April, 1984 - 4 moths later
Harold and Carly decided to retire from the Ministry permanently. Seeing the way Crouch treated his own son at that farce of a trial, was just too much for a lot of aurors.
Harold bought into Quality Quidditch Supplies and was hoping to take over the Diagon Alley branch soon. Carly surprised us all and got married to her Hogwarts sweetheart in a quiet ceremony overlooking the sea. She accepted an offer of permanent employment from Mungo's, she seemed to be settling down and enjoying it. I received an offer to stay on at the ministry, and to see about the details after this sabbatical. I look down at the lands of my parents keep. I try to listen to the sounds of the winds and birds, rather then the sounds of screaming I keep hearing in my ears.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath of the clean air. When I open my eyes again, and looking out over the wall I see an owl heading towards me.
I automatically reach for the pouch of owl treats I carry, glad that the idleness hasn't broken all my habits. Receiving the treat gratefully after delivering its letter, it flew off. I cringe when I see the letter is from Professor Dumbledore at Hogwarts, but the content surprised me into a rare smile.
Dear Miss Lory Finnigan,
You have been recommended highly to me as an expert on old brooms and broomstick restoration. Hogwarts has received many brooms over the years as donations, and just received another such donation this spring term. When we went to put them away we discovered we are out of room in our broom barn.
A friend of mine at the ministry said you were taking some well-deserved time off, and might be looking for a change of pace for the duration. Hogwarts would like to offer you temporary employment as a broom sorter and technician. Compensation for your time can be worked out if you choose to join us here. As you will be considered staff, living accommodations, room and board here at Hogwarts will be provided.
Please either reply by owl, or come in person as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
A broom sorter? Despite everything, I couldn't help but smile in anticipation.
Only once did I ever get a look inside the broom barn, and I remember it as some would a glimpse of tangible bliss. It was during my third year while I was being trained for Quidditch, and the Captain was trying to find a suitable broom for me as a chaser. The newer racing brooms were towards the front, but he made a comment about there being thousands of brooms in various states of repair in that building.
Even then I had a fascination with old brooms and trying to make them fly again. To be offered this as a job? I ran downstairs to tell my family the news.
A week later, I stood in the fully open doorway of the Hogwarts broom shed. My memory hadn't failed me; there were literally thousands of brooms here in the two-story barn. I'd outlined my plan of approach to Dumbledore this morning. First I bring every broom out onto the Quidditch field. Then I would sort the brooms by year and functionality, then make and model. Finally help while the necessary repairs and upgrades were made to the barn-roof, and foundation.
I'd be working side by side with Filch and Hagrid for that. We wanted to install multiple broom racks and magical lighting throughout the barn. And place brooms for general and advanced flying lessons in the rooms on the first floor, the more valuable racing brooms on the remodeled second. Finally, we would finish the remodeling of Madame Hooch's office, with plans she submitted to Dumbledore before she left for the summer term, and the addition of my office/living quarters as well as workroom.
With no students around, I figured this would take the whole summer and most of next fall. I will finally begin my part-time teaching assignment at that point and will technically be back on ¼ time at the ministry.
Well, first things first. Move the brooms to the Quidditch field so Hagrid and Filch can start on those repairs. I hold my wand at ready, and cast, "UP!"
As one, nearly every broom in the room floated off the ground, some fluttered weakly, while others didn't move. Directing the able ones to the Quidditch field, I notice Dumbledore, Filch, and Hagrid are sitting in the stands and watching the parade of brooms in the morning sunlight. When I get the first lot entirely through the entrance, I jump on one and fly among them, ordering them to hover about 4 feet above the ground two feet apart in rows. I can see a wide variety of makes models and years.
"Lets see, about three brooms, one for general use, one for racing, and one 'family broom" a year come on the market and have since before Hogwarts was founded." I mentally grid out the large field accordingly into thirds, and two of those columns I split into ten sub-sections.
With casting a visible grid spell, Filch, Hagrid, and Dumbledore saw a wide grid appear across the field.
In this first sorting, all I am concerned about is age and usability.
