DISCLAIMER: That part of this world and those characters you've seen before belong to their Creator: JKR. The rest is mine - although I cannot quit my day job as I make no $$$
A/N: And so it begins…or continued… or whatever. I began this chapter a long time ago … see A/N below for why it took so long …
For those who read this Chapter within the 1st 18 hours of its posting, it's being reposted 'cause Author made serious continuity error. Error fixed.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN: DANCING WITH TROLLS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30th, 1991 – HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY, SCOTLAND, U.K.
Professor Vector had spent the past four weekends at Camp W observing the students and their activities and meeting with faculty representatives from the other wizarding schools. The spell crafting demonstration had been a shock on many levels. He still did not know why that spell had been crafted beyond intellectual curiosity, but believed it had been done for a reason. McGonagall had told him there were some aspects of the Club and its members that were known only to a select few, although that would change when the time was ripe.
The nice thing about not being the Head of House was that he was not required to attend the weekly meeting with the absentee Headmaster. The timing of such meeting would have been in the middle of Sunday and he would miss various activities. The truth was, even though the Club was not acting as an educational institution, the members were there learning magic none-the-less. Moreover, they were learning magic that magic Britain said was either beyond the ability of young people to learn or beyond the ability of most people regardless of age. Within four weeks, every new member was already comfortable with wandless forms of spell casting and were developing mind magic skills as well. This was said to be impossible, but the proof was before him.
It wasn't just the Hogwarts students here. This W.I.S.E. League thing wasn't just about Quidditch. But off the althletic fields and such, he could not tell one student from another regardless of their schools. They associated as schools only for athletic competition. In academics and in all other things, they were "The Club." They were each other's friends and the more senior ones were expected to help and mentor the junior ones in all things. Here, there were no Houses or House rivalries. Here, they were all part of the same community. There were no Muggle-Borns, nor Half Bloods, nor Blood Traitors nor none of that nonsense. They were, here, friends. It was not to say they didn't form their own little groups and such. They did. All else aside, they were still young people. But gone were the animosities that most certainly plagued the students at his own school. The groups or even cliques were not school related at all, just groups of boys, girls or both who enjoyed each other's company and such and seemed to share similar interests. Schools did not matter here … well, only one did. It was that Japanese school that mattered. The rest of this "nonsense" was just that. These young people wanted to change the world as it were and were all dedicated to that idea. Into what remained to be seen or even defined. But he had become a witness.
He was a witness to a future. It was a future he himself had hoped might one day come to pass. It was a future of bright and hard working people, all dedicated to making their world a better one. It didn't matter to any of them whether they were in their first year at the Camp or not. It didn't matter to any of them what their ages in "real time" were; they all treated each other as worthy of being here. The "Senior" ones, those who had more summers in Japan than the others, taught and mentored the "Juniors." Age didn't matter here; only what a member knew and could pass on. There were "children" barely old enough elsewhere to attend a magical school teaching older ones and junior ones and those young people who were not there yet treated them with respect. The young teachers accepted no title other than the Japanese one of "Sensei" where they were in a lead instructional role. If they were not, they were called in only the most formal circumstances either "Miss" or "Mister" so and so.
Professor Vector also observed the other school faculty who worked or spent time at Camp W. The "Faculty Representatives" were all either the Heads of their schools or close to it, none lower than deputy. Lower faculty, such as himself, were also present mainly to monitor and to advise. Most of the true teaching here at the "Club" was done by the members. It was a very different approach, in his view. But he had observed the Runes Classes or sessions. It was all upper year students, those who had finished at least one summer in Japan and had taken Runes as an elective and the mentors or course leaders or whatever were all at least a summer or two ahead in that discipline.
The Camp was not so much about getting ahead in classes in their schools. It was about keeping up and not falling behind when they went to Japan the next summer. He realized, Japan was - at least for now - their real education. The last weekend, just a few days ago, he spoke with the Founders, all three Firsties this fall at Hogwarts and yet all three far beyond him in education. Not about Hermione's spell project, but about all of this.
"Mind, Body and Magic," Clarice had said - a Hogwarts Firstie. "We're here to help all of our friends and all in the Club succeed in Japan. Our initial program is to prepare them for success. Once we are all there, it's up to us to succeed on our own merits, but we strive to help all who are behind us reach success and we expect they will also help each other…"
"And what about school here?" Professor Vector asked. "Is all this necessary?"
Harry was the one to reply. "One would hope not," he said. "But you've seen much about us. Can you honestly say that the young people here today can even begin to hope for the level of education that this Club and the Watanabe School has to offer?"
