Hermione sat alone in the library with the newest edition of "Hogwarts – A History" perched precariously on the desk in front of her. New, in wizarding terms, meant published at the end of the First World War. It had taken days to find amongst all the other older versions but she had it now and flipped to page 895 eagerly. The last edition finished before the 1850's at page 895 and sure enough this edition picked up from that point.
For hours Hermione gleefully ate up everything this "new" edition had to offer. In 1852 Hogwarts had been more than a school; it had been a community centre where whole families lived and worked together. It had been the leading magical research hub in Europe if not in the whole world. It was the prestigious place to say you studied in. Yet Hogwarts was no more than a school now and Hermione's thirst for knowledge had been kindled when the 1853 edition ended abruptly at the start of the Last Goblin Rebellion.
Hogwarts, it transpired, had been attacked and many British wizarding folk killed in the battle. At the time Hogwarts was a nodal point between several large wizarding villages, including Hogsmeade, which were now barely surviving if still there. Hogwarts housed upwards of 5,000 permanent residents and in times of dire need could take up to 10,000 within its magically expanded walls. During the Last Goblin Rebellion some 1156 of the 8934 people seeking refuge there had been killed when one of Hogwarts' magical shields failed. Powerful Wizard involvement was suspected as the goblin leaders carried illegal wands but nobody was ever convicted. Much of the castle was left in ruins and many families moved out of the area shortly afterwards. It seemed once again to be the beginning of the end for wizards and witches.
Yet thirty years later Hogwarts was a functioning school again, if considerably smaller than previously. It had a new education system in place where students studied a basic three year course and then went into apprenticeship or stayed at Hogwarts to do advanced study. Until the restoration of the Hogwarts Library in 1900 most students left Hogwarts at the end of their three years although there were some notable exceptions. Hogwarts, in a relatively short period of time, had a large number of students who went on to be famous in their own chosen careers. Magical instruction became popular again and Hogwarts introduced its first 7 year schooling programme in 1910, showing itself once again to be pioneers in the field of education.
End edition…
Hermione let out a sigh of relief. All her questions had been answered. Casually she glanced at her watch and nearly yelped when she saw how late it was! Half nine! The library would be closed for the night if she didn't leave soon. Gathering her books to her chest she ran out the door, ignoring the annoyed glare Madam Pinez threw her way as she left…
Mary Poppins goes to Hogwarts
AUGUST 1899 – Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Mary Poppins deposited her large carpet travel bag beside her feet and looked around at the huge Front Hall a little apprehensively. She couldn't remember being in a room this big before, nor so tremendously decorated. A grand staircase led up to two huge wooden doors where the group of students stood clustered together. Most of them looked about her age, some perhaps younger and others a little older. They held amongst them an incredible mix of classes and races; English, Irish, French, there was even a boy who looked African. Mary couldn't help staring; outside of Punch comics she had never seen a black person before.
All the people around her seemed uncomfortable with their surroundings. All with the exception of one cheery-faced boy who perched happily on his shabby trunk.
"Allo!" He said when he noticed her looking "what'cha looking at?"
Mary glanced away quickly and felt her cheeks glow brightly. How embarrassing to have been caught staring at a common street boy. He hadn't washed in weeks if his face and hands were anything to go by!
The boy shrugged and casually struck up conversation with the lean African who also stood a little apart from the group. Mary thought he was very brave and then instantly rebuked herself. Her invitation to Hogwarts had stated very clearly that there was to be no class, gender or race bias within its walls and Mary's thoughts had been distinctly crossing that line, she must be more careful.
If truth be told Mary wasn't sure what to expect by coming here. Magical training? She still wasn't sure she quite believed it. Yet the school had organised for it to appear that she was working in a posh house as household staff. Her parents had even met the "butler" when he was "hiring" people and were convinced that it was their own idea to send Mary away. The school paid her parents a small monthly wage and she had to write letters home every week to keep up the facade.
All was quiet apart from whispered chitchat between the two boys. She considered joining their conversation (as nobody else seemed in the mood to discuss anything) when slowly the massive oak doors inched open and a slim wizard wearing elaborate purple robes stepped out from between them. He clapped his hands twice and stood expecting the silence already present.