"Sortire Anyo." The brooms fly around like sparrows until they have placed themselves accordingly across the field. While they sort themselves out, I fly back for the next batch, opening every door and storage room in the barn as I go. I continue to do this until the shed is empty of all the brooms that are still able to move under their own momentum.
All in all, nearly 1200 brooms flew out, some of which dated from before Hogwart's founding. Some didn't fly straight, others looked a little chewed on by mice, or a bit weather worn, but all of these were still strong enough flyers to move without too much pressure from me.
I notice several house elves talking to Dumbledore, carrying trays of food. Hagrid and Filch had left at some point. I fly up into the stands when I see the professor motioning to me. "It looks like it will take some time for all of them to finish sorting themselves." He motions to the brooms still flying around. "Take some time out for lunch."
"Truthfully, Professor, as long as it's been for some of them to fly in the sun, I can't tell if they're sorting themselves or playing." I say laughingly, surprising myself. I know how much the professor values honesty, even if the truth is uncomfortable for the teller. His eyes twinkled at me through his spectacles and gave a small smile.
We eat a quiet lunch while the brooms slowly come to rest in rows inside the grid I laid out. Occasionally I have to redirect brooms that look like they're trying to escape. The sun is shining warmly on the entire scene, and I am hit with a wave of nostalgia of playing Quidditch here for the first time. How simple everything seemed then, and how long ago five years felt.
A small sigh escapes me, but doesn't escape Dumbledore's notice.
Dumbledore pulled a much-read letter out of his robes and handed it to me silently. I recognized Moody's handwriting immediately despite the more formal wording:
"Professor Dumbledore, I am writing in regards to a colleague of ours, Lory Finnigan. I'm sure you heard of what happened to the Longbottom's and after. Frank was a very valued member of our team, as well as her mentor. The ministry has put all of us on 6-month sabbatical for the duration, but after a brief visit, I don't think she's taking the idleness very well. She's never been one to sit still this long.
Lory has been working with your dark-arts defense league for about four years, do you think there's anything you could have her do full-time at Hogwarts while she regains her balance?"
Numbly, I drop the hand holding the letter and feel my shoulders slump.
"Is there anything you'd like to tell me, Lory?" I lean on the rail. I know Dumbledore would understand. I also know he is one person who will not betray confidences. And he wouldn't ask if he didn't want to know.
"It's been horrible for everyone these past several years, Professor. Chasing Voldemort, his followers, trying to discover who was involved by choice, who was not... The ministry had their hands full enough that many people went to Azkaban with only circumstantial evidence, and nothing solid. I have a file full of people who based on the physical evidence, just might be innocent. And a few, out walking around most definitely are not. But that's only part of it.
"There is the screaming, and the blood, and the victims, and the tears. Neville was only the most recent child I've had to deliver to other relatives when their parents were killed or worse. Then there are the children we found that didn't make it, to say nothing about those caught in the cross-fire." I had to blink quickly to clear my eyes.
"But Frank... he was my mentor, and more then that he was a friend. Not my first by a long shot that I've lost, but still it comes back to Voldemort. And his death-eaters trying to find out where he is to bring him back. I have no doubt they're going to succeed someday. And in the meantime some of the best defenders on our side lie rotting in Azkaban, kibble for the dementors." A beat my fist against the railing.
"Then about two weeks after the Crouch trial, I hit burn-out. It hurts to admit this, but as Moody kept telling me, find someone to talk to. Guess he finally arranged things so it would be you. Please, express my thanks to him when you see him next."
"My team got called into assist in one of those investigations and clean up we're working REALLY hard to keep the full details out of the papers. There was one town, like Hogsmeade, a fully magical community- thriving. Well, it was damaged pretty badly during the wars with the giants; many civilians were hurt and trampled. But that was where we finally caught the last three who tortured the Longbottom's, the Lestranges and Crouch's son."
"There were about ten others with them in an abandoned building, and they'd been cornered. Those three were the ones who held the ministry off while the rest disapparated. We didn't know that they were apperating into the two surrounding houses and one tenant building and putting the inhabitants to the wand and knife. Not until we'd bound the three at the building, and by then it was too late. They kept chanting as they ran through the streets, "Blood and death for our Master! Bring back Voldemort!"
