Chapter 9: The Ancient and Noble House of Jones, etc.
"I mentioned earlier how the darker aligned houses gaves Minister Shacklebolt essentially free reign to restructure the government. One of those things was the rebranding of the Department of Magical Sports, Games, and Culture, a second priority was to elevate the Department of Magical Education to an upper level Ministerial department as opposed to the sub-level it had historically been. This focus on education was also going to lead to an increase in spending on education, especially at Hogwarts. This included the hiring of a second professor for each core subject, expanding the number of OWL and NEWT level electives, and making the Head of House position exclusive from teaching positions.
"Our culture and education objectives would have been easily affordable seven or eight years earlier when our economy had recovered from war. Instead of saving or investing the money, however, the Bagnold administration used it to pay off debts from the First Blood War, and Fudge and his cronies just paid themselves bonuses and threw themselves extravagant parties.
"So we had an idea to get a quick influx of cash to hold us off until the economy recovered and could sustain that level of expense. We were going to privatize Quidditch. Several dozen of the richest wizarding families in England, and a few international ones, gathered at Gringott's and auctioned off all the teams in a randomly selected order.
"Harry bought the Wimbourne Wasps, and immediately acquired the contract of Oliver Wood from the Puddlemere United. Several of the families mentioned so far bought other teams as well. Narcissa Black, with our permission and Black family money, bought the Tutshill Tornados on behalf of the Malfoy family. The McLaggens bought the Montrose Magpies and immediately ran them into the ground. The McMasters bought the Pride of Portree. Percy Weasley, who was serving a the Prewett Regent and who would be responsible for extending that line, bought the Chudley Cannons at a bargain price at the request of his brother. The most notable name in British and Irish Quidditch was the Holyhead Harpies, and they were bought by Lord Rhodri Jones.
"The Jones family had always been known for three things: quidditch, furniture, and Welsh pride. Gwenog Jones was the latest in a long line of superstars from the Jones family tree and intended to coach her old team after retiring, hence the request for her brother to buy them. The Ancient and Noble House of Jones also operated Jones Brothers Furniture, with a workshop in Blackwood and a storefront in Diagon Alley.
"The Jones family, like most of the wizarding families in Britain, suffered during the war. They were down to just five members at the end. Lord Rhodri Jones's wife was a muggleborn and was killed during the First Blood War, leaving him as a single father. He did have three younger sisters who helped filled that void in his daughter's life. Gwenog was the oldest sister, but the only wood that would ever be caught between her legs was a broomstick, if you catch my meaning. Obviously she was a household name and Quidditch superstar. Elenydd was the second sister. She married a muggleborn Welsh wizard herself and worked for the Wizarding Examinations Authority before going into hiding during the Second Blood War. The third sister was Hestia Jones who works for the Accidental Magical Reversal Squad. She was just seven years older than her niece and played the role of big sister.
"When it came to investment in education, Elenydd Maddox née Jones was one of the people leading the charge. Aside from the increase in funding, a restructuring of the board was proposed to allow a more equitable distribution of power. The fifteen seat board was now split up as follows, one Ministerial appointee, two Wizengamot appointees, three Department of Magical Education appointees, one faculty appointee, and eight elected seats. There would be elections held based on alumni of each house, guaranteeing a Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin member. There would also be elections to choose one English, one Welsh, one Irish, and one Scottish member.
"The Jones family embraced the positive changes to education in the wizarding world. Lord Rhodri's daughter Megan would be the first Head of Hufflepuff House after the change while she obtained masteries in History and Ancient Studies. Elenydd would be elected to the Welsh seat on the Hogwarts Board of Governors.
"Quidditch and education brought our family together with the Jones, but there was a third factor that helped. Hestia Jones had never met Harry's old Quidditch captain Oliver Wood until the Battle of Hogwarts. They ended up together on the field of battle, back to back, fighting against the world, and there amidst the chaos a connection was born.
"The Woods would be one of the families that resurrected a dead house in the same manner that Tracy did. The House of Bartlet became the House of Wood, and even though he wasn't Welsh, Rhodri was happy to see his little sister find love with Oliver.
"It was Hestia who convinced Oliver to go along with a plan to set up Harry with Megan and I admit that I couldn't see it working out. Harry was always reserved, guarded, and suspicious and Megan was very quiet herself. I could picture them on a date spending forty-five minutes eating dinner and neither saying a word except to order the food. It was a bit awkward for them at first, but Harry's dry wit and self-deprecating humor brought out the sweet, giggly side of Megan and off the went.
"Megan never gets worked up, she's the voice of reason, the one that keeps us all grounded. She and Harry also never argue, they might disagree, but it never escalates. Well it only escalates twice a year when the Wimbourne Wasps, led by coach and former captain Oliver Wood, take on the Holyhead Harpies, led by coach and former captain Gwenog Jones. Everyone with the last name Potter and everyone with the last name Jones engage in a full day, giant staring contest while wearing their team's jerseys. They even got in trouble for wearing them under their uniforms at Hogwarts! And imagine poor Hestia, trying to pick between her sister and her husband. I've heard she requests double shifts at work on game days.
"When Lady Megan Lynn Potter Fenwick Jones was announced to the world, it brought an end to the Harry Potter sweepstakes. She was only the sixth wife, but the name and circumstances around number seven were making their way around and nobody was going to argue with it. Megan would spend a few years as a member of the British Magical Historical Society, a few more on the Magical Masteries Panel, and finally went on to succeed her aunt as a member of the Hogwarts Board of Governors, which she currently chairs.
"She has four children, Alison Gwenog Jones works for the Department of Magical Education on the Committee for Magical Research Funding. Tegan Anna Jones is the captain of the Holyhead Harpies and a chaser for the Welsh National Team. Rhys Gruffudd Jones is currently an account manager for Jones Brothers Furniture, but he'll likely make Chief Financial Officer in the not so distant future. Benjamin Maldwyn Fenwick went into law and became a barrister. He consults some with Collinsworth, Creevey, Cosgrove, and Boot, but spends most of his time slowly taking over the management of the Potter family estates. Thank Merlin for him!"
