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"Damned sewers!"
"Severus! Language"
"Well, forgive me Minerva but you must agree with me. We are crawling through these tunnels for almost an hour! Who even lives in these things?"
"We must remember that at any moment we may arrive to our destination, Severus. We wouldn't want our first impression to be ill. But I must agree with you - the location does arise certain concerns in me."
"Just saying. When I agreed to this job I was not expecting to crawl through sewers half-way across the world."
"Me too, Severus, me too."
Internally McGonagall was cursing these tunnels - and damning Dumbledore to the hell for his greed for students. This year after a long consideration at the Ministry - and at the International Confederation of Wizards - Hogwarts headmaster's request was approved. Now not only those wizards that lived in the United Kingdom could be invited to study at Hogwarts, but also all wizards that were rejected by others country's schools for one or another reason. On paper this idea sounded perfect to McGonagall - that is until she had to crawl through too low sever tunnels half-way across the world to meet her future student.
She shuddered at the knowledge that somebody had to live in such conditions.
Slimy walls, rusted wires sticking out of concrete, garbage floating in the liquid that she refused to call water - it certainly did not smell like any water she knew.
She was glad for a chance to remove a child from such living conditions.
They continued their trek silently.
Soon their path came to an end.
At first they heard children's voices laughing.
Children, in the severs, deep down under New York! Several children! That they were laughing did not make situation any less horrifying.
She realised that all this time she was hoping that the letter - and the point-me charm - were mistaken or that they will arrive to some warm and dry magical home hidden underground.
Instead... There was a dim light at the end of this tunnel. Probably drainage's grate.
That was all.
They straightened up and carefully continued their trek towards the light.
She thought she saw a shadow move in the mellow light ahead.
Before they had time to see the kids playing they heard alarmed yelp of "Humans!" and several big splashes.
Soon after they arrived at intersection of several tunnels.
Sidewalks created more dry concrete space between them than usual - and as result they surrounded a pool of relatively clean water. It had less garbage floating in it.
The intersection was clear of any presence. There was nobody.
Confused, they turned corner and saw...
A giant rat.
Instincts she did not know she had in her human body suddenly arose in her.
'Catch!' they screamed. But cat animagus had time only to twitch before a firm hand was put on her shoulder effectively stopping her and calming down her senses.
She blinked and in the next moment the rat vanished. They were left alone.
"Fascinating. He must have drank polyjuice potion with the hair of a rat in it." - she heard Severus whisper near her right ear. "If it is done to a muggle and is not treated immediately consequences can become... permanent. But I never saw anybody..." - he cut himself off.
The giant rat stepped out of the shadows again.
This time McGonagall noticed signs that pointed that Severus must be right - this was a human in rat's appearance, not just a giant rat. It was wearing a patchy robe and was leaning on some sort of a walking stick. No wand in sight. Indeed it was an unfortunate muggle - obviously a reason why they were sent and not an owl instead.
Yet. It still was a rat. A rat! (Her senses were tingling.)
It - a he, judging by the voice - spoke.
"Hello travellers. May I inquire what brings you to this part of New York severs?"
He paused and waited for an answer but she still was not ready to answer a rat. A rat! She couldn't tear her eyes from it as if hypnotised.
Severus took over.
"Hello. I am Severus Snape, and this is Minerva McGonagall. We are here to talk to Leonardo Hamato and his parents or guardians. We have a special offer to make."
"An offer you say? I am his guardian, you may tell me of this...offer."
McGonagall took herself in hands.
"If you would, we want to talk to Mr. Leonardo too. Mister...?"
"Splinter. Please call me Splinter, kids sure like calling me that so it may as well be my only name by now," said the rat. Splinter.
McGonagall noticed some movement on the ground near Mr. Splinter. When she looked down she saw a long, bald giant rat's tail uncoiling from underneath his robe. It slithered on the ground and reached the pool's edge. There it dipped down and tapped several times on the water's surface.
Deciding to ignore that McGonagall took in a breath, ready to ask Mr. Splinter to call children who likely hid in one of the curtained - as she now saw - side-pipes.
Suddenly and soundlessly four heads popped up in the water.
As they bobbed up and down she noticed that they distinctly were... not human.
And not rat either.
Heads were too flat to be human - Merlin, they did not even have noses, just slits! Not to mention that they appeared to be ... green. Although in the dim light she could not be sure.
Startled Hogwarts teachers watched as four children - because that is what they were, children - climbed out of the pool in which they were apparently hiding.
Those were... some kind of kappas. Their skin was scaly, and overall body structure was distinctly turtle. Inhuman. They even had a shell!
They were completely wet, completely naked and seemingly not bothered by the either fact.
But... while they obviously looked inhuman they also looked much more human than kappa on the pictures she remembered seeing in books.
And the eyes that were curiously glancing at her and Severus... they looked intelligent. Human, not animal.
Maybe those were half-breeds?
Once out of the water children hurried to hide behind their guardian.
Witch and wizard realised they may be the first humans these kids saw up close.
"My sons these are professors McGonagall and Snape. They are here to see Leonardo." told them Mr. Splinter.
"Yeah we heard." one of the children grumbles in reply.
"Maybe others should go? It is a personal matter after all." Severus tried to keep to the standard procedure.
"There are no secrets in this family. All will stay to hear you."
"Alright then. Leonardo..."
Severus expectantly looked at the kappas until one came forward.
"Leonardo you are a wizard."
McGonagall hears children behind the rat gasp. Someone giggled.
