HLN CH 28 Lammass 2006 Expected post date Feb 4, 2021
AN- I know some of you will absolutely hate this chapter even though it's mostly answering questions and filling in some background details. A few fun characters will wander around, too. I'm evil. I do have a plan and this is necessary to get there. We're not just wandering with no goal. We're starting with the worst news...
Monday August 1 dawned clear and warm. This was Lammas, the holiday of Harvest of Grains, the point of the Calendar opposite Imbolic. It was primarily a holiday for children, with soft breads for sharing. Harry and Ginny took James out to the farm for a picnic. They built a small fire and James was thrilled to toss a small sheaf of grain into the flames. It flared golden flames, every grain popping into the air in sparks. Only ash remained, to be blown away quickly. James ran around the small glen where they were picnicking, waving at the birds and crumbling a bun for them.
Harry drew a deep breath, gathering his 'Gryffindor Courage', and turned to Ginny. "There is one more Lammas tradition I would like to try, if you will."
Ginny turned to him, surprised. Harry pulled a flat box out of a pocket, and opened it, revealing a deep red ribbon. "I'm not asking you to marry me, because we are already married. I am asking you to consider the old tradition of 'Handfasting', to try to repair our marriage. Will you spend a year and a day with me, to see if our marriage can be mended?"
She took the long ribbon and wrapped it around both their wrists. "I will."
They told Healer Jones about it Tuesday night. He was surprised, and said so. "I thought it would take a lot longer to get the two of you to this point, if you ever reached it."
Harry said, "This is only a trial. We're not saying we are well, or that we have a healthy relationship, but we have been working together for a year now. We have a son. We have agreed to try again. We need to work out a balance, one that includes all 3 of us. I work too much, and I brought my work home. I really had no time set aside to be a family."
Ginny continued, "I have learned a lot. I hope I have grown up some. I had no idea I was so spoiled, or behaved so badly. I really didn't think about others. I didn't think about Harry. I don't mean just the day after the Ball. I mean in all things. We did what I wanted, all the time. It wasn't fair, wasn't right."
Ginny moved back into the Manor, and Harry moved back down to his side of the Master suite, though he refused to sleep in the elaborate French bed. Dobby brought back his plain four poster with the curtains, with white bedding as a compromise. James was moved down the hall to a new nursery, suitable for an older child, with a playroom.
The busy season was on them. Ginny's practices were increasing in length and complexity. She came home exhausted every night. Harry often met her at the Stadium with a take-out lunch. She couldn't help the Patils anymore, though it had been an interesting Summer. She was just too tired. More than once she fell asleep reading bedtime stories to James. Harry would find her in the rocker, both of them fast asleep. He would tuck them both in properly and go eat his own dinner alone.
Harry was in his office on the Alley constantly, though he was punctual about closing between 5 to 6 for dinner. He insisted everyone go home for supper with their families, even if they were returning for an evening shift. Many wives blessed him. Diagon was packed until late each evening with families purchasing school supplies, including childrens brooms. There were many traded in, though not as many as the first year. Still, Harry was glad to get those old brooms, many dangerous, out of the sheds. A few were bought at premium prices, much to their owner's surprise.
Unique woods, family designs, and a few unique spells were very interesting to the company! Some went to the R&D, some to the museum. There were not many offered to them of old brooms from the other companies, because they all had their own programs and took only their own brooms. Harry was the only one who continued to accept all kinds – and they did accept ALL brooms offered. Even dingy, rat-chewed and rot-eaten old besoms got a credit.
The Museum was no longer just a hallway wall at the Headquarters. It had moved into a mostly unused ballroom, not as nice as his own but nice enough for meetings and Company dinners. Now the brooms were arrayed by approximate dates and woods, with display tags explaining how each had improved broom design through the years. A full set of Dragon Brooms was displayed, with labels and photographs of the illusions. Interspersed were the unique brooms they had collected: strange woods, strange designs, family specials and ones with interesting History such as curses (removed). Some had lovely inlays and carvings. All of the brooms had been stripped of their original charm work before the addition of a very good tracking charm. Some were still unique and valuable enough to make them interesting to thieves. Harry thought they made a very appropriate decoration for a room the Company could use for receptions and huge meetings. There was plenty of room to expand the display for many years to come.
