Chapter four

The team met downstairs, then Kingsley led the way to the conference room where the four members of the ICW were already sitting.

Liam Leythem, the supreme mugwump stood and introduced himself to the team. They all introduced themselves before Liam introduced the chief witch and wizards. Dorea Gales, Paul Horton and Anthony Gibbs.

They all took their seats, a house elf brought them all something to drink and some snacks before they began talking. There were folders in front of the team which had information on how the different schools and ministry's worked around the world. When Liam asked if the team would start by telling them some of their ideas, it was Sally that went first.

'Since I've had time to think about this, I've come up with many. But the main one that I believe needs to be implemented, which has been in more than half the other magical schools, in magical and muggle education. I only spent a year a Hogwarts, but I do know of other muggleborns or half-bloods that wanted to continue their muggle education. Now it would be needed more than ever. With so many deaths it is going to take a long time to get the ministry running properly. There would be many who would need to work now yet with how our community is, that's not going to happen and they have no higher school education in the muggle world.'

'I agree with Sally. Being raised in the muggle world then seeing the magical world, it showed me that if every graduate from my year were looking for work, only half would get employed. That has nothing to do with muggleborns either, there just isn't enough jobs for everyone. Even if you take say two percent of that for people that want to play quidditch, then another two percent for woman who might want to start a family straight away. There still wouldn't be enough work,' Harry said, then continued.

'But apart from having both educations offered at Hogwarts, I believe we should have our own university where graduates could go on to do their masters, or become a curse breaker without having to rely on the goblins to teach them. It's the same with wand makers or broom designers. Then you have teachers. I'm sure Neville and Lee can tell you just how bad some of our teachers were. Even though he was brilliant at potions, Snape was the worst teacher at Hogwarts. Binns just puts everyone to sleep and we had so many teachers in defence and only two were any good. One turned out to be a death eater using polyjuice potion. But two that Dumbledore hired couldn't teach a dog a trick let alone a bunch of students who needed to know how to learn to cast magic safely. People could go to university to become teachers, just like in the muggle world. Naturally it would not be as big as muggle universities or have as many subjects, just enough to help people get the training they need for the job they want. If they did get trained here, which would employ people to teach, then the student could work anywhere, here or overseas.

'Bill Weasley told me that he wanted to be a curse breaker but the only way to get the training was with the goblins, yet he hated working for them. It's like with me, I would like to learn how to make and design brooms. Now I know I could apply to one of the broom companies, I would hate to be given a job because of who I am, not if I could do the job. When it comes to wands, most wand makers pass on their knowledge to a family member. I spoke with Garrick Ollivander when he was recuperating. He said his grandson has been learning so he can take over the business when Garrick retires. In the muggle world all business's have competition, wand making could be like that but you still need to learn.'

'America, Japan, Canada, Russia and Australia have magical universities and there is talk from other countries about doing the same. If you could find masters or experience people to teach their craft and find a building to use, we believe it would benefit your country,' Dorea said.

'We also agree that both types of education should be implemented at Hogwarts. America began doing that around thirty years ago. Even if the children knew they were a witch or wizard, they did not have the people or room to teach muggle education at the time. It took them years to work out all the details,' Paul said.

'That is one I believe we will work on straight away.' Kingsley said.

'Who wants to go next?' Anthony asked.

'I believe that even if children come to Hogwarts earlier and have their muggle education and learn magic. I believe there should be classes on laws, culture, traditions, even if some traditions need to be abolished but it could still be taught, like making it a history lesson. I saw many arguments between muggleborns, muggle-raised and pure-bloods about things like wiccan holidays versus muggle holidays. We should incorporate both so no one feels like they're missing out. I was raised to celebrate wiccan holidays, yet when I got to Hogwarts we celebrated muggle holidays.' Neville said.

'Dumbledore told me he changed that so the muggleborns, or raised would adapt to the different world easier. Which is ridiculous. But most things that came out of that man's mouth was ridiculous,' Harry said.

'I see you are like us Harry, did not agree with Albus Dumbledore,' Liam said giving Harry a smile.

'Yet we were told you were…what was it they called you. Oh yes, Dumbledore's golden boy,' Dorea said but she gave Harry a smile.

'Yeah, it took me a while to get everyone to realise I would never be anyone's golden boy especially Dumbledore's. I know he was powerful and I know he was doing all he could to end Voldemort. He just refuse to listen or take other people's advice.'

'Let's move on,' Liam said smiling at Harry again.

'Yes, sport. Now I never played quidditch but I did commentate the games at Hogwarts and planned to do that as a career. I've spoken with many people about quodpot that is played in America and some are interested in it. But what I believe would be great to introduce is the racing league that some other countries have. It opens to all ages and every student in school could do it for fun or join a team. They could go on to play competition racing which could be a fairly long career, a lot longer than quidditch. That would employ not only the racers but the people that run it. Like with quidditch teams, there are coaches along with people who look after the equipment, so more people hired. But we could change it a bit so everyone can at least do a sport. Like instead of racing as fast as you can around an obstacle course, you can just do a harder course without speed. That could be worked out later. But Hogwarts students needs more things for them to do after they have finished their classes yet it could lead to a career,' Lee said.

