Chapter 20: The Foundation for the Future

Harry sighed in frustration as he watched the Marauder's Map, eyes fixed on the dot representing his target. The "Ministry-approved" defense club had apparently just ended; the dots with various (mostly pureblood) names slowly dispersing out into the school corridors. But, as usual, Umbridge was being accompanied by several students on her trek to the teacher's lounge.

He monitored their progress closely until Umbridge's dot approached the fire in the lounge and vanished, just as it did every other day. He tossed the map back on to the desk, rubbing his forehead irritably. He'd been monitoring her movements for nearly a week and hadn't seen a single time that she had been alone.

Does she somehow know that I'm trying to get her, or is she just paranoid? Unfortunately, given how public his attack as 'Justice' last year had been, it was entirely plausible that the toad-like professor recognized that she was at risk, and was determined to never present an opportunity for such an attack on herself. Not that Harry intended to torture her, of course. But if Dolores Umbridge really were the major contact point for those seeking to take advantage of the corrupt elements in the ministry, she could provide him with a wealth of incriminating information at the cost of just a few drops of veritaserum.

But that relied upon him managing to find a time to capture her without anyone knowing she was missing, something that was looking less and less likely each day.

After deactivating the map, Harry climbed up out of the trunk, which he shrunk down to its compact size and placed in his pocket. For now, he had other things to focus on.

"Hey, Hermione, can we talk for just a minute?" Harry asked the next morning at breakfast, doing his best to remain nonchalant.

Apparently, it didn't work. His friend frowned briefly. "Sure, Harry," she replied, looking at him quizzically. "What's up?"

"We normally do our defense lessons on Saturday, but I have a project that I'm going to be working on that might take me all day, so I was wondering if we could do our lesson tonight instead. Say, 8:00? That way we'd finish with plenty of time before curfew. Would that work for you?"

Hermione shrugged. "That's fine," she replied.

"And Neville, how about we do your lesson tomorrow?"

"Sounds good to me," the blond boy said with a smile.

"Excellent, thank you."

"What project are you working on?" Hermione asked.

"Just an idea I had before school started that I haven't gotten around to yet," Harry said casually. "If it works, I'll show you." He smiled. "And if it doesn't work, I'll probably show it to you and beg you to help me fix it."

A few snickers sounded at the table, and Harry was pleased to see that, despite the eyeroll, Hermione was smiling a little.

"So, what are we practicing tonight?"

Harry turned to see Hermione standing in the doorway. "Stunners," he replied, gesturing to the cushions he had placed on the floor.

Hermione's face fell. "Oh, joy," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Harry shook his head firmly. "None of that, now," he chided gently. "Stunners are a great way to put an enemy out of the fight, and it's unlikely to harm the target unless you drastically overpower the spell, or one person gets hit by several spells at the same time."

"Yes, I know that," Hermione replied dryly, rolling her eyes. "It's the part where you fall down after you get stunned that I'm not as excited about."

"Which is why we have cushions," Harry countered with a smile. "Just make sure you fall on them, and there shouldn't be any problem."

His friend sighed, but nodded her head. Harry felt a small smidgeon of guilt at what he was about to do but suppressed it quickly. While it was a bit hypocritical of him, it was the best option he had come up with.

"Well, let's start with the theory, then, and make sure you can cast it correctly," he said as he pulled out his wand to demonstrate the proper wand motions.

As expected, Hermione picked the spell up almost instantly. Soon, she was confidently casting at the silhouette Harry had affixed to the wall, red balls of arcane energy flying quickly and accurately to the target.

Glancing down at his watch, Harry judged that it was about time. "Okay, let's get some real practice in," he said as he walked over to stand in front of one pile of cushions, a small smirk on his face. We'll take turns casting. Dodge or shield if you can," he instructed.

Hermione nodded, a resolute expression on her face. While she was a skilled caster, she didn't stand much chance against Harry, and it was clear that she knew it.

"You go first," Harry decided.

As always, Hermione's wand movements were tight and controlled, sending the spell flying right at Harry. With a slash of his wand, a blue shield sprung up, causing the incoming spell to disperse.

"Not bad," he said, meaning it. Hermione's biggest problem was that while she was technically proficient at her spells, she would often need to take a few seconds to focus before casting, a delay which could prove deadly in a fight. He'd been working with her on that issue, but it was something that would require a great deal of practice to finally overcome.

