Chapter 36

McGonagall and Sprout look at each other as Airmed leaves. McGonagall is the first one to speak.

"I've got a bottle of Ogden's in my drawer, fancy a fortifying finger?"

Sprout leans heavily against the wall, "I shouldn't alcohol and herbology don't mix."

"When's your next class?"

"2pm. I know, I know, plenty of time for a finger. However, I'm not sure I could stop at a finger."

McGonagall nods, "Have you ever been around Albus when he's angry?"

Pomona nods, "Once, I thought I was going to wet myself like a child."

"This was worse."

"Oh G… Mor… Darn it, I can't swear properly now. But yes, it was far, far, worse. I'm not telling Albus or Hagrid about the Cerberus."

"Oh no you don't, I am not running the risk of having to go back there with Hagrid and ask for Fluffy back."

"He seems happy there."

McGonagall nods, "He does. Plenty of space to run around, rabbits to chase, and people to play ball with him."

"His room did seem to be a little small for him."

"Yes, he's probably better off there."

"Right, I'm not going to mention it."

"Neither am I."

Pushing off the wall, Sprout shakes her head, "Muggle Studies, really?"

"Hey, she agreed. What about your opening it up to all the first years?"

"It's only fair. My badgers would have an unfair advantage later in life if they were the only ones that could benefit from this."

"Well, I need to tell Canyon that he's going to be teaching Wizarding Culture and traditions next term."

"He does have the most unfortunate name, doesn't he."

"His father's family were alchemists and bottle makers, and his mothers family have a tradition of naming their children after geological features. From what I understand Ruby was home-schooled, while her sister River, and her brother Mountain, did well in one of the other schools."

"So what's he doing here?"

"He was the only one to apply after Quirinius left."

"What about your request that if this years students show good results across the rest of their schooling, she opens it up to next years first years as well?"

"It wasn't quite like that. I simply said that if it went well, I'd talk to the Education Department, and see if we could get funding for her school, on the proviso that she open it up to each first year class."

"Did Airmed sound bitter about her father when she said she'd see if she could find her brother to teach next year's class?"

"It's a family matter if she did. I need to get going."

Sprout nods, "I should too."

McGonagall strides off to the headmasters office, the agreement in principle in hand. When she arrives, Dumbledore is nowhere to be found. With a sigh, she grabs a sheet of parchment and spells a quill to copy out the agreement. With that done, she folds it neatly in three and writes a note to say that she's taking the original to the Education Department.

═══════ ೋღ ღೋ ═══════

Minerva walks over to the Education Department while dusting the Floo dust from her robes. Maybe she should think about learning the Celtic travel method. She shudders at the memory of the total isolation the fog induced before shaking her head, best not. At least with the Floo and Apparition you could see where you were going. After a short walk she enters the department office, where the Christmas party is in full swing. Well, they're playing card games and gossiping about the students and teachers they've had to see this year.

One of the staff looks up and slurs, "Professor McGonagall, this is a surprise. Come and join us!"

Minerva smiles, "I'm sorry, but I'm here on last minute business. Would one of you be able to help me?"

Madam Marchbanks stands up from where she was watching the party with an amused expression, "Come on Minnie, I don't drink. Haven't done for the last 40 years. We can use my office."

Minerva follows Marchbanks as she totters into her office and sits down at her desk.

"Tea?"

Minerva smiles, "Please."

With a wave of her wand, Marchbanks has the tea making itself, "Now what brings you to our office after the Ministry has officially closed down for the year?"

"I need to get a couple of course changes authorised. I've just returned from a very successful meeting. I tried to involve Albus, but he's always so busy I've taken to just leaving him notes if he's not there."

Marchbanks takes the sheet of vellum that Minerva hands over and reads it carefully twice.

"Hmm, I think we can give everyone that does this mundane education a free outstanding NEWT in Muggle Studies, if they get at least Acceptable in their exams. However, while you are welcome to call the course whatever you want, the name of the exam is used across all three schools.

"Hmm, we will need to send an examiner to sit in on some of these new lessons. If they're not acceptable, you'll need to revert to the old Muggle Studies course."