"We finally got reinforcements, and bound those three for questioning. Warren, Harold, and I were called out to assist the other town guardians on the squad. I got into one of the burning houses, it was a mess." I realized I was wringing my hands again. I put my head down on the railing. The metal felt cool against my flushed skin. But with my eyes closed I could see the scene as clearly as if it were in front of me.
"I saw a death-eater with a knife to a toddlers throat, one who was not much older then Neville. He cast the cruciatius curse at me- not the first time I've felt that bone searing pain, but when it stopped I felt this rush of rage and hate as I'd never experienced before and hope never to experience again- hard on that came a building of power. And I did something I never even thought I was capable of, Professor. I cast an unforgivable at him. All of us had been taught how by Crouch, and told to use what we knew. I never have for all these years. But I killed that death-eater, right where he stood. I killed him. And the toddler he was holding so closely to him. "
"They found me in a corner, cradling that poor infant. Harold, and Moody found me. They got me out of there pretty quickly. I couldn't barely speak or take care of myself for almost a week; the spell took that much power out of me. It was weeks before I could do anything other then basic spells. Carly wasn't sure if I'd finished myself off or not. Harold did the paper write up for the Ministry."
"We've all been put on sabbatical ever since, and my team has mostly retired. I've been offered both severance pay as well as continued employment by the ministry. I've not really decided what to do. In the meantime, I just need a place to rebalance again, stay busy, and still feel useful."
I felt a strong hand on my shoulder both comforting and reassuring at the same time.
"Time will help with this, but I'm guessing it will truly never be okay for you. I too, am thankful that Moody sent you here for your retreat. Know that you are safe here, Lory. And you can stay as long as you need to fully recover. I shall inform the Ministry of that."
"Thank you, Professor." I notice two house-elves coming over for the lunch trays, one carrying a pumpkin-juice pitcher and a single glass that they leave behind. Dumbledore stood up and made his way back to the school, leaving me with a Quidditch stadium full of sorted broomsticks, all quietly hovering about four feet off the ground.
I grab the broomstick I was using and head back to the shed to start re-energizing and mobilizing the sluggish ones.
Its work I can do, almost find enjoyment doing, and needs done.
I'd managed to coax a few hundred of the reluctant brooms into flight and out onto the Quidditch field. I'd also dehexed a quite a few racing brooms and they were flying beautifully. I'm going to have to make a strong recommendation for anti-hexing spells in the future. I switched back to my own broom, grabbed my quick quotes quill and paper for the notes I needed to take.
Once all the brooms that were able to fly even a little bit were out on the field, I removed my movement charms from all the brooms gathered and set them into an automatic hover position. Many brooms immediately dropped, some of the older brooms all the way to the ground. I set a simple color charm on them to mark the handles of these brooms.
Next, I needed to run a load-bearing check to be sure that the brooms could safely carry weight. I cast a barrier and began to slowly increase the gravity around the rows of brooms. When 15 brooms dropped immediately at 11.3 kg (aprx. 25lbs), my suspicions were confirmed. I cast a second color on these handles, and noted down time and pressure per color with my quick-quotes quill. I cast the more complicated charm to steadily increase the weight so that every ¼ hour would add another 12 kg. Every 15 minutes I'd mark the brooms that fell with a different color and take notes.
About four hours later, around teatime, Dumbledore reappeared with a handsome well-dressed couple carrying a toddler. It was people like this at the ministry that kept even the aurors coming into the office cleaned and pressed unless there wasn't any other choice. Dumbledore waved me over and introduced us.
"Lory Finnigan- this is Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, and their son Draco. Lucius has been sent by the student governors to speak with you regarding your position and terms of employment." In other words this blond, impeccably robed gentlemen is here to justify my position and the terms of my wages.
I suddenly remembered Malfoy from my days at Hogwarts and work at the Ministry. I look quite a bit different from then, but even so the Slytherins usually didn't have eyes for Ravenclaw students. I remember that he prided himself on being 'pure-blood' and good at Quidditch. I remember the year we won the Quidditch cup after a surprise 360-10 win against his team. I smile from the memory and shake his hand.
