This Harry Potter story was written for fun. All rights belong to the wonderful lady (JK Rowling) who gave the world Harry Potter to read and enjoy.

In this chapter, Susan Bones reveals an emergency plan to Harry. Remus gets permission to begin the Maths club while Filius furthers the plans of muggleborns. Dumbledore messes with the students in Transfiguration and winds up a mouse locked in a class box in Minerva's classroom.

Chapter 22: Kids Talk and Adults Make Plans

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SCENE: Bones and Potter Talk

As the acknowledged leaders of the firsties in Hufflepuff, sometimes Harry Potter and Susan Bones talked without the other 'puffs. Today as they walked from the castle to the flying field, Susan slowed her steps to allow everyone else to leave her alone on the path with the boy-who-lived. Hedwig flew ahead, leaving Harry and Susan to talk privately.

"Harry, what do you think about Magical Britain?"

The boy smiled and replied, "I love magic."

"I do too," Susan agreed. "But I want to know what you think about the rest – the ministry and Hogwarts…"

Glancing around, Harry lowered his voice but admitted, "I'm pretty nervous about everything. I don't know anything about the ministry but it's probably like the muggle government in lots of ways. But that troll was real and Dumbledore got away with having it in the school. In the muggle world, people would have fired him!"

Susan nodded in agreement. "He's not Merlin, but many wizards think he is. That lets him get away with doing stuff other people'd be fired for immediately."

"Do you think he should've been fired?" asked Harry.

"It doesn't matter what I think; my aunt told me to keep my opinion to myself this year."

"Why?" asked Harry as he stopped walking.

"My aunt says that the people in charge of Magical Britain work very hard to stay in charge. If you make a lot of noise or yell for change, you get watched or done in. They won't let anyone else take away their power."

"What's 'done in'?" Harry asked nervously.

Susan grimaced, "An accident in the street or your broom falls apart while you're flying."

"Wow!" the boy reacted. But he seemed to be thinking now and asked, "Then, how did your aunt get to be a director?"

They began walking again as Susan explained, "She follows the law to the letter and holds all the Aurors and everyone else to the that standard. Even the politicians know that makes her 'safe' because they know exactly what's she's going to do in every situation."

"Okay. Are you saying we should do that too?"

Susan shrugged and sighed. "It is one way to make it to seventeen."

Harry grinned and asked, "Are you taking Muggle Studies to be able to hide in the muggle world?"

"No, a 'real' pureblood doesn't need to know about muggles. That's the image I want to create for all of Hogwarts to see."

"Why do you need to create an 'image'?" asked the boy.

"Before this summer, I lived in the muggle world. I lived with my aunt and a live-in housekeeper, Margaret. She's a muggleborn who my aunt hired after I was orphaned. She raised me because my aunt works all the time."

"But you grew up with magic, right?"

"Sorta, we have a regular house and do things like use the cooker when the elves are not there. My aunt has special wards that hide the house from all magical people except us."

"That's brilliant! Everyone should have those wards!" Harry said, his face smiling. Then he added, "But everyone seems to know you."

"They know my name because of my aunt. You're the one everyone grew up hearing stories about! I never met any of the other kids at Hogwarts before my birthday when I turned eleven and officially became Heiress Bones."

"But Hannah says you are best friends…"

"I do like her and like having magical friends. But I miss my friends from back home. I went to primary just like you and loved school and my life there."

Harry shook his head, "I hated my life with my muggle guardians. I was their servant and starved."

"Does my aunt know about this?" Susan asked with surprise evident in her voice.

Harry shrugged, "I don't know. Gringotts takes care of everything for me now. My guardian is a healer who works there."

He shook his head, "I don't miss the muggles."

"I miss the lamps and lights in every room. I miss the radio!" Then Susan lifted the long hem of her robes and said, "Regular clothes are so much better!"

"Yeah, it is weird to wear a dress!" Harry agreed as he lifted the hem of his robes. Susan saw the trainers and blue jeans underneath.

Now Harry asked, "So, what does Hannah think about this?"