"Greetings, my fellow witches and witches. Welcome to Hogwarts". Silent faces turned towards him and stared, some awed, some shocked by his outlandish appearance. "My word, we are a cheery bunch this year aren't we?" he said peering around kindly through half-moon spectacles perched on his nose. "Well, if you'd all like to follow me I'll bring you into a room where you can deposit your luggage and then we'll proceed into the Great Hall. Hurry along now, the rest of the school is waiting."
The new arrivals shuffled about collecting various pieces of luggage and trudged cautiously into a side room to which a door had appeared as though by magic. Which, all things considered, it probably had. Then the slim, bearded wizard led them through the huge oak doors into an even huger room.
The room (if it could be considered a room it was so big) appeared to have an open roof, but though it rained the water droplets didn't make anything wet. Three half-full tables arranged in a sort of upside down U-shape stood at the other end of the hall. It was a long trudge up to the top for the scared newcomers. The wizard beckoned them to stand in the centre of the U as he himself took an empty spot on what was presumably the staff table.
A mangy hat seemed to be the centre of everyone's attention. It was really old and covered in lots of different types of patches. So many patches in fact that it was hard to say what colour the hat may have been originally. Mary wondered why they didn't have it mended properly or even replace it when suddenly it straightened up, opened a rip at the seam of its cap and, to their collective astonishment, started to sing loudly.
Although it is not common
For me to open floor
I hope you will forgive me
For I sort you into four
-
First comes all the noble blood
Heirs of magic breed
Ambitions great, fortunes good
Will to Slytherin thee lead
-
Second comes the learning sort
Books and Quills and Law
In this mind there is no doubt
Thou art for Ravenclaw
-
Thirdly are the lions
Of Godric Gryffindor
For brave and true and loyal ones too
You'll never seek for more
-
Lastly are our earthly folk
Friends when times are rough
Horse and carriage, rein and yolk
Thou art for Hufflepuff.
-
A round of wholehearted applause followed and the hat bowed its shabby tip to each of the teachers in turn and then to the two student tables. A teacher stood at either end of the staff table, each with a list of students. The Hat drew itself to its full height and boomed
"Let the Sorting commence!"
It took a mere twenty-five minutes for the seventy-something new students to be sorted. The boys then sat at the boys table and the girls at the girls table. In the wide expansive space that separated them a group of scrawny little men appeared carrying large silver cauldrons of soup and stacks of bowls. They served the staff first and then each student got a bowl. Mary had never seen anything like them before.
"Who are they?" she whispered
A girl wearing a shiny yellow "P" badge shook her head slightly and put a finger to her lips. As their soup was being ladled out she mouthed "House elves" to Mary over a spoonful. The rest of the meal, while delicious, was eaten in complete silence.
After dinner finished the staff made a dramatic exit through the two massive oak doors. It was as though a crushing weight had been lifted off their silent shoulders and students started talking happily amongst themselves.
The girl wearing the shiny yellow P badge introduced herself as Winifred Hayward, Hufflepuff prefect. "You're Ravenclaw aren't you" Mary started to nod but the girl continued without waiting for her to answer "Splendid! Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw girls share dormitories in the Old Tower block. Gryffindors and Slytherins are on the third floor dorms. I've never asked where the boys sleep. You'll see them all in the Student common room. It's wonderful. We all took part in creating it last year. I'm sure you'll love it" she said confidently. Mary got the feeling that even if she didn't like it Winifred would still think she loved it anyway.
House Elves escorted the girls to the Old Tower. They marched down dank, broken, candlelit corridors. Portraits' eyes literally followed them as they walked and Mary could have sworn she saw a pale, pearly figure vanish into a wall as they rounded a corner. At the end of the corridor a redwood door with stained glass windows stood ominously. Winifred pulled put a key that didn't look like it matched the lock but when she tapped itagainst the splintered wood the door swung open.
"It's my wand" she explained to the puzzled newcomers "everyone's wand disguises itself as something different and mine is a Key. You'll learn to hide yours in class but you have to master basic Transfiguration first".
Stepping over splinters of wood and pieces of chipped stone Winifred moved into the Old Tower and Mary followed her quickly, not wanting to be trapped in the dimly lit passageway.