"The brightest flame will defeat the deathly chill of seven Decembers."
Castor and Pollux Jones, transfer students from Ilvermorny, are now attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After the unexpected death of their mother, they move t...
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Professor McGonagall's office was empty during the evening hours. This was usually a time when the elder witch would sit at her ornate desk and grade her papers for the day. The Gryffindor Head of House was always punctual with her student's schoolwork. Transfiguration being an odd subject, even for the wizarding world; turning rats into goblets, and porcupines into pin cushions.
However, at this moment, she was not grading her student's work, but rather, she was re-reading a particularly off-putting letter from the Minister of Magic. Nathan Jones had been missing for some time now, since the end of July, at least. Castor had been right in her information, Nathan had been sent on an undercover mission per the Ministry's orders, though they did not disclose where he had gone. He'd sent one single owl from his location to inform them of his need for extending his assignment, with the request that they forward the information to the Weasley's, of whom were watching over his godchildren.
That was the last time anyone had heard from him. In six whole months.
Minerva sighed heavily, dropping the letter to the top of her desk. Having been a teacher as long as she had, McGonagall was well versed in delivering bad news to her students. And though times went on, it never did get any easier. It wasn't ever easy having to tell students their parents were murdered for being muggles. It wasn't easy to tell Sirius Black that his family name did not define him, that the night he ran away from home was an act of bravery and not fear. It wasn't easy to tell Remus Lupin that James and Lily were dead by the hands of Sirius Black. It was certainly not going to be easy to tell Castor and Pollux Jones that their only other living family they felt any connection to was also gone.
"Professor? You asked to see me?" Castor peaked from behind the classroom door, waiting until Professor McGonagall waved a hand to allow her in.
"Please come in, Miss Jones."
Castor took a seat across from the elder witch. "This sounds serious." She shook her head politely at Professor McGonagall's offer of tea and biscuits. "No thank you."
"I'm afraid I have some bad news." McGonagall folded her hands atop her desk.
"Is this about Uncle Nathan?" Castor could tell by her tone of voice.
"Yes, I'm afraid so." McGonagall reached for the letter from the Minister, handing it to Castor across the desk. "Your uncle has been deemed missing since the end of July. He sent the notice of extension for his assignment and has not been heard from since."
"Is anyone even looking for him? Where is he?" Castor held the letter closer to her eyes, as if literally reading between the lines for the answer to her questions.
"That information was not disclosed to me, unfortunately."
Castor sighed, dropping the letter into her lap. She scoffed, almost laughing at the timing of everything that had happened. Uncle Nathan going missing, the attack at the Quidditch World Cup, her and Harry's names being chosen from the Goblet of Fire...Harry's odd dreams.