"She's got no idea and I can't tell her," Susan said but then paused. "Well, I can't tell her yet. I have to see if she wants to be a pureblood princess or if she wants to stand on her own two feet."

Harry nodded. "Zach knows I have a lot of power; he respects that but he still thinks he's better because his great-great-grandparents were all purebloods."

They stopped on the path again and Harry asked, "Okay, why are you telling me this?"

"The troll scared me. I almost ran away last night."

"How would you get back to…"

"That's a secret. But I've got a way to get away from Hogwarts if there's a disaster or attack."

"And hide among the muggles?" asked Harry as Susan nodded.

"I'll talk to Hedwig and Felicity," Harry said. "They'll know what I should do."

"Harry, I wanted to mention this to you because Auntie thinks the goblins will help you… and hopes they will help others without demanding too much gold."

Harry discounted the worry about Goblin greed immediately; his vaults were full of gold he'd never use and he'd help his friends if it took every Galleon.

"Justin and Hermione will understand immediately and I'd take Neville with me."

"But… his grandmother?" asked Susan.

"She thinks he's just above a squib and planned to dump him in the muggle world until his letter came in July."

"Good. That's two more allies."

"The Patils are unhappy with Magical Britain and Hermione is ghast… uh, aghast… that's the word she used." Harry took a deep breath and motioned toward the flying field. "We got a lot to learn to be ready to fly away…"

"Come on, they're waiting on us," Susan agreed.

"I love flying," Harry shouted to the other kids as they selected brooms and took to the sky to follow their professor's instructions on swoops and turns.

After ten minutes Hedwig took over the flying lesson and led the kids up above the castle to show them how to find the thermals rising from the ground, and to find the 'rivers' of wind in the sky.

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SCENE: Remus Talks with Minerva and Flitwick

The loud knock on her office door in the middle of the day drew the Deputy Headmistress from her marking of seventh year transfiguration test papers. She welcomed the distraction because it appeared that something serious had occurred in the Ravenclaw dormitory this week – half of the 'claws only scored in the EE or A levels rather than all in the O levels.

She'd sent for Filius to see if he was dealing with the problem appropriately. The 'claws always help to bolster the overall grades during Newts and transfiguration was a core subject.

"Come!" Minerva called and looked up as her door opened to reveal Remus Lupin rather than Filius Flitwick. She remembered the wizard from his years as a serious student who dragged the other marauders along each year – James Potter was talented at transfiguration but couldn't write an essay that was legible or sensible until Remus took him in hand. And it was better not to think about the mess that was the product of Sirius Black's studies. And the fourth boy; Minerva could not even remember his name or face today.

"Professor Lupin, how can I help you this afternoon?"

"Deputy Headmistress, first I wanted to ask if you had any update on Fred and George Weasley. Percy told me at the end of class he'd had no news from his parents in two days."

McGonagall nodded, "Ask Professor Burbage or Healer Troutman. They can floo-call Saint Mungo's for some news and get messages to Mr and Mrs Weasley to contact their son."

Recognizing the deputy had no other news about the injured boys, Lupin continued, "I have had a request by some of the younger students to help them form a maths club. I wanted your permission to get some materials to help them."

"Maths? Is that like arithmancy?" McGonagall asked. "That was never a subject in which I excelled."

"It is like arithmancy using numbers but it's not divination."

"Why do the students want a maths club then?"

There was another knock on the door and Filius Flitwick let himself in Minerva's office.

"Afternoon Minerva? You asked to see me?" Filius asked. He turned to Remus, bowed his head and greeted his former student. "Lupin, it is good of you to come help out Pomona. She'd be lost without you this fall."

Minerva directed the conversation back onto the current subject by saying, "Filius, Professor Lupin was just asking permission to create a maths club, something similar to the English club he set up in September."

"Yes, that's a great idea! I believe Professor Burbage is sponsoring the English club and claims she can tell a difference in student compositions already." Filius smiled as he continued, "And she's got the different ages reading different books but still stimulating conversations all over the castle."