He brought his wand up to give her just a little bit of warning before casting his own stunner.

Hermione frantically moved her wand, trying to cast a shield, but she was just a bit too slow. The shield sprung to life only after Harry's spell had passed, and she fell on to the cushions, unconscious.

Harry glanced over at the door with a frown, but decided that it was still too early. Quickly walking over to where Hermione lay, he revived her, a small smile crossing his face at the disgruntled expression that appeared on hers.

"Gotta get that shield up faster," he said, quite unnecessarily.

Mock glaring at him, Hermione snatched up her wand and resumed her position, not saying a word, but the challenge was clear.

Harry returned to his place on the other side of the small classroom, wand held at the ready. Soon, they were trading spells back and forth, and Harry was pleased to see that Hermione was doing better at casting quickly without the need to pause for focus. "You're getting faster," he called encouragingly as he blocked her latest spell. His hand fell to his side, wand held loosely, with Hermione mimicking his action.

Without any warning, Harry sent a stunner of his own at his bushy-haired friend, who had just a moment to look shocked before the spell hit and she fell once more.

As he looked at the comatose form of his friend, Harry suppressed another swell of guilt. He had already decided, and he wasn't going to back out now.

Harry raced over to his bag and pulled out the Marauder's Map, noting with pleasure the dot standing just outside of the room. He ran over to Hermione and knelt down, then carefully grabbed the delicate chain around her neck and pulled the time turner out of her robes. Time turners themselves were rare, but it hadn't been difficult to find a book explaining what they looked like, and how to operate them.

Harry put the fine, golden chain around his neck, then removed the black, braided necklace that held the devil's trap talisman with the monitoring charm. Placing it on the ground, he walked over to the door, knocked loudly once, then turned the hourglass in his hand five times.

The world seemed to dissolve around him, colors and shapes rushing past as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing, until finally, everything came in to focus again. He found himself standing in a deserted corridor not far from the Transfiguration classroom.

With a curse, he ducked into a broom closet just a little further down the hall. He had expected that he would travel back in time, arriving in the same room that he had been in before, but apparently the strange device he had 'borrowed' from Hermione didn't work like that.

Fortunately, escaping from Hogwarts wasn't too difficult. He had an excellent knowledge of the secret passages in the school, not to mention an incredibly effective invisibility cloak, though he had to retrieve it from the classroom where he and Hermione had been practicing earlier… or later, depending on how you looked at it. He had hidden it at lunch that day so that it would be easily at hand for his little jaunt to the past, not wanting to risk trying to bring it back in time and causing a strange magical interaction. Enchanted objects did not always cooperate with each other.

After arriving just outside of Hogsmeade, Harry glanced at his watch and was pleased to see that he had nearly an hour to spare. Resizing his trunk, he climbed inside and swiftly changed into a set of nice, yet non-descript robes. Taking a moment to study his appearance in a mirror, he opened a drawer in the desk and retrieved a small, golden ring that Chad had sent over several days ago, which he slipped onto his left forefinger.

The image in the mirror rippled briefly before settling into the appearance of a blonde boy with brilliant blue eyes. Harry could not help a small smirk as he admired his new visage. He looked nothing like himself. Even the scar was gone, unlike if he used a normal disguise potion. And while Polyjuice could hide the scar, it only lasted for an hour, which would be insufficient for his purposes that evening.

Taking one last look to ensure that there were no flaws in his disguise, Harry climbed out of the trunk and strode calmly into Hogsmeade, making his way directly to The Three Broomsticks. The floo was as unpleasant as ever, but at least he managed to arrive at his intended destination, the Leaky Cauldron.

After taking a moment to gather himself, Harry walked out back and opened the portal that led to Diagon Alley. He couldn't help the smile that came to his face as the familiar sight came in to view. Most of the shops were closed now, but it was still a pleasant place to be in.

Harry walked down the road, not in any particular hurry now, but not taking the time to look at the shops as he passed either. Eventually, he arrived at his target, a large, majestic building with thick Romanesque columns that appeared to be made of marble. Gold lettering on the archway above proudly proclaimed it to be the headquarters of the Foundation for the Future.

