal effects. Not that they amount to much, as most of what Lucius kept as his are dark artifacts that she's asked Dobby to dispose of as they can't even be covered by the many loopholes available to the noble houses. What's left is an old endless diary with a painting charm applied to it. Useful as a novelty, but something that went out of fashion nearly 100 years ago when an impersonation charm was invented, as the hidden secrets could be revealed to the caster. There's his wand cane, made from ebony and topped with silver. If the delays in being declared Regent of House Malfoy weren't dragging on, she wouldn't even consider selling this as Draco loved it.
At the thought of her son, tears spring into her eyes and she looks over at the life indicator that she commissioned last year using one of his hairs and a couple of drops of the blood they kept in case he was ever kidnapped. The rest of the vial went on a tracking charm to try and find him. That was before Lucius found out that the Lady Potter is politically untouchable and made his regrettable decision at Christmas. Coming to a decision, she picks up the cane and a necklace that her aunt Dorea gave her.
"Dobby."
Dobby appears in front of her, looking much happier and healthier than he did before Christmas. Narcissa almost loses her composure again, as he says, "How can Dobby help the Great Mistress."
Catching herself, she says, "Would you get me parchment and quill to write a letter. Once you've done that, everything on the table is to be sold. Use some of the money to buy yourself a new uniform."
Dobby clicks his fingers, and the requested items appear on the table, "Dobby thinks the diary should be burned."
Narcissa give a sardonic smile, "If only we could afford to. However, we still need to eat, and despite the wonders you've done in the kitchen garden, that means buying food. Meat mainly. I'm going to write to the Lady Potter again, and if this letter doesn't get to her, I'll try to meet her on the platform at the end of the year."
Dobby's ears droop, "Dobby understands." He hesitates for a moment before he continues, "Dobby was offered a way out of his bond. Dobby refused as Great Mistress is good family. But Dobby heard that same method was used to free Veela."
Narcissa looks confused, "Dobby, what are you saying? Are you asking for clothes, as I would be lost without you if you are."
Dobby waves his hands, "No, no, Dobby no want clothes. Dobby think…" He trails off as he struggles to explain his thoughts.
Narcissa looks at the house elf that became fanatically devoted to her, after she asked him to join her for dinner one evening in March, when the loneliness got to be too much for her, "Dobby, take your time and maybe explain why you think this is a good idea."
Dobby looks shifty, as though he's been caught doing something bad, "Dobby sometimes goes to Hoggywarts to help out. Not that the Great Mistress doesn't have enough work for Dobby, she does. But they trade for help. Dobby hears that homeless elves given family with Great Raka Arry. Say Law Witch also family. Dobby think if Great Mistress also family, young master maybe found."
After a long glance at Draco's life indicator, that shows he's sleeping, Narcissa sags in her chair and swallows her pride. "Dobby, get me another sheet of parchment."
Narcissa writes two letters. Once she's finished she hands one of them to Dobby, "Dobby, please take this to the DMLE and see it gets to Madam Bones. Once you've done that, sell these items and make sure the Manor is well stocked."
The other letter she ties to the family owl, and sends off.
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Fudge quietly opens the door to Amelia's office and slips in with a distressed expression on his face. Absently, Amelia lifts her wand and transfigures the chair into something a little more comfortable while she finishes the current bit of paperwork she's working on. As she puts the quill down, she looks up at Fudge, "Good afternoon Minister, I wasn't expecting to see you this afternoon."
Fudge bends the edge of his bowler over and over as he nervously turns it in his hands, "Madam Bones, I need your advice."
"What could you possibly need my advice for?"
"Y…you're the only neutral person I can think of. Malfoy's dead, Dumbldore's healing, Umbridge is dead, and now 3 of my major donors are facing bankruptcy. What do I do?"
"Why are you asking me?"
"They want me to arrest the Headmistress."
"Head Master", Amelia corrects.
"The Head Master, and have her actions in the last board meeting declared illegal."
Amelia nods, "I see, and were they?"
"Were what?"
