"Good evening, I am Amelia bones and this is Arthur, I presume you are Jason Granger?" the witch asked.

"You would be correct, Madam Bones," Jason said, causing Amelia's eyebrows to rise slightly when he stated her common title. "I didn't think that you would be available for some time and that we would meet in Gringots, but it seems I was mistaken."

"I'm sorry but what do you mean?" she asked confused.

"You were sent a message by Gringots to meet us," he explained. "I take it that your mission for the ministry is complete?"

Amelia just stood silent for a second before starting to chuckle, "To think," she said. "We've been at this all day and yet we were invited to meet you in the middle of it all."

"Sorry?" Jason said puzzled.

"May we come in?" Arthur spoke up. "I don't think this is the best discussion to have in a doorway."

"Of course," Jason replied stepping out of the way to let them walk in.

After introductions were made Emma asked the all important question; "What is it that has the head of the DMLE and a secret agent tracking us down all day?"

"Three things actually," Arthur said. "First the prophecy made here this morning-"

"How do you know about that," Charles interrupted.

"The Department of Mysteries has methods to detect prophecies," Arthur answered. "They often contain critical information on major events so they need to be studied, both in their content and the fulfilment or lack there-of."

"The next was a large amount of magic being performed at your residence," Amelia continued. "Technically that is in my department but I gave it to Arthur as he was available. He noticed that your names matched the names in the records at the hotel."

"That and the place looked like it was coated in magic," Arthur put in. "The furniture, crockery, just about everything showed some trace. Then there were the magical devices you had made, ingenious to say the least! I took a few back to show Amelia and for further study. That music box really is something else."

All three kids looked livid at this and their parents were obviously very upset.

"YOU STOLE MY MUSIC BOX?" Hermione screeched as the air around them thickened with magic.

"No I left that one," Arthur put in hastily. "I just took that camera that was on the table."

Harry looked at Hermione's distressed face and vanished with a slight shimmer that startled Arthur and Amelia.

"How-?" she started before Harry reappeared with the music box in hand.

"Here it is Mione, he was telling the truth," he said with a gentle smile.

She took it and relaxed, blushing slightly at her reaction.

"That was the final part that got our attention," Amelia said. "That method of transport; or more accurately where you went using it this morning."

"What are you talking about?" Jason asked deciding to play dumb for the time being.

"Just after I got back from your houses the wards in the Chamber of Death in the Department tripped showing unauthorised intruders," Arthur said matter-of-factly. "The problem was that there was no sign of entry from the door and the anti- apparition and –portkey wards were still up and showed no sign of any breach. Then analysis of the chamber itself showed that three beings had passed through the Veil of Death in that room from the other side before returning just before we arrived. When we arrived we saw the tell-tale sign of your unique mode of travel, that strange shimmer in the air, and readings taken showed your magical signatures as the source of the magic in the room."

"Checking the Trace readings on magic," Amelia took up again. "I also saw trace signatures showing your magical transportation that showed you going into the room just before whoever or whatever came through the veil. We have little knowledge of what is on the other side of the veil, so you must understand that we are extremely worried that the ones who witnessed and almost certainly communicated with those entities were three prodigious magical children and four muggles, all of whom have no knowledge of the workings of our world or most likely any idea of what was happening."

There was silence after the long list of different pieces that they had put together to get to where they were at the moment.

"I bet you were a bit annoyed that you had to track us down after all that when we invited you to meet halfway through and got turned down," Jason chuckled.

"Quite, but we need to know who or what came through the Veil and where you got your knowledge."

"Well," said Jason. "I suppose you are trustworthy. The three, well I suppose you could call them people, were Death, as in the personification, person or whatever Death; Fate and-"

"Me," said a voice as the soul stone glowed for a second and a six inch high projection of Lilly Potter appeared above it to many yelps and jumps from everyone gathered.

"Mum? How are you doing this?" Harry asked surprised and delighted.

"I said that I would help you," Lilly replied. "I can't do much if I stay on the other side. I can use this to talk to you and provide advice."

"Lilly?" Amelia gasped. "How?"

"The soul stone that Death gave them allows me to communicate with them," Lilly replied. "As long as they have it on them I can come through for a while and speak to them."

"How do we know you are Lilly Potter?" Arthur asked.

"Good question Ducky," she smirked.

Arthur blushed brilliantly. "That's her," he said.

"Ducky?" Amelia asked curious.

"You don't wanna know," Arthur grimaced.

"Oh when Arthur and I first joined the DoM Arthur was obsessed with rubber ducks," Lilly said giggling. "And I fed him the line that they were the pinnacle of muggle technology and were particularly useful in um," she paused looking at the kids. "Married encounters."

