Albus frowns as he makes his way to one of the meeting rooms at the Ministry. He'd spoken to Minerva a few days ago to find out why he was having this meeting when she normally deals with them. She needed to do a last minute muggleborn visit because the wrong letter got sent to a Harry Danann. Something about that surname keeps tickling at him. As to why she's not here and he is, as an active teacher of transfiguration, she's currently undergoing her yearly training with the guild of Transfiguration Masters. He's just happy that he now only needs to pay his dues and attend the occasional dinner, there's no way he'd have time to deal with the obligations membership would impose otherwise.
Pushing open the door to the meeting room he stops when he sees Amelia Bones, Tofty, and Healer Nightingale. Suddenly he knows exactly what this meeting is about, and why he's been having Minerva attend them for the last 5 years. He's also aware that 'he has my complete trust' won't fly here.
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Feeling wrung out and exhausted, Albus makes his way from the Wizengamot chambers, and the office of the Chief Warlock. There he slumps in his chair and massages his temples. How did he miss the fact that the modification to the wolfsbane distribution act was establishing a public register of recipients and their addresses. Without that blasted word it seemed so reasonable. Have St Mungo's hold a register of werewolves that take advantage of the ministry program, and if someone misses a dose they can send someone to check. The healers could also use it to ensure that the werewolves have somewhere safe to ride out the change.
He'd love to blame it on the meeting that morning, or on Minerva for scheduling him in for the meeting. But if he's honest with himself, he knows that it's actually that he has too much on his plate, and the extra task of dealing with the stone was just enough to knock his careful allocation of his time off course. Without it he'd have been able to prepare for both meetings.
Well, one good thing came out of it, St Mungo's is opening a clinic in Hogsmeade, and will be holding Potions classes there to OWL level. After all, as Nightingale said, it's not the quality that's the problem, it's the quantity, and if something wasn't done soon then they'd be looking at a shortage of healers as the current healers die out or retire.
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Jimmy straightens up from his finest work so far, freely given oak heartwood, Ravens pinion feather, and Linnet Pinion feather. All glued together with a magically inert glue. 2 days to complete a job that would normally only take a couple of hours, excluding the time it takes the glue to boil. Carefully putting the finished wand into a small wooden box, and leaving it on the shelf in the courtyard he makes his way back inside. Taking a seat at the counter he lets the mist go and the world feels more solid again along with a wave of exhaustion. Something he's come to expect over the few weeks since he first managed to get into the Other on his own. Tiredly he pulls his own wand and summons a thermos of tea and some biscuits.
According to Morgana, it's because he's never actually exercised his magic before this.
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Jimmy sits up straighter, "What do you mean I've never exercised my magic? I use magic all the time."
Morgana looks at him calmly over the lip of her cup of tea, "Exactly what I said, you have never exercised it before. You've been using it as a reservoir, but your wand has been doing all the actual work of moving your magic around."
Betty looks up from the crossword in the daily prophet, "I can't say I understand either my dear."
"Harry, do you have any thoughts as to how I can explain it?"
Harry sighs, "Do either of you know what a car is and the basics of how they work?" when they both shake their heads Harry shakes his own head, "Sorry mum, you're on your own with this one."
"Do you use pullies?"
Jimmy nods, "Builders do when they need to move things that are too heavy for one person to levitate."
"Think about using a wand like using a winch and pully system for everything, even picking up individual bricks. What you're being asked to do is the equivalent of picking up individual bricks by hand. You're feeling tired because you're not used to the effort involved rather than how much magic you've used. As your magic gets stronger you'll be able to travel faster through the other, you'll be able step into the other as easily as you step through a doorway. Another side effect is that your magic will recover faster when you use it."
"Does this mean I'm becoming more powerful?"
Morgana frowns, "No, why would you think that? Going back to the builders example, big people can generally lift heavier things than small people. It doesn't matter how much they improve their muscles, they will never be as strong as the larger person that has done the same improvement. However, they can outperform the person who has always used the winch. So, no, you can't become more powerful, but you can get better at using what you've already got. Which will make you seem more powerful to other people."
Jimmy sounds disappointed when he says, "Oh. What about Marianne?"
"Her magic is growing and maturing and probably won't finish for another 20 years or so, same as everyone elses. In a few years her body should have got used to producing magic so she could stop practicing and it would still grow. But if she continues to use her magic, it will continue to grow like a child that has good food and exercise grows."
Dottie's mouth forms an O, "Oh I see. So people that are magically stronger just had some way to exercise their magic while they were still growing. Which means the more accidental magic a child does, the stronger they're likely to be."
Morgana shakes her head, "No, not accidental, deliberate. And believe me when I say that sometimes what seems like accidental magic is anything but." She smiles at Harry as she says the last bit."
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Harry and Marianne both lag behind Morgana as they walk down Diagon Alley to Jimmy's shop. For both of them it seems to be signalling the end of summer. Tomorrow Harry will be leaving to school, then on Monday Marianne will be starting at her own new school, the local comprehensive.
