Greyback, slaughtered by his owner, before she was leashed.

     It was learned that two days ago the death of infamous Fenrir Greyback took place at the hands of known Death Eater, and pure-blood, Iphegenia Avery. Greyback had been running deadly errands for a secret society, also known as the Circle, that dabbles in the dark arts to further improve wizards and witches alike. Fenrir had been found at the sight of Avery's capture made by Severus Snape and brought to the ministry where she faces trial for her many crimes.

     The charges keep stacking against Avery, known Ringleader behind dozens of muggles deaths.

     After the Ministry searched the Avery Estate more evidence concerning genetic manipulation of muggles was found. The science behind how this was achieved was located in a secret sanctuary located under the sizable home. All known members of the notorious Circle have been taken into custody and are facing sentencing for their part in this twisted tale.

     Severus Snape and Hermione Granger caught K-I-S-S-I-N-G!

     After the safe save of five—what are now being called New-maj's—Severus Snape and Hermione Granger have been inseparable. So much so that young Granger has moved in with her ex-potions master and has brought her recovering mother to boot. Has the dark, brooding wizard finally landed the woman of his dreams? Do we hear wedding bells or is that just the high hopes of this humble author? Signs point to yes due to Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger's abrupt breakup after his very public proposal. What does this mean for the lost blue-eyed Weasley?

     New-maj's — the new wizard breed or death sentence?

     The newly captured New-maj's haven't been eating since being rescued from the cult called the Circle. At this time three of the five still live after two of them were tube feed. The third, Monica Granger, seems to be recovering and is now being taken care of by her daughter, Hermione Granger and Severus Snape at Spinner's End.

          ๑۞๑,¸¸,ø¤º°'°๑۞๑,¸¸,ø¤º°'°๑۞๑

     "Thank you for lunch, Severus." My little witch kissed me and removed the plates from the table, "Will you be in the lab for a while?"

     "I think the burner was running a little faulty. I was going to give it a look, and Fawex is visiting."

     "Then I'll be up to say hello to him in a bit."

     "You'll not go check on your father today?"

     She looked at the door that Monica had just exited then back at me, "No. After seeing how broken he was, just staring at the wall, I can't do it again. Not yet, anyway."

     "Don't you think that your mother deserves to go and visit him?"

     "She too fragile! She is just getting to where she does little things for herself again. Seeing him might do more damage than good."

     "Kia, how would you feel if I were your father and you were your mother in this situation?"

     Her shoulders sagged, "Not fair."

     Chuckling, I pulled her close and kissed her forehead, "Why in Merlin's grey beard would I ever play fair? We'd have Voldemort ruling the planet by now if I did."

     She began wrapping her arms around me before stopping as Monica walked in with the laundry basket. Kia's mom was gaining back her color as well as a little weight and by day three of being here, she was doing the small things for herself once again.

     "Mum and I are going to go hang the wash," Kia smiled knowing that I thought it was a waste of time, but she insisted it made things smell fresh. So long as she didn't leave my underwear out there, I suppose I was okay with it.

     Monica smiled as her eyes landed on the two of us, "I know I said it before Severus, but thank you for taking such good care with my daughter."

     "I always will, Monica," I smiled back as the two women left out the back door to hang the laundry. 

     We'd explained to Monica that Hermione was her daughter and sometimes she remembered but not always and it was hard on Kia. It was almost like dealing with an Alzheimer's patient, but  I was pleased that she was fully cognizant at the moment.

     Monica was still able to perform magic, but it was about as good with it as Seamus Finigan is with an open flame. We hid her wand unless we are working with her to get her to cast simple spells. She'd made a lot of progress and we both believed she'd eventually make a full recovery. 

     A small breeze floated through the open door and I noticed something moving out of the corner of my eyes on the floor. Squinting, I moved over and picked it up. With everything that had transpired that night and the week following all the excitement over recovering the Grangers, I'd forgotten about the copy of the scroll that we had been studying. It must have rolled over here after we'd rushed off to the forest.

     I opened my mouth to say something to Kia, but as I did, I saw her and her mom laughing about something and decided to leave them be.

     Climbing the stairs two at a time until reaching my lab, I unrolled the enlarged parchment across my drawing table and studied it. After having checked several pure-bloodlines including the Black's, Malfoy's, Weasley's—and finding nothing out of the ordinary—I looked for Granger, and it was nowhere to be seen. 

     It made sense since this was a pure-blood directory, but then I recalled hearing Greyback talk about who was next. And that Kizzy woman had something she shouldn't as well as the papers shuffling.

     I kept finding my eye drawn to the bottom right corner where the tiny jagged Circle sat, and I finally tapped it with my wand, "Revelio."

     The names shimmered before changing to a new set of names. Some pure-blood and some weren't. And there it was Granger, Hermione. 

     I traced her family line on her father's side back several generations before eventually leading to the famed potions master, Hector Dagworth-Granger. was her great grandfather and here was the evidence.

     I knew it and so did she!

     I noticed that Dagworth-Granger had an extensive family line, but most of them withered off—like dying branches of a tree. All except the one leading to Kia. 

     Excited to know the next answer to Monica's heritage, I spent some more time studying the paper, before freezing. 

     No! No, no...that can't be right!

     I leaned in closer, hoping I'd been hallucinating because I had been staring at the parchment for too long.

     It wasn't as if people didn't cheat on their significant others all the time throughout the ages and have bastards. But for a person who did his darndest to make it illegal for wizards to marry Muggles and was even booted out of the Ministry for trying to make it law, and then to have a muggle-born child out of wedlock was the epitome of hypocrisy.

     After a while, I heard footsteps climbing the stairs, "Sev, are you still up there?"

     "Yes."

     Kia walked in and saw my face and asked, "What's wrong?" She walked over and saw me looking at the scroll, "I'd forgotten all about this. What..." Her eyes locked on mine and worry filled the chocolate-brown depths.

     "I traced your family lines. You were right and are related to Hector Dagworth-Granger."

     Her eyes widened, "Really?" Her eyes scanned the parchment and I pointed to it for her to better inspect. 

     "That's amazing! I've always thought it was possible but never..." She scrunched her brow in concern. "Why do you have that, I have bad news, Kia, look in your eye?"

     "Your mother."

     "What?"

     "Her great grandfather several times removed was Perseus Parkinson."

     Her mouth fell open and she sat on the nearest stool, "But he tried to keep muggles and wizards from marrying! He was a spiteful old oaf!"

     "At least you have your answer now."

     "Yeah, but I'm a Parkinson... and I hate Pansy more than most." she was worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.

     I couldn't blame her for feeling this was, especially considering how much she'd been picked on by the pug-nosed Slytherin. I tried to cheer her, "Let's look at the positive; your mom is recovering nicely and your father will too."

     Her eyes locked on mine and she nodded.

     "And we stopped the Circle and Greyback."

     "Right," She remarked offhandedly.

     I felt the overwhelming need to protect her—forever—so I moved in front of her and took her small hands in mine before kissing her strawberry lips. "Kia?"

     She was shaking her head, "It's fine and I know you are just trying to make me feel—"

     "Marry me." I had planned this whole romantic proposal that I was going to do once Wendell Granger was well enough to ask for his daughter's hand, but I was done wasting time.

     She studied me for a moment as her face flushed.

     "I want to make our own family line," I pointed to the parchment, "You belong right there, next to me. I love you."

     She smiled, "I love you too, Severus."

     "In September, when the leaves change to their autumn colors, will you marry me?"

     She threw her arms around me and cried, "Yes!"

     As I kissed my future bride, and tried not to get too emotional. I felt the world I'd been hanging around on become real. For the very first time, I was home.