"Will this stir up the muggleborns?" she asked and then remembered that Remus lived among the muggles apparently. Her face grew sour for a moment but Remus pretended not to notice or be offended.

Before anyone could wander into areas of muggleborn discontent, Flitwick moved their discussion along, "If anything, these clubs will help settle the muggleborn into our magical society. They will find the parallels between British literature and stories of Merlin we live by. They can use maths to improve spell creation in later years…"

"Will you assume sponsorship of this club? Lupin is only here until the end of the year," she reminded the diminutive charms professor.

"Yes, of course I will sponsor the club. Most of my claws will join for certain – even the purebloods will see the benefits to knowing more about numbers…"

"To count their Galleons," Remus snickered.

McGonagall who came from a working-class family, agreed the upper crust of Magical Britain held a great deal of wealth but with her pureblood upbringing, that was the natural order of things. Her family excelled as professionals in transfiguration work and charms – one great-great uncle inventing the space expansion charms that made the famous trunks of Britain possible. As long as muggleborn were kept in their place, the purebloods of all classes were secure in their powers.

"Very well, professors, put your maths club into place. And Flitwick, I do need to talk to you about your seventh year 'claws. Their latest test scores in transfiguration are not up to their usual standards."

The charms professor waved away the transfiguration professor's claims. "They are still getting settled and working up their study schedules for NEWTs. The purebloods will be top of the class this year; it's nothing to worry about."

Minerva frowned and asked, "Have you been eating the headmaster's lemon drops? That sounds like something Dumbledore would say if I told him the same news."

The part-goblin shook his head and looked offended by the comparison. "No, I steer clear of the headmaster as much as possible. I have no desire to deal with his troll or three-headed dog."

Remus took the opportunity to ask, "What will you do about trolls and three-headed dogs? Eventually, more students will get caught in the blow-back from the headmaster's games."

"What's 'blow-back'?" asked Filius.

"A muggle expression for consequences to actions – either intentional or unintentional," Lupin explained.

"Yes, I understand," Minerva said. "When Griselda Marchbanks said she'd ask the Board of Governors to force Dumbledore to quit his other positions, I was pleased for a moment. Hogwarts without trolls, mysterious treasures and rumours of 'dark creatures' would be a better school."

Remus couldn't help but blush at the deputy headmistress's choice of words but he kept his retort to himself. His true status was a valuable secret he intended to protect.

"Then I realized if his soul focus was on the school, things would get worse. I asked her not to make the motion and I fear I have damaged my relationship with her."

"So, what is your plan?" asked Flitwick.

"I want Dumbledore to retire from being headmaster," she replied. "I don't care if they make me headmistress or not. New blood at the top might be good for the school. But if Dumbledore is gone, Hogwarts will be better!"

"What about his argument that he has to be here to protect the school?"

Now Minerva frowned, "Moody told me that if the wards were fully charged, there'd be no way for a dark creature, Death Eater, or dark magic artefact entering the school."

"How do you get him to retire, then?" asked Lupin.

Minerva grimaced and admitted, "I don't know yet. I know it'll take a least three years and I don't have a plan today. But I will."

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SCENE: Harry and Hedwig Talk… Well Hedwig Talks

In their dorm room, Harry, Justin and Neville were putting away their books and preparing to head for the Great Hall for supper. In her usual magical way, Hedwig flew into the room through an owl window that Hogwarts opened in the wall near Harry's bed.

She immediately landed on his desk and began peering at her boy, hooting quietly. He stood and turned around for her slowly. Then she looked toward the other two boys who rose and approached Harry's desk.

"She wants to make certain you are okay after meeting the troll. Turn around slowly," Harry said solemnly.

Hedwig chortled and hooted some more with Harry replying, "Yes, our friends in Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw are fine. None of us were hurt by the troll."

"Just scared…" Neville interjected and Harry had to nod in agreement with the statement.

"It was… I was scared," Justin agreed.

Then Hedwig began barking, hissing and flapping her wings, throwing the papers on Harry's desk into the air.

"I'm sorry Hedwig, I should have told you all about the troll before sending you with the letter to Susan's aunt. I wasn't thinking straight."