Large, tasteful posters were displayed in the windows, one with the words 'Protect our Magic: It's about TIME', making Harry smirk. I wonder how people would react if they knew the truth, he wondered. But there was no time to contemplate this thought. Instead, he entered, taking a moment to admire the exquisite work inside. A thick, luxuriant carpet with alternating gold and purple diamonds covered the floor, and the walls were made of dark stained wood.

Not wanting to seem out of place, he didn't spend long gazing at his surroundings. Instead, he approached a man with long, though very neat, grey hair and dark brown eyes seated behind a fancy table.

"Andrus Masters, here for the fundraiser," Harry stated confidently.

"Of course, Mister Masters," the man replied as he made a note on the list on the table before gesturing toward a pair of double doors just ahead. "As you will see when you enter the hall, some of the tables toward the front are reserved, but you are welcome to sit anywhere else that you like. Thank you for supporting the Foundation for the Future," the man finished with a polite smile.

"Thank you," Harry replied, nodding his head before proceeding forward.

The dining hall was mostly full already when Harry entered, including, to his surprise and amusement, the members of the Inquisitorial Squad. There were about two dozen of them, seated at tables near the front. Even from a distance, Harry could see the red-haired form of Percy Weasley, and idly wondered what the next prank his brothers played on him would be.

"Mister Masters," a voice called, and Harry turned to see a large, well-tanned man with dark brown hair approaching him with a smile on his face. Though the Gryffindor didn't recognize the man, there was no cause for concern, as there were only two people here who knew 'Andrus Masters'. A quick glance at the small, diamond shaped pin on the lapel of the man's dress robes confirmed Harry's suspicions.

"Mister Malcolm," he responded with a smile. "Thank you for inviting me here tonight."

"Thank you for gracing us with your presence," the man countered with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Please, would you care to join me at my table? There are a few of the other guests present that I think you might be interested to meet."

"That would be wonderful, thank you."

Harry spent the next fifteen minutes trying to look interested as the other guests subtly (or not so subtly, in some cases) bragged about themselves. Of course, given that they were seated here at a table in the back half of the room, they clearly weren't as important as they pretended, but Harry knew there was nothing to be gained by pointing this out. Instead, he let the minor ministry bureaucrats and small business owners bicker politely amongst themselves, while he took the opportunity to study the occupants of the room closely, particularly those in the more distinguished seats at the tables toward the front.

At last, the doors were shut, and a thin man in a serious, yet fashionable dress robe stood up and approached the podium at the front of the room.

"My esteemed wizards and witches, thank you all for coming here tonight in support of a truly noble cause. For those of you who do not know me, my name is Victor Grey, and I currently have the honor of serving as the chairman of the Foundation for the Future."

There was a soft round of applause, which the man acknowledged with a grateful nod of his head.

"As many of you know, in just a few short months, we have seen incredible progress dedicated to advancing the cause of protecting our magical heritage and ensuring that we leave the world a better place for our children. We here at the foundation will never stop working toward these noble goals, and we are grateful that all of you have chosen to stand up and support us in this vital endeavor. We have a wonderful announcement coming up, but first, I believe you were promised some food," Grey said with a smile, which elicited some chuckles from around the hall.

"So, without further ado, we will commence with the banquet, after which it will be my honor to speak to you all to explain the newest means by which our community will go about building a better tomorrow."

Grey sat down, and Harry was unsurprised to see Lucius Malfoy and Cornelius Fudge at the table with him.

Harry glanced at his plate, on which had appeared an elegant menu. Taking a moment to study the choices, he selected steak and a green salad, which appeared on his plate as soon as the words left his mouth.

As expected, the meal was delicious, though the dinner conversation was just a little awkward. After all, not only was he the youngest, he had to continually lie about who he was and why he was here.

"So, Andrus, I have to ask, if you are from Australia, how is it that you speak so well? I can hear only the faintest hint of an accent," said Melody Bunyan, owner of a small shop that primarily sold talking mirrors.

You couldn't hear any accent at all. You just think it makes you look smarter if you say you do. No sign of this thought appeared on Harry's face, however. "My tutors were quite insistent that I learn to speak appropriately," he responded. "After all, despite the many potion ingredients that come from my homeland, it's obvious that one must look elsewhere for a truly civilized society. In my judgement, magical Britain seems to have the corner on that particular market," he added, to the obvious delight of the other guests at the table. Looking for a chance to turn the conversation away from himself, Harry glanced over at the older man a few seats from him. "So, William, you mentioned that you went on an expedition to hunt nundu when you were younger. What was that like?"

