This is for "snowwolf12132", who requested a "what happened after". This will not be a story, but rather a collection of scenes, and newspaper clippings from various times. Note the years have been changed so that it is more…modernish, but hey, it's fanfiction.
Enjoy!
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"Ah, Ms. Potter, I was expecting you. Holly, 11 ½ inches, phoenix feather core, wasn't it?"
Ollivander peered up from behind his desk, and narrowed his eyes. "Disintegrated during the final battle; a most curious outcome. I admit, in all my years, I have never seen a wand that did that."
Briallen Potter nodded, brushing her dark curls out of her face.
"I do apologize, Master Ollivander. It was never my intention to destroy my…wand." Her voice caught on the last word, and she bit her lip, the hollow feeling in her chest expanding a little more. Ollivander's expression softened, and he walked up to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and leading her towards the back room.
"Do not be upset, Ms. Potter, it was an accident. And if that was the price we had to pay for the Dark Lord…burning, then it is a small price indeed. Now, you most definitely have changed, so any wand too similar to your old one will not do, hence a custom wand. I do not do these often, but I believe I will make an exception."
"Thank you, Master Ollivander." Briallen whispered, ducking her head.
Ollivander moved towards a chest, and opened it, pulling out separate compartments. Some had wood samples, while others held dragon heartstrings, unicorn hair, phoenix feathers, and a few other cores which she didn't recognize. There were a few vials of brightly coloured liquids that drew her eyes; in particular a violent green that looked like a cross between Rita Skeeter's suit, her own eyes and the Basilisk skin. There was another one that looked like liquid starlight, and another that reminded her of black ice.
She reached her hand out to touch the black ice, and Ollivander grabbed her hand, looking from the vial to her, studying her closely.
"Dementor blood is a bit dark for you, my dear. It would suit you ill after all of…this." He waved his hand vaguely, but Briallen knew precisely what he meant.
"Now, I want you to run your hands over the woods, and pick out one that feels warm. Do it slowly, and pause over the ones that give you a positive feeling."
Briallen did so, pausing momentarily over eight of the woods. Ollivander hummed as he pulled them out, laying them on the bench, eyeing a few of them thoughtfully.
"Run your hand over them again, just a little slower. One of them should jump out at you, but tell me how each of them feel."
She nodded again, placing her hand over the first one.
"Bright, flowing, sharp, hard…,' one of them rolled towards her, and Ollivander picked it up, placing it to the side and gesturing for her to continue. "That one felt a little sad, but complete, dark, righteous,…" she paused as she recognized the wood at the end, and shook her head, looking at Ollivander pleadingly.
"Not that wood, please."
Ollivander nodded, and took the rest away.
"I didn't think yew would be good for you at any time, and you seem too tired for blackthorn. Cypress,' he gestured to her, 'will be a good match. Mostly for self-sacrificing wielders, and you have sacrificed much in this war. Now, to the cores…"
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It was a very long process, but they had finally narrowed it down to Thestral hair and a vial of Basilisk venom. When Ollivander looked puzzled, and started muttering "curious, most curious", Briallen took pity on him.
"I'm a Parselmouth."
That cleared up, he set about making her wand, muttering measurements, pausing to look at her, and then start muttering again. He very graciously allowed her to stay in the backroom and watch him craft it, Briallen realizing that it wasn't often, if at all, that someone got to watch him at work.
After about a three hour wait, Ollivander held up her wand, the smooth polish of it gleaming in the sunlight that filtered through a small, dusty window; the curved handle having a representation of a fox head at the end.
"Cypress and Thestral hair, infused with Basilisk venom, 12 ½ inches, bendy, good for any type of magic."
He offered the handle to her, and Briallen took it nervously. As soon as her hand closed completely around the handle, magic rushed through her veins, and the hollow feeling in her chest had gone. She lifted it up, and waved it slightly, watching as silvery mist flowed out, before forming her fox Patronus. Ollivander clapped, even as it wove around her, nudging her with its nose. Briallen smiled at it, before reaching into her purse, hunting for Galleons.
"How much…?"
"There's no need for that, my dear." Ollivander cut her off. "You've already given us so much."
"Master Ollivander…"
"I won't hear of it, Ms. Potter. Make sure you clean it regularly, and if possible, soak it in Basilisk venom when you can. Enjoy your trip to Bulgaria." He pushed her out the door, waving away her protests, and gave her a smile.
"I expect great discoveries for you, Ms. Potter."
He shut the door, and Briallen huffed, drawing the hood on her cloak back up to avoid recognition. She placed the wand in her arm sheath and turned to Apparate, before something occurred to her.
"I never told him I was going to Bulgaria."
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The underground rooms of the Vratsa Vultures home ground were packed, and Briallen held tightly to Luna's hand as they weaved their way towards the locker rooms, making sure that her pass was on display for the security guards to see. It had been a spectacular match; Ilya's debut game had certainly gone out with a bang. The Vultures won 520-140, with Viktor catching the snitch at the twenty minute mark, and Ilya scoring the majority of the goals; a perfect example of flawless technique that made the Hogwarts games look like toddlers on training brooms.
Luna had been sent two "significant others" passes courtesy of Viktor, along with a note of "please come, Ilya's moping and tearing his hair out for this game, and he hasn't heard from Briallen since you all went underground."
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Hence the hurried trip to Bulgaria with a small written note left on the kitchen table for Sirius and Remus to see. And Tonks. Because she did not see Remus and Tonks getting together.
