Same Old New School

Cackles normally got its post via the normal post, so it was odd to see an Owl fly in through the window of the staff room and land on the table. Miss Davina Bat looked at the owl and ran for the safety of the cupboard. Amelia Cackle – currant Headmistress of Cackle's – sighed and took the letter from the owl which flew away again.

"Please tell me we are not due for another visit from Mistress Broomhead" asked her deputy, Miss Constance Hardbroom.

"Of course not" said Cackle, "But I have an application to join the school from two people. A Miss Hermione Granger and Mr Harry Potter" and Hardbroom looked at her.

"A boy at Cackles?" she asked. "I hardly think that is appropriate, Miss Cackle. And futher more, it is…" she went silent.

"Constance?" Cackle was a little concerned.

"Potter, you say?" Hardbroom said.

"Yes"

"Mr Harry Potter?"

"Yes, that's right" and then Cackle realised the signifcence of the name herself.

"Perhaps" said Hardbroom, "Perhaps we might make an exception in Mr Potter's case. Why do he and this Granger girl want to come here?" she asked.

"It seems the Headmaster at Hogwarts expelled them for being too dangerous" Cackle said. "They have said they will explain everything that happened, or at least what they know" she added.

"I assume they will be bringing copies of their academic records?" Hardbroom asked.

"That is what they have said" Cackle said, and she handed over the letter for Hardbroom to read whilst she ate some cheesecake.

# # # # #

"Nice place" Harry commented as he looked at castle.

"Miniature Hogwarts" Hermione said with a pang in her heart. They walked up a small path where there was a heavy gate set in stone. Before they could do anything, it swung open to reveal a tall and thin lipped woman wearing black all over. The pair suddenly had the image of Snape as a woman in their heads.

"I assume you are Mr Potter and Miss Granger?" she asked.

"Yes" the pair chorused.

"My name is Constance Hardbroom. I believe you have an appointment with Miss Cackle" and with that she led them into the castle and along corridors before arriving at a door that indicated they had arrived at their destination.

"Good Morning to both of you. Please take a seat" said Cackle. "Now I understand that you wish to join the Academy" she continued.

"Yes, Ma'am" Harry said.

"It says in your letter that you were expelled for 'being too dangerous'. Now what does that mean exactly?" Hardbroom asked.

"Albus Dumbledore kicked us out of Hogwarts because of some powerful parents throwing their weight and influence around" Hermione said.

"I assume you mean Lucius Malfoy" Hardbroom said.

"You know of him?" asked Hermione.

"You could say that. We met briefly at the end of a conference a number of years ago. I didn't hold with his views, and I certainly didn't like what he had been doing since then" Hardbroom replied.

"May I have a look at your educational records?" asked Cackle, and Harry handed them over to her. She and Hardbroom spent several minutes gazing over them, and one thing caught Hardbroom's attention.

"You have always had a low potions grade, Mr Potter" she said, "And yet your other scores are quite respectable"

"Professor Snape always marked Harry down because he hated his father" Hermione said.

"Yes, well Severus would be like that. We worked together at teacher training years ago" Hardbroom said. "Well apart from your Potions grades which I hope will improve, I see no problems with both of you entering here" she added.

"Splendid" Cackle clapped her hands. "Would you like to take a look around the school? Miss Hardbroom can show you the way, and you can fill in all the paperwork afterwards" and Harry and Hermione stood up, shook Cackle's hand and then left with Hardbroom.

#

"And this is the Potions lab" said Hardbroom, and showed them in to the room which was empty at that moment. "Now about your sleeping arrangements… You, Hermione shall sleep in the area as the rest of the forth years. As for you, Harry… you will be sleeping on the same floor, but an eye will be kept on you to stop any accusations of bothering the girls" and Harry knew what she meant. "But knowing you from what I have heard, I do not suppose that will be much of a problem. Now do either of you have anything to ask?" she finished.

"Do you serve seafood?" Harry asked.

"On special occasions like visits by the Grand Wizard" Hardbroom said.

"Oh well that's good then" Harry said. "I'm allergic to stuff like shrimps and prawns" he added.

"When will we be starting lessons?" asked Hermione.

"In two days" came the prim reply. "That should be enough time for you to settle in and get to know a few people" Hardbroom said. They were just walking to the gate when there was a smash of a window and a girl came flying out. "Mildred…" Hardbroom muttered and raised her hand to perform a spell.

"Accio"

"Wingardium Leviosa" both Harry and Hermione were quicker off the mark and the girl came safely to the ground.