Amelia's jaw dropped before she burst out laughing.

"Then the silly prat decided to charm them to help, it was hilarious!"

"I don't get it," said Hermione looking confused and Harry and Sally nodded in agreement.

"We'll tell you when you're older," Jason said with a smirk.

"Ok can we move on to why we're here," Arthur said desperately, his face now approaching a vivid strawberry colour.

"True, we are here to investigate the happenings here," Amelia said trying to get her face back into its usual stern mask. "We know the 'what' about the Veil instance, now we need the why and how."

"The why is Death and Fate wanted to give them a mission," Lilly said.

"What sort of mission," Arthur and Amelia asked all signs of mirth vanishing.

"They need to restore the balance of life and death," Lilly replied. "Dementors; taking the souls they have upsets the balance of the universe and the laws of death try to take other souls to make up the loss. This creates more imbalance as they are gone before their time. That is why conflicts in the past century have become more and more bloody and also more frequent. Their mission is to destroy the Dementors, all of them, and collect the souls that they hold and sending them on. If the bodies of those kissed are still alive they can return them if they wish. Eventually the balance will be restored."

"That explains Death but why Fate as well?" Jason asked. "I was wandering why she got involved if it was Deaths problem."

"The people who died before their fated time are why," she explained. "It messes up her plans. James and I were two such people; we were supposed to guide Harry to make the world into a fantastic place and gradually assimilate muggle culture into magical, before slowly dissolving the Statute of Secrecy."

"Dissolve the Statute of Secrecy? Are you mad?" Amelia gasped.

"Muggles, or non-magicals as I prefer to call them," Lilly said. "Are far more open minded than earlier centuries. That and there are many advantages to magic that non-magical society would latch onto with both hands: cancer treatments and other medical things, all must be done using magic, both in plants and in people. Spin it the right way and get rid of the bigots and it would go fine. That however is all academic as it isn't going to work like that.

"Anyway, the important thing that you should know is that they will be getting rid of the Dementors permanently before or after getting rid of Voldemort."

"Wait why should our kids have to fight this Voldemort character?" Emma asked. "That contract you had us sign just covers getting rid of the Dementors, not a Dark Lord. That is for the police or army to deal with not a bunch of kids."

"But he's Harry Potter!" Amelia cried, shocked that they would leave them to fend for themselves against the Dark Lord.

"And you're Amelia Bones," Sue retorted. "He has no obligation to the wizarding world beyond his normal rights as a citizen and I bet you don't require every citizen to fight any dark wizard that comes out of the woodwork do you?"

"No but-"

"Exactly, so why should Harry have to fight him? It's the job of the police and army to fight terrorists and homicidal maniacs, not children! We have agreed to help the world as a whole with this Dementor problem because we are getting well paid, both in magic and other benefits. Plus we have been handed the weapons to destroy them and we have a constant advisor. That and it's open ended; we can destroy them at leisure, picking them off while the kids grow before taking the rest out and reaping the rewards. That is what we agreed to and that is what we will do."

There was a moment of shocked silence after Sue's diatribe before Lilly spoke again.

"The point is valid," she said slowly. "You have no obligation under our agreement and none under wizarding law. However there is another factor: Voldemort himself. Harry bested him as a child and Voldemort is among many other things a megalomaniac, his ego will not allow him to let the one to beat him once get away untouched. What is more he heard the first part of a prophecy that said 'the one with the power to vanquish the dark lord approaches' which was found to mean Harry, implying that the only person who could beat him is Harry. He will not allow a real threat to him to go unopposed. That is why Harry needs to kill Voldemort; because he will keep hunting him and all of you to get to him. He will not bargain, nor will he stop until Harry is dead or a sworn servant which will never happen."

"And you didn't tell us this because..." Jason demanded.

"It was always the case," Lilly responded calmly. "And we did tell you: we would give you weapons that will help defeat Voldemort. And the prophecy Sally made said that you would "unlock the power he knows not" which is a quote from the first prophecy, another clue. And finally after that you would need to deal with the ministry: there are many enemies, both in and out of Voldemort's camp that infest the ministry at all levels, from clerks to the advisors to the minister himself. Many of them quite literally get away with murder and torture using the corruption in the ministry and wizengamont. A bribed court could easily convict you of murder after you kill Voldemort and/or brand you as a new dark lord yourself making the rest of you lives horrible and probably short."

All the kids looked white at Lilly's calm and rational breakdown of the world around them and where they would sit: right in the eye of the storm. Charles summed it up with a well placed volley of swear words and it was a testament to the mood that neither of the mothers there bothered to scold him for his language.

