The School Letter (1994)

Harry and Neville sat at the breakfast table for a few extra minutes each morning following the turn of the calendar from July to August. Their Hogwarts letters usually arrived via owls on 31 July but this year, the Daily Prophet carried an announcement that the new headmaster and deputy headmistress were delaying the letters for a few days to complete scheduling classes.

SLIGHT CHANGE OF SCENE

Headmaster Bennet was an American educator with an extensive history at all magical schools in the United States. He had excelled on the Duelling Circuit that reached from Canada to Argentina thirty years earlier before stepping into the classroom as a Defence and Duelling Professor for a school, then Head of Defence Department in a second school, and then Headmaster of a third school, all in the USA.

When the headmaster retired, he and his wife visited Britain several times – her home before marrying him almost fifty years earlier. In spring 1994, the couple was approached by several acquaintances from Britain who suggested he accept the position of Headmaster at Hogwarts to help ease Albus Dumbledore from the school.

"Why me?" Bennet asked.

His wife, a Hufflepuff graduate from Hogwarts in 1940, explained, "You are Dumbledore's equal with magic, his superior in duelling, and you have equal status with the ICW. The examination results for your school surpass Hogwarts in every subject area – the British ministry is very embarrassed to have this information spread about after lying and claiming that Hogwarts was the best school in the whole world. Dumbledore will make trouble for certain, but you can counter his manipulations with your own."

"Is your Hufflepuff mafia network activated, my dear?" Charles asked his wife.

She smiled and continued, "And there's room for me to teach as well. Professor Flitwick and Sprout mentioned teaching with Flitwick in the charms department."

Charles took Antonia's hand and said, "So you're back in the classroom, yeah?"

SLIGHT CHANGE OF SCENE

Their letters finally arrived, and Harry opened his letter quickly, finding his grades from the third year, the letter from the new headmaster, the book list, and then another paper with a complete list of the full staff and faculty for the upcoming school year. Neville and Harry remained at the table for a time and kept bringing each other's attention to different documents.

"The letter is from your grandmother and the headmaster."

"He's been a duelling champion, a DADA professor, and a headmaster for a long time. And his wife will be our transfiguration professor."

"What do you think this means about lectures by Dumbledore?"

"Gran is determined to pull every scrap of knowledge from his brain, but he'll be gone after this school year ends."

"Hey, there's going to be seminars on the differences between duelling and fighting. Professor Flitwick will teach those classes for our year," Harry said with excitement evident in his voice.

"Say, there are mandatory classes for me on what life is like for mundane people…is that muggles?"

"Yeah, and I have to go to classes on magic life…I hope they can tell me where the grocery stores are in Diagon Alley."

"What's a grocery store?" asked Neville.

"A greengrocer, dry goods, bakery, and butcher rolled into one," Harry explained.

"Oh, okay," Neville. "That'd be nice to not have to go to all the different stores."

"What about books?"

"Looks like the mandatory classes have books provided."

"Ah…those are the classes that Gran says the professors are providing the books for those classes. And there's a surprise! The store 'Flourish and Blotts' will have a trunk store at Hogwarts this year. A clerk will be there every day at lunch with a trunk that opens up to be a store. Any title that's not in stock in the trunk, can be delivered the next day. "

"That's really cool!"

"Wait – physical education! What's that?" Neville asked with confusion in his voice.

Neville looked sceptical after Harry's explanation of running, games, swimming, and weightlifting. When he saw an image of the uniform, he blushed and said, "That's like just wearing your underclothes! No wonder boys and girls are going to exercise separately!"

Harry smirked at the prudery of Magical Britain and wondered if that was why Dobby was so upset at the notion of nude statues. He wanted to take Neville to a beach to see whole families in swimwear playing in the sand and water.

After looking at the faculty list again, he announced, "I have eleven classes this year!"

"And we'll go to class every day except for Sunday," Neville said.

"Saturday is mostly revision classes and the different seminars," Harry said. "Oh bugger!"

Laughing Neville asked, "What's got you upset?"

"When will there be time for quidditch practice?"

CHANGE SCENE

"Dobby, take his bag of gold to Bloodhook," Harry said as he packed books, paper, and biros into his bookbag. At the elf's insistence, Harry had emptied the entire bag out and it took almost two hours to sort and re-pack the bag with Dobby standing beside him watching carefully. One of the items discovered was the forgotten bag of gold nuggets created one evening and hidden in the bag.

