Author's Note: Preface and chapters 1 and 2 were reposted after a good work of revision by mickey882. Unfortunately, there is no schedule for further chapters in the near future. Worst, this chapter is also unbetaed, and probably full of errors. Sorry, I'm trying but is being difficult to improve.
Chapter 25 – Family Meetings
For many of the children studying at Hogwarts, the holiday season marked the first personal meeting with their parents and family since the beginning of class. The videophone function incorporated into the receiver of The Critical Thinker was a boon to all of them, allowing them to maintain a level of contact far superior to that available a mere year ago. Still, the human being, being an emotional and sensual animal, still lacked the physical presence and the intimacy of a hug with their loved ones.
The period of school holidays was serving to fill this need, and without depriving any of them of the company of the many friendships that they created in the school. The threat brought about by Voldemort's return had served to reunite students and parents in the Foundation's ample facilities, allowing not only the reunion of the parents to their children, but also enabling the many families involved to know each other. Such a vast gathering of so many different people would hardly occur without some surprises, unexpected revelations, and even some friction.
Samantha Reynolds, formerly a shy, demure girl from Cardiff, but who had been gaining a great deal of self-confidence and been releasing herself more and more from her cocoon with the help of her new acquaintances, was one of those who kept some secrets in her conversations with her parents while at school, waiting for an opportunity to see them face to face to reveal some of her recent discoveries.
Samantha's parents were very involved with the New Age movement, and were very happy to discover that her daughter was a witch, and that a whole world of magic existed hidden from the normal world. The two lived from their research and the making of personalized horoscopes, and wrote articles for various magazines and newspapers.
"Oh, Sam! It seems you've been avoiding being alone with us ever since you arrived!" commented Mrs Reynolds, a little hurt by how little time she could spend alone with her daughter. Glad to make her daughter blush a little, ashamed, she decided to tackle the problem head-on: "Are you trying to avoid telling us some bad news? Did we waste time with our researches following false leads? "
Samantha blushed even more. She did not expect her behaviour to be read so easily by her parents, and this was clear in her surprise. Mr Reynolds tried to make his daughter more comfortable: "Little Angel, finding the truth is more important than preserving our feelings. Of course we will be sad if you tell us that something that we thought was important is not true, but once we get the hang of it, we will be happy to leave our mistakes behind and start on a better path. Do not worry so much, my dear."
Comforted, at least partially, Samantha took a deep breath and began her exposition.
"This influence of the stars on us humans, have you ever stopped to analyse how it operates in detail?"
Samantha's parents exchanged a glance before Mrs Reynolds encouraged her daughter to proceed. As she continued, Samantha gained confidence, and expressed her opinions more and more easily.
"That influence, it depends on distance or not. If it depends, Venus and Mars should have more influence than Uranus or Mercury, but they do not, so it seems that distance does not influence. In the same way, the size of the planet does or does not matter. Mind you, Mercury's influence, with only 6% of Earth's mass, should be minimal, while Jupiter's influence, 318 times heavier than Earth, should be enormous. But it does not in horoscopes, so it seems that the mass of the body does not influence."
Taking a short pause to take a breath, Samantha took the opportunity to assess her parents' reaction to what she was saying. At least she did not notice any sign of anger or stress, which encouraged her to continue.
"If neither the distance nor the mass of the celestial body matters, then the number of stars that should be taken into account grows absurdly! Not only Jupiter, but its more than sixty satellites should be taken into account! And not only the satellites of Jupiter, but also those of every other planet, as well as all the asteroids and comets and everything else up there! Who knows, even the artificial satellites we launch, or even the planes and helicopters that are passing by! And trying to change that, saying that mass or distance or both matters, would not improve much, since it would imply that all the astrology made until today was wrong and it would need to be revised, and yet we would have to give much more importance to the Moon than to Mercury, or perhaps to a great asteroid like Ceres in relation to a distant planet like Uranus."
Samantha waited anxiously for her parents' reaction. On the one hand, she was relieved to have told them everything she had been thinking about it ever since she had started discussing it with her new friends, but she was worried about what effect it might have on her parents to discover how much her daughter was sceptical of their main activity. A tear rolled down her face as she thought about what it might be causing. Her mother immediately walked over to her and hugged her tenderly, easing the girl's stress with her statement.
"Darling, although a considerable part of our revenue comes from horoscopes, we have never given them the same importance as our clients," she confessed.
Mr Reynolds approached the two with a newspaper in his hand, opened exactly in the horoscope section.
"Look, dear, what we published yesterday for the different signs," he said. "Nothing very specific, just what can be called 'generic advice' or 'motivational phrases'. Although we make the calculations and use the normal prognostications and interpretations of the occupation, we never trust them very much. In fact, we treat it as a form of practical psychology in which we use our readers' faith in these predictions as a way of positively influencing them to do something, have some confidence in their chances of success, and give themselves a chance to be happy."
"It is true that at first we hoped astrology would work, that it would allow us to know more about ourselves and our fellow humans, but it did not last long," explained her mother. "The more we studied the subject, the more doubts arose. The more accurate and attentive we tried to be, the more wrong our predictions were. We lost faith in the system, but at that point we already had a reputation and a large clientele, we took our livelihood from this activity and you were on the way."
"We thought about stopping and abandoning everything," said his father. "The point is that it would not be possible to convince our readers of our conclusions. We would simply be replaced by someone who would provide them with what they wanted to read. This is how the idea came to continue, but to make the best possible use of this influence we had on so many people."
Samantha was in conflict. She could see the good intentions of her parents, but there was certain falseness in the procedure that shocked her, hence her next question.
"But ... these people who read you ... Could not you explain to them how pierced this whole story of horoscopes and astrology is? Would not they rather know the truth?"
"A portion of them, yes, but a small portion," his father replied. "Honey, most people find it very difficult to change their minds. If we tried to explain to them everything you just said, some might agree and say they already knew it was false; they just liked reading the column for some reason or other. But most would probably accuse us of being charlatans and would require the newspaper or magazine of their choice to dismiss us and hire a 'true' art practitioner. They would probably say that we were part of a conspiracy to conceal Hermetic knowledge or something similar, and that we were lying to deceive them and make them accept the worldview desired by the government, or by big business, or by some evil secret society."