Leonardo was just standing there behaving like it was an everyday occurrence that some strangers would sprout random - unbelievable - things at him.
McGonagall looked up at the rat.
His ears were slightly more flattened to his head and she noticed how his whiskers were twitching.
When he talked again his words were deliberately gentle.
"Really I must thank you for providing us this information," said Splinter in a calm tone. "Now say which way did you came from? I will help you to get out."
"We are serious." protested McGonagall.
"Of course, of course." answered the rat in the same placating tone.
"Say, did not he ever have something unexplainable happening around him? Something like...items floating, moving, changing. Something that could be explained by magic?" they tried to reason with the rat.
Splinter hesitated.
Truth be told there were several such occurrences.
Teachers noticed his hesitation and pounced into a explanation. How Hogwarts is a prestigious boarding school in Scotland, how it is believed to be the one of the best schools for magical children, how its students are allowed to come home on winter holidays and in summer.
McGonagall took out her wand and levitated a blob of water. Then she turned it into a bird flying around them.
Kids were fascinated.
Rat was not so much.
After the bird flew away deep into sewer tunnels he turned back to the teachers and asked them what exactly kids are being taught at Hogwarts.
McGonagall was used to answering such questions of the concerned parents. She readily described to him boarding schools's daily life, courses and future opportunities associated with them.
She was back in her element, procedure well-known after years of requirement of young withes and wizards, when the next question Mr.Splinter asked suddenly stumped her:
"And what about Leonardo being a ...turtle? How is that accepted at your school? Are there others similar to him?"
She couldn't answer that. Not in good conscience.
One part of her was screaming that this is a wizard child and he should be taught how to control his magic, should be offered opportunity to taste, feel and know what a beautiful gift he was bestowed.
Another part of her remembered how cruel can be children towards others not like them. How cruel was wizarding world to other, non-human sentient beings. Even half-bloods often were labelled as beasts and just that.
Seeing her hesitation Severus took over:
"This wouldn't be the first half-blood that was taken into Hogwarts. But I won't lie to you, all other cases were much more... distinctly human looking. Often they could pass for a normal human, their parentage or condition kept secret. I am not even sure what Ministry's take on a half-kappa being taught would be. But our Headmaster is a prominent figure. He would be able to ensure your child will get an education he deserves. It is important for a wizard to be able to properly control their magic."
During the explanation kids came out from behind their guardian. (Possibly a father? She forgot to ask.) Two of them were holding Leonardo's hands - one hand per turtle - and now they once again were warily looking at the humans present. It seemed they went from being afraid, then curious and amused then back to afraid. Afraid of what she couldn't be sure. Maybe that these strange humans would take away one of them.
After Severus speech there was a long silence as the rat contemplated teacher's reply. Then he spoke:
"Control magic you say. Are there maybe some books that would help with that instead? Is it possible to self-study it?"
McGonagall signed. It looked like the rat already decided what he will choose. Severus with his harsh truth lost them this student. At this rate the kid won't get opportunity to live in the castle instead of the sewers, to learn, to socialise, to taste their feasts. Who knew what they ate down here!
Yet still she could not make herself to really persuade them to let the kid to come with them. She remembered what it was like for Hagrid only too well.
And Hagrid was just a slightly bigger, slower kid. He looked so much more human.
This one... was green, scaly and had a shell. His place was among others like them. Maybe even a local kappa community would be better suited.
"Yes, there are. If you will give me a more accurate address I will be able so send you one or two. For now a meditation should help. There are even some magic techniques that he should be able to perform, given he has a proper control over his magic."
"Thank you. I would greatly appreciate your help."
"So, your decision is..?" asked McGonagall in resigned tone.
"Yes, I would prefer that Leonardo would stay. His place is with his family, his clan. Also it would be a shame for my most diligent student to be left behind in his training. Maybe later... if he will decide that he needs to pursue his magical education I will let him go. But for now my answer is no."
Neither teacher was surprised.
"I must warn you that use of wand must be taught while a wizard is still young. After that magic becomes too rigid. He won't be able to use the wand properly. Not to mention that it is illegal to own a wand for an untrained wizard."
The rat turned back to his charges. He bent down and put a paw on Leonardo's shoulder.
"Say Leonardo. What would you prefer? To go to this school to learn magic or to stay and continue learning to fight with your brothers?"
Leonardo looked like a deer caught in headlights. Then he took a deep breath and answered in calm voice:
"With my brothers. I want to stay and learn to fight."
Splinter straightened and turned back to the teachers.
"Here, you have it. He will stay. If by September he decides otherwise... Say how can I contact you?"
Behind the rat little half-kappas were smiling and patting their brother.
"I will send you an owl with the book and scrolls before then. You will be able to send a letter with it back to me."
"Then it is set. Please let us guide you back, I notice you went through one of the more unpleasant tunnels. Please come here."
"Of course. Just let us give Leonardo his Hogwarts acceptance letter." with these words McGonagall bent down and gave half-kappa his letter. He took it and immediately went to open it under drainage's light. Others gathered around him, curious to see the letter.
Guided by the giant rat McGonagall couldn't resist glancing back, at the half-kappas kids.
She wondered what their lifes and future will be like.
In the end only "real" magic Leo learned was the Healing Hands.
Omake:
On the way back when teachers are left alone and above the ground:
"Honestly, kappas! What will be next, mermaids?!?"
"If it would be mermaids I have some gillyweed stored."
"Thank you Severus I think I will manage with bubble-head charm."
"..."
"If it will be unicorns we will send you alone."
"..."