"Why aren't you helping me?" Harry asked when Dobby merely vanished the items determined to be trash.

The elf explained, "Mr Harry Freshgold Potter must be placing each item into his bag of books so when he wants it back, his magic can find it. Dobby watches so he can find things my Harry Potter puts into his bag."

"Thanks, Dobs…I wouldn't know what to do without you."

"Dobby must keep Mr Harry Freshgold Potter alive. It be hard work, but Dobby do his best."

"The trunk is packed with all my robes, clothes and shoes. My homework is all done," Harry said.

"Mr Harry Freshgold Potter got all his rings packed or on fingers," Dobby said. "Magic cloak washed, cleaned, and ironed before wrapped back on his nudey-naked form without Dobby have to see. Youse be ready for tomorrow's adventure on the Hogwarts Express."

CHANGE SCENE: Hogwarts Express

There were Aurors on platform 9¾ in strength on 1 September, and Harry was glad to see that several were posted on board the train for the day's trip from London to Scotland. The crowd of parents and children seemed subdued but key persons kept spirits up – Deputy Headmistress Longbottom spoke to parents and students without regard to their 'blood', encouraging them to write often and look for regular communications from the school this year.

Harry heard Lady Longbottom explaining that Hogwarts had contracted for a Royal Mail post office box in a Scottish town where several magical families lived. Witches working in the post office would collect letters addressed to students and call an elf to pick them up each day for delivery during breakfast.

'That's a great change for the muggle-born,' Harry decided. 'Parents can stay in touch with their kids every week without dealing with owls. That will help Colin and Chris stay in touch with their parents.'

SLIGHT SCENE CHANGE: Outside Platform 9¾

Mr and Mrs Creevey and their two daughters watched Chris and Colin disappear through the portal with reservations like the last three years. A stern-looking gentleman – a wizard in a regular suit of clothes – made a point of speaking to the mundane students and their parents in the crush of Kings Cross Station.

"Mr and Mrs Creevey, Deputy Headmistress Longbottom speaks highly of your boys," the man said before introducing himself as Headmaster Bennet. "We're excited about this new year and hope they can excel with their studies."

"We hope they do," Mrs Creevey said as Headmaster Bennet encouraged the two boys to hurry and board the train. He explained about the new address for letters and Mr Creevey took the paper that listed the address.

After Bennet moved on to another family, the Creeveys turned to leave but found Andromeda and Ted Tonks waiting for them. Dressed purely muggle, the Tonks invited the Creeveys to lunch and they walked to a family restaurant where the girls were distracted by colouring sheets while the adults talked.

"Mr Creevey…I hope I don't sound rude when I ask about your parentage."

"My parents?" asked Edward Creevey.

"When we met in August, I was struck by Mr Creevey's features and your children's hair and eyes." Andromeda continued, "Who are they? Do they have any quirks in their personalities?"

Mrs Creevey replied, "There are quirks in his family…as well as mine."

Ted frowned as his wife's smile grew. Andromeda asked, "What is your father's name?"

Mr Creevey said, "My dad has passed. But you'd want to talk to my grandfather anyway. He is a cantankerous old man named Marius Creevey. He has always refused to talk about his childhood, but he didn't seem surprised when the boys turned out to be wizards."

"Can you share his address?" Andromeda requested. "I should like to talk to him."

SLIGHT SCENE CHANGE: MetroLondon

When lunch was complete and the Creevey's headed home, Andromeda and Ted apparated to their home and consulted an atlas of Metropolitan London for the address of Marius Creevey.

"This isn't proof." Ted voiced a conservative position just for argument's sake.

"It will be enough for Gringotts; once the vaults and rings are awarded, the Ministry will have to fall in line," responded Andromeda. "Lords in the Wizengamot won't go against magic's award of the heir's rings on the boy."

"What if some pureblood objects?"

Andromeda grinned, "I'm counting on it. Heir Black and Regent Black will have tremendous power over all Magical Britain again. They'll run away and hide from the blackmail I can bring to bear.