All were fastened to the walls with the Black Permanent Sticking Charm. It wasn't quite as permanent as its name, but you had to have access to the Black Grimoire to find the cancel key. The only living people who knew it included Harry and Andi. They would teach it to Teddy when he grew up. Narcissa knew it and would have taught it to Draco, so Harry had the elves add a second locking charm with elf magic. He didn't distrust them anymore, but they had traveled in dingy circles for years and it could have gotten out. Bellatrix might have taught it to anyone, though the moldy one was the most likely, followed by the Lestrange brothers, and all of them were dead. He considered using the Elder Wand and possibly Parsel if it turned out he needed more security. The room and every broom in it bore enough Fire Protections to keep it a bit chilly.
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AN - Details about a few Teachers and classes, since I was asked. If I missed one you are interested in, ask me.
At Hogwarts things were almost frantic. Minerva was berating herself for letting herself be talked into another year as Headmistress by Augusta, even if Minnie was still away at school. Working out the class schedules was much harder than it had ever been. Dumbledore had never hired enough teachers, half had quit or retired at the end of the War, and even the elves were pushed to their limits.
Each year since the end of the War the classes had increased in size. This had been true, with a steady small rise in births, since the Potters had vanquished the Dark one in 1980. It was now acknowledged that what had saved baby Harry had been a very old Magic, a combination of his mother's willing sacrifice combined with a broken promise by Tom. It took both, a rare coincidence.*
Meanwhile, Minerva had to deal with ever-larger First Year groups. In addition to the higher Birthrate, Minerva and the Board had decided to throw out one of Albus's traditions – that of only accepting about 40 students in each Year. Now Hogwarts sent Letters to ALL magical students in Magical Britain. Most, of course, still chose to attend local Day schools, homeschool, or attend schools in other countries. This year there would be about 80 Firsties and a few transfers in other Years.
The elves were thrilled. They had to prepare more Dorms and bigger classrooms. The Great Hall, already one of the largest freestanding rooms in Britain, had been expanded to double what Harry had seen. Minerva and the Board had to hire more teachers, who also needed flats and offices and assistants to help with the bigger classes. A few Business people were coaxed into teaching Electives that had been dropped. Every year the members of the Board had to teach classes themselves because there simply were not enough teachers.
The curriculum had been expanded. Now every student could choose up to three different electives each year, which met one hour a week, and not all were Magical. Choir remained popular, and Instrumental lessons had been added, as was Art. Two – one Magical and one not - were assigned at random to each Firstie, as was a sport, but they could request a change from their Head of House in the first week to others if there were openings.
Some Electives had several levels available. Some were only available for Advanced students, usually 7th year. These included Ollivander teaching a crafting class on Foci, including wands, and the Flamel grandchildren taught a period of Alchemy for students who achieved an "O" in Potions, Charms, Runes, Arithmancy and Transfiguration in 6th year. This year there were 6 who had managed.
Defense was taught mostly by a rotating series of injured or retired Aurors, following the traditional seven year sequence. Dueling was taught during May of every year at this time period, by Professor Flitwick, who returned for only this. Only Seventh year students who had passed his 'Advanced 2' class in 6th year with an "O", or who passed the Auror Pre-Test at Easter, were admitted to the Seventh year class. The rest were sent to a Study Hall for tutoring for the NEWT. He also taught private lessons to a very few accepted Apprentices interested in actually attempting the Dueling Circuit.
There were quiet bets out that Flitwick was wearing a Glamour. Clearly far younger than most had thought him when he taught at Hogwarts, complete with shining black hair, there seemed no reasonable way he could move as fast and as well as he did if he was really that obese. Flitwick refused to tell. His young Goblin wife simply smiled.
Seventh Year Charms, Transfiguration, and Alchemy would be taught by two of the Flamel grandchildren. The other six years had their own Instructors, some of who were able to teach other classes in the mornings, or other Electives.
Minerva truly looked forward to her niece Minnie finishing her studies in Greece. She would be welcome here! Minnie would be taking a History Mastery under Professor Mearle White, which meant he would be staying for some years.
