The Heiress

Chapter 2: The Ride

"You want to give us a ride?" said Aeris blankly. "How-"

"We'll use Floo Powder," said McGonagall.

"Floo what?" said Aeris.

"Floo powder. We can travel there by fireplace. If you'll give me just a moment, let me contact the Ministry to hook up Mr. Anthony's fireplace to the network. Aeris, what is your father's first name?"

"John."

"Very good. Please do excuse me." McGonagall swept out of the room.

Speaking for the first time since the strange visitors had arrived, Amelia turned to Aeris and said, "Aeris, how on earth did you get yourself into this?" at the same time Elizabeth said, "By fireplace?"

"I have no idea," Aeris answered. "But it completely fits every weird thing I've ever known about myself." Suddenly remembering something she'd done often as a kid whenever she thought no one was looking, Aeris said, "Look at my fingernails." Elizabeth and Amelia complied. "Watch," said Aeris, and the two looked on in amazement as Aeris's fingernails rapidly changed color from bright red to blue to cow spots to stripes to candy cane to plaid, then back to the normal flesh color.

"Oh my god," said Amelia in a small voice. "How did you never show me any of this while we were growing up?"

Aeris sighed. "I don't really know. I mean, no one else ever did any kind of odd stuff like I did, so I didn't flaunt it. I hid it as best as I could, but when I was really upset over something, like when Lady got run over, I couldn't control it and it came out anyway."

"I remember that now," said Amelia. "It was so...I think I just pushed it from my memory after it happened because it was impossible, my brain couldn't accept it. I was too young to think about stuff like that...."

McGonagall returned to the room. "All right, if you'll pay attention," she said. Aeris got the distinct impression that McGonagall was not a teacher that you would dare disrespect in her classroom. "Floo powder" - she held up a small clear bottle filled with a shimmery green powder - "is a powdery substance that allows people to travel through a network of connected fireplaces. I happen to carry some with me whenever I am outside of Hogwarts. Now, if you could please watch Remus."

Remus grabbed a fistful of Floo Powder, tossed it into the fire, said "John Anthony!" very clearly, stepped into the fire, and disappeared.

Aeris, Elizabeth, and Amelia gaped.

"It's perfectly safe," McGonagall assured them. "It's the preferred mode of transportation for families with children too young to Apparate."

None of this seemed to sink in. "He walked into a fire," said Amelia.

"I'll go next," said Aeris suddenly.

"All right," said McGonagall, slightly surprised. "Now don't forget to..."

But Aeris had grabbed a bit of the powder already and walked to the fire. Somehow she knew exactly what to do, as if she had done this many times before...

"John Anthony," she said, and whirled through a vortex of color, voices, and fire grates until she collapsed on the living room floor of her home.

"Hi, sweetie," said John Anthony as he bent down to help his daughter off the floor. "It's good to see you." He pulled her into a tight hug.

"Hi, baby," said Tara Anthony, embracing Aeris as soon as her husband released her.

"Er," said Aeris, completely bewildered. "I just fell out of the fireplace and onto the floor and all you're saying is 'Hi'?"

"Minerva just came to the door and told us to expect you this way," said Tara.

"But...but..." Aeris sputtered. "How did she convince you to be okay with people falling out of the fireplace?"

John Anthony looked at his wife and she nodded acquiescence. "Aeris, sweetie, we've known about the existence of magic for a while now," said John. "You've always known I work for the government, but you never really knew what I actually do, did you?"

Aeris stared at her father. A fuzzy idea began to take shape in her mind. "Not...really...did you...do you...oh my god this is all too much you've got to be joking," she finished rapidly, and sat down on the sofa with a thump.

John smiled at his daughter. "I work in the Wizarding Liaison Office. Their government has a parallel branch to ours, the Muggle Liaison Office. Most people in our government do not even know my branch exists. Only a few do, in fact, about twenty total, including the Prime Minister. And what we do is keep in contact with the wizard world, keep up to date on events that may affect us, things like that. We never meddle with them - they have incredible protections against us, for one thing, and we may lose valuable information if we abuse our privileges, for another. I've known McGonagall for quite some time now. She is now one of the government's most valuable contacts. Our best contact, Albus Dumbledore, who was Headmaster of Hogwarts, very recently passed on. He was our most valuable contact. Now Minerva is going to take his place. I only hope that Dumbledore has passed on enough of his knowledge to her."