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The locker room door were shut, and there was steam billowing from underneath the doors, along with a mixture of English and Bulgarian jokes and insults. The security guard there narrowed his eyes, but Luna flashed her pass, and leaned against the wall, indicating that she'll wait. He relaxed, and Briallen leaned against the wall, sliding down it so that her knees were drawn up to her chest. Her heart was thumping in her chest, palms sweaty. She'd always hated crowds, after years of being a loner at school, with very few friends i.e. three, and big crowds with people pushing and shoving always brought back days of the school halls with people shooting jinxes and hexes at her.
The door opened, and an enormous man, about the same size as Hagrid, stepped out, his black jacket holding the Vultures emblem. He paused, and stared at both Luna and Briallen, eyes narrow, and he jolted forward, as if someone had walked into him. This seemed to be the case, as there was an explosion of Bulgarian muttering, to which the coach replied. Briallen frowned, her own rudimentary Bulgarian knowledge too small to translate.
She was saved, somewhat, when Viktor pushed past the coach to swoop Luna up into a passionate kiss, Luna's feet leaving the floor with the height difference. There was cheering and cat calls, and the coach looked to Briallen, who shrugged. The coach coughed, causing the two to break up, Luna blushing but grinning widely, and Viktor looking at her adoringly. Luna pecked him on the nose, and smiled wider.
"Well done Viktor. The Wrackspurts were nowhere near you, and they seem to have been gone for a long time." There was a choking sound form the door, and Briallen spotted the Keeper, Dmitri Orlov, coughing in his hand to disguise laughter. Viktor grinned, and whispered something in her ear, causing Luna to shriek excitedly, and hug him tightly. Briallen watched this scene with fond amusement, before the rest of the Quidditch team exited, watching the couple with mixtures of curiosity, amusement and confusion.
Briallen searched for one face in particular, her mind a whirlwind of things that she would say to him, and how he might react, and what she should do if he was an imposter, and what if he…she saw him, leaning against the doorframe, watching Luna and Viktor talk in a strange mix of Bulgarian and English, a melancholy look on his face as he saw them kiss. Briallen's heart was in her mouth, but she took a deep breath.
"Ilya."
The name cut across the room, dragging silence in its wake, and all eyes turned to her. Ilya stared at her, eyes blazing, surprise written across his face, even as he moved forward.
"Bri…"
She unsheathed her wand, aiming it unerringly towards his chest, immediately having several aimed at her in return. He paused, a hurt look on his face, and she was almost tempted to set it down. However, years of paranoia and suspicions stalled her hand.
"Why was I so nervous before the 2nd Task?" she asked, voice hard. Ilya looked confused, before his face cleared, sadness and anger in his eyes.
"Because you didn't know how to swim, and we were relying completely on Gillyweed to get you through the task."
Briallen lowered her wand, searching for something to say. She tried to say "I missed you", but what came out was
"Your English has gotten better."
Ilya cracked a small smile, and moved towards her, pulling her into a hug.
"And you have a new wand."
Briallen smiled into his shoulder, inhaling his scent of turned up soil, broom polish and leather.
"Old one disintegrated against Voldy. This one is Cypress, Thestral hair and basilisk venom, 12 ½ inches, bendy." She pulled back to look at him. "Ilya, I'm so sorry that I didn't write and tell you that I'm alive, and how I blew you off with your offer of help but that was because I didn't want you to die and…" She trailed off as Ilya placed a finger on her lips, shushing her.
"I'll forgive you, just this once." He smiled down at her, eyes flicking down to her lips, before back to her eyes. She nodded slightly, and he bent down, pressing his lips to hers in a chaste kiss.
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And if she gave the two-fingered salute to the rest of the team for wolf-whistling, there were no reporters around to catch it.
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The Daily Prophet, 23rd April, 1999
CURE FOR LYCANTHROPY FOUND! WEREWOLVES AND PUBLIC RELIEVED!
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In a stunning turn of events, a cure for people who have contracted the disease Lycanthropy, known as werewolves, has been discovered. Master's Severus Prince, Evan Rosier and Karl Liert submitted the potion for inspection to the Board of Potions for final revision late last week, and the results have been released to the community early this morning.
Based on the early and rudimentary form of the Wolfsbane Potion by Damocles Belby, the Lupus Medela Potion will see werewolves retaining their wolf form, but it will be classified under the Animagus registry, and will enable werewolves to work, without the shift being dictated by the lunar calendar.
When interviewed, the spokesperson of the trio, Evan Rosier, had this to say.
"It's been a long, arduous task that would not have been possible without the efforts of many. Due to the nature of the curse, the werewolves will stiff have to shift once a month, but it will be without pain, and at the drinker's discretion, instead of a forced change. It is our hope that this will improve the lives of many for the better, and help some of the prejudice fade away. We have to remember, that while there are some right bastards out there, most werewolves are fairly decent people, who turn into ravaging monsters once a month."
Rosier's address to the Board of Potion's was rumoured to be "humorous" and "light-hearted but with a degree of seriousness underneath", and according to an inside source, likened the monthly shift that turned werewolves into "ravaging monsters" to his "sister's monthly shift from a lovely woman to a chocolate-obsessed beast".
It was also revealed during this speech that the inspiration for the potion lay behind the struggles of a school mate of Rosier's and Snape's; fellow Master Remus Lupin, who specialized in History of Magic.
The first successful test was done on Remus Lupin, who stated that he was "overwhelmed with this gift that they had given him", and was "excited to be able to actually hold a job for the first time in years".
Both associates on the Potion, Master Severus Prince and Master Karl Liert, were unavailable for comment.
