Ch 3. Introductions

A scant few minutes after she dismissed James, Roxanne and Lorcan, McGonagall found herself with yet another person in her office. It never seemed to be quite this busy back in Dumbledore's day, she mused to herself as she looked from the long contract in front of her to the young man who stood behind it. "You seem certified for this, Mister Orion. You have quite the... recommendations." She finished, watching him gleefully play with the full beard on his face. Tilting his hand-held mirror, he shrunk it to a mustache, then gave himself sideburns, before pulling it back into a 5-o'clock shadow. None of them seemed to please him and he sighed as he banished the mirror and returned his face to its natural baby-smooth appearance.

All the portraits were watching in quiet curiosity. Despite the many years they'd hung there, even the oldest Headmasters still found it rare and entertaining to watch a metamorphmagus at work.

The Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt cleared his throat to catch the boys attention once again, which he gave now that he had decided how to appear before the students. "Jonovan will work here next year, but report back to the Ministry whenever we request it."

"Shacklebolt," McGonagall seemed annoyed on principle that the Minister was making a decision about her school, despite their longstanding friendship. "It is Hogwarts criteria that all new staff stay on the grounds for their first year. If you wish to have access to your little pet project at a whim, perhaps you could arrange for Mister Orion to get a job at Beauxbatons or Durmstrang instead."

"No." McGonagall's aging knees were the only thing that kept her from jumping in surprise when Jonovan Orion spoke for the first time. His voice didn't match his face, it was deep and full of intellect. "I've looked into them, Headmistress, but I believe that in addition to a notably larger library this school also has deeper knowledge into the many natures of magic and therefore provides much better tutelage and unbiased education for its students. If those are the rules I must follow for this arrangement to work, Ma'am, then of course I shall."

McGonagall smiled slowly while the Minister glared at the young man. It seemed this boy was not a one-trick pony as she'd originally assumed. "It seems there is much more to this situation than I've been informed, Shacklebolt. Perhaps you, Mister Orion, would be willing to tell me more about it than your friend here."

"Oh certainly," Jonovan kept ignoring the sullen glare his 'friend' was giving him. "After I am assured of my position here. I'm surprised that you haven't yet brought up the last point of our request."

After judging his sincerity for a few moments McGonagall picked up the reading glasses that hung around her neck and flipped to the last pages of the contract she hadn't had the time to examine before Shacklebolt had brought his guest into her office. Despite staying on her Grounds for the past week, the Minister waited until a few scant hours ago to grace her with the purpose of his visit. Her eyebrows rose even higher as she recognized a musty old form, though only through passing history books upon being appointed Headmistress. "What is this?"

Shacklebolt cleared his throat when he noticed her surprise, and sought to run damage control. "I'm aware that this situation is highly unusual, Minerva, but I give my word you'll understand after we-"

"Unusual?" McGonagall's voice cracked as she pointed to document's that hadn't been used for ages. "Kingsley, less than a dozen students have been transferred into Hogwarts in the history of the school!"

The portraits sprung to life at this, muttering in surprise and astonishment. Many started consulting each other on the unusual request, the few Headmasters that had experience with the matter shouting to try and get their opinions heard over the rest. Even McGonagall was unable to quiet them until Dumbledore stepped in to aid his successor, booming in the same voice that had once quieted the Great Hall.

"SILENCE!"

Shacklebolt gave up on trying to control these proceedings and sat back in his chair with a quiet sigh, leaving this mess for the many Headmasters to sort out themselves. Dumbledore's portrait nodded kindly to McGonagall, letting her speak for herself now that she could be heard.

"Mister Orion, you must be aware of... how unusual, this... condition, is."

Jon pulled out the finger he'd been wiggling in his ear, resigned to the ringing that was sure to stay there for hours to come. "That's why it's a condition that I won't budge on, ma'am. Besides, muggle academies transfer students all the time. Surely it's not that hard for a Wizarding School to manage."

"Muggle schooling?" The pink-faced Headmaster screeched from his portrait. "You think muggles can do better? Take the brat in Minerva, I don't care who it is, just turn that smirk of his upside-down."