Aeris's mouth hung open until there was a burst of light green light and Amelia fell through the fireplace. She stood up, brushed herself off, and gave her aunt and uncle each a kiss on the cheek. "Hi, Uncle John and Aunt Tara," she said. "That's so weird, huh?" she indicated over her shoulder to the fireplace. "McGonagall told us about your dad right after you went through," she said to Aeris. "She wanted to tell you before you left, but you just kinda...went through without giving anyone a chance to do anything. I guess it's better that you heard it from your dad's mouth anyway."

"Yeah, I guess," said Aeris, shell-shocked.

Two more wizards appearing out of nowhere on the doorstep later, the entire party had gathered in the spacious living room of the Anthony home.

"Hello, Mr. Anthony," said McGonagall, as she reached forward to grasp John's hand.

"How are you, Minerva?" returned John. "I see that I've got a little witch on my hands. I am very, very curious-" he leaned forward - "as to how in the world that happened. Based on my limited knowledge of your world, it is quite impossible."

"We thought so too, until we became aware of your daughter. I must admit we're quite as surprised and curious as you are. The Hogwarts quill never took down her name, so she was certainly not born a witch."

"Quill?" said Elizabeth, and Remus explained to them everything he had told Aeris on the subject.

Aeris, who had tuned everyone out while Remus explained about the quill, suddenly turned to her father and said quietly, "If you knew about them all along, how could you not suspect I was one, too?"

John furrowed his brow. "We did suspect," he said. "When you were young, we thought for sure you would get a letter. But you never did, and then we - I guess we just - forgot that you had done all those strange things. You sort of stopped doing them after age eleven, maybe because you didn't get your letter."

"I didn't stop doing them," she said. "I had just learned to hide it by then. I was always playing with my nails. See?" She held up her hands and made her fingernail colors change again.

John Anthony stared at his daughter. "Well, I'll be," he said finally.

"Yes, yes, quite remarkable," commented McGonagall. "Especially for a young lady who is not technically a witch, by the traditional definition."

"What?" said Aeris. "But you just said..."

"Don't worry, dear, you are one," McGonagall reassured her. "But by the traditional definition, all witches and wizards are born, not made. So here you quite challenge convention."

Aeris breathed a sigh of relief. "So...does this mean that I get to go to Hogwarts?" she asked.

McGonagall smiled. "Well, Miss Anthony, that's your parents' decision."

"Hogwarts?" John said. "But students start going there when they're eleven, not seventeen!"

"But Dad, I have to go!" exclaimed Aeris. "I've finally found out what's been wrong with me my whole life, and I want to fix it!" She stopped to collect herself. "If I don't go," she continued softly, "I'll never be happy. I'll never know what I could have been, what powers I could have had, what people I could have met..."

"I know, I know, Aeris," said her father. He suddenly appeared very old, his face sullen and heavily lined with wrinkles. "It's just so...unconventional."

"Unconventional?" Aeris was getting a bit angry now. "Haven't you been listening? I'm unconventional! My very existence is unconventional! I don't care if I have to stay in school until I'm 24, I have to go!" She finished slightly panicked.

"Darling," her mother spoke, "we can't keep you from going. But you have to think about how happy you'll be spending seven years with people six years younger than you."

"I don't care!"

"May I make a suggestion?" McGonagall interjected softly. "Recently, Hogwarts has been unfortunate enough to lose a teacher in the subject of Muggle Studies. Aeris seems to be particularly suited to teach the class, seeing as she is a Muggle as well as a witch, and having at least six more years in the Muggle world than even the most qualified Muggle-born wizard."

"You want me to teach?" said Aeris, incredulous.

"Yes. Teach Muggle Studies and go to school, at least for this year. I think you will find yourself more than equal to teaching a curriculum on a subject you know so well, and this way we can waive your tuition and boarding."

"That's an idea," said Aeris slowly. "But people my own age - they don't even know me. They'll never listen to me-"

"Yes, they will," said McGonagall. "Remember, you are not just another peer to them, you are something no one has ever seen before. You are a rarity and a novelty. That alone will keep their silence in the classroom for you."

"Well," Aeris took a deep breath, "Okay."

"One more thing," said McGonagall. She cleared her throat and began to look slightly ill-at-ease. "Before we make any decisions or take this any further, I feel that I must remind you-" she nodded at John - "and inform you-" she indicated everyone else - "of something." The people around her exchanged looks of apprehension. "John, I'm sure you know that Vol- V-V-Voldemort has returned to power."

Why can't she say that name? wondered Aeris.

"Yes," said John.