Gentlemen, we of the Wizarding society, salute you all.
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Witch Weekly, June 17th, 1999
BULGARIAN HEARTTHROB ANNOUCES ENGAGMENT! PROPOSAL AT LATEST GAME SHOCKS FANS!
Lavender Brown
Ladies, Viktor Krum is off the menu!
During his most recent game with Bulgaria against Spain, after a jaw-dropping catch of the elusive golden snitch, Viktor Krum proceed to fly up to the VIP stands, where the family and friends of the team are seated. He then proceeded to open the snitch, presenting a ring and proposing to his girlfriend, Luna Lovegood. Judging by her reaction, and the roar of the crowd, the Quidditch star's date to the Hogwarts Yule Ball accepted.
Ladies, I knew Luna Lovegood at school, and she was not what we would call dating material; she was very weird and spoke of creatures that didn't exist often. Now, the whimsical blonde has grown into a real beauty; a witch of both formidable looks and talent, as was revealed at the Battle of Hogwarts, where she fought beside the Girl-Who-Lived, Primrose Potter, and Ginny Weasley.
We here at Witch Weekly are very excited of course, and will have all the latest gossip for you all on the new couple.
Turn to page 5 to read the full story of Viktor and Luna!
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Luna read the article, shaking her head, even as Viktor leaned over her shoulder.
"They got her name wrong. Again." She muttered. Viktor shrugged, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Wrackspurts do exist; I've seen evidence." He mumbled into her neck.
Luna rewarded him with a kiss.
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Bulgarian Times, August 2nd, 2000
Personal Notices
KIRIL-POTTER: Penko and Nadia Kiril of Bulgaria are pleased to announce the engagement of their eldest, Ilya Anton to Briallen Lily Potter, of the dearly departed Lord James and Lady Lily Potter of England, on the 31st July, 2000.
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Hey, Briallen!
I'm happy to hear about your engagement to Ilya; he'd better treat you right or else…
So, we're back in Privet Drive, and Mum's never been happier. She's planted a few primroses for you, lilies for your mum, roses for Grandmum and some petunias. She said that your firstborn had better be born a girl with a flowery name, to keep with tradition. Dad's better, thanks for asking. It was a bit scary, seeing him in hospital after the heart attack, but he's on the mend, and has been promoted to partner of Grunning's. He's enjoying the paperwork more than the supervising, so it's a good thing, I suppose.
Alexa's doing well; she and Raphael are pretty serious, and they're going strong. Piers was arrested for arson, trying to set old Mrs. Figg's house on fire. I'm so glad we had that falling out before we left school; imagine what it would have done to Mum if I'd been caught up in that mess. Coach MacDuff sends his regards, and says to remind you that if they're being creepy, then they are most likely creeps, so don't hold back.
As for Uni, well…I haven't told Mum or Dad yet, but I've met someone. Her name's Catherine, or Cat, as she prefers. She reminds me a lot of you, actually; she's got this wonderful, prickly and sarcastic side of her, along with a rather morbid sense of humour. I think Mum would have a fit over her hair alone; it's short and choppy, dyed an electric green. She also does Sport and Leisure, but is focusing on coaching more than the physical side of it. Actually, teaching sounds kinda fun. Maybe I should give it a go…
By the way, the Archaeology Department say thanks for that dictionary on runes and hieroglyphics; it really helped on the recent trip to Egypt. That, and they ran into some guy who was called Bill Weasley, who was on the site. You wouldn't happen to know him, would you? He seemed pretty excited when they showed him your dictionary, and he pulled out his own copy. The girls seemed disappointed that he was married though.
Hope this letter finds you in good health, and finds you at all; I'm glad you told Nicholas to wait, otherwise I'm not sure how many postage stamps I would have needed to post his.
Love, your cousin,
Dudley.
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I solemnly swear I'm up to no good.
Dear Whitetip,
Dear god, please come back to England for a visit. Please.
Remus and Nymphie are unbearable, and if I come back to find them on the couch with nothing on one more time…
Never forget, that Remus was the one that got away with everything, being the innocent looking guy and all. Talk about a wolf in sheep's clothing. As such, I cannot bear the thought of my favourite cousin being debauched in such a way, by my own best friend, no less!
So, the Wizengamot is boring, being a Lord is boring, and life is boring. All the birds have become aware that I'm rich, and picking them up is far less of a challenge than it was back in the day. It's driving me mad! Well, madder, or is it insaner, or more insane? Phesh, Blacks. On the bright side, Umbridge is in my old hotel, getting chummy with the bellboys, after we found several incriminating documents about young werewolf children being hidden away in one of her old houses, forced to handle the shift alone, along with money laundering, and blackmail.
Surprisingly, it's the Slytherin's in my years and above, such as Snape, Rosier, Cissa and Lord Greengrass that are furious. Snape has already administered the Potion, after a few tweaks to make it stable for children, and they are now living at Prince Manor, with their other partner, Karl (nice bloke, German, wicked sense of humour), and Rosier babysitting.
Narcissa totally blew up at Umbridge, giving everyone a taste of the famous Black Temper thought only to be possessed by my mother, and thoroughly entertaining and scaring the living daylights out of the entire Wizengamot. She, of course, occupies the Malfoy seat as Proxy (turns out I inherit both Malfoy and Lestrange by some weird marriage law thing. Don't ask), while Draco is being trained for the Lestrange seat.
Love you, and write soon!
Padfoot.
Mischief Managed.
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Daily Prophet, November 10th, 2001
GIRL-WHO-WON GAINS TRIPLE MASTERY! RECORD TIE!
