Protection: The Sword and the Shield

Birthday Powers

Around the age of 14 and sometimes as late as age 15, magical children experience the first of two magical maturities. This can be the most difficult time faced by the parents of muggleborns. Up to that point muggleborn children usually are already outside the norms of development. Boys are usually taller and stronger than their peers and girls usually already have fully developed secondary sexual characteristics like their breasts and hips. It is also common, in girls, to have experienced an earlier than normal menarche.

At the onset of the first magical maturity, another change to the body occurs and these earlier signs are magnified. An individual's magical core is part of them and magic is a responsive force that works to manifest a magical's subconscious desire to survive and be healthy. So, a typical consequence of the first magical maturity is to magically adjust the body to make it the best it can be. That change will typically defy the norms of non-magical maturation to an even greater degree.

Boys and girls who have passed through the first magical maturation will easily be perceived in the non-magical world as being 30% older than they are, with a 60% increase to perceived age not being outside the realm of possibility. In addition, magic will work to idealize and perfect their features making them seem more attractive to the general public.

Excerpt from My Magical Child, A Guide to Muggleborn Parenthood by Kimberley Garrison

...Potter Castle, Ottery St. Catchpole, England, UK

It was Harry Potter's birthday and the mood around the castle was celebratory. In the month leading up to Harry Potter turning 14, Justine had been freed, all open Wizengamot seats had been filled and in a marathon 3-day legislative session, massive legal reforms had been enacted that shifted the British magical government from being one of the most oppressive toward sentient magical creatures to the most progressive in the world.

Contrary to the expectations of the general public, Harry's birthday party was a small joint affair that celebrated both his and Neville's birthdays. Small was a relative term considering that each boy had about six girlfriends and most of the boys' closest friends, families and advisors also had multiple partners. The "small" party had over 60 people present.

The party was a happy affair with five different cakes made by Molly Weasley, Alice Longbottom, Hannah Abbott, Hermione Granger and, oddly, Sirius Black. No one touched the last one though there was a bowl with a growing pile of galleons that would go to whoever was brave enough to eat two slices of it. The look of concern that passed Sirius' face when Harry set the bet at "two" slices caused even the bravest to step back from the beautifully decorated red and gold creation.

After the cakes were cut, Stephanie announced that she was pregnant. Her and Remus' marriage ceremony would be the following week but apparently neither wanted to wait to start a family after meeting Sirius' two beautiful daughters. Lycan babies already had all the combined cuteness of human babies and puppies and Remus had held many of them, but it was Stephanie witnessing Remus delicately holding both Cassie and Kata that made her decide to stop waiting.

No one noticed the look exchanged between Minerva and her three boyfriends. Their marriage was scheduled for the end of August, right before the beginning of the school year and in that unnoticed moment Hermione Granger won her bet. The reason no one was paying attention to Minerva was because Bertha announced her own pregnancy as well. The two pregnant women were practically absorbed by the other women while the men surrounded Remus and Frank to offer congratulations.

Rosmerta was amazed at the large group of women she found herself with. When she first arrived at the party she had hugged Justine because of her happiness that the young woman who had become a good friend had been found innocent of the, "bullshit", charges brought against her. She, of course, knew most of the other women, at least in passing, as they had all been to her pub while at Hogwarts, but she was surprised at how quickly they all drew her in and accepted her.