'I loved playing quidditch, but if I had the chance I would have preferred the racing league I heard about. I'm not interested in quodpot,' Harry said.

'Lee's right, but there needs to be more than just sport that involves flying. I don't like to fly and it really doesn't have anything to do with the accident I had as a first year. I also know of many others who did not like to fly,' Neville said. 'I'm one of those pure-bloods that are unfit due to having grown up in a house with house elves and where magic is used for everything. Now having to share a room with Harry and two others who were part of the muggle world taught me about a lot of sports, like football and cricket. Now we don't really have to do muggle sports, I'm sure there are a lot of intelligent witches and wizards who can invent a couple of sports that all of us can do and help us get fit at the same time and it doesn't involve flying. This could lead to more, like having different professional sports, just as quidditch is which like Lee said, employs more people.'

'There is talk between some countries to do something like the muggles do, but they think the same as you Neville. They want our own sports, then put on an olympics every four years. Now that would be different from the triwizard tournament. This would be between all magical countries, plus any person could enter and none of the sports will be life threatening.'

'That's good,' Harry said. Everyone gave him a smile, 'Until sports are invented, we could take some of the muggle sports and make them our own. Like with the way the muggles like to run. We could have an obstacle course where you run, then have to solve magical riddles or get through some type of magical test. In the maze of the triwizard there was a sphinx who asked a riddle. Now it did say if I answered right I could pass. If I didn't answer I could walk away and go the long way. If I answered wrong it would attack. Naturally we don't want sports where magical creatures attack. You could add something like devil's snare. All first years learn how to defend against those. I'm sure others could come up with something to add to that so it's running which gets you fit but also having to get through some obstacles so you can continue on, it also keeps you learning, or remember what you have learned. The winner gets a prize of some type at the end. Also with that, you could have spell casting.'

'How would casting spells help?' Anthony asked.

'It could be where you have to cast spells quickly while dodging. Sort of like the muggle sport dodge ball. They try to hit each other's team members with a ball, you have to dodge, if you don't dodge in time, you get hit and you're out, or lose. We would use spells instead of a ball. Then you could also add targets, you aim the spell at a target as you're running. The one nearest to the bullseye, or centre gets more points. It's like darts in a way but instead of darts you use spells. I'm sure that could be worked in, somehow.'

The four members of the ICW along with Kingsley and Arthur was impressed especially since some of these ideas could lead to more businesses which leads to more people working. They all wrote those idea's into their folders.

'Swimming is big in the muggle world and it gets you fit. It could be similar to what Harry and Neville said. You swim fast instead of run, so you can have races. It also could be worked out so magic isn't even used, that way first years could participate. But you can add a second thing that this instead of just races. You can have the competitors go through an obstacle course as fast as you can. You could add hoops or rings that they have to go through and those could be in deep water. So the person would need to go up to the surface as they continue to race then dive down to go through the hoop,' Sally shrugged, 'Now because it could be an all year round sport, we could just use magic to keep the water at a nice temperature.'

More notes were made in folders, 'You could adapt that to something like the quodpot. You have to swim through a hoop or dive down to grab something off the bottom. Imagine it's like quidditch and if you are racing and have to dive but pull up in time so you don't get ploughed. It can be done. I've seen Harry dive and only pulled up at the last second and his feet skimmed the grass,' Lee said. 'Naturally with swimming you wouldn't get ploughed but you still need to do it quickly. The items you collect then has to be dropped into a barrel or something before they begin to race again for the next items.'

The four members of the ICW were impressed with the ideas these young people were coming up with. Even though they needed to work on making the ministry better and not just Hogwarts, they had a great start. But they also knew that if these ideas ended up being adapted, then it could cross over to adults, which means employing more people to run these types of sports. They did understand why these young people were thinking of ways to help at Hogwarts. All of them were young and at the age where they just finished. None of them had worked at the ministry, or worked at all. The older adults in the room thought that even though the younger ones had great ideas to help Hogwarts, they would come up with ideas that would help the ministry and their world.

Over the next week the team and the ICW came up with idea's to help the ministry and to stop any one dark getting a foothold inside the ministry. One idea about Hogwarts was using more of the land for things like pools but make it an indoor heated pool like some muggle places have. It would be needed in a place like Scotland. Apart from just a pool they could have a room designed for running or other sports they might come up with. The students and staff could use them anytime they weren't in class. It would be fun but also get people fit. Sally put it to the committee about using land for growing their own food which could employ people to look after those gardens. Harry also said that having smaller classes would work as sometimes the teachers just don't get time to help the ones that are struggling. It would mean employing more teachers so it helps their world as well. But one thing he really pushed was how the point system doesn't work nor does the house system. Harry explained his reasons, which Neville, Lee, Sally, Arthur and Kingsley agreed with.