Conny new, even in her state of panick, that the situation couldn't go on like this. Anna deserved to know. Anna had told her what Aletta just did. She couldn't lie and deflect Anna's questions anymore. She had to make sure they would be safe. Aletta could become a potential target. 'I want to tell you what is going on Anna,' Conny said. 'However, it is illegal for me to do so. I first need to ask a friend for advice.'
The next few days went by in a blur. Conny answered a lot of owls from her family and friends. Everyone was worried about eachother. Everyone was heartbroken. Conny also contacted al the squibs who still lived in the country; if they wanted to be safe, they needed the fidelius charm cast on their home, or leave the country. No one still knew for sure if squibs were a target for the death eaters. Anna was a really good help. She kept the house clean, made lunch, dinner and breakfast and, to Conny's relief, didn't ask much questions. She was very thankful for Anna's patience.
The evening before the funeral, Conny's father came to pick her up. In a dark alley behind her building she held her fathers arm tightly and they both apparated to hogsmeade. When they arrived at her parents' house, al of her family was already there; Conny's four siblings, who brought their entire families; spouses, children, sons- and daughters in law and grandchildren. Only Conny's youngest sister wasn't a grandmother yet. Conny felt a slight pang of sadness that Anna and Aletta couldn't be here. Her own little family of three. However, being all together lighted the mood significantly. Her youngest nephew had just finished hogwarts and they even had a little party for him as was custom in her family. When all the children went to bed however, all of the worries that Dumbledore's death had brought started to pour out. The grandchild of Conny's oldest sister was just about to start Hogwarts. Conny's sister and her daughter were terrified. They were well informed (Conny suspected that her brother in law did some work for the order) and were convinced that the ministry was heavily under the influence of You-Know-Who. It would only be a matter of time before the ministry would fall and Hogwarts would then become a school for the dark arts, was their theory. Conny's niece and her family were fleeing the country right after Dumbledore's funeral. Even though they were a pureblood family, her niece and husband didn't want their son subjected to whatever hogwarts would become once taken over by the Death Eaters. Two daughters of Conny's youngest brother were urged to leave the country as well, as they both married muggle borns. After her family adviced her nieces on how they could leave the country the safest, Conny started talking about Anna and Aletta. Most of her family already knew about them, but only her parents knew that she suspected that Aletta was a witch. After Conny laid out all her concerns, Conny's brother frowned. 'I think it would be a lot harder for Anna to leave the country with her daughter. France is quite open to muggleborn wizards and witches, but I doubt that they will let muggles in their community. Maybe Minerva has some plan for all the young muggleborns and their parents. She wouldn't leave them all vulnerable.' 'I think you're right,' Conny responded. 'I will try to talk to Minerva after the funeral.'
The funeral was heartbreakingly beautiful and as unique and colourful Dumbledore was. When everyone started leaving, Conny looked around if she saw Minerva. She saw her in the front, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief while talking to Pomona Sprout. Conny lingered a little so they would pass her. Finally Minerva noticed her. 'Ah Conny,' she said. 'I've been meaning to talk to you. The Hogwarts Express leaves in an hour. Can you meet me in my chambers after the train has left? We could have our lunch there.' 'Perfect,' responded Conny. 'I have wanted to talk to you as well.'
