The Nice School of Magic
by Healer Pomfrey
All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
This story is COMPLETELY AU. If you don't likt it, don't read it!
"Minerva," Dumbledore spoke up, before he interrupted himself and asked, "Is that Harry?"
"Yes Albus, that's Harry," Minerva replied, sounding slightly impatient.
"Harry, my boy, so nice to see you," Dumbledore addressed the boy. "I hope that I didn't spoil your birthday too much with the spell that I cast that day."
Harry merely stared at the old wizard in surprise, wondering why the man wanted to harm him. 'I thought only Voldemort could influence my scar,' he thought in confusion.
"What exactly did you do to Harry?" Severus queried, sharply.
The old wizard let out a long sigh. "Would it be all right to come over for a moment?" he then asked, causing Minerva to reluctantly allow her former colleague to step out of the fireplace.
"At that time," Dumbledore explained, "I cast a spell that killed all of Voldemort's Horcruxes at once. Unfortunately, I suppose that there was also a Horcrux in Harry's head, which was extracted and killed at that time, too."
"Horcrux?" Harry mouthed, looking at the old wizard in confusion, causing Dumbledore to patiently explain to Harry about Voldemort's Horcruxes.
"With the Horcruxes gone, it should be possible to just kill Voldemort," Dumbledore continued. "However, this was not why I called you tonight. I merely wanted to inform you that I sent Fawkes to catch the rat. He is indeed Peter Pettigrew, and I've transfigured him into a wooden rat, as which I intend to keep him until his trial. Tomorrow, I shall contact the Ministry to ask for a trial for him and Sirius Black, who might be innocent in hindsight of the Secret Keeper as well."
"Thank you, Albus, for taking these matters into your hands," Minerva spoke up, looking gratefully at her former colleague.
"Well, I suppose that it's easier to handle it from Dumbledore Manor than from here, wherever we're here," Dumbledore replied, before he remembered to offer lemon drops to everyone.
"This is the Nice School of Magic," Severus informed his former mentor, making the old wizard cast him a questioning look.
"Nice because it's such a nice school?" he asked in apparent amusement.
"Well, that might be implied as well, however, our school has its name from the city in which it's situated," Severus informed a very surprised Dumbledore.
During the following conversation, Dumbledore and the teachers of the Nice school agreed to cooperate as far as Voldemort was concerned. While Minerva would continue informing him about important visions, Dumbledore was going to relay information to her in case he witnessed any interesting conversations through his portrait in the Hogwarts headmaster's office and that in his own manor.
'Strange, I always thought Dumbledore was evil,' Harry mused, when he trailed back to his dormitory shortly before midnight, accompanied by Susan and Barkymort. 'Oh well, compared to Voldemort, everyone must be good though, maybe except for Draco's father,' he thought.
HP
During the following months, Harry frequently had visions of Voldemort planning and attacking Muggles along with muggleborn students all over Britain. As promised, Minerva usually informed Dumbledore, even if it often was too late to warn people. Still, the head of the Wizengamot sometimes managed to rescue people along with a group of good friends who supported him against Voldemort.
Dumbledore in return informed Minerva about seemingly interesting conversations that took place in the headmaster's office of Hogwarts. It was during the first week of the summer holidays that Dumbledore once again called Minerva.
"Minerva, I'd like to step through and put a memory into your Pensieve," the old wizard said, seemingly urgent.
"Very well," Minerva agreed, who was just having tea together with Poppy, while they were babysitting Felix for a few hours.
Minerva and Poppy took turns watching the memory, before they profusely thanked their former colleague for the warning.
When the Snapes returned from Marseille and Amelia came to fetch Felix, Minerva instructed Malcolm, her house-elf, to fetch the rest of the Snapes in order to show them the memory.
Slightly hesitantly, Harry entered the headmistress' Pensieve together with his father and sister.
Beginning of memory...
"My Lord," Lucius Malfoy spoke to Voldemort who was sitting in front of his desk. "I have an idea how we can attack Harry Potter."
"Tell me now," Voldemort demanded, staring at the headmaster with impatience.
"I don't know if I told you that my son Draco attended the idiots' school for a few years so that I could spy on them to a certain extent," Malfoy began to explain, "however, ever since then he still pretends to be friends with Potter, and Potter invites him for his birthday every year. He always sends him a Portkey. We can use Draco's Portkey to get to the school and simply kill Potter."
"That's a good idea, Malfoy," Voldemort replied, seemingly contented. "See to it that you lay your hands on the Portkey as soon as your son receives it."
End of memory...
"Harry, when you send your invitation to your friends, you'll have to write Draco a letter explaining that you're grounded this summer and not allowed to have a birthday party as usual," Severus spoke up, as soon as they left the Pensieve.