"Exactly," Lilly said before proceeding gently trying to soothe the children's fears a little. "The situation was never going to be easy; Harry was a marked man before he was born but things are easier now; we're starting early, if they can delay Voldemort's return by a decade or two they would be immortal. The contract promises true immortality, not just lasting life but death proof as well; the entire Death Eater corps could let rip with killing curses and you could just walk through it.

"That and you have other advantages. Most wizards are dependent on their wands; take away their wand and they have very little magic if any. They start learning at Hogwarts when they are eleven and apart from Aurors rarely learn much in the way of duelling tactics. The reason the death eaters were so successful last time was, 1: no one bothered to do anything for ages, it was only after purebloods started dying that they took notice. 2: they use unforgivable curses a lot as well as other nasty dark arts spells so they do a lot of damage in a short space of time and 3: they used guerrilla tactics, hit and run, terror tactics. Half the time the aurors were there for cleanup rather than fighting. Voldemort had gotten too many people in the ministry for them to work effectively and Dumbledore, the only one who had the power to stop things outside the ministry, was too busy trying to redeem them to bother fighting."

"Not much has changed," Arthur muttered to himself.

"And why not?" Emma growled. "If it's that obvious change it! The minister is a bad egg, get rid of him. Chuck the guys you have evidence against in jail and throw the rest into the street! It's that simple."

"The wizarding world is a quagmire of politics, inter-house alliances and intrigue," Amelia said tiredly. "Most are bound to do what they did because of old alliances that would badly hurt their house standing if they reneged on. They would honour alliances by accepting bribes or cashing in life-debts to keep them out of prison while the truly corrupt line their pockets. Even tacit approval goes a long way when the approving house is powerful. That and evidence of bribes is very difficult to come by and it's even more difficult to keep as a lot 'goes missing'."

"So the people who do the chucking out are the ones who should be chucked out in the first place?" Jason half asked half stated. "You really aren't pushing a good case here."

"I think we're getting off track," Arthur put in before Amelia could reply. "We are here primarily to record the prophecy, inform you of the laws for underage magic and find out how you breached the wards on the Department of Mysteries."

"How do we record the prophecy?" Sally asked. "It doesn't hurt does it?"

"No it's completely painless," he replied with a kind smile. "We just need to extract a memory which takes a few seconds and we do the rest back at base."

"We don't lose our memories do we?" Sue asked cautiously.

"No we just take a copy, all I do is place my wand tip to you temple and you think of the memory like so," he placed his wand to his temple and pulled away gently with a silvery thread attached to the tip. He waved his wand and it expanded into the air showing Amelia and himself coming into the room of death just in time to see the shimmer of Harry and Co vanishing. After a quick showing he let the memory dissipate into the air before extracting the memory from Harry.

Once again the harsh tones of the prophecy filled the room.

Once it ended Arthur looked at the notes he had taken on the wording and conjured a glass ball to hold the memory in.

"Do you know anything about what it means?" Arthur asked.

"It's quite simple," Lilly said. "The prophecy says that a choice will be made and describes the three who can make it. The next few lines state what they will do. The next line implies they will be successful and that three brothers failed to get the boon they got. The final line states the results of their actions."

"It's you three I presume," Amelia said. When they nodded she continued. "The rest of it is partially cryptic; I doubt I would get any of it if you hadn't described you meeting to me. Souls of the lost is Dementors, power he knows not from another prophecy, three brothers I sort of get and I have an inkling about the hallows. The dark lord, lord of grey and council are You-Know-Who, Dumbledore and the ministry or wizengamont. Correct?"

"That's our interpretation yes," Emma confirmed and the others nodded.

"Well that's one thing done," Amelia said. "The next is the underage laws, using magic outside of school is forbidden and can lead to you wand being snapped, expulsion from school and binding of your magic."

"I don't like the sound of binding magic," Harry said looking nervous.

"It's one of the worst things that can happen to a magical person," said Lilly with a look of disgust on her face. "It's usually used on children who perform serious crimes: rape, murder and so on. It locks their magic away permanently so they can't' use it and from what I've learnt on the other side it also seriously shortens their life span. It's also one of the ways the ministry discriminates against muggleborns; the underage laws are only able to be applied to non magical homes, so only muggleborns are able to be caught. They simply cannot tell the difference between the parents or siblings' magic and the child's, they rely on the parents to enforce discipline."

"WHAT?" Jason yelled. "So magical born children can study and play to their hearts content while my daughter would be vilified and thrown out if she tried to do the same?"

"Yes," Lilly said. "I was planning on having James raise the issue in the wizengamont but we went into hiding before we could try. I was looking at restricting it to home use only, not public and the secrecy statute remaining the same. However the laws as they are only specify wand magic, so you can keep going with what you are doing now as much as you want. It's a loophole that no one bothers to close because, 1: they can't track it and 2: they don't think that anyone can do magic without a wand. At least not till they're in their eighties or something after decades of practice like Dumbles."