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Ladies and Gentlemen, it seems as if our very own heroine has attempted a record, and completed it at exactly the same time as the previous owner!
Briallen Potter, who left England to travel after defeating Voldemort, appeared in the Mastery Monthly, as one of the seven people who have gained a triple Mastery. Lady Potter has been awarded Masteries for Dark Arts and Defence Against, Ancient Runes, and Arithmancy after smashing the record scores for the Mastery testing, and testing well above the average for the majority of her tests.
Her fellow colleagues- Su Li and Blaise Zabini, also sat the tests, both gaining a Mastery in Ancient Runes and Arithmancy respectively.
Ms. Potter is currently tied for the record as the youngest person to gain a Triple Mastery, at 21 years of age, along with the top Potion's researcher, Severus Prince (Potion's, DADA and Spellcrafting). Both were exactly 21 years, 3 months and 7 days old at the time of the conformation of the Mastery, although both agreed that it was pointless to figure out who was the youngest based on minutes and second. Such achievements are rare, and we congratulate the Girl-Who-Lived on her success.
When asked on what she was working on, Master Potter merely shook her head, her finger to her lips.
"That would be telling now, wouldn't it?"
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Daily Prophet, November 28th, 2001
VIKTOR KRUM MARRIES LUNA LOVEGOOD IN SPECTACULAR CEREMONY!
Penelope Clearwater
At last, the long awaited day has come; the marriage off Bulgarian Heartthrob Viktor Krum to his dearly beloved, Luna Lovegood. This reporter was lucky enough to have been invited as a guest on the bride's side, and let me tell you, it was a damn good thing that I was.
All media were banned from the event, and although I was invited as a guest, Luna Lovegood very kindly stated to both I and Lavender Brown (a reporter at Witch Weekly) were able to write about this, permitted that they avoid the best man's and maid of Honour's speeches. Pictures were taken of a classmate of Luna's; Colin Creevey, who was a Gryffindor and now runs his own photography business, and his younger brother Dennis (co-founder of CREEVEY PHOTOGRAPHY!).
Guests on the groom's side consisted of the entire Bulgarian Quidditch team, and his teammates from the Vratsa Vultures, who finished top of the table in their season, complete with their significant others, while on the bride's side it was mostly people from Hogwarts, such as the Weasley Twins (Weasley's Wizard Wheezes), Charlie, Bill and Fleur Weasley (along with their first born, Victoria), Su Li, Daphne and Astoria Greengrass, Blaise Zabini, myself, Morag McDougal, Neville Longbottom, Cedric Diggory and Susan Bones.
It was a rather small wedding for an International star, but, to each their own.
The music started, and the bridesmaids; Ivet Krum (Viktor's sister) and Ginny Weasley walked down the aisle, looking stunning in pale gold, before everyone stood as the bride entered. Forgoing the traditional white, Luna was dressed in a delicate eggshell blue, with her hair loose and flowing. She was followed by Maid of Honour, Briallen Potter, who is rumoured to be engaged.
Luna's father, Xenophilius Lovegood, gave her away, glaring at the groom and threatening him quietly, and the presiding priest, Father Orlov, sealed the marriage. There was not a dry eye among the assembly when the two passionately kissed, and the best man, Ilya Kiril, had to tap the couple on the shoulder to remind them that they were in public, much to the laughter of the guests.
The heartfelt speeches by Briallen Potter and Ilya Kiril tugged at the hearts of many; Briallen Potter's brutal honesty of how Luna was her first friend, and how she saved her from going to a darker place, and Ilya's light-hearted and humorous stories from Viktor's schooling days. Most noticeably, the first time Viktor fell off his broom during a game, because he was distracted by the Bulgarian team mascots. The bride's father spoke of Luna's fist discovery; the Wrackspurts, with a fond smile, and the groom's mother told a rather embarrassing tale of Viktor stealing his father's broom to practise flying, only to crash and break it.
It was, in fact, through Briallen that Viktor and Luna met, as dates for the Tri-izard ball. We here at the Daily Prophet wish the newly-weds all the best for the future, especially Viktor Krum with his upcoming game against Ukraine.
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Daily Prophet, 18th July, 2001
Births, Deaths and Marriages.
Marriage.
Briallen Lily Potter and Ilya Anton Kiril were married on the 16th of July, 2002, at the Church in Godric's Hollow, England. Pastor Richard Swallow, who bound James and Lily Potter, officiated the wedding. The bride is the daughter of Lily Evans of York, England, and James Potter of Snowdonia, Wales. The bridegroom is the son of Nadia Lewinski of Varna, Bulgaria, and Penko Kiril of Vratsa, Bulgaria.
The bride walked unaccompanied down the aisle, in memory of her late father, James Potter, who died protecting her on Halloween, 1980. Her Matron of honour was Luna Krum, and her bridesmaids were Ivet Krum, Su Li and Ginny Weasley. She wore her mother's wedding dress, her grandmother's silver necklace, and a pair of dark blue heels, lent to her by her Aunt, Petunia Dursley. She carried a bouquet of white myrtle flowers.
The guest list was compromised of close friends and family. There were seats left on the bride's side, with the names Charles and Dorea Potter, James and Lily Potter, Myrtle, Tom Riddle and George and Rose Evans, in memory of the family that couldn't make it.
The reception was held at the Kiril's home in Bulgaria, before the couple left for their honeymoon; a motorbike trip around the United Kingdom, before travelling to Europe to continue the tour.
