What Once Was

Chapter One: Magical Theory and a New Location

So many situations in life were ironic; situations arose that were so very unexpected. Albus Dumbledore decided this was one of those times as he put down the book he was reading. Three and a half decades ago he helped search a specific topic to help a young woman, though with quite unsuccessful results. Slightly more than one and a half decades ago she disappeared from the Wizard world, either because of an attack by Voldemort that never came to the Order's ears, or she had returned to the Muggle world, where she always had one foot so firmly planted. It was hard to say which was more likely.

Naturally there were mistakes in his research. For example, he assumed the Ley Node of Hogwarts was the reason that Hogwarts was built there. Another problem was that it had faded into a popular myth many years ago. It was so many years ago since anyone had pursued Ley Magic that wizards tended to believe it was a powerful gift such as the gift of speaking parseltongue. It was a gift even rarer than metamorphmagi and animagi. Dumbledore could now tell that the last group of wizards who studied Ley Magic studied it slightly more than one thousand years ago. Their names were none other than Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Helga Hufflepuff, and Rowena Ravenclaw; the four founders of Hogwarts.

Through legend, and seeing the magic used right before their eyes, they were able to come to several conclusions. The first was that, though it lacked wands and incantations, it needed a source of power. This power was the user's own energy, as that using the magic caused fatigue and even caused users to faint on numerous occasions. It also drew energy from mystical objects called Ley Nodes. No one was quite sure what Ley Lines were, if they even had something to do with the Nodes. Another conclusion they reached was that it could only do the same things "normal magic" could do. The last conclusion they had reached was that any open minded person could perform it if they tried hard enough, and practiced. All the members of the Order were capable of performing Ley Magic on various levels. Yet there were two patterns that could be picked up amongst them. The older they were, the more difficulty they had, why none of them knew. Albus knew that he, the strongest in magic amongst the Order, could only perform the most simple Lumos spell, and that was it. The other common factor between each who was capable of wand magic, didn't see the point. To them there was little point in learning a magic that rid them of wands, if that meant they would be utterly exhausted if they wanted to lift something.

Yet still, one woman learned to control Ley Magic, at first all on her own. It began with accidental magic so common to all children, then she learned how to control the magic to a degree. She read from her elder brother Matthew's Hogwarts textbooks over the holidays. Matthew had encouraged her openness to the wizard world and bought her a copy of A Standard Book of Spells, Year One for her to keep for herself, though her parents never new.

Yet when she turned eleven no Hogwarts letter came. It didn't surprise her parents because, well, they were Muggles, and they were lucky enough to have one wizard in their family. The day that he, Albus, had met her was still clear in his mind. It had been the summer of 1961, and in the coming school year it would be his first as headmaster at Hogwarts. It would also be the first year a werewolf had attended Hogwarts in any record that he was capable of finding. He had stopped at Saint Mungo's Hospital to see the research they had documented on werewolves, as it seemed the most natural thing to do. He had felt it was possible to persuade the healers to test an experimental potion on young Remus Lupin, even if it wasn't a cure.

Of all people to find in the research area of the hospital, the boy, now a young man, who graduated just a year ago, was not whom he expected to see. Even more surprising was a young teen sitting in a chair that he didn't recognize. Albus decided that she must have been the younger sister of Matthew Evans. She had red plaited eyes and green eyes. Neither were as bright and conspicuous as Lily Evan's, but still similar.

"Matthew, what a surprise to see you here," he said.

The man turned around. "Professor! I didn't even hear you come in," he said in voice as surprised as he looked. "Can I help you with anything?"

"Would you know where I could find research on werewolves?"

"This is about Remus Lupin? It's a case that most healers study early on. Poor boy, only four when he was bitten," Matt said, looking through a filing cabinet and puling out a rather small folder compared to some others. "This is what we have, but if you need real research you would want to go to the R. C. F. L. center in Hogsmeade."

"I don't believe I've heard of that."

"They research werewolves as well. I can owl their address to you."

"Thank you. I won't keep you from your work."

The healer in training went back to his sister and took some sort of tool to examine her with.
"He's the headmaster of Hogwarts," Albus heard her whisper. "Maybe he could explain what's wrong with me."

"I told you Magnolia, it may not have been you causing the magic. I know this isn't what you would like to hear, but it may have been accidental magic from Petunia. She's only nine, and magic does run in our family."

"She was all the way upstairs Matthew. And don't call me Magnolia. She would have gotten a letter from the Ministry of Magic, just like Lily did last year when she made the glasses explode. I've used magic before and they haven't registered it. Maybe there's some sort of spell on me so people can't tell that I have magical powers."

"It is a distinct possibility," Dumbledore interrupted. In all of his years, and he had over one hundred of them, he couldn't remember a child having magic not register on the parchment they each July to find eleven year old wizards. "I'm certain it could be looked into."

"I've tried Finite Incantatum, spells to detect a magical aura. By all definitions of the word, Maggie is a Muggle."

"I am not a Muggle!" She protested. "How can Muggles do this?"

