Matou Shinji and the Heirs of Slytherin

A Harry Potter / Fate Stay Night Story

Disclaimer: Though I wish it were otherwise, I do not own or in any way, shape or form hold a legal or moral claim to elements of either the Nasuverse, the Potterverse, or other works I may reference in the course of this story.

Summary: Trouble is brewing in the Wizarding World. In the wake of the Stone Incident, Albus Dumbledore has begun quietly preparing Britain to survive the coming war. The Stone Cutters, a new organization at Hogwarts for the most talented and distinguished of students, seek new blood to bolster its strength. The Boy-Who-Lived seeks his destiny as the Heir of Slytherin. And a boy from the east meets a specter of the past.

Chapter 29 The Old Man of the Mountain

At Hogwarts, about a week after Harry Potter's endorsement of Filius Flitwick was announced in the Daily Prophet, a set of missives delivered at breakfast caused quite a stir among the student population. Snow-white owls delivered jet black envelopes embossed with the sigil of a mountain inscribed with an eyeto twelve individuals – three from each house.

Within was a slip of paper, upon which were printed these words:

'Congratulations. Based on your accomplishments to date, you have been chosen as a Founding Member of an exclusive society dedicated to the study of the past and to future development. Please join me for a dinner reception this evening on the Sixth Floor to honor your achievements, meet the other founding members, and for further illumination.

Sincerely,

Gilderoy Lockhart, O.M. (Third Class)
The Old Man of the Mountain'

There was no single thing that officially linked them all, for not all were Consuls, not all played Quidditch, and only one was a Prefect. They didn't even have one person they all knew – not even Matou Shinji, the head of Lockhart's new society, or the Boy-Who-Lived, or even Lockhart himself, beyond attending his classes.

If one were to try to find a thing that characterized all of them, it was simply that they were – or could be – leaders.

Of those chosen from the House of Slytherin, Daphne Greengrass and Draco Malfoy were both Consuls, and Malfoy himself the Slytherin starting Seeker. Pansy Parkinson was thought to have been chosen for her networking skills, and her abilities to blend with different factions, but no one was quite sure.

Of those chosen from Gryffindor, Ginevra Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and Fay Dunbar were all Consuls, with Ginevra Weasley being the Gryffindor starting Seeker, and Fay Dunbar a reserve Beater.

Of the Ravenclaws, Luna Lovegood and Cho Chang were both Consuls, with Chang as starting Seeker, and Lovegood presumed to be closely associated with the Stone Cutters. And none would dispute that Hermione Granger's intellect was formidable, given her capacity for absorbing information from textbooks.

Of the Hufflepuffs (and that there were any surprised a number from the other houses), Cedric Diggory and Susan Bones were Consuls, with Diggory also being a Prefect and a starting Seeker. And Hannah Abbott, if not officially involved, was known for being quite good at Herbology – and being one of the best in Hufflepuff at Potions.

The reactions of those around them were mixed, with some envious, some slightly upset that they had not been chosen, and some happy for their friends. It was no small honor to be chosen out of half the students of Hogwarts, after all.

As for the reactions of the people themselves, some were more elated than others.

Hermione Granger, for example, was overjoyed that she had been chosen – that presumably Matou had picked her – out of all the others at Hogwarts, including most of the Prefects.

(Budge would later comment that the bushy-haired brunette shouldn't have been surprised about being chosen. Since, as he grudgingly admitted, she had potential, all this meant was that Matou Shinji wasn't a complete idiot).

Draco Malfoy had more or less expected to be chosen, given who he was and who his father was, so he didn't really consider his selection much of an honor. He was surprised that Potter hadn't been chosen, but he assumed that there were reasons for this, given that none of the Stone Cutters had been selected – except for the one who had already been announced as leading the organization. He was simply interested in what he could learn from the Book of Spells, which he assumed he would have access to – though he was curious why Parkinson and those Hufflepuffs had been picked, of all people.

