Harry Potter and the Legend of the Twelve

The Memory

In an office in the Ministry of Magic, a woman sat alone, signing her name to parchment after parchment. It was Saturday, but she was working, since in only a few short minutes, she would leave this office and it would no longer be hers. Her belongings were already packed and taken away, with the exception of the parchments she was signing, and the quill and bottle of ink she was using, the only other item remaining on or in her desk was a name plate sitting in front of her bearing her name and the title that would only be hers for a few more minutes, Hermione Jean Weasley, Assistant Director of Magical Law Enforcement 

She finished signing and sat back in her chair, she would miss this office and job, but the new position she was taking was in some ways a dream come true. The opportunity it gave her not only for her career, but also to be in a position to help the people that she cared most about was more than she could ever pass up.

Only her husband and young son were aware of her change of occupation. Her daughter, who would depart for Hogwarts the next day, would be in for quite a shock, as would it be to her best friends and their children. As she sat, contemplating her future, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," called Hermione.

"Good afternoon, Hermione," said Kingsley Shackelbolt as he closed the door behind him and walked to the desk, offering her his hand.

"Good afternoon, Minister," said Hermione with a smile as she stood and shook awaiting his hand.

"How many times do I have to tell you, when the prying eyes of the Wizarding world are not upon us, call me Kingsley," he said with a smile.

Hermione smiled, and gestured towards the chair in front of her desk. "Please Kingsley, have a seat."

Kingsley sat in the chair in front of the desk, and Hermione sat back down in her chair. "I just wanted to drop by and wish you luck," said Kingsley. "I was very happy when you accepted the new position, but we will miss you at the Ministry." Kingsley appeared to be slightly distracted.

"Thank you, Kingsley," replied Hermione. "I am sorry to be leaving, but I couldn't pass it up."

"Of course you couldn't," said Kingsley with a laugh. "I always had a feeling you would be there someday. I think my old friend would be happy, too."

"I would like to think so," grinned Hermione. "I wish I'd known him better."

Kingsley went very quiet all of a sudden. "Is something wrong, Kingsley?" asked Hermione.

"Yes," said Kingsley with a sigh. "I have to give you something for Harry. It's...troubling."

"What is it?" asked Hermione. She was alarmed by the tone of his voice.

"An old friend of yours who works in the Department of Mysteries recently discovered something," said Kingsley. "It was found in the ruins of a castle being excavated in Romania which we were aiding the Romanian Ministry of Magic in documenting. She smuggled it out, no one else knows of its existence. It was discovered just weeks ago. She would have delivered it herself, but she had to return to Romania."

Kingsley removed a small box from his pocket. He placed it on Hermione's desk. It was polished wood, but it was obviously very old. It wasn't very big, about four inches wide by eight inches long, and only about three inches high with a hinged cover.

"Your friend asked me to Obliviate her memory of finding this, which I did," said Kingsley. "She said she knew you would know what to do with it. She put a charm on it, so no one can open the box until you do. She seemed to believe it was important for you to have it, and asked me to forget I'd ever seen it. I trust her, so please Obliviate my memory of this as well."

Hermione stared at him a moment in shock. "Kingsley, are you sure?" asked Hermione. "Who was it who gave it to you?"

"Yes, I am sure, especially since I can read just enough Runes to know what it says on top of the box," said Kingsley seriously. Kingsley hesitated for a moment. "Remember, she has no memory of it. It was Susan Bones, and she estimated the box to be approximately thirteen hundred years old."

Susan Bones had been a member of Dumbledore's Army. If she wanted Harry to have this enough to break several laws, then it had to be very important.

Hermione picked up the small box. It obviously had been magically enchanted or else it would have disintegrated centuries ago. On the top were some Runes. Hermione translated the runes in her head and looked up at Kingsley with a look of shock on her face.

"I guess you translated it as I did," said Kingsley. "I assume I don't need to tell you why Susan thought it was important."

Hermione nodded. "Are you sure you want me to Obliviate your memory, Kingsley?" asked Hermione.

"Yes, I am. He's done enough for the wizarding world, that if it has his name on it, it is no one else's business," said Kingsley. "If I do need to know something, I'm sure he'll let me know."

"Very well, if you are sure," said Hermione, drawing her wand from her pocket. Hermione pointed her wand at Kingsley and said the incantation, "Obliviate." Hermione immediately returned her wand to her pocket, and placed the box in her desk drawer.

Kingsley's eyes glazed over for a moment, then consciousness returned. "Well, good luck in your new position, Hermione. I'm sure you will be wonderful," said Kingsley, as he stood, came around the desk and gave her a brief hug. "Your appointment has been kept secret, only a few people know, and they won't tell a soul. It will be announced to the public two days from now, as we discussed."

"Thank you, Kingsley," said Hermione. Kingsley nodded and turned and left the office, closing the door behind him.

Hermione sat back in her chair, and removed the box from the desk drawer. How could a thirteen hundred year old box have 'The Boy Who Lived' written on it in Runes? The prophecy that had led to Voldemort killing Harry's parents had only been made in 1980.

Hermione carefully flipped up the lid. It contained a small glass vial with a silvery substance inside. It was obviously a memory. She picked up the vial and tried to remove the stopper, but it wouldn't budge. Maybe only Harry can open it, Hermione thought.

Hermione was about to replace the vial and close the box, when she noticed there was a folded piece of parchment apparently as old as the box underneath the vial. She was about to unfold it, when she decided that if it was for Harry, she needed to let him read it first, and she returned it and the vial to the box.

As she was about to close the box, Hermione noticed some more Runes on the inside of the cover. She translated them and gasped.

Then she thought about what she read and relaxed. It had already happened, hadn't it, twenty-two years ago? Surely this must be referring to then, Hermione thought?

Hermione briefly thought of contacting Harry, but decided it could wait a day or two. The box was thirteen hundred years old, after all, what would a couple more days be? However, Hermione couldn't shake the ominous feeling of the words inside the box.