And just like that, the inane chatter turned to other matters, much to Harry's relief. He just couldn't wait for the meal to be over.

Harry had long since finished his food when a hush settled over the room as Victor Grey stood once more.

"I hope you all enjoyed your meal," the man began. "You can chase it down with some dessert a little later, but now it's time for that announcement I promised you." He looked out over the crowd, his face somber.

"A famous muggle writer once said, 'The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons'. A fascinating statement, and one that we should all consider deeply. After all, if even muggles understand such an important concept, ought not we, as members of the most esteemed magical society on this planet hold ourselves to an even higher standard?"

Grey paused. Now his face looked sorrowful. "And yet, let us look at our prison. Azkaban. Famous throughout the world, and not for good reasons. It is a desolate and miserable. An icy hell from which those incarcerated within have no respite. What does it say about our civilization that we force our prisoners to endure such conditions?"

The speaker raised his hand in a placating gesture. "I know that some will say that we ought not coddle the convicts. And yet, who are these prisoners, really? The answer is simple. They are our brothers and sisters in magic. Yes, they have made mistakes, but do those mistakes mean that we should turn our backs on them? In many cases, they were tragically led astray by their overenthusiastic zeal in defending our traditions and heritage."

"Our esteemed Chief Warlock, Albus Dumbledore, gave a speech following the end of the hostilities that plagued our lands more than a decade ago, urging all citizens of magical Britain to find it in themselves to forgive, for only through forgiveness could our society be made whole once more. Are we really so petty that we would continue to torment others for mistakes made long ago? Will their suffering somehow fix the problems that we faced years ago? No, those who would force prisoners to languish in Azkaban do not thirst for justice, as they claim. Rather, their only concern is for vengeance. But I believe that we are better than that!"

Grey looked at the table in front of him, gesturing as he continued to speak. "Fortunately, our great Minister, Cornelius Fudge, is an honorable man who understands this. And so it is, with his support, that I am proud to announce the construction of a new prison, one dedicated to securely housing and rehabilitating those misguided souls who have committed crimes, treating them with the respect that they deserve, and that they need in order to overcome the challenges they face and once more become productive members of our society."

"Space in our new prison will be limited, and so, will be determined on a case-by-case basis. All prisoners who elect, or whose families elect for them, to serve out their sentence in our new facility will be required to pay a small fee that goes toward the upkeep of the facility, but I can promise you that such a fee will not be exorbitant." Grey's face was a mask of sympathy. "Families in this sort of situation already struggle with having a loved one in such a circumstance. We have no desire to add to their burden. It is our goal that one day, every honorable member of the wizarding world can rest assured knowing that any of their loved ones who have been led astray will be able to pay their debt to society in a manner that is both respectful and nurturing – a gentle hand to lovingly guide them back to the correct path that they have forsaken."

"This may seem like a large change, but I truly believe that our society will be so much the better for it. And I know that I am not alone in that sentiment. I know that I can count on every one of you here today to support this noble quest. We will not allow the poison of hatred and vengeance to choke us. We will rise above it! From the time of Merlin even up until now, magical Britain, under the wise and careful leadership of the Wizengamot and our illustrious Ministry, has been proud to shine a light, showing forth an example to communities all around the world. We have never faltered, and I know that with the dedication you have all shown here tonight, we never will!"

Loud applause sounded through the hall. Harry joined in so as not to attract attention, though he was disturbed at how enthusiastically people were supporting the idea.

After a minute, the speaker at the front of the room finally raised his hand to signal for silence.

"Now, I could go on, but I think you've all listened to me long enough," the chairman said with a smile. "I just have a few points left. First, as some of you may be aware, the Foundation for the Future has decided to celebrate those members of our community who have demonstrated a notable commitment to aiding our society. We will do so by presenting one individual each year with our 'Citizen's Award of Excellence', with the first deserving recipient being announced this spring. We are currently evaluating candidates, and I hope you will all come to support this wonderful program celebrating those who work tirelessly to make our world a better one."

Harry could see Lucius Malfoy sit a little straighter at this announcement. Someone must have told him he's the front runner. Harry smirked at that thought. Malfoy had no idea what he was getting himself into.