…but then, just because the Stone Cutters held Orders of Merlin didn't mean they made the right decisions, given their recent endorsement – which his father was none too happy about. Even if Potter had justified himself by saying that Professor Snape wouldn't want to be in the spotlight, Malfoy thought that was probably just an excuse, since any true Heir of Slytherin should value the advancement of a member of his house, no? And wouldn't Professor Snape want to be Headmaster – the first Slytherin since his own ancestor Phineas Nigellus Black?

Frankly, he'd never been happy playing second fiddle to Potter, especially since the Boy-Who-Lived didn't seem to care who he was – and with the exception of the Parselmouth incident, didn't seem to think of him as a rival at all. Even when Draco had announced that he would try out for the position of Seeker, Potter hadn't even acknowledged that as a challenge. And that Draco could not stand.

Not being beaten, of course, because defeat was always a risk in the great game – even if Draco Malfoy had only rarely known it in his life. But not even being acknowledged as a competitor or a threat…that was unforgivable.

Neville Longbottom was somewhat surprised to have been selected. There were higher achieving, more talented people than he, after all. He'd only applied at the insistence of his co-Consul Fay, who he was glad to see had been chosen as well, since she was perhaps one Gryffindor whose potions Snape never complained about. He didn't think he deserved to be among the chosen twelve.

Neither for that matter, did Hannah Abbott, since she hadn't done anything spectacular before. Sure, she'd worked with Hermione Granger and Matou Shinji a time or two in Potions class, and she might have known the answer to some of Professor Snape's more challenging questions, but that was just because she knew Herbology well.

As for Cedric Diggory, he was honored to have been picked, given how often Hufflepuff was overlooked when it came to being recognized for things. He'd known he had a good shot, as a Prefect, Seeker, and Consul, but he wasn't sure how fair the selection process would be. It made him curious about who else had been picked, and what this new society would end up doing.

So, each with their own feelings and reactions, they gathered on the Sixth Floor that evening, where Professor Lockhart – and yes, Matou Shinji – ushered them into a room nearly as opulent as the History of Magic Classroom, if somewhat more intimate.

The room was surprisingly spacious, and featured a fireplace with two large sofas surrounding it, a round dinner table big enough to sit over a dozen people, a piano and other strange instruments, a private library – and even a private balcony.

It even had a private washroom, though not one quite as opulent as the one enjoyed by the Prefects, according to Diggory, who felt a little out of sorts as the oldest student in the room. The closest one to his age was Cho Chang of Ravenclaw, who nettled him a bit about his performance in the last Ravenclaw-Hufflepuff game, where…once again, he'd lost out on catching the Snitch.

"Did you notice?" she asked, looking around at the others and finding that none of them were her age. "All the Seekers are here. And you're the only prefect."

"Yeah," Cedric agreed, not sure what to think about that. "And everyone else is…younger. First or Second Years. Kind of makes you wonder how Professor Lockhart chose everyone."

"Well, Matou I can guess, since it's not every day you beat living legend like Professor Moody, but…" Cho glanced over at the trio of Susan Bones, Hannah Abbott, and Luna Lovegood. "…those? I mean, ok, Lovegood and Matou are pretty much going out, but…"

Cedric, following his fellow Seeker's gaze, raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, don't knock my house. We Hufflepuffs are just as good as anyone else," the Prefect admonished. "Besides, I'm sure there has to be a reason they were picked. Probably for their work as Consuls, official or otherwise?"

"Oh?"

"Hannah is the go-to person in her year for Potions," the older boy explained. "She's good at Herbology, even for a Hufflepuff, and that translates pretty well across classes."

"Huh," Cho said, tapping her lips with a long, slim finger. "Well, I suppose I'll give them all the benefit of the doubt."

"As well you should, Miss Chang," Professor Lockhart broke in from beside the two Seekers, his silver robes trailing behind him. "After all, over half of Hogwarts applied to be here today. You are one of the chosen few."

"Professor, good evening."

"Good evening," the blond spoke, pitching his voice so that all those in the room could hear. "And thank you for coming out to the inaugural meeting of this new…organization. This office once belonged to Galatea Merrythought, a former Defense against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts, but it is yours to use – for any purpose and at any hour – as long as you are members of this society. The password, incidentally is, 'lily-of-the-valley.'"