The owl calmed down and hopped from the desk to his shoulder where she proceeded to spend a moment chortling in his ear, and then preening his messy hair. The dark-haired boy had tears in his eyes but he didn't explain anything to Neville and Justin.

Then the owl returned to the desk, and Harry translated while Hedwig hooted as she paced back and forth on the desk, "Hedwig says she would have been scared too. She wants us all to learn to fly without brooms or to learn apparition to be able to get away from things like that."

Neville shook his head. "We're not allowed to learn apparition until we're seventeen and only Merlin had enough power to fly without a broom."

"So, we're stuck on the ground in front of a troll; what do we do?" asked Justin.

"We could use portkeys," Neville said. "They could take us all to my house."

Hedwig hooted and Harry translated, "Hedwig says that Whiskers has a ward over Hogwarts that prevents any portkey going through the wards."

"Then we use portkeys that take us to a safe place inside the castle," Justin said.

"Like the library or this dorm room," Neville suggested.

Hedwig hooted and Harry listened to her quietly. He nodded several times and then suggested, "Can I write the letter after dinner? I'm really hungry and I'd like to get Hermione's suggestions on how to tell Felicity about the troll."

The owl sounded like she was scolding her boy again and Harry blushed.

"I'm not going to try and hide the information from her. I want to make certain the story doesn't upset the babies when she reads it to them."

Justin and Neville both swore later that there was a smirk on the owl's face as she hooted a short statement to which Harry turned pale.

"What did she say?" asked Justin.

Harry swallowed and explained, "Hedwig said I should be much more concerned about Ragnock declaring blood feud with Dumbledore for having a troll in Hogwarts with so many heirs in the castle."

Neville smiled evilly and said, "I didn't think about that slant on the news. When I write my grandmother, I'll couch it as a threat against the House of Longbottom…"

"So how many heirs of important families are we talking about?" asked Justin.

Neville began listing the names, "There's Hathaway in Ravenclaw; Flint, Greenhouse, Parkinson and Malfoy in Slytherin; and Longbottom, Potter, Bones, McMillan, and Smith in Hufflepuff."

"None in Gryffindor?" asked Harry.

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SCENE: Lupin Helps Percy

After leaving McGonagall and Flitwick as the two veteran professors discussed plans for testing in transfiguration and charms, Lupin made his way to the infirmary. Healer Troutman was not dealing with any students this morning and he agreed to check on the Weasley twins.

"Since they've been gone, I haven't had a single student to put back to rights from duck feet or purple hair. I intend to put the fear of Morgana Le Fey in them when they return!" the healer admitted.

Lupin smiled as he cast his Patronus and sent a message to Percy Weasley to come to the infirmary. Troutman's head was in the fireplace when Percy ran into the room, and Lupin directed him over to the fireplace.

"Your son is here now," Troutman said as he stepped back and let Percy lean into the green flames.

"Dad! How are the twins?" the two men heard the boy ask before they were too far enough away to hear the conversation.

Lupin smiled and said, "Thanks for helping Percy. He's working very hard to be a good prefect and help Professor Burbage in Gryffindor house."

"You were in Gryffindor, weren't you?"

Grinning, Remus said, "I was – I am still in many ways."

Troutman grinned and pointed to his own chest saying, "Ravenclaw still with my books and desire for knowledge."

"What can you tell me about the twins without violating confidentiality?"

"They will make a full recovery though I doubt we see them before the first of the year."

"So long?"

"Fred's leg had to be regrown and George ended up losing his toes on both feet and the fingers on his right hand. They had to be regrown."

"Isn't that really expensive?"

Troutman nodded and smiled, "And when I expressed concern about funds to pay for the procedures and potions, I was assured that the Weasleys have a wealthy patron who agreed to pay for all the treatments."

"Wealthy patron?" asked Lupin with honest surprise in his question.

Now Troutman grinned, "Mrs Weasley had a valid memory of Headmaster Dumbledore agreeing to pay for all the treatments needed to help her sons recover. He'll receive bills starting in the next few days that will set him back a couple thousand galleons."