Minerva shakes her head, "Morgana said that her first lesson for each class will be to take them 10 pin bowling. Whatever that is beyond Albus' favourite sport."

"I see, and this is supposed to help?"

"Honestly, I have no idea. Muggle culture appears to have progressed somewhat since I started doing visits in the 50's, but the main differences seem to be that there are more cars and they have colour televisions. Apparently Amelia has been to a few bowling sessions. Oh, and if you do talk to Amelia before I do, mention that the Jones and Brights missed her at the last couple of games."

Marchbanks nods, "I'll probably toddle over there this afternoon once this lot have gone home to sleep of their celebrations. Provisionally I can give you permission to reinstate the Wizarding Culture and Customs OWL on the understanding that Dr Danann is teaching the Mundane Studies course for free.

"You're sure that Dr Danann is magical, and not just a muggle parent looking to improve what they see as deficiencies in our schooling?"

Minerva gapes at the ancient witch, "I am more certain that she is magical than I am that some of the students at the school are. You know what Albus is like when he gets angry and just wants everyone to shut up and listen?"

Marchbanks nods, "Rare skill that one. Not many care to learn it these days."

"Dr Danann has to do the opposite, and we met her while she was tending a sick family member. Merlin it was bad, I could barely stand and walk and I dread to think what the negotiations would have been like if her Daughter hadn't shielded both Pomona and I."

"Are you sure it wasn't just a spell?"

"Madam, she created that document. Not conjured, created."

Marchbanks frowns and starts to go through the spells she uses to judge NEWT transfiguration exams, eventually she stops, "If I saw this in an exam I would fail the student for cheating. I will have to take your word for the fact she created it then."

Minerva barks a laugh, "She told me that it is possible to create edible food and drink with magic. When I said that it violates gamps laws, the next thing I was told is something like 'Anything is possible with magic. However, some systems make different things easier or harder."

Marchbanks taps the document at one of the points, "I think that If, and that is If, the students that are doing the mundane studies show a significant increase in their end of year exams over the student's who are not doing those studies, we will be able to pay 10 sickles per student per week the next year with the proviso that the teacher is also magical. That will be to a maximum of 20 Galleons, the most I could authorise for an experimental class. After that, any further funding would need to wait until they've completed a term of their electives. If the improvements are maintained we can take the course to the education board. If they approve it, then we can add it as an optional subject for students who excel or have a muggle background. The desired course name also helps, who came up with the name 'Mundane Magic'?"

"That was Dr Danann. She apparently believes that muggles have started to do magic with their technology, and have been since the 50's."

"I see, I will need to see proof of this before I can agree to the name. I'll write her a letter later asking for a demonstration of why she thinks it is magic. This will require the entire board."

"Erm, she isn't in a location that's reachable by owl at the moment. If you send the letter to her son Harry Danann, then he can get it to her, as could Miss Daphne Greengrass."

"Hmm, Miss Greengrass will probably be the better option politically. How does she know Mr Danann?"

"They're both in Hufflepuff together."

Marchbanks spits out her tea, "A Greengrass in Hufflepuff you say? Reginald will be upset, I don't believe there has ever been a Greengrass in Hufflepuff. Every other house but that one."

═══════ ೋღ ღೋ ═══════

The morning they are due to go home for Christmas, Harry wakes up, yawns, and promptly scoots out of bed as his hand touches a lumpy paper wrapped package with a note written on the top. When he touched it, it felt like an anathema to his person. Carefully approaching it he looks at the label, "Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you. Use it well. A Very Merry Christmas to you."

With a shudder, he opens his trunk and throws the parcel down the stairs. That done he shrinks it down and puts it in his pocket.

That done he meets the others in the dorm before going down to breakfast.

As they are all enjoying breakfast and swapping communication details with their friends, Professor McGonagall stands up at the top table and lets off a cannon blast from her wand.

"Good morning everyone. As is usual for a leaving breakfast there are some announcements that need to be made before those of you heading home can leave. The first is a reminder that you are not allowed to use your wands outside of school. Failure to obey this could see your wand snapped and your magic bound.

