Chapter 33:
The Hogwarts Board of Governors

So. FFnet is finally sending me alerts again. Old alerts, but it's something. Let me know if any of you actually get alerts for this here chapter.

Bellatrix dropped onto her stomach to dodge beneath a white crescent shape that the dummy had just flung at her.

When she had invited Harry to join her for her duelist training he had expected to be taking part in it, but instead the entire ordeal was her simply showing off her world to him. She started off with dodging drills. The exercises required her to do them without a wand, with her goal being to charge all the way to the dummy enchanted to send illusory beams of light to indicate different types of spells, such as the large bludgeoning curse she just sidestepped.

He was pleasantly surprised to discover she did, in fact, train in classic gym clothes in place of dueling robes. The twenties style shorts and tank top were less form fitting than what a modern woman could get away with, but she wasn't a modern woman, and he wouldn't have her any other way.

She finished her training with a flourish, somehow wiggling through a spray of firework sparks as if she were trying to squeeze through a pair of prison bars to then slap the dummy on the top of its head. It slouched like a robot being shut down and the practice was over.
Harry applauded and she curtsied before coming up to where he sat in the bleachers next to fresh towels and a water bottle.

She toweled herself off while catching her breath before taking a drink.

"Next is deflecting practice." She told him between gulps. "The dummy's fake spells are enchanted to be dispelled by the same counter curses as the real deal and be caught or batted away with the same movements. It's a little finnicky and requires more precision than the real thing, but that actually helps."

Harry nodded.

"A mistake in the manufacturing leading to making it superior in the end? Gotta love happy little accidents like that." He pointed out.

She giggled at his humor, but if she did so because she recognized the reference or because quoting Bob Ross is a slam dunk even to the uninitiated, he couldn't quite tell.

She walked back out to the pit and stood in front of her dummy, this time with wand in hand. Said dummy stood back up and began firing the imitation spells at her, and this time she blocked, deflected or caught each spell as they came. It was like a dance, or moreso like the baton twirler at the front of marching band with a smidgeon of ribbon dancing thrown in.

There was a knock at the door and Bellatrix stopped.

"Aspidochelone." She said.

The dummy also stopped throwing the harmless spells at her. Interesting choice of safe word. Way too many syllables and way too easy to mispronounce.

It also appeared to be the word to unlock the door into the training room based on the loud click it made.

"You may come in." Bellatrix called.

In walked Victor Krum and his werewolf friend, Poliakoff.

"Well, you two sure react to correspondence quickly." Harry said. "But how did you know to find me here?"

"Ve vent to your sanctuary but you vere not there. Your red-haired friend said I could find you here, Professor Morrigan." Victor explained by way of greeting.

"Bellatrix, meet Victor Krum and Halasz Poliakoff. Both were guests during the last full moon." Harry introduced.

Bella curtsied again and both gentleman bowed.

"I wrote to them, and others, yesterday when Albus brought to my attention that the school was short staffed. We need part timers to handle the sudden burst in new clubs. I wrote to everybody I could asking if they knew anybody." Harry explained. "And I can't imagine they made the trip all the way out here just to refuse."

"You vould be correct, professor. If you will have me I vould be delighted to take over the responsibilities for both the wrestling and boxing clubs." Viktor said.

"And I am a chess master." Poliakoff told him. "I can handle that and most other game clubs."

Harry turned to Bella.

"Well, that relieves madame hooch of a lot of her responsibilities. Three or four more applicants and we should be copacetic." He told her.

The door opened again, and Harry didn't even have to turn around to see who it was. The look of unadulterated and unreasonable hatred on Bellatrix's face told him all to well. It was the natural reaction women, even gorgeous ones like Bella, had to Veela entering their presence. Down girl, you need not be jealous of this one.

"Deed zomebody request a fencing and dance instructor?" The thick French accent of Fleur Delacour greeted the room.

Oh right, he forgot that that some of the girls organized for a dancing club too. They were still scrambling to find any boys willing to join and had resorted to bullying the shy ones, like little Xeno and Creevey, into signing up. With Fleur at the helm, he imagined they'd suddenly find it less difficult to find volunteers.

"Wait, me?!" Mr Tonks asked.

"Yup. You." Harry confirmed.