Sports were required for everyone, and had been expanded to include Cross-Country, footie, tennis, and hiking out-of-doors. Inside, a new Gymnasium and DoJo allowed Basketball, Badminton, Fencing, Karate and Judo. Rowena's cleaned and repaired Room was a full-size pool complex. There were also workout rooms accessible from each Common Room, filled with mundane exercise machines. There was a trainer in each room for the first two weeks, and intermittently after that, to teach safety. Your required class would meet once a week, and practicing was your own responsibility.
Most difficult had been the addition of the full National curriculum. Instead of the out-of-date Muggle Studies, ALL students now met with tutors for two hours each day, six days a week, working toward their O or A. There were currently 14 such Tutors, 2 per year, all Mundane born with Certifications. She needed more, and kept notices in the papers. The Board had been shocked to discover how much even beginning teachers were paid in the Mundane schools, and had to raise salaries appropriately.
Augusta functioned as Minerva's Deputy, and continued her weekly Traditions class, required for all students and held in the Great Hall immediately after Breakfast for two hours on Tuesdays. On Thursdays there was always a visiting lecturer. The other three mornings were when most of the Electives met. Any day you didn't have your Elective was a study period. Saturday mornings many study groups and sports met.
Lunch was not required attendance, though with the enormous calorie requirement of Magic, plus the large amount of exercise everyone got, was rarely missed. Being overweight was rarely a problem at Hogwarts. If someone was notably underweight they would be taken to the Hospital Wing for a quick check. Usually they simply needed an explanation of their diet needs, though once in a while the child was actually sick. Healthy snacks were always available in their common rooms, including fruit, yogurt, and granola. Sweet dessert items were only served at dinners, though many children stashed a few cookies for later. Packages from home often included cookies and candy, too.
The more 'traditional' subjects in Magic were now after Lunch. Each met two two-hour periods a week, one Theory and one practical, after lunch. This five day, six hour slot had all seven levels of lectures for any subject meet at the same time. Then the (up to) 4 Practicals for each Year were staggered. Each student was required to attend a designated practical, but could attend more if they need more help.
Dinner ran from 7 until 9, with time for sports, clubs and Study Groups in the evenings. Curfew for all students was 10 PM to their Dorms, and 11 PM lights out. Once a month there would be an entertainment for all, in the Great Hall. It was often a Friday or weekend evening.
While most subjects had seven Instructors, with teaching assistants, having to stagger groups in every subject in those same afternoon periods was quite taxing. Your Theory class met in an Auditorium with all students at you level, but the Practical had to be divided into smaller groups, 4 or even 8 per Year Group. It wasn't quite that bad in all classes, because 6th and 7th years might not take all 5 Basics, but would have others. Some classes did not have practicals. There are, after all, 12 OWLs and 12 NEWTs available. Ron's computers were proving their worth.
Minerva and Augusta and Amelia met for lunch. "So, how many Aurors are we going to have this year? Trainees are welcome as well, to be their assistants."
"I have seven ready to start, but Anthony comes off the Injured list at Christmas if the Medic says his knee is fixed, so I may replace him in January. Each will have a Trainee. You said each will take one Year-group once a week for the Lecture, up to four periods of Practicals, and one evening or Lunch in their Office to help with questions and homework? Then in May they will ALL be assisting Flitwick with Dueling during that practical period?"
"Yes, that's our basic pattern. Some classes will have fewer Practicals – there are only 30 taking Defense in each of Sixth and Seventh, but we have over 80 incoming Firsties. The Aurors who get the small upper groups may need to assist with the Firstie practicals. We'll order the usual textbooks, current Editions, for each. Here are two copies of each Teacher Edition for the Instructors, plus the three-book set Flitwick will be using for the first six years. If any other book is going to be needed, I need to know immediately. Basic lesson plan is one chapter per week, with essay questions and tests once a month. That includes reading and essays in Flitwick's for their year, though their practicals will be in May."
That took care of Defense. She still needed to find an assistant Choir Master, and tutors for those who wished to learn instruments.
Professor Mearle White, who taught both mundane History (rotating through the National classes in the mornings) and Magical History (in the afternoons) to all 7 Years, was actually fairly easy to schedule, since his students had no practicals. He did have a teaching assistant for each class who would do most of his grading and hold open Q&A sessions. Each Year also got one field trip, usually on a Sunday. Both classes were required for the first 5 years, with OWL, and NEWT classes optional for the last two years. Since he was quite a popular teacher, whose students usually did well in exams, his upper levels were usually full.