Amelia looked thoughtful for a few seconds before slowly saying, "You're right. The law only covers wanded magics."

"That brings us to the skill you displayed earlier," Arthur said. "How did you penetrate the wards on the Department of Mysteries?"

Everyone looked at the kids expectantly.

"Well," Hermione said uncertainly. "We never knew there was anything there, it wasn't any different from any other place we've gone to."

"No feeling of being pushed back? Having to move through a viscous liquid or anything?" Amelia pressed.

"No nothing different," Harry said. "I can show you if you like?"

"That would be best," Amelia agreed. They both looked at Jason and Emma who gave them the nod.

"Take my hand," Harry said and with a shimmer they vanished. They returned a few seconds later. "That was to our house," he said.

"It's a strange sensation, like being sucked in or falling but without moving or being squeezed," Amelia said partially to herself. "And now try the Veil again," she continued, talking to Harry. Again two shimmers and a few seconds later they were back.

"And as they said no difference," Amelia mused. "What do you know about this method of travel?"

"We based it on wormhole theory," Emma said. "We just create a gateway between two places, we don't know much more about it than that."

"We just picture the air bending to make a hole that we go through to where we need," Hermione said. "It's not much more than that."

Everyone looked at Lilly who shrugged. "I've got no idea."

"But you knew just about everything else," Sue pointed out. "Why not this?"

"I can know everything that is known by the dead," Lilly said. "Which means I'm up to date on most world affairs, in both worlds. I also know a lot about magical theory and how people think. If something is said that isn't heard by someone who later dies, I can't know it unless a ghost hears it. I therefore know most laws, magical theory and so on but the reasons for peoples actions can easily remain a mystery. I know a lot about what is going on at Hogwarts because of all the ghosts, but other places I don't."

"Makes sense," Sue admitted. "So nothing like this has been done before?"

"Not the warping no," she said. "Using magic like the kids do was fairly common in the really ancient times, before the rise of the Egyptian empire. It is nowadays known as high magic. The difference between high and low magic is sort of like the difference between muggle magic and wizards magic; muggles just create an illusion of change, reality is the same, it is in the mind that the change is perceived. Magic that normal witches and wizards use tricks reality into doing things, making a space larger or making a force that wasn't there before, all driven by magic. But where normal magic tricks reality to have things seem to change, high magic truly changes them. When you change a twig into a spoon, a wizard just makes reality think it's a spoon and reality treats it like it is a spoon, until the magic wears off and reality realises it wasn't actually a spoon.

"High magic changes the matter of the twig into that of a spoon and it stays that way, adding mass and changing what was there, carbon into iron, hydrogen to nickel and so on."

"I thought High magic was extremely difficult and dangerous," Amelia said surprised and worried. "That it can harm the caster horribly as well as people around them."

"In some cases you are right," Lilly said. "But where wizard magic or low magic is about intent, high magic is will. You might think that they are the same but they are different; intent is something you want to happen, will is wanting something to happen and a push to do it. It's like the difference between looking outside and deciding to go for a picnic and telling you other half to grab a blanket and getting some food ready. Much of the magic you do is a slight mix of both, intent with a bit of will thrown in. Those without enough will to do what they will to happen, or aren't focussed on anything specific can have the energies fly around wily nilly. That is where the danger comes from. With the kids they have more than enough will and can easily control their power."

"That's a relief," Sue said smiling. "And now I think that we should move on to the business we wanted with you Amelia."

"Put simply," Jason began. "We need a magical guardian for Harry and his parents will lists you as the most favourable guardian available."

"I would have thought it would be someone else, like Minerva or Fillius," Amelia said looking surprised.

"Who?"

"Minerva McGonagall and Fillius Flitwick," she replied.

"McGonagall was listed after you," Hermione said. "The order was Sirius Black, Alice Longbottom, Remus Lupin, you and then McGonagall. So we have one in prison, one a vegetable, a werewolf before you and apparently the ministry would object to a werewolf."

"Stupid prejudice," Lilly said looking irritated.

"You knew he was a werewolf?" Sue asked shocked.

"Of course," she said with slightly narrowed eyes. "I figured it out in my third year, he went to school with James and I, he was in our year. James and the others figured it out at the end of their first year; they were closer to him than I was then."

"I thought werewolves were sort of savage," Hermione said timidly with a hint of curiosity.

"That's just legend and prejudice," Lilly said firmly. "Some are like that, but most are just normal people who have a disease that makes them turn into a ravening beast once night a month. James used to say that I turned into a ravening beast for three days a month," she said the last part with a strange mix of irritation, amusement, wistfulness and affection.