"You told us about all that discussion you had about what the truth was and how to get to it," Mrs Reynolds commented. "That for the observable facts, science was the best possible explanation, but, for what cannot be directly measured, the situation was terribly complicated. That for those unobservable points it was more a matter of personal preference than a logical choice based on a well-known and safe method. I'm proud of how much you've learned, but you need to consider that most people do not know so much about science, or logic, and they distrust it."
"The big problem is that only the products of science are being democratized, but not science itself," commented Mr Reynolds. "Everyone uses the new electronic products, but few know how they work internally. Few are interested in knowing science, and what little reaches the masses are usually distorted, ultra simplified, incomplete, when not incorrect or totally wrong."
"Yeah, I know, I remember Mrs Mitchell," Samantha interjected. "She said that the evolution of living beings was just a 'theory', as if 'theory' was a synonym for speculation or crazy ideas. She did not know, and would not accept, that a hypothesis only came to be considered a theory after going through rigorous tests and explaining well the phenomena it addressed. A scientific theory is not the same as a hypothesis. It is not a mere casual suggestion, as improbable as any other. It is a coherent set of well-grounded reasoning with high explanatory and predictive power, and enjoying wide acceptance and considerable confirmation."
"I do not know if Mrs Mitchell is a good example, my dear," Mrs Reynolds confessed. "Although there are still many people like her, her fanaticism in accepting every sentence of the Bible as the purest truth is no longer so commonplace. People today are more likely to accept that the Bible was written by ordinary people, and not by God Himself. Even though divinely inspired, they wrote with the knowledge they had at the time they lived, and which was certainly incorrect in some details."
"She called you sorcerers, and said you would go to hell, to pay for your sins!" protested the girl. "How could she find herself so good when she wanted such a punishment for you, who never did anything bad to her or anybody else?"
"Mrs Mitchell is a very simple person, Princess," answered Mr Reynolds. "She accepted a book as containing the ultimate teaching on how to live life, and just followed that book to the letter. And the book told her that there was only one right way to act, and anyone who did not act accordingly was wrong and would be punished for it."
"But what about all that Bible talk about forgiveness, about giving the other cheek, about not judging to not be judged, about not complaining about the speck in the eye of another having a beam on his own?" complained Samantha.
"The Bible is a very long book, written by many people over many centuries," commented Mrs Reynolds. "See the difference between the Old and New Testaments. I have always had difficulty reconciling the vengeful and righteous Old Testament God with the message of love and forgiveness of the New's One. Mrs Mitchell also seems to have some trouble in reconciling both, using one now and another as best pleases her."
"In the beginning, the Church's position as the holder of a final and immutable truth may have been favourable to its expansion," said Mr Reynolds. "But in recent centuries, with the remarkable advance of knowledge, the Church has been placed in a vulnerable position, seeing new discoveries come into conflict with her dogmas while she remained stuck in its old opinions, unable to rethink its ideas to keep up with progress. From being a progressive force in the Dark Age, bringing literacy and culture to illiterate people, it became an ultraconservative force, preaching a good morality surrounded by out-dated ideas about how things are to a world that visited the Moon and build computers."
"But isn't there a way to convince people like Mrs Mitchell that they're wrong?" Samantha asked, seeking a solution to such a complex situation.
"But are they really wrong, darling?" asked Mr Reynolds, hugging his daughter again. "Are not you now assuming the position of judge of right and wrong? What right do we have to interfere with other people's personal choices?"
Samantha lowered her eyes and thought of her father's words. She felt ashamed that she was making the same mistake as she accused Mrs Mitchell of. She also now understood better the Foundation's position on political affairs.
"I think I'm finally beginning to better understand what the Foundation is doing and why," she commented. "At first, I was disappointed that they were not trying to make a better world for everyone, using all that power and wealth they have. It seemed easy, seizing power and making the necessary laws. But it is not. There are many different opinions on what would be best, and there is no way to reach consensus."
"Forcing change, even with good intentions, often ends up causing more trouble than the ones it solve," said Mrs Reynolds. "I like the way the Foundation has acted. It shows people an alternative life, invites them to participate, and lets others follow their own ways and their ideas, without interfering."
"I know, but it's so hard to imagine anyone wanting something different!" Samantha explained. "I think it's our fault for not being able to explain better, for not finding the right reasoning that would make them understand... It's something so great what we're doing that I really wish everyone could participate, but I see now that some would never agree..."
"That's all we can do, Princess," Mr Reynolds concluded. "We are giving an example and an option, and we accept those who want to join us. The others will follow their own ways. Maybe one day they'll join us after exploring other alternatives, but the bottom line is that we're respecting their right to choose."
-o0o-
"Daughter, this game you were playing out there, I do not think I understood very well. Has your team won or lost?" Mr Bulstrode asked his daughter, confused by the scene he had just observed.
"Oh, we won, Dad, that's why we celebrated in the end," Millicent replied.
"But that's what I did not understand. Everyone celebrated in the end. Who was on your team, and against whom you played?"
"We all play together, Dad. We all won, that's why... " she tried to answer until she was abruptly cut off.
"What in hell is this kind of competition where everyone can win?"
Taking a deep breath, she calmed down and tried again to explain.
"We do not compete against other people, Dad. We do not see any fun in that. We cooperate. We put a goal, and everyone then gives their best to achieve our goal, everyone participating, all assisting everyone in the best way possible. And when we reach our goal, we all win. And if we don't reach our goal, we all encourage ourselves to try harder and succeed next time. And no, Dad, we never blame anyone for failure. We win together or we lose together, because our goal is never to be above others, but to be together with others."
"This ... this is not a serious sport! You take all the glory of the activity, all the joy of victory!"
"The glory we gain is in overcome difficulties, the pleasure we have is to forge and strengthen friendships, and for us that glory and pleasure are far greater than self-centred glory and the selfish pleasure of wanting defeat and misery for a part of the people. To think that our joy should be won at the expense of the tears of others, that the gold of our medals must be acquired by the poverty of others, that our place at the top of the podium must force others down, is a crime for us!"
"But this is against the sporting spirit! No sport is like this! You are trying to live in a fairy world where everything is perfect! Sport has an important purpose, daughter, to prepare you for the conflicts of life. Life is the hardest of games, where a wrong decision can ruin everything!"
