Summary:
Snape realizes how much of a long game Blaise and Hermione can play. The Wizarding World wants to rebuild but should have been more specific on what 'progress' meant. Severely underestimated children were sent off to battle, and they returned as adults determined for change.
Beta read thanks to Tanguera!
Notes:
After writing this chapter, I realized that it wasn't as strong on the development of Mdm G's. Then I scrolled down, and can assure you the next chapter will be more of Hermione's apprenticeship. Reviews are very much appreciated!
The relationship between Hogwarts and the British Ministry of Magic was contentious at best. Early into the rebuild process, Blaise and Hermione had warily slept beside each other on blankets by the warmth of the kitchen fires. They had haltingly conversed on house-elf magic ensuring the survival of their new shelter.
"There hasn't been any word from the Ministry." Blaise remarked while slowly eating pieces he tore from his bread roll. Hermione froze for a moment, then continued writing in her planner, thinking how best to duplicate the information for others.
"I hope you're not holding your breath, a representative will eventually show up when they want something from Hogwarts."
"Please elaborate."
"The Headmaster has historically been the only defence from the Ministry stripping the resources here. We've only seen a fraction of what a Ministry appointed Headmaster would be like with Snape. He was careful to make it seem worse than it truly was. Hogsmeade, the lake, and majority of the greenhouses and forest are untouched or salvageable." Hermione ticked off a few items. "There isn't even a board of governors left, McGonagall is trying to figure out who's in charge. We need approval of funds to purchase raw food materials for the elves. It's bizarre that no one realizes this is our only imported essential need." The Slytherin dusted his hands and tried to discreetly brush dirt out of his hair. His movements slowed as he processed the half-hearted mumblings, suggesting Granger was used to being ignored.
"Are you telling me that we're almost self-sufficient?" Her scribbling stopped, a page flipped and Hermione was sketching a rough map.
"If we used these fields here and here for agriculture… we could very well be. We have shelter, education, a hospital wing and basic sanitation from the castle despite damage. Our water is sourced from the lake, the elves can process the raw foodstuff, and the greenhouses and forests for most potions ingredients. Those are all our basic needs." Blaise curiously took her pen, studied it, before writing Longbottom where she had starred the fields.
"Your Longbottom has a green thumb, won't he know how to go about that?" Hermione blinked. Astonished. For the first time, her ideas were heard and considered without conflict. Blaise watched earnestly as a slow smile spread across her face. "Then we could be independent. We wouldn't be ignored. Well, until someone just apparates in."
"Haven't you ever read the History of Hogwarts? You can't just apparate in, the wards don't let you." Zabini slowly drawled out as he was voicing his thought.
"What else can the wards do?"
Blaise and Hermione shivered, as they hovered on Zabini's broom, naked under a blanket and a multitude of warming charms. Hermione's teeth chattered as she wondered how her life choices led to her breasts pressed against Blaise's back, both their wrists dripping blood as they poured a neverending stream of steaming amplifying potions into eight strategically placed holes at the farthest extent of Hogwarts and Founder's land. The dark forms of Luna, Neville, Theo, Hannah and Ginny flanked them as a guard. Blaise's lips were starting to turn blue. Always to their right were the distant lights of the castle.
They chanted and watched the last hole fill with stone, topped with a rune embedded in the earth. The circle was closed. Once landed, Blaise fumbled with numb fingers to grasp Hermione's hand. She hesitantly whispered,
"D-did we - did we do it wrong?" He squeezed her hand, not noticing when Theo cast another warming charm or summoned clothing. His heart beat three times.
The sky lit up in near solid golden and silver light. The overlapping layers of runes, wards and arrays briefly blinded all but the casters. It was the sign they had been waiting for, the leylines eagerly attaching to the ancient magic. Then darkness. The flash of light and resulting hum were the only indications they had been successful; days of arithmancy and charms work, careful cultivation of long forgotten plants, bolstered with knowledge fragmented amongst the archives of the Sacred Twenty Eight. Blaise and Hermione both smiled before their eyes rolled back, Theo and Neville rushed forward to catch their bodies before they hit the earth. Under Scottish Wizarding Law and the edicts of Ancient Magic, the secession was complete, Hogwarts was now an independent entity.