"Huh?" the kids asked as the adults all chuckled.

"We'll tell you when you're older," Jason chuckled.

"Dad!" Hermione whined. "Stop telling all these jokes and hints that you won't tell us about." She finished with a pout.

Harry and sally giggled at the look on Hermione's face. "What?"

"You always look like that when someone doesn't tell you something," Sally said through her giggles. "It's so funny."

"Hey!"

"Back on track," Jason said amused. "We need Harry to have a new magical guardian and you're the next on the list so will you be his magical guardian?"

"I suppose," Amelia said slowly. "Did it say anything about any requirements I would need to fill?"

"As Harry's seven you would need his ok first," Jason replied. Everybody looked at Harry.

"Would you let me stay with mum and dad?" Harry asked.

"Of course, but would you mind spending some time at my place so I can get to know you? I'd also like you to meet my niece; she could always do with another friend, or three."

"Sure."

"Well that's settled then," Jason said clapping his hands. "Now we need to-"

"Hold on," Amelia cut in. "Arthur and I need to be getting back to the ministry, as we've done our job here and we spent a lot of time on this mission today as it is. I presume you have some questions for us?"

"'course," he replied frowning a little at being cut off.

"Lilly should be able to answer many of the questions you have," Amelia said. "Once I've finished work I could come round if you want."

"That sounds good," Sue said looking at the other adults.

"Would I be able to bring Susan as well?" Amelia asked. "I don't spend much time with her due to work so she might like to go somewhere with me and she might make a few friends to."

"Sounds lovely," Emma said smiling. "I'm sure the kids would love to meet a magical raised kid their own age." She turned to her husband. "Do you want to stay here for the rest of the nights we booked or just go home?"

"I think we should go home," he said. "It would be best to let the kids meet in their home and get used to this in a safe place in case there are any more shocks like the seer one."

"So we will meet you there around seven?" Amelia asked.

"That is fine, we'll see you then."

...

Dumbledore sank into his armchair in his office, closing his eyes against the headache caused by a long day. He loathed dealing with muggle bureaucracy; for a start it was all about the privacy of the person! What a silly idea! There are people who need to know things about everyone and not giving them to him of all people was ridiculous. That was the next part: they didn't know who he was. If he walked into the governments of just about all of Europe and most of the Middle East and Asia people would be throwing themselves at his feet to do his bidding. He had carefully built his powerbase in Britain to the levels it was by the early fifties and by now had the ear of most of the ministers on the planet. Being supreme Mugwump helped a lot of course. All he had to do was let slip of his academic pursuits, beat Grindelwald and manoeuvre around for a few years to get himself in with the governments and hey presto!

At the moment he was just about supreme ruler of Britain; he had the cushiest job, as chief warlock he could decide which cases went to trial or laws were discussed and so controlled the law and by extension he controlled the minister: all he had to do was quietly state, his opinion while graciously declining himself and there we go the puppet of his choice was elected and was generally grateful for his support. The best thing was that it had all been so simple. He knew what Grindelwald was up to in Germany long before war broke out; he was the one who planted the idea after all. When they were young and he was pretending to be Grindelwald's friend he had cast a series of compulsion charms on him, making him favour spells Dumbledore could easily counter and weak against his strongest spells. Then he had sent the fool off to gather those hallows that many believed would make someone invincible so he could stroll in and grab them for himself when he beat him. He only let the war go on so long so that people would love him all the more when he ended the menace of Grindelwald once and for all.

He thinking of Grindelwald he remembered his dear little sister, Arianna. As always thinking of her brought a surge of sadness and anger, sadness that she was gone and anger at the muggles. Barbarians to a man they were to do that to his sweet little sister who had never been right after those teenagers attack. That they would do the same to their own kin was even more repulsive, yet it all sowed the seeds of his final victory. He smiled to himself at the irony that the muggles own hatred of magic would mould the weapon that he would use to catapult himself to the status of supreme ruler of the world and from there to rule the magical world. Never again will magicals suffer the ignominy of hiding what they are for fear of a bunch of savages who strike out at magic wherever they see it. Everything he did really was for the greater good of the wizarding world. And himself but that was just the cherry on top.

It was his weapon that was the cause behind his latest headache. Some group of do-gooder muggles had gotten the muggle police involved in Harry after some accidental magic on Harry's part and put the Dursleys in jail. Three months of waiting and ferreting around in the infernal red tape of the child welfare system he found that Harry had already been allocated a new set of guardians who could be trusted not to continue the Dursleys work. It had then taken him the best part of a week to track down exactly what happened and they a full day to get the Dursleys back in their home ready to receive Harry when he got him tomorrow. How exactly to go about it though? Memory charms all round of course for a start. He would need to remove the family itself so they wouldn't do any damage after though. But how to do it? Hmmmm, decisions decisions...