Professor Vector could only sigh.
"This Club is but the first step towards a greater goal," Harry continued. "One day … maybe … it will not be necessary for a child to travel half way 'round the world for what that school offers. One day, our magical children can stay here and expect the same quality of education; one where the only limitations are those the child places upon themselves and nothing else. Time Compression is what we have to deal with now. But we're the only country which now requires full summer sessions from its students. No other does. You get into the upper levels, magical or non-magical, and your peers - as it were - might really be ten or more years older than you. The bulk of the non-summer students do their twenty years - or less - in twenty years. Our long term goal is that a child from these Isles need not have to go to Japan to get this education. But that's a long term goal. We need people who want this for their children to make it happen. We need our parents to want it and we need loads of our generation who want it for their kids as well.
"Time Compression has its uses. But being an eleven-year-old with multiple Masteries and degrees is not ideal. After all, I am legally eleven. Aside from this Club - and the Watanabe School for that matter - who would hirer me? Most those who do it that way - several full summers in rather quick succession - are destined to their family business - usually one which precludes a full time, formal education. Others lack the educational opportunities in their homelands. They tend to do one or two sessions a summer, not all five. Why should my children one day have to go overseas for this education? Can't we provide it here? Why don't we?
"Not saying every magical child can or should. But don't we all deserve the right to aim high? Why not a non-magical education? Why not degrees? Why not Masteries in Magics without our system of Apprenticeships? If the young person is willing to do more, why should we hold them back? My best friend Hermione's probably better at the history and sociology that led us to this intellectual lethargy and my sister Clarice better at the economics of it. I'm just … well, a Chemist, Potioner, Curse Breaker and Warder. But I wouldn't be that had I relied on this magical society to … to allow and accept my choices in that regard.
"This Club is about allowing choices. No child who's allowed to join's ever denied that. Their only limitations here are the ones they place on themselves. They succeed or fail by their own efforts and desires - and so far we've seen little but success! Going to Japan to do this in not and never will be cheap. Why can't we do this here? I know the answer! The old codgers in charge are afraid of any true education. Sod them! Sod the lot of them!"
Harry Potter was no politician, Professor Vector realized. But he and the others in the Club he had spoken to over the last month didn't have to be. They were persuasive and they could back up their ideas of better education with results. In all his years as a wizard, he had never seen such a rich learning environment as in the Club nor as in its subset at Hogwarts. He was well aware of the restrictions the "so called" experts and powers-that-be had placed upon him and his colleagues not just at Hogwarts but at the other schools in Magical Britain as well. And now he saw what happened when one opened this Pandora's Box. Ever since he chose the Classroom over practical work, he had hoped for this - students eager to learn and excel. And here they were in the hundreds or more!
The Howarts Club alone had been an eye-opener. The spell crafting was above what he considered professional. The discussion groups and lessons were far beyond what he expected - even with the "newbies." The main Club, was every bit that way and even more! These young people might well one day change their world and for the better and to even witness this was an honor!
As for the Ministry who tied his hands and many others: "Sod the lot of them!"
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31st, 1991 – HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY, SCOTLAND, U.K.
Halloween did no haunt this Harry Potter the way it had Sensei. Yes he was aware of the significance of the date. He had known the date his parents had died for as long as he could remember for it was one of the excuses the Dursleys used to exclude him from normal activities. He remembered those times. He remembered he was usually locked in his cupboard where he was told to reflect on how useless his parents had been in life and how it was their fault he landed where he was. Had they been responsible adults, they either would not have died in a car crash or they would not have had him. Naturally, this was not a pleasant memory for either Harry.
The main reason why this Harry was not haunted by this day was that he had, some three years ago, obtained a degree of closure. It was after he had returned from his first summer in Japan and after his trip to America. On that August day, Sirius Black took the three of them to Godrics Hollow where they visited Harry and Clarice's former home and a small graveyard behind the local church. They stood there looking at the gaves of two people who none of them remembered (naturally Hermione could not as she had never met them) and Harry and Clarice told the stone about their lives since that date both the bad and the good. They left a wreath when they finished and made similar visits to two cemetery in the London area: one was where Eric and Erin Ryan lay buried and the other was the final resting place of Daniel and Christine Jameson. Twice a year the three would visit their parents' graves: once in August to tell them about their year, how big they were, what they had learned and this year Hermione told her birth Mum about how she was now wearing a training bra although Clarice was certain it was said more to embarrass Harry than any other reason. They also visited their parents around Christmas time to wish them all a Happy Christmas. The three of them had their "special" photo albums of the parents they lost and, in regards to the Potters and Ryans, the parents they barely remembered. The day of their deaths was no longer a day of mourning for any of the three of them.
