Harry Potter & the Honeychurch Institute of Magic
By Darkmoore
Harry looked at this letter three times before turning to Vesta and saying, "I think my aunt has lost her marbles."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter Thirty: Loose Ends
"Marbles? Whatever are marbles, Harry?" Vesta asked
"You purebloods are hopeless you know that?" Fitzy asked her best friend teasingly.
Harry chuckled at them, but continued, "No, she wants me to visit her again after the school year ends and she wants you to come with me."
"Do you want to go again?" Vesta asked
"I don't know, but if I did I would only do it if you went with me."
"You know Harry I think you should dump Vesta here and take me instead." Fitzy said with a wink.
Vesta spun her head and gave her friend a stern look while Harry laughed.
* * * * *
After breakfast was over and the examiners went on their way to their quarters to pack to leave the school and return to the ministry, Harry took the opportunity to speak with Edwina alone in her office.
"Edwina, I was wondering if I might have a private chat with you this morning." Harry asked
"Of course, Harry what can I help you with? I hope it's not another bout of rampaging Veela again." she replied with a laugh.
"Merlin help me if that ever happens again." Harry said sourly, but continued on more cheerfully, "Actually I received a letter this morning from a good friend of mine, Ginny Weasley, who operates the Sirius Black Memorial Child Care Facility."
"Yes." Edwina indicated for Harry to go on.
"Well it seems that there a large number of students who have come of age and are ready to come to school next autumn. Many of them know that I am teaching here and have requested that they sent to school here at Honeychurch. I wanted to talk to you, because that may cause a greater influx of students than we are used to."
"How many students are we talking about Harry?"
"Five boys and four girls will soon be eleven years old."
"Well that's not the outrageous number that I was expecting you to say, it's a manageable number of new students."
"Edwina, that's not counting the number of students that would have been coming to Honeychurch normally." Harry pointed out.
Edwina sighed and said, "I have no idea how many children will be coming into the school each year, so I'm not going to worry about it until the summer."
"Alright, then I won't either. There was also something I wanted to talk to you about. I've been invited to be a panelist in two conferences this summer, one of which concerns the Department of Magical Education."
Edwina's eyes rose into her hairline, "Really Harry? That's wonderful; maybe you can keep Honeychurch from closing."
"Don't worry, that's not going to happen no matter what." Harry admitted absently.
"Why is that Harry?" she asked hopefully.
Then he realized what he had just said. 'Damn' he thought. "No reason, I just feel it in my bones."
"Hmmm" Edwina said, then continued, "Now tell me about these conferences you've been invited to."
* * * * *
Later that afternoon Harry could see several students enjoying the nice weather by flying around the pitch or laying out on the grounds talking to one another from his office window. He remembered what it was like when he was their age and wished he could join them, but he had end of year tests to give to the first through fourth years and to the sixth years as well, as it was now their turn to be tested.
Deciding that he was hungry, Harry started to go down to the kitchen to raid it for a snack when he passed Professor Proctor's office door and decided it was time to ask him something that had been on his mind for some time now. So Harry knocked.
"Come" replied the gruff voice of the transfiguration teacher.
"Botolf?" Harry asked, "Are you busy?"
"Yes I'm always busy with something, what can I do for you Potter?"
"I was wondering something. That day on the pitch at the final game of the season, you told Mr. Stahl and Mr. Gerard that you were proud of them."
"Yes I did."
"Then why did you try to have them expelled?" asked a confused Harry.
Botolf laughed for a few moments and then sobered and began to explain, "I'm not an easy man to get to know or to get along with, so bear with me for a moment."
Harry nodded and became very interested in the story he was about to hear.
"When I was a younger man, probably about your age now, I was married and had a son named Ulfred. He was the most beautiful baby boy in the world." Botolf said and sighed. "When he was old enough I sent him to Durmstrang, where I went to school. That ended up being the biggest mistake of my life."
Harry continued to listen and sat in one of the chairs in the office as Botolf continued his story.