Gilderoy Lockhart smiled benevolently as his gaze took in all those around him.

"I'm sure some of you are curious as to how you were chosen, and why some of your colleagues were not," he continued, noting the looks of interest on the faces of a number of the students. "To put it simply, you are here because I believe you have the potential to become more than simply ordinary. To be leaders, innovators, forerunners, and more. Many of you are relatively young, but all of you have proven yourselves through the things you have done, the positions you have taken, and through your dedication to service in the eyes of your peers."

He waved Matou Shinji, also dressed in silver dress robes, forward.

"Just as your leader, Matou Shinji, has done in the eyes of Magical Britain," the man concluded, withdrawing the Book of Spells from his robes. "Now, as many of you are aware, this society will examine history through the eyes of those remembered in our legends and textbooks, using the Book of Spells as a vehicle to let us…experience these events in the flesh. When learning of the History of Magic, we are normally forced to read accounts of what has transpired and use our imaginations – but this Book allows us to do so much more." He paused, noticing a timid hand go up. "Yes, Miss Granger?"

"But who compiles these scenarios, Professor?" she asked, frowning slightly. "Surely they're not simply in the book as is."

"Of course not, Miss Granger," Gilderoy Lockhart replied smoothly. "That is my job as a historian, to sift through our records of the past and put together re-enactments of what transpired, so you may learn not simply from me, but from the words of acts of those who came before. Those who became heroes. Those who became legends." He smirked, seeing Cedric Diggory look at him questioningly. "Yes, Mister Diggory?"

"I believe I speak for everyone here when I ask – 'what about the Stone Cutters', sir?" the Hufflepuff Prefect inquired, as the others began to murmur and nod. "Why is only one of them part of this society?"

"Simply put, Mister Diggory, they have already achieved what we seek," Lockhart explained, as Matou Shinji stood just a bit taller, just a bit straighter. "Beyond the walls of Hogwarts, in all of Magical Britain, there are none who do not know their names. The name of the Boy-Who-Lived, and his loyal companions. The names of the heroes who stand against the dark. They have learned through bitter struggle the meaning of greatness." His expression softened slightly. "Like you, they had potential, but they already seized it. They are leaders. As such, one of them sits among you today as your leader – and no, unlike my appointed Consuls, he cannot be overthrown."

"I see…"

"But he does not lead alone," Lockhart continued, catching everyone's attention once again. "By the time tonight is over, I expect you all to appoint a leader from among you to stand beside him with equal stature. And of course, I expect you to provide this organization with a name and a time to meet each week."

"Oh? A name?" Pansy Parkinson asked, curious. "Do you already have something in mind, Professor?"

"Of course, Miss Parkinson," the author replied with a dazzling smile. "The Ourea."

"Greek for the spirits of the mountain," Luna Lovegood murmured. "Children of the earth and the sky."

"Indeed. Spoken like a true Ravenclaw, Miss Lovegood. It is my belief that you – all of you – have the potential to reach the dizzying heights of the heroes of the past. That is why you are here. Now, are there any other questions?"

"Will we have access to the Book of Spells when you are not using it, Professor?" Draco Malfoy inquired solicitously, trying not to seem too covetous.

"Outside of our weekly meetings, and when I am crafting new scenarios, yes," Lockhart replied. "The Book will be charmed to remain in this room when not in my possession, however, so there will be no absconding with it to the dungeons. Is that clear, Mister Malfoy?"

This time, when he smiled, the expression was cold, almost serpentine, and the youth swallowed.

"Yes. Crystal. Sir. Professor," Malfoy managed, with Shinji raising an eyebrow at the sight. He hadn't seen the other boy discomfited in a very long time.

"Good," the Professor noted, his expression softening once more. "In that case, I shall leave you all to get acquainted over dinner, as I have a scenario to craft. Mister Matou, the room is yours."

With that, he snapped his fingers, as platters of food and goblets full of various drinks appeared on the table, including selections that Shinji recognized from what he ordered from the house-elves. And then he left, with the others looking at the Boy-from-the-East expectantly.

