Harry Potter Next Generation: Transforming a Legacy

Chapter One: All the Way to the 344th (Scorpius)

For the third time that morning, I wished that I had shaved.

I shifted anxiously from foot to foot in anticipation to meet with President Ruby Lockwood, who I suspected already wanted to blast me into dust for nothing more than being British.

"Pretty high up in this building, aren't we?" I remarked to the two guards who had been assigned to me. As a safety measure for me, Congress had said. More of a safety measure for the Americans, who were at least allowed to keep their wands. "Why is it the 344th? Why not something practical, like the fifth?"

The two men extended glances. In their all-black clothes and dark green cloaks, they were almost identical. And their grim, unsmiling faces made the relationship look even closer.

"The Magical Congress of the United States has existed for three-hundred and forty-four years," one said, clearing his throat. He fell silent.

I laughed nervously, and as the sound rang through the silent, empty chamber, it seemed even more pathetic.

"That makes sense... I guess. In England we don't do things like that— tradition isn't as important to my mother in-law, I guess. Prime Minister Granger is my wife's mother," I added, and almost dropped the sheaf of papers in my hands. They were getting slippery.

The guards extended glances once again.

"You aren't very comfortable here, are you?" The tallest of the two spoke in a deep rumble. "Scared of us rugged," his voice had turned into a sneer, "uncivilized, uncleanly Americas?"

"I don't have my wand," I offered sharply, as an explanation. "And if you were at the Ministry of Magic without yours, I doubt you would be any less nervous."

Luckily, before we could get into a perhaps dangerous game of insults, a strong, deep woman's voice spoke, sounding like she was right next to me.

"Mr. Scorpius Malfoy," she said slowly, with a peculiar twang in her voice, "you may enter. Guards, you will remain outside."

"Good luck," the tall guard sneered, pushing open the door.

It wasn't until I entered until I found why I needed luck.

She was tall, with dark brown hair and a face which seemed permanently pressed into a frown. Her commanding stature was clad in what all magical Americans seemed to be wearing: black. The woman sat at the end of a very long room, behind a rather empty desk with a hard-backed wooden chair. As I stood at the end of the hall, she stood and lifted her chin.

"Come in, Mr. Malfoy."

As I walked to her, I looked at the paintings which adorned the room. One was of a witch shrieking and twisting as she was devoured by flames. Every second that I looked upon it, her skin turned blacker and blacker until she fell limp and let the orange and red flames dance over her roasted flesh. Feeling sick, I made sure not to look at any more of the paintings, fearing that they would be just as gruesome.

"Good morning, Ms. Lockwood," I dipped my head and stood by the unadorned chair in front of her desk.

"Sit down." Her courteous tone disappeared, and her black eyes bored into me as I settled into the chair. "What has Granger sent you to receive from the MACUSA?"

"Prime Minister Granger, actually," I said lightly.

President Lockwood's eyes glared with the intensity I had seen devouring that witch in the painting. "What do you want," she said forcefully.

"Well..." I said, dragging the syllable out," the Prime Minister sent me to negotiate concessions that both the Ministry and the Congress would receive if both sides agreed to stop firing upon each other." I paused, then continued with stating my instructions. "Minister Granger was promised to call off her Aurors and other wizards the moment you agree to our three terms."

"Which are?"

I slipped a piece of paper from my folder and slapped it on her desk.

"First, you must call off your Aurors. They are not just targeting wizards at this point, but also the Muggle population—"

"No-Maj."

I resisted the urge to yell at her and immediately resign from the task Hermione assigned me to. Instead, I continued my list, pretending as if I did not hear her remark.

"And potentially causing them to discover us. Next, the Ministry requires a payment of five million galleons to pay for the property and lives ruined by your Aurors. We also want to resume our safe trade and traveling networks from America to Britain. Friendly traffic," I added. "We would like to just secure this short-lived conflict as a misunderstanding in our history, and continue the harmony and friendship that has secured our two countries together for centuries."

President Lockwood stared at her through narrowed eyes. "Mr. Malfoy. Do you understand how the MACUSA operates? We listen to the people through our representatives, and through them, the people have spoken." She stood up, a tall black shadow hovering over me. "If the British see it fit to assassinate our President, than the Americans see if fit to establish our power through your country so it never happens again."

I was really beginning to hate the unreasonable American. "The Ministry of Magic had nothing to do with the death of President Harold," I growled. "The murderer has not been caught, and you have no proof other than a blurry picture than he wore our insignia! It could've been anyone."

The woman let out a cackle. "You obviously haven't been briefed enough to debate properly, Mr. Malfoy. That photo was the first piece of evidence we found, but by no means the last. The DNA of the murderer was caught on President Harold's cloak as they tried to haul him into the closet. We analyzed it and hacked into the database of which the Ministry keep records of all personal—"

I jumped up from my seat. "President Lockwood, this has gone far enough! By no means are you authorized to hack into our government's records—"

"Sit down," she said cooly. "The DNA matched with one person in your Ministry."

"Who?"

"We don't know, as they are so critical to your government that their name is not listed along with the DNA."

"That evidence is by no means an excuse to start a war. But hacking into the Ministry of Magic's server," I spat, "is an act of war, Lockwood."

"I'm glad that we can be in agreement, then, Mr. Malfoy."