Hermiones choice Chapter 8
All hail J.K Rowling. She owns it all!
I apologise for my absence. My muse took an extended holiday and hopefully she is back (fingers crossed) so I can finish this story (Several chapters to go).
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After Philip Turners revelation most of the students looked at each other in horror.
Seven years at Hogwarts followed by several more in the muggle world to just get a leaving certificate? Then more if they wanted a university degree for a profession! Letters flew thick and fast that day, asking parents for appropriate text books to restart their non-magical education and notifying old friends of the problem.
But the teachers were stunned. How had general education changed so drastically in the muggle world? Didn't most people still do apprenticeships with little education or work in family run businesses? Couldn't the students go into jobs and be happy that way? They just didn't understand the way the muggle world had changed dramatically within their own lifetimes while their own had stayed the same.
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Harry Potter had received a note to go to Professor Flitwicks office after lunch on Sunday. He knocked and entered when called. He immediately noticed a woman in a rather severe set of robes and a goblin standing near the window.
"Mr Potter, please meet Madam Amelia Bones of the Department of Magical Law enforcement, similar to your police force. And this is Daggerclaw, a manager of Gringotts Bank." Flitwick introduced.
"How do you do." Harry said politely, wondering if he was in trouble.
"Please sit down everyone." Flitwick invited. "Mr Potter, we are here because there have been a few problems. To begin I will let Madam Bones explain."
"Thank you, Professor. Mr Potter, I am the head of the Magical Law department. Professor Flitwick contacted me about your guardianship problem. When I investigated the matter it was found that the man named as your guardian was arrested days after your parents were killed and sent to prison without a trial. As that is blatantly illegal I have had him moved to my holding cells and will be arranging a trial as soon as possible, hopefully within the next week or so. I am unsure if there are any people high up in the ministry involved in the matter, so I am keeping this as quiet as possible to keep the man safe. I am not naming him for his own safety. After he is tried if he is innocent we will discuss the matter of your guardianship. If he is guilty then your guardianship will be addressed." Madam Bones finished with a gentle smile to the nervous boy.
"Thank you Ma'am." Harry said quietly.
"Mr Potter, I am Account Manager Daggerclaw. Managing your families finances are one of my responsibilities. When you attended our Diagon alley branch you were meant to have a consultation with me to explain your finances and other holdings. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. But better now than never." Daggerclaw said. "To begin with, your mother never had an account with us, she was added to your fathers accounts. As such we need to perform a heritage test to learn of her lineage and if you are entitled to any dormant accounts. Please prick your finger with this pin and let three drops of blood fall onto the square on the parchment." Harry did so and then they waited. "This will take a few minutes to complete so while we are waiting I will continue with what we already know." Placing the parchment aside he handed Harry two folders and continued. "This is the balance of your trust account as of Friday afternoon. This second folder is a listing of the Potter families' properties investments and finances. You will not be able to do anything with these until you are an adult. Do you have any questions for me at this time?"
"Yes please, I do." Harry said. "The money in my… you called it my 'trust' account? Is that amount meant to last until I am seventeen or will more be added each year? I'm sorry, but I only ask because I overheard someone else talking about how much they get each year in theirs."
"Actually, that is a very good question. Many families do add monies from a main account but there are also others that set an amount at birth and do not add to the amount after that. Your father set up your account so that you had ten thousand galleons to open your account and added one thousand galleons each year, on your birthday, from the family account. Your current balance is fifteen thousand, eight hundred and sixty-one galleons, fourteen sickles and twenty-two knuts. This is yours to do with as you please. You could spend the lot if you choose to, although I would not recommend that. You also could invest any or all of it. It would be entirely up to you. Some families let their children use the accounts to learn how to manage their money and how to invest or build their own income."
"I think that I would like to talk to you about investments. I know a little bit, but not much, so I will need more information before I do anything with my money."
"That sounds like a sensible idea. I can give you some information about the sorts of investments that Gringotts offer and we can make an appointment to discuss this further in a week or two."
"Alright. Hang on…" Harry seemed to be thinking deeply. "I think I am wrong but if I had ten thousand to begin with and another thousand added each year then I should have twenty-one thousand, before taking out the money I took for my school stuff."
Daggerclaw thought quickly. "That is correct. I will look into this when I get back to the bank."
"I do have another question, if you don't mind."
"Go ahead." Daggerclaw patiently.
"Did my parents have a will? I mean… They were in a war and were going into hiding so shouldn't they have made one?"
"Yes, they did but, unfortunately, they registered it only at the Ministry of Magic and we, at Gringotts, do not have a copy. The will was sealed by the Wizengamot before it could be read. You would have to appeal to them to have it read." Daggerclaw said sadly.
"I can help Mr Potter to do that." Said Madam Bones. "After the trial we can put it to them and I cannot see there being a valid reason for anyone to refuse."
"Excellent!" said Professor Flitwick. "Will Mr Potter be required to attend the ministry for this?"
"I wouldn't think so, but if Mr Potter wishes to be there I cannot see a reason to stop him. This is his life we are dealing with. I will send notice when the trial is going to be, if you would like Mr Potter?"
"Yes please. Can I please go to the trial too? I want to see for myself what is happening."
"Yes, if you get permission from Professor Macgonagall." Madam Bones replied. "I will let you know when you will need to be there."
"Great! Thanks Ma'am." Harry smiled as everyone stood to leave.
Daggerclaw held out his hand and said "I will see you next Saturday to give you the information you requested."
"Thanks. See you then"
Xxxxx
Wednesdays Daily Prophet's headline screamed at the readers.
"MUGGLEBORNS TO QUIT THE WIZARDING WORLD!"
'After receiving many letters from current and farmer Hogwarts students, it has come to the attention of the Daily Prophet that many Muggleborn students are planning to leave our world and return to the muggle world as soon as they complete their OWL examinations.
Why would they do this? Because it has recently been released that many, if not most, of the employment opportunities in our world are geared towards Pureblood people.
Our research has shown the within the Ministry of Magic there is only one Muggleborn Head of Department (Mr D. Creswell, Goblin Liaison office) or Senior Official. All others are either Purebloods of Halfbloods of old families. Other than Mr Creswell there are no Muggleborn employed in a position higher than Senior secretary or clerk.
At Saint Mungo's hospital all senior healers and specialists are purebloods. Many general healers are halfbloods and the highest position that a Muggleborn holds is as a mediwitch.
In most businesses throughout our world there is an expectation that other jobs (Sales assistants, apprenticeships etc) will be offered first to people who are Purebloods, next to halfbloods and, as a last resort, muggleborns.
Many over the years have said that if Muggleborn people wish to leave our world then they should but what would the reality of this action be? Social and economic disaster, to put it bluntly.
Economically, the Muggleborn contribute nearly half of the yearly sales in many Diagon alley stores. The Muggleborn students attending Hogwarts also spend, on average, half as much again as a pure or halfblood students on their school supplies.
Many will think that it would be easier for them to return to the muggle world and work there. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Many will have no training or qualifications to do so with any reasonable expectation of success. There is also the problem that muggle governments are keeping close records of all of their citizens. It is harder for the returning people to explain the absence for so many years with reasonable explanations as to why there is no record of any education or medical records.
Is there a way to stop this exodus from happening?'