Chapter 17: Who Died?

Professor Minerva McGonagall was preparing for the new school year and was buried beneath a pile of lesson plans. It wasn't the first time she wished she had an assistant. It was impossible for one person to keep track of it all. Albus was a wonderful wizard but he himself had more than enough to get on with for a single wizard.

Currently, she was poring over Severus's lesson plans for his first-year potions class. He was not an inspired teacher. The same exact lesson plan had been submitted the first time he ever submitted a lesson plan. Right down to punctuation! The man simply copied it year to year.

She pursed her lips in frustration. Severus refused all attempts at improving his performance. Each year fewer and fewer students were taking their masteries in potions. Only History of Magic and Divination had worse records. Shaking her head she made some notes and set the Slytherin heads file aside.

The tapping of the owl on her window pulled her attention and almost grateful for the reprieve she went to let the messenger in. A quick glance at the correspondence informed her it was a Gringotts owl. Taking the letter to her desk after having paid the owl and seen it on its way she opened the letter and quickly read the contents.

Her presence was being requested tomorrow morning at Gringotts for a Will reading and apparently, she was a named beneficiary. She wondered worriedly who had died. Setting the correspondence aside she sighed heavily, if she was expected to be at Gringotts tomorrow morning she had better get busy going over the rest of the lesson plans.

Severus Snape received his summons to the reading via house elf. The infirmary had put in their annual request for potion stores and he was conducting the necessary before-year inventory. A Dictapen and parchment hovered nearby. "Five pounds of Dittany leaves, strike that, make it ten. I have a feeling this particular batch of brats are going to be accident-prone dunderheads." He complained. "1 pound of Doxy eggs, 1 pound of…"

*Pop*

"Owl post for you Professor." The diminutive elf held out a crisp envelope and he recognized the Gringotts' seal.

"Thank you." The elf didn't linger and popped away the moment his duty was done.

He removed the invitation and frowned. "If there was anyone in the magical world that would leave him a bequest he was doing his job wrong. He shook his head and frowned wondering who had died.

Argus Filch was just about to enjoy his lunch. It had taken him years to get the blasted elves to make the perfect Reuben on Rye. It was all about the horseradish!

It didn't help that he was banned from the kitchens but he'd built up a bit of a rapport with one of the House Elves and got him to stand still long enough to learn how to make this sandwich just the way his mum used to make it. His jaw barely fit around it and before he could partake a blasted owl started pecking at his window insistently.

Argus Filch blinked at the owl. He rarely got post. Occasionally he ordered things and he wasn't about to pay for the Daily Prophet, not with dozens of the things being left daily for him to clean up. Speaking of cleaning up he realized the inside of his sandwich had fallen to his plate and all he had was the bread.

He threw the bread down angrily on his plate and stomped over to get the post. "Blasted Owls. I remember the day owls were executed for interrupting a man's meal!" He growled. The Owl hooted and held out his leg where a fancy envelope was attached with his name. Mr. Argus Filch, Caretaker of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Filch stood taller by a full inch at seeing his name and title so prestigiously displayed on such fancy paper.

The owl didn't wait to see if Filch would make good on his threat and flew off as soon as his delivery was accomplished. The caretaker saw the Gringotts' seal. He didn't have an account so was confused as to why the goblins would be sending him anything.

He opened the letter and read the invitation to the will reading and looked down at Mrs. Norris with a grin. "Finally a little recognition!" He smiled and nodded, returning to his meal, slapping the meat back between the slices of bread, and taking a massive bite. "Wonder who died?" He asked his cat. That was the nice thing about cats, they didn't care if you talked with your mouth full.

Hanky, Augusta's house elf arrived with the morning post and settled the daily correspondence on a silver platter meant for that purpose. "Thank you Hanky. Can you see that the boys find their way to breakfast eventually?" She took a sip of her tea and said, "Oh, and could you please inform Lord Potter that he is grounded from flying for the rest of the summer while he is at Longbottom Manor? If he wishes to discuss with me why he is grounded he may." She looked over at the elf who nodded.

"I's be telling him, Mistress." Popping away with a snap of her fingers.

Augusta had been woken by the wards when Harry departed the manor early in the morning and had been warned when he had returned. She had immediately called for her elves to make sure he was safe and they reported the moment he had reached the cabin. It was Panky who brought her Harry's note left on his pillow.

Harry had to learn that breaking rules placed for his protection would earn fair punishment. Good intentions aside, Harry was her responsibility when at her home, and putting himself at such risk was unacceptable. She sighed, It was as if the boy had no self-worth.

Harry was the reason all of them were free from Voldemort's terror if not his followers, she thought darkly. Regardless he was a National hero and she'd rather not explain to her colleagues how he came to be harmed on her watch. It scared her to think what could have happened. Though too pragmatic to dwell on it, she would take steps to make sure that Harry thought twice before making a similar decision in the future.

And she could live with that.

Augusta turned to the daily mail and reached for the Gringotts' letter, hoping it wasn't bad news. She really could use some good ones. The Hogwarts contract was always helpful and this was one of their better harvests. But it was still barely enough. She glanced over the invitation to a will reading and noted that the bequests were to Frank, Alice, and Neville.

Dear Merlin Who died? She wondered, noting the date and time of the reading.

Andromeda Tonks and her unruly seventh year were arguing over the kitchen table, while Ted was slouched between the women completely ignoring their back and forth. Or pretending to.

"And for the millionth time, Nymphadora is a perfectly acceptable name. So no, you can not get it legally changed. It hurts my feelings as your mother who loves you more than anyone else in the world, when you say you hate your name. How would you feel if Cadamus told you he hated his name? Wouldn't that hurt your feelings?" Cadamus was currently hissing under the kitchen table.

Ted smiled behind the prophet. The familiar argument was a comforting refrain in their home. His daughter had been petitioning for a legal name change for a decade.

"It is not an acceptable name mum. Have you ever heard the term, Nymphomaniac? How about Nympho? That's what I've had to live with!" His daughter's hair turned bright red and Ted slouched down further in his chair. He happened to agree with his daughter that the name was inappropriate but Andy would never agree.

Andromeda scoffed, "It means Gift of the Nymphs. Because nymphs have the ability to shapeshift! And you shouldn't care what small-minded people say. Your name is beautiful!"

Tonks started banging her head on the table and Ted slid his paper between her head and the wood to protect her from the headache she was sure to give herself.

"Oh look, post owls." Ted was glad for the distraction as they received two missives from Gringotts, one for Andy and one for Tonks. A few minutes later they both looked up and asked, "Who died?"

Hagrid was fertilizing the pumpkin patch when an owl arrived landing upon his massive shoulder and hunting for vermin within his beard as he removed the fancy envelope. Always one for owl treats, he takes care of the beast before reading the letter. Will reading? "Who died?" He asked the owl.

Sirius, Remus, and Harry received their summons as well.

"Well, that didn't take very long," Remus noted wryly.

Harry sighed and nodded feeling more nervous than he'd ever felt. Sirius placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Are you sure you want to go?"

Harry nodded. "Uhm yeah? I'm just… not looking forward to it." He muttered.

Sirius nodded. "Understandable. Imagine I'd feel the same way having to go back to my childhood home." The man shuddered. "Too bad the more level-headed of us can't come." giving Remus an apologetic look.

Remus sighed, "Stupid wards."

Harry and Sirius seemed to agree with Remus's assessment.

Harry followed Sirius's example and mounted his broom and with a final wave to Remus they headed towards the nearby village. From there Sirius summoned the wizarding bus and it was far too short a time before Sirius and Harry found themselves standing in front of Number 4 Privet Drive.