"You saved my life" she said with a flush face.

"What happened, Mildred Hubble?" Hardbroom asked her.

"Ethel was trying to hurt Tabby" Mildred replied. "I was trying to stop her when she shoved me and I went flying out the window" she explained.

"Well luckily for you, Mildred, your new year-mates were quick off the mark and saved you from serious injury" Hardbroom said. "I will go and deal with Ethel Hallow myself. Please see these two to the gate" and with that she vanished on the spot.

'That looked like apperation' thought Harry.

"I'm Mildred Hubble" said the girl. She was wearing a long greyish black gymslip with pale blue shirt underneath it.

"Hermione Granger"

"Harry, Harry Potter" and Mildred's eyes went wide for a moment at the mention of the names.

"Harry Potter at Cackles? But you're a boy! Why are you here?" she asked as the crossed the courtyard towards the gates.

"Long story" Hermione said, "But we'll tell you all about it in two days" she assured her. Mildred showed them to the gate and let them out after saying she wanted to see them again later on.

# # # # #

"You will not believe who I saw in the courtyard!" Mildred said to her friends that evening.

"Hardbroom?" asked Enid Nightshade.

"No… Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. HB said that they will coming here to Cackles" and she told them everything that the pair had told her.

"This will be soooo extreme" said Maud.

"Harry said that he and Hermione will be joining our year" Mildred said.

"This will annoy Ethel" Enid noted dryly.

# # # # #

Harry and Hermione had a lot to do in the two days they had before they started lessons at Cackles. Whilst Hermione did all the washing, Harry went out to Gringotts and withdrew a few thousand pounds in muggle money to cover expenses at Cackles. The pair also went shopping for clothes that actually fit Harry. He brought Hermione a few skirts he thought suited her, a few new books and a big leather bound book to write in. Dinner was a takeaway of pizza and ginger beer before the pair turned in early because of the big day they had planned.

# # # # #

"They are still in this country?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes" replied Moody. "They haven't used an international floo or asked for a portkey" added the former Auror.

"Well I very much doubt that they would abandon us so quickly" Dumbledore said. "I presume you attempted to check Grimmauld Place?" and Dumbledore was regretting the exact wording of how ownership of the house was transferred from Sirius to Harry.

"I floo called them of course, but all I got was a flaming mad bloody elf" Moody said.

"Kreacher?"

"Aye, that miserable little sod" Moody said. "All he said was that the house was occupied by a pair called Starsky and Hutch. I can't say the names ring any bells" and it didn't for Dumbledore either.

"I shall have a look through our school records" he promised. "It was drastic a measure to take, but at least it will take the pressure off us for a while" and Dumbledore explained that Lucius Malfoy had been to see him with a message from Voldemort. The Dark Lord had made a magically binding deal which said he would not attack Hogwarts or any of its students, staff and people under the protection of the castle if Dumbledore expelled Harry and Hermione. "I'm certain that Harry will fight for us when the time is right. He has always been the forgiving one" which Moody agreed to.

"I had better get going then" said the former Auror, and he flooed away.

"Now" Dumbledore said to the otherwise empty room, "Now all I have to do is to keep tracks on Mr Potter and Miss Granger and ensure that they… SHERBET LEMON!" Dumbledore was distracted by the fact he saw a full forgotten packet of his favourite sweets.

# # # # #

Harry and Hermione awoke early and got themselves ready for the day before heading down for a large breakfast. Harry gave Kreacher strict instructions on what to do during their absence, and told him he wouldn't get his head on the wall of good elves. Hermione apperated Harry and the trunks with her and ended up in the forest a few minutes walk from Cackles. Miss Hardbroom was there for them, and she showed them to their rooms and said that their new uniforms were on the beds for them.

"Thank you, Miss Hardbroom" said Hermione, and she and Harry went into their separate rooms. It was quite roomier then either of them expected, about a quarter of the size of a Hogwarts house dorm, a window with no glass in it, a bedside table and locker, a large wardrobe and two large sets of drawers. Harry unshrunk the trunk, put it down at the foot of his bed and looked at the bed itself.

"Well we have a problem, Houston" Harry said to himself and went next door to Hermione and explained the situation. Harry and Hermione managed, with a few wrong turns, to find their way to Miss Cackle's office and the Headmistress was surprised to see them so quickly. She shoved the cheesecake out of the way and smiled at them.

"Is something the matter?" she asked.

"Sort of" Hermione said with a giggle.