"A jinx would be quicker." Jonovan smiled like a shark at them all, "But please, I'll frown all day long for you if you just let her attend Hogwarts while I work here."

McGonagall noticed a missing section and asked with suspicion "Even though you have neglected to mention her previous place of schooling?" When he didn't answer immediately she looked up, only to find he was resolutely ignoring her to instead stare at the door to her office.

"Mister Orion?"

Shacklebolt sighed, obviously knowing something she didn't as he stood and opened the door to the office, allowing a small girl to breeze inside. "Thanks Rex!" She beamed at him, ignoring his amused eye roll as she automatically kept walking until she stood next to Jonovan. He in turn moved once more to a hand on the head, which was level with his chest.

McGonagall grew silent as she watched the vibrant blue of the girl's hair instantly turn a lime green, starting from the roots and proceeding to the tips. The portraits started to murmur once again. It seemed that they too found it unheard of for a metamorphmagus to affect someone else so easily.

The girl looked at the new tinge of her hair and smirked, reaching up to pat his shoulder. "Sorry I'm late. You won't believe how easy it is to get lost around here, Jon."

Then the girl turned and McGonagall sucked a breath in through flared nostrils as the Headmistress recognized the nature of the magic that shot through her when their eyes met. It shouldn't be possible, Minerva had only heard it mentioned in old tomes and passing theories of wandlore... Her eyes rolled toward the sheepish Kingsley, who seemed surprised at her reaction. Was it possible the Minister didn't know? Or was she jumping to conclusions?

"I'm Zoethia Malam." The girl proudly declared as she stepped up to the desk, casually putting a hand on the contract they'd been discussing. A charm bracelet twinkled at the room from her small wrist. "It's nice to meet you Miss McGonagall. Have you gotten to the part where I transfer into Hogwarts next year?"

"And then we'll just- Malfoy? Scorpius, are you even listening?"

It took his first name to snap Scorpius out of his thoughts, blinking as he came back to himself at the Slytherin breakfast table. He realized he was staring, not scowling, at a group of the Legacies and turned away immediately. "Sorry, I wasn't. Trying to remember whether Hagrid would have us handle Fire Crabs for the final this year."

Nott and Zambini nodded and let it slide as that. Priscilla, however, was annoyed that he wasn't paying attention to her and followed his gaze toward the Gryffindor table. Then she smirked and elbowed Melissa. "Hey, looks like Malfoy was taking time to smell the Roses."

Scorpius groaned to himself when they all looked to see if he had indeed been staring at Rose Weasley. Unfortunately, this time they were right. He'd been considering what Malam had said about her, and him, two days ago. Rose was the one listed as top of the class, so it was surprising that anyone who wasn't staff knew he was technically the best at practical applications of magic. It begged the question of whether the pixie had a close relationship to a Professor, maybe even enough to see student records. But if she was the daughter or granddaughter of someone who worked here, surely she would at least know the usefulness of a wand? Or the four Houses and what they stood for?

"What, Malfoy, don't tell us you like her?"

The question seemed to come out of the blue and he gaped at Melissa. "What?"

His friends glanced at each other, relieved and amused. The less eloquent their leader the was the more likely he was being honest with them. "Rose Weasley," Nott piped up with a grin. "Do you like her?"

"We are talking about the same Weasley here, right?" His eyes narrowed. "The Legacy brat that assaulted us on the Hogwarts express first year to declare I was forever her enemy? The one that walked around last year with pimples all over her face and biting her nails in every class? The one that finds me after every test just to assure herself that she did better than me, then rubs it in my face? That Rose Weasley?"

"That's the one." Nott grinned, then grew serious as he thought more about it. Legacy Rose did seem to spend a lot of effort trying to best their Scorpius, and always wanted to know what he was up to while they were competing over something, which was all the time. "Hey, maybe she's the one who likes you?"