Harry was seated in the "Triple Eight" room in the Club Corridor. Hermione soon entered as well.
"Susan should have about thirty wands ready in time," she said. "We're still looking at the Gryffindor-Slytherin game?"
Harry nodded. "I need an hour or so to load each wand with four charges. We'll have thirty by then."
Harry nodded. "Hopefully, we'll know for certain if it's necessary soon."
Hermione understood. They had not been able to confirm that Quirrell was indeed under active possession. Madam Pomfrey suspected he was, but they wanted independent verification before they attacked the man. That was Clarice's job and that was why she was not with them. She was serving a detention with the man for mouthing off to him in class. This was out of character for her, but it had been deliberate as she hoped to be able to surreptitiously cast a diagnostic charm during such detention. Hopefully, she would know one way or the other by the time she joined them in the Great Hall for the Halloween Feast.
"Should we head down?" Hermione suggested.
"Might as well," Harry agreed.
A few minutes later and they were seated at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. They were not the first to arrive either at their table or the other House Tables, but they were early. Students were entering the Hall alone or in small groups and heading for their tables. After two months, it had become almost customary for the Club members to generally sit together. This was particularly the case at the Slytherin table where the non-Club students felt any member of the Club was no better than a Muggle Born (although they generally did not use that word) and the Club members thought the rest of their House were useless, ignorant and undeserving of any respect.
Clarice entered a few minutes later and took a seat across from Harry and Hermione. She had a disappointed look on her face and Harry was concerned their plan had not worked.
"Well?" He asked.
"It's confirmed," she sighed.
So they would have to go through with it after all.
"Oh well," Harry said. "Sensei did say it was probably the case by now."
The other two nodded.
"I wonder if the other thing he told us is going to happen?" Hermione said.
Harry shrugged. "Well, if it does, it's already different, you know?"
The two girls looked at him with curiosity.
"You're not in the bathroom crying your eyes out," he said to Hermione.
"Oh yeah. That and we've been best of friends for ages now."
"When's is supposed to happen?" Clarice asked.
"Sensei didn't ever say clearly," Harry replied. "Sometime towards the end of the feast."
"Well then," she replied, "might as well enjoy it while we may. I mean assuming it happens this time as well."
A few minutes later and acting Headmistress McGonagall announced the feast and the piles of food appeared before them all. They, those who'd been to that school abroad, wished for a more wide variety of things to chose from, but they were not about to complain. They loaded their plates and began to enjoy their feast.
Desert had just appeared and Harry and his friends thought about how their friend Luna would all but cooing over the pudding. Truth be known, she loved pudding but most of her friends could take it or leave it. Still, it was always nice to know someone might enjoy the fare.
"TROLL IN THE DUNGEON!" a voice announced from the aisle between the two middle tables. It was the suspect Professor Quirrell, just as Sensei had said. "TROLL IN THE DUNGEON!" he repeated. "Thought you'd like to know," he added before falling flat on his face.
"If that was a fainting spell, he really needs to learn how to act," Hermione complained in the brief silence before most of the students stated to scream and panic. The Club - at least those who had been to Japan - were not among that crowd. Trolls could be nasty, but they all knew it wasn't as if they were alone and they all had at least their defense O.W.L.s and many their Masteries. But the rest of the students were in a panic.
A loud explosion stopped the screams and panic. Professon McGonagall stood with her wand in the air.
"Prefects, please escort your Houses to their Common Rooms…," she began.
"Well that makes a load of sense, Professor!" Olivia Adair, a Club Member and Fifth Year Prefect from Slytherin said. "Just send us Snakes off into the Dungeons where this troll is just lurking about!"
"And," Dora Tonks added, "we Puffs are only a floor up from them…"
"And we're only a floor up from that, right now," Percy Weasley added. "There's only one door into here. We stay here, you bar the door with magic and go off and find the bugger!"
The Club applauded in agreement.
"That is a prudent suggestion, Mr. Weasley," Professor McGonagall replied, "and the advice of your fellow Prefects is sound. All students shall remain here in the Great Hall. Staff, follow me and we shall seek out this supposed beastie! Hagrid! Remain here and bar the door once we've left."
"Right you are, Professor," Hagrid replied. He immediately got up and made his way to the main door to bar any students from leaving.
"And I only had a few bites of my pudding!" Luna grumbled as the Staff left and the food disappeared.