"My wages haven't been discussed yet." I phrase it as a question.
"We also haven't discussed why or for what Dumbledore hired you." His voice was smooth, and dripping with scorn. As if he thought the entire world was beneath him. I'd heard others speak like that, and all of them were death-eaters and other dark-magicians I'd questioned. Looking at the field I made a quick-note in the margin of my notepad to make an inquiry about him. I looked back to Dumbledore while he answered the question.
"Over the years Hogwarts has received generous donations of broomsticks from our alumni for students use. When we sent to store this years donations, we found we had run out of room in the broom barn. Miss Finnigan came highly recommended as an expert to sort and repair the salvageable and remove the non-working brooms from service."
"Non-working brooms?" He looked slightly non-pulsed that Hogwarts had a stockpile of brooms that didn't fly.
I answered his question by pointing to the ones on the ground. "Those are the ones who have dropped out under 68 kg (about 150lbs), the lower average weight of your older male students. Some were unable to hover under their own power- but even those types of problems can often be repaired once identified. As for the rest still in the barn, they still need to be diagnosed."
"How many brooms are out there all together, and how many left in the barn that don't fly?"
"Approximately 1,400 on the field. Most likely a quarter of those are not going to pass this initial inspection. They range from the newest models, all the way to brooms from before the founding. There are still a few hundred burn-outs left in the barn." A look of complete disdain passed over his face. He's the type who will only fly the best out there regardless of price, fly it broom into the ground, then replace it. His next words only confirmed this assessment.
"Tell me, again, why this isn't a waste of time?"
"In 10 years when your son is here, he could end up on a broom that can't properly support his weight." Narcissa clutched Draco to her tightly.
"I will be making the necessary repairs and maintenance to the brooms, as well as working on the barn to improve storage of the brooms."
"And how many of those brooms are from the last, say 80 years?"
"The ones on the bottom-right quarter of the field." There were three brooms on the ground there, I'd have to do some research but I'm guessing a manufactures defect. Lucius continued speaking.
"I'll have to speak with the other governors, but I see no reason to keep brooms older then say, 75 years. But how many brooms will that leave us with?"
"Maybe 5 or 6 hundred at best. The school charter insists there be at least one fully functional broom per student and staff member in case of an emergency that requires full evacuation. I'm guessing that's why we still have brooms dating back to the founding." I saw him visibly cringe. While the thought of being able to fly on a broom with that much history thrills me, it seemed to disgust him. Obviously has never tried it. "Even if you bought every broom on the used market, and the cheapest of the generic brooms out there- your average price for a decent broom is still 15 galleons a piece." I watched him do the mental calculations based on current enrollment. The student population is down right now, but a student boom is expected in several years as the post-war babies start entering Hogwarts.
"I'll have to speak with the governors, but I'm sure I can safely say burn the lot of the ones left in the barn. A complete waste of time." He sneered.
"As for the rest, save enough to cover the staff, and the past years enrollment plus the difference of this years enrollment. Choose from the youngest brooms first, and then burn the rest of those as well. We don't need to be storing such waste. Do upgrade the barn, I remember it from my students days." Another visible and dramatic shudder for emphasis.
"Now, about your pay..." His voice trailed off. I was looking back over field at some of the older brooms drooping under the increasing weight. I think really, really quickly, forming a plan.
"Dumbledore suggested 25 galleons a day including your housing and boarding costs. Do you have any objections to that?" It was obvious that he did.
All right Finnigan, give him an offer they cannot refuse.
"How about 12 galleons/day including room and board, and the first choice of any broom you and the other governors decide for the burn pile?" Dumbledore looked stunned at my counter offer.
"As long as we get a fair demonstration that all your doing is hauling off the junk, I'm sure that will be acceptable. I'll present these new terms to the Governors. I'll see myself out, Dumbledor. Narcissa?" He beckoned to his wife who immediately followed carrying Draco.
Dumbledore turned to me, "Are you sure you want that little for all this work?"