For a moment Scorpius dared consider their unlikely pairing. Rose Weasley, despite her many flaws, was the most tolerable of the Legacies. She was intelligent enough to have a reason to walk about as though she owned the place, and in his opinion was least abhorrent to look at. Her red hair was more auburn than vibrant Weasley red, and her freckles were light instead of masking her face the way her cousins' do. Her poisonous green eyes used to be the brightest he'd ever seen, until he met Malam. The moment passed and he scoffed and rolled his eyes at his friends.

"Please. She likes proving to her father that she rivals Malfoys better than he did." The table grew silent, and Scorpius sighed as he realized they were on the verge of commenting about his own relationship with his paternal family. He cut them off, finally remembering what the group had been talking about before he'd gotten distracted. "I think we should let them be."

Melissa narrowed her eyes at him. "But, that dungbomb they set off-"

"Wasn't even theirs. Look, Melissa, I like being a thorn in their side as much as you do but we, and they, have final reviews today and then the finals the rest of the week. Professors won't let stuff slide just because we only have six days left here, and we all know how badly you need to pass your classes."

He let her embarrassed blush sink in, and wasn't surprised at her lack of response. They knew Melissa Goyle as many things, though smart and witty never made the list. "We should end the year on a high note with the teaching staff, so that's what they think of us over the summer and are less suspicious when we get back."

"True." Zambini nodded as he acknowledged the point, "But you know Potter's gonna try to get back at us in the next few days." The group had gotten nervous when they'd heard they'd landed the three most active Legacies in detention for the last week of school.

"Let him." Malfoy shrugged, confidence practically oozing off him. "I'd much rather he rushes things now rather than have three months to plan and nurse his wounded pride." Which was much too big and certainly deserved a good bruising, if you asked him. Scorpius considered his own opinion for a moment and nodded, finalizing his decision for the group. "We don't touch the Legacies till next year."

"We need to get the Sneakers back before the end of this year." James said over Monday's dinner for the fifth time.

This time he elicited an audible reaction from Fred as the older cousin sighed and looked up from his plate of pork chops. His glare was more bored than angry as he said, "Give it a rest, James. There's not even a month left in school, you've already got detention, and you should be studying for finals. Unless you want to also be the first Potter to fail a grade. Since you want to be the first Potter at everything." The last sentence was barely audible as Fred went back to his meal.

Roxanne shot her brother a grateful look as she picked up the mantle, pausing over her perusal of a star-chart. "He's right, you know. Six days left and O.W.L.s to stress over. Five for me, since I have my Astrology O.W.L. after dinner and detention tonight."

"I can't believe you'd let those wankers get away with ruining the end of our Fifth year!"

Fred didn't even bother looking up this time, "Technically, the only ones who ruined it were yourselves. We've been telling you to stop targeting them for ages; they actually bite back, unlike some of your other victims." He glanced meaningfully toward the empty spot at James's side that Albus usually sat in. "I don't know which is worse."

James waved the comment aside, "They were the ones who started it- I mean, look who they supported during the Great Wizarding War."

"Don't be ridiculous." Lysander intervened, leaning around his twin Lorcan to make his point. "They weren't even born yet, how can that be what started this?" James's face grew red at the logic behind the response.

"Shouldn't you be with your Ravenclaw pals?"

Lorcan swerved his head around to glare at the comment. James may be his best mate, but Lysander was his brother and everyone knew the two did their best to spend as much time together as possible. They'd been devastated when the Sorting Hat had given them different Houses five years ago, but neither could dispute the differences in their personalities.

James realized his blunder, but clenched his jaw stubbornly and refused to admit it. Their staring match went on until Dominique sat between the two of them with a puff of perfume, oblivious to their argument as usual to gush dramatically "There was the cutest guy in Care of Magical Creatures today."

Fred rolled his eyes, but forever blessed Dom's ability to distract the clan with a meaningless subject. "Is your newest crush in my class again? Or is he Ravenclaw, or another Hufflepuff?"

"Nope." She grinned, and everyone turned to her in shock.

Roxanne glanced at James nervously as she asked "You can't be crushing on a Slytherin, can you?"