"None of y' lot even think 'bout it," Hagrid called out as the door closed behind the Staff. Quirrell had somehow disappeared too, but only Harry, Hermione and Clarice noticed that bit. "I'm here t' keep the Troll out an' yer lot in!" Hagrid announced as he left through the main doors to the Great Hall to watch for the troll.
"Not totally unexpected that," Harry said to those who were close about.
"RIGHT THEN!" he called out. "COMM CENTER WATCH SHIFT TO THE COMM CENTER! GET THE WORD OUT IN CASE WE NEED REINFORCEMENTS! BY SECTIONS! WEAPONS AND ARMOR! SECTION ONE, SHIFT!"
A little over a fourth of the Club Students who had finished their first year in Japan disappeared without a sound. Section One included students from all four Houses, their senior member by Hogwarts standards would be Olivia Adair, a Fifth Year Slytherin Prefect. But the real "Senior" was Clarice, although she was off to grab her healing kit. As well versed as she was at combat, she was the Lead Healer in the Club and there might be casualties. She had two assistants, both had Outstanding N.E.W.T.s in Healing and were hoping to pick up their Basic Healing Mastery the next summer, but they were not Section One.
When Section One and the two assigned to the Communications Center disappeared, Hagrid spoke. "What's going on? You Lot's supposed to stay here! An' how can they do tha',? Not even Dumbeldore can be apparating inside Hogwarts!"
"Just trying to keep thing sane," Harry began.
"CLUB MEMBERS TO THE FRONT!" Dora yelled out. "THIS INCLUDES YOU NEWBIES. REST OF YOU LOT, GET BEHIND THE HEADS TABLE! MOVE IT!"
"Now wait just a second!" the Head Boy said, "you're not in charge here!"
"No, I'm not," Dora agreed. "And neither are you! Harry?"
"Move it or lose it!" Harry said.
"Just see here…," the Head Boy began before he was thrown magically to the back of the Great Hall.
"Anyone else want to try?" Dora commented. Those who were not in the Club did as asked and backed off until they were behind the Heads' Table.
"What about us?" Sally-Anne asked. "We haven't been there, you know!"
Harry nodded. "You lot will stand behind us. As the Sections return, you will be told what to do. Consider this a training evolution. After all, while we believe there's a troll out there somewhere, it doesn't mean it'll get in here, does it?"
For some reason, Sally-Anne and the other "Newbies" calmed down a little just as First Section reappeared. For those who were in the know, it was obvious who had their Defense Masteries. Every member of Section One who could shift out (aside from the Healing Staff) returned with a stave, a bow and quiver and two, long spears. The Defense Masters were in Armor with swords at the belt as well. The armor was Japanese in appearance, but magical in nature. It allowed for training with weapons and more powerful spells, which would otherwise cause injury if one failed to block. The lower level students - such as Ron and Millie - were wearing what looked like leather armor, although it was really dragon hide. They had simple looking metal helmets on their heads. This armor was also used for training but with less dangerous spells and weapons. Weather it would do any good against a fully grown troll was another question altogether. Perhaps it would, but those who were wearing it thought it looked cool and it certainly boosted their confidence a little.
"SECOND SECTION! WEAPONS AND ARMOR!" Harry called as another quarter of the Watanabe students shifted away. "Ron, Millie?" he added. "You two sort out the spare spears and use them to arm our Newbies and teach them how to hold their ground!"
Ron and Millie gave Harry a slight bow and began gathering the spare spears from the First Section and passing them out to the "Newbies."
"You're here as a final defense!" Ron said to them. "Trolls don't like pointy sticks so you lot form up right they should stay back. No worries. There'll be some quite powerful shield charms in front should one get through the door. Just hold your ground and don't worry. We'll do the rest." He then instructed those who had spears what to do as well as the others.
"THIRD SECTION!" Harry called out a few minutes later, "WEAPONS AND ARMOR!"
More spears arrived for the remaining Newbies and they were positioned at the edge of the steps leading to the Heads' Table and dias. They were shown to use the base of the step to plant their spears and point it towards the door and whatever came through it. Ron did tell them that they should try not to stick one of the good guys if at all possible which actually earned a laugh from their Newbies.
"FOURTH SECTION!" Harry called out and he disappeared. Over the next few minutes, Ron and Millie continued to drill their spearmen and wait and watch the door as well.
Harry and the remaining section soon reappeared in the Hall. Naturally, those who were not in the Club wondered how they did that as many knew the school wards were supposed to prevent magical means of travel. Fortunately, none were so curious as to ask.
