Unexpected Developments

"Master, did you hear?"

"You'll need to be more specific Quirrell."

"The armour is a full body prosthetic."

"We knew this already."

"Master, what if it's more like a possession?"

"I see, yes, that would indeed allow us to combat them if needed. How are you feeling now?"

Quirrell grins wildly, "I'm sorry I doubted you Master. That ritual..."

"Indeed. Come, we have a charms professor to get drunk, and how are your contacts coming along with the dragon egg?"

"The egg is on the way from Romania now, it should be here in March."

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It's halfway through February when Neville comes hopping in through the portrait. Blood splattered lightly all over his face and robes. Trotting behind him comes a satisfied looking Whisper. As laughter sounds around the common room, Hermione glances up and casts the universal counter before looking back at her work.

A second later she looks up again, "Neville, are you alright?"

Neville gives a horrified grin, "I am now, thanks for releasing me. And Whisper, you are such a good kitty."

One of the Weasley twins shouts, "What happened?"

Neville laughs, "Draco happened. He caught me outside the Library, said that he needed someone to practice on. Whisper took offence to him attacking me. Sliced his wand to ribbons, and left some deep scratches on his face and arms."

The other Weasley throws him a chocolate frog, "Here, you deserve that. What happened to the timid little thing that started in September?"

Neville scoops up Whisper, who starts to lick his face clean, "Whisper happened. It's easier to be brave when he's always around. Not to mention that he won't let me mope either."

Hermione shakes her head before looking up again, "Neville, have you done the familiar bond ritual with Whisper yet?"

Neville glances at the chocolate frog card while he thinks, before chucking it on the table between Ron and Dean. Swallowing the head of the frog while Whisper successfully steals one of the legs and runs off, he finally responds, "Um, no? I can't say I've ever heard of it."

"Oh, well it's in Uncommon Summoning as an example of a ritual that's taught to all children in their first year of education. See, right here..." Hermione spins one of the panels she's been reading from, before remembering that it's literally only Harry and her that can see those panels in this room.

As the lights on her Titania turn rosy, Hermione pulls over a sheet of parchment and an oversized quill, "Um, I'll just copy it out for you. Just remember to actually flick through the book in the library, at least chapter 1 where the ritual is."

As she's writing, Angela Spinnet, one of the chasers for the Quidditch team, sits down next to her, "What does the ritual do?"

"Huh? Oh, it bonds their spirit to your soul so that they will age with you rather than at their natural rate. There's apparently other rituals you can do after that so that you can share senses, or send spells through your connection to them. But they're in another book I haven't found yet. Given that I've scanned 89% of the library, excluding the restricted section, it's quite possible it's not in the student accessible parts of the library. Then again, as this book is written in Middle Scottish Gaelic, it could also be that it no longer exists."

From the table that Ron and Dean were sitting at, there's a loud exclamation of, "I knew I'd read that name somewhere. Nicholas Flamel worked with the Headmaster on the discovery of dragons blood."

With that interruption, everyone else looks over before going back to what they were doing.

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Kitty's looking for a particular patients file, and has been looking for the last 10 minutes. According to the computer, they last came in 5 years ago, and Amelia needs the x-rays that were taken at the time. Of course, the practice has been refurbished twice, the appointment book has been replaced by a computer, and the receptionist that did the filing retired. The problem is, it's not the first time this has happened this week. When she started here just after Christmas, this was all new and fun, and quaint. Now it's just frustrating, as they could have had the whole thing scanned and indexed in minutes, except Earth doesn't have that ability so they can't use it. She could just ask Danjell or Amelia, but again they're not supposed to know. To make matters worse, the patient is next on the list, and once they go in, she only has minutes left to find it.

With a frustrated huff she puts the current box of records back on the shelf with a huff and calls out, "Where are you, you void sucking file."

Much to her surprise, a box on the other side of the room falls off the shelf, spilling its contents over the floor, as a single file flies out to her hand. She's so surprised at the appearance that she stands there for a good minute before Anne leans around the doorway, "Kitty, have you found the file yet?"

Looking back over her shoulder, Kitty closes her mouth with a click, "Uh, yes? Yes, here you go. I, um, had some trouble getting it out... Here, I'll just tidy up the other files and Sue can take this one in for Emma."

Less than a minute later, there's a soft crack of displaced air, and Kitty spins around, bringing up her amp before quickly lowering it when she recognises the style of robe. The person flicks their wand out, and Kitty's arms and legs stick together. Just as she's about to call her Nezha, the person finishes casting another spell at her before slashing their wand and dispelling the spell.

Pushing back her hood, Hestia smiles, "Sorry about that. My name's Hestia Jones, and I'm with the Improper Use of Magic office. We detected some accidental magic here, and as this isn't a residential address we're obliged to investigate. Did you witness the person that performed the magic?"

Kitty opens and closes her mouth as she tries to understand what was just said.

{KittyKavat} @MissKitty, Um, someone says they're from an improper magic office, what do I do?

{MissKitty} Did they say why they were there?

{KittyKavat} Something about accidental magic.

{MissKitty} Be as honest as you can without revealing the other universe.

Hestia speaks up, "I'm sorry to push you, but if you don't answer in a moment, I'll be forced to call an Auror to take you into custody."

Kitty shakes her head, "Uh, sorry but I honestly have no idea what you meant. I only moved here at Christmas. What's an Auror, and what's accidental magic."

This time it's Hestia's turn to stare at Kitty, "How can you have got to 18 without knowing about that, even if you have just moved here? Where did you take your NEWTs?"

Kitty shakes her head, "I don't know what NEWTs are. And why would I know what those things are? Harry said I could use the Potter vaults when he invited me to his clan, but I've never been there."

"Have you at least taken your OWLs?"

