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Catherine or Cate

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What Should Have Been

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Reactions

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According to the plan nutted out by the Slytherin Five and company and the staff members who were helping in the fight against Voldemort, Filius Flitwick had the birds-eye view of all the proceedings.

It began when the Tri-Wizard Cup released a fourth slip of paper into the air. Filius' eyes went straight to Albus Dumbledore's face and saw the dismay etched on the old man's face. Filius always trusted his gut and his gut said it wasn't Albus.

He then looked to Harry Potter who had hidden behind a mask along with most of Slytherin House. No one at that table was talking. They were all sitting ramrod straight in their places with their heads bowed. It was if the whole table was mourning. The senior students who were better acquainted with Harry Potter and his deeds were the first to react disciplining younger students as they all stared at Harry. Luna Lovegood from his own Ravens got up and spoke softly in Harry's ear. It was after that Harry moved, jerkily towards the antechamber, and Luna took his place as Slytherin, even placing an arm around Miss Greengrass.

Filius followed all the staff and politicians into the antechamber and with Severus went straight to Harry's side as he stood, shoulders hunched in the darkest corner of the room. As voices swelled angrily from the main conversation Harry moved forward like a zombie.

"I need a pensieve," he said, according to the plan.

"I have a small one," Filius declared after a quick look from Albus who knew this fact.

Harry nodded in acknowledgement. "I think everyone other than the three champions, the ministry staff and the headmasters and headmistress should leave."

Filius hurried to his chambers and back to find the Great Hall devoid of students but a huddle of teaching staff hovering around the door. They parted to let him through and he soon found himself back in the room.

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said stepping forward before turning to the other teaching staff. "Professor Karkaroff, would you please verify that this pensive is currently empty and sturdy enough to take several memories."

The bearded man studied the basin for several minutes and performed two spells before he declared it to be true.

"And do you agree that the most impartial person in this room is our professor, Master Filius Flitwick, Former Duelling World Champion on seven occasions and the Chair of the International Duelling Referees Tribunal."

"Of course!" the French Headmistress declared. "We would not insult someone of 'is character."

"Then I must ask you to step out," Harry said and Filius turned to the three champions and smiled encouragingly. "This tournament was reinstated to promote international co-operation and the three champions are the only ones who have that power since they were the ones who agreed to be bound into this contract. As such I will only show my memories to them, while the good Head Referee Flitwick watches on of course."

There was some quiet disagreement but the three teachers and three politicians soon left and Filius looked to Harry.

"Mr Potter, shall I assume that you plan to show the other champions some memories?"

Harry brought his wand tip to his temple and closed his eyes. "It's the only way. They won't understand otherwise."

As they watched Harry add memories to the bowl, Filius studied the other champions.

He'd known Cedric Diggory six years and the Hufflepuff boy was usually very friendly and pleasant, however he currently looked angry. Filius believed that in time it would dissipate but Harry's plan was based up any poor behaviour being stamped out. This was less about the attack on himself and more about establishing good international relationships for when Voldemort returned. As Cedric simmered, Filius turned his attention to the lovely Frenchwoman.

The Champion from Beauxbatons was not completely human, not unlike himself. She was probably at least a quarter veela as he was a quarter goblin. He was fortunate to look more like a Muggle dwarf than a goblin, and Miss Delacour looked more witch than shapeshifter. Other than her physical attributes Filius could glean almost nothing from the young woman. Her posture and expression was guarded and as obviously neutral. He thought to himself she would make a most excellent dueller.

Viktor Krum on the other hand wore his heart on his sleeve for someone with such an excellent public face. He'd been the perfect Darmstrung student until the moment his Headmaster left when his mask changed and while his face remained impassive, his eyes gave away his interest in the youngest champion.

Finally, Harry finished and stepped away from the pensieve. Viktor Krum stepped up, before looking back over his shoulders to the other champions.

"Come!" he ordered and smooth, deep voice.

Filius watched as the other two champions stepped forward and together they simultaneously touched the surface of the memories and were sucked in.

"Well?" Filius asked sitting down next to Harry. "Will it work?"

"I think so," Harry replied, before returning to his silent study of the wall opposite him.

"Even if you are prepared it's still a shock when you realised that someone is out to hurt you," FIlius said and patted him on the shoulder.

Harry smiled weakly and looked more like Lily than James for a split second before his neutral expression returned and he looked like his father again.

In time the three champions returned and Cedric Diggory stumbled backwards and slid down the wall to the shock of the foreigners.