"Unusually we also have a few more announcements. So first years. Starting in January there is a new course tentatively called Mundane Magic. Currently 12 out of 20 spaces have been filled by the Hufflepuff house. If you join this course you will be required to attend classes over the Christmas, Easter, and two weeks of your summer holidays. At the end of it you will take your exams and get something called G.C.S.E's. If you get an acceptable grade on those exams then you will also get an outstanding NEWT in Muggle Studies. If you are interested in this, I have a letter here for your parents to sign. Priority will be given to Muggleborn students, after that it will be first come first served as long as you have been performing acceptably on your schoolwork. See me after the announcements if you want one of these letters.

"The second announcement is for those currently taking Muggle Studies. When you return in January, your class will be moved to Wednesdays and Dr Danann will be teaching it. Professor Bottlebrush will be teaching an old elective called Wizarding Culture and Customs. 3rd and 4th year students will be allowed to drop an elective if they wish to take this class. OWL and NEWT students will only be allowed to take this elective if they are currently only taking two electives. You will have a month to make your decision while the Professor draws up his lesson plan.

"Does anyone have any pertinent questions?"

Padma Patil puts her hand up, "How comes there's only 8 spaces when there's 11 Hufflepuffs?"

"A home-schooled witch already has a place in this class along with the Hufflepuffs."

Malfoy puts his hand up, "Why do we need to learn anything from filthy muggles?"

"That's 5 points from Slytherin Mr Malfoy. And to answer your question, you don't."

Sally-Anne Perks puts her hand up from Gryffindor, "How much extra time will this take?"

"1 point to Gryffindor for a relevant question, there will be 1 one hour class every day where you will be able to ask Dr Danann any questions you have on the work you're doing. Two of those lessons will be devoted to something called PE. The rest of the time will be self-study from a list of subject that you need to cover throughout the year."

Sally-Anne starts whispering with Dean Thomas.

Just before she's about to sit down again, Millicent Bulstrode puts her hand up, "Why do we need a parents signature?"

"1 point to Slytherin for a relevant question. This is actually a requirement from Dr Danann, as she may take the class off site for a lesson occasionally. She feels that this wouldn't fall under the In Loco Parentis that we use for most school activities."

Hermione raises her hand, "Professor, how should we return these permission letters?"

"1 point to Ravenclaw for a relevant question. You can either OWL them to me at the school, or you can hand them in when you get back to school in January. Now if there's no other questions, I'm going to enjoy my breakfast."

Unsurprisingly, Hermione is the first one to the top table, where she takes 3 slips and hands one to both Padma Patil and Sue Li. Surprisingly, Millicent Bulstrode is the second, after she takes a long, considering look at Daphne and Tracey before looking back at her own table. An action that doesn't go unnoticed by the older Slytherins, most of whom look at the Hufflepuff table consideringly. After that, it doesn't take long for all the available letters to be taken by people from Ravenclaw and Gryffindor.

═══════ ೋღ ღೋ ═══════

It is with some trepidation that Daphne accompanies her father into the sitting room. She's spent the entire train ride practicing keeping her visualisation of redirecting people that are looking for her thoughts into the nearby mist while also carrying on a conversation. She also has a plan for how to deal with her father's 'concerns' without getting into an argument with him.

As they enter the reception room, her father simply says, "Sit. Zismey a pot of tea."

Daphne carefully arranges her skirts as she sits primly on the edge of the seat, back straight and eyes focused on the table between them. Her father lounges back in his own chair, his posture showing that he is the one in control here.

A couple of minutes after the teapot and cups arrive, Daphne tests the tea, and then pours both of them a cup. All without moving from her position. As she takes her own cup, she leans back into the chair, a small smile on her face.

When she meets her fathers gaze, she feels a slight pressure in her eyes and savours the look of confusion on her fathers face as he encounters no resistance and finds nothing. To cover the almost instinctive flinch, and her suppression of her occlumency barriers, she brings tea up to her nose and smells it.

Finally, her father is the first to break the silence, "I see. I'm glad you have a good explanation. I expect you to continue cultivating your relationships for the good of house Greengrass."

"Thank you father."