"Were her actions illegal?"
"I don't know."
"Well, shouldn't that be your priority. How can you be expected to make a decision if you don't know what's going on?"
"That's what Delores was supposed to do, I'm just a politician, I know people not laws."
"Isn't there another adviser you can turn to?"
Fudge shakes his head sadly, "She was the only one that knew anything beyond filing. How did it get like this?"
Amelia carefully doesn't think of the drawer full of supposition and circumstantial evidence tying the late Umbridge to a series of politically motivated assassinations in the early 80's, while Crouch was still holding onto power in the DMLE, "I couldn't possibly hazard an opinion on that. But surely that gives you a great opportunity to fill the department with people who can do, rather than leeches. I hear that the Head Master's new assistant is muggleborn, and doing a very good job. Maybe she knows other muggleborn who would be perfect for the job. You also know that they won't be after your position, as only people from established families can be minister."
Fudge nods along, and then stops, "But what will the voters say?"
"Maybe it's time to allow more people to vote, after all anyone from an established family can become minister, but they can't vote for the minister. Only landowners can vote."
Fudge looks at her as if she's gone insane, "Who would vote for that?"
Amelia smiles, "I would, I would bet that the Weasleys, Longbottoms, Jones, Macmillians, and Hopkins would all do so too. Especially if you make it a national vote rather than a Wizengamot vote. How many families have second sons and daughters that will never be able to vote under the current rules?"
Fudge nods along, his eyes starting to glitter, "Yes, yes, and there are a lot of voters who only own small properties, and have never been elected to the Wizengamot. Amelia you're genius. I could also sell bringing in a muggleborn as showing them that there is a future in our society. While they might not be able to vote now, once their family is established their grandchildren will be able to vote. Thank you Madam Bones, I'm going to draft an advert for the Prophet."
Fudge gets up and leaves, a moment later he sticks his head back round the door, "How would I find out about the legality of the Head Masters actions?"
Amelia hides a smile, "Try the Department of Education, as Madam Marchbanks was the Ministry witness."
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A six year old Minerva stands in front of her NEWT class, "Good afternoon class. Today we are going to look at the pinnacle of Transfiguration, the animagus transformation."
There's a snigger from the back of the class and Minerva's wand lashes out, transforming the girls desk into an octopus, "Is there something funny Miss Horgan?"
The girl shakes her head, "No Head Master, it's just, you sound like my sister."
Minerva huffs, "Thank you for volunteering for today's lesson then. I want you to restore your desk, then summarise what you learnt about the Animagus transformation over the last week."
Horgan swallows hard as she wrestles the octopus for her wand. The only thing that saves her embarrassment is that Brew, on the other side of the class sniggers before finding his own desk turning into a python.
"Thank you for volunteering to be the second presenter, once you've restored your own desk you may begin."
Minerva looks around the rest of the class, "Have no doubt, any of you who choose to join the duelling circuit will face far worse in your time there. Over your NEWT years we have covered both the practical and esoteric uses for transfiguration. We've shown how with the proper application, transfiguration can be permanent without the aid of any runes. You've learnt how to do silent conjuration, and transfiguration. Finally, you have all practiced self-transfiguration, both animate and seemingly inanimate. For the last weeks leading up to your NEWTs we are first going to cover the Animagus transformation. After that, we are going to cover how transfiguration has been used in duelling and war. There will be no homework for these classes in order to give you more time for revision, and none of what you learn here will be in your exams. If at the end of the week any of you wish to pursue your animagus form, see me after class on Friday."
She looks up at the two students who are still struggling with their respective animals, "Miss Horgan, Mr Brew, how are you both getting on with your transfiguration?"
Horgan calls back, "I can't move my wand Professor."
Minerva sighs, "Anyone, what is Miss Horgan forgetting? Nobody?" After a moment she continues, "You don't have to do everything at once. The first step is to free yourself, you have your wand in hand, so what could you conjure to free you from the octopus's grasp."