Morgana smiles as she glances back at the two children, Marianne has been progressing far faster than she expected. Not in the amount of magic she has, but in her ability to visualise and thus navigate the Other. Well, as long at it involves going to Harry's domain anyway. She's running slightly faster than expected with being able to return to the gate at the house.
It doesn't take them long to arrive at the shop. When they do, Jimmy unlocks the door for them.
"Come on though, I finished it last night and it's in the courtyard."
Morgana looks at Jimmy, "Oh?"
"I didn't want to run the risk that any of my existing wands would affect it, so I put it on a shelf in the back garden."
As the three of them follow Jimmy into the courtyard, Harry holds Marianne's hand nervously. There, sat on a plain wooden shelf is an unassuming wooden box.
"Well, go on. We don't have an hour for me to isolate my magic so you'll need to pick it up yourself."
Reluctantly, Harry lets go of Marianne's hand and walks forward to the shelf. Reaching up, he takes the wand down with 2 hands and just stares at the box. After a moment he turns around to face the others and, with shaking hands, opens the box to reveal the wand. Inside is a plain wand as long as his cubit (the length from your middle finger to the inside of your elbow), at it's base it's about as thick as his thumb and it tapers down to the size of the tip of his little finger.
Before he picks it up, Morgana nods approvingly, "I can't see any hint of your magic on the wand Jimmy, well done."
Harry reaches in and takes the wand out carefully. Once it's comfortably in his grip he can feel it attach to his magic, like a limb that he'd never known he was missing. A deep sense of peace and stability passes through him, as though he's the bulwark that others can take refuge behind.
The others watch as Harry's magic briefly becomes visible like a shield, briefly the sounds of a hammer working on an anvil mix with the sounds of a hospital.
Jimmy breaths softly, "I've never seen a bonding like that."
Morgana smiles sadly, "You likely never will again. That was something special, and we are truly blessed to have seen it happen."
Marianne asks, "What was it?"
"A manifestation of her domain, well Harry's domain now given that display. If he chooses to stay as one of the Danann then he will take on my sister's old domain."
Jimmy starts, "What do you mean domain?"
"Dana, I didn't mean to say that here. I suppose you could say it's our place of power, and it both reflects who we are as well as defines it. It is a peculiarity to the Danann, I think the Æsir have their own thing."
Harry feels the feeling from the wand receding as it becomes attuned to his magic. Blinking he can see that the other three are talking about something. Reaching out with his wand hand, he pulls the slightest bit of mist to him and lets the wand go wherever his weapons go. As he does, the conversation stops dead.
"H…How did you do that?" Jimmy stammers.
Harry smiles ruefully, "You're not good enough with the skills you know to understand, and it's not something I can explain with words."
Morgana lays a comforting hand on Jimmy's shoulder, "Never mind, there's always next year. Just keep using your skills and I'm sure that you'll be ready to learn more difficult stuff soon. Anyway, I believe we owe you 20 Galleons."
Jimmy shakes his head, "Keep it, what you've taught me is worth far more than that."
Morgana inclines her head before waving her hand and producing a business card, "This is my address and phone number. On the back is the schedule for my lectures, religious ceremonies, and also when the local re-enactment group meets for practice. Feel free to drop by for a cup of tea and a chat, and pass the details on to Dottie."
"I will, thank you."
Morgana turns to leave, then turns back, "Oh, and it's in a non-magical area, so either turn up in period dress or modern dress. Just not wizarding attire."
"Um, I'll see what I can do."
Marianne smiles at Jimmy, "Rosie in Imber can probably help you with that."
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Marianne despondently walk into her home.
"Are you ok Mari?"
"Yeah, I guess."
"Is it Harry?"
Marianne nods, "He leaves for school tomorrow."
Kate pulls Marianne into a hug, "And you start school on Monday."
Marianne just nods.
"I'm sure you'll still be able to talk, and he'll be back for holidays."
"But it won't be the same."
"It never is, it never is. But you'll make new friends too. Have you eaten?"
Marianne nods, "Morgana took us out for Chinese."
"Well, why don't you pack your bag for school and get your uniform out. That way you don't have to worry about it tomorrow night."
"Thanks Mum. Why can't you be like this when Dad's around?"
"You know why. By the way, the preacher has been asking after you."
"But I…" Kate puts her finger on her daughter's lips.
"If you don't tell me, I don't know. Remember that."
Marianne blinks back tears, "Do you mind if I sleep at the Danann's tonight?"
"Your father's at a church meeting till 8."
Marianne glances at the clock in understanding, 7:30. She flies up the stairs and packs her books into her special bag before throwing her uniform over the back of the chair, along with clean underwear. Running down the stairs, she kisses her mum goodbye and is out of the door at 5 past 8. As she rounds the corner, she looks back and sees her father's car pull into the driveway.