"We're both very grateful for you letting us come here even though the year had already started" Harry said, "But I think there has to be no way on earth I am wearing what the girls wear" and Harry held up the uniform that was provided to him.

"I see your point" Miss Cackle conceded. "What did you wear at Hogwarts? It has been a few decades since I went there last" she said.

"Black trousers, black shoes, dark grey jumper and a white shirt" Harry said. "I brought my old uniform with me when we left Hogwarts" and Cackle agreed to let Harry wear that instead.

"Now if you are hungry at all, it is just about time for lunch" and the three of them went to the dining room for lunch. Harry and Hermione wondered where they would sit when Mildred came in with a few other girls. She beckoned them over to her table where they sat down and introductions made.

# # # # #

"I wonder who that is" said Drusilla Paddock. "The girl with bushy brown hair, and that… is that a boy" she said. Her friend Ethel Hallow looked up and saw the two new arrivals talking to Mildred and her friends.

"Shush, Drusilla" Ethel said. Hardbroom had mentioned two new students arriving that morning, and the fact the boy seemed to be staying meant he was using the Founders' Rule concerning boys. "Well this is interesting" she mused quietly.

# # # # #

"You have a Firebolt?" asked Maud.

"I do" Harry said. "Hermione has not flown a broom since basic flight" he added.

"Well you'll have to learn you know" said Enid. "HB is a stickler for the rules" she added.

"HB?" asked Hermione.

"Miss Hardbroom" said Ruby Cherrytree. "It's a nickname for her" and Harry smiled. He was beginning to like this place already, and Hermione was doing the same by the looks of things.

"But be careful about that" warned Jadu. "She likes to pop out at you from thin air. None of us can do that" she added. Both Harry and Hermione thought she looked rather like one of the Patil twins. Hermione looked at Harry and then shrugged her shoulders.

"We can both do that" she said.

"Totally extreme" Maud giggled.

"But keep it to yourselves" Harry said. "Hermione is allowed to do it legally, but I'm not supposed to do it – strictly speaking" and their new friends agreed to keep it under wraps.

"So…" said Enid, "You start lessons in the morning?" and Harry nodded.

"That's right" he said. "It will be interesting to see how the methods are different when comparing here and Hogwarts" and then rolled his eyes as Ruby and Hermione had got into a science discussion.

"Have you met the other teachers?" asked Mildred.

"Not yet" said Harry. "We only had a basic tour the other day" so the girls filled him and Hermione in on the other teachers. They were a little surprised to hear of a Muggle living full time at the school, and the description of Miss Bat reminded Harry and Hermione of Trelawney a great deal. After a little while, lessons resumed for the afternoon and Harry and Hermione went back to their new rooms so that they could unpack.

# # # # #

"Albus, I have found information on the pair living at Grimmauld Place" Moody said as he stepped through the fireplace.

"That's good work" Dumbledore said.

"Don't be so cheerful" said Moody. "According to my sources, Starsky and Hutch are American muggle police detectives" and Albus's jaw dropped.

"Muggles in Grimmauld Place?" he asked.

"Aye" Moody replied, "But I have no idea how they managed to get in the place" and the pair of them spent half the afternoon and evening thinking of possible ways.

# # # # #

"And what, may I ask, are you doing in Harry Potter's bedroom?" asked Hardbroom as she came out of thin air.

"Erm… well you see Miss Hardbroom" Mildred began, but then floundered.

"Mildred offered to help me unpack the heavier objects from the trunk" Harry said quickly. Hardbroom stared at him accusingly for a few moments and then looked back to Mildred.

"I am glad to see you are making friends, Mildred" she said. "But next time you are in here do not leave the door closed" and Harry apologised and said he wasn't aware but that he'd remember the next time.

"I'd better get ready for bed" Mildred mumbled and hurried from the room.

"She means well enough, I suppose…" Hardbroom shook her head before looking at Harry. Classes start at 9.00am, and I expect you to be wearing your uniform. I wish you a pleasant night" and Harry watched her vanish before deciding on turning in for the night and finishing his unpacking tomorrow. He wanted to be up early and ready for the first day of lessons at Cackles

A/N:

Second chapter for everyone, as you know by actually having reached this point!

I've provided some of the back story as to why H/HR were kicked out of Hogwarts. I have also done a little shifting around in timelines for both HP and WW as well as a few minor details like Harry being able to apperate on his own if needed to.

Reviews please. Reviews make me smile and think about rewarding you with new chapters.

Regards

Robert