"If the old man will let you. He might not like a disowned daughter…"

"He was discarded garbage…like me. He'll enjoy the irony of his grandson being Heir Black."

"Great-grandson," Ted said softly.

They arrived outside the neat house and hurried up the short walk to the door where Andromeda knocked. They felt wards fall into place and they could not move. When the door opened, Andromeda tried to smile as she looked upon an elderly squib who resembled her dead grandfather, Antares Black. He gazed at them both and then swiped his hand over a set of runes.

"Uncle Marius," the witch said with a slight tilt of her head. Glancing toward the runes carved into the door frame, she asked, "Are you a squib or just a low-level wizard?"

"Even a squib can activate rune arrays when motivated. And I can see that you're not Bellatrix because I'm still alive."

Smirking, she introduced herself, "Andromeda Tonks, born Andromeda Black, before I fell in love and escaped."

"I don't recognize the name Tonks," Marius said.

Ted stepped forward and nodded his head before introducing himself, "Theodore Tonks, I am the first wizard in my family."

"There's no such thing…all muggle-born are descendants of squibs. My grandson, Edward found himself a pretty young wife who is also descended from squibs and they've bred four wizards and witches. Colin and Chris will be strong wizards when they mature."

He sat back and asked, "Now, why are you here? What do you want with my family?"

"There is no one to be Lord Black…the seat is vacant," Andromeda explained. "Your grandson – your great-grandson – Colin Creevey is Heir Black."

"The boy Sirius escaped from Azkaban. He was proven to be innocent by that trial for Pettigrew," argued Marius. "He's Lord Black…his son will inherit."

Andromeda frowned while Ted explained, "Unfortunately Sirius Black is insane and can't be rehabilitated more than to be content with a quiet environment. He never married and there'll be no children in his line."

"And your family offers a continuation of the male line without any breaks," Ted added. Marius frowned and invited the two into his lounge.

"My son died in a car wreck when Edward was just a boy and I raised him. There were days I thought he'd manifest magic and I didn't know whether to be happy or scared. I worried that Bellatrix would show up some night and kill all of us."

"Bella's not getting out of Azkaban," Andromeda stated.

"I follow the events in Magical Britain and until this summer, I had no hope for 'Neverland'. Now, there might be a chance since the Potter boy spoke up about the basilisk and threw Dumbledore into the shade. That old wizard should have retired thirty years ago."

"What chance do you see?"

"If Barty Crouch, Sr and Alastor Moody had been the generals in charge when your last Dark Lord appeared, the Aurors would have wiped them out in a few months. But the almighty, all-knowing Dumbledore preached forgiveness and cost too many good men and women their lives.

Ted nodded in agreement though Andromeda depended on her husband's superior knowledge of those matters.

"So how do we go about this?" asked Marius.

CHANGE SCENE: On the Express

Harry with his shrunken trunk and book bag had little trouble getting on to the train and with Neville, wandered down the hallway of the railcars looking for a good compartment. They waved and spoke with friends from all the houses and years. Neville spoke about plants and flowers with other herbology enthusiasts, while Harry talked about runes, DADA and transfiguration with students. It seemed that everyone was enthusiastic about the new classes and new professors described in the school letters.

As the hour of eleven drew close, there was a ruckus on the platform as the Weasley family arrived, late as always. Harry stood back from the window to watch George, Fred, Ron, and Ginevra being sent off by Lady Old Weasley to find seats on the Express. Only minutes later the engine was set into motion and the train left the station.

Looking up from a textbook, Harry asked, "Was your grandmother going to stay on the train for the ride to Hogwarts?"

"I don't think so," Neville replied as he talked with Luna Lovegood about dirigible plums. Not worried about safety on this trip because the Aurors already walked by the door of the compartment on patrol, Harry put away the textbook and pulled out his muggle notebook to revise his ideas for an eight-layer runic array.

However, the inevitable and unwelcome visit by Draco Malfoy interrupted the pleasant atmosphere of the compartment, "Well, scarhead, I see you're dressing better but still hanging with unworthy…"

Harry glanced up and noticed that Draco was alone – his enforcers were missing. "Heir Malfoy, I understand your mother was denied the title of Regent Malfoy last week," Luna Lovegood announced. "I believe was the objection was something about your family associating with terrorists."

"They insulted my mother, and then my father's memory!" Draco shouted.