"Shall we move to the dining table?" Matou Shinji suggested, as everyone proceeded to do so, with Luna and Hermione taking the seats to his left and right, respectively. For some reason, he felt somewhat uncomfortable with this, as they seemed to be seated closer to him than necessary, but brushed it off. Surely, he was just imagining things. "Any suggestions on a second leader, by the way?"

"Of course," Malfoy drawled. "As my father is Chairman of the Board of Governors, and I stand as co-Consul with the Boy-Who-Lived, I believe I am the natural choice to lead this…Ourea."

"Any opposed?" Shinji inquired, as almost everyone at the table spoke up at once. "I'm sorry, Draco. It seems your nomination fails." He shook his head, not having expected someone to just nominate himself. "How's this? Each of us have to suggest one other person as leader."

"That is agreeable," Luna murmured.

"I think so, so," Hermione added quickly.

"Then I nominate Cedric Diggory," Cho Chang spoke up, her eyes darting between Shinji, Luna, and Hermione as if there was something there she couldn't quite place. "He's a Prefect, a Consul, and a Seeker, so he knows the value of teamwork, and he's an experienced leader. More so than most of us."

"Fair enough," Shinji said, taking a notepad from his robes. "Anyone else."

"I nominate Neville Longbottom," Hannah Abbott added, with the others turning to look at her curiously. "I remember that he was one of the only ones to beat Professor Quirrell's Challenge, along with Matou and Potter."

"Well, if you say that, I have to nominate Fay," Neville said, scratching the back of his head nervously. "She's the reason I'm no longer melting cauldrons in Potions. And Snape has nothing bad to say about her work."

Pansy Parkinson blinked at hearing that last bit.

"…you know, that is a big achievement. For a Gryffindor," she allowed, a sardonic smile flitting across her lips. "I'd support you."

"While I would tend to support Prefect Diggory," Daphne spoke, looking at the boy apologetically. "It strikes me that his many activities could actually be a disadvantage. Given his other responsibilities, I'm not sure he would be able to commit enough time to this org—Matou, what are we calling ourselves?"

"I'm fine with the Ourea, personally," Shinji replied with a shrug. "It does have a good ring to it, and leaves just what we do obscure enough to leave a sense of mystery, I think."

"Well…there are 13 of us, so maybe…Organization XIII?" Susan Bone interjected, but the others shook their head. "Oh bother, thought not."

"We could possibly use Rosetta Stone," Hermione suggested, blinking when the others had blank looks. "It was key to translating Egyptian hieroglyphs into Greek, so their history could be studied?"

"No, we don't need some muggle reference, you mu—muggleborn," Draco said, barely correcting himself from using a somewhat more derogatory term – though not in time to avoid a threatening look from Matou Shinji.

"I think Malfoy is being a little harsh, but think we do need something more mysterious," Pansy said, shooting Hermione an apologetic look. "Ourea sounds good to me."

"Numina Montanum would be the Latin," Daphne suggested, "but I think Ourea sounds better."

"Ok then," Shinji noted, looking around. "Is there anyone would strongly opposed to us being the Ourea?"

There were none.

"Personally, I like it. It sounds like we'll all be future Aurors or something," Diggory said, with Malfoy's face twisting into a grimace on hearing that.

"Alright then. With no objection, our name will be the Ourea," Shinji proclaimed, happy to have settled one bit of business. "Back to the business of a leader, then. Luna, did you have anyone in mind?"

The small blonde tapped her lips in thought, as she looked at the people in the room.

"I think Consul Longbottom," she said after a few moments.

"And why is that, Luna?"

"He has fewer wrackspurts dancing about his head," the girl murmured, with Hermione sighing in exasperation at that explanation.

"Luna, you know those don't—"

"Hermione…this is not the time," Shinji interrupted, hoping to avoid an argument breaking out. In private he was willing to listen to her objections, but he didn't want the group to dissolve into chaos. Not now. Not when it was responsibility. "I'm sorry, but…later. Please."

The bushy-haired brunette promptly shut up and closed her eyes, seeming almost…betrayed.

"Right," Shinji said, shaking his head as if to clear it. "Wrackspurts, Luna?"