The bride is a graduate of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where she graduated top of the majority of her classes, before studying under Master Schettino and Master Delaine in order to gain her triple Mastery in Dark Arts and Defence Against, Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. She is currently researching a joint project on Ancient Runes and Arithmancy.
The bridegroom is a graduate of Durmstrang, and was Head Boy in his final year, before joining the Vratsa Vultures after leaving, making his debut onto the Bulgarian International Team in 2000, as well as pursing a Mastery in Ancient Runes and Ancient Rituals.
We wish them all the best in their future.
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St. Nadia's Hospital, Maternity Ward 07, 25th October, 2002
Viktor was pacing.
He had been pacing for about three hours already, and his hair was dishevelled after he'd run his hands through it multiple times. He was dressed casually, and was without robes, as it was 11pm. Briallen was leaning against Ilya, fighting to keep her eyes open, even as Ilya yawned. She was quite sure that no one had noticed that she was wearing Ilya's shirt and a pair of his jeans held up with a scarf, and that he'd pinched her Slytherin hoodie, due to the fact that Luna was currently trying to expel Viktor's progeny in the next room.
"Bree…" Ilya mumbled into her hair. Briallen snuggled closer, and hummed in response.
"Ten Sickles that it comes out flying, and the nurse will catch it like a Quaffle."
Briallen snorted, and hurriedly masked it into a cough.
"Quidditch runs deep in the family, but not that deep. If anything, it will come out with an army of Nargles that it will use to take over the world before it turns seven. Now, take pity on your friend and go calm him down slightly. He's a mess, and he has a game in about six hours."
Ilya sighed, and stood up, leaving Briallen saddened at the loss of warmth (and comfy shoulder to lean on, because the wall wasn't at all comfortable), and approached his friend, murmuring something too low for Briallen to hear. As soon as he had, Viktor stopped pacing, and turned to him, relaxing a tiny bit, until a low moan dragged out from under the door.
Viktor resumed pacing.
Ilya turned to her and shrugged, gesturing at Viktor helplessly. Briallen rolled her eyes, and moved towards Viktor, when Luna gave a shriek, which was echoed by a wail that sliced through the air. Everyone froze, before a nurse poked her head out of the door, and beckoned to Viktor.
"She'll let you in now, dearie." She disappeared, and Viktor went from looking shocked to looking apprehensive. Briallen sighed, and pushed him into the room.
"Your child and wife await, Vicky. Get moving. You have a game in six…five hours, so make the most of your time."
Viktor left, and Ilya wrapped his arms around Briallen from behind.
"We should probably tell his parents, and Xeno."
Briallen nodded, but didn't move. Ilya squeezed her, trying to get her attention, and she startled.
"Sorry, what?"
Grinning, Ilya repeated what he'd said, and Briallen nodded, gaze faraway.
"Give them some time together first, before Xeno descends from above to gift his grandchild with an army of Crumpled Horn Snorkacks."
Ilya laughed, and leaned against the wall, right before nurse came back in, and gestured for them to come in. Briallen followed, dragging an incredibly reluctant Ilya along with her, and entered the maternity ward, spotting Luna with her hair tied up for once, and her wand on the table beside her. And in her arms, a small bundle wrapped in a pink blanket. There was a long silence, before Briallen broke the scene.
"Congratulations! It's a girl!"
Ilya snorted, and Viktor cracked a grin, and Luna laughed, before wincing awkwardly. Briallen smiled at them, and then sat down at the edge of Luna's bed.
"Name?"
Luna and Viktor shared a tender look, before Luna uttered the name.
"Myrtle. Myrtle Briallen Krum. Your goddaughter."
Briallen froze, and stared at Luna, shocked, while Luna gave her a serene smile, and gestured for Briallen to take the child. Briallen did so, cradling Myrtle like glass, and smiling down at the baby blue eyes.
"Welcome to the world,' she whispered, ignoring the stupid look on Ilya's face, 'Myrtle Briallen Krum. My goddaughter."
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While Briallen was otherwise occupied, Luna beckoned to Ilya, and gave him one of her Mona Lisa smiles.
"Don't worry. You'll have one of your own in about 8 months."
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Ilya's grin widened.
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Primrose Cottage, Bulgaria, 3rd January, 2003
Dear Briallen Potter,
My name is Gwenyth Stonehelm, and I'm a 1st year Slytherin at Hogwarts. Myrtle said that I should write to you, because you would know exactly how I am feeling right now. I'm a half-blood in Slytherin, and they are always picking on me, because I don't know what some of the stuff they go on about is, because I'm muggle raised. I live with my Muggle Uncle, who beats me at home, because he hates magic, and thinks that it's 'freakish', and he always gives me these funny looks when I'm home, and it doesn't make me feel safe.
The Potion's teacher, and Head of Slytherin, doesn't really like me, and always picks on me in class, while the Transfiguration Professor and the Astronomy Professor fail my school work every time, for no apparent reason. And the headmaster keeps sending me these pitying glances, but at the same time he looks calculating.
Myrtle said that you had similar troubles when you were at school, so I was wondering, if it wasn't too much trouble, if you could give me some tips in dealing with all the stuff that's happening?
I'm sorry for bothering you,
Gwen Stonehelm.
P.S. Myrtle says hi, and that her offer of you sharing her toilet when you die still stands.
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Briallen read the letter that Hedwig had just delivered, and gritted her teeth, his fist clenching in anger. Ilya, from his spot on the floor where he was doing his exercises (sprained leg after the match between Italy), looked up in concern, his eyes flicking towards her protruding stomach, and then up at her face.