"Don't you see that this kind of sport is nothing more than a simulation of war? Two armies or teams facing each other on a battlefield to win or die? The sport is just a little less violent, but the spirit behind it is the same! It is war!"
"Wars happen, daughter. Not just the wars with weapons, but the commercial, financial and political wars as well. That's the way it is for mankind; and you need to prepare for it, or you'll be another loser in the battles of life... You were so good at sports before you entered this school! You changed a lot!"
"I'm ashamed of the time when I thought like you. I'm ashamed to have won and shouted that the losers were weak or dumb or whatever! I am more ashamed of the times when I insult others for a small and insignificant glory, than for the times when I received the offenses and the humiliation because I lost. I was mean and snobby for letting the illusion of victory intoxicate me. Never again!"
"You are deceiving yourself into thinking that life can be so easy and peaceful. Friends will betray you and turn against you. He who has power does not share, he crushes his enemies to achieve more and deceives the naive to do his will and give nothing in return besides vain promises! You are walking a dangerous path, daughter, and you will end up regretting your naiveté!"
"You grew up in an evil, stingy world, father, and you do not see any possibility of things being different. I know the world is like that out there; I'm not as naive as you think. But I still have not hardened my heart like you, and I still believe things may be different. It may be a dream, but it is a possible dream, for which it is worth fighting. Look at the Foundation, Dad. They are rich, and could have all the power they wanted, but they open their doors and welcome everyone who wants to come in and share what they have with them, without asking anything in return. It looks like the right recipe to lose what you have, but see how they get stronger and stronger over it!"
"You say they do not ask for anything in return, but that loyalty you have to them, that's an expensive price, my dear. Can you not see? They are indoctrinating you; you will soon be no more than a soldier in their hands, doing their will without even realizing it."
"On the contrary, Dad, I see everything very well. You're right to say that I might do their will, but it will not happen because I'm brainwashed to think like them, or because I feel indebted to them. If I do what they want, it would be because that's what I want too. There are no generals, captains, and soldiers here, Father. It is not a hierarchical world, with some being worth more than others. I am with them because they have given me a place among them, a place where my ideas are heard in the same way as all others; a place where my importance in the group only depends on the value of my actions for the benefit of the group."
-o0o-
"Albus! What a nice surprise! Come on in. Are you hungry?"
"Oh, just tea if possible, Molly. I do not want to bother you too much."
"Not at all. Sit down. Just a minute and I'll serve you."
"I hope you had a great Christmas. How are Arthur and the children?"
"Alright, with the help of Merlin. The kids are in their rooms, kept up with their new toys. Arthur is in the shed, fiddling with the muggle stuff he so fondly enjoys. I will never understand what he thinks is so interesting about it! Only little Ginny still worries me a bit, she's still sad that I did not let her attend the Foundation school."
"Ah, yes, little Ginevra! It must not be easy for her to be the only one staying at home, with all her siblings already at Hogwarts or working... You know, Molly, maybe it would be good for her to be able to join this school…"
"But, Albus! With all those criticisms they made against you and Hogwarts! You cannot be serious!"
"Alas, Molly, it's true they were a bit too tough on all that, but we have to acknowledge that they were well-intentioned. I have to concede that some of the points they raised have their merits, so much so that I will be making some changes to the curriculum and rules of the school as soon as the children return."
"It may be, Albus, but still ... Ginny is such a naive and impressionable girl, I'm afraid of the ideas these people might put on her little head ..."
"But, Molly, she'll be coming home every day, and we'll be able to check if any damaging thoughts are passed on to her. I will help with this task myself. You know, I'm very curious to know more about this Foundation and the people who are part of it, who knows if I couldn't help them with my experience as a teacher and headmaster... And think of little Ginevra's happiness in being able to enjoy the company of other children of her age half a year earlier than she expected. Being so alone at home may not be a very pleasant experience for her."
"But Albus, you're already so busy with so many more important things to worry about ..."
"Oh, it's not that bad, Molly. And I would really like to follow this Foundation's efforts more closely. Who knows, with students coming to Hogwarts a little better prepared, perhaps we can further improve the quality of teaching of our beloved school? And a little visit, maybe two or three times a week, for tea and a quick conversation with little Ginevra, will rather be a pleasure than an obligation."
"Well, if you're sure of that, I'll talk to Arthur and we'll see if we can still enrol Ginny... We're a little late for that, you know?"
"Oh, I'm sure she'll be accepted. And I'm sure she'll be very happy with the opportunity. Now, another subject I'd like to talk to you about is the reinstallation of the Order of the Phoenix. With Voldemort again active..."
-o0o-
At the Parkinson's residence, Pansy was not at all happy about her year-end vacation. His father had vehemently refused the Foundation's invitation, and he had also forbidden his daughter from attending the meeting. And to make matters worse, the girl was now being questioned, and as was always the case with her father, she had to struggle to answer the questions with which he wanted to hear, without lying so as not to run the risk of contradiction and be discovered, but also without revealing anything of what she knew to be contrary to the wishes of the rigid and conservative man who dictated her life.
"Did the departure of the Malfoy heir from school cause you problems?" he asked.
"No, Father. No problem. I think it was good enough for me," Pansy replied.
"What do you mean, good to you? Explain!"
"Draco is still a naive and spoiled child, Dad. He was impulsive, and tried to act before he knew the facts better, and he did very badly. At first the Slytherins even gave him some space, in deference to his father's prestige, but he ruined it with his wacky, ill-thought plans that could only fail. He acted more like a Gryffindor, attacking without knowing his enemy well, than as the cold and rational Slytherin he should be. When he left school he was already being making fun by the older students. If Dumbledore was stricter with discipline, and the victims of his failed attacks more vindictive, he might as well have been expelled from school already in the first semester," she explained.
"I understand. Well, it was not much to be expected of that sturdy peacock Malfoy's son. I'm glad I did not continue with the engagement contract between you, then," Mr Parkinson said thoughtfully. The truth is that Lucius' son, with all his faults and all the rivalry between the families, was by far the most profitable candidate for an alliance via marriage. Finding another option on the Islands would be a difficult task. Maybe he had to start a search in the continent ... Yes, only in the continent would it be possible to find a viable candidate, but that could wait. Pansy was still quite young, and there was time until she finished her studies.
