The Lion And The Snake Scales Of Justice
Chapter 8
Plans Going Forward
True to Harry's word, he had gone to Gringotts and opened a vault for what he called 'The Potter Foundation' a charity to help disadvantaged children receive educations. He put one hundred galleons into it; Draco as promised had matched it, also the added money from the Basilisk skin on the market was being funnelled into that vault as well. Hermione had started up a collection point; so far a total of ninety Galleons, sixteen Sickles and twenty Knuts had been collected and placed it in the vault. The charmed box was filling up with various educational things the children could use. All of Regulus Black's books and uniform had been added to it, after being checked to make sure it was safe to use them. Hermione had removed the Slytherin badge making it a simple black one. Harry did the same with all his old uniforms, Draco surprisingly added a lot of clothes, from newborn to seventeen, and his mother had kept them.
"Hi guys," said Ron wandering into the room of requirements, "Here, these can go in the box." they took the box everywhere with them, bringing it out in the Room when they used it. Ron placed his old chess set and broomstick into the pile, it had taken him a long time to part with them, but he had different ones so it was stupid to keep both sets.
"Did Bill agree?" asked Harry; they had already gotten in touch with one he was there right now warding the Defacto School. He had surprisingly not been perturbed by the fact he was working down in Knockturn Alley. It seemed not everyone was against the small Alley, which was a good thing.
"Yes, he's coming to the school tomorrow, he isn't sure when but he'll write and let me know before he comes." said Ron. Thankfully Bill wasn't one of those stuck up Dumbledore's ass like his mum and dad and little sister. Probably because they have their own lives abroad. Charlie was the same, anything he told his older brothers remained between them, and they were always willing to help him. They were the ones he looked up to, not Percy, who had practically disowned the family trying to get his head firmly lodged up Fudge's rectum. Fred and George were another thing altogether, concentrating on their shop more than anything these days.
"Haven't you thought about teaching them all the same day? I mean all of them in the same room? They haven't practised magic before so it wouldn't be like us, the older missing out because we are teaching the younger's." said Draco looking up from his book.
"Good point," said Hermione thoughtfully, "It would save time…maybe all of us going on a weekend day, and they would learn everything they needed."
"Isn't that a bit much?" wondered Harry considerately. "There is a lot to learn…"
"Not if they take on just the important electives, like Herbology, Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, History of magic and Defence." suggested Luna.
"Not to forget Astronomy is compulsory as well as flying." said Draco.
They had already decided who was doing what as well, Draco was teaching Potions, Neville Herbology, Harry was teaching defence. Hermione was going to teach them history of magic, but she'd desperately wanted to teach them charms as well so she and Ron had decided to co teach charms together.
"I'll teach them flying, but we only have two broomsticks, but maybe its better that way," said Harry, at least nothing would get out of control that way.
"I have six at home," remembered Draco, "We can use them as well."
"I'll teach them astronomy and creatures." suggested Luna.
"And you seriously think we can do all that in a single day? Get them caught up enough? To pass the classes so they can take their exams at the Ministry?" asked Harry cautiously.
"I don't think we can either," said Neville. "We don't even know how long it will take to get them from the school to my house to learn Herbology and to your property Harry, to learn Potions." since it was the only property there with a potions lab, just like his was the only one with green houses.
"Not to forget we have nowhere for flying lessons yet," said Draco not sure if his idea had merits after all.
"We can do that at one of the properties its safer that way, mine has more free acres so it makes sense to use mine. Put flying down immediately after or before Potions so we don't have to move around too much." suggested Harry, as Hermione immediately began to scribble down on the timetable she'd made.
"Good idea," said Luna nodding. "We might as well have astronomy there as well; the classroom doesn't have an available place to look at stars."
"I don't know if they will actually be doing that, we can't teach until midnight!" said Neville. "This year is going to be tough as it is without doing that. We cannot let our own grades suffer because we are doing this." his Gran would absolutely kill him if he did that.
"It's too bad we don't have somewhere we can do all those things without having to move around." sighed Ron, the complications of this endeavour got to everyone. With Hermione and Harry though they were determined to see it through no matter what.
"Since there's only…how many?" asked Harry forgetting the total.
"Twenty nine, but I think there may be more by the time we actually get it up and running," said Hermione. Seven galleons a wand which meant the price for all the students to get one would come to two hundred and three galleons. It was more than she'd been able to collect from the students yet, she had hoped to get the equivalent but there was still time.
"Isn't that over two hundred galleons for their wands alone?" said Ron wincing at the price.
"Yeah," nodded Hermione. "I'm hoping to get another hundred galleons before then so the money I've collected will go towards the most important part of their education."
"I can give you it," said Neville, he knew Harry and Draco had donated and he hadn't yet, now that he knew this was going ahead he felt he really wanted to contribute.
"Will your Gran let you?" asked Hermione hopefully. She knew unlike Draco and Harry, he wasn't in charge of his vaults yet, he would be on his seventeenth birthday though.
"I won't need to ask her, I have the money in my trunk," shrugged Neville, he didn't spend much but continued to save it up for anything he wanted. He knew what he wanted but no amount of money would bring his parents back to him.
"You know Ollivander will tell Dumbledore about the influx of students as soon as he can," said Ron.
"I did think that," admitted Harry, he was positive he had told Dumbledore about his wand being the brother of Voldemort's. "I asked Severus about it, but there aren't any wand makers in the UK so we have no choice but to use him. I was thinking of making him swear an oath never to reveal the information."
"It may be the only choice." said Draco, not against it.
"Speaking of Severus how's your training going?" asked Hermione.