"When he was about sixteen, he fell in love with another boy at school. I don't think they were together, but Ulfred was very much in love with him. I know that because he was floating around the previous summer like a young fool in love, so that part I know is true. However, Durmstrang is not as liberated of a school as others are on the continent and the students weren't allowed to show love to one another."
"No dating at all at Durmstrang? What do the students do?" Harry asked
"Sneak around a lot of the time and hope that they don't get caught or pregnant. Anyway, Ulfred was found out as being gay and he was too afraid to tell me about it and too afraid that someone from the school would tell me about it. So one night he climbed to the top of the tallest tower at the castle and threw himself off of it. The found my beautiful baby boy impaled on an outcropping of rock later."
Botolf stopped for a moment to collect himself, and Harry was gathering his thoughts as well, still confused.
"But that doesn't explain why you are so hard on the two of them. Why aren't you kinder to them, as you wished you had been for your son?" Harry asked really wanting to know.
"I want them to fight me." Botolf replied. "I want them to stand up to me and to anyone else, for their rights to love and be loved as they see fit. I'm trying to teach them how to be independent adults who are capable of taking care of themselves without help from anyone."
Harry started to respond, but was cut off as Botolf continued, "I know that you don't agree with me, but they have you and Vesta and Fitzy and Edwina to coddle them. They need someone to be a general pain in their arse that they can stand up to and tell to go right straight to hell."
"Mr. Gerard isn't as headstrong as Mr. Stahl is; what's going to happen next year?" Harry asked.
"He'll probably mope around the castle waiting to graduate and missing his young lover like mad. Don't worry I won't pick on them too much, unless he gets a new boyfriend." Botolf said with a chuckle.
"Alright then, why were you so nice to me during that Malfoy Veela thing?"
"That was beyond your control and you were trying to help him out in order to get rid of him. I probably would have left you to it, but he was just so damned annoying."
Harry was rolling with laughter and somehow managed to say, "You don't know the half of it."
* * * * *
As the examiners were putting their luggage into the carriages to take them down to the train station to return to the ministry to compile the scores of the students, Percy once more attempted to engage Harry in a conversation.
"Harry, may I have a word?" he asked load enough for Professor Marwood to hear.
"Alright."
"I wanted to let you know that I sent an owl to mum and dad and I'm going to be seeing them soon."
"Good Weatherby, she'll like that. I think she misses you." Harry said to him.
"Must you call me that name?"
"Better get used to it, that's the name your brothers have labeled you with. They refuse to call you anything else but that name. So I would suggest either growing thick skin when around them or visiting your parents when they are not around. In fact if I were you, I'd avoid the twins altogether."
"Well at least we're friends again." Percy said importantly hoping his colleges had heard him.
"What I said was to make peace with me; you had to make it with your family first. Until you do that then there is no peace with me, just the possibility of it." Harry replied making Percy hope that his colleges had NOT heard them.
"Well, I had better be going now. We have a long journey ahead of us."
"Have a safe trip." said Harry and then went about his business as usual.
* * * * *
First thing on Saturday morning at breakfast the class sponsors were making their way around the dining hall handing out new schedules to the students. Not course schedules, but rather the end of year examination schedules for the first through fourth and sixth years.
"Sir, can't we pretend we took these tests already?" Will whined to Harry that morning.
"Afraid not Mr. Beagle." said Harry and then he moved on to the girls.
* * * * *
When Harry awoke on Monday morning he was wide eyed, for one in his life, and attempted to spring out of bed and into the shower. However, the beautiful creature beside him in bed had well pinned in place and he thought that she looked far too lovely to be disturbed. So instead he watched her for a few minutes before he knew he had to wake her for the day, today was the beginning of their end of year examinations.
Harry then remembered that she didn't have to give a test that morning, hers didn't begin until the afternoon, while Harry had to give two that day. The fourth years first thing that morning and then the sixth years in the afternoon. So Harry made his way into the shower and began his morning ritual of getting ready.
After breakfast he met the fourth years in his classroom to begin their exams. They had been given a four hour period to do their exams in; however, they didn't need the whole time. Their written exams took a little over an hour to complete. Then the practical demonstrations they had to perform lasted 15 minutes per student, each going one at a time as Harry called their names at random by pulling out a slip of parchment from a bag. The practicals took just under two hours to complete and Harry released them early so they could go and study for their next exam, Potions, which would take place after lunch.
