A/N I wanted to take this time to sincerely thank you for all the reviews. I really enjoy hearing what you like and don't like.I got a review asking why I did a combination Christian-Pagan ritual. Remus' mother was a muggle, I imagine she would have brought her religious beliefs with her and taught them to Remus. The Christian portion of the ceremony was Dora trying to bring Remus into the service. Honestly, at least in my story, you will hear more of Yule than Christmas, Spring Equinox than Easter ect. I will bring some religion into this but it will not be Christian. I see the Grangers' as more Agnostic than Christian anyway, so Hermione wouldn't have been brought up with traditional religion being a part of her life.
FYI I have enough chapters written to update until mid-May at least. At that point, I might take a break to reread the whole thing and make certain changes that are stewing in my head right now. Or I might wait for summer to do that.
A/N 26/1/20 just changed spelling so nothing major has changed. I really need a beta, I'm doing this on my own. If any of you have time and want to help, let me know, please.
Anyway, Enjoy!
Ch. 20
15 July 1998
The next morning, Nev and Harry arrived at Gringotts for their last Headmistress interview.
"Whenever I think of the word Headmistress, I think of Minerva. Yet none of these candidates even remotely remind me of her. It's very weird thinking of anyone else that way." Harry remarked as they walked in.
"I know. What I find even more bizarre is that we will technically be her boss." Nev shuddered.
They got to Ted's office and said hi to Venus as the three walked into the conference room.
"Now, this next applicant has lots of time in a large private school as well. I'll warn you, she's around my age." Venus informed the boys as Swordback let her in.
They sat and talked for a good hour about what she'd done, what she'd like to do differently at a new school. Basically, everything the boys or Venus could think of. They all really liked her and were very satisfied with all the applicants.
However, when the three talked about it, Venus had some concerns. "I really think our school needs a young administrator. I want the staff of LAR to have a more progressive attitude. Quite frankly, I saw that in April yesterday. I didn't see that with any of the others. What do you think?" She asked the young men.
"I understand your reaction. I liked her best too." Harry replied.
"Will you be able to work with her Venus? We aren't going to have to work with her every day." Nev countered.
"I think so. I also see training her as my replacement eventually." She smiled at the shock on their faces. "I will eventually retire."
"Not for a long time you won't" Harry muttered in reply. "So, are we going with April?" He got two nods. "Great. I'll call her this afternoon. Venus, we were thinking of heading out there since they're starting on the construction today. Do you want to join us? It's only half ten."
"Sure. Sounds fun." She returned as they walked out of Gringotts and apparated to the site. When they got there, it was a beehive of activity. They walked around and saw people measuring, putting down foundation, at one spot it looked like they were already building something. Finally, they ran into David.
"Hey! Glad to see you guys could make it!" He yelled over the noise. "Why don't I take you around and show you the progress?"
"That'd be great!" Venus replied as they began walking the site. They could see where everything was going to be. It amazed the boys to see their dream actually coming true. They went home for lunch exhausted but happy.
HP
At lunchtime, Nev and Harry couldn't stop talking about what they'd seen. "I wouldn't be surprised if they have it all done before we hire everyone." Harry enthused.
"They can do that?" Mione asked.
"Mione, they were pouring the foundation today! That takes months in the muggle world. All the testing of the ground to make sure it's stable takes forever." Harry replied enthusiastically.
"There are spells for that sort of thing." Sirius answered the unasked questions.
"I love magic." Harry breathed as he drank his coke. "Oh, and we found our Headmistress. She's perfect. She has experience in muggle schools so she actually knows what she's doing. I gotta call her today. She has her own cell already."
Sirius and Dora started laughing. "What?" Harry asked.
"You look like you're about to explode with excitement. It's funny!" Sirius responded through his laughter.
"Well, magic is brilliant! If we can have this place up and running in month and a half, who says we can't build another one if we need it. The list of kids in government housing is more than 160. We may need to build another one soon."
Hermione swallowed and grinned at Harry. "Harry, you sound like me when I'm experimenting. Calm down."