"They distract people, make their brains go fuzzy," the girl explained, with the others mulling over this explanation in their head. "They're like worries."

"Well, Longbottom would have fewer things to worry about, it's true," Diggory conceded. "I'm a fifth year, so that means I have O.W.L.s to study for. And with Quidditch and everything else, I probably don't have time to be a leader."

Ginny winced at that, given that she was very familiar with the demands of Quidditch, thanks to Gryffindor's team captain, Oliver Wood.

"I'd have to agree," the redhead chimed in, glancing over at the odd scene presented by Matou, Granger, and her old sometimes friend Luna. "I'm supporting Neville, I think, since both Prefect Diggory and Fay here both have Quidditch."

"Oliver Wood and his fanaticism," Fay groaned, as if the name were a curse, causing the four Seekers to smile despite themselves. Whatever else, Gryffindor's captain was notorious for being a slavedriver and working even his reserve team into the ground, something that even Malfoy could sympathize with.

"Hermione," Shinji said gently, turning and touching the shoulder of the girl seated beside him. "What do you think?"

The brunette opened her eyes at his touch, seeming entranced by the boy for some moments before she spoke.

"Oh. Yes. I think Consul Longbottom is the best option then," she breathed, coloring a bit as Shinji smiled.

"Thank you, Hermione," the Matou scion murmured, before turning back to the group. "Fay, you were the third person nominated. Do you have anything to say, aside from the name of your team captain?"

Those around the table chuckled at that, as Fay blushed just a little bit.

"I think Neville is a better choice," the Scottish girl remarked. "As Abbott mentioned, he beat Quirrell's challenge, not me. And personally, I think going from melting cauldrons to Snape no longer having anything bad to say speaks for itself in terms of how much effort he puts into things, don't you?"

"I wouldn't have been able to do that without your help, Fay," Neville protested. "You were good from the start."

"And you're just as good now. Isn't that a better example for what this group stands for?" Fay asked, fairly reasonably.

"Hm, when you put it like that," Diggory commented. "Then he sounds the right man for the job. Matou, care to call the vote?"

"All for Longbottom as co-leader of the Ourea?" Shinji asked.

Everyone but Longbottom himself – and Draco Malfoy – raised their hands.

"All for Diggory?"

None.

"All for Fay Dunbar?"

Longbottom.

"And who are you voting for, Malfoy?" Shinji inquired archly, seeing the blond look somewhat surly.

"Myself."

"Right, then by a vote of 10-1-1, Neville Longbottom is to be co-leader of the Ourea," the Matou scion noted, nodding to the other boy. "Congratulations."

"I…I don't know what to say…" Neville answered. "I never imagined…"

"What's the saying, Hermione? 'Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them?'" Shinji quipped.

"Oh, is that Malecrit?" Diggory asked, referencing one of the great wizarding playwrights.

"No, it's a quote by William Shakespeare," Luna corrected. "A muggle playwright. He's very good."

Hermione blinked, and glanced over at Luna as if she was seeing the other girl for the first time.

"…you read Shakespeare?"

"Oh yes," Luna replied with a wistful smile. "I am especially fond of A Midsummer Night's Dream, though A Winter's Tale is charming too, even if it is plagiarized from Greene."

Hermione froze at hearing the play her name was from (given it was nicer to think of being named after virtuous queen who was reborn than the child of a faithless woman whose face had launched a thousand ships), not knowing how to react.

"What's your favorite?" Luna asked.

"Um…well. Romeo and Juliet," she whispered with a blush, as she glanced over at Shinji.

"I prefer happier stories, I think," Luna commented, doing something of the same. "People hurting themselves over misunderstandings is just too cruel, isn't it?"

"Anyway, I think we should be deciding a time to meet?" Shinji broke in, before the meeting could go too off topic.

"I think Sundays should probably work for everyone?" Diggory asked. "Saturdays tend to be used for Quidditch, and I don't think scheduling something during the week would be good. Unless we do dinner sessions."

"Sundays are probably best for official meetings," Daphne chimed in. "But we can leave the week open if anyone wants to use the Book of Spells or something."

