Chapter four

Harry didn't know how long he sat under the tree until his stomach gave a grumble. He realised it must have been a few hours since McGonagall and Kingsley left, and he ate just before they spoke to him. He could not believe what Kingsley and Minerva said, what they offered him. But Minerva's words kept playing over and over in his mind. She mentioned the connection and why he felt a connection to Hogwarts. Everyone he tried to explain that to, had no idea what he was talking about. None of them felt anything. He did wondered why Hermione didn't know when she read so much about Hogwarts and it's history. She also read a lot about the founders.

'Maybe she did know but never told me because she doesn't want me as headmaster,' Harry said aloud, 'But why wouldn't she? She said this place was better run by Dumbledore than Umbridge and she read about the time that Dippet was headmaster and he hadn't been that good,' He didn't feel Dumbledore did enough to keep the students safe even if many felt they were safer with him there. Harry put that down to Dumbledore's power, not how he ran the school. He knew he could never tell anyone his real feelings about Dumbledore. Harry stood and packed up his blanket, and his picnic stuff.

'It could have something to do with Ginny. Hermione is of the opinion we would make a great couple, she didn't take me seriously when I said we are nothing alike and it would never work,' Harry knew the truth but he did not want to tell his friends, mainly because it was his private life. He liked to keep that type of stuff to himself and he knew if he told Hermione, she would tell Ron and Ginny. It was the same if he told Ron, Ron would then tell Hermione and maybe his sister.

'I'm not going to tell them about this offer, not until I decide what to do, whether it's to take it or not. They might try and talk me out of it for their own reasons and not for me or for Hogwarts. If Minerva is right, they would not believe that a building has picked me. No, I keep this to myself until I decide then I tell Minerva and Kingsley before they know anything.'

Harry walked into the castle and he felt like smiling, he had no idea why, he just felt happy, 'Is that you Lady Hogwarts,' Harry felt like rolling his eyes talking to the castle but he felt it again, that connection, 'Are you trying to talk me into this or just give me the proof that you are here?' Harry smiled as he looked around at the ancient walls just inside the entry way, 'Well if I decide to do this then I hope you're going to help me because I have no idea how to do it. But you have my word that if I take the job, I will do my best.'

Harry smiled again then headed to his room to clean up before he went to the great hall to join the staff for dinner. He had to laugh as Minerva and the rest of the staff that was sitting there pointed to the middle and largest seat right in the centre.

'Are you trying to tell me something?' Harry smirked.

'Just thought we'd give you an idea what it feels like. Now sit down, Mr. Potter or I might start calling you headmaster before you even have time to think it over,' Minerva smiled.

'Oh blimey,' Harry sat very gingerly into the seat he had seen Dumbledore sit in so often, 'It feels good actually, very comfortable.'

'Like the chair was made for you?'

Harry turned to face Minerva, 'Sort of, um, yeah, why?' he asked cautiously.

'When I sat in that chair and when others sat in it, we always felt that something wasn't quite right, that maybe we need another chair, and none of us were every comfortable using it. So you see Harry, this chair which is as old as Hogwarts herself is showing you that you are the rightful person to sit in it.'

'Are you saying this chair is a thousand years old, that's impossible, it looks brand new?'

'It's the magic behind Hogwarts. When the founders first decided to create Hogwarts none of them could decide who would be head; that is when they decided the castle will decide. They cast a charm on this very chair and each sat down, then all described the same feeling, that it just didn't feel right. So they brought in others to try the chair until a wizard name Jerimiah Coswall sat in the chair and anyone that looked at him could see he was comfortable as he seemed to relax into the chair. The four founders cast another charm which revealed that they had found the person who would be in charge of Hogwarts while they, the founders taught the children. I can tell you that Salazar was not happy about that at all, but they had all agreed to allow Hogwarts to choose so the best person would always be in the position to look after Lady Hogwarts,' Minerva could tell Harry was thinking as his brow was furrowed, 'What is on your mind?'