McGonagall's face was mottled as she struggled to find the words. Severus watched silently from his chair, Hagrid standing behind him. Neither had alerted McGonagall to the strange actions undertaken by their eldest students. None of the strange actions individually had been alarming, yet now in hindsight all lead to an incredible fait accompli.
"This is a direct viol-" Blaise and Hermione stood clothed in thick knitwear, holding hands and trembling but upright. The Slytherin was still ashen from the magical drain of the new wards.
"No, Headmistress McGonagall. You delegated the responsibility of Hogwarts to Madam Pomfrey who delegated in turn to us. You know the Founders never intended for this Sanctuary to be manipulated as it has been in the past." Hermione continued when his voice went hoarse.
"What's done is done. The wards are up and sealed. Hogwarts is free from the Ministry, but we still need a leader. Do you accept your new mantle? Or appoint another?" McGonagall pinned the two with a glare.
"And I suppose you think you're suited for the job. We've enough power hungry -" Hermione interrupted her Transfiguration professor, a rare occasion in itself.
"Yes, we have had enough power hungry maniacs. Blaise and I have been witness to the consequences. We nominate a council. You, Neville Longbottom, Jonas Grimp as leader of the Forest district, Aberforth Dumbledore as Hogsmeade Mayor, and Adrian Pucey as legal counsel."
McGonagall gaped as Aberforth Dumbledore stepped forward.
"Aye McGonagall. You in or out? We don't need another millstone 'bout the neck after we've chucked the Ministry. Might get some peace around here." Aberforth shook hands with the de facto leader of the Forbidden Forest refugee camp, who defiantly stood tall, watching McGonagall through the heavy scar tissue over one eye. Jonas Grimp had survived Fenrir Greyback's claws to speak for three werewolf packs, two centaur herds, half a dozen giants, several hundred humans and a myriad of other magical beings.
"For however long the Ministry takes before noticing an entire piece of Scotland has vanished." Neville wisely stayed silent as he held up a copy of the Hogwarts Constitution for Adrian to read, the magical solicitor cross-referencing with a floating giant tome of wizarding law and a parchment roll quickly filling with notes from a self-writing quill. Severus watched his colleague realize she was helpless against this coup. Judging from how organized and complete the takeover was, McGonagall either followed the new winds or was swept away by the tide.
The Hogsland Council was formed. Prime Minister Neville Longbottom chosen by default as the least busy of the five, and the slowest in admitting distaste for the position. Realizing he was holding the short end of the stick, Neville protested.
"What about Blaise and Hermione? This was their idea after all." Theo snorted and continued transfiguring Neville's clothes into different dress robes.
"You have an Advisor, Junior Assistant and Senior Undersecretary to appoint. Blaise is eligible if you want to appoint him as your Senior Undersecretary. Hermione has enough to do with her apprenticeship." Neville groaned, and glanced at Blaise and Hermione sitting in front of a blazing fire. They were comparing notes and chatting quietly over their planners about the agriculture branch that would comprise of refugees, a dedicated house-elf, and rotating contingent of students. Could Neville pursue his Herbology mastery if he focused on greenhouse production, maybe if Sprout was willing to be flexible according to his schedule and his public appearances were limited.
"Fine. Theo -"
"Nope." He drew out the lip pop with relish. "I'm taking over Potions. Not to worry, we have a list and dossiers for you to review."
"I still don't understand why it was me. Blaise could ha-" Theo rolled his eyes. Blaise smirked at his boyfriend before adding notes for a spelled doorway between the Hogsland Minister's office and the dittany greenhouse, and Hermione expanded on a change room so Neville could swap out ministerial clothing if he was to garden or supervise the farm fields.