After lunch Harry repeated this process with the sixth years, except their written essays took them just under an hour, which was good as their practical demonstrations were 20 – 25 minutes per student. They ran over slightly in their allotted time, which was fine, as it was the last exam of the day.
When dinner was over and Harry had given Vesta a large wet kiss in the corridor, he went up to his office and began grading essays. He wanted to make sure they were reviewed very carefully and took his time with each one. He had already recorded grades on the practical demonstrations as they were performed in class, so half of his work was already completed.
After Harry had completed reading and recording the grades for the fourth year's work, he called for Dobby.
"Harry Potter sir, is you needing Dobby tonight?"
"Actually, I need you to do me a VERY important favor Dobby, if you wouldn't mind that is." Harry replied to his elfin friend.
"Anything, Harry Potter, anything you's is needing."
"I need to set up the obstacle course for the student in the morning and I need to be awake by five in the morning. Do you think you can get me up by then?" Harry asked hopefully, knowing full well, he was hard to wake up.
Dobby looked at him doubtfully and said, "I is trying Harry Potter, but you's knows how you's is in the morning. Why isn't you's just staying up all night, that would make sure you's is awake at that time."
Harry laughed, as the thought had already crossed his mind. "No, Dobby, I need to be fully rested to record their grades so that none of them fail needlessly."
"I's could do it for you Harry Potter. That way you's could have you's rest." Dobby said hopefully as getting Harry up in the morning was not his favorite job in the world to do.
"I'd really hate to ask you to do my work for me; it wouldn't be fair to you."
"Oh no Harry Potter, sir, that's is fine with Dobby."
Harry thought about it for a moment and asked, "Dobby if I gave you the choice, which would you rather do, get me up in the morning or set up the course?"
Dobby looked timid for a moment and said, "I's is rather facing the dark lord alone than getting you's out of bed, sir."
Harry laughed.
To Be Continued…
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Author's Note: To everyone who reviewed, thanks again...
athenakitty wrote Firstie! Percy's gets some advice from Harry? Which goes first, the OWLs or the NEWTs? Will Percy take Harry's advice and run with it? Why does Petunia want to spend time with Harry? Will Winky make an encore performance? Will Percy swallow his pride?
Answer - Well, to start out, 5th & 7th years take their written exams at the same time. They're written and in complete silence so the 15 of them can do them all together, however, practicals are done individually starting with the 7th years alphabetically, then the 5th years alphabetically. Thats the way JKR did it in book 5.
You know, I've been thinking about it and when I finish this story, I'm going to miss the little emails I get from Miss Athena Kitty! I soooooo look forward to them.
Zaptor wrote I really like this story a lot! Are you going to write another one after you finish this? I hope you do!
Answer - Actually, I'm either going to do a sequel or the prequel about how How got rid of Draco during 7th year.
Sweet Sakura Curls wrote Great chapter! I love how Aunt Petunia keeps coming up. Is Harry going to attend all the confernces that he was asked too? Love your story, Can't wait to see what happens, Update soon!
Answer - Thanks! The attendance of the conferences, will probably be in the sequel, since this story is almost over.
Tynkerbell wrote nice chappie. the story has lost some of its momentum for me though. because the way your heading it will be a fairytale ending so I hope u add in some more probs for harry, (I know aunt petunia might be considered a problem) is live is just a little 2 perfect.
Answer - Where did I loose you exactly? I was not planning on a fairy tale ending. Petunia and the conferences are a set up for the sequel, if I write one. :D As for problems, well, you'll have to wait & see. The story is almost over, be a pity to stop reading now.
Wytil wrote Are we thinking that Harry will finally get married? Wonder if any of Ginny's orphanage children would come to Honeychurch? Come to think of it how are Harry and Vespa planning on spending their summer? Cruise ship?