The next hour, Conny roamed the castle. She obviously didn't know the castle as well as her brothers and sisters, but she had vistited a few times over the years. In her early teens, her eldest brother had given her a tour of the castle so she wouldn't feel so left out when her family talked about hogwarts. Later, when she started working at the ministry, she also helped the muggle studies professor with a few lessons about squibs. She even gave a few lessons about the difficulties in everyday life as a squib, eventhough teaching wasn't her forte. When she heard the whistle of the Hogwarts Express in the distance, Conny started walking to Minervas' office. She was admiring a painting of three witches hunching over a large couldron. They were bickering about how much lacewings they needed to add. Right when one witch hit the other over the head with a book, Minerva came around the corner. 'Bickering again, are they?' She said firmly. 'Brussle sprouts.' she said to the only witch who kept stirring the couldron instead of fighting her fellow witches. The painting stretched itself out until the shape of a door appeared. The couldron became a doorknob. Now their potion was nonexistent, all three witches started shouting at Minerva. 'Everytime.' She sighed. Minervas' chambers were comfortable, but sparingly decorated. Dark wooden furniture and comfortable chairs with tartan motive were placed throughout the room. Sunlight filled the room and everything had a warm yellow glow. A sharp contrast with the feeling of impending doom everyone had the past few days. Conny nested herself in an armchair while Minerva called for lunch. A house elf appeared with a tray with sandwiches and a pot of tea. Conny poured herself some tea. Suddenly a bit nervous, she decided to get on with it. She told Minerva everything. That she saw Anna as het daughter and Aletta as her granddaughter. That she upheld the statue of secrecy. That Anna was becoming suspicious. That Aletta seemed to have magical powers. That Conny was scared for their safety. 'What do you think Minerva? Should I tell them about the wizarding world? For their own safety?' Minerva seemed to think for a moment before she responded: 'I think that would be the right course of action. Anna can only make an informed decision if she has all the information that is available. Your question actually overlaps something I wanted to talk to you about. Before he died, Albus...' Minervas' voice caught in her throat. She blinked a few times before she continued. 'Albus instructed me that in the event of his death, I should evacuate all muggle born witches and wizards to Beauxbatons. We have a systems that registers the names of every child that has magical powers. Albus told me that I should hide that system. It is already hidden. I have a list of every muggle born witch or wizard that can only be read by me. I plan to check the system every week if more children appear. The plan Albus laid out to me is that I go against the International Statue of Secrecy and inform the parents of magical children, no matter how little they are, of their magical abilities and the threat we are currently under. In the next two days, I will visit the fifteen muggle born children that were due to start this september. They will need to leave the country as soon as possible. I suspect the ministry and therefore Hogwarts, will be under the influence of You-Know-Who.' Minerva furiously blinked her eyes again and then blew her nose loudly in an embroidered handkerchief. 'In the next few weeks, I will try to inform every muggle born witch or wizard, that means I will visit Anna as well. What is the name of her daughter?' 'Aletta,' Conny responded. 'Aletta Janszoon.' 'She most definitely is on the list,' Minerva continued. I checked them this morning. She got on there very early if I may say so. Most children will appear between their fourth and eighth birthdays.' 'Yes I know, Aletta is really early,' Conny responded. 'She hasn't even turned two yet. Looking back now, I think she first displayed signs of magic befre her first birthday,' she said proudly. Her face, however, was very worried. 'So they should flee to France?' Conny asked. 'I think that would be best,' answered Minerva. 'If Beauxbatons will take them. They will take the muggle born students whom are eleven and older, but we still have to come to an agreement for the younger ones. To be quite frank, that is why I wanted to speak to you.' Minerva took a deep breath. 'Albus, rightfully so, wanted secrecy among everyone fighting You-Know-Who. Right now, I am the only one that knows where the list of wizards and witches is and you are the only one that knows that I know. We are also the only two people alive that know that you keep the squibs safe. Yes, I know, Albus told me,' she explained after seeing the surprised look on Connys' face. 'This summer I will only have time to inform all the parents of the current situation, but I can't evacuate everyone. That would be too obvious and I simply do not have the time.' Minerva took a deep breath again. 'I need your help Conny. I know you can be trusted, you are very discreet and inconspicuous, and besides that, you unfortunately are out of a job and probably have some time on your hands.' Conny nodded, lost in thought. 'You can ask for help, but only someone who can be trusted completely. You'll probably won't be noticed, but if you will, it will obviously get very dangerous.' 'I'll do it,' Conny said. 'Anything I can do to help.' 'Thank you Conny,' Minerva sighed relieved. 'Are you completely sure...' 'Of course,' responded Conny. 'Anything to help the children.' Connys' mind was racing on how she could possibly bring all these families to France. Maybe Anna could teach her how to drive... 'When can you come and inform Anna of the situation? I can tell her of course, but perhaps she will need some proof..' 'I can apparate to London with you and then tell her straight away.' Minerva answered. 'I will need your help within a week and it doesn't make sense if you need to keep on lying until I have reached Alettas' name on the list.' She continued. 'How do you think she will react?' 'If I'm honest, I don't think it will come as a total surprise to her,' Conny said. 'I think in a way, she will be relieved.'
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Authors note: Would you be interested in a chapter where I write down how many people I believe are in the wizarding community in the UK and how many students are at Hogwarts, how many squibs there are, how many muggle borns? Just for reference later on in the story. Let me know if you'd like that :)