"I had no idea," he said scrubbing his face. "I had no idea."

Suddenly he was on his feet and in front of Harry. "Potter, Harry, I had no idea."

Harry shrugged. "That's how I wanted it," he replied his green eyes not smiling with the rest of his face.

"Count me in for the next donation," Cedric said before taking a seat on the bench at his side.

The Bulgarian re-entered the memories and the Frenchwoman began to pace.

When Krum returned and moved to re-enter the pensieve yet again Delacour moved to his side and joined him.

"Professor, why do they need to watch again?" Cedric asked looking to him.

Filius smiled. "They are not native English speakers, Cedric," he replied. "I feel they are just trying to ensure that they completely understand the situation and reconcile it with the information they already know about Hogwarts and Harry."

When they did return it was obvious that they two other champion had had a discussion whilst within the memories.

"What was your plan?" Delacour asked.

Harry sighed in relief as the three champions all looked to him.

III

Later, Filius led the Four Champions back into the Hogwarts Great Hall where the members of staff and the guests to the school had pulled up chairs to endure the wait.

Krum stepped forward first with Delacour half a second behind on his left. Cedric stepped forward next to the French woman and Krum turned and pointed to the floor beside him in order to make Harry step into place. Harry did so after picking up a pitch black beagle puppy and holding him in his arms.

"In the spirit of this competition as it vas intended the other three champions and I have some requests," Krum declared.

"Zat will be followed," Delacour added and the ripple of power that rolled off her made the hairs on Filius' arm stand on end. "So consider zem demands."

"Ve vill stay here in the castle," Krum declared. "In one ving. A ving for the champions. Ve vill all have one other person oo vill stay vit us. I choose my brother."

"Eet is Audrey for me."

"Paul," Cedric answered.

"Hermione," Harry said.

"All students from Beauxbatons and Darmstrung vill attend classes with the students of Hogwarts. Ve vill have all meals together here. No exceptions," Krum continued before he was interrupted again by Delacour.

"I want my sister and selection of ozzer younger students 'ere once a month to socialise wit zee younger 'ogwarts students. Zere will be anozzer plan like zis in place for Darmstrung also."

"And you'll work out a social quidditch system so that there will be quidditch every weekend," Harry declared, setting his jaw.

"Junior and senior house teams in their own competition for the year. A Beauxbatons, Darmstrung and Hogwarts competition, things that will give good publicity and promote international co-operation," Cedric declared, before turning to glare at the Minister for Magic. "Just like you want, Minister Fudge."

"Very good," the portly man agreed making Delacour snort in disgust.

"And we would have chosen Professor Flitwick to be the leader of our Champions dorm but he had duties to Ravenclaw, as such we have chosen Professor Tonks to be our chaperone," Cedric declared with a look to Harry who nodded in agreement. "With Professor Hooch to fill in on occasion if required."

It was at this point that Albus Dumbledore finally spoke up, amusing Filius to no end.

"Do you think Miss Tonks to be the best choice, with no insult intended to her, of course. She is young. She agreed to her position as Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor only a few days before term..."

"You don't 'ave a choice, Monsieur Dumblydore!" Delacour declared. "Professor Tonks is also an Auror. She can protect us. And considering zat I believe zat it was not 'Arry's choice to be part of zis competition I zink zat your biggest problem is your poor security at zis school. Zat needs your attention, not ze person who 'as to watch eight sensible young adults. N'est-ce pas?"

"Fleur!" her headmistress hissed and the girl dismissed it with a wave of her hand.

"We need to see zat zere have been great attempts to get all our plans going by tomorrow morning. Tomorrow night ze Champions wing will be open!" the blonde woman declared and Filius ducked his head to conceal his smirk.

"I could not have but it better," Krum declared. "Tonight vill be my last night on the ship. And I think in the spirit of co-operation maybe for this year you to do away vit your four tables and make all the students mix together."

Filius watched as Krum then turned and brought Delacour's hand to his lips in a charming goodbye before stepping up to Cedric and kissing the blond Hufflepuff on each cheek. The teachers all watched as Fleur too stepped up to Cedric to bid him goodnight as Krum repeated the process with Harry, pausing only to ruffle the ears of the dog in his arms.

Quickly, the staff and champions disappeared and soon it was only Minerva, Severus and himself left in the Great Hall.

"Well?" Severus asked with a quirked brow almost identical to the one on Minerva's face.

"It went perfectly. The Champions Wing idea was quickly accepted. Harry however picked Miss Granger and not Miss Greengrass as I expected," Filius said settling into a chair as an elf bought tea for them all.

