On Tuesday, October 1st, 1991, Amy, Susan, and Hannah all came down to breakfast complaining about their hair itching.
Harry giggled.
"I got you good!" smirked Harry.
"You?" chorused Amy, Susan, and Hannah.
"Last night while you were all asleep, I snuck into each of your rooms and put invisible itching powder in your combs. I did promise that I would get you back for the prank you pulled on me when I first arrived here."
"Oh, " remembered Heather, "You three snuck up on Harry and scared him by chorusing "BOO!" from behind while Harry was taking his first look at his room. Harry did say he would get you back. I guess now he has."
Amy, Susan, and Hannah gave off wry smiles. They had quite forgotten the prank they had pulled on Harry and his promise to get them back, which had allowed Harryto catch them off guard.
"How long will the itching last?" asked Amy.
"Twenty four hours!" grinned Harry, "Enjoy having an itchy first day of October, Amy, Susan, and Hannah!"
"For me it's going to be a busy first day of October, " sighed Heather, "I've been named as an emergency member to the Hogwarts Board of Governors. Professor Sprout is going to come be your guardian for the day."
So, after a breakfast of pancakes, sausage patties, and Budweiser for the five of them, Heather left, and Professor Sprout arrived
Heather had told Professor Sprout that she would rather the kids not start any new lessons that day and that Sprout could have the kids spend the way in any way she chose. Sprout chose to do some leisurely reading to the kids, first reading them the Magician's Nephew in the morning, and then, after a lunch of ham and turkey subs with pickles, lettuce, and mustard and Michelob to wash it down with, she read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe to the Yellow Quartet in the afternoon. The Yellow Quartet enjoyed both stories immensely and when Heather finally come home around three o'clock it was with BIG news.
"Harry, Amy, Susan, Hannah, Professor Sprout, " said Heather happily, "A decision has been reached that Hogwarts will permanently close at the end of this academic year."
"Was it ultimately felt that the necessary changes couldn't be made to Hogwarts?" asked Professor Sprout.
"We did discuss potential improvements to the school, " explained Heather, "But the majority opinion was that Hogwarts was not worth saving. Many parents simply didn't want their kids to stay at Hogwarts after the negative experiences their kids have had there. They'd just as soon the kids get a fresh start at a new school. I've convinced some of them to send their kids and wards to my new school next September."
"Was there just too much emotional damage from what happened with Snape and Dumbledore around?" asked Professor Sprout.
"That's part of it, but the truth is that there was a lot wrong with Hogwarts even before Dumbledore and Snape turned up, " said Heather bitterly.
"Just as well, I took the Herbology job at your new school anyway, so Hogwarts closing won't cost me anything, " smiled Professor Sprout.
"Truthfully, " piped up Harry, "I know Slytherin gets the bad rap, but Gryffindor and Ravenclaw weren't exactly all that great either. They too believed in segregating students based on their own values. From its earliest days, value indoctrination was the norm at Hogwarts instead of learning to think for one's self."
"That is a major reason why Hogwarts was such a poor school, " said Heather bluntly, "The environment at Hogwarts was to group like people together while separating them from those who were different. That led to a shallow educational experience for most Hogwarts students."
"But, " guessed Amy, "The old pure blood lines would never tolerate a Hogwarts without houses."
"Many old wizarding families swear by the "tradition" of houses, " confirmed Heather, "My guess is that many of their parents and guardians will send their kids and wards to Durmstrang next year."
"That doesn't surprise me, " said Professor Sprout, "They'll probably love that Durmstrang students actually learn the Dark Arts."
"Too true, "agreed Heather.
"I know this complaint will seem too trivial, " said Susan slowly, "But during the very brief time I was at Hogwarts I honestly thought the campus was too big."
"It was, " agreed Heather matter of factly, "Finding classes could be hell on earth sometimes and the truth is there was WAY more corridor space than necessary at Hogwarts, not to mention the unnecessary trick stairways. The campus at my new school will be much smaller. Every room on a single floor with only as much corridor as is reasonably necessary to walk between classes. And while every student will get their own dorm room, there will be a single building to house the students rather than four buildings. A smaller but not tiny campus will make for a more efficient campus that will be more comfortable for students."
"What will happen to the land Hogwarts now sits on?" asked Hannah curiously.
"It will be repurposed. How is not yet known, " said Heather simply.
"I suggest turning it into a Wizarding hospital, " said Hannah briskly, "St Mungo's gets pretty crowded at times. Wouldn't having a second wizarding hospital in Britain help relive their load a bit?"
"That's a fantastic idea, Hannah, " said Heather approvingly, "I will take this suggestion to the powers that be next time I get the chance."
"Thank you, mom, " said Hannah gratefully.
"I don't disagree with closing Hogwarts, " said Harry clearly, "But how many people will lose their jobs because of Hogwarts closing?"
"Only Filch and any incompetent teachers, " explained Heather patiently, "House elves can almost always find work and the competent teachers will find teaching posts elsewhere. Amongst those still at Hogwarts, Filch, Binns, and McGonagall stand to lose the most with the demise of Hogwarts."
"No reason to sympathize with any of them!" exclaimed Harry.
"No, " agreed Heather.
"Was the holistic view at this point that Hogwarts was too completely broken to be worth trying to fix? asked Harry.
"Indeed, " replied Heather.