Divination was one of the Electives offered only to the first and second Years, teaching a broad sampling of the History and Methods, focused on methods anyone could use such as reading tea leaves and rune stones. Ones who were found to actually have Talent would be privately tutored. Trelawney currently had one Apprentice, who served as her teaching assistant. She, like Sybil, was a High Elf, and they spent many nights in the Centaur Forrest. Now that Sybil was free of Dumbledore's bindings, meant to keep her hidden in her tower, it was clear who and what she really was. Luna Lovegood had been the last part-Fae student they had, though they hoped Ollivander might enroll his great-grandchildren when they were old enough. Meanwhile Sybil also individually tutored children from all houses who were identified as having Elemental affinities. She had discovered that Hogwarts always had exactly four at a time. Last year their Fire had graduated, so she would be watching the incoming Firsties quite closely.
Aurora Sinestra had remained as Astronomer, though she had finally re-arranged the class quite a bit. While each class still met on the Astronomy Tower for observations one night during the week, there was also a lecture period (one hour) for each that met during the afternoon in a small auditorium. Students could attend more than one night observation if they needed to. While all students did construct their own telescope, complete to grinding traditional lenses, the permanently mounted school telescopes on the Tower were high quality modern ones of several styles.
Under Albus there had only been 5 years of Astronomy available, though the textbook series she used had seven books. Now she was able to offer the class all seven years. Her auditorium had a room size Orrery, a projection screen and a Planetarium projector, allowing her to show videos and project the Celestial bodies they would be looking at that week. Homework pages from "The Elementary Epicycle Workbook" detached for grading, and then the corrected page was re-inserted, turning your book into a Study Guide. They were also charmed so that only the student who had done the work could see the finished page. You could not copy homework from a corrected page.
Arithmancy was actually harder to schedule. While there were OWLs and NEWT for it, and some professions required it, students could not start the class until they had completed their "O" level National exams, passing at least Algebra. Quidditch players, specifically Seekers but often the entire teams, usually did Arithmancy as self-study. Since Hootch was one of the Maths Tutors, and had her own Mastery in Arithmancy, she was right there to guide them. She also assisted Septima Vector, who was the actual Instructor.
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Ginny's birthday was celebrated on the Saturday after her Birthday, with a smaller party of her family and real friends, on the patio of her formal garden. No one was allowed to bring a date, though husbands and fiances were fine. No friends of friends, and she wasn't selling tickets so there weren't any strangers. Ginny had learned that lesson. She did invite the Harpies, who were delighted to see this year's castle design in the gardens.
Harry's gift to Ginny was a large, flat black screen. It looked like a TV screen, except for being thin. Ginny and her friends looked at it with curiosity, and then turned to Harry. "We have a TV, if this is some kind of new TV?"
"Well, it COULD be a TV. It's a screen that will connect to anything. It's to hang on your wall. The interesting thing is that this will not only connect to the TV, or to a computer. It will also connect to your cell phone or pocket Floo. Your brother George is going to be selling various sizes in his electronics stores, and we think they will be a hit. You know using a Floo to make calls is uncomfortable, though the pocket Floo is very convenient. By connecting to one of these big screens, the whole family can sit on the couch in comfort and talk. You can even connect to multiple phones or screens, with each appearing in a small section side-by-side. One detail – even though they will connect to a regular Floo, they operate like a pocket Floo or phone. Things can't come through them. One thing you can do, that I think you will like, is this small box. It's a camera. You can set it anywhere, such as in the nursery to watch the children while you are in the study working."
Harry had the elves hang the screen in Ginny's study. George hooked it up, and showed her how to connect it to all her other electronics. Ginny discovered that shopping online was even easier when she could see the dresses in the much larger size. The camera in the playroom was also very handy!
On the Saturday after her Birthday, Ginny was in the playroom with James, dressing him for the day. She set him down and reached for a comb. That was all James needed! Barefoot, he was out the door and running down the hallway! James was headed for the staircase as Ginny turned around. Without a thought, she dashed after him. Fast as she was, Ginny was slipping on the marble in her soft house shoes. James thought it was a game, laughing and dodging, working his way to the stairs to make his escape outside! A last dash – and James literally bounced back off the invisible gate at the top of the stair. Ginny wasn't so lucky. Grabbing sideways for him in terror that he would fall, her feet slipped out from under her and she went hurtling out in thin air over the stairs, screaming.
