Bringing gifts and all good wishes
Once upon a time there was a beloved king and queen. Both had nearly everything they could ever want, but what they wished for more than anything was a child. After many years, their wish was granted and Queen Hope gave birth to their child. They named her Aoife
To honour the princess, a great holiday was proclaimed. Families, friends, colleagues and mere acquaintances united to celebrate. Mortals and immortals alike were welcome to join the festivity, but there was one magical being in the kingdom who the king did not want anywhere near the castle. One by the name of Fenrir Greyback. When asked by his wife why he would exclude someone from the celebration, King Lyall answered that “Greyback is cruel and wicked. A soulless, evil monster deserving of nothing but death”
Once the great and joyous day arrived, old friends of the king and queen, along with noble families from allied kingdoms gathered in the great hall. Among the royal families attending were the Blacks, Potters, Prewetts and many others.
As orchestral music filled the hall, a white dove was spotted only a few meters over people's heads. The bird landed gracefully before the thrones. Then came a tabby cat who left the crowd to join the dove. A third animal, a badger, followed suit.
The three animals vanished. In their places were three women who bowed to Lyall and Hope.
They were the most honoured and exalted excellencies: the three good fairies Minerva McGonagall, Pomona Sprout and Poppy Pomfrey. They had come to bestow one gift each to the princess
Minerva McGonagall went up to the cradle, her sharp features softened as her lids formed a rare smile. She granted the gift of beauty. Pomona Sprout, the fairy who entered as a badger, was after. She blessed the princess with the gift of singing. Last up was Madame Poppy. She waved her wand the same precise motion that McGonagall and Sprout had done before. “Sweet princess, my gift shall be-” but she didn’t get to finish.
A cold wind swept through the entire great hall. The candles in the chandelier were no longer burning, the kingdom's flag nearly blew off the wall. Everyone looked around wondering what could have caused it, for no door or window was open. Many were frightened. In the same spot where the dove landed before, lightning struck. Green flames burst out and took the shape of a human. A large man emerged; one with matted hair and long black sleeves that appear almost like the wings of a phoenix rising from emerald fire.
"Fenrir Greyback?” whispered Poppy “What does he want?”
“Forgive me” Greyback bore a wicked smile. His yellow eyes meeting the royal couple “I'm sorry for appearing so abruptly. I heard rumours that a great holiday was taking place. I felt quite distressed to not receive an invitation”
Many people turned to Lyall, the man responsible for his exclusion. He glared at Greyback, hardly trying to hide his animosity. “You weren't wanted”
Greyback pretended to be shocked “Oh, I understand. I was hoping there had been a mistake” he sighed heavily “If that’s so, then I best be on my way”
The queen, to say the least, was surprised that Greybacks took it so well “I hope we haven't offended you, mister”
“No. Not at all, your majesty!” his clawed hands stroked the sphere on his sceptre “In fact, to show you that I bear no ill will, I shall bestow my own gift to the child”. The king and queens faces lost colour “Listen everyone!!!” commanded the fairy. McGonagall, Sprout and Pomfrey gripped their wands steadily.
“The princess shall have grace and beauty. Beloved by everyone who knows her-“ he grinned, relishing in the fear all around him “-but before the moon rises on the night of her seventeenth birthday, she shall prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die!”
“NO!!!” cried the queen. Fenrir cackled, showing his sharp yellowing teeth
The king pointed “Arrest that monster!!!”. Minerva fired her stunning spell a second too late. Greyback got swallowed by the same green flame that previously brought him there. When the flames died down, he had vanished
Hope held the tiny princess in her arms. As Lyall stood by her side, his face was plagued with sorrow and regret. Their daughter hadn’t even gotten the chance to live, yet she would pay the consequences for how her father angered the wrong person.
“All hope is not lost, your majesty” ensured Minerva, “Madame Poppy have not yet given her gift”
Lyall looked up, a spark of hope reignited in his eyes “Does that mean she can undo this awful curse?”
“I’m afraid not, your majesty” Poppy shook her head “This is dark, forbidden magic. I may not be able to break the curse, but I can try to counter it”
“Just do your best, dear” encouraged Sprout. Pumfrey looked at Minerva, who gave her a nod. Poppy concentrated. She took a deep breath and started waving her wand with a soft motion “Sweet princess. Though the curse unforgiving may seem, a ray of hope will remain. If through an awful trick a spindle shall your finger prick, you shall fall not into death, but a deep slumber. For by true love's kiss, the spell shall break”
*******************
Day became evening and the royal couple were still fearful that the protection might not be enough. They ordered that every spinning wheel in the kingdom without exception ought to be burned.
Outside Aoife's room were palace guards. Only trusted figures were to be let in, so when three of them asked to come in, talking in hushed voices, Lyall knew it was about something important.
At first glance, Hope did not recognise that it was the three good fairies her husband was talking to. Instead of their usual flowy witch robes, they wore common dresses. Suddenly they could blend into any crowd of working-class citizens. Hope had only ever seen their hair put up in neat buns, now they had bonnets on their heads. Upon entering the room, Poppy went straight to the window to draw the curtains and Pomona closed the door
While the royal couple had been rocking their child, trying to not think of how her life could be cut short, Minerva McGonagall had come up with a plan. The three women would live as mortals, raising the child as their own, away from royal life and wait until the curse was no longer in effect. Naturally, the idea of not seeing her for seventeen years wasn’t something her parents were pleased about. They both questioned if it was necessary. The queen asked why they couldn't hide her by magical means.
“Fenrir Greyback knows everything about magic” said Pomona Sprout “We can use transfiguration to turn her into something that can’t prick its finger, like a flower, but then Greyback would send a frost over. He knows what dark arts will be most effective against guards. But there is something he doesn’t understand: love, selflessness and the joy in helping others. Us taking her in, with no magic to aid us is the only thing he will not expect”
The three good fairies felt sympathy for the royal couple. They had looked forward to seeing their daughter grow. They wanted to be there when she took her first step. They had gone around telling people they couldn't wait until she had learned to talk, because they wanted to get to know her. They wanted to know what was inside her little head and what she thought of the world. The idea of missing out on it was breaking their heart, yet they couldn't refute what Sprout told them, for she was right. And even amidst their uncertainty, they knew deep down that Aoife didn’t deserve to grow up fearing Fenrir Greyback. After weighing their options further Hope and Lyall knew that there was only one thing to do
The fairies decided to wait until it was dark outside to leave the castle ground. When it was time to say goodbye, Lyall and Hope each placed a kiss on her forehead before handing the princess over to Madame Poppy. The only constellation was the promise that they would take good care of her. With heavy hearth the king and queen watched from the balcony as they disappeared into the night with their only child.