═══════ ೋღ ღೋ ═══════

Susan looks at her aunt apprehensively as she leads her into the reception room. Once they're sat down with a brewing pot of tea, Amelia takes a deep breath.

"Susan, I'm sorry that I was drinking earlier in the year. It's something you should never have come home to, especially at that stage of your training. There are all sorts of things I could say to excuse my behaviour, but the truth is that I was hiding. I made a mistake that could have cost a promising recruit her life. I mixed up my personal and professional lives. Instead it ended up with my death being foretold."

Susan smiles, "It's ok Auntie, Dora's told me all about it."

"I know it's Christmas tomorrow, but how do you feel about going 10 pin bowling on Saturday, just the two of us?"

"I kinda promised Harry and Marianne that I would go to the party at the bowling alley with them. But you could come with me."

Amelia smiles, "I would like that. Apparently, the Jones' have been asking after me."

═══════ ೋღ ღೋ ═══════

As Harry walks through the gate in the courtyard Marianne tackles him in a hug, "Welcome home. Airmed said I can start to use the gate here to get into the Other. How was your train ride home?"

Harry laughs, "It's good to see you too, and pretty boring really because we've been chatting to each other all term. It will probably be better on the way back."

"Can I come again?"

Harry smiles, "Let's see what mum says. If she thinks that you're ready to access the Other unassisted then only if you can get home without my help."

Marianne pouts, "But I'm so close. Mum2 says that I've still got to be careful because my magic isn't big enough for my body yet."

"Marianne, just because you've got to wait, doesn't mean you're going slowly. I can feel your progress and you've been doing amazingly well. Is Airmed here?"

Marianne nods, "Yep, she's watching soap operas. She says it's almost like immersing herself in a village, personally I think she's just addicted to them."

The two of the walk through the kitchen into the living room, where Airmed is savouring a cup of tea with a cinnamon stick poking out while Emmerdale is on TV. The whir of the video recorder tells Harry that this is a recording, so he unshrinks his trunk by the wall.

"Airmed, would you mind looking at something please?"

Airmed puts her tea down and presses a button on the remote, "Hello Harry, welcome home."

Harry smiles, "Thank you, how are you finding life here?"

"It is most agreeable, and I think I'm almost ready to meet this ones mother."

Marianne jumps up and down in happiness, "That's brilliant!"

"Before we get side tracked, I received a gift that apparently belonged to my father. However, when I touched the package it was absolutely repulsive."

Airmed just looks at him with a slightly confused expression, so Harry opens up his trunk and starts walking down the stairs.

As soon as he starts going through the floor, Airmed rushes over to look at the trunk. Before he knows it, Harry has been shoved out of the way, and Airmed is inspecting the interior intently.

"Airmed, that was rude. What if you'd done that to Marianne?"

Airmed mutters, "This is amazing, I can feel the magical runs but I can't understand how they've managed to get them to form like this."

Harry looks at the ceiling in exasperation before shaking Airmed, hard, "Airmed, you can look later my trunk isn't going anywhere until I return to school. Before you do, can you look at this parcel?"

Airmed glances down at it, "It's part of another Danann's domain, and they haven't given you permission to touch it. If you weren't The Brigid you wouldn't even notice. Saying that, I think grandmother said that Donn was dead, and that definitely feels like Donn."

Harry looks up the stairs, "Marianne, could you come down here and open a parcel for me please?"

Marianne skips down the stairs and rips the brown paper off the parcel before lifting up a silvery grey cloak. "Cool! It feels so silky."

Before either of the others can say anything, she swirls it around herself and puts it on, "So how does it look?"

Harry goggles, "Like nothings there. Literally, you're invisible."

"Brilliant, can I keep it?"

Harry looks at Airmed, who has a thoughtful expression, "Hmm, oh what? Oh yes, it should be fine. Just bind it to yourself like you did Harry's stone and you should be fine."

As Marianne does, mist seems to boil out of the cloak to swirl around Marianne. All three of them share a glance as even Airmed needs to concentrate as if she was walking through the Other in order to see Marianne now.

"Um, I think we should go and see grandmother."