"Challenging," groaned Harry, he was sure the man was trying to kill him, the past few weeks had been exhausting, still was but not as much as the first week.
"It will be worth it," said Draco, "He has a way of making you work hard for it but at the end you'll be thanking him for not going easy on you."
"I don't know about that," snorted Ron, Harry showed up at odd times sweating badly and exhausted barely able to stand up.
"I need it though," said Harry in defence of Severus. "I might even have a chance against him."
"You do," agreed Hermione. "I wish I could learn too, do you know how long it's been since a sixteen year old became an apprentice? Nearly two hundred years." her voice was full of wistfulness.
"You could do it Hermione, nobody has any doubt." said Harry adamantly. She was the best of them all; even now she'd pass flying colours.
"How's it going with Madam Pomfrey?" asked Luna. "Are you learning basic spells like we did in the beginning?"
"We were, but not any more, I can't believe nobody else is learning…I think its handy." said Harry, "If anything happens I know I'll be able to help." sooner or later, probably later since he only spent three hours a week with her learning what he needed. The rest of the time he spent on Potions and defence, thankfully the weekends were mostly his own. If they got the school up and running that would obviously change.
"I wish I had been able to take the class, but I was stretched thin as it was," said Hermione, it hadn't been possible even with the time turner, it was tricky with all the other classes she'd been taking. So she'd had to decide which class to drop, she just wished she had decided Divination instead of the healing class.
"I'm going to see my house, after dinner I mean since it's so late…do you want to come?" asked Harry curiously. He'd been meaning to see the place since he found out about it. He'd requested the Floo address from the Goblins, and thankfully they had known it. He was considering changing it, but considering it hadn't been used for at least four generations there was nobody alive who could remember it.
"How are we going to get there?" asked Hermione quickly, she wanted to go but was it possible?
"I'm going to Floo over, from my rooms that way nobody will know." said Harry.
"You've never invited us there…" said Luna surprised.
"That's only because of the portraits," said Harry, "But hopefully you will all be able to fit under my cloak."
"Good idea!" said Ron, but he would be crouching over, he was too tall, if he stood up straight under it his feet showed, it had been last year since he used it so it might be worse. It would be difficult with five people under it, but he didn't want to miss out on seeing the house.
"Didn't you say you had training again later?" asked Draco.
"Yeah, but not until seven. It leaves two hours at least to look around, three if we hurry and eat." said Harry.
"Sounds good, maybe we can even see some of the children…get their input." said Hermione.
"They might have ideas we haven't thought of," said Draco nodding.
"How about we take some food as well? There is always lots left over." suggested Ron. "The House-Elves would be happy to help."
"Yeah, why not?" said Harry nodding, "Has Dumbledore spoke to any of you?"
"Why would he do that?" sneered Draco, he loathed Dumbledore.
"He's been looking at all of you, I wouldn't be surprised if you get called up." said Harry bluntly.
"I thought you said he'd want to talk to you soon," said Ron frowning.
"I am surprised he hasn't yet," conceded Harry, "But I think he's waiting on me going to him…" thankfully they all knew better than to look Dumbledore in the eye, had known since fifth year and Draco wouldn't look at him. Well other than to glare for a second in haughty disgust.
"He's in for a long wait then, isn't he?" said Hermione, she had been so very shocked by Dumbledore's actions, she'd always believed the best in teachers but now…she was realizing people in power weren't always good people.
"Yes," snorted Harry amused.
"How much longer do you think we can potentially keep this a secret without Dumbledore finding out?" asked Draco, referring to the Defacto School they were creating.
"Hopefully as long as possible, there's nothing he can do anyway even if he does find out, we are allowed to leave school whenever we like." said Harry.
"Not if he makes Severus stop you from going, or tries to anyway, he is your Master until you complete your Mastery." said Draco.
"Don't remind me," grimaced Harry, "I've already thought about that."
"Come on then, dinner will be served in ten minutes, the quicker we get there…the sooner we can leave." said Ron, and it had nothing to do with being hungry, nope, not at all.
"I agree," said Hermione standing up scooping up her books and paperwork, and putting it neatly into her backpack.
Harry shrunk the box and placed it in his pocket, he'd put it in his room before going to Knockturn Alley, although they could use the stuff Draco donated. In fact he might actually remove the normal clothes, and investigate the Alley see if there was anyone that needed anything desperately. He knew to make it seem like it was for the kid's best interest, Severus had told him as much that they were too proud to accept 'charity'.
"You know, Mione, all the kids might not agree so that's not to say we will have twenty nine students," said Neville thoughtfully as they left the room.
"I hope they will, maybe once they see the others join they will want to." said Hermione.
"They have to want to, they need an education to have a proper future." said Neville.
"I will convince them," said Draco confidently.
Harry and the others just all grinned behind his back, Draco for most part had changed but he hadn't outright changed - and they had to admit they were slightly glad for it. Although Draco didn't know that Ron and Hermione knew what his father had done. Harry had made it clear they were never to bring it up; thankfully Draco hadn't been too curious why they weren't ragging on at him for joining their little group. Probably too grateful he still had someone to call a friend, those that weren't about to hand him over to Voldemort. As a prefect he had his own rooms too, so he had added protect as well from the Slytherins who mean him harm.
The plans going forward will Harry just decided to make his house a school for the students? will he get the Ministry to actually make it a public funded school or will he do it himself with his name being what it is? will he go public with his ideas and have them for once actually doing something productive? or will he wait until voldemorts defeated so the school isn't attacked by him since aurors were already targeting the place? or will he make the house a safe heaven for those vulnerable to being targeted by the ministry aurors? much like he's done to Grimmauld Place? and still have enough room to make it a school? R&R please!