Chapter fifteen

Amelia, Sirius, Augusta, Harry, Susan and Neville had a wonderful dinner and spoke more about Hogwarts and what had been going on over the last few years.

'As you know we did search the castle, and apart from a few dark artefacts that some Slytherin's had and a few love potions which are illegal for any student to brew. We never found anything lethal or dangerous. We are not going to lower our guard though, there could be many places that we just can't access. There are hidden rooms at Hogwarts that were connected to the founders, which may never be found. We would like you to take us into the chamber Harry, just to make sure there is nothing else hiding down there.'

'I don't mind Amelia, it's better to be safe than sorry.'

'True, now one more thing, because of the dangerous situations that has happened just in recent years. We will be giving you three a mirror that will connect with me as well as Augusta. This is just a precaution until we are satisfied nothing dangerous is left at the school.'

Harry looked at Sirius who nodded, 'I have something that might help, I never wanted anyone to know mainly because it partially belonged to my father. I'll be right back,' Harry hurried from the room to looks from the other two adults beside Sirius.

'I take it you know what this something is, Sirius?' Amelia asked.

'Yes, I was the owner along with James, Remus and Peter, we invented it when we were students.'

All eyes turned to Harry as he stepped back in the room. He laid some parchment on the coffee table then looked at Sirius who took out his wand.

'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good,' Sirius tapped it with his wand then sat down but he looked at Harry to explain.

'The Marauders map, of Hogwarts. It does not show the chamber or the room of requirement, but it does show every person at the castle. Right now it won't work properly since we're not actually at the castle, it does work when we're in Hogsmeade.'

'The further away you are the less it works,' Sirius said.

'There are seven secret passageways out of the castle, but only two are accessible, one inside the castle and one outside. The Weasley twins found this in their first year, well, they nicked it from Filch's office. Because of the dementors last year and how everyone thought Sirius was out to kill me, I couldn't go to Hogsmeade, so the twins gave it to me. At the time they did not realise that they were giving the map to a son of one of the makers, the twins call the Marauders their heroes.'

'Hogwarts in unplottable, how in the name of merlin did you do this Sirius?' Amelia asked.

'We tried for two years, then when James started to date Lily he was able to finish it. We believe Lily told him how since she was brilliant at charms. They would never reveal how they did it. They said since Peter and I had lost the map a few times we were at Hogwarts they did not want to take the chance we would tell anyone how they were made. I get that, I was reckless back then. But Lily and James planned to make more, of all their homes, that way they would have a way of always finding the children.'

'I would like you to use it Professor Longbottom. After so many dangerous things that I've gone through at Hogwarts, it just might help stop any student going through something that could kill them. It will also tell you if someone dangerous is inside the castle.'

'I thank you Harry. If I can have Filius look at this then maybe he can duplicate it then you can have this one back, since it is connected to your parent's.'

'Thanks, but if he can't, all I ask is that if you retire then I would like it back.'

'I give you my word.'

'To close it you tap it again then say mischief managed,' Sirius said.

'Why did you see the need to invent this apart from pulling pranks on everyone, mainly the Slytherin's?' Amelia asked.

'To help Remus, when we became animagus we would spend the wolf nights with him. We needed a way to sneak out of the castle.'

'And Albus never knew about the map?'

'No, he didn't. When Harry told me he had it I was surprised, I figured Albus would have worked out what was taken off Peter in our last year. It seems Peter managed to close the map just before Filch took it from him. I spoke with the twins recently, they explained it was closed but that they heard a rumour about a map of Hogwarts that Filch took from student's years before. It took them six months to work out the password, yet they wouldn't tell me how they figured it out.'

'Then this will come in handy, Augusta may find something we missed. But just remember, you three will have a way to contact both of us if you believe something is wrong. Now you have about an hour before Augusta and Neville leave, so why don't you three go spend some time together?'

Harry, Susan and Neville headed to another part of the house while the adults finished speaking. But they were also talking about plans that they may need to implement, that would depend on what happens over the next few weeks.

The following day, Amelia, two aurors and Augusta arrived at Hogwarts to re-open the castle. All the staff were there, but they were surprised to see Albus Dumbledore.

'Why are you here Albus?'

'I wish to speak with Minerva, plus there are a few things I need from my office, or her office now.'

