For those who came in late:
After McGonnagal and Dumbledore left Black Plateau, Dumbledore left for the pub, while Ra'jirra and Harry left for home. Four days later, Ra'jirra managed to get Harry onside by casting the situation as a mission – which it pretty much is.
Hogwarts staff meeting, four days later:
Headmaster Dumbledore,
Hogwarts Academy
Hail,
I spoke with Harry. He's coming after all. He'll be taking notes and reporting back to me. Get over it.
Have you worked out which MUNDANE family he'll be shacked up with? Remember if you welch on this, the deal's off.
I've told Harry to be on his best behaviour as an ambassador of the Empire, so I expect the same.
Write me care of the Arcane University.
Ra'jirra, Arch-Mage
Dumbledore lowered the paper and looked around at his fellow professors. Snape was looking, as usual, like he'd stepped in crupshit. McGonnagall was looking as neutral as possible, while the others wore expressions of surprise and worry.
"Am I to understand," it was Vector who spoke first, "that this 'Arch-Mage' is going to be spying on us?"
"Spies don't usually tell you they're spying, you know," Flitwick responded from somewhere in his chair.
"He doesn't trust us," Dumbledore said seriously, "And let's be honest. Harry's leaving the only world he's ever known, for this one. It's only natural a father would be concerned for his child."
Worse still, the boy won't be as easily moulded into what we need. Those bastard Dursleys would have been perfect, made him trust me on sight. How the hell did he know what I was doing?
"Is there any reason why," Snape asked scornfully, "this man insists on Harry living with Muggles?" He just simmered in his seat. "I would think a suitable wizarding family would be more appropriate."
Such as the Malfoys?
"Such as the Weasleys?" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at Snape's quickly repressed anger, then he put on a solemn mien. "No, Arch-Mage Ra'jirra was quite insistent. You see, he..."
How am I going to explain this?
"...He is very smart. When I explained how Lily –" out of the corner of his eye, he saw Snape stiffen. "– tried to protect him, Ra'jirra immediately made the connection. 'I'm not dumb enough to stand against the gods', were his exact words."
A voice piped up from the back. "You don't think You-Know-Who is going to return, do you?"
The question floated in the air like a miasma of doom.
Everything's going wrong. If I tell them, it could mean my suspension for spreading fear. Nobody's going to want to know he could be back, especially not Good King Malfoy. On the other hand – wait! I know...
"Officially, no," he said firmly.
The miasma of doom was replaced by a miasma of confusion.
"Nobody's certain what happened to the bastard. So, I'm keeping an open mind on that. More importantly, I wouldn't be in the least surprised if one of his followers decided he was the Dark Lord reborn."
The ensuing pause was filled with a buzz of agreement. "He's right you know," Flitwick piped up, "some fool could Transfigure himself and claim to... you know."
"Look-alike or no look-alike," Dumbledore took command again, "I'd rather prepare for the worst. He was a madman and a hypocrite, and I'd rather not see muggleborns under threat of Him or his Death Eaters, thank you very much."
"So we should assume the worst?"
"Yes. We should assume someone will appear claiming to be Voldemort reborn, and ensure our pupils' safety in that event. I'm sure we can stand up to fake Dark Lords, can't we?"
That broke the tension.
Yet nobody asks what I meant, do they, Tom my boy? We're not taking you seriously. And Harry's coming back, with his own magics, and as God is my witness, I'll ensure he's trained and ready to send your arse back to Hell as soon as you return.
The rest of the meeting was relatively relaxed as management issues were discussed, with the exception of Quirrell's assignment as Defence Against the Dark Arts master. Snape stormed out, seething, after making his usual remarks and demands. It was almost a ritual now and everyone knew it.
As the professors filed out, McGonnagall hung back, then turned to Dumbledore with a flinty look.
"You're not thinking of the Dursleys, are you?" she asked in an equally flinty tone.
Good God help me, I bloody was too. The image of an intransigent Harry, convinced that wizards were fools and muggles were bigots, actually frightened Dumbledore more than the idea of an angry Ra'jirra. Whatever magics he has, we might need them, damnitall.
"No, Minerva," he finally said reassuringly, "I know exactly where to billet him."
Mage's Council Chamber, Arcane University, the following day
Ra'jirra frowned at the parchment. Dumbledore's decision actually made sense – Harry would be hosted by a muggle – mundane, damn it! – family whose child had turned out to be magical. Which meant that Harry would not only experience mundane life, but also be able to discuss what would be taught at Hogwarts with a fellow pupil.
With a sigh, he pulled the return envelope towards him, along with paper, inkwell and quill, and wrote his response.