"Wha's goin' on in here?" a voice boomed and Harry saw that Hagrid had returned to the Hall.
"Just preparing to protect ourselves in case we have to," Percy Weasley said.
"Oh, er, right…"
BOOM! The door to the Great Hall seemed to shudder as something clearly had struck it.
"Staves!" Harry called out. "Put a block on the door and a shield before our line!" Several spells were cast and a shield of some sort appeared both on the door and just before the line of students with spears and such. "That should hold it," Harry commented.
"It?" Hagrid asked as he moved back with the students. "They ain' no it! They's a they! There's five o' the buggers out there!"
"Five?" Hermione whispered to Harry. "Sensei only said there was one." Harry shrugged. "Then again," Hermione continued, "he only encountered one. That doesn't mean there weren't more of them…"
BOOM! Something clearly was trying to break down the door.
"Archers! Stand ready!" Harry called out. "Section leaders with me!" Harry stepped to the front of the line of spears as did the four oldest members of the Club: Dora Tonks of Hufflepuff, Percy Weasley of Gryffindor, Penelope Clearwater of Ravenclaw and Olvia Adair of Slytherin. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM - CRACK!
"We shoot at anything that gets through the door," Clarice called out. She was one of the archers apparently.
"One volley," Harry added. "Two if you can then wands and staves."
"What spells?" Someone asked.
"Anything nasty!"
"What if it's a Professor?" someone asked.
"They wouldn't be trying to break the door down," Harry began.
"Besides, the only one you lot might confuse for a troll is already with us," another quipped obviously referring to Hagrid.
There was one final BOOM and the door gave way and they all could see some very large standing in the shattered doorway. It was clearly larger than Hagrid.
"Fire!" Hermione's voice called out and over thirty arrows flew at the monster, most of them hitting it in the chest. It promptly fell to the floor and did not get up, but it clearly was not alone as another huge troll entered. It had apparently been struck by the few stray arrows that had missed the other troll and clearly was not pleased. It was barely through the door when another hail of arrows was loosed, all striking it in the chest as well and it too fell to the ground, falling atop the already prostrate troll.
"Wands and staves!" Harry called as a third troll struggled to climb over the two that had been taken out. There were 101 members of the Club. Forty-three had their Masteries in Defense and another forty-two had their O.W.L.s and two years instruction with their staves. Even with over half the O.W.L. students casting with just their wands as they held spears, this still meant a flurry of nasty curses flew at the third troll. It faired far worse than the first two and now its corpse was added to the pile. A forth troll managed to get around the pile of troll remains unscathed before it was practically ripped apart by spell fire from the club. The fifth troll made it about half way to the line of students before it too was taken down by spell fire.
"Well, that was easy," someone said.
"Only cause there were a hundred or so of us against five of them and they came one at a time," Harry commented.
"No one can say they're terribly bright about such things," someone added.
"All that noise," someone said. "Where are the professors? You could probably have heard that as far off as Hogsmeade!"
Just then, a voice could be heard from beyond the shattered door: "Is everyone alright?" Harry recognized it was the voice of "Aunt Minnie."
"Alls righ' in 'ere, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said although he was still stunned at what had just happened. Professor McGonagall made her way into the Great Hall, carefully making her away around the trolls.
"Stunned?" she asked rhetorically.
"Dead, I should think," Harry replied. "The last three certainly are."
McGonagall nodded. "That should be all of them," she commented. "We only found signs of five. Right then you lot," she said indicating the students with weapons," Club corridor. "The rest of you return to your common rooms. Your desserts shall be waiting for you there."
The students who had brought spears gathered them up and all the older or senior Club Members disappeared. The "Newbies" headed off for the Club Corridor on foot, many hoping that by this time next year they could do that disappearing thing. The remaining three quarters of the school followed one of their prefects back to their common rooms.
After the non-Club students were well on their way back to their common rooms, Professor McGonagall gathered the other three Club faculty advisors and headed to the Fourth Floor Club Corridor where, she hoped, all the members of the Club had gathered. She was acutely aware that something like this would happen, although she had no idea the Club would be exposed by an attack of trolls on the school. She had been planning for this day for over a year now. It was time. She arrived in the Club common room and saw that at least most of the members were there including the "Newbies."
"Is this everyone?" she asked in general.
"Ninety-nine," Dora Tonks replied. "We have two manning our Comm Center."
McGonagall nodded. "Please make sure they hear what I have to say later." She now had all their attention. "Well," she sighed, "it seems the cat is out of the bag…"
"Professor, it's not like the whole school knows about Japan," Ron Weasley said.