"Next, I would like to call attention to this wonderful group of young people at the front of the room here – the members of the Inquisitorial Squad of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, chosen for their dedication not just to academic excellence, but to duty and honor. They serve as an example for all other students, and as I look at them here tonight, I can say with complete confidence that the future is in very good hands."

"And lastly, a toast," Grey called out as he reached over to grab a wine glass from the table. "My most excellent wizards and witches, a toast… to the future of magical Britain, and the whole magical world." A smirk crossed his face. "Or in other words, TO US!" he roared as he lifted the glass high.

This was met with cheers and applause as the guests in the hall raised their glasses as well, eager to show their support.

With the dinner and speech concluded, a large dessert bar appeared along one wall and the tables and chairs slowly vanished, giving the guests an opportunity to mingle and socialize. Harry casually made his way toward the front, then did his best to stay within earshot of Victor Grey, paying attention to those who came up to speak with him.

"I must thank you for your thoughtfulness in being concerned with those poor, misguided souls who languish in that dreadful prison," an older man Harry thought might be Agamemnon Nott said, his voice filled with false solemnity. "Though, I must ask, are you concerned about the reactions of those who do harshly condemn these poor men and women?"

"One must always stand for what he believes in," Grey responded, his voice firm, but amusement dancing in his eyes. "Allowing people to rot in such a hellish place because of a tragic mistake is unconscionable. With our new prison, we will be able to ensure that these individuals are able to pay their debt to society while still being treated humanely as befits proper witches and wizards, guaranteeing that they are held safely until the appropriate time."

At this, Nott leaned forward, seemingly intrigued. "The… appropriate time?"

"Why, when their sentence has been finished, of course," Grey said, every word dripping with mock sincerity.

"Of course," Nott agreed, a small smile twisting his lips. "As it turns out, I was, through a curious set of circumstances, appointed to manage the affairs of a small number of unfortunate individuals who found themselves led astray during the war. I think these people may be able to benefit from this new initiative of yours. Perhaps we could find a time to meet and arrange their transfer to your new prison once construction has finished?"

"I look forward to it," Grey promised before the two men separated.

Fudge had just approached Grey when Harry saw someone approaching him out of the corner of his eye. He turned to see a familiar face.

"I must admit, I'm surprised to see someone of school age here, despite not being a member of the Squad," the girl stated as she extended her hand. "Daphne Greengrass."

"Andrus Masters," Harry replied, taking her hand and gently pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "A pleasure to meet such a beautiful young woman."

Much to Harry's relief, their conversation was interrupted.

"Mister Masters, Chairman Grey would like to speak with you in his office."

"Thank you, Mister Malcolm," Harry replied with equanimity before turning back to his attractive schoolmate. "Alas, duty calls," he said, "but I do hope that we will have the opportunity to meet again."

"Duty?" Greengrass said, sounding intrigued. "How curious. I'll have to make certain that we do have such an opportunity."

Harry was shown into an opulent office and took the opportunity to make himself comfortable on the padded chair in front of the desk. After several minutes, the door opened, and Harry looked over to see Victor Grey enter the room, a frown on his face.

Grey shut the door, then drew his wand and tapped on a few runes on the frame. The walls glowed blue for just a moment, and the man seemed to relax. "We're secure," he announced.

"That was quite a speech," Harry said.

'Victor Grey' walked over to the desk and pulled out the chair, sighing as he sat down. Twisting a knob on his expensive-looking watch, his face seemed to liquify before reforming in a much more familiar appearance.

"You know," Dan Falkenson said, "when you first approached me, I was a bit skeptical about this whole 'cloak and dagger' thing, but I have to admit, it's kind of fun to see people like Malfoy and Nott supporting us and to think that they have absolutely no idea what we're really planning."

Harry could only nod and grin at the business consultant's words. "And when they finally do find out, it'll be too late to stop it," he added with satisfaction.

A/N – We finally get a look at Harry's super secret plan. I know a few people guessed it, so kudos to those of you who figured out that the Foundation was part of Harry's scheme all along.

We are going to learn more about Harry's plan, but this chapter is getting a bit long already, so that will have to wait for next week.

Now, a question for all of you – how do you think the existence of magic should impact wizarding society? What differences would we see between a magical culture and a mundane one? I don't like the common idea that it's just like normal society only the people have some different abilities. Having magical abilities should have a profound impact on their civilization. I have my own ideas that I'm going to be developing, but if any of you have thoughts on the subject, I would be interested to read them.