Harry grudgingly agreed, knowing that he would not only endanger himself by inviting Draco but also everyone else including Felix, who had just turned one year old and absolutely adored his big brother and sister. 'Maybe I shouldn't invite anyone for my birthday, or just only Hermione and Neville,' he thought, resolving to discuss the matter with Susan later on. 'I wonder why I did not have a vision of his conversation with Malfoy,' he wondered.
When he voiced the thought, his father replied, pensively, "I always had the impression as if you were mostly pulled into scenes, in which the Dark Lord was very emotional. Maybe that's why you weren't pulled into this one."
HP
Harry should soon notice that his father's theory was correct, when he had a vision of Voldemort throwing a temper tantrum upon hearing that Draco was not invited to Harry's birthday. He even cursed the headmaster, and Harry once again needed his father to brew the Anti Cruciatus potion for him.
He should not have much time to ponder the matter, as Minerva surprised the permanent inhabitants of the Nice school with interesting news just a week before the usual open school day, on which the new first years would come to get to know the school.
"As you know," the headmistress informed everyone spending the summer at the school, "I'm working closely together with Professor Maxime from Bauxbatons." Seeing everyone nod, she continued, "Since a few years ago, I've been pestering her if she knew someone who might be interested to teach French at our school, however, so far, she could not introduce me to any possible candidate. This time, however, she informed me that one of her graduates was interested in the position."
"Oh finally," Susan blurted out, causing Harry to nod in excitement.
"Yeah, we really want to learn French," he added.
"Well, her name is Claudine Sautier, and I've invited her to come here for a conversation this afternoon," Minerva continued. "If everything goes well, maybe she'll join us for dinner tonight, so that you can all get to know her."
HP
During the afternoon, while they were playing with Felix and taking Barkymort for a walk, Susan and Harry eagerly discussed the prospect of having French classes soon.
"I can't wait," Harry said, eagerly.
"Me too," Susan agreed, smiling.
"I like especially that it doesn't afford magic," Harry added in a small voice, causing Susan to give him a sharp look.
"Are you feeling all right, Harry?" she asked in apparent concern. "The full moon is in a week, but you didn't do much magic, did you?"
Harry let out a long sigh, before he admitted that he had completely forgotten about the matter and conjured a couple of toys for Felix earlier, while Susan had helped Amelia sorting some parchments.
"You must be more careful, Harry," she lightly admonished her brother, before she glanced at her wrist watch, noticing that it was almost time for dinner.
"I hope the new teacher will be there," Harry replied, smiling, as they made their way to the Hall Magnifique.
HP
Professor Sautier was a very nice young witch and told everyone that they should just call her Claudine, even Susan and Harry, as long as they weren't in class. She then offered to give the students, who were interested, an intensive course during the last four weeks of the holidays and then teach beginners' courses and advanced courses during the school year.
"Yes..."
"... oh please agree..."
"... We'd really like to learn French..."
"... as soon as possible," Harry and Susan immediately begged the headmistress, causing their father to roll his eyes.
The Weasley brothers chuckled. "You're almost as good as our little brothers," Charlie said, grinning.
"Ah sorry," Harry replied, impatiently. "But... please."
"I'm sure most of our classmates will be interested, too," Susan added, pleadingly.
HP
Finally, the teachers decided to give in to the children's begging, and Minerva promised to write to all students and invite them for the voluntary holiday course.
As soon as dinner was over, Harry and Susan hurried home and wrote a letter to their classmates, which they magically copied and immediately sent out, hoping that their whole class was willing and able to attend.
By the time the open day approached, it was already clear that Claudine would have to teach two intensive classes, one in the mornings, and one in the afternoons, one consisting of students from all classes, one consisting of the complete soon-to-be seventh year class.
'And they're all going to arrive on my birthday, because the class is going to begin on the first of August,' Harry thought, happily, when he stood next to Susan and Barkymort, waiting for the soon-to-be first years to arrive.
HP
As usual, Harry and Susan gave the eight-year-olds the tour around the school building, the beach and finally the grounds, patiently answering all questions that the younger witches and wizards had.
Unfortunately, it was the day of the full moon, and Harry was feeling quite miserable, even if he had not done much magic recently. Therefore, Susan and Harry just showed the first years the tree houses and offered that they could climb into the first years' tree house, while they'd wait for them on the ground.
"You didn't have to stay with me," Harry said in a small voice.
"Nonsense," Susan replied, giving her brother a worried look.
All of a sudden, their attention was drawn towards the other side of the park, from where two men were approaching them quickly. 'Voldemort and Malfoy' Harry realised in a daze.
tbc...