"Really?" Severus replied with a large smile on his face. "Excellent."

Minerva rolled her eyes. "Explain!"

"He's also making this a tiny little bit about blood," Severus replied. "A quarter veela, two half bloods in himself and Krum, both with exceptional talents across magical disciplines, and he's chosen one of the most mentally agile, gifted muggleborns to ever walk these halls as his companion. Daphne as queen will rule Slytherin in his absence with Neville and Draco at her sides. From here, Harry can also public encourage his friendship with the Weasley twins who are regular guests in the Slytherin dorms. He will use the socialisation excuse to invite his council to the Champions Wing. The next time Fred and George will bring the quidditch girls and there will be a pickup game involving Krum. The conversation will eventually begin as the groups socialise and try to find out more about each other and they will learn that in each grade there is a muggleborn student in the top five and the others are half-bloods, the children or grandchildren of half-bloods. No pureblood student with heritage of purity on both sides for more than three generations is in the top ten students in their grade."

"He's starting an interesting conversation," Filius declared.

"Hermione will be the one to start an interesting relationship," Severus replied. "Wait and see."

III

When Una Flourish had suggested to Marty Moneypenny, the grandson of Miss Moneypenny who had been immortalised in Muggle literature, that he take on his first client in an assistant, come secretarial, come accountant, come advisory role he had thought it would be someone normal; someone who he didn't even know the name of.

He hadn't been prepared to meet Harry Potter in Severus Snape's office that first weekend in September.

Marty definitely had not been prepared to learn of the seriousness of Mr Potter's situations. Being all but financially bankrupt was not a great start. To learn that the wizard who had tried to kill Mr Potter as an infant was a wraith, and still out there, was even worse.

But Marty had been inspired. Mr Potter and his friends had explained so many situations to him that for two days his mind was in overload. That a child had been forced to mature so quickly was a dark blot against Albus Dumbledore. That his young employer still had hope in the wizarding world was inspiring.

Sirius Black and Remus Lupin had then shown up on his doorstep with a plan. A plan that while not quite ethical had managed to slide through every loophole known to man and was technically legal. And it would boost Mr Potter's financial status. The two men had then told him of a second aspect to the plan that would also help his social status.

It had been very well thought out. Misters Black and Lupin had owned that Mr Potter's friend Hermione Granger was the mastermind behind it all. They were technically just the smugglers.

Marty had three weeks to make it happen.

By the end of September, Marty had begun auctioning off items presented to him by Mr Black and Mr Lupin. Bottles of fifty year old firewhiskey; old broomsticks; books; vases; various antique desks and chairs; items of jewellery... By October first, the Potter Estate was no longer in dire financial trouble.

October fourth, as instructed, Marty then approached St Mungos offering on behalf of his client to host a charity auction. He was then approached by the Black, Malfoy and Longbottom families with items to list and was eventually flooded with items and bidders. By the twentieth, Mister Potter was the Daily Prophet's Man of the Hour and the Ministry of Magic was also issuing statements in regards to his generosity.

Then this.

Nymphadora Tonks who was the DADA teacher for the year up at Hogwarts had appeared on his front door with an urgent message from Mr Potter. He had been entered against his will in the Tri- Wizard Tournament. Marty had listened to the message as Miss Tonks had outlined Mr Potter's plan.

And that's how Narcissa Malfoy came to be seated at his dining table, with Augusta Longbottom and Hugo Greengrass.

"I'm sorry," Marty said holding up his hands. "What are you telling me? That you are going to overthrow Minister Fudge install Lady Malfoy into the position, bring back capital punishment for convicted felons and reverse all international policy before Christmas?"

"That's the plan," Lady Malfoy agreed. "The French government is already privy to these plans and since they never stopped executions for heinous crimes they are going to get behind that aspect of my new legislature one hundred percent. I'm also planning to redraw the line between light, dark and grey."

"The French are in on this?" Marty asked.

"My mother is the French Minister," Hugo said. "She's in on anything that promotes a strong rational woman into a command position. And with the German Chancellor being female they could create a strong triad and defend against all possible usurpers."

Marty shook his head.

"And you know this means executing your own sister, Lady Malfoy," Marty said looking to the blonde woman.

She nodded curtly in reply.

"Alright," Marty finally declared. "Let me do some research and we will find out who can revive which lines. Consider Harry's plan, In Action."

"Excellent," the Longbottom matriarch declared. "Let's cause some trouble."

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