"Heir Longbottom, did I hear someone insult our persons?" Harry asked Neville.

"I believe you did Heir Potter. Shall we mention it to the Deputy Headmistress when we arrive at Hogwarts?"

"Let me ask Heir Malfoy," Harry said as he stood and took a deep breath. "Heir Malfoy, I hope that our new year at Hogwarts will be our best year. Can we agree to ignore each other if we can't have a congenial conversation?"

"Your mother has enough to worry about," Luna reminded him.

Gritting his teeth, Draco bowed his head to the three students in the compartment and noticed that his fellow students bowed their heads in the correct style of purebloods.

"I applaud your restraint, Mr Malfoy," said a stranger in a muggle suit.

Draco frowned and almost began questioning the 'mudblood' about being on the train when he just bowed his head – the stranger returned the motion, once again confusing the Slytherin student. Draco fled down the hallway, seeking a compartment with other Slytherins. His mother warned him that things were different in Britain now that purebloods had lost power and worse, a disaster at the quarry meant their company had not met contract obligations this month – again. Their vaults were low in galleons, and he'd not received new robes for the new school year.

"Mr Longbottom, your grandmother shared your photo with me, and I promised to introduce myself to you on the train," the man said. "I am Charles Bennet, the new headmaster of Hogwarts."

"Hello, Headmaster Bennet!" Luna called out with great enthusiasm. "You don't have any Blibbering Humdingers around you."

"Of course, I don't," the wizard replied. "I eat pineapple grass every morning and that drives away Blibbering Humdingers, Miss Lovegood."

"My father is publishing his interview with you today, Headmaster Bennet," Luna replied.

"Excellent, Miss Lovegood. Now, introduce me to ho is your companion?"

"This is Harry Potter, Heir Potter."

"Greetings Mr Potter," said the new headmaster.

"Hello, Headmaster Bennet. I'm excited about the new classes you're starting."

"I can't take too much credit for the classes. Deputy Headmistress Longbottom and her friends set up most of these new classes. But I'm glad to hear you're excited about the new year."

Then an unwelcome but expected voice asked, "What's a mudblood doing on the Hogwarts Express?"

Ron Weasley, in very fine robes that already bore signs of grease and some spilled liquids, strode into the compartment. With an obviously practised motion of lifting his left hand and his nose, Ron made it obvious there was a ring on his finger.

"Ron…this is our…" Harry attempted to introduce the headmaster.

"Heir Old Weasley, Potter…get my title right mudblood."

Harry paused before he inclined his head and said, "Headmaster Bennet, might I introduce Ron Weasley, Heir Old Weasley, son of Lord Old Weasley."

Ron looked gobsmacked when Harry named the 'mudblood' as the new headmaster. The wizard looked quite stern when he frowned at Mr Weasley and asked, "I was told by my wife that the lords of this Wizengamot demanded their heirs to use the best manners. I shall have to tell her that she was wrong and that will certainly draw her attention."

"Why should I care about your wife?" asked Ron.

The headmaster's frown grew darker before he said, "She's your professor for charms for students in the fourth year. I hope your summer homework is in good form."

Ron grew white thinking about the scanty attention he'd given his summer homework. The headmaster lifted his hand and waved his fingers to cancel the charm on his suit, returning it to the quality robes with the Hogwarts badge on the breast.

"I shall see you all at the feast where you'll be welcomed for the new year, and we'll see the first years being sorted."

The wizard slipped away, continuing his trip down the hallway as Colin and Chris Creevey tumbled into the compartment.

"Harry! We finally found you!" Chris called out in greeting.

"The compartments full, Creevey. Get lost," Ron growled.

"Ron, you leave if you're going to be a jerk."

"They're mudbloods! I'm a pureblood and they have to do what I say."

"No. They don't but you do," said the prefect standing in the doorway. "Move on Weasley."

"I won't!"

"Do you want detention with Snape on the first day of classes?" asked the sixth year Hufflepuff.

"Alright, I'll leave," Ron agreed and waited until the prefect left. Then he turned and said, "Harry, let me revise your charms homework…so I can check mine. I can't find Hermione no where."

"Sure, Ron," Harry said, pulling a parchment from his bookbag. Ron took the parchment and said, "I'll revise during the trip and return this at school."