"No, Mione. You're still waaay more excited." Luna laughed. Hermione just gave her a 'back off' look but instead of working, Luna just laughed harder. "You don't see yourself when you're in that mode. I do."
"Anyway, Harry. Get this first one built, then you can see about more." Mione smiled at his enthusiasm. "How do you think it went, Nev?"
"It went great. It was really fascinating watching them work but I can't wait to get the greenhouses up."
"And there's the love of my life." Luna laughed as Nev reddened. After lunch, Harry, Nev and Sirius all went to the study. Sirius was writing up the final proposal for the Hiring Policy Committee. Harry was looking through the CV's of the two Deputy Heads they would be interviewing tomorrow morning. Nev was looking through research he'd done about the kind of greenhouses he wanted to put in. The women were up in the library with books.
"You know, I think I need to go back to Longbottom Estates and get some more books. I thought I brought the information I need but I cannot find it." Nev said thoughtfully.
"Okay. I think I'm going to go back to Gringotts to look in the vault for more books I saw on family history and defence. There were some that I left there thinking I'd come back." Harry replied. "You might want to look these over before tomorrow." He handed Nev the CV's.
"I'll do that when I get back." He put them on his desk.
"See ya later boys." Sirius waved as he continued typing.
HP
That night, Harry called Headmistress Froshbent and told her the good news. They agreed that she would start hiring school teachers and that she would hire a deputy for each age group of the school: the preschool, primary and secondary schools.
They also agreed that Venus, Harry and she would meet each Wednesday to update everyone on where they were in regards to hiring and equipping the school.
16 July 1998
Thursday morning Harry got Teddy up and ready for the day in his usual manner. Of course, while he was dressing Teddy, he was letting him know that it was his birthday and that they were going to have a party for him.
Eventually, Harry and Nev had to leave for the Deputy Head interviews. However, before they left, their girlfriends pulled them into the study.
"What's up?" Nev asked.
"Well, we're going to have Andi come over today to decorate for the birthday party. Dora's bringing Teddy to her before Wizengamot today. She's going to come here while we're busy. However, she told us that she doesn't want anyone home before six. So, if Wizengamot let's out early, we need to keep Dora out." Luna informed them.
"We can do that. We'll just take her to the mall. She loves those shoe stores." Harry grinned.
"Okay. That will work." Mione agreed.
"That it?"
"Yes, Harry. You can go now." Mione sighed, knowing how excited he was to do all this hiring.
The boys left the house and spent from half eight to nearly eleven o'clock interviewing both a man and a woman for the Deputy position. This would be the person Venus would work most directly with, so the young men felt that, while they needed a say, the real decision would be made by her.
After both interviews Venus inquired, "So, what do you think?"
"Well, who do you think you would work best with?" Nev countered.
"I could work with either one. They both have a good grasp on what we're trying to do here. Neither one of them is scared of me because of my family name." She laughed.
"Maybe that's because neither went to Hogwarts and knows your aunt for the strict woman she is." Harry snorted.
"There is that." Nev commented. "I really like the American Brock Greene. He seemed to be most in tune with what we've always talked about—it being a home not a place to sleep."
"Me too." Harry concurred.
"Then why don't you let Brock know?" Venus stated.
"Okay." Harry said as the pair of men stood. "Who are we interviewing tomorrow?"
"Head of Discipline. I have two coming in at half eight and ten o'clock." She replied as she handed Nev the CV's of the applicants.
"Okay. We'll see you tomorrow Venus." Harry said as he and Nev left.
HP
When they got home, lunch was immediately served. "So, we found our Deputy Head today." Harry said as they started to eat.
"So, you've got a Head, Headmistress and Deputy Head. Who are you interviewing tomorrow?" Sirius asked.
"Head of Discipline. I think we'll be done hiring the Heads for the orphanage by the end of next week." Harry answered.
"Good because we are going to present Creature Laws next week I think." Sirius noted.
"So, what have you guys decided on that?" Hermione inquired.