"Nathanael Nott has revealed to me that you have ceased to circulate exclusively with the other purebloods. Why?"
Now was the time. Pansy would have to be very careful with her answer, or her father would forbid her from joining the group.
"I understand what they're doing, avoiding contact with the less respectable students, trying to keep away from the rabble and preserving the traditions, but they've done a poor job of it, Dad! Theodore Nott has become almost as hated among the Slytherins as Draco Malfoy, for having participated in the same stuck schemes, and Goyle and Crabbe, frankly I don't know if their blood is as pure as they want us to believe! Only the small group led by the younger Weasley can compete with them for the last place in grades in the class! And besides, I would be the only girl in the group; it would not be convenient..."
"What do you mean, only girl? The Grengrasses and the Bultrodes also have girls at Hogwarts in your year, as far as I know. Where are they?" Patrick Parkinson asked suspiciously.
"Oh, they're part of my study group, Dad. It was to them that I joined. We separated from Nott, Crabbe and Goyle because they were walking the same path as Malfoy. They declared their position very early, father, and ended up totally isolated and weakened, and have a bad reputation with the teachers," answered Pansy, happy to say something that could please her father.
"And who else is in that group? You're not getting involved with any mud blood, are you? You know what I think of the Muggles and their magical creatures!" Patrick said harshly, leaving Pansy again in a difficult position.
"Our group is small and select, Dad. Although some of the families are progressive, they are of high bloodline. The Abbotts and McMillans are some of Britain's oldest magical families, and Susan Bones is the niece of the DMLE chief," answered Pansy, preparing for the critical moment. "We exchanged some information with other groups, some of them containing Muggleborns, but it's only because it benefits us that Daphne suggested that we do it!"
"Who is Daphne, and what is the benefit of interacting with this mob?" Mr Parkinson asked with a face of few friends. Pansy knew that her father was just a step from making a decision, and she needed to play her cards well so this decision would not hurt her.
"Daphne Greengrass, father. She suggested we have some contact just to check if the Muggleborns had nothing important to offer to our group. Did you know that Muggles start studying in schools at the age of six? They have five years of formal education over us before we start Hogwarts. We needed to know if this would not unduly favour them," she said.
"But you had tutors ..." Patrick remarked.
"But for matters that are mostly not taught or required at Hogwarts. Dad, you saw my bulletin with the first semester grades. Can you say you really expected so much? Were you not happy with my performance?" she tried, hoping the results would justify the means.
"Well, yes, your performance was exemplary, I must admit. I'm not very fond of this promiscuity with the mob, but if you're really just taking advantage of the opportunity and you're not creating very close ties with this people, I will not intervene. But nothing of bringing this people here, or to fraternize with them more than necessary, do you understand?" finally conceded her father.
Pansy hid the best of her happiness and nodded obediently to the conditions. Theodore should have spoken ill of her and of Millie to his father, who soon was complaining to the other parents that his son had been left isolated among the first-years. It would be prudent to take more care of her actions near that arrogant boy, and it would be delightful to find some way to make Theodore pay for his interference. Who knows what else she could do with her father?
"Yes, Father, I promise. It's a shame that Draco and Theodore have acted so violently against Slytherin's precepts and run into such confusions so early in their careers at Hogwarts. Otherwise, we would have created our own group there, numerous and strong, and nothing would stop us. Everything Daphne, Millie, and I tried to do is minimize the damage of a situation out of our control due to the intemperance of these two boys."
Satisfied with his daughter, Patrick nodded and walked out through the library to his office.
Pansy's mother took advantage of her husband's exit to sit next to her daughter and ask, "Honey, what do you really think of this whole situation?"
"Daddy's on the side that's going to lose this war ... again. And the consequences this time will be much more serious than the first time, you can be sure of that. Try to stay as far as you can from all of this, please, Mom. You heard ... Voldemort came back, but it did not last long. He will end up defeated for good soon, and whoever is with him will be punished harshly. I don't see how to save Dad from this fate, he will never change. But I do not want to lose you too."
-o0o-
"Daughter, we must talk," said Mrs Barrington, entering Margaret's bedroom.
"What was the matter, mother? Are you mad at me?" asked Margaret, looking at the expression on her mother's face.
"No, I'm not angry, but a little worried. Your father, on the other hand, is a heap of nerves."
Margaret thought for a moment and decided to risk the motive: "Is it because of the boys?"
"Of the boys, mainly, but there are more things ..." answered her mother.
"But Mom, we're not doing anything yet! Nobody started dating! We're just friends having some fun!" tried to justify Margaret.
"I know, honey, but all this physical contact between you, that's a lot of concern to your dad. Maybe nothing is happening right now, but soon, you are growing, and you will want to do more..."
"Mom, this will still be a long time in the future! We're just strolling hand in hand, and stuff like that! "
"And the hugs, and the kisses!"
"Kisses on the cheek and, the way the boys are, they think it's more of a punishment than a prize!"
"But they will change, and instead of running away, they will want more."
Margaret understood the concern of her mother and, in a sense, of her father, though her opinion was that her father was greatly exaggerating the whole scene. Jealous, perhaps? Was he afraid his little princess would trade him for another hero? The girls had discussed the whole matter several times, since they were all in some way facing similar problems. This was one of the points where boys and girls differed. The boys enjoyed far more freedom, and received much less demands for their behaviour. Maggie knew that it was unrealistic to seek total equality, since there were indeed some important differences, such as the fact that boys did not get pregnant, but she was convinced that, with certain precautions, girls also had a right to a little freedom and independence, and she was prepared to defend her.
"Mom, are you calm enough to hear a question without a explosion?" she asked, smiling so that her mother could prepare herself, but at the same time trying to put her in a more playful and friendly way.
Luckily, Marilyn was calm and entered the game willingly. "And what question would that be?"
"If I were a boy, how would things be? I know I'm not, and that there are important differences, I'm just trying to find a way to explain how I see all this stuff."
"Oh, your father would probably be asking why you'd be here with me instead of hunting some girl for fun. I must confess, I would be safer in this case myself, and yes, at least on this point, your father would be a hypocritical chauvinist."
Margaret smiled at her mother's comment. She loved her father very much, but like every girl's father, he was a bit overprotective with his little princess. It did not matter so much. If she could get her mother's support, he would give in.