"What?"
In reply, Briallen thrust the letter at him, and sat down on the couch, rubbing her swollen stomach absentmindedly as her mind whirled around with possibilities on how to deal with this. Ilya growled when he'd finished, muttering a few unsavoury things under his breath at the girls uncle and the teachers at Hogwarts, before moving to sit next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
"What do you want to do?"
Briallen stiffened as her abdomen contracted heavily, and then sighed.
"I want to go to the hospital. It seems your offspring has decided to come sooner, rather than later."
Ilya swore, and started panicking, before Briallen grabbed his shoulder, and turned him to face her.
"Calm down. My bag from upstairs, and a book for yourself."
Ilya started up the stairs, and then paused.
"Won't I be with you?"
Briallen gave him a smirk, which quickly turned into a wince.
"You'll need your hand for next week's game. Can you grab me a stress ball?"
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Births.
Ilya and Briallen Kiril are happy to announce the birth of their first children, James Ilya and Hazel Lily Kiril, who were born on the 4th January, 2003, both at 5 pounds, 10 ounces. They are the grandchildren of Penko and Nadia Kiril, and the dearly departed James and Lily Potter.
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GIRL-WHO-LIVED-AND-WON RETURNS! SAVES WITCH FROM ABUSIVE FAMILY!
Penelope Clearwater
After four years absence from the Wizarding World, Briallen Potter has returned, this time to answer a desperate letter from a student at Hogwarts.
The student, 1st year Slytherin Gwenyth Stonehelm, is the only surviving heiress of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Stonehelm, whose parents were killed by You-Know-Who in the latest war. Upon being sorted into Slytherin, she was immediately deemed persona non grata, and was excluded from all groups, because she was a half-blood who'd been Muggle-raised.
Sound familiar?
That, ladies and gentlemen, is the very same thing that happened to our own heroine, after her Sorting.
The young girl, who had been living with her mother's brother, had written to Ms. Potter, at the behest of one of the castle ghosts, Moaning Myrtle, who had befriended our heroine during her own school years, along with Luna Krum, nee Lovegood. Inspection of the letter showed that she didn't feel safe with her uncle and that Ms. Stonehelm stated that her uncle "beats me at home, because he hates magic, and thinks that its 'freakish', and he always gives me these funny looks when I'm home, and it doesn't make me feel safe". The young witch stated in an interview that she'd asked the Headmaster if she could stay at Hogwarts over the summer, because she didn't want to return home, and that the Headmaster dismissed her concerns. This makes us all wonder, "are our children really safe?"
Cue one letter to Ms. Potter, and an international portkey from our heroine four months after the letter was sent to come to the rescue. Many were left wondering about the delay, until all became clear. In the four months of delay, Ms. Potter had managed to get all the necessary paperwork needed for the removal of Ms. Stonehelm from her abusive guardian, as well as a few options of residence for Ms. Stonehelm. It was said that Ms. Potter, upon dealing with the muggle uncle, offered Ms. Stonehelm a choice; become a ward of the Ministry, or become her ward.
Needless, to say, the decision was easy, and not in favour of the Ministry. More paperwork appeared; a school application form for Durmstrang, a withdrawal slip from Hogwarts, Proxy rights (until Ms. Stonehelm reaches majority), passport, guardianship papers, and a financial statement from the Goblins to show the Ministry that Ms. Potter did indeed have the necessary funds to take care of the girl.
We here at the Daily Prophet wish Ms. Stonehelm all the best with her new guardian, and we hope to see more news of the duo soon.
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1st September, 2014, Durmstrang Institute drop-off.
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"Now, you have everything you need, because although I live there, I'm not going to be picking up after you both, understand?"
Hazel Lily Kiril, with her blood-red hair and dark blue eyes, sighed, and hit her older twin over the head with her hand, messing up his normally immaculate black hair and causing his green eyes to flash in annoyance.
"Pay attention, idiot. Mum's getting emotional for the first time in public."
"I want to go!" piped up Hazel's younger sister, Violeta Luna, dark blue eyes petulant, tugging at the hand of the youngest child, Aleksandar Celyn.
Their mother, Briallen Kiril nee Potter, with her masses of dark curls (which Hazel had missed out on, but Violeta and Aleksandar managed to inherit), and her emerald green gaze, knelt down next to Hazel, and fixed her collar.
"You'll go in about three years, Violeta, so be patient. Now, Hazel, try to stay out of trouble as much as possible, and make sure that James gets out of the library to eat and get some sun, and I'll see you every Sunday evening for dinner. Okay?"
Hazel smiled at her mother, noticing the turmoil in her eyes. On one hand, she'd be saying goodbye to her children as they left, yet she'd not be able to interfere, or see them outside of class time except on weekends, so as to stick with the rules on student-teacher fraternization. Hazel's smile widened as she spotted her father walking towards them, dodging through the crowds with ease. He caught up to them, and dropped a kiss on her head, still in his International Quidditch robes.
"Make sure to have fun, and to study hard." He ruffled James' hair, who spun around with a curse on his lips, only to smile innocently at his father.
"I'll make sure that Hazel doesn't get expelled on her first day, father, don't worry."
"If I do, it'll be for fratricide!" Hazel hissed, making James rolled his eyes.
"No need for Parseltongue, dearest sister. It was only a joke."
Hazel glared at him, but hugged her parent's goodbye, and gave Violeta a kiss on the cheek,
"I'll send you a piece of stone for your collection, little sister", and ruffled Aleksandar's auburn curls, grinning at his gap-toothed smile.