"We decided to reclassify werewolves as not creatures but wizards with a disease. It'll be much easier and cheaper for them to get Wolfsbane now. We are going to have each 'creature' like centaurs and goblins be classified as magic users not creatures and are going to have a wizard liaison for each type of magic user. So, there will be someone dedicated to making Goblin-Wizard relations better and so on. These people are going to be our eyes and ears to other magic users. We're also going to close down the Department for the Control of Magical Creatures and spread those capable into the Magic Users Liaison Department." He sighed. "You wouldn't believe how much more difficult that committee was than the Hiring Regulations one."
"I can. With the racism that exists in this culture, I'm surprised you got a committee to agree to those." Mione said.
"It's funny in that most of Wizengamot is now new members. We've gotten rid of most of the old pureblood faction, yet still people cannot seem to embrace change." Sirius complained. "I had to do so much arm twisting to bring people around to my view, it was unnerving."
"Will the House Elves have a liaison?" Mione asked.
Sirius laughed. "You should've seen their faces when I included them as magical beings. But yes, they will. Honestly, I'm not sure what the House Elves want but we'll see."
That afternoon, Sirius, Dora and the couples went to Wizengamot. While it was the actual monthly meeting, it was also where some committees were going to share their findings.
Harry knew that they were having an Alliance Dinner that Saturday, so he didn't really need to pay attention because it would all be recapped then. He began fidgeting.
"Harry, pay attention!" Mione hissed.
"Sorry, Mione. Feels like Binns' class." Harry shrugged at the deadly look she gave him.
Finally, they got to the Hiring Guidelines committee. It was nearly four o'clock when Sirius stood to present.
"Lords and Ladies, we have gone through all of the written and unwritten rules the ministry uses for hiring. According to both written and unwritten laws, the first choice for hiring currently goes to Purebloods. Next goes to Half-bloods, then goes to Muggleborns. We have looked through everything and can find many Department Heads in their position only due to blood status. Look at the Department for Regulation of Magical Creatures Head Amos Diggory. He is a known bigot that believes all creatures should be put down. This is not the attitude we needed from the head of this department but he got the job because he's a pureblood. Meanwhile, Andrew Brooks, a muggleborn who got O's in both OWL and NEWT Magical creatures, was only the Deputy Head, while Diggory got two A's. It is unacceptable that this bias takes place in our society, let alone our government. We suggest a merit-based hiring system that would take place immediately. There would be a group only devoted to seeing if Department Heads deserve their spots. Then they would review all hiring's biannually to make sure they are fair. We also suggest we make these into actual laws that people can't quibble over."
This led to an uproar that lasted until after six o'clock when they tabled the discussion until the next day.
HP
When they got home, the house was decorated for Teddy's birthday. Dora looked at Sirius. "What's all this for?"
"I didn't do it!" Dora actually believed him.
"Then who did?"
"I did." Andi said from behind her.
"Mum, he doesn't turn one for—nine months. Why?" Andi pointed at Harry as Teddy reached for his godfather. "Why Harry?"
"My godson turned 3 months old today. I figure that we should celebrate it." He replied firmly. "It's not like we can take the invites back now, is it?"
Dora just stared at him, then shook her head as she headed to her room. She was heard saying, "I live with crazy people. A party for being 3 months? What's next? A party for a dirty nappy?"
Harry and Sirius laughed as everyone went to change. He put Ted in the middle of the bed and was stripping to change into jeans and a t-shirt when Mione came in to change as well.
"Hey love." He said absentmindedly as he looked for his jeans.
"Hey lover." She said huskily as he felt her arms go around him from behind. He stood up and turned in her arms. He pulled her to him and kissed her feverishly. As his hands began wandering down her wonderfully naked body, he pushed her over to the bed and laid her down when they both heard Teddy giggle.
It was as though someone doused them with freezing water. "Shit!" he groaned as he pulled her off the bed. "Bloody kid."
He looked over at his love and saw she was pink but trying to hold her laughter in. "What?" He groused. "You wander around naked, being all sexy, then Teddy comes in and you want to laugh?"