"Um. Okay, I'm honored, but why me?" Ted asked, still confused.

"Yeah, why him?" Andromeda asked. "I honestly think I would make a better choice, seeing as I have more free time that my employed husband."

"Because you are the only person I know who is meets all of my requirements to stand in my place at the board of Governors." Harry said.

"And these requirements are?" Andromeda asked with a glare.

Harry listed them off on his fingers.

"Has attended and graduated from Hogwarts. Has raised a child who also attended and graduated from Hogwarts. Is knowledgeable on and invested in Muggle culture. Is knowledgeable and invested in pureblood culture. I like and trust him." Harry ticked off until he ran out of fingers. "With all of these traits, I believe you have all of the virtues necessary to make proper decisions regarding Hogwarts that is fair and beneficial to all students and teachers. In fact the only way you would make a better substitute is if you were also a former teacher at Hogwarts, but we can't have it all now can we?"

The Tonkses leaned back as they considered these points.

"So you chose me for my balanced views and experience in all sides of the Hogwarts experience?" Tonks clarified.

"All save one, correct." Harry said. "Although that can be remedied, we do have an open position for a part timer of your skills. That is, if you are open to passing on your skills as a horseback rider and college rower?"

Ted was all ears after that. God, but were people ever easy to lead into doing what you want them to do when you understand them.

"Oh, and I like the idea of all three of the men married to the Black sisters having something all our own. Kinda like their wine-fueled get-togethers." Harry added.

"Married?!" Andromeda sad with a mocking gasp as his slip up. "My goodness you work fast! And here I was under the impression that my sister was displeased with how slow you were taking things. When is the ceremony? I'll have to write mother and get her back over here from Aus."

Harry rolled his eyes.

"Okay, I misspoke. I meant men who date or are married to a black sister." Harry tried to clarify, but the woman had already left her dinner table and was walking to the study.

"Too late! Writing mother and Cissy." Andromeda hollered back.

Harry shrugged and turned to Tonks.

"I'm more than sold. When is the first board meeting?" He asked.

"I'm calling an emergency one right now. Go make yourself presentable, we leave in ten."

Harry walked into the antechamber with his guests trailing behind him. Teddy took the lead with Viktor, Poliakoff and Fleur just behind.

They were the last to arrive, as the heads of every family with a seat on the board of governors was present, plus Albus and Madame Hooch.

He was pleased to realize he'd met most of the people already present in this world as well as his own. Lucius Malfoy, Mrs Zabini, Valentine Crabbe, Hidlerband Goyle and Fleamont Potter he had all met in this world already, and in Madame Bones case at least seen. Augusta Longbottom, Cyrus Greengrass, Mrs Abbot, Mrs Bullstrode, Mrs Parkinson, and of course Mrs Weasley he had also met in his own. The placards in front of everyone else told him who they were. Orion Black barely needed one, being the spitting image of his own son, and the same was true for Theodore Nott senior. The two that gave him pause was a woman whose placard declared her to be Kera Moody, who was too young to be Alastor's mother and too old to be a daughter, leaving only two possibilities and he boggled at the idea of her being his wife, but suspected it was so. The other was Aileen Prince, who also looked too young to be Snape's mother.

He needed to figure that one out later.

There were a lot of empty seats for extinct houses, among them one titled Morrigan. He and his entourage made their way to it.

"Professor Morrigan. Thank you for joining us." Albus greeted. "Seeing as you called for this emergency meeting, I give the floor to you."

"Thank you, Headmaster, but I must refuse." Harry said cheekily. "As I have brought with me the man who shall be my semi-permanent stand in. Representing the Morrigan estate, I present to you all, Theodore Tonks. Your new member of the board."
He bowed and stepped away. Theodore stepped forward and bowed to the gathered to mixed reactions. Everybody at least gave a polite applause, with Molly and Augusta being the most vocal in their approval. The only person who didn't clap was Orion.

Strangely, Lucius looked positively delighted. Harry had been joking when he said the three men dating Blacks being on the board would be ironic, now he suspected it was a stronger base for camaraderie than he suspected.

"As his stand in, Professor Morrigan will be overseeing my conduct here as a form of training, unless anybody here objects?" Theodore said.