She closed her eyes tightly in concentration, her hand glowed slightly as a wand would, and a piece of parchment lifted into the air, floating as her hand directed it. It suddenly stopped and fell to the ground. She would have fallen of her chair if Matt hadn't caught her. She was breathing heavy as if she had ran a long distance.

"Why didn't you tell me you could do that?" Matt demanded. "No wand, not even an incantation."

"I- I'm not sure how," She stopped to take a breath, "I learned to control the accidents," she took another deep breath, "so I could be like you."

"Did you ever hear about the myth of Ley Magic, Matthew?" Dumbledore had calmly asked.

That had begun a summer of mad research for thirteen year old Maggie and eleven year old Remus. It was that summer that Dumbledore had sworn that he would teach any child with a magical ability, no matter how odd a circumstance.

Maggie did learn how to use Ley Magic, under the counsel of Matt and later on Lily. All three had went on to join the Order of the Phoenix when Voldemort came to power. Matthew was the first to leave. He, his wife, and young daughter were killed by Death Eaters. Not soon after Maggie had all vanished off the face of the Earth. Then was Lily, who was the last to die by the hands of Voldemort, until Bertha Jorkins came. Petunia had always been a mystery to him. She was the only one of the siblings who didn't tolerate magic, and she was never even talked about amongst her older siblings. It was as if she didn't exist, though he was quite sure that she did. The woman raising Harry was an Evans through and through.

Albus decided it was one of the mysteries he would have to live with. Just as he assumed he would always wonder what Ley Magic really was. It's not that he did know right then, but a book written by the founders to log the doings of Hogwarts since it opened in 993 held one more piece of the puzzle. It had been an entry from Gryffindor.

Rowena, Salazar, Helga and I are quite glad that our dear friend Kondrat has chosen to stay at Hogwarts with us. Though I suppose the spirit has no other place to go. He was borne to this world when we had attempted to put a spell on the Ley Node in Diagon Alley. He appeared as a ghost, but in a full spectrum of colours, not just of grey-silver. If it was not for him, we would not have split the Ley Node at all.
We would have missed his mischief that has brightened even the dullest of days. Though I suppose at times his humour can be questioned. He claims that he will stay here until the fall of Hogwarts. He has also promised that he will protect Hogwarts from danger. In jest he has been dubbed the Protector of Hogwarts. Rowena had pointed out just days before his arrival I had pointed out that all good fortresses has a lead protector. Kondrat, Protector of Hogwarts may be his name in jest, but I do believe he will live up to it.
If he doesn't destroy the castle by controlling the Ley Nodes and causing odd things to happen here. Suites of armor are beginning to move as a normal person would, and stair cases are leading to different places each day. I suppose you cannot have a school of magic without eccentricity. Draco Dormeins Nunquam Titlandus is our motto after all. Godric Gryffindor.

The entry didn't give any direct information, but he realized if this Kondrat was found, he would find the answers. He had a good feeling that he knew where Kondrat was. Protector of Hogwarts indeed! He heard a knock on the door to his office. Setting down the book he said, "Come in."

"Albus," Minerva said. "We've finished placing the final wards on the Shrieking Shack. I still believe that Grimmauld Place was a much better place for the Order."

"And I would agree with you, if we had the choice. When Kreacher left Grimmauld Place he told Narcissa that the Order had been meeting there. She's claimed her inheritance on the house hold, as is her right to do so. She, Andromeda, and Bellatrix are Sirius' closest relations," Dumbledore said.
"Bellatrix is in Azkaban, though she wouldn't be of any help to us, but Andromeda!"

"She told the ministry she wanted nothing to do with Grimmauld Place before Nymphadora found out what was going on. We've been through this several times Minerva. The Shrieking Shack is the next safest place. You and I both know that there is no such thing as a secret in Hogwarts. And we must consider that the Floo Network can be spied on, and Port Keys must be approved by the Ministry. We cannot have the Order walk through the front door.

"In the Shrieking Shack there are enough wards to keep who we don't want out. And it is called named the most severely haunted house in Britain. Any odd occurrences there are justified. If there is an emergency it is close to Hogwarts. There won't be any problems."

"You're right of course. You always are. We'll have our first meeting tonight then?"

"As planned yes. I daresay it shall be an eventful meeting. Much has occurred since the night at the Ministry of Magic, and we haven't had a meeting since. Did you hear from Molly? Will Charlie be attending tonight?"

"No, he claims there's a problem in Torga that his friend asked him to sit in for. Apparently she inherited a position of power from her mother. Although, knowing that country a dragon burnt down a tree, and now all the humans are in an uproar. A completely uncivilized country."

"Now, now Minerva. Prejudices is the last thing either the Havens or Torga needs. If you remember last time they were both hit harder than England because they were in war. I must head to the Hog's Head. Aberforth wishes to speak with me before the meeting tonight. Until tonight Professor." The older professor left.

"Wizards have no right to involve themselves in Cha-tani politics," she muttered before she too left Dumbledore's office.