"No. I was thinking that if you weren't such a devoted godfather, we would be making love right now. Sucks doesn't it?" She laughed as she gathered clothes and he finished getting dressed.
He picked up the offending baby and said. "I love you kiddo but your timing sucks." He heard Mione laugh as he left.
When he got to the kitchen, Dora looked at him and started laughing. "What's wrong Harry?"
"Your son has the worst timing possible!" He growled rather than screaming so he didn't scare the kid.
"Ooooh! You and Mione went to change and. . . oh." She continued laughing.
"Yeah. Just laugh it up. He's your son!"
"Hello, Hello." They heard as the door opened.
"In the kitchen Dan." Harry yelled as he left for the terrace. Soon people started arriving and taking Teddy from him. It was mainly their Sunday family, Brianna, Kingsley, Hagrid, Venus and Minerva who were invited.
Eventually, the meal was done and Dobby brought out a cake with three candles, which was devoured quickly. Soon it was time for presents. The twins gave him a onesie that had the Marauders Map on the front with little feet moving around on it while his butt said Mischief Managed.
"That is brilliant boys!" Sirius grinned. "Moony would've loved that!"
Others gave him more mundane things like regular onesies, stuffed wolf, stuffed lion and stuffed badger. Then Harry and Hermione's present was opened by Dora.
The front of the album had a wolf, grim and stag in a forest with his name and birthday engraved. She opened it and found a picture of Remus and her at their wedding. Then there were pictures of both Remus and Dora from school and finally pictures of Teddy.
"See, Dora. There are lots more pages to fill in. We thought you could keep it up as he grows and give it to him when he's older." Mione explained. She looked at Dora and noticed she'd been silently crying this whole time.
"Did we do something wrong?" Harry asked, concerned. He really didn't like crying witches.
She shook her head and stood up to bring them both into a hug. "Thank you. This will mean so much to him. Thank you."
"You're welcome." Harry smiled. "I got one like it at the end of my first year from Hagrid." He looked up at his big friend who had a grin plastered on his face. "I know how much he'll treasure it."
HP
The next day at Gringotts was hectic because they had two interviews for the Head of Discipline. However, because they had been doing this a few days, they soon got into the rhythm.
They spent an hour and a half talking to each applicant. They talked about how they wanted the residents to feel, each candidate's view on positive and negative reinforcement, that kind of thing.
Because of her greater experience with discipline and small children, Harry and Nev let Venus lead the interviews. When Venus asked the second candidate about spanking, the man's reply was "Sometimes kids need to be beat."
This of course had Harry seeing red. Nev looked over at him right after the applicant said that and said quietly, "Harry, let's go take a walk. It's not worth it to kill him." as he nudged Harry to his feet. He then looked over his shoulder. "Venus, you know which one we'd choose, yeah?" She nodded.
"I'm in agreement." She looked concernedly at Harry, then at Neville.
"Thanks." He returned as he led Harry out of Gringotts.
It was when they were finally out of there that Harry ground out. "We need to call the DMLE about that-that-that"
"Horrible person?" Nev supplied, knowing full well that's not what Harry was going for.
He looked at Nev. "That's not where I was headed but sure. I can't believe he works with children. It's Snape all over again."
"I know. Why don't I go talk to the DMLE and you go home to swim?" Nev suggested, knowing that that was how Harry burned off a bad day now.
"Okay. I'll see you at lunch." Harry took a deep breath to center himself as he apparated home. He went right up to his room to change and down to the pool house.
HP
Hermione and Luna came to the kitchen a little while later, where Nev was sitting drinking a beer. Knowing Nev didn't drink until after dinner, Luna asked "What went wrong love?" as she put her arms around him.
"We interviewed a prospective Head of Discipline that told us that, and I quote, 'Some kids need to be beat'. Harry did not react well, although he held it together. I sent him home to swim while I talked to Amelia Bones. She's going to have him looked into."