Nobody objected. They honestly could, as having a stand in meant he technically wasn't on the board on not entitled to be part of the meetings. Usually, stand-ins were assigned to represent underage successors who were not ready to take on their duties, and there were many meetings where some might object to an underage person attending. They would have to be real assholes to object to his presence. The only scenario he could foresee with him being barred from a meeting was if said meeting was in regards to his imminent sacking, which he hoped never happened.

"Very well. I call this emergency meeting into order." Said Tonks as he sat at the Morrigan chair and spelled the placard to say his name instead. "The topic, emergency employment of part time employees under Madame Hooch."
"And why does Madame Hooch require part time employees?" Asked Augusta. "She has always been excellent about handling her duties as head of sports and games. Are you no longer able to perform them, deer?"

"My usual duties aren't causing me any trouble at all." Said Rolanda. "It is an unexpected skyrocketing in new duties that I am unequipped for. You see, the students have all decided that Hogwarts wasn't offering anywhere near enough club or sport activities. So they have formed over a dozen new ones over night."

Instead of confusion, the room filled with excited chatter from the Purebloods present.

"Have we finally re-instituted the boating clubs?" Asked Valentine.

"Fencing Club?" Asked Lucius.

"Cooking club?!" Asked Molly.

She got some strange looks for that one.

"Yes to all of the above, save for cooking." Said Rolanda. "And more."

Molly deflated and made a face like a kicked puppy, but the excitement of everyone else continued to grow.

"We've all been clamoring for a revitalization of traditional sports for decades, but our Muggleborn populace has only ever been interested in bringing over Muggle sports." Said Orion. "Which has always been too expensive, requiring new construction that would make hideous the gorgeous scenery around Hogwarts. What has changed?"

Albus took over.

"Well, it appears that the students were simply unaware that these sports were options." He said. "Despite our eagerness to revitalize said sports, it never occurred to us to actually advertise it to the student populace. We did not know they wanted it, because they did not know they wanted it."

Ah, the folly of adults. Especially adult wizards. The underestimation of children and simultaneous overestimation of them. In all his time at Hogwarts it had somehow never occurred to him that all of the many suits of armor, boats, and martial weapons were for more than decoration.

"Well, we have the facilities." Said Fleamont. "And we have great teachers in the form of ghosts and portraits. It really is just a matter of having employees on hand with a wand, that you seem to have picked individuals suited to also teach and officiate such sports is a great boon. Or am I wrong in assuming that's why you three are here?"

He said this while looking at Viktor, Fleur and Poliakoff, who all stood a bit straighter.

"Yes zir." Said Fleur. "I am a skilled fencer and duelist, and would be happy to help part time."

"I can handle wrestling, animal riding and most other martial games that Miss Delacour cannot." Said Viktor.

"And I am a chess master. Happy to help with it and all other game clubs to free up Madame Hooch for her sports." Said Poliakoff. "But I will need full moons off. I am a werewolf, if that is a deal breaker."

Everyone made the exact same motion of dismissal with their hands.

"Hardly. We have a werewolf as a teacher, and he doesn't cause any problems." Said Mr Nott.

"I would go one step further and say he is one of the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher's we've had in decades." Added Hildebrand. "So your condition is no issue. I think our gobstone champions can go two to three days without a club meeting per month."

"Or somebody can easily cover for you." Said Mrs Zabini.

"Are you sure you aren't just happy to have another Veela in Britain?" Mrs Parkinson jabbed at her.

Mrs Zabini made an exasperated gesture.

"Why does everyone think I'm a Veela?" She demanded.

Fleur perked up.

"You are not Veela?" She asked, seemingly shocked. "I would have sworn you were! I've only met one Africana Veela and you outshine her!"

Mrs Bullstrode, Parkinson, Prince and Weasley all howled with laughter at that admission and Mrs Zabini glowered. Albus had to call for order with his gavel.

"Then we are all in agreement?" Albus asked. "Shall we devote funds to hiring three new staff members as part time club and sports overseers?"

"The Hogwarts treasury can more than handle it." Said Madame Bones. "I say we vote to allocate the funds, get these three their documents for signing, perform their background cheks and put them to work."

Harry tapped Theodore on the shoulder and held up four fingers.

"Four, actually." Said Theodore.

All eyes turned on him.

"Who is the fourth person you have in mind?" Asked Madame Hooch.