"And what would make you feel safer, Mom? Please, I do not want to stop participating in all this, it's too important for me!"
Marilyn looked at her daughter and could not help smiling. It was not usual to see Maggie so excited about something, and something related to even more studies! Deep down, she felt she should be thanking for that opportunity, but it was also important to keep the girl with her feet on the ground and under some control.
"Just promise me that when you start seeing one of these boys as more than just friendship, you'll talk to me, okay?"
Margaret hugged her mother, expressing her happiness with the arrangement, and quickly went on to describe to her mother everything she had been learning from her new friends.
-o0o-
Saturday, December 28, 1991, residence of the Croackers
Saul had the house full. This was a rare fact in the life of the solitary and introspective Unspeakable, but he was enjoying breaking his habit of isolation to regain ties with his family and some close friends. It was rejoicing to see that, although his lifestyle little differed from a hermit, he had built some solid and strong relationships with the people he admired.
"Thank you all for coming to visit an old, crazed old man," he began his speech after a hearty lunch, the adults gathered in his library while the children played on the porch under the supervision of Twinkle, his domestic elf, and Billey, his niece Aveline and her husband Edward's elf. "I'm glad to know that I'm still wanted, despite my eccentric mania."
"Uncle, you've been stepping on eggs all around us all morning," commented his other niece Emmaline, "tell us why our unexpected meeting, please. We know you well enough to know that something important is troubling you."
"Of course we appreciate your invitation and your willingness to welcome us," Aveline said. "But of course you did not invite us just because you were missing us."
The whole group laughed at Saul's consternation. Everyone knew him well enough to know that he had never enjoyed meetings with many people, preferring individual meetings. If he had gathered them all into his house, it was because he had something important to say, and how important the subject was made clear by his small but numerous displays of nervousness in the morning and at lunch.
"It's about You-Know-Who, isn't it?" asked Horatius Meadow, his colleague in the department of Mysteries. "You've been researching the subject in depth, and you've been increasingly worried and morose since his return was announced in The Critical Thinker."
"Voldemort? No, he does not concern me at all," Saul replied, to the astonishment of many.
"What do you mean, Uncle?" Emmaline asked, puzzled. "What could be worse than the return of this bloodthirsty wench?"
Saul looked at his niece firmly and somewhat sadly, answering her question with a near whisper that put everyone in shock: "The complete extinction of the human species."
-o0o-
"You are still so young, and you have accomplished so many things, yet you are striving so hard to constantly overcome. What is your motivation, Paul?" Mrs Granger asked the boy who was changing his daughter's life so much.
"On the one hand, a tremendous curiosity, not of knowing everything, since that would be impossible and, to be honest, useless, since most of the details are not so important, but I want to know the general aspect of things, enough to answer the big questions: is there a God? Does life makes sense? Is the Universe unique or multiple? Do we have an immortal soul? Is anything expected of us? What can we expect from ourselves? In a nutshell, I want to know what the universe is and what our role in it is."
"Simple... Simple to expose, I mean. But even the long life of a mage does not seem enough to answer such vast questions. "
"And yet, I feel a power in me, a power that leads me to try, and this is the second point that guides and stimulates me. I may not be able to get where I want, to answer all the questions that plague me, but I know that I have in me, that we all have, the potential to take a step or two in the right direction, and it would be my greatest disappointment to feel I have this potential and doesn't realize it. "
"And you still find time to share what you learn with the other kids. Fascinating! Do you do this just to have more company, or is there some other more serious reason behind it?"
"Of course, having company my age helps a lot, and not just making everything cheerful. With more people, it is possible to divide the work, so I don't have to do everything myself. It also helps that each of us have their favourite areas, where we learn more easily. So we can help others in these areas and get help from them in areas where they have more facility than we do. We both profit from this mutual help. But the most important is the clash of opinions..."
"But does the clash of opinions not hinder learning, taking time out of study to spend on discussions?"
"In a way, yes, but in fact it helps a lot by forcing us to review our concepts, compare them with others and decide which is best. Alone, human beings tend to choose their favourite ideas and give them more importance than they deserve, freezing their worldview on what they like, rather than searching for what is right. By opening all topics to free discussion, we are forced to constantly revise our ideas, test their validity, and their power of explanation, and thus we go deeper into our studies than we would go alone. Alone, we would be so contented with our own opinions that we would hardly test them with the same rigor."
"I see, you use discussions and different opinions as ways to protect yourself against your individual preferences. It's a very mature position of yours, how did you get to this point?"
"It was very easy for us. First, Beth always had a very open posture, being very sincere in informing us when she herself had her doubts or didn't know a subject well. This has taught us how difficult it is to achieve an education both universal and profound, and that we are far from having final answers to everything. Second, it was not long before we realized, Liz, Luna and I, that while we were studying together, we were reacting to teachings in different ways, each giving more importance to a specific perspective or consequence."
"And now you've broadened that, encompassing most of your companions in this same on-going study... I'm grateful that you have included my daughter, I've never seen her so cheerful and interested, and she's making friends, which has always been difficult for her."
"Hermione is a fantastic girl, Mrs Granger. The group benefits greatly from her participation. You have every right to be proud of the way you created her. And it's not just her intelligence that we admire, be sure of that. Her heart may be even larger than her brain. She is always trying to help everyone in all that is possible."
"Oh, you made a mother's happiness!" said Mrs Granger, hugging the boy, to his surprise.
-o0o-
"Son, how is your adaptation on the new school going?" asked Lucius to the young Draco. The situation that had forced the aristocrat to put his wife and son abroad had changed, and now was the time to re-evaluate that step.
The young man looked at his father, trying to gauge what was going on. He longed to be able to return to Britain, no doubts about it. The Italian magic society was a bit closed, the name Malfoy was far from meaning much around, and he had been having difficulties to dominate the language. That language teacher his father had hired to teach French and Italian to the little heir had failed! For three years he had been royally paid to teach the boy the two languages, and continually praised Draco's progress and the beauty of his pronunciation, and for what? So that they could laugh at him! Quickly the boy realized that he knew enough only for a little superficial conversation, and with an accent that immediately identified him as a foreigner and revealed his little knowledge!
The problem is that his father would not be happy if Draco was sincere in his position. Demonstrating weakness before the mighty Lucius Malfoy, the dark eminence of the British magical government, was the right recipe for disaster. The young man realized that he would have to act with care in defending his cause.