Answer - Harry will not be getting married anytime soon, they're barely been going out for afew months. Wizards court witches for along time. Funny you should mention the Child Care Facility. :)
By Darkmoore
Harry looked at this letter three times before turning to Vesta and saying, "I think my aunt has lost her marbles."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter Thirty: Loose Ends
"Marbles? Whatever are marbles, Harry?" Vesta asked
"You purebloods are hopeless you know that?" Fitzy asked her best friend teasingly.
Harry chuckled at them, but continued, "No, she wants me to visit her again after the school year ends and she wants you to come with me."
"Do you want to go again?" Vesta asked
"I don't know, but if I did I would only do it if you went with me."
"You know Harry I think you should dump Vesta here and take me instead." Fitzy said with a wink.
Vesta spun her head and gave her friend a stern look while Harry laughed.
* * * * *
After breakfast was over and the examiners went on their way to their quarters to pack to leave the school and return to the ministry, Harry took the opportunity to speak with Edwina alone in her office.
"Edwina, I was wondering if I might have a private chat with you this morning." Harry asked
"Of course, Harry what can I help you with? I hope it's not another bout of rampaging Veela again." she replied with a laugh.
"Merlin help me if that ever happens again." Harry said sourly, but continued on more cheerfully, "Actually I received a letter this morning from a good friend of mine, Ginny Weasley, who operates the Sirius Black Memorial Child Care Facility."
"Yes." Edwina indicated for Harry to go on.
"Well it seems that there a large number of students who have come of age and are ready to come to school next autumn. Many of them know that I am teaching here and have requested that they sent to school here at Honeychurch. I wanted to talk to you, because that may cause a greater influx of students than we are used to."
"How many students are we talking about Harry?"
"Five boys and four girls will soon be eleven years old."
"Well that's not the outrageous number that I was expecting you to say, it's a manageable number of new students."
"Edwina, that's not counting the number of students that would have been coming to Honeychurch normally." Harry pointed out.
Edwina sighed and said, "I have no idea how many children will be coming into the school each year, so I'm not going to worry about it until the summer."
"Alright, then I won't either. There was also something I wanted to talk to you about. I've been invited to be a panelist in two conferences this summer, one of which concerns the Department of Magical Education."
Edwina's eyes rose into her hairline, "Really Harry? That's wonderful; maybe you can keep Honeychurch from closing."
"Don't worry, that's not going to happen no matter what." Harry admitted absently.
"Why is that Harry?" she asked hopefully.
Then he realized what he had just said. 'Damn' he thought. "No reason, I just feel it in my bones."
"Hmmm" Edwina said, then continued, "Now tell me about these conferences you've been invited to."
* * * * *
Later that afternoon Harry could see several students enjoying the nice weather by flying around the pitch or laying out on the grounds talking to one another from his office window. He remembered what it was like when he was their age and wished he could join them, but he had end of year tests to give to the first through fourth years and to the sixth years as well, as it was now their turn to be tested.
Deciding that he was hungry, Harry started to go down to the kitchen to raid it for a snack when he passed Professor Proctor's office door and decided it was time to ask him something that had been on his mind for some time now. So Harry knocked.
"Come" replied the gruff voice of the transfiguration teacher.
"Botolf?" Harry asked, "Are you busy?"
"Yes I'm always busy with something, what can I do for you Potter?"
"I was wondering something. That day on the pitch at the final game of the season, you told Mr. Stahl and Mr. Gerard that you were proud of them."
"Yes I did."
"Then why did you try to have them expelled?" asked a confused Harry.
Botolf laughed for a few moments and then sobered and began to explain, "I'm not an easy man to get to know or to get along with, so bear with me for a moment."
Harry nodded and became very interested in the story he was about to hear.
"When I was a younger man, probably about your age now, I was married and had a son named Ulfred. He was the most beautiful baby boy in the world." Botolf said and sighed. "When he was old enough I sent him to Durmstrang, where I went to school. That ended up being the biggest mistake of my life."
Harry continued to listen and sat in one of the chairs in the office as Botolf continued his story.
"When he was about sixteen, he fell in love with another boy at school. I don't think they were together, but Ulfred was very much in love with him. I know that because he was floating around the previous summer like a young fool in love, so that part I know is true. However, Durmstrang is not as liberated of a school as others are on the continent and the students weren't allowed to show love to one another."