"Neither Blaise nor Hermione make good figureheads. They're good at filtering out crap, planning logistics and getting things done. Rather hard to do when wading through red tape as Minister."
The to do list in their planners just kept growing: refugee skill categorization, housing solutions for the Forest population, forming a security team for law enforcement, hiring legal assistants to help Pucey create a legal system, and trade tariffs for potions. Blaise was revising potion fee and brewing shift schedules. Hermione was already frowning at Pucey's edits on their preliminary hierarchy, trying to define what was considered a 'minor' dispute to be handled by respective district leaders before being voted on by the Council.
Theo ignored his own planner vibrating noisily on the table with all their changes.
"You are good looking, relatively clear of scandal, have decent and relatable school scores, male and acceptable to the more sexist leaders, and a pureblood of the Sacred Twenty Eight with sympathies for magical creatures and muggleborns. Effectively, the best distraction while real work continues." Neville's jaw dropped. "Please refrain from doing that, Minister. Especially in polite company."
Ginny looked up from comparing her notes with Luna's, when the blonde touched her arm. The two watched the classroom's large, framed, self-updating map. Spidery lines slowly inked their way around the markers denoting Hogsmeade and Hogwarts, cursive writing bled in to label the space Hogsland. Luna quickly duplicated the new map and added it to their notes. They had used Quick-Quotes Quills while fielding Madam Pomfrey's questions. Now they were charged with introducing the new Hogsland Council and Territory to the Wizarding World. Hermione popped her head into the classroom they had appropriated.
"How goes it?" She asked the newly designated communications liaisons. "Do you need anything?" Luna smiled distractedly.
"Not yet. Though Adrian might need more calming draught." Ginny nodded and sliced the parchment with her wand, separating key concepts and sentences to physically move while debating content order. Hermione coughed, and the redhead looked up to see her nod her head towards the door. In the hallway, Hermione quietly asked,
"Is Harry aware of what you're doing?" Ginny smiled at the question.
"He knows I took a position as communications liaison for a Council. Specifically that I'm the Hogsland Public Relations Representative? Well, no one outside knows about Hogsland yet, and he didn't seem all that interested while packing for his next trip. Then Ron barged in." Hermione nodded. It had been hard to be the third wheel to Ron and Harry's friendship, she couldn't conceive how Ginny so confidently navigated the minefield of her marriage with her brother blundering in. Ginny twirled her hair up with her wand, then went back to arguing with Luna on where to place legal verbiage Adrian insisted on being included in their first press release. Hermione spelled the door from prying students, curious about last night's lightshow and consequent flurry of activity, then trotted on to receive an update from Neefa on the status of the house-elves.
Review Reply: in no particular order…
Calindy: Yes, siege! Hogsland is now warded from the British MoM.
Danikae, WriternotAuthor, CrazySlytherin251, Melody06, Genevieve Darcy Granger: Thank you! I hope this chapter was to your enjoyment, and that it wasn't too predictable.
Giggles: I think I have too much plot for that. However, I have just a little smut planned. Have to use that M rating for something! I'm glad it isn't boring!
LittlebigmouthOKC: With many epic moments in history, reporters would have killed to be a fly on the wall (or beetle)! I imagine the interview would be under great duress, Hermione has valid reasons to hate the Prophet.
sunset oasis: I'm glad you like the relationships I've created! The Slytherins I write tend to be too sassy for their own good.
SevvieLuscious: Hermione is the best mental chameleon to work with; I hope I have done her justice. I wanted to write a believable Ron outburst. Thanks for letting me know it worked!
klo: Thank you! Mary Poppins was exactly what I was thinking of (even to the font). I know Hermione would be a great teacher or ministry employee, but she can be more. As you can see, both Blaise and Hermione dodge the Minister-bullet! It always bothered me that she would become Minister; it's not a very effective role in pushing through change.
ndavis77: Thanks! Severus' recovery is primarily how Mdm G's got started. Hope this chapter had a few surprises for you.