"Father, the situation here is quite different. These provincials do not give our name due respect. And this strange language spoken here seems to be divided into several dialects, and what I have been taught has not proved to be the most suitable for use in distinguished company."
Lucius looked longingly at his son. It was easy to see that his heir was not happy with the new situation. His wife had also made her dissatisfaction clear on several occasions. The Latin peoples were endowed with an exuberance that contrasted too much with the sobriety and decorum of the British.
"The ... danger ... that forced our change seems to have been totally gone," said Lucius, unable to avoid a shiver of panic at the memory of how little remained of the castle of the Dark Lord. Unfortunately, his efforts in trying to figure out who had been capable of causing such damage didn't work, which left him worried. "If the situation stays quiet until summer, you'll return with me to the mansion, and Draco will be re-enrolled at Hogwarts."
The little heir could not help but smile with satisfaction at the novelty. But there was still a problem to solve.
"What about Beatrice, father?" He asked, hoping he would not need to see his fiancée for the next six years.
"She will be with you, of course," replied Lucius, paying attention to his son's annoyed expression. "And do not look dismal in my presence! You are the man in this relationship! If her manners and personality do not please you, it's up to you to fix her faults. Do you think she will improve by staying here, among her relatives and acquaintances? No! That's why we're taking her with us. Far from the protection of her family, she will be subjected and will become the ideal wife for the Malfoy's heir, as is her contractual obligation."
The boy didn't like the scolding or the idea of having that independent and disrespectful girl around, but the 'license' to take care of the girl's 'proper education' made him reconsider. Draco spent the rest of the day entertained with plans on how to put the brat in her proper place, and how to use it to improve his own position at Hogwarts.
-o0o-
In the Croackers' mansion, Saul's guests needed some time to re-establish themselves from the impact of his last words, until the Unspeakable was finally able to continue.
"Think of the war against Grindelwald," he began. "At that time, we were worried about the Muggles, when they ended their war with two monumental explosions, each of them destroying a small town altogether. We were preoccupied with the power they showed, but as time passed and the Muggle world lived in relative peace, we became relapsed. We turn to our own world, and we do not pay much attention to what they did after 1950. Unfortunately, I recently had access to information about the Muggle world that left me quite concerned."
"I remember that time," commented Horatius. "But it has not been that long, Saul. What can they have done of so bad in less than fifty years?"
"In 1950 the Muggle population numbered about 2.5 billion people. In 1987 it reached 5 billion. They have doubled their population in a mere 37 years! They added a new billion people in just 12 years, when they took 126 years, ten times more, from 1804 to 1930, to go from one to two billion! Can you imagine what will happen to the planet's resources if the Muggles continue at this rate?" Saul explained, looking at each of his guests to make sure they understood the magnitude of the problem. Being convinced that the first point was assimilated, he passed to the second. "It was not just the Muggle population that increased considerably. These special bombs of them, we thought would be restricted, and that they would not go much further. How wrong we were! Today more than a dozen countries know the technology, and only the two most powerful nations together have about 65,000 of these bombs! And what's worse: some of them are 500 to 1,000 times more powerful than the first one!"
"It means they could kill the entire human population with those bombs, right?" commented Stanley Crawford, another Unspeakable.
"Several times, if necessary, leaving the planet uninhabitable for centuries, due to the lingering effects of that radioactivity they use in these explosions," Saul replied.
"It's not just that, is it, Uncle?" Aveline asked, noting Saul's dark countenance. "They're on the warpath again, are not they?" she ventured.
"Oh, they're always at war somewhere," said the uncle. "I'm not predicting the use of these weapons for the next ten or twenty years, but beyond that period the picture starts to get complicated."
"Does it have to do with this population increase?" asked Stanley.
"Or is it the fact that more countries are building these bombs?" Edward tried.
"Both facts weigh, but there are others more. At bottom, the problem is conjectural," explained Saul. "We have a series of events contributing to a general worsening of the picture, and that's what scares me. In the Muggle world, the 100 richest people have as much money as the poorer half! Hundred people possessing as much as 2.5 billion! It is not just the exaggeration of some possessing so much at the expense of others, it is also how much power these hundred end up getting along with all that money. There is also the issue of pollution. For example, Muggles today throw garbage on the seas three times as much as they take from them in food! The human being has already become the greatest cause of extinction of species of living beings! There is a risk of the planet overheating, melting ice from the poles and causing flooding of coastal areas. Hunger is still the leading cause of death on the planet, and only tends to worsen if these trends are not reversed. Half of the children are still living in poverty, and millions of them die annually from the simple lack of food, clean water or a minimum of hygiene and sanitation in the places they inhabit."
"You're more concerned with the general long-term scenario than with some immediate danger, are not you?" Edward asked.
"Yes," Saul confirmed, adding, "Not that the situation cannot reach a critical point quickly. There are so many factors contributing to the degradation of society and the environment that it is difficult to predict a deadline, but I do not think we have as much time as most people would rather believe we have. It's frightening how much the situation has worsened in a hundred years, another hundred can see our end as a species."
"I see the problem, Uncle, but what can we do?" Emmaline asked. "Is it about the whole world, how to convince so many people to change their behaviour?"
"Another of my recent discoveries is about how much the Muggles learned about the Universe. There are millions of galaxies scattered through space, each with tens or hundreds of billions of stars. There may be literally trillions of other planets that we could inhabit. Even though many of them are already inhabited, which we do not yet know if it occurs, our species could be preserved if we could colonize a few of them."
"But, Uncle, how do you get to these planets?" Aveline asked. "Do not tell me the Muggles have discovered means?"
"They have discovered a rudimentary one," Saul replied, surprising his audience that did not expect such an answer. "They went to the moon, but that's all. It's too slow to be used with the other planets."
"But the wizarding world didn't even do it! Or did you?" asked Horatius.
"So much progress has been made recently. One of the main Muggle conquests, that of artificial satellites, was reproduced by magical means a year ago," Saul confided. "These people could have gone to the moon if they wanted, but their plans are much bigger, and they are focused on getting another level of success."
"Here on the islands, Saul?" asked Stanley. Receiving a positive answer he decided to bet on a guess that had been puzzling him for some time. "The staff of The Critical Thinker or the Lilly Evans Foundation? Or are these two groups the same people?"