"No dating at all at Durmstrang? What do the students do?" Harry asked
"Sneak around a lot of the time and hope that they don't get caught or pregnant. Anyway, Ulfred was found out as being gay and he was too afraid to tell me about it and too afraid that someone from the school would tell me about it. So one night he climbed to the top of the tallest tower at the castle and threw himself off of it. The found my beautiful baby boy impaled on an outcropping of rock later."
Botolf stopped for a moment to collect himself, and Harry was gathering his thoughts as well, still confused.
"But that doesn't explain why you are so hard on the two of them. Why aren't you kinder to them, as you wished you had been for your son?" Harry asked really wanting to know.
"I want them to fight me." Botolf replied. "I want them to stand up to me and to anyone else, for their rights to love and be loved as they see fit. I'm trying to teach them how to be independent adults who are capable of taking care of themselves without help from anyone."
Harry started to respond, but was cut off as Botolf continued, "I know that you don't agree with me, but they have you and Vesta and Fitzy and Edwina to coddle them. They need someone to be a general pain in their arse that they can stand up to and tell to go right straight to hell."
"Mr. Gerard isn't as headstrong as Mr. Stahl is; what's going to happen next year?" Harry asked.
"He'll probably mope around the castle waiting to graduate and missing his young lover like mad. Don't worry I won't pick on them too much, unless he gets a new boyfriend." Botolf said with a chuckle.
"Alright then, why were you so nice to me during that Malfoy Veela thing?"
"That was beyond your control and you were trying to help him out in order to get rid of him. I probably would have left you to it, but he was just so damned annoying."
Harry was rolling with laughter and somehow managed to say, "You don't know the half of it."
* * * * *
As the examiners were putting their luggage into the carriages to take them down to the train station to return to the ministry to compile the scores of the students, Percy once more attempted to engage Harry in a conversation.
"Harry, may I have a word?" he asked load enough for Professor Marwood to hear.
"Alright."
"I wanted to let you know that I sent an owl to mum and dad and I'm going to be seeing them soon."
"Good Weatherby, she'll like that. I think she misses you." Harry said to him.
"Must you call me that name?"
"Better get used to it, that's the name your brothers have labeled you with. They refuse to call you anything else but that name. So I would suggest either growing thick skin when around them or visiting your parents when they are not around. In fact if I were you, I'd avoid the twins altogether."
"Well at least we're friends again." Percy said importantly hoping his colleges had heard him.
"What I said was to make peace with me; you had to make it with your family first. Until you do that then there is no peace with me, just the possibility of it." Harry replied making Percy hope that his colleges had NOT heard them.
"Well, I had better be going now. We have a long journey ahead of us."
"Have a safe trip." said Harry and then went about his business as usual.
* * * * *
First thing on Saturday morning at breakfast the class sponsors were making their way around the dining hall handing out new schedules to the students. Not course schedules, but rather the end of year examination schedules for the first through fourth and sixth years.
"Sir, can't we pretend we took these tests already?" Will whined to Harry that morning.
"Afraid not Mr. Beagle." said Harry and then he moved on to the girls.
* * * * *
When Harry awoke on Monday morning he was wide eyed, for one in his life, and attempted to spring out of bed and into the shower. However, the beautiful creature beside him in bed had well pinned in place and he thought that she looked far too lovely to be disturbed. So instead he watched her for a few minutes before he knew he had to wake her for the day, today was the beginning of their end of year examinations.
Harry then remembered that she didn't have to give a test that morning, hers didn't begin until the afternoon, while Harry had to give two that day. The fourth years first thing that morning and then the sixth years in the afternoon. So Harry made his way into the shower and began his morning ritual of getting ready.
After breakfast he met the fourth years in his classroom to begin their exams. They had been given a four hour period to do their exams in; however, they didn't need the whole time. Their written exams took a little over an hour to complete. Then the practical demonstrations they had to perform lasted 15 minutes per student, each going one at a time as Harry called their names at random by pulling out a slip of parchment from a bag. The practicals took just under two hours to complete and Harry released them early so they could go and study for their next exam, Potions, which would take place after lunch.