And, nothing.
James, sitting at the top of the stair was screaming in surprise. Ginny, feet first, was flat-out in thin air about ten feet from the landing. She honestly did not realize her location as she scrambled without traction, trying to grab her fallen son. Elves began popping around them. Nanny collared James, who went hiccuping back to his room. Daisy drew out a golden ribbon and tossed the end to Ginny, towing her back to the landing.
"Bill, your wards work perfectly. However, please make them visible when active. James hit the Gate full-speed because he could not see it. I went right through it and was hanging in ten feet of nothing. I would prefer to see the net! If I had seen the gate I probably would not have bothered to chase him. If he had seen it he would not have tried to run. I'd also like a similar Gate in front of the Floo and fireplaces!"
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Minerva stopped by Ollivander's wand shop, escaping the packed Alley. Garrick was sitting in the back room with a few of his many silver-eyed descendants, involved in a crafting lesson. Beside him was a young man Minerva did not know who was clearly not an Ollivander. "Well Met, Minerva! May I introduce you to my young friend John Talley? I don't think you've met. He's been in Canada."
"Welcome, Talley. I did not know you, so you haven't been to Hogwarts. What were you doing in Canada?"
His voice, unusually clear and deep, "Oh, our family emigrated to Canada many years ago. We don't like Dark Lords, you see, and one forced my ancestor to leave. We come back to visit quite a bit, but Canada is our home. I was home schooled, and have been wandering around playing in many small bands, bars and nightclubs. I went to Europe last year to do the circuit while my girl finishes her college. I went home to be with her for the Summer, and just arrived back. I thought I'd do Britain this year, especially Ireland."
"What will you do when she graduates?"
His sea-blue eyes twinkled. "Marry her, of course! My ring is already on her finger. Then we'll be together, traveling around and making music. I'm here learning from Garrick. He's quite the craftsman with wood, metals, and jewels! He tells me he's going to be teaching a class at your school."
"Yes, one of our Electives. But you interest me, too. We have Music classes and I'm very short of Tutors. Can you teach, either vocal or instrumentals? Would you be interested? I'd need a proper application and have to do a background check, of course. Garrick is a good Reference to start with, but can you give a couple more? Do you have any Masteries or particular skills? You could live in the Castle, or in the village so you could continue your work with bands."
"Well, I guess you could consider me Garrick's Apprentice as a Craft Master." Conversation stopped as Garrick choked with laughter. He indicated his assent, but continued to chortle. He shooed the children off to lunch. They carefully packed away their tools and the small flutes they seemed to be making, and left through a door in the back. It should have been to the alley, by the depth of the shop, but was into a warm kitchen with the smell of shepherd pie enticing them.
"All right, now. What's the joke, Garrick?"
"It's hanging around your neck. Allow me to introduce Gwion, also known as Taliesin. Nick and Penny and Mearle will give him your References."
Talley looked nervous. "Just because my mother was a romantic you don't have to label me with that name! People who hear it have unreasonable expectations!"
"We'll allow you to write any name you like using. We can call you Talley at the school. Fill out the Application, with the References, and file it quickly."
Talley blinked. "Just like that? I guess John Talley is your new Instrument Tutor, and will assist the Choir Master. I'm also good at languages, so I can tutor those in your National classes. I'll take a room in town."
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At the Welcome Feast, waiting for the children to come in, the teachers were talking about the Train. The children in the seats were excited. "Did you hear? Did you see it?"
Minerva turned to Sybil. "I think we found your student. He set his train compartment on fire." Both turned to look at the small children entering the room, being led by Augusta Longbottom.
At the end of the group was a small boy, who seemed to have red hair. Seemed, because he was covered in soot and ash and dripping wet. His hair spiked in all directions. The other children left a gap around him. Sybil agreed. "Yes, that's my Pyro! That's a bit of an unexpected entrance. Give me an hour a week with that one!""
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* You might like the lovely but incomplete story "Theory of Magic", by
eirajenson
End Ch 28 expected post Feb 4, 2021