Saul smiled at his colleague, took a scroll from his pocket and offered it to the versatile wizard. "They are the same, in fact. And anyone who is able to commit to this unbreakable oath here expressed may become part of that group."
"Saul Croacker became a propaganda boy for a nongovernmental revolutionary group?" joked Horatius. "Who would say! I thought it would be easier for me to go back to believing in Santa Claus than in this!"
"But then, this whole plan," reasoned Emmaline, "they are deciding to give up the Earth and go to another world, leaving all the problems behind, for the poor miserable ones that cannot accompany them, is that it?"
"Emma, you yourself stressed how difficult it would be to get everyone involved in a plan to save our suffering planet," Saul replied. "Do you see any way we can secure this cooperation in time to avoid disaster, without having to force our decisions on everyone else?"
Everyone thought for a long time at that point until Emmaline decided to synthesize the feeling of everyone responding to her uncle: "I realize that, from a rational point of view, to look for another planet and try to start over without all the problems that we created on this one is the best solution. However, I love this world, and I feel like a traitor at the thought of abandoning it."
"I understand, my dear," Saul comforted her. "The truth is that the Foundation does not simply want to find other planets, it just wants to be prepared if the need arises and that is the only chance to preserve our species. From next year they will be making a huge effort to try to make everyone, muggles and magicians, aware of the danger, trying to reverse that picture. But really there is little more that can be done if they want to avoid getting to the extreme of taking the reins and ruling the world by force."
-o0o-
"Justin, these Foundation people, are they Communists?" Asked Finch-Fletchey worried.
"Well ... ah ... I do not know for sure," replied the boy, even more worried than his father, famous for his position quite contrary to any idea of Marxist origin. "They do not give much importance to having things, or to who owns what. But maybe it's because they have more than they need, you know. They are all very rich, I'm sure of that."
"These robes they use, and all this magic thing, reminds me of the hippies of my youth, and the hippies had many extravagant ideas, they did not give proper respect to property and work ..." continued the father.
"Oh, but they work hard, Dad, they're all very dedicated to what they do," the boy refuted.
"But what kind of work is this? These greenhouses, do they plant what they eat, like the hippies did? And what about owning an alternative publication? Maybe they are paving the way for their revolutionary ideas. I read some of the articles, and they are openly against the government, and ask for changes in teaching, in society, in everything! And all this people gathered here, a mixture of people from all walks of life and backgrounds, without any distinction, and all in such a casual climate. Son, I'm worried about all this. It seems like they are trying to set up an Alternative Society!"
"But, Dad, they respect each other's choices and do not force anyone to anything..."
"Son, you are new and still very naive ... At first everything looks like a sea of roses, a paradise on Earth, but then there are more changes, even more drastic, and you end up becoming attached to them, so you continue to participate and support, until the time comes that you have distanced yourself so much from the norm that you discover you have gone beyond your limit, are scared with what you have done, and you end up disappointed that things were not as you believed them to be, and you realize that you were used..."
"Dad, it's nothing like that, I'm sure!"
"You're still too inexperienced, Justin. I will not forbid you to continue your studies with your friends ... for now. But I made it clear that I would rather you had gone to Eaton than this Hogwarts, and each time I am more convinced that it would have been the right thing for you. I want you to tell me more and more about what you're doing at your school. I'll keep an eye on your interaction with this group, and at the first sign of trouble, you're going to fall out, understood?"
His father's stern look completely blocked any claim Justin might try to make. At least he had not been banned yet. It was time to agree with his father and then look for his mother. At least she was having quite a lot of fun here and, with a few well-placed compliments and a small demonstration of his progress with the help of the group, he could gain a precious ally in favour of his continuity at Hogwarts and the Foundation group.
-o0o-
The harsh winter did not do much for the outdoor activities that children so much appreciated, but there was much to do within the Foundation's various buildings. And to combat the cold, nothing more invigorating than a good sauna and a good conversation with friends.
"Is it true that in the non-magical world, same-sex marriages are accepted?" Susan asked her friend Hermione in one of these sessions.
"Yes, partially. Several countries in the West already accept this type of marriage, but there are still many places that do not. Why? Interested?" replied the little girl of the dishevelled hair, nudging her friend a little.
"Yes… No! Not this case specifically. I mean, if they released the gender restriction, did they also release the number restriction?" Susan replied.
"You mean polygamy?" asked Hermione for clarification.
"Exactly! It is possible too, isn't? At least here in Britain?"
"No, not only it isn't possible, but also considered a crime," replied Hermione, disappointing her companion.
"Now that you mention it, that's curious," Liz commented. "Countries that consider polygamy to be a crime are roughly the same ones that released marriage to same-sex partners and vice versa. It is really strange that a country can be liberal towards one point and not the other. These two possibilities should be open to all, provided that the will of each person is respected. It seems so ... dictatorial for the government to legislate about how people should live their lives in matters that concern themselves only! It's a totally unnecessary intrusion!"
"I think you're getting too attached to a title, a name, when you should give more importance to the fact itself," suggested Hermione. "What we call 'matrimony' or 'marriage' is a civil institution, governed by certain laws, yes. But the important thing here is that we don't need this institution. I don't know the situation of each country individually, but here, once I'm of age, I can buy a house and invite a number of boys, also adults, to live with me in intimacy. The laws of the country don't allow this relationship to be called 'marriage', but if I convince myself that it is the relationship I need, and I don't need a specific title for it, then I have nothing to worry about."
"But it's not just the name that's involved, is it?" Kimberly asked curiously. "I mean, there's all that protection for the heritage built together, and for the children that come from that relationship..."
"Today we have safe tests to prove paternity, and children will have their protection, regardless of whether they were born under a marriage or some other less conventional relationship," Hermione said. "As for assets, I'm not sure, I don't know the laws very well, but there must be ways to protect what belongs to each one and to share what is common, whether through contracts or through other documents like purchase invoices, receipts and so on."
"So if I just don't pay attention to what others are going to say, then can I do what I want?" Susan summed up.
"At least in that particular respect, I think so," Hermione confirmed.
-o0o-
"Well, it was definitely the busiest end of the year vacation of my life!" Xeno said. "I had a lot of fun, but I'm glad it's over. At least it was a resounding success!"