'Minerva's office is where it always was, but right now I do not have time for you to collect your belongings from my office Albus. I suggest you wait until I send them to you. I will have a house elf pack up anything that does not belong to Hogwarts,' Augusta said sternly, 'Now, kindly leave Albus, the staff and I need to have a meeting with Madam Bones.'

Not only was Albus shocked at the news that Minerva was not the headmistress, but so were the rest of the staff. They all believed Minerva would get the job, even she did.

'May I ask why Minerva was not given the job of headmistress when she was next in line?' Filius asked.

'Due to her support and loyalty to Albus Dumbledore,' Amelia said then instructed her aurors to open the castle. When that was done she sent the aurors to the Beauxbaton's carriage and the Durmstrange's ship to remov the safety wards that prevented the students from coming near the castle. When the teachers stepped inside, Albus tried to follow but an invisible shield seemed to prevent him from passing through the doors, 'Leave Albus or I will have the aurors arrest you, again.'

Minerva, Severus and a few other members of staff watched as Albus walked away. Some believed it was the best thing to finally be rid of Albus Dumbledore from Hogwarts. But there were a few who would always remain loyal.

Augusta waited until the staff took their seats inside the staff room before she pulled out a folder.

'Now, onto business, first, Severus, you are hereby sacked. You should pack your belongs and leave within the hour before Madam Bones has her aurors arrest you.'

'And just why am I being sacked?'

'After going through the hundreds and hundreds of complaints in regards to your teaching methods the governors and I believed you are unsuitable for teaching. Many had tried to have you sacked from the moment you got the job. It was only thanks to Albus that you were not forced out of Hogwarts. Albus has lost all his support and very soon he will be dealing with some more issues he has brought upon himself. Now leave,' Augusta glanced down at the folder while Severus stormed out of the room, 'Next, Binns, go haunt another castle, you are no longer required to teach here,' she waited until the ghost vanished, 'Sybil, if I find out that you keep predicting students deaths then you will also been gone from this castle.'

Sybil gave a little whimper but she nodded then shrunk lower into her seat. There was a knock at the door before three people walked inside.

'Ah, our newest members of staff, good. Andromeda, Ted, Horace, please take your seats,' Augusta waited until they sat, 'Andromeda Tonks will be taking history of magic, she also going to be taking a new class that will be held once a week, wizarding studies. So many students come from muggle homes that they need extra lessons so they can adapt to our world. Ted Tonks will be taking the new and improved muggle studies class. The wizarding class and the muggle studies class will be mandatory from first year to seventh year with O.W.L. and N.E.W.T's. All students raised in magical homes will attend the muggle studies class and the students raised in the muggle world will attend the wizarding class. Some of you may remember Horace Slughorn, he will be taking potions.'

Augusta glanced at her folder, 'From next year we will be implementing a new way for the first years to be sorted. They will arrived two days before the rest of the students, it will give them time to find their way around and to adapt to being in the castle. We are also going to have orientation days for all children aged ten and up. They will come to Hogwarts with their parent's, whether magical or muggle. They will spend a week here during the summer holidays so they can be familiar with the castle and classes. One last change which could happen any time, any magical orphan will be given custody to Hogwarts if there was no one organised by their parent's to take them, magical that is, not muggle. Any muggleborn that has parent's that don't accept their child is magical will from now on reside at the castle. Now the staff may help if they wish, but we are training house elves to be nannies, something that the founders started when they first opened Hogwarts.

'Over the next year more classes will be added to the curriculum, many that the founders wished all magicals to learn. Some will be core classes some will be electives. Times are changing but we are also going to follow the vision of what the founders wanted for Hogwarts. Tomorrow, three unspeakables will be here to re-do the enchantments that the former headmaster dismantled. One last thing before you go, if a student comes to you complaining about another student or staff then you take it seriously and bring that to me. No more will we leave the students to be harassed or cursed without a thorough investigation. An auror will be present at Hogwarts at all time from now on, which hopefully will tell those trouble makers that any problems they cause will not be tolerated. I believe that's all for now, we will meet again at eight o'clock on Wednesday night.'

Augusta and Amelia watched the staff leave, they knew which ones did not like the changes to Hogwarts. So now it would be wait and see if they remained or if they left Hogwarts, which would mean more teachers may need to be found.