"Little? Were talking about close to 300 brooms, not counting the ones left in the barn, and some of those are working 'antiques'!" I could barely contain my excitement. "Do you know what this means to me?"
"You finally get the seed for that broom restoration business of yours." He said with dawning realization, "and with the combined wages this summer plus the bones compensation you receive from the ministry for combat pay, you can purchase that broom and wand tree farm and build the workshop you were telling be about last week. Very clever move, Miss Lory- very clever indeed."
I just smiled.
I don't believe it.
I don't believe it.
I don't believe it.
But here it is, in my hands. An actual Silver Arrow I, Silver Special- Artemis Edition. Only 600 of these were ever made. I could just make out the silver birch, silver oak, and ironwood handle through the accumulated dust and cobwebs. It had been lying in the corner of this dark room. It's birch-twig, broom, and heather brush end had been chewed by mice.
The line was pure and not warped, the balance was still sound, the grip smooth and firm. The magic was totally dormant from complete disuse. Even under the grime, it was beautiful. I wondered if I could respell it to fly. I currently ride a Silver Arrow II that I refurbished, and I have yet to ride a broom that rivals it. But I couldn't help but wonder if I would find this one superior as some of the oldsters in the quidditch league claim.
I heard Dumbledore's heavy footsteps on the landing outside.
"Lory?' He called out.
"In here, Professor." His head appeared in the storage room doorway.
"The governors have decided to accept the terms of your pay. But after their walkthrough yesterday evening, they see no reason to keep any of the brooms left in here. Point of fact, they offered to just burn the place and its contents down and start over. I pointed out that Madame Hooch's office and living quarters were in the building."
To my surprise, I started laughing in relief. Dumbledore put his hand on my shoulder, with a look of surprise on his face. "What's wrong? What happened?"
"Its mine, Professor! It doesn't fly now, but it can with work. This one is mine! The best broom supposedly made this century!" I start laughing with the tears still coursing down my face. I hand him the broomstick I'm holding. When restored the broom might be worth more by itself then the rest of the brooms out on the Quidditch field. He looks at it with interest, eyes widening with sudden understanding.
"And they would have it burned. Best that such a broom goes to such a caring aficionado. How many more rooms to clear out before Hagrid and Filch can start the remodeling and repairs?"
"Three more on this floor. I'm searching the dust practically by hand for this last lot. The ones that couldn't fly for lack of a tail-brush, or were too dormant to be picked up by the charms. I think that every broom that has ever come to Hogwarts is still here." Dumbledore smiled, something I've seen him do very rarely of late.
"I think I'd like to expand the proposed display room waiting area of the brooms of Hogwarts, out into the hallway, between Madame Hooch's office and mine. We'd been tossing this idea around, and I think she'd like it. There are also some of these I'd like to clean up and send over to the International Quidditch Museum in Scotland as a Hogwarts donation. They've been wanting even non-flying examples of the early brooms for ages, this would be a great service to them."
"Sounds like a good idea." He said approvingly. "And since the governors have decided they don't care what becomes of these brooms, we only need to inform them of our decision." Dumbledore followed me to the next room.
We received another surprise, this time a broom the size and girth of a small tree.
"Ah! I wondered where that one had gone! That's Hagrid's student broom. We had it special ordered when we found out he would be joining us here."
"I wonder if he would like to have it. The wood-eater repelling charms are still in tact, so I'm guessing the primary problem is simply dormancy. I could give it a full overhaul to be sure?"
"I think he would like that. He's often said that regular brooms make him nervous, but that bike of his is too noisy for patrolling the forest. Go ahead, that sounds like a splendid idea."
"Winardium Leviosa" It floated off the floor, and I directed it out the door, over the railing, and out to the work area I had set up on the quidditch field.
Compared to the previous rooms, the last room was almost disappointing. There were about fifteen old racing brooms that would probably go to the either the display case or the museum. Dumbledore helped me levitate them out to the two piles of racing and non-racing brooms on the waterproofed field. I was still carrying the Silver Arrow 1 to add to the pile of brooms I had specially chosen to have transported to my own workshop.
The final broom removal being done, we went to tell Hagrid and Filch that the barn was ready for the remodeling.