"I'll prank some people, just for you." She hissed to him softly, mindful of her mother's stern gaze. Aleksandar smiled angelically, and tilted his head, his green eyes filled with mischief.
"Go for pink. It's overly obnoxious." Hazel raised an eyebrow, and shot her mother a quick look, seeing her disapproval written on her face.
"There will be no pranks, young lady. If I catch you…"
"Look! There's Myrtle and Anton! Bye Mother!" Hazel spotted her escape, and seized it, giving her parents another quick hug, before racing off to the boats before her mother could retaliate. She felt James say his goodbyes, before he caught up with her.
"Mum's going to be watching us extra carefully from now on, Hazel."
Hazel smirked at her brother.
"I know, twin of mine. Which is why, we won't get caught."
James gave her an evil grin, completely at odds with the goody-two-shoes persona that he often adopted.
"I can hardly wait."
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Mischief Managed.
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"Do you swear to uphold the Masters Code to the best of your ability?"
"I swear."
"Do you swear to help other less fortunate then yourself whenever possible?"
"I swear."
"Do you swear to protect our way of life, and teach your Apprentices the Code, and pass on your knowledge without reservations?"
"I swear."
"Then pledge yourself into the Fold."
"I, Gwenyth Bronwyn Stonehelm, hereby pledge myself to the Code of Masters; to honour and respect my fellow Masters; to cherish the Apprentices; to preserve and teach all knowledge; to be generous in my discoveries; to protect the rituals and customs of the Masters; to help those less fortunate than myself; to live a life that sets an example to others. If I break this pledge, then I will acknowledge that it is my own short-comings, and I will consent to have my Mastery stripped, until I show that I am capable of following the Code once more. This I swear on my life and Magic, so mote be it."
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A flash of gold, and a plume of smoke, with the paint drawn on her forehead, and onto her left shoulder blade burning, and a dizzying feeling that felt as if she'd done too many spins on her broom, signified that she'd done something right.
"Then rise, Gwenyth Bronwyn Stonehelm, Master of Ancient Runes and Dark Arts and Defence Against. Share your knowledge, honour your fellow Masters, cherish your Apprentices and stay true to your pledge. Rise, and be seated at the Council."
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Gwenyth Stonehelm, 22 years old with a Double Mastery under her belt, rose unsteadily as an overwhelming emotion flooded her, and she wiped at her eyes, sending the tears from her face. She turned to face the auditorium, all the Masters and Apprentices standing as they applauded her success. She spotted her Uncle's Severus, Evan and Karl near the back, due to the nature of their age and the number of Masteries, and Uncle Remus a few rows down, his hair completely grey. Uncle Ilya was in the middle rows, and she spotted Aunt Briallen right up the back, above Uncle Severus.
She moved her feet, in a daze, and spotted her research partners; Jessamine Rosier and Tora Ulfhrafn cheering, the seat next to them empty, with her name on it, magically inscribed into the wood in silver. She stood next to her seat, tears pouring down her face and splashing onto her black robes, and her thoughts fled to her old Housemates at Hogwarts, who used to make her life a misery.
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'Eat that, you pure-blooded, egotistical bigots!'
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Gwenyth Stonehelm went on to become one of the best Hit Wizards, with a total of six Dark Lords in her name, along with the discovery of many ancient artefacts with her partners, Jessamine and Tora. She took over her seat in the Wizengamot, but left within three years, stating that she was "disgusted by the amount of racism and stupidity that is rife among you all. I know seven year olds who are better behaved than you."
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James Ilya followed in his father's footsteps, playing International Quidditch for Bulgaria as a Chaser, co-captaining the team along with his sister, Violeta. His extreme stunts and flair for the dramatics simultaneously shocked and wowed audiences all over the world. He was eventually suspended from Quidditch after attacking the English player that nearly killed his sister. The English Ministry tried to charge him for dangerous flying, but they were overruled, due to the fact that their player had been the one to instigate.
Hazel Lily, after becoming Head Girl, gained a Double Mastery at 20, in Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. She went on to become a top spell-crafter, and researching the very fundamentals of Magic. Her wand was destroyed during a firefight by one of the many anti-pureblood groups during a holiday in England, but went on to master wandless and wordless magic, traveling the Duelling circuit and becoming champion 3 times, before retiring from the circuit and traveling the world, learning obscure magic.
Violeta Luna became the first woman in the world to play International Quidditch, leading Bulgaria to victory ten times before her retirement after a near fatal injury in the finals against England, when an English Chaser knocked her from her broom, and she fell from a height of 60 ft. It was, however, the last game she won, after she'd managed to catch the Golden Snitch while falling from her broom. She became the Flying Instructor at Durmstrang.
Aleksandar Celyn became a world-recognized Healer, and demonstrated the effective use of Parseltongue in Healing, giving Parseltongue the first positive name since Ancient Greece. He saved many lives, and eventually managed to heal extreme nerve damage caused by over-exposure to the Cruciatus Curse. He became Head Healer at St. Nadia's when he was 30.
Minerva McGonagall, after resigning at Hogwarts, retired to her small cottage in the Scottish Highlands, spending the rest of her life teaching Transfiguration to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Aurora Sinistra and Septima Vector returned to Vector's hone country of France, both taking up teaching roles at Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. Both were mortally wounded while protecting their students from a chimera attack 20 years later, which took the lives of only one other teacher, who was able to fire the killing shot while Aurora and Septima distracted it. All three teachers were awarded posthumous medals for bravery, and a small monument was built on the school grounds to honour them.