...

At 8:45 that night Emma, Jason, Sue, Charles and Amelia were all seated at the table in the Grangers kitchen, sipping a glass of wine each and talking. The kids were watching a movie together after an hour of training Susan how to use high magic with mixed results. She had picked up the ball of light after about ten minutes but simple levitation wasn't coming very well. The adults were discussing the situation with a lot of advice and guidance from Lilly, who was projected from the stone in the middle of the table.

"The number of people who can do high magic in any sort of pure or semi pure form is small," she said in response to Amelia's question of Susan's progress. "The only form of high magic that is commonly practiced, in much more than a 50:50 mix, today is apparation. Even then not everyone is able to do so regularly or with much accuracy and range, usually only 100 miles with an accuracy of less than a metre. You've seen what happens when people try to go too far and it's not pretty. The number of people who actually can do high magic to any real degree is about one in 20 and that is only the basics: levitation, light etc. Most don't have enough will or magical power to do much.

"Of those who can use high magic only one in 10 could pass to what you might call an OWL standard and of those only one in 20 could pass NEWTs. With the magical population at around 20,000 that means there should be only around four or five people capable of NEWT level High magic in the UK. Sally, Harry and Hermione are special cases; each was isolated and so had to have the mental control and will power to succeed despite peer pressure, each is magically powerful and getting stronger as time passes, each discovered their magic early without outside biases to taint their views of what is or isn't possible and they each have each other. Quite frankly I couldn't recommend a better combination for a person to learn this branch of magic other than adding in a skilled tutor. At least if you only look at purely learning, if you don't you'd remove the abuse and isolation."

"How does this reflect on Susan?" Amelia asked looking a bit confused.

"For a start her will has not had to be shaped like the others have by an isolated and in Harry's case abusive environment" Lilly said. "She still has a strong will but it hasn't had all that much practice. She has a slightly above average magical core and has the trio tutoring her, but her main failing at this point at this point is conditioning; she subconsciously doesn't believe it to be possible to use magic without a wand as that is what she has always been taught. That undermines her will and saps the focus needed to shape a spell."

"I'm rather cautious about you saying that an isolated or abusive environment is best Mrs Potter," said Emma sharply.

"I guess that was badly phrased," Lilly admitted. "What I meant was that the circumstances of each of the three had built the necessary skills to perform high magic beyond what you would usually expect. It's a case of every cloud having a silver lining, the abuse and isolation was horrible but they at least got something out of it, 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger' is an appropriate phrase here. You don't want people trying to kill you just so if you survive you're stronger you just look at the benefits if someone tries."

"OK, sorry," Emma said mollified.

"You mentioned a magical core and that it can grow," Jason said. "Can you expand on that? What does the core do and is there any way of measuring it or something?"

"The magical core of a person is where they derive any expressible magical power," Amelia said. "Muggles don't have one while squibs have one that cannot be really made to influence anything outside their body but allows them to see magical buildings and work some devices that require magical power."

"That's not quite true," Lilly interjected. "Muggles do have a magical core and it is expressed. The expression of the magic is known as 'sentience'. All sentient creatures have a magical core; it's just that it is extremely small. Without magic of any kind you will die or at least go into a persistent vegetative state."

Amelia looked surprised at this. "Really? But the Goldman-Weirmag scale gives muggles a score of 0!"

"That just means that's the lowest the scale can measure," Lily replied. "Or at least that spell. The Celsius scale doesn't begin at 0, nor does Fahrenheit or even the calendar; that begins 2000 years ago and we know there was life before then."

"I take it there is a way of measuring a magical core from your talks of a scale," Charles said.

"Yes the Goldman-Weirmag scale," Lilly said. "It gives a reading from 0-49, 0 being a muggle, 1-3 being a squib, 4 is the least powerful witch or wizard recognised or admitted into Hogwarts though they only usually get OWLs at most in practical based studies like charms or transfiguration. 8 to 11 is the average for a witch or wizard entering Hogwarts, and around 15 to 18 average for a NEWT graduate."

"Where do you stand," Sue asked, curious.

"I'm a 27," Amelia said. "Well above average for my age."

"I was 28 when I became an Unspeakable," Lilly said. "Most of the natural growth of a person's magical core comes between the ages of 11 and 21, with the average growth of 1 point per year. From there it slows to 1 every 10 to 20 years or more, the higher you are the more you grow. Some of the most powerful people have scores of 30 or more, Dumbledore had a score of 34, the fourth largest recorded since it was created in the early 13th century and the others were 35."

