Chapter Two

During the anniversary many speeches were held before the professors did only a small firework while Mrs Molly was watching the two men carefully. Ben and Vera grinned like other students before they returned to their studies the next day and tried not to get distracted by James.

Ben's best friend wasn't preparing as much for the final exams as his Squib friend but neither left Ben's side. "I heard the headmaster is going to make a promise to all best grades students. Each student with the best grade in one subject will get a special treatment and offer to return to Hogwarts as a teacher"

"Which means you won't get this position -" Vera didn't look up from her books and didn't see James nod. "Vera, we don't often agree but you're absolutely correct. There are hundreds of jobs I would do rather than becoming a teacher and stay in this school forever. Why don't we travel the world, Ben? You and I on a magical adventure; this is a stuff that makes legends. - Think of Professor Weasley – he travelled through England with the best adventures every wizard ever has. He's just a teacher because he has seen everything and done everything; and he's your favourite, Ben"

"James -" Ben paused before he chuckled slightly and looked up to his friend. "Professor Weasley is truly a great professor and I learn a lot about Divination but I wouldn't say he's my favourite"

"Besides it was a time of war when the professor travelled to save his life. I don't think that's something you want for yourself" Vera finally closed her book and stepped between the best friends. "I myself would be honoured to become a teacher at Hogwarts but as being a Squib it's unfortunately not an option for me"

"So you two do what?"

"We live with muggles like Hogwarts teaches us now. The headmaster's decision is more helpful than Professor Finnigan makes us believe. Not every toaster and television will explode because of magic" Ben looked over to his Dreadful Homework for Modern Muggle Safety Law and Technology Class, one of the new invented classes to attend for both wizards and squibs. Ben knew this class was one he had to study the most to pass his final exams.

Professor Thomas had redesigned the O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. exams and instead let all student participate the W.O.M.B.A.T. exam at the end of their seventh year.

The exams were all to write to make them approachable by squibs who didn't have own magic. It was a test of knowledge and no student was allowed to use their own feathers but instead got prepared magical feathers of the school to prevent anyone was cheating.

"Ben?"

One of his classmates touched Ben's shoulder and looked nervous. The girl's name was Stacie and she the same dark chocolate skin colour like Ben and his cousin Vera. "Ben, the headmaster wants to talk to you. Mrs Molly said you should go and see them before dinner"

"Why does he want to talk to Ben?" Vera took Stacie's hand and led the girl away from James and Ben who left the studying room and went to the headmaster's office.

A statue of a Dean Thomas led the way to the office upstairs and Ben took each stair on his own. He opened the door and saw the headmaster sitting behind his desk. "Professor Thomas – Stacie said you wanted to see me?"

"Yes, Ben, come closer" Professor Dean didn't leave his chair and instead offered Ben a seat opposite his desk. "Please take a seat and then tell me – Professor Finnegan mentioned your last homework to me – do you feel unprepared for the exam in two weeks? A Dreadful in the last homework before exam would have worried me at your age"

"Professor – sometimes the professor wants us to write homework that – Professor Finnegan teaches us how to destroy muggle objects but shouldn't we learn their devices are helpful to us; especially to a Squib like me?" Ben leant forward on his chair and was surprised to see the headmaster smile. "That's exactly what I told my oldest friend. I read your homework and to me it's fine even though I have to admit you didn't exactly followed the instruction of Professor Finnegan; therefore I can't give you a better mark on your homework but Seamus and I have decided he won't value this homework of yours. Like every student you prove your knowledge through your W.O.M.B.A.T. exam in two weeks. Professor Weasley told me you have a great knowledge and are extremely talented in your Divination class. Like the last two headmasters I was a poor student of Divination but the past proved us that knowing a little about our future can both helpful and a curse. I hope you know how to find your own destiny, Ben – and if you happen to know how I can solve the growing firework war between two of your professors and then please don't hesitate to inform me"

Professor Thomas grinned and stood up to lead Ben out of his office. He watched the seventeen-year-old boy jumping down the stairs before he started running through the corridors with his best friend.

"Dean – I didn't know you ever had a conversation with the old professor. You almost sounded like him today" Ron Weasley stood in the headmaster's office when Dean returned and both laughed listening to the joke of the new headmaster. "I think it's the desk. It must be magical and does something to my voice"

"Very clever of you not to change the interior of this room as well like you did with all other rooms within Hogwarts"

"You know something had to be done. The school was destroyed and three of the houses feared the remaining children of one house that was never responsible for what a group of wizards did. Our new beginning worked very well and finally this year the first squibs will graduate from Hogwarts" Dean and Ron took their seats at each side of the desk and Ron looked around. "I'm glad you asked me to join your new Hogwarts. I was scared at first -"

"I know – your mum told me. She said you were asked to be headmaster of Hogwarts because no wizard wanted to rebuild our school. It was too much responsibility and I understand you didn't want this position"

"I was never a very good student. Unlike Ben I didn't know much about Divination myself. I came here to teach it because I was sure it would be the last to remind me of all the things that happened here" Ron looked back to Dean who nodded and looked much older sitting behind the desk. "I never thought I would return to Hogwarts either but after the war I travelled a lot to forget and I met wizards, squibs and muggles all over the world. I learned from the muggles how to welcome those who are different and who seem unteachable in many different ways – but muggles always find a way so why don't we? Our society has changed after the war and it had to. It's much healthier now that we can all study together and don't exclude anyone from us, our family or Hogwarts"

This time Ron nodded before they moved on to the next topic and talked about the firework.