Brew quickly and silently conjures a gorilla to pull the head of the snake away from his hand, which Minerva is quick to reward, "Well done, 1 point to Ravenclaw. As you can all see, it's often hard to think clearly in the heat of the moment." She pauses as Horgan conjures a dragon, which starts to chew on the tentacle around her wrist, "Well done Miss Horgan. As I was saying. In July most of you will be looking for jobs where you may or may not use the skills you've learnt in this class. I certainly hope you choose a career where you can use them. However, you will all come across situations where the solution to a problem is not straightforward. In those situations, like today, you need to give yourself space to think and deal with the problem. Sometimes that may be literally, like today. Other times it will be metaphorically, and you just need to take a break, sleep on it, or go for a walk.
"You won't always see these situations coming, Merlin knows how many times I've been caught off guard with them. However, if you take one thing from todays lesson, remember that sometimes you need to make space for you to think and deal with the situation. Miss Horgan, please come to the front of the class and tell us what you researched about the animagus transformation."
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It's well into May when Vivan is doing her stint in the secure ward, where those patients that are considered to be a danger to themselves and the public are housed. For her, it's always a lonely few months while the regular staff have their holidays, as has to sleep in the attached accommodation in order to be on call if there is an emergency. Of which they have far too many. Making matters worse, she'd been dreaming of hunting in forests and waking up to shredded sheets. God bless the house elves, and their magic, as she was no Theresa, who seems to have picked up on elven magic like it was second nature.
Woosily, she clambers to her feet, her tail swishing backwards and forwards, as she listens to the sounds of whatever it is that woke her up. As her brain finally processes that it's screaming, and not the normal screams that are somewhat of a background in places like this, but actual screams of terror, she barrels through her door. The lock not able to withstand her claws as she hits it dead centre. As she's jumping off a wall on her way to the disturbance, she finally wakes up enough to be aware of her own body. Between one step and the next she changes into her human form, as it wouldn't do to panic the patients more than necessary. As she rounds a corner and barrels through a set of double doors, she skids to a halt as she sees Zak charging towards a Yautja with a padded shield, Issac and Everly close behind him with their own shields.
As she processes what she's seeing, the Yautja moves as if to punch Zak, and blades mounted on its wrist slice through the shield as though it didn't exist, quickly followed by Zak's head as it completes the movement with a barely noticeable reduction in force. Issac and Everly both stop as blood covers both of their faces.
Vivian, on the other hand, sees red, and launches herself at the Yautja, not even noticing as she reverts to her natural form, or the fact she considers it natural.
It only takes a minute or so for help to arrive as she darts in and out in animalistic fury, trying to take it down with little thought for tactics. A battle that she's steadily losing, despite Everly trying to help, and receiving a slash across her chest, and a kick to take her out of the fight.
By the time Hermione arrives first, Vivian has sacrificed an arm to the wristblades, and they are already starting to fall to pieces as the acid from her blood eats through them. That just meant it drew a sword from its back instead. Amazingly, the Yautja is able to abort its final attack on Vivian, to turn the lunge into a roll as Hermione's tail passes through the space it was just occupying. That doesn't help it when first Susan, then Hannah, and finally Sally-Anne all appear in quick succession and pull Vivian into a tighter link than the one she's used to. With the five of them working together, and their experience with hunting acromantula, the Yautja soon lays dead on the floor, its wrist computer broken beyond repair.
As she comes down from her frenzy, Vivian becomes aware of Everly screaming. Quickly, she shifts into her human form, before rushing over to inspect her wounds. Tears stream from her eyes as she realises that Everly is likely going to die, even if paramedics get here in the next minute, as the wound she took has sliced through the bottom of her lung, and the top of her stomach. As the first tear drops from her face, and into the wound, the wound starts to heal starting with the stomach wound and the damage from the acid that leaked out.
Gently, Hermione places a claw on her mothers back, "Keep crying mum, your tears will heal the wound."
It's only a couple of minutes later when the sound of a police helicopter comes overhead, with the sound of sirens faintly audible in the distance. With that sound, the students all disappear in flashes of fire back to their beds.