Prologue part.2
After the conversation with his mom, Dean knew what he had to do. He had to replace Rita freaking Skeeter. Until now, he had met a few problems. First, he did not know where to start, he did not want to make his mom the centre of everything, she would both love and despise it. But she was the start of his research. He would start with Mary MacDonald, member of the self-titled Valkyries, Gryffindor of the 78 class, close friends with the main family of the Second Wizarding War (also important during the First), the Potters. But first, he needed to gain as many sources as possible and that is how he found himself sending owls to everyone he knew, and everyone his mother used to know. She seemed to enjoy that her old classmates were happy to know she was alive and reaching out to them. Of course that his mom would have to be liked. She was captivating. Within a few weeks, he found himself to be surrounded by pictures, letters, journals, old newspapers, drawing, old school notebooks full of doodles, paintings, videos and old annotated school books. Soon enough, he could not see some of his furniture and had to move in his flat on his tip toes and by jumping from one empty space to another. He had started by making a map, or rather, stealing one from the old school newspapers (ironically written by Xenophilius Lovegood and Rita Skeeter). A map of friendships, especially of the 78 class Gryffindors. There had been 112 new students that year, less than most years but at least, the teachers were hoping for better classes and calmer lessons. Out of those 112 students, 20 had been sorted in Hufflepuff which a usual number for the infamous house, 25 went in Ravenclaw, 32 in Gryffindors and 35 in Slytherin. Even at the time, people felt bitter or scared. Ironically, this sorting would resonate within the First War. Out of the 112 students, 17 died during the First War, 6 were badly hurt, 22 died during the Second War and 38 were injured. The other 29 who were neither dead nor injured, like Mary, had lost everything and some of them, like Mary, had seen the same thing happen to their kid.
Dean realised how many people were not considered important. He hesitated. Was it really fair to focus his work on his mother and the people she knew? Especially when those people deserved to be left in peace? At the end of the day, Dean had concluded two things. First, some people deserved to know the truth, just like what he had learnt from his mom a month ago. Second, relationships in Hogwarts had always been a mess. In Gryffindor, the two famous friendship groups were his mom’s and James Potter. His mother was friend with Marlene McKinnon and Lily Evans, the three of them being close to James Potter, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black. Dean remembers having lessons with Lupin. He remembers the look his teacher had on him sometimes, a look of sadness and nostalgia. He was probably thinking about his mother. He remembers how Harry grew close to him, defended Lupin when everyone hated him for giving low grades. That is when it his Dean. No one talked about it. He did not know that Harry knew Lupin was his father’s best friend. He did not know his mother had been best friend with Lily Evans. He did not know, and he needed to. He needed to make sure those people would not get forgotten. He would tell those stories, and he would start with his mother.
- Okay, everything is set. You can start.
- Should I look at the camera or you? asked Mary.
- Whatever you feel comfortable with.
- So preferably the camera then?
- Yes.
- My name is Mary MacDonald, I’m 40, I was at Hogwarts between 1971 and 1978, it was the middle of the First Wizarding War, so quite a strange time to be at school. But we felt safe, we were told it was the safest in the Wizarding World, because of Dumbledore, stated bitterly Mary. She had seen her closest friends die because of him, and his stupid ambition.
- What do you want to talk about first? asked Dean, behind the camera with a pen in hand. He knew that if his mom would want to start by expressing her hate for Albus Dumbledore, she would, and he would not stop her.
Mary thought for a while. She had so many things to say, but only one seemed urgent.
-Lily Evans.