31 December 1996 - Daddy Issues

<< Check your PM >>

I was rather intrigued by the locket.  "May I?" I asked, holding my hand out for the locket.  When Mr. Harper gave it to me, I instantly recognized the Slytherin crest.  It looked legitimate.  I turned it over in my fingers and opened it to view the letter.  It was quiet as I read what it said.  The initials at the bottom struck me.  R. A. B.  I folded it up and handed the locket back to him.  "And this is the only information you have, is that correct?" I wanted to verify.  I looked from Iggy to Lyn.  I had a feeling -- and my feelings normally proved to be correct -- about all of this. 

The next question out of my mouth was sure to surprise them.  "Lyn, does your father happen to be Reese Williams?" I questioned.  I knew Williams was not necessarily an uncommon name in the States, but I was just curious.  She looked nothing like Reese Williams, but she had a vague familiarity about her -- same as Iggy.  I wondered if they noticed that they had a couple of similar features on their faces.

<<SUCH a cute post.>>

"Yeah, that's all I have," I verified, "but what does Madelyn have anything to do with this?" I shot her a sideways glance with a furrowed brow. Did she know more than she led on?

I blinked in surprise and looked from one to the other.  "Um, yeah, that's him," I replied, a little uneasy.  I gave Iggy a shrug, hoping he realized how lost I was in all of this, too.  "Yeah... why does it matter if he's my dad?"

I looked back at Iggy, a twinkle in my eye.  "I'm not entirely sure if she does," I admitted.  "Just an old man's curiosity getting the best of him."  I hoped that my reputation preceded me and they would understand that I tended to go about things rather differently than most other wizards or witches.  I looked back at Lyn.  "I just knew him... he was a very brave young man.  Quite like a few younger members in the Order.  He should be pleased with what he was able to accomplish rather than decisions he had made in the past..."

I sighed heavily and looked back at the young man.  "I can acknowledge the fact that the locket there is indeed an heirloom from Slytherin.  Unfortunately, the only thing I can say for sure is that.  I do have a quick formulated hypothesis," I said.  "I believe to have that heirloom, there are three ways he could have gotten it:  handed down from generations, meaning he's a descendant of the great Salazar Slytherin; he had quite a bit of riches to be able to pay for such a piece like that; or he stole the locket."  I wanted to give all the options that had come to my mind.  "However, I would say no matter how he got it... he had to have come to Hogwarts or well versed on the founders of this school.  I will look to see if I can find anyone whose name matches up to those initials in the student records."  R. A. B.  Whoever he was, I believed he had gone through great lengths to hide himself... but I could find him.  Especially if I was correct in my theory.

The most powerful and reputable wizard in the world was stumped - or at least made it appear as such - and that made me feel a hundred times better. "So... now what?" I asked, hoping he would offer something - anything - else. "Just that? Research? You don't have any theory at all?"

I smiled at the boy's eagerness.  "Ah, no theory that is yet ready to be heard," I replied.  "The mind works in marvelous ways, and I fear if I say what is running through my own at the moment, I would have to apologize for in the future.  I don't want to give false hope nor do I want to have any negative impact on the situation either.  I do believe, however, that I will be able to find the man who evades us all at the moment."  I was sure that they had been expecting more from me, but it was a precarious situation.

<<A very Dumbledoric post.>>

"So you do have a theory," I said, more than a little disappointed, "you just don't want to tell me." How could I have expected Dumbledore to tell someone he didn't even know about his long-lost father? It was a little unfair of me, but I had to admit that it was frustrating.

<< Haha, I tried on that one  >>

I did feel bad for my lack of answers at the time.  "I do assure you that when it is ready to be heard, you will be the first to know," I told him.  Even though I had an idea of who it could be, if I was wrong about timing and Reese Williams, there could be a worse outcome of this yet.  I wanted to see if Iggy had thought about any outcome other than a father who ran out on him.  "Has it occurred to you that perhaps he did not run away nor abandon you and your mother?  There were dark times -- even in the States -- during the time you were born... I'm not saying something tragic happened, but I would think you may want to prepare yourself for something along those lines just in case."

"Yeah, well I don't have a mother, either," I said rather haughtily. "But at least I knew who she was. Dark times or not, if you have a child, you need to stick by him."

I shook my head.  "What I meant by that is, did you ever think that he left not by choice but rather because he was taken from you?" I said softly.  "there were disappearances and the victims were never seen again.  One could only assume that they moved on from their lives.  It is one of many possibilities, but one I believe we may have to be prepared for."

I hung my head. Of course Dumbledore was right. For all I knew, my father was just as dead as my mother. "I'm sorry, sir," I apologized. "It's just, I get so worked up about my dad. So... what now? We just wait? Is there anything that I can help with?"

I smiled kindly at Ignatius.  "That is quite alright and understandable," I assured him, standing up.  "Now... I believe that I can give you something that will be tedious, but useful.  By my estimation of your looks... you are in your midteens?" I looked towards the shelves lined with books and went to the very end where things seemed a little cluttered.  I opened one book that had been magically expanded to contain lists of who went to school here and in which House.  "Which would put your date of birth around 1979 or so," I continued as I sifted through the pieces of parchment that were compiled.  I found the certain stack that I was looking for and set them on my desk.  "Here are lists of students that graduated from Hogwarts in the time span between 1970-1980 -- but just those who came from the House of Slytherin.  My best guess would be that only a Slytherin would have something such as that locket.  It gives first names, middle initials, and last names.  Perhaps you could find someone with the initials RAB."

I looked at the stack of records Dumbledore bestowed unto me and felt my eyes grow wide. "I didn't realize so many people came to Hogwarts," I admitted. "I'll get to work as soon as I get back, sir. Thank you."

I chuckled slightly and nodded.  "That is ten years worth of Slytherins... the ones who were all in their last year during those years, anyways.  No need to search for first years," I commented.  I looked at the two of them.  "Our house elves in the kitchen still make brilliant meals, even though the number of students during the holidays have dwindled down, if you would like to eat.  I could show you to the trophy room -- there are numerous names in there as well.  Perhaps you could find some luck.  Of course, the Slytherin common room is off limits, but sometimes I find exploring the castle and grounds helps me find what I am looking for."  And I would make sure that they made it back to the States safely.  I would make them the Portkey -- though they seemed to have fared rather well.

I glanced at Madelyn. "I'm hungry. What about you?" I wondered. Afterward, maybe we could, like Dumbledore suggested, meander through the halls of Hogwarts in the hopes of coming across something useful.