"Who is Voldemort?" asked Elizabeth. McGonagall cringed at the sound of the name.

"Imagine Hitler with magical powers," said McGonagall. "Except Voldemort is more systematic, and if possible, even more evil. He has the same sort of ideas about race and purity that Hitler did. Only pure-blood witches and wizards deserve to live, in his view. Muggles and muggle-born wizards and witches are scum to him."

"How do you know about Hitler?" asked Aeris. "Aren't the two worlds supposed to be separate?"

"Albus was not the only one who knows Muggle history, Miss Anthony," McGonagall answered. "Now, to continue. V-V-V-Voldemort reached the height of his powers about 17 years ago. People fought back, oh yes, but he was too powerful. Everyone was terrified for their lives and the lives of their loved ones. But one evening, when V-Voldemort attacked a family named Potter, the Killing Curse backfired on him when he tried to kill the Potters' one year old son, Harry. V-Voldemort lost his powers and disappeared. Many believed him dead, and the horrors of his reign stopped. Harry was celebrated as the savior of the wizarding world. He is still highly regarded and a bit of a celebrity, even though about two years ago V-Voldemort regained his power. And now another war has begun. We have more information and quite a few more spies and tricks than we had last time."

Silence greeted her words. To everyone except John Anthony, this was news.

McGonagall spoke into their silence. "There's more to the story than that, but it requires quite a bit of explanation, and now is not the time." She smiled at Aeris. "And I expect you'll be able to ask Harry Potter himself all the details when you get to Hogwarts."

"Harry Potter is at Hogwarts?" Aeris asked in wonder.

"Yes, well, he almost didn't come back after what happened at the end of last year, but yes, he is returning. He is your age, Aeris, a seventh year."

"So what happened last year?" asked Tara Anthony in a tight voice.

"At the end of the last school year there was an infiltration of Hogwarts. The Death Eaters - Vol- Voldemort's followers - attacked us within our own walls."

"But I thought Hogwarts was impenetrable," said John.

"So did we all," said McGonagall. "But one of our students repaired a passageway between Hogwarts and Diagon Alley in London. No one else in Hogwarts knew it existed. Not even Albus." Aeris noticed that she looked a little disheartened at Albus's name.

"So is that how Dumbledore died? In the attack?" asked John.

"Yes," she answered, and Aeris knew this time that she was not imagining the sadness on McGonagall's face. "So the war is escalating. And I thought you all should know that before any further decisions are made." She looked down at her hands and fell silent.

"John, conference, please." Tara beckoned to her husband, and they left the room together, leaving everyone in the room staring at each other, each trying to absorb everything they had just heard.

"Well, Aeris, I think you need to go, war or not," said Amelia.

"Me too," seconded Elizabeth.

Aeris turned to Lupin, who hadn't muttered a word the whole time. "Remus?" she ventured a little timidly. "What do you think of all this?"

"I think," said Remus slowly, "that a case like yours is so rare and special that every step must be taken to ensure the most is made of it." He grinned in Aeris's direction. "And who knows. Maybe something this monumental will be a great asset to our side."

"Our side?" Aeris said teasingly. "And how do you know which side I'll be on?"

"Let's just say I have good instincts," Remus winked, as John and Tara reentered the room.

John cleared his throat. "Aeris," he began, "although your mother does not feel like this is the best choice for you, I believe, based on my knowledge of the wizarding world, that you need to go." He glanced sidelong at his wife. "Your mother will leave the decision to you. She will not stop you."

Aeris felt a grin of joy spread across her face. She flew to her mother and flung her arms around her. Her mother gave a very stunned and half-hearted hug back. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Aeris gushed.

"Mrs. Anthony," McGonagall said, bowing her head slightly in Tara's direction, "I think you have made the right choice. You may not realize it, but Aeris's situation makes her quite important." She inclined her head. "Thank you." Turning to Lupin, she said, "Remus, I think we've caused quite enough grief in this household today."

"I quite agree, Minerva," Remus said. They stood to leave.

"Wait," said Aeris. She walked hesitantly up to McGonagall, and then embraced her. She did not see it, but McGonagall's face lit up briefly with surprise and delight at the impulsive gesture. "Thank you, Professor," she whispered. "You have no idea what this means to me." McGonagall patted her back briefly and pulled back, readjusting her pointy hat to hide her embarrassment. "You're welcome, Miss Anthony."

She turned to Remus and did the same. "You saved me back there in that bar," she said to him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he whispered back, and released her.