"That's a different cat," Professor McGonagall chuckled, "and no, unless you told them, they have no idea about that … yet. But fair bet your little display this evening has clued them in that something is amiss with you lot."
"Like our Club badges don't?" someone said.
"Until now, they meant nothing except to us," Hermione countered. "All it tells them is we're part of some club and they're not … or not yet in some cases, I guess."
"But now they know," McGonagall said. "Not the details, but the lot of you destroyed five trolls which is no mean feat, at least for people who're supposed to be underage students." Dora was the oldest and was a few months away from her eighteenth birthday. "I spoke with Hagrid briefly. What he saw was far beyond where most of you should be and, your weapons and armor aside, I'd say your magical staves was a dead giveaway that something was up. So, to rephrase, a cat is out of a bag."
"Damage control?" Hermione offered.
"Unless you want to obliviate three-quarters of the school and most of the staff, the recent events cannot be overlooked. I'm not saying you should come right out and tell the rest of the school where you learned what you learned. You can just say it was at your little camp with highly qualified instruction. True, the staves are a bit hard to overlook as you lot are about the only ones around with them. There are some others, but only a handful and none anywhere near as young as you. But what the rest of the school does know or certainly suspects is that several of you are well beyond your supposed year and that will cause problems."
"So what do we do?" someone asked.
"Dumbledore?" Harry asked.
"As there were no injuries," McGonagall said, "I doubt this falls into a category that demands his immediate attention. He made it quite clear that short of the school burning down or grievous harm or death, he left it to me to run as I see fit at least until this business about the next Minister is over. Naturally, he will be told about the trolls the next time he stops by. But for now, I don't see how this violates his standing instructions. Be that as it may, something like this was going to happen sooner or later and I have been planning for it for some time now.
"I spoke with the other schools' faculty advisors just this past weekend and we all agree we may now be at a critical mass…"
"Critical mass?" someone asked.
"It means," Harry said, "there're now too many of us for the Ministry to risk interference with our Club and it's objectives."
McGonagall nodded in agreement. "About nineteen percent of all students currently in magical schools in Britain are in the Club. If we just look at First through Fourth Years, it's thirty percent. Alost a third of all First through Third years are now Club members and our estimates are that close to twenty percent of the next four years are as well. Total Club membership is nine hundred and seventy-seven students ages six through eighteen. That represents about five hundred and sixty families. The Ministry can ignore scores, but not these numbers."
"And we have Lord Black," Harry said.
"And my Gran as Longbottom Regent," Neville added.
"And my Auntie," Susan bones also added. "Some other votes and Ministry higher ups as well."
"We don't have Dumbledore," someone pointed out. "Not yet, at least."
"True," McGonagall agreed, "but there are five hundred and sixty families paying various tuitions or whose tuition to their school is being paid in whole or in part by one foundation or another. While our law requires all of you who have not yet attained your O.W.L.s to attend school, many of you have. It used to be you didn't have to at all unless you were a Muggle Born, but that law was changed back in 1969. The problem for most of you is that regardless of your accomplishments to date, you're still too young to enter the workforce so you're stuck here until you're sixteen - with parental consent of course. But four hundred and sixty-two of you have your O.W.L.s at least and can be pulled from school, you just can't get a job unless you're sixteen and even then, places like the Ministry won't hire you 'til you're eighteen. You Muggle Borns are stuck regardless until you're sixteen unless you abandon your families and move into the magical world permanently. Still, that's a lot of money moving into school and Ministry coffers that could be lost if they moved against us and…"
"Money talks," Hermione offered.
"Exactly!"
"And, as all of us who've had a summer in Japan can shift," Olivia Adair added, "there's not a bloody thing the Ministry can do to stop us! The whole secrecy thing was to protect our 'Newbies' or at least those who are the first in their families to attend. They're a significant minority of all of us, aren't they?"
"Less than ten percent," McGonagall agreed. "Mr. Potter? What are the projections for next year in Japan?"
"Based upon this year's expansion," Harry began, "ten fourth summer students, although only six will not have finished school here by then, thirty third summer, four hundred and twenty-two second summer and right now two hundred and seventy-nine first summer. That number may increase a bit. Some of the six and seven-year-olds may test high enough to enter third year non-magical, which as you know is our goal for initial admission, and we're assuming all the eight-year-olds at the time will. We currently have a hundred and eleven in the youngest two years. Over seven hundred and seventy are currently set to go, all told. That's assuming no one else joins us between now and the May date for new applications."