"Or study," Hermione spoke up. "This does seem like a nice place for it and all…"

"True," Pansy added, smirking. "Not all of us are Consuls, after all. We're just the ones your grades depend on."

"Heh," Neville said, not really wanting to think about that, since there were those in Gryffindor who really didn't like History of Magic. "…that hurts, Parkinson."

"It's only the truth, Longbottom," the girl ribbed, leaving the Gryffindor boy shaking his head. "Even if it hurts."

"That's why it hurts, though you're more Malfoy's problem than mine," Neville shot back.

"Oh too true, but I'm also Harry's problem, so I can't exactly slack off too much. Wouldn't want to disappoint the Heir of Slytherin, now would I?" Pansy asked, with a sly glance at Daphne, who grimaced.

"On that note," Diggory interrupted, looking at the nominal leader of the group. "Matou, I think there's something else that's been on all of our minds."

"…I think I can guess," Shinji grumbled, given that he'd been asked about the interview and the Stone Cutters' stance on the Headmaster succession by his fellow Ravenclaws. "The endorsement, right?"

"Mhm," Diggory confirmed. "I read the paper, and am…kind of surprised, really?"

"Oh, and why is that?" Shinji asked.

"It's just…Slytherin isn't exactly known for…" And here he hesitated, since there were three Slytherins in the room – purebloods of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, even.

"We're more complicated than you give us credit for," Daphne said in answer to that. "We're not all Dark Wizards in the making, you know."

"I…I wasn't saying…" Diggory began, before trailing off. "What I mean is. Well. He's a Parselmouth. He's Slytherin's heir, even, and I always heard Slytherin only wanted purebloods."

"He's also the Boy-Who-Lived," Neville spoke up, his voice wavering as if it was something of painful topic. "H-he survived against You-Know-Who. And fought a Dark Wizard. He even…he even lost a friend. So maybe."

"…maybe we're not giving Slytherin enough credit?" Diggory asked. "That there was another reason behind the pureblood stuff?"

"Yeah," Neville said.

"It has been a few hundred years," Shinji pointed out. "Things get lost and forgotten in that time."

And he himself knew of the war that had raged between Association and Church. In those times, when the two organizations had been locked in a war to the knife, maybe teaching only those whose blood was purest was a good idea, since there would be no danger from the Church tracking down vanished children or so.

But attitudes and choices had repercussions long beyond what was immediately known, with even something like a butterfly flapping its wings changing the course of destiny. Maybe something as small as who one sat next to on the Hogwarts Express. Who one gave a diary to. Where one spent Christmas, and with who.

Choices and consequences.

"Hmm. I never thought about it that way," Cedric said, with a grunt of acknowledgement. "So why Flitwick? I mean, I think he's a great teacher, but why not McGonagall? I mean, the Weasley's Twins comments about having no sense of humor aside."

Ginny winced at that, even if it was true. Mostly.

And so the group had a lively discussion on current events, with even the surly Malfoy chiming in every once in a while on his point of view, since here, people listened if one was reasonably polite. Here, maybe, he could gain more of a name for himself.

Maybe.

Outside the sessions of the sessions of the Ourea, life went on at Hogwarts, if a somewhat disrupted sort of life, given the search for a new Headmaster. Even with the Boy-Who-Lived and the Stone Cutters having made their viewpoint clear, theirs were not the only voices, and even they had been, the Board would take their time. Officially, they retained the sole right to appoint a new Headmaster, and they would not let themselves appear rushed.

After all, whatever the truth, appearances mattered. It could not seem that they had chosen a candidate simply at the backing of the Boy-Who-Lived, the Minister, or anyone else.

Besides, there were other factors that mattered in the selection process, aside from suitability and political influence.

Who would replace them, for one?

The fact that Professor Horace Slughorn was still alive and well, if retired, and would probably be willing to take up his old position, was one of the strongest arguments in favor of appointing Severus Snape.

There were a few potential Charms Masters that the Board could think of to replace Filius Flitwick, most of whom worked for the Ministry, and a few of which were actually dispensible.