"Aeris, we shall come to collect you at noon on Friday," McGonagall said, straightening her robes. "Term starts on September 1^st, and you will need time to adjust yourself and design a rough curriculum for your students."

"I can't wait!" Aeris replied.

"Good bye, John, Tara, Elizabeth, Amelia." McGonagall addressed Aeris's family each in turn and shook their hands.

"Yes, thank you," added Remus, also shaking hands with everyone.

With a last chorus of goodbyes, McGonagall and Remus Disapparated with two small *pops*.

John Anthony turned to his daughter, blue eyes shining with emotion. "Well, Aeris," he said, "my only daughter, it looks like fate has you in for a different ending than we'd imagined."

"Yeah," said Aeris, "it does."

************************************

McGonagall and Remus reappeared outside of the gates at Hogwarts. McGonagall gave a small sigh. "We are very lucky that we found her first," she said to Remus. "Imagine if we hadn't."

"I know," Remus replied. "It frightens me. A girl so novel to our world with such untapped powers could be dangerous if she fell into the wrong hands."

"More dangerous than you know," said McGonagall.

"What do you mean?" said Remus, surprised.

McGonagall's face turned grim. "That is a secret Dumbledore passed on to me before he died," she said, and both grew quiet at the memory of the beloved Headmaster. "I think he knew his time was coming, and that his death would be a casualty of war. As for Snape..." She shook her head. "His loyalty is still to the Order, I'm sure of that. Dumbledore also told me his real reason for trusting Snape. But I don't know if I should confide that to you yet, Remus. I want to follow what Dumbledore would do, and since he only told me because he thought he was going to die..." She was becoming slightly hysterical.

"Shh, shh," said Remus, pulling his old teacher into her second embrace of the day. He let her sob into his shoulder, knowing that this was probably the first time steadfast, strong Minerva had let her guard down since Dumbledore died. He silently stroked her back until she pulled herself together and stepped back from Remus with a sharp "hhmph."

"Shall we go up, then?" she said, indicating Hogwarts.

"Yes," smiled Remus, "Let's go up."

***********************************

Once in her office, Headmistress McGonagall settled herself into the great easy chair behind the desk and sighed. Dumbledore's death was too recent, and she had not yet come to the point where she could move his things out of the office that was now rightfully hers and replace them with her own things. She looked around at the various magical curiosities that Dumbledore had collected over the years. The whirring golden instruments, the foe-glass, the paperweight. Her eyes settled on Salazar Slytherin's ring, which was still lying on the table by the door where Dumbledore had last left it.

"Minerva," said Dumbledore's voice. McGonagall looked up to see Dumbledore's portrait, last and most recent in a line of deceased Hogwarts Headmasters, speaking to her.

"Minerva, I am not truly gone." McGonagall looked at him sharply as if he were one of her students who had dared to contradict her, then realized to whom she was speaking. Her gaze softened. "Not gone, Albus?"

"No, I'm not," said Dumbledore firmly. "As long as there are those here who are loyal to me, I will be here among you, with you when you need me."

"What about Potter? He has to do it all himself now, no help. You were-" and here McGonagall had to blink to keep from crying - "you were the only wizard You-Know-Who ever feared. And now poor Harry has to do it all himself." And she glared up at him again, as if blaming him for being murdered and leaving Harry to the proverbial wolves. "He's only seventeen, Albus."

"That is true, Minerva, quite true," he said, apparently ignoring her glare. "His youth is one advantage." Minerva stared blankly at him. "Voldemort will not accurately assess Harry as an enemy because of Harry's youth. Voldemort would not see such a young wizard as a threat. And I have maintained for quite some time that there is a force greater than any, and that force is what preserved Harry in Godric's Hollow."

"Love, yes, yes, I know," said McGonagall dismissively. "But still-"

"Tom has never known love, Minerva," said Dumbledore firmly. "Harry has, from many sources. First from his parents, although he cannot remember that. Then from Hagrid, then Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, then Molly and Arthur, then Sirius, and eventually he learned he had it from me. And Miss Weasley," he added as an afterthought. "Tom has never lent any credence to love's power. He believes it does not exist. And that, more than anything I could ever do, is what will be his undoing." He smiled. "I may be the only wizard Tom ever feared, but love is an even greater power than I am."

"I hope you're right, Albus," replied McGonagall, "for all our sakes." She closed her eyes for a moment, then snapped back to attention and pulled out a quill and two pieces of parchment. The first one she addressed to Hermione Granger, Head Girl, and the second to Draco Malfoy, Head Boy. She began to write.