Kitty shakes her head, "Sorry, I don't know what they are either. I'm still learning about English customs and rules."

Hestia growls, "Let me see your wand."

Kitty spreads her hands, "Sorry, I don't have one. Harry does though."

Hestia pinches her nose, as the spell showed that the young woman in front of her has enough magic to use a wand. Though that's all it told her, which is odd, "Ok, can we start again please. My names Hestia Jones, did you see anything strange happen?"

Kitty nods, "Um, yeah. I was looking for a file and it flew out of this box to my hand. Um, aren't you worried that someone will come in here?"

Hestia shakes her head, "No, I've placed a mild muggle repelling charm on the door. Ok, how old are you?"

"A few years older that Harry, I was 11 when he arrived as a toddler. We sort of grew up together."

Hestia pinches the bridge of her nose, "You said Potter clan earlier?"

Kitty nods, "Harry invited me in just before Christmas when I decided to accompany him here."

With a much kinder tone, Hestia slumps as she continues, "It would have to be Potter. Right, did Mr Potter say anything about Rip-Van-Winkle?"

Kitty shakes her head, "I don't remember anything like that. But he's been coming here for several years, so he could have said something about it and I've just forgotten."

"Ok, first of all, would you tell me your name?"

Kitty nods, "Kitty of clan Potter."

"Ok Kitty, did anyone else see what happened?"

Kitty shakes her head, "No, I was the only one here."

Hestia breathes a sigh of relief, "Thank Merlin for small mercies. Do you know what the Statute of Secrecy is?"

Kitty shakes her head again, "Not really, Dan and Emma have mentioned it, which is why I'm staying with them."

"Who are Dan and Emma?"

"Um, they're the owners of the practice. Danjell and Amelia Granger, their daughter Hermione goes to Hogwarts with Harry."

Hestia nods again and pulls out some parchment and a quill, "Very well, could you write your name here please so that I can owl you some information you need to know. You'll probably also get a request to visit St Mungo's to have your age determined. I have no doubt you'll also be given the various potions you'd have been given as a child to help protect you against some of the magical diseases."

Kitty looks up from the parchment, where she has 3 attempts to write her name with the unfamiliar writing instrument, "Um, what? Why would you need to do that?"

"Because you will need to undergo a magical education, or have your magic bound."

"Um, would this be a bad time to say that Harry and I are married, at least that's what Healer Tonks said."

Hestia rubs her forehead, "Yes." She looks down at the parchment, "Don't worry about any more of your name, you've got Kitty written. That will be enough for the owls, and we can add Potter ourselves. While I appreciate that you can't help accidental magic, if you have another bout before you start your education. Please note everyone that's around, as we need to make sure that the statute of secrecy is upheld. Right, I'm off back to the office to fill in all the paperwork."

Hestia waves her wand at the files, and they all pack themselves in the box. Next, she removes the charm on the door before apparating away, leaving a bemused Kitty behind.

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Amelia puts a slow cooked stew, with dumplings, on the table and takes a seat, "Kitty, how are you doing after earlier?"

Kitty looks up from where she's ladling the stew, she helped prepare this morning, into a bowl, "Um, which bit of earlier?"

"The one where Hestia visited."

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. It was more surprise than anything."

Dan nods and swallows his mouthful of food, "I'm actually surprised you haven't had a bout of accidental magic already. Hermione used to have them every few weeks. Not that we knew what they were then."

Kitty raises her amp, "It's this. It works on magic the same way it does on void energy. Well, that's what Harry's said anyway."

Amelia smiles at Kitty, "Any idea what caused your accidental magic?"

Kitty nods, "I couldn't find a file, because it was in the wrong box after the last redecoration you had done. All I could think about was the fact we could have scanned and indexed or even digitised the whole thing back home. Like most such frustrated outbursts, it was a silly thing to get so stressed over, and it's probably just the tip of the infested hive, that's been building for a while..."

Kitty trails off when both Danjell and Amelia look towards the front door together. Putting his napkin down, Dan gets up, "I'll get it, apparently you warrant a personal visit."

A moment later he comes back with Hestia and two wizards, the one on the left smiles, "Good evening, Mrs Potter, Mr and Mrs Granger. Sorry for just dropping by, however it was felt that a personal touch would be better than an owled message. I am Senior Auror Scrimgeour, and you've met Miss Jones. The other gentleman is Healer Oakden." He looks around the table, "Would you mind if we sat down for this?"

Kitty looks over each of them, "What exactly is this?"

Scrimgeour nods approvingly, "This is verifying that you have been subject to the same effects that Mr Potter has been subject to, and thus fall under the Rip-Van-Winkle law. It is also to verify your marital status for our own records. As this is a known address of an underage witch, we felt that it would be better to conduct these tests where you're more comfortable than ask you to find your way to our hospital. Once that's done, myself and Healer Oakden will leave you with Miss Jones, who will give you the pamphlets we promised, as well as give you a brief verbal explanation of our world and what will be expected of you."

Kitty glances at the Grangers, who nod, before replying, "Uh, ok? Is there anything I need to do?"

Healer Oakden nods, "Just sit still for around 5 minutes, as I have already read up on the spells I need to cast. Before I begin, do you know Healer Tonks?"

Kitty looks surprised, "I do, how did you know that?"

"That makes things easier, were you the one she treated over Christmas?"

Kitty looks at the other two magicals, "Ah..."

The healer nods, "I understand. Patient, Healer, confidentiality. The director is most upset that she's not willing to share what she knows of Goblin healing techniques. Well, I'll begin."

In the end it only takes 4 minutes before they're left with a potion for Kitty to take a few hours after they finish eating, along with Hestia to explain what will be expected of her educationally and socially. An explanation that goes on well into the night, and even then, they're left with the same booklets that were given to Hermione.