"Ew, no." her enthusiastic denial made the clan relax in relief. "He's an older guy. Hagrid had him handling the blast-ended skewts, which should make anyone unsightly but Orion," she sighed dreamily, "He still looked amazing."

"Orion?" Lorcan blinked at her. "Jonathan Orion?"

"Jonovan." Her gaze was still off somewhere in Dominique-world, where she was probably undressing her newest obsession in her mind. "It sounds similar, but he prefers you say it right."

"You've daydreaming over the portly, mustached guy that was in Transfiguration?" Fred asked in astonishment.

"What? No," Lorcan protested. "He was definitely a tall spindly fellow, thin as a twig."

"Where'd you meet him? Because that sure ain't the same bloke."

"He's a total hunk," Dominique protested absentmindedly, not caring about anything else they had to say about him.

Lysander frowned and counted off on his fingers "Magical Creatures with Dom, Transfiguration with Fred, Defense Against the Dark Arts with me and Lorcan- what do you wanna bet this guy was at all of today's review sessions?"

James, who hadn't gone to a single one of them, protested. "It's not the same guy, genius. Weren't you paying attention?"

"Weren't you the one who enjoyed challenging Teddy to look like someone new every day?" Lysander shot back.

The group grew silent as they thought of their Legacy friend who had graduated Hogwarts two years ago. James narrowed his gaze. "Are you saying this bloke's a metamorphmagus?"

"Either that or he was drinking polyjuice potion of different people all day long."

"Cool."

"Not cool." Rox replied to her love-addled cousin. "What was he doing in all of our classes? Why have we never seen him before?"

James smiled as he realized something that wasn't supposed to had indeed just happened. "We should ask him and find out."

"Ooooh here's your chance!" Dominique squealed as she pointed to the Head Table, where McGonagall stood and called for attention. At her side stood a young guy, and even Roxanne had to admit he was attractive.

There probably wasn't a single girl in the Great Hall who listened to their Headmistress introduce him, too busy drooling at the man. He was a bit taller than average, broad-shouldered, and stood in a way that just exuded competence. But he was smooth-faced with a winning smile that kept him from being intimidating, and just like that James knew there was a new heartthrob at the school. Dom clapped the loudest when McGonagall explained he'd be joining the Hogwarts Faculty next year, and every girl there joined in the applause.

When the crowd died down and she said he would be an Assistant to Professor Binns during History of Magic, some of the boys were even more enthusiastic than the girls that started cheering again. Roxanne reasoned they must have been in that review group, and wondered how anyone could make that class anything but dusty and boring.

Jonovan grinned and tried to address the Hall, but the girls squealed after he shouted "Hello, everyone-" and kept drowning him out every time he tried to speak for the next ten minutes. Eventually he settled for shouting "Thank you!" and waving as he left with Headmistress McGonagall.

"Merlin," Fred carefully uncovered his ears a few minutes later. "I hope they don't do that all year, otherwise they might have to sac the poor bloke."

Dominique looked horrified at the idea but Roxanne sighed and comforted her brother. "Don't worry, it's just stress from finals and the novelty of a new teacher giving them the chance to scream."

"A hot new teacher." Dom unabashedly met at their expressions of mixed annoyance and amusement. "What? He totally is."

"Well now that's settled." James flicked his bangs out of his eyes, ready to move on from talking about the school's newest fascination. "We can get back to planning about Malfoy, and-"

"You know what, Lysander?" Lorcan set his fork down and stood up. "I think we should eat dinner with Ravenclaw today."

"But-" James sputtered as they got up, then grew red as he saw Roxanne start after them. "Rox!"

"I have an O.W.L. in two hours I need to study for." She said without a trace of sympathy as she walked away, pausing to throw back over her shoulder "If it's that important to you James, why don't you do it on your own for once?"

"Is this really necessary?"

"Yes!" Albus grinned back at his little sister, his freckled nose inches from her own. "If you want to catch a ghost, you have to think like a ghost."