'When I stepped into the castle after our talk it came to me instantly, I was happy, really happy,' Harry shrugged, 'I spoke to the castle and I felt it again, like it was trying to tell me something.'

'She was, she was trying to tell you that you belong here and that she is here for you.'

'But my age, experience, which is none, how can I do what you and Dumbledore did when you both had years of handling everything that goes on here, including the students? You were both teachers as well.'

'You will with help, my help for one, Albus' portrait will be there behind you at all times. We know it will take a long time for you to understand half of what goes into running this school, but it is meant to be you. When Kingsley first told me what everyone said, I was concerned that you were too young to handle this type of responsibility. But the more we talked the more we realised you would be the right person. Then you explained about the feelings you have for Hogwarts. That proved to us you were the one that Lady Hogwarts choose, just as she was supposed to.

You were never young like the other children around you, the burdens of the magical worlds' safety was on your shoulders from the time you received your scar. You felt that burden the moment you arrived, from then on you stopped being a child. Instead of an eleven year old, you were more like seventeen, now you are older in mind if not in actual age. We all saw it, how you tried to have fun with your friends but your mind was constantly on what he was doing or when were you going to die. You have it inside you to do what Lady Hogwarts askes of you; you just need to trust yourself.'

Harry nodded as he stared down at his plate, 'I get what Kingsley said about modernizing our world, without going too far. I know so many that want muggle homes because there is so much to offer. Look at us right now, we work, we study, we might play the odd game of chess, but kids get bored with all that. Now I do enjoy reading since I don't have to concentrate on him, but sometimes I want to do something else, something fun. I used to sneak into my cousins' room and use his computer when they left me locked up. Fred taught me how to pick the locks. I had to teach myself how to use the computer but when I did I could see the whole world just from a touch of a few buttons. I'm like Hermione, to read a book I like to curl up on a sofa in front of a fire, some muggles now use the computer to read, they don't buy books, they download them, hundreds of them. All it does it takes room inside the computer, not large bookshelves. You can type in something and there's all the information you want. But there is more than just computers and televisions.

Harry saw all the teachers looked expectant, so he continued, 'It's sort of a tradition in the muggle world, a couple will go on their first date by having a pizza and seeing a movie at the cinema. Young couples with money will have dinner at a fancy restaurant and go to the theatre. What do we do here, at fifteen or sixteen year old, we go into an unused classroom for some privacy, what's romantic about that. Yet at the cinema the couple are together, usually arms around each other, eating popcorn from the same container. They have the odd snog, trying to stop themselves going to far as they are surrounded by people, but a lot of those people are doing the same thing. There are theatres with actors and actress, there up on the stage acting out a play. I remember Hermione telling me about how her parents took her to the theatre and she does miss it. Maybe there are a few of those things that can benefit the magical world without losing who we are. We don't need electricity to clean our homes, wash our dishes, wash our clothes, we use magic. We could keep the best of our world and just add some stuff from the muggle world that will help us, help the kids, help older people.'

'We can Harry, there is so much we could learn and benefit from the muggle world.'

'There is, but to modernize Hogwarts, we can't go too far. It is a school and always will be a school. The kids need to concentrate on learning how to do spells and how to do them safely and properly. But even the kids here could do with some other type of entertainment or activity, the staff as well. You all enjoy a visit to Hogsmeade to have a drink, why does it have to be confined to just those weekends, why can't the staff have a certain night off a few times a month, enjoy their time. Surely there must be a way for that to happen and the kids are watched at the same time. The staff will still be inside the castle, just in an enchanted room that resembles a pub or club, music playing in the background, some dancing if that's what they want to do. Wouldn't it be good for the students to have one night a month where they can have fun, let their hair down and not have to worry about points, the house cup, detentions or homework.'

Minerva and the rest of the staff beamed at Harry. This is what they were hoping for, for him to see he does have the right idea to bring the magical world into the twenty first century and out of the seventeenth century, yet keep their customs and traditions.