*(+++++)*

SCENE: Dumbledore Visits Transfiguration Class

The next morning, Harry and Neville sent letters south; Neville's to Lady Longbottom at the family manor home, and Harry's to Felicity at Gringotts with Hedwig carrying the carefully written letters. The snowy owl would deliver the letter to a helpful elf at the Longbottom home (Lady Longbottom seldom dealt with any owl), and then Hedwig would fly on to London with the letter for the healer. Once it was delivered, the owl would visit with Hagrid and the dragons for an hour or so before flying back to Hogwarts.

Hermione's owl, named 'Bilbo' by Mrs. Granger, carried letters to her parents in Crawley and to Justin's family in the city. Apparently, the Finch-Fletchley family had a home in London and a vacation home in Southampton. Neither of their letters carried any information about trolls but they did ask for home-education materials for English, math and science.

*(+++++)*

Hermione wrote: There's nothing in the Hogwarts curriculum for advanced math or science. You know those are two of my favourite subjects. We can reach out to some education people over Christmas and get me a good curriculum to follow.

*(+++++)*

Justin wrote: Dad, I need some books on government relations and the economics of trade. There's nothing here to prepare me for university. We'll talk more at Christmas.

*(+++++)*

Neville's letter carried reports of good grades, proper manners by the half-bloods and muggleborns in Hufflepuff and stories of the horrid manners exhibited by the purebloods again and again. He included a request for his allowance to purchase some additional text books for study. In a closing paragraph, he informed his grandmother of the threat to the Longbottom family with a troll in the castle.

He wrote: PS: Dumbledore had a troll here inside the castle until the other day. It broke free of a sleeping spell and it would have made short work of me and other house heirs if Professor Moody and the other professors hadn't locked it behind a ward. I was there with Bones, Potter, McMillian and Smith! Dumbledore endangered the future of five families of the light.

*(+++++)*

All the letters included requests for educational study books for maths, English, composition, and science to start the 'clubs' for self-study for these subjects.

*(+++++)*

Unknown to the firsties in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, several owls carried letters with similar requests from muggleborn in each year as they transferred part of their focus to their muggle studies. They all expected to leave the magical world for good once they returned to London at the end of their education at Hogwarts.

Three students, sixth year muggleborns in Hufflepuff, planned to leave at Christmas and then send letters to the ministry and Hogwarts over the holiday with their withdrawal from Magical Britain. They'd completed their Owls last spring and as soon as they turned seventeen, they would be adults with wand privileges. Their parents were in communication with tutors – older muggleborns who'd left Magical Britain behind years before. The tutors would help the sixth years begin catching up.

Several fifth-year muggleborns in Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor planned to leave after completing their OWLs in June and not return to 'waste another year' as one 'puff explained quietly to the other muggleborns one afternoon in their English club.

*(+++++)*

That morning's transfiguration class, began normally with Professor McGonagall's lecture on the next spell and the theory behind it. The formidable woman was only fifteen minutes into her lecture, when the door of her classroom opened and Albus Dumbledore entered, stopping McGonagall's lecture.

"Professor Dumbledore, how can I help you?" she asked, evidently confused at his appearance at that moment.

"Don't stop on my account, professor," the wizard instructed his deputy by waving his hand to dismiss her question. "Continue on as if I were not here."

McGonagall did continue with the theory, incantation and wand movement for her Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students but when she saw the headmaster stop at the desk where Harry Potter sat with Miss Granger, she directed all the students to begin practicing the wand movements and hurried over to the row of seats.

*(+++++)*

As soon as the headmaster appeared in the room, Harry's grew tense – the old wizard continually tried to read his mind and asked questions that no teacher should be asking.

"Good morning, Mr. Potter," the headmaster said as he stopped beside Harry's desk. Harry ignored the man while taking care to capture McGonagall's lecture on the notebook on his desk.

"What's this? A muggle pen and paper?" Albus asked. "That's certainly against the rules and I shall have to assign you a detention with Professor Snape for this."