"So," McGonagall said, "it seems the Club has momentum enough to go forwards regardless…"
"But Dumbledore's Head of the Wizengamot and the official Headmaster," someone added. "And the Board of Governors would probably oppose this. Surely, if he wanted to he could stop us."
"Dumbledore is not a Founder's Heir," Clarice said. "And all four Heirs are in the Club."
"But isn't You-Know-Who an Heir?" someone else asked.
"Legal, but not magical," Clarice said. She then explained the difference. "Harry's the magical Heir of both Gryffindor and Slytherin. Hermione - believe it or not, but it's been proven - is the Ravenclaw Heir and Luna Lovegood is Hufflepuff's Heir. Together they can claim their birthright, neither Dumbledore nor the Board can do anything about us since the Heirs will control the school for all intents and purposes."
"So why haven't you done that yet?" someone asked.
"Two reasons," Harry replied. "Both involve Dumbledore. It was agreed that we would put that off as long as possible to keep him and, by extension, the rest of the stagnant magical country in the dark as long as possible."
"Which is no longer possible," McGonagall commented.
"There were extenuating circumstances," Neville said. "I mean who could foresee five trolls and that?"
"Indeed," McGonagall said. She was aware of one from Harry and the others, but not five and she drew the same conclusion. Sensei had seen and dealt with one, but not the others.
"The second reason is Dumbledore is still Headmaster," Harry continued. "Professor McGonagall is merely acting Head and the school's magic requires our declaration to be before the magical Headmaster to become fully effective."
"Be that as it may," McGonagall said "the fact remains our pretend time is over. For our three Fifth Years - those being our three who've completed four summers in Japan - you're no longer required to attend classes. I'm not saying you can't. Just that it's not required. Same's true for anyone here who've completed their N.E.W.T.s. Be that as it may, you are encouraged to attend from time to time to assist the newcomers to the Club. Those of you who have their O.W.L.s have the option of now entering your appropriate year N.E.W.T. courses. You're not required to do so, but we encourage it. You all need to prepare for next summer. Can't let you forget your magic and what you learned, can we? Again, do try and help your Hogwarts Classmates, especially those in the Club. Full schedules will be posted so you can plan accordingly to assist your Hogwarts friends in their classes."
"But I only got and 'Exceeds' on my Potions O.W.L.s," Millie complained, "and Snape - sorry - Professor Snape only takes Outstandings!"
"You had and 'Exceeds' in the I.C.W. test," Harry said. "As I understand it, the British test isn't nearly as demanding."
"Mr. Potter is correct," McGonagall continued, "not that it matters. As acting Headmistress, I have the authority for now to see to it you can attend his classes if you want. Now, for those of you with a year or more in Japan, I want you to use this time wisely whether you attend classes or not. I don't want you figuring out new and creative ways to prank! I'd prefer not to see a pink and fuzzy Hogwarts plushie," she added looking at the three oldest Weasley boys.
"Can we cast a Fidelius Charm on the Snakes' bathrooms?" George asked.
"You wouldn't dare!" Olivia Adair protested.
"We'd tell you lot the secret," Fred said. "It's for the rest of them."
McGonagall shook her head. "For all of you, the rules remain in full force. Sorry. Get caught misbehaving and points will be deducted from your Houses and you can expect detentions. That being said; for our new members you are expected to continue with your classes here and hopefully your new friends will be there for you to help you through."
"No bloody way I'm ever sitting through Binns again," Ron complained, "and Quirrell's not much better."
"Useless, the both of them," someone added. "We'll help the 'Newbies' but please say we don't have to sit through that rubbish!"
McGonagall nodded. "That's your decision, but I do expect you to help our new members. Right then, dinning. Beginning tomorrow at dinner, there will be a fifth table in the Great Hall. It's for the Club. You can sit there or at your old House Tables, your decision on that and yes, this means all of you not just those who've been to Japan. I would hope several of you continue to make friends within your 'former' Houses and find potential new members, but I won't order it to be so.
"Breakfast at the table will be whatever is offered to the school. Lunch will be mostly that way, but those of you who have been to Japan are familiar with menus, so there will be addition selections you can order if you wish. Sunday dinners and declared Feasts will be Hogwarts fare, but otherwise it will be all from menus.
"Over the last several months, I and two of the other Faculty Advisors have renovated several other floors in this Corridor. We can't touch the Third one - not until Professor Dumbledore's project is complete. The Second, First, Ground and Dungeon levels will be opened to you all tomorrow. The Second includes additions study rooms for you all to use to prepare for next summer and help our new members. The First has a room and a study rooms for you to meet with and help non-members as well as a room you can use as a Library - but you'll need to provide the books. I'd recommend the ones you no longer need."