"Less, Dad," Luna commented, "It was not such a big hit. But it was not our fault; there was no way to satisfy so many people with such different opinions."
"But ... I don't understand. They all seemed so happy, so grateful for everything. What do you mean, my wild little pumpkin?" Xeno asked, concerned that his view of the events did not strike those of the children, who were less enthusiastic about the end of year activities.
"Oh, they didn't complain about anything directly to us," Luna said, "but they didn't give their kids any playtime!"
"Almost all the children complained to us about their parents and the interrogations they were subjected to," Liz explained. "The non-magicals were not at all happy to know that their homes were targeted for the simple fact that they were not magical but had children endowed with magic. They were worried, and quite suspicious, even of us and our motives."
"And the magical guys were not much better," added Paul. "They wanted a clear position of ours regarding the political factions of the magical world. They wanted to know which one we aligned with, so they could decide whether we were allies or enemies. And to say that we didn't pay attention to these factions only put them all against us."
"But why didn't they pick up these points with us?" interrupted Beth, discontented that the adults had avoided dealing with their doubts directly with them. "We could have explained everything. The children aren't even so concerned about these issues yet, I doubt most will be able to discuss these topics in detail!"
"Not only that, Mom," Paul added. "The doubts and discussions were as varied as possible: our behaviour, both among ourselves and with the elders; the extra subjects we are studying; what kind of jobs we want to get; where all our money comes from; if we are revolutionaries, or hippies, or communists, or if we defend any other minority current; what religion do we follow; which political faction we support; even the food was questioned, because we import much of what we consume instead of sponsor the local farmers!"
"And there was no way to please everyone!" Luna complained. "What some praised was a source of criticism for others, and vice versa! Please, you better never be like them, or it will be hard for me to visit you often."
The adults laughed at the blonde's explosion, and Selene took the break to redirect the conversation.
"But, dear Luna, what about the children? Did they complain too?"
"Only the parents," the girl replied, immediately calming down. "At least we could spend most of our time together, and away from adults. Some parents didn't like it much that we walked away from them whenever they approached, but after all, we are children, and we could put the blame on our agitation and excess energy. Without the adults around, it was much easier for all of us, but this only worked during the day, and if it was not snowing..."
"But if the parents aren't happy, they can forbid the children to continue participating in the activities ..." argued Selene.
"At Hogwarts?" said Paul. "Not there. There we can do whatever we want without interference."
"Summer vacations are long, Paul," Xeno recalled. "You'll want to keep in touch with your friends over the summer, don't you?"
"But what else can we do? I cannot please everyone ..." the boy complained.
"At least we have a few months to go," Remus said. "Maybe we can keep some contact with the parents, passing some mild information on our progress. This would help them feel more involved and informed; which would reduce fears and mistrust. We could create a small monthly newsletter for this purpose, distributed to all those favoured by the Foundation scholarships."
"A great idea," Liz said. "It's not too much work and can solve our problem."
"Great, a matter settled," Luna said, showing that she was sleepy and wanted to go to bed. "What's next?"
"Don't worry, Luna," said Paul to encourage her. "We can sleep until 10:30 tomorrow and still be on time for the Express. Just one fast trip by portal."
"Paul, I understand that, but my sleep doesn't," replied the blonde. "It will not give me respite just because I can sleep until later tomorrow. It only sees the present."
"We will not be long," confirmed Beth. "We can see the details later. Schools are ready to start tomorrow, in nine different countries. And all of them will use that 'holistic-fractal' approach you have suggested, to show the whole history of the universe and humanity briefly, then gradually going over the topics in successive passages. Selene?"
"The registrations surpassed our expectations, even here in the Islands. Saul Croaker personally sent me the enrolment letter from his grandchildren, and his recommendation that other families also take advantage of the free tuition seems to have been decisive in some cases. Luna, your friend Ginny Weasley was one of the last-minute enrolled students."
"Ginny Weasley?" Sirius asked. "Was not she the one who found Wormtail and guaranteed my freedom?"
"Yeah," confirmed Luna. "But it's strange that Molly let her come. Her mother wrote a very bitter letter to the Foundation complaining about our criticism of Dumbledore..."
"Dumbledore may have interfered," Xeno commented. "He seems really willing to get all the information he can about us. In addition to the letters he wrote to the Foundation and to us individually, he has done inquiries at the Ministry. He even charged Amelia to open an inquiry into our activities, accusing us of being a militia not approved by the government."
"That old man's hypocrisy!" Sirius complained. "As if his own Order of the Phoenix was not a militia not approved by the government. Totally useless, but still a militia."
"But you're going to let Ginny join in, aren't you?" Luna asked, worried about the one who, in her early years of life, had been her only friend.
"Yes, of course," confirmed Selena. "We just have to be a bit more careful in her case. We will have to see to it that legilimency cannot be used against her before she is exposed to any of our secrets. I would not doubt that Dumbledore would try, if he found it profitable for his purposes."
"Great, another matter settled," commented Paul. "Sirius, did you accept Dumbledore's invitation to teach?"
"Yes, I did," answered the canine Marauder. "Remus and Selene couldn't because of their tasks here, as we had already discussed. In my case, it will be only two days a week and I can keep an eye on you and another on the old man, and make some interference when necessary. Not that it's going to be an easy job, far from it."
"Yeah, the old man is not going to keep you quiet for two days a week," Liz said with a laugh. "He'll be urging you to bring Harry Potter to Hogwarts and ask questions and suggestions about the Foundation."
"Have you thought about how Dumbledore will feel when he finds out that Harry Potter was at Hogwarts and he was one of the few there who did not know?" commented Paul.
"Oh, me! Me, please! Let be me the one to tell the old man this news!" asked Sirius raising his hand, madly willing to watch Dumbledore's expression, bringing the others to laugh with his extravagance.
"Well, finally, Voldemort," said Xeno, returning to the meeting agenda. "It completely disappeared after we received notice that he was searching for Atlantis on the Atlantic islands before we could locate him. It looks like he almost met with Dumbledore over there."
"Poor boy," commented Luna sarcastically. "He must have had such a lonely and sad Christmas!"
"Okay, bed for you all!" proclaimed Beth. "You're returning to Hogwarts tomorrow!"