"There's no rule against using biros and paper for notes," Harry replied, looking up at the headmaster for the first time. "I know I can't turn in an assignment on paper but I can make my notes on it."

"Nonetheless, it is muggle and doesn't belong in Magical Britain. All things muggle are discarded…"

Seated with Harry this morning, Hermione was affronted by the headmaster's claim, and she began to argue with the old wizard.

"That's a falsehood, headmaster!" declared the brilliant firstie from Ravenclaw. "If Magical Britain discards all things muggle, why do we have a locomotive that travels on muggle train tracks? The Hogwarts Express is muggle-built and it carries the students back and forth to Hogwarts."

"That's right!" Justin and Neville chimed in.

Padma snorted and said, "Try and take my muggle shoes from me and I'll hex you into your next great adventure…"

"Alright children…" Albus said as he tried to peer into Harry Potter's mind but once again, there were powerful protections around the boy's mind.

As a blinding headache exploded in his mind, the headmaster realized, 'So the owl's not the protector of the boy's mind.'

Fleeing the angry transfiguration professor, Dumbledore heard her say, "Mr. Potter, the detention assigned by the headmaster is cancelled."

*(+++++)*

But when they stepped out of the classroom on their way to lunch and then charms class, the headmaster stood blocking the hallway.

"I need to examine your wand, Mr. Potter," Albus told the young boy. "There may be spells cast on it… It certainly doesn't look like a regular wand."

Now truly upset with the headmaster, Hermione declared, "No, Professor Dumbledore! In our very first DADA class, Professor Moody said to never allow anyone to take your wand from you, even if they say they want to examine it for charms. The examination allows the other wizard to cast spells on your wand."

"Miss Granger, I would never do such a thing!" declared the headmaster, with his hand out for Harry's wand. But the 'puff remembered Ironstream and Professor Moody both emphasizing that no one should be allowed to touch your wand unless it was a wand crafter or an Auror making an official investigation.

"No," Harry insisted, moving away from the headmaster with his friends pulling out their wands.

"Albus Dumbledore! Git yersel' awa' fae mah students afore ah transfigure ye intae a moose!" swore McGonagall, her Scottish temper unleashed at the headmaster.

(Get yourself away from my students before I transfigure you into a mouse!)

"Minerva, Mr. Potter's wand is too powerful for a young boy. I must take him to Ollivander's and get the wand I… that is correct for him."

"Ye doolally sassenach! Th' wand chooses th' wizard. Lea aff afore ah bring th' governors intae this!"

(You crazy Englishman! The wand chooses the wizard. Leave off before I bring the governors into this!)

Dumbledore pulled his wand but Minerva's wand was already pointed at him and her transfiguration spell hit the headmaster in the stomach, turning him into a grey mouse with extremely long whiskers. She levitated the mouse into her classroom and into a terrarium with a heavy glass lid and a few air holes.

"Mibbie a few days as a moose wull be guid fur ye. Behave or ah wull summon Mr Longbottom's toad 'n' feed ye tae him," she threatened the headmaster before she motioned the children to leave the classroom and closed the door to head for lunch.

(Perhaps a few days as a mouse will be good for you. Behave or I will summon Mr. Longbottom's toad and feed you to him.

*(+++++)*

SCENE: Harry's Letter to Felicity

Dear Felicity,

This first page is not for the babies or for Hagrid. I'm afraid they'd get upset. Use your best judgement with Ragnock on how to respond to this story.

First of all, everyone is fine. No one was hurt. Hedwig will nod to verify that we are all well in Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw…

…then the troll was carried away by the phoenix. But Dumbledore said it was only an illusion, not a real troll. Madam Bones came to Hogwarts and gave the headmaster a stern lecture but he just smiled and waved her away after agreeing to bring back a couple of old classes.

Susan says the headmaster has dirt on everyone and so no one opposes him. Susan also said to talk to her Aunt talk about plans for next summer. A vacation or something like that.

The headmaster makes me nervous – he's always looking at me funny and my medallion always grows warm when he is around.

Love, Harry

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