"Bloody good that'll do for a lot of the 'Newbies,'" someone said, "seeing as most of our books from Japan are in Japanese or some other language."
"I am going to request that you begin teaching our new members Japanese," McGonagall replied. "You can figure out a schedule. I think three hours of lessons a week should suffice, but that's up to you. The Ground Floor has gyms for non-magical indoor physical activities and the Dungeons a swimming pool. We don't want you losing shape - magically, physically or mentally - between now and next summer.
"Finally, I've opened the Fourth and Fifth floors of the South Curtain Wall…"
"The what?" several voices asked.
"A long time ago, Hogwarts had close to a thousand students in attendance. The lower three years lived pretty much in what are now your dormitories. The upper four years lived by Houses on the Second through Fifth Floors of the South Curtain Wall which overlooks the Black Lake. We haven't needed that space in ages."
"Why are you opening it up?" Hermione asked.
"The Slyerthins in particular and possibly the Ravenclaws as well won't take kindly to this change. I assume I don't have to tell you why those Slytherins who are not part of our Club might take offense. As for the Ravens, I think it's safe to say they won't take kindly to those of you who are two or nine or more years ahead of them in classes and rather than force you to continue living there, we felt it was best to provide for separate accommodations. Those accommodations are also available to you others. There will be two people per room. Boys will live on the Fifth Floor and girls on the Fourth and there's more rooms than you need for now. Each floor has its own Common Room - you're free to redecorate as you like - and those Common Rooms are open to all Club Members. But, the sleeping quarters and baths are not! As I said, all school rules remain in force and among them are the ones about inappropriate amorous activities!"
"What's that mean?" someone said.
"We'll tell you later," someone else replied.
"At breakfast tomorrow," McGonagall continued, "I will announce that tomorrow's classes are cancelled. After all, tonight was stressful for everyone. BUT! This is allow you to pick your new roommates and move into your new rooms, assuming this is your wish! And this arrangement includes our new members. You will not be required to pick a roommate from either your Hogwarts Year or House…"
"But there's an odd number of girls!" Dora Tonks protested.
"And if it remains odd Miss Tonks, as our lone Seventh Year, you're not required to pick a roommate…"
"School uniforms?" someone asked.
"Still required for now," McGonagall replied.
"Hogsmeade Weekends?" another asked.
"That will be discussed, but for now school policy remains unchanged and - if we were to change it, it would only change for those of you with one summer in Japan…"
"Quidditch?" Cedric Diggory of Hufflepuff asked.
"You're still required to compete for your original House Teams…"
"Unless you're W.I.S.E. League," Harry added, although he was not certain.
"You can do both, but yes," McGonagall said. "The Club will not have it's own team here at school. But you can play for both…"
"And what about our original Houses," Percy Weasley asked. "I'm still a Prefect!"
"Any who choose to move will be able to return to their House Common Rooms and visit your non-member friends in the dormitories…"
"Assuming we have any," Daphne Greengrass said quietly.
"… as I said, your Houses remain unchanged … for now. Now, Mr. Potter. I have a question."
"Yes Professor?" Harry replied.
"You lot apparently killed the first two trolls without magic. Why did you change tactics? Had you kept it non-magical, maybe this could be avoided for now."
"The first two," Harry began, "well, we were using are 'Newbies' as additional spearmen and I wanted them to know this could be done without much magic. We had them shielded. I thought they should know what they could learn in time. I changed my mind when the third one came through. I'd hoped you and the others had managed to take some of the others down by then - after all Hagrid told us there were five of them and their trying to break through the door should've made more than enough noise - but I wasn't willing to risk anyone for a non-magical troll fight so we went magical on them."
McGonagall merely nodded.
A/N: Sorry for the incredibly long delay. This Chapter was giving me fits. It lacks the action I originally intended - but sword play made no sense the more I thought about it and I really did want them to snuff five trolls. After all, many of them are more than capable of dealing with one by themselves (with a Stave for certain). Why would they "toy" with the things more than necessary? (I had this idea of the Defense Masters taking turns hacking at them with swords and after all was said and done a photo shoot … but the more I thought about it, the less sense it made to me. Seemed like overkill…) That and I got distracted by other things once this one proved a pain… The first three paragraphs date to that time … Professor Vector was giving me fits too…
Hopefully, my next update won't take a year or more…