"Okay. I'm heading out there." Mione got up. "Don't wait for us. We may not be at Wizengamot today. Can you explain to Sirius for me?"
"Explain what?" Sirius inquired as she walked out. She opened the door to the pool house and walked inside.
Until the week they got home from Australia, Harry had not known how to swim. He asked Hermione to teach him because he wanted to be able to teach Teddy eventually. She did and, like most everything physical, Harry took to it.
Now she watched as he took one turn after the other with clean, strong strokes. Hermione really liked watching him swim like this because, for her, watching him move through the water as his muscles contracting and relaxing was very sexy. She shook her head as she cleared those thoughts from her mind. She went to the edge of the pool and sat down until he came back.
When he did touch the wall, he came up and was about to turn when he saw the love of his life. Knowing he really needed her right then, he stopped and looked up into her chocolate eyes.
"You heard what happened?"
"Yeah. Nev saw Amelia and she's going to investigate." She heard him sigh as he pulled himself out of the water. "How long have you been in here?" she queried, trying not to think about his body dripping wet right then.
"What time is it?"
"Half twelve." She looked at her watch.
"About an hour." He dried himself off and reached down and helped her up. He then hugged her. "You feel amazing." He groaned.
"So do you love." She kissed his neck as she pushed herself closer to him. She looked up at those beautiful green orbs as she felt herself weaken with the desire to be as close to him as possible.
"Do we have to be anywhere today?" he ground out as he kissed her all over as his hands ran down her body.
"Sposed to be at Wizengamot." She panted as she kissed him as fervently as he was kissing her. "Told them not to expect us though."
He stopped his ministrations as he looked into her eyes pleadingly.
"Yes." Was all she could get out before he picked her up and went to their bedroom. He laid her gently on the bed as he leaned over her and slowly undid each button while exploring each new bit of beautiful flesh.
She kept running her hands all over his body. As she got down to his swimsuit, she began to pull it down.
HP
A few hours later, after exploring every inch of each other, they decided it was time to get up. "Feel better hon?" Mione asked playfully.
"Much." He grinned back.
They went to the game room and Mione read a book while Harry threw darts. It was interesting that after nearly eight years as friends and a few months as a couple, that they could be in the same room and not have to fill it with noise. The silence was comforting as they did their own things.
It was so quiet that they heard the first apparition into the entrance hall and all the noise that followed wherever Sirius went. They both headed downstairs when they heard it.
"Hey guys." Harry greeted. "How'd it go?"
"Pretty well. We got most things passed but it took some persuading." Sirius grinned.
"You should've seen Sirius. He was so passionate and so convincing that he had all the women and most of the men spellbound." Luna giggled. "I looked over and saw Daphne Greengrass actually drooling and that Blishwick woman seemed to stop breathing as he talked."
"I am sexy as hell." He shrugged as he struck a model's pose.
"Get off it Sirius!" Dora hit his shoulder.
"Oh Gods." Harry groaned as everyone else just laughed. "Guys don't encourage this behavior-pleeeease."
Sirius came up to him and put his arm around him. "Don't worry, pup. You're my godson, some of my sexy should rub off on you."
He ruffled Harry's hair as Harry extricated himself from Sirius "Not funny Pads!"
"Besides, he's sexy enough on his own!" Hermione replied as she kissed her lover passionately. They came up to catcalls from the men in the family. Of course, both teens were beet red when they realised what they'd let others see.
They then sat down for their Friday Night Movie. "We're watching Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark." Nev said as he put it in. Of course, there were choruses of "Cinderella! Cinderella!" from the women
"You guys have chosen the last two. We get one now." Harry countered, staring them all down.
"Fine." They mumbled. "But we get the next one." Luna added.
"Fair enough." Sirius agreed.
At the end of the movie, all the women agreed. Harrison Ford looked much better as Indy than Han. As they started dissecting the differences, Harry said. "We don't need to hear this. Why don't we play some pool?"
As they racked the balls, Dora said, "Not that I disagree with you about Indy but that was a brilliant way to get rid of those prats." They all laughed as she fed Teddy.