"That's fine Ron," agreed Harry.

After Weasley left, Colin frowned and asked, "Harry, why did you let him take your homework?"

Chris said, "He'll just copy it and turn it into the professor as his own."

"I'm starting my pranks early this year," Harry confessed. "That was not my real homework for charms. And Ron'll just put his name on the parchment and turn it in without even reading it. He'll get a troll for sure because it's completely wrong."

Luna led everyone's laughter. The only other visitors they had were several girls from Ravenclaw who stopped to tease Luna about not having any friends. But Harry stood and stepped forward before he said, "Listen carefully and spread the word in Ravenclaw – Miss Lovegood is a good friend of Heir Potter."

"And Heir Longbottom," Neville added. "And the Deputy Headmistress has a very low opinion of bullying."

Harry added, "I hate to think what Professor Flitwick would say if his house is the first house to have points taken away for bullying."

The three girls from Ravenclaw, including Prefect Cho Chang and her best friend Marietta Edgecombe, ran away. The third girl, Elizabeth Smith, asked for Luna's forgiveness before she walked away.

SCENE CHANGE HERE:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry / Staff and Faculty 1994-1995 School Year

Headmaster: Charles Bennet

Deputy Headmistress: Augusta Longbottom

Headmaster Emeritus: Albus Dumbledore* (transition)

Head of Slytherin: Aurora Sinestra / Severus Snape (transition)

Head of Gryffindor: Andrew Carter

Head of Hufflepuff: Pomona Sprout

Head of Ravenclaw: Filius Flitwick

Transfiguration: Professor Gregory Haight-Poole (5-7)

Transfiguration: Professor Emmaline Grayson-Spivey (Years 1-4)

Charms: Professor Filius Flitwick (Years 5-7) Books provided.

Charms: Professor Antonia Bennet (Years 1-4) Books provided.

Herbology: Professor Pomona Hufflepuff

Potions: Professor Andrew Carter (Years 5-7)

Potions: Professor Melissa Moorhouse (Years 1-4) Books provided.

Potions: (Revision) Professor Harriet Carter (Years 4-7) Books provided.

DADA: Professor Severus Snape (Years 5-7)

DADA: Professor Anthony Hilliard (Auror-retired) (Years 1-4)

Duelling vs Fighting Seminars: (Years 1-2) Professor Anthony Hilliard/ voluntary participation

Duelling vs Fighting Seminars: (Years 3-5) Professor Filius Flitwick/ voluntary participation

Duelling vs Fighting Seminars: (Years 6-7) Professor Severus Snape/ voluntary participation

Runes: Professor Bathsheba Babbling

Arithmancy: Professor Septima Vector

Astronomy: Professor Aurora Sinistra

Mundane Studies: Professor Charity Burbage Books provided

Magical Life: Professor Septima Vector (Mandatory for Mundane Born 5-7, 3-4, 1-2) Books provided

Mundane Life: Professor Charity Burbage (Mandatory for Magic Born 5-7, 3-4, 1-2) Books provided

History of the World (Magic and Mundane): Professor Remus Lupin**

Physical Fitness – Wizards: Professor Remus Lupin (5-7, 3-4, 1-2) *** Equipment and uniforms provided

Physical Fitness – Witches: Professor Aurora Sinestra (5-7, 3-4, 1-2) *** Equipment and uniforms provided

* Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster Emeritus begins his final year at Hogwarts on 1 September, and he will provide weekly lectures in the Great Hall on Saturday afternoons on selected topics of interest for the students. Subjects will include the role of mundane born in Magical Britain, future of Goblin relations, the role of the ICW in maintaining the Statute of Secrecy, Alchemy, and use of Transfiguration in everyday magical life.

**Professor Lupin suffers from lycanthropy and will not be on-site three days each month (before and after the full moon). The disease cannot be transmitted at any time except during the night of the full moon.

*** All students are required to participate in physical exercises to increase stamina and health. Gymnasium and locker rooms will be segregated by sex. Wizards will work on muscle strength with running, weightlifting, swimming without the use of magic in reconfigured classrooms or the company of witches. Witches will work on some muscle strength with running, weightlifting, swimming without the use of magic in reconfigured classrooms or the company of wizards.