"Where do you think the kids are at?" Jason and Charles asked together.

"At a guess from what I've seen," Lilly said slowly. "Around 11, they would most likely be 14 or 15 by the time they start Hogwarts and in their high twenties when they graduate. It's common to test a witch or wizard for their power level when they have their first bout of accidental magic; Harry tested at 6 when he was a year old and I'd expect the two girls to be the same."

"Susan was four when I tested her a year ago," Amelia put in. "So she'd probably be around five or six now and 10 or 11 when she gets to Hogwarts."

"So none of them are as powerful as this Dumbledore fellow," Sue said sounding disappointed.

"True but Dumbledore is getting on 130 or 140," Amelia said. "I can never remember which, but he has had all that time to grow his core so obviously it would be bigger. When those three reach his age I wouldn't be surprised if they measured 39 or even 40."

"Their main advantage in life will be high magic though," Lilly said. "In anything really. Almost anything that low magic can do, high magic can do better and more efficiently. Apparation for example; that takes months of practice to learn at school, is uncomfortable, easily warded against and limited range. Warping has no known limits to range, doesn't require a lot of magic, is silent and a lot more comfortable. Most other magics will be similarly changed, like food for example. It's impossible to transfigure or conjure food and drink, at least food and drink that actually lasts past your stomach. Transfigurations break down when the substance they are turned into breaks down, reverting to either what they came from, or nothing if they were conjured. What transfiguration does, even 'permanent' ones, is make the universe think that the object is now something else, when it breaks down the field attached to it the illusion is gone. High magic on the other had doesn't have that field, it changes one thing into another in a true physical way. So the kids could easily transfigure rocks into food if they wanted."

"I don't get why will makes such a difference yet does the same things," Emma said. "It's just confusing."

Lilly thought for a few seconds. "Ok think of it in a different way, like say an old steam powered ship compared to nuclear powered carrier. The steam ship burns coal that turns the propellers, it's dirty, inefficient and you use a lot of fuel. The nuclear ship produces a lot more power, more efficiently, with less waste and less fuel needed. Each drives a propeller that moves the ship, but they use different sources and the power is put to use in different ways. Come to think of it that is a particularly good example, since nuclear plants convert steam to electricity for power transfer and will is like intent with a bit more oomph."

"Oh, ok."

"So do people use magic words at all?" Emma asked.

"Some do some don't," Amelia replied. "Most NEWT subjects require at least some wordless casting to get a decent mark but not many people use it all the time. Only those that are particularly good, practiced or just want to show a bit of power do the whole 'everything with a wave of your wand' thing. Most people stick to wand movements and incantations because it's easier or if they are doing a spell on a person."

"Why on a person?" Jason asked.

"Wands can kill just as easily as they cure," Amelia said sounding businesslike. "I've seen murder cases where a person thought their killer was just cleaning their robes for them after they got out of the floo, just pointed their wand, silent cast and dead. It's only not done within a family where they trust each other, I don't usually do it with Susan and I know Arthur doesn't worry about it at home but elsewhere it's wand movements and incantations."

"Is it really that common?" He asked shocked.

"No, not really," Lilly said. "Most of the time though it's a courtesy but it is still important in society. The wizarding world is still stuck in the eighteen hundreds tech wise and even further in regards to social concerns. The house system is in full force; families like the Blacks, Bones, Potters, and Longbottoms are all the height of society and enjoy a lot of privileges beyond what is normal. Even the newer houses are afforded some respect."

"Come again?"

"Basically there is magic in the bonds of a family," Lilly explained. "Some spells rely on the bonds of a family, life debts can be passed down through the line, and there is some magical influence in a person's abilities that are passed down through the generations. Potters for example were always good at transfiguration and warding, the Bones' I believe were good at politics, the Blacks were traditionally good with, well some of it is classed as dark magic but most of it is harmful. Each house can pass specialities down through the line but they aren't absolutes, more of a general trend."

"We Bones' are also known to dabble in potion making too," Amelia agreed.

"Anyway, the houses are the corner stone of our society; a large number of laws and customs reinforce, or have sprung up as a result of the house system. In some of the oldest and most traditional pureblood families go so far as to make marriages mostly politically and economically oriented. Alliances of mutual gain and of course to produce an heir. There is also great power given to the truly old families like the Potters and Bones', their heads are almost always Lords and have hereditary seats on the wizengamont, the national court/parliament. Anyway things like assassinations or other politically motivated actions can be done under the pretence of a helpful spell so people always use incantations and wand movements on people who aren't family or close friends."

"So what purpose do the words serve in the first place?" Jason asked.