After lunch Harry repeated this process with the sixth years, except their written essays took them just under an hour, which was good as their practical demonstrations were 20 – 25 minutes per student. They ran over slightly in their allotted time, which was fine, as it was the last exam of the day.
When dinner was over and Harry had given Vesta a large wet kiss in the corridor, he went up to his office and began grading essays. He wanted to make sure they were reviewed very carefully and took his time with each one. He had already recorded grades on the practical demonstrations as they were performed in class, so half of his work was already completed.
After Harry had completed reading and recording the grades for the fourth year's work, he called for Dobby.
"Harry Potter sir, is you needing Dobby tonight?"
"Actually, I need you to do me a VERY important favor Dobby, if you wouldn't mind that is." Harry replied to his elfin friend.
"Anything, Harry Potter, anything you's is needing."
"I need to set up the obstacle course for the student in the morning and I need to be awake by five in the morning. Do you think you can get me up by then?" Harry asked hopefully, knowing full well, he was hard to wake up.
Dobby looked at him doubtfully and said, "I is trying Harry Potter, but you's knows how you's is in the morning. Why isn't you's just staying up all night, that would make sure you's is awake at that time."
Harry laughed, as the thought had already crossed his mind. "No, Dobby, I need to be fully rested to record their grades so that none of them fail needlessly."
"I's could do it for you Harry Potter. That way you's could have you's rest." Dobby said hopefully as getting Harry up in the morning was not his favorite job in the world to do.
"I'd really hate to ask you to do my work for me; it wouldn't be fair to you."
"Oh no Harry Potter, sir, that's is fine with Dobby."
Harry thought about it for a moment and asked, "Dobby if I gave you the choice, which would you rather do, get me up in the morning or set up the course?"
Dobby looked timid for a moment and said, "I's is rather facing the dark lord alone than getting you's out of bed, sir."
Harry laughed.
To Be Continued…
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Author's Note: To everyone who reviewed, thanks again...
athenakitty wrote Firstie! Percy's gets some advice from Harry? Which goes first, the OWLs or the NEWTs? Will Percy take Harry's advice and run with it? Why does Petunia want to spend time with Harry? Will Winky make an encore performance? Will Percy swallow his pride?
Answer - Well, to start out, 5th & 7th years take their written exams at the same time. They're written and in complete silence so the 15 of them can do them all together, however, practicals are done individually starting with the 7th years alphabetically, then the 5th years alphabetically. Thats the way JKR did it in book 5.
You know, I've been thinking about it and when I finish this story, I'm going to miss the little emails I get from Miss Athena Kitty! I soooooo look forward to them.
Zaptor wrote I really like this story a lot! Are you going to write another one after you finish this? I hope you do!
Answer - Actually, I'm either going to do a sequel or the prequel about how How got rid of Draco during 7th year.
Sweet Sakura Curls wrote Great chapter! I love how Aunt Petunia keeps coming up. Is Harry going to attend all the confernces that he was asked too? Love your story, Can't wait to see what happens, Update soon!
Answer - Thanks! The attendance of the conferences, will probably be in the sequel, since this story is almost over.
Tynkerbell wrote nice chappie. the story has lost some of its momentum for me though. because the way your heading it will be a fairytale ending so I hope u add in some more probs for harry, (I know aunt petunia might be considered a problem) is live is just a little 2 perfect.
Answer - Where did I loose you exactly? I was not planning on a fairy tale ending. Petunia and the conferences are a set up for the sequel, if I write one. :D As for problems, well, you'll have to wait & see. The story is almost over, be a pity to stop reading now.
Wytil wrote Are we thinking that Harry will finally get married? Wonder if any of Ginny's orphanage children would come to Honeychurch? Come to think of it how are Harry and Vespa planning on spending their summer? Cruise ship?
Answer - Harry will not be getting married anytime soon, they're barely been going out for afew months. Wizards court witches for along time. Funny you should mention the Child Care Facility. :)