Harry leaned down to whisper to his representative only to be interrupted by Albus.

"Professor Morrigan, you are free to speak if you have the answers to our questions." He said.

"Ah, well, I sent out many a letter, and I don't know if he will accept, but I had the former student Cedric Diggory in mind on recommendation." He said. "That way we could have a Hogwarts alumni, and somebody with animal riding experience."
Several people nodded in agreement with his choice in person, while others seemed to consider it.

"Well then, we shall allocate enough funds for four new positions in the event he, or somebody else likewise suitable, opts to take up the role." Said Kara Moody. "Sans any further interruption, I think it is time to call for a vote."
They all waited a moment to see if any such interruption would occur, when none was forthcoming Albus brought the meeting to a close.

"Very well then. I call the board of governors to a vote. Shall we allocate funds to employ four part time game and sport officiators." Albus asked. "All in favor?"

All hands, save those of Molly, Prince and Tonks, raised.

"All against?" Said Albus.

Molly and Prince both raised their hands.

Harry knew Theodore was abstaining from the vote as it was his motion being voted on, so he was not allowed to add his choice to the mix. Conflict of interest and all that. Why Molly and Prince were opposed, he couldn't even begin to guess. Neither had voiced any objections thus far.

"Very well. The motion is passed. If there are no further orders of business…" Albus paused and looked around the room to many shaking heads. "Then today's meeting of the Board of Governors is adjourned. Good evening all."

He used his gavel one last time and everyone stood up.

"Mr Krum, Miss Delacour, Mr Poliakoff. If you would join Madame Hooch and I, we shall induct you forthwith." Albus invited Harry's three guests.

Only a few of the guests left immediately, following Albus and Hooch out the door with the new employees. Most of the rest mingled and chatted.

Harry waved to Molly motioning for her to come over and did the same with Prince. They both nodded and made their way over to him and Theodore.

"It's a pleasure to meet you ladies. As you know, I only recently came into my Lordship, and am at a loss. Hence having a substitute in Theodore here." Harry greeted and introduced.

Both of them curtsied out of respect, and it was a strange feeling seeing Molly perform the gesture.

"I suppose you wish to know why we voted no?" Prince asked.

"Moreso I want your perspective. You were the only two to do so, and I pay attention to outliers." Harry said honestly. "I want to know your reasons because I think they might actually change my mind."

"They won't." Prince told him. "Hence why I did not share. I voted no because I believe students should be spending more time studying than playing sports. A perspective nobody else here agrees with. They already spend enough time obsessed with Quidditch."

Harry blinked at her then turned to Molly.

"Well, on the topic of Quidditch, don't you think Roberta has her hands full enough dealing with injuries from that barbaric game?" Molly asked rhetorically. "Now fencing, boating, horseback riding and wrestling? Oh heavens, even if Poppy was still with us it would be a nightmare. But I know I can't convince all you boys that your rough housing needs to be toned down, so I kept my opinion to myself."

Harry and Theodore shared a look.

"I mean, she's not exactly wrong." Theodore admitted.

And Harry agreed. The DMLE Head who had approached during all of this talk did though.

"I disagree." She said grumpily as she approached. "You are out of line pinning it on the boys, as my love of rough housing and Quidditch playing and broken bones is one I would never deign to deny my niece or her peers. And if you got Augusta over here, she would agree."

"I certainly do." Said Mrs Zabini who, along with Valentine and Hildebrand had approached during all of this. "I want all the boys in Hogwarts beating the tar out of each other on the Quidditch pitch and in the fencing club. Lest they do not become the men we love, but instead coddled and soft, with none of those beautiful scars and callouses that my husband has."

Oh wow, that woman sure knew how to stroke men's ego. And make them feel appreciated as men. He hoped she and Bellatrix never became friends, or his woman might actually gain the skills to tye him around her pinky.

"Well, I'm not trying to start a fight here, I really did just want to know their perspective. As their teacher, my main focus is supposed to be their safety and their education, so I'll put some more effort into making sure injuries are avoided and study groups are maintained at least." Harry said. "And maybe try to inspire a history or potions club too?"

Prince dazzled him with a smile at that suggestion and he knew he said the right thing there. Good. Making friends. That's why he was there.

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