"I'm not sure the exact reasons but the overall effect is it's easier to cast the spell, the spell has more power and I think it acts as a trigger for your magic. I'll have to ask one of the theorists on my side to explain."

They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes just thinking about what had happened in this the longest and most action packed day of their lives, full of revelations, surprises and new ideas.

"Just one thing Amelia," Jason said, breaking the silence. "Is it possible to place wards around our homes? Keep out any unwanted witches and wizards who might come here?"

"That would be a good idea," she said. "I could set up a basic intruder ward anti-apparation and intent based stunner ward in about ten minutes but that is the limits of what I can do. I'd recommend discussing a more complete ward scheme with the goblins, they have some of the best and they are always discreet."

"When you get to Egypt you can find some truly ancient wards that we can add," Lilly said. "That and Potter manor has some of the best books on warding in existence; any curse-breaker or ward crafter would kill to get their hands on those books. You can add those once the kids are familiar with warding."

"Did I miss something?" Amelia asked. "When were they going to Egypt?"

"The Potters have a secret crypt and storage area there," Lilly explained. "You must not tell anyone of it, the only reason I'm telling you is you would need to know where he is as his guardian. When they get there they can start making their own wand/staff which is perfectly within the law: it states that you cannot buy a wand. The other purebloods use this all the time with family wands so they get a head start."

"This world is messed up," Charles said shaking his head.

"Those were my thoughts as well when I learnt about these things," Lily said nodding her head in agreement. "When do you think you can get to Egypt?"

"Well we have a few days off in another month," Jason said. "Do you guys think you can get time off at the same time?"

"Possibly," Sue replied. "I've got some leave saved up, Charlie?"

"I can probably roster a few days, but we probably need someone to stay behind with Josh and Samuel, or we bring them with us."

"I wouldn't advise that," Lilly said. "some of the tombs there can be very nasty; as adults you should be able to react well and get out even if you don't have magic and the three kids have enough power and skill to keep themselves out of trouble but a couple of six and unders? They should be fine if everything goes well but if things go wrong they will be very vulnerable. Think of it like driving a car; they might be physically able to drive and on a simple straight stretch of road they would be quite passable, but in any tricky manoeuvres or in the case of losing control they would have no idea what to do and probably get hurt."

"One thing we never covered is the extent of the kid's abilities," Amelia said. "Their spell repertoire, power of casting and other factors that I would like to test them on if you don't mind; it would be good to see what level they are at before we move on to the books so I can guide them while they do it."

"Have you taught before?" Sue asked curious.

She nodded. "I taught Susan the basic things: mathematics, reading, writing and other basic skills. I also was an instructor for the Auror corps for a few years before I became head of the MLE."

After agreeing to have Sue watch Amelia put the kids through their paces the following day and talking about some inconsequential things, they woke the kids who had all fallen asleep on the couch and armchairs so they could say their goodbyes and leave for home. Soon the kids were all tucked into bed after their very long day.

...

Amelia slumped in her chair in her office looking over the paperwork she had received from the Children's Welfare department in the Ministry. She had called in a few favours there to make sure they wouldn't start bleating to everyone who crossed their path that Harry Potter had new guardians. It was standard stuff but she had to read it before signing it, magical contracts were sometimes like that. After signing them she contemplated what she would see tomorrow when she tested them but quickly gave up. She truly had no idea the amount those three had taught themselves in a few months but she was pleased that they seemed willing to help Susan. Her niece was the heiress to the Bones family, it being one of only five Ancient Families that were able to have a Matriarch or Patriarch and she herself was no longer able to have children thanks to a particularly dark curse she took to the gut in her twenties. The more she learned the better and she was seriously considering not sending her to Hogwarts, instead hiring tutors. She knew that there was little chance of Dumbledore being taken down any time soon; it needed to be done gradually, eroding his power base, showing evidence in the public eye to wear down his support and reduce his favour bank before finally going in for the kill.

The only thing that made this tolerable for her was that he would get justice someday at least. She hated when a plainly guilty person walked free without punishment or with almost none, possibly the worst was when the Nott patriarch was given a hundred galleon fine for raping a muggle woman. Even that was kept out of the papers and she knew that quite a few of the wizengamont and ministry had spoken out about it but the minister and the purebloods were not to be moved. There was little justice in this world despite her efforts. She had just started to think on the prophecy she had heard today when the clock struck and seeing that it was now almost eleven, turned in for the night.

A/N

Many apologies for the long wait between updates, my muse had died on several occasions and the rest of the time I was otherwise occupied. There might be another long wait before the next chapter. I am also putting my other story, "Bonded" on hold for a while and will get back to it sometime in the future. THX Sarge.