Lily caught Rose's eye underneath the cloak and sighed, her look clearly asking for help. Rose just smiled, silently commenting back that Lily was the one who had said Rose needed to encourage him in the first place. Lily glanced at the blanket-thick cloth they were under in a way that plainly begged for fresh air, and Rose sighed as she had to agree. It was getting hot under here with three people, but Rose made the youngest Potter sweat it for a bit longer since she was the one who had promised that both of them would help in the ghost hunt until they went home.

Finally it got to be too much for her as well. "Al," Rose started calmly, "You know ghosts aren't always invisible. If we wanna think like one, we should be visible sometimes too."

The girls held their breath as Albus scrunched his face to consider her new idea, and then sighed with relief when he nodded and pulled the Invisibility Cloak off them. While Lily stretched and Rose playfully mimed gasping as though the air were poison, he carefully folded his most prized possession.

Dad had given James the Marauder's Map start of his second year, and keeping with the tradition had given his second son his Cloak of Invisibility at the same time. They were all curious about what Lily would get over the summer before she started her second year, but Albus thought nothing could be better than what he had.

But if she got something reeeeally interesting, he might be okay with swapping for just a couple of hours. Sometimes. Not really that often. If at all.

It really just depended on what Lily got. But his Cloak was still better, he never went anywhere without it. He slipped it gently into its own pouch in his schoolbag and, since this was his adventure, led the way down Hogwarts' brightly lit hallways. "Come on! If I were a ghost, I'd walk this way..."

"Nice going, Jon. Are you sure you don't wanna be a student here too? They'd fawn all over you. Bet most of them are hoping for a forbidden student-teacher relationship."

Jon grinned down at Zoey, who was resting her head on his lap as they relaxed on the bed they'd occupied for the past week. After being nearly deafened in the Great Hall Jonovan had decided to retreat to the visiting quarters they'd been lodging in at Hogwarts, and had just finished recounting his day. "But of course they would, who could resist my Adonis-like figure?" He gestured to himself with a cocky grin and waggling eyebrows, sending the girl into a fit of giggles. He joined her a few moments later.

"Of course," She finished and gasped in air after she regained control of herself. A twinkle entered her eye when she sat up and looked at him hopefully. "Hey Joooon?"

"No." He cut her off, knowing very well what she was about to ask him to do, again.

"Please?" She begged, sliding off his lap to get to her knees on the ground, brushing aside the books she's spent the whole day reading. "Please, please, please-please-please?"

"No, Zoethia." He used her full name to let her know he was being serious. "We've been doing it too often and if Kingsley finds out he won't be happy."

"But I've been stuck in here all day and I didn't try to sneak out once! Can't I just-"

"No." He watched her face fall as her eyes grew moist, looking at him in a way she was well aware he couldn't stand. "Zoey..." He scolded, waiting for it to go away but relenting when it didn't. "Fine, I'll do it for you tomorrow."

Her tone was suspicious as she challenged "We're leaving tomorrow."

"Kingsley has us moving out tomorrow night, there'll be time in the morning."

"Yay!" Her crocodile tears cleared out and she snuggled back next to him on the bed, clearly not sore about waiting. "I'm gonna explore the third floor next, then sneak into the Great Hall when they're all taking finals. Oh, and there were some really pretty flowers in the garden..."

"Yeah yeah," He muttered, placing a hand on her head and absentmindedly watching her hair turn a darker shade of green. Jon doubted he'd ever know why it happened so naturally with her, he couldn't do it for anyone else. When they learned that it never changed for longer than a few hours, it had become a special thing between the two of them. Now she got mad when he refused to swap it around.

Zoey noticed the new color and laughed, batting him on the side. "Oh don't be jealous, I'll bring you one before we leave. And then we'll both have all of next year to explore all we want! It's going to be so much fun, Jon. I wonder what group I'm gonna be in- did you know, Jon, that there's four student groups in this school? One of them's named after griffins and the other three..."

Jonovan quietly listened to her go on, happy to see her so energetic. It had been a pain to get Kingsley to let them come, months of negotiating on his part and begging on hers, but it had been worth it to make it here. Her hair automatically turned vibrant blond under his hand the more she talked to him, until it was practically golden, and he smiled.

Today was a good day.