But there was almost nobody who could replace Minerva McGonagall at her job, even if she was the faculty favorite, and had prior experience as Deputy Headmistress.

What changes did each propose? What vision did each have for Hogwarts?

Under McGonagall as Headmistress, not much would change. Things would run mostly as they had when Dumbledore was around – and this was not a vote in her favor, given the complaints about the slipping quality of a Hogwarts education.

Under Snape, there would undoubtedly be harsher standards, and those who took their NEWTs would be better prepared, but based on his record as a Potions Master, the Board wondered how many would qualify to take advanced classes at all.

Flitwick seemed a better choice in that regard, given that he was heavily involved with Hogwarts, was favored by the students as being in touch with what was happening on at the school, and was good at encouraging those under him. Even if he was a part-goblin.

And as these selection committees were wont to do, they pulled in many voices. The candidates themselves were pulled out of classes time and time again to talk to the Board, to the Ministry, to subcommittees of faculty and staff (who had also been pulled from their classes), to interviewing prospective staff, and more.

One question that was brought up time and time again was the matter of the Defense against the Dark Arts position – in which no one had lasted more than a year since 1957, taking quite a toll on qualified candidates, as some ended up dead, some simply retiring, and some vanishing from the world. This was quite a sore spot for Magical Britain, given that the lack of an instructor no doubt badly impacted their students.

Why, most adult wizards today could not perform a simple Shield Charm – and most of those had frankly, studied at Hogwarts.

Minerva McGonagall had no real answer to this. She did not believe there was a curse on the position, as was rumored, and that there had merely been a string of bad luck and a shortage of qualified teaching talent in recent years.

Severus Snape had no real opinion on it, but suggested that perhaps teachers at Hogwarts could rotate through that class every year, so to give some sense of continuity.

It was Filius Flitwick, however, that proposed the most interesting solution – at least to the Ministry. Citing the success of Auror Moody's teaching methods, he proposed a partnership with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, where every year, an Auror would be sent to Hogwarts to handle teaching duties, ensuring that students were taught by the best, and the Aurors could identify good candidates, given that there was always a shortage of them.

And then there were classes like Divination, which had been complained about to no end.

Surprisingly, Severus Snape argued that Professor Trelawney should be kept on faculty, as the class was difficult to teach at the best of times. The others though, advocated simply removing it from the curriculum, as it was known to be a soft option, and to not lead anywhere, since in their opinion, Sybil Trelawney was not a qualified Seer.

On and on it went, with the prospective candidates addressing all number of issues, causing considerable disruption to the students – especially those studying for their O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s.

Which was where the Consul System – established by Gilderoy Lockhart - came in.

Because their grades rode on everyone else's performance, they had become quite good at arranging for those who were struggling to find tutoring and self-study, sometimes bribing an upper year to help if need be. In this time, Harry Potter, Matou Shinji, and the Stone Cutters emerged as some of those who convinced, cajoled, and otherwise helped ensure there was time to study – that people were receiving the help they needed, and that they would pass, regardless of the class in which they were struggling.

Partially, this was because none of them wished to fail because someone else did – Matou Shinji perhaps least of all, and because unless people had mastered their other topics, they wouldn't study History of Magic, as that one wasn't…practical. So he didn't have time for much practice of his craft, or exploration of the castle, beyond what the Ourea allowed, and what he could squeeze in with his other duties.

People often saw Hermione Granger and Matou Shinji together in those hectic days, with the former usually having a potion of some sort ready at hand for those that needed them – Calming Draughts, Invigoration Draughts, and Wit-Sharpening Potions, mostly, or advice on studying.

And sometimes, they'd see Luna Lovegood in Matou Shinji's wake, dispensing odd bits of advice that…somehow worked, or helped them solve a problem when they looked at things from a different point of view.

Either way, by the end of the year, when people had sat for their exams, a new Headmaster was finally chosen, and the Ourea were queuing up for their final scenario of the year, something Lockhart was calling a Kobayashi Maru, many whispered that the only reason anyone would pass their exams this year was due to the long labors of the Consuls – and indirectly thanks to Gilderoy Lockhart, the man who had established the system in the first place.