Theodore Nott became an Unspeakable, and later the whole department left England, taking their research with them, when the government outlawed certain practises. They relocated to Norway, where they collaborated with the Norse Unspeakable Department in their research endeavours.
Blaise Zabini returned with his mother to Italy, where he became deeply embedded in the Magical Historical Archives, along with his wife, Su Li. Both became renowned historians, and many of their co-workers found it odd that they complained about their old History of Magic teacher, Professor Binns. It wasn't until they explained exactly who Professor Binns was that the fellow historians got the joke.
Daphne Greengrass stayed single, and helped with the founding of the Wizarding Child Services, working alongside Narcissa Malfoy and Evan Rosier. Daphne, after the death of her father, housed over 100 orphaned wizarding and magical children in Greengrass Manor, as well as helping the less fortunate in the lesser alleys, especially Knockturn. Taking her family seat in the Wizengamot, she challenged many laws, and promoted equality for all, including rights for Goblins, which enabled them to purchase goods in the alleys, and trade between both nations.
She was a valued customer at Gringotts, until her death, in which she was given the highest Goblin honour ever awarded to a human.
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Briallen and Ilya Kiril lived a quiet life; Briallen teaching Ancient Runes at Durmstrang, while Ilya, after his retirement from professional Quidditch, taught Ancient Rituals, also at Durmstrang, while residing in Primrose Cottage, deep in the mountains. Both passed away peacefully in their sleep on the 4th of November, 21 at the age of 142, after a long life filled with discoveries and excitement.
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The English Ministry never caught on that Briallen had children.
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It was white, and really boring.
Briallen held Ilya's hand tighter, venturing forward into the fog, steps slow and careful. She didn't have her wand, but her power was gathered in her free hand, barely shedding any light. She couldn't remember how she got here, all she remembered was falling asleep next to Ilya, as usual, and then waking up here.
She sensed that Ilya had tried a Fog-Dispersing spell, and the fog lifted slightly, before coming back down. Briallen hissed.
"I can't see a bloody thing."
"You and me both." Ilya muttered from behind her. Briallen stopped, and Ilya walked into her. She slowly turned to face him, but could see nothing but his hand.
"Ilya…" she trailed off, mind still whirling, 'your voice. It's young."
There was a tense silence, before he replied, his voice no longer as throaty and laboured as it had been in the last few years of their life together.
"So is yours."
Briallen closed her eyes, as the full implications hit.
"We died. In our sleep. At 142." She gritted out. "I still had that potion in the lab on the fire."
Ilya laughed, the sound no longer croaky and hoarse, but young and bright, and Briallen relished the sound, a smile tilting her own lips. As if the fog was repulsed by the sound of cheerfulness, it rolled away, revealing…
"Durmstrang drop-off." Ilya whispered, his fingers tracing the runes carved into the great wooden and metal structure. Briallen's heart contracted, as she remembered the last time she'd been there; to see her great-grandchildren off to Durmstrang. She looked across the water, to see the silhouette of the imposing castle in the distance, lights flickering on in the windows; tiny pinpricks of light. Ilya stepped forward, going down the well-worn wooden steps, and dragging Briallen along with him.
"Come on, Bree. The boats are amazing."
Ilya stepped out onto the water, and immediately a boat surfaced underneath his feet, causing him to wobble slightly, before he balanced expertly against the rocking of the boat. Briallen followed him, using him as a sort of leaning post as she settled. Ilya took a seat, and the boat took off at a fast speed, causing Briallen to shriek in excitement.
"FUN!"
Ilya laughed again, eyes shining, and met her gaze, giving her a look filled with love.
"This is what you missed out on when you went to Hogwarts."
"Shut up, Ilya!" Briallen retorted, eyes swimming with mirth.
Finally, they reached the heavy wood and brass doors, covered in mythical creatures, and Ilya pushed them open, the well-oiled hinges causing them to fall back silently.
Four people stood there, far younger than they had been last Ilya and Briallen saw them.
Ginny, with her fiery red hair, no streaks of grey visible anymore, and Luna, her face pale and smooth, and her eyes clear once more. Ivet, no longer thin and sickly, but willowy and slender, and Viktor, shoulders as broad and his nose not as broken as it once was. There was silence, before Ginny and Luna rushed forward, talking a million miles an hour, ad swamping her in blonde curls and red strands.
There was a cough, and Briallen broke away, even as Ginny and Luna fell silent. There, now standing in the doorway, were two people she'd only ever seen in photographs.
"Mother, 'she whispered, voice filled with a kind of desperate longing, 'Father."
James Potter, standing tall and firm, met her eyes.
"Daughter." He acknowledged…before her moved forward, sweeping her into a tight hug, tears trickling down both of their faces. Briallen felt her mother's arms go around her, and she sighed, resting her head against her father's chest.
She was Home.
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Home.
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Extra.
"But Briallen,' James practically whined, 'marrying a Durmstrang? Fraternizing with the enemy?"
Lily face-palmed, and Briallen raised an eyebrow, before she grabbed Ilya's hand, and pulled him into a passionate kiss, making sure there was tongue involved. Ilya smiled against her lips, catching on to what she was doing, his hands drifting lower
There was a very unmanly squeak, and a slap that echoed through the foyer.
"Honestly James, get a hold of yourself. And Briallen dear, I approve. I approve very much."
"I should hope so,' Briallen broke off breathlessly, 'have you met your grandchildren yet? James, Violeta, Hazel and Aleksandar should be around here somewhere."
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There was a thump as James Potter fell to the floor in a dead faint.
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Fin.