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Every year, as the first-years stepped off the Hogwarts Express, their emotions and thoughts varied. Some were excited, some proud, some nervous, some worried. And inevitably, there was always at least one who was scared they would be sent home. This year, there were three.

But, as each of the three alighted from the Express and stepped onto the Hogsmeade station platform, their fear began to ebb, replaced with a warm, comforting feeling, almost as though the station was welcoming them home.

None of the three realized that, in it’s own way, that is exactly what the station was doing. They had no way of knowing it, but their boat ride was the smoothest one; none were in danger of tumbling out. As they climbed the rock passageway, the three never slipped. And as they stepped off the damp grass onto the stone steps of the castle, each was filled with all of Hogwarts’ warmth and love.

None of the three had any way of knowing that they were the only ones to feel this.

“Hmmm… at last,” the hat said.

“How do you pick our Houses, please?” Hermione mentally asked. “Hogwarts, A History, wasn’t clear on that; only that you are the one who does so.”

The hat chuckled. “Oh yes, I know where I would have sorted you. Unfortunately, My Lady, I will need to answer your question another time. Right now, however, I have a bit of a surprise for everyone.”

“A surprise? In my sorting?” Suddenly her greatest fear flashed through Hermione’s mind. This was all some sort of elaborate hoax. She was going to be sent home now, while everyone laughed at her.

The hat squeezed her head lightly, almost like a hug. “You can never be sent away from this castle, My Lady,” he assured her. “I just won’t be sorting you at this time. Now, If you could please step to the side!”

The last bit was shouted loud enough for the entire hall to hear, and Hermione fought back her tears as McGonagall lifted the hat off her head. It had said she wouldn’t be going home, but why did she have to be different, even here?

Hermione couldn’t remember a single instance in Hogwarts, A History, where students weren’t sorted. Not that she needed to have read that; the murmuring of the other students and the strange looks she was getting from the staff table were more than enough to confirm that she was, once again, different.

As Neville made his way to the hat, he was so nervous he tripped over his own feet and fell. He had worried, ever since getting his Hogwarts letter, that the Sorting Hat would decide that he hadn’t enough magic after all, and send him back home in disgrace. He had believed that that was the worst possible thing that could happen, though being sorted into Slytherin with the children of those who had hurt his parents was a close second.

Now, seeing what had happened to Hermione, and after she had been nice to him on the train, Neville had a new greatest fear.

“Ah, and here’s the second one,” the Hat declared as soon as it landed on his head.

Neville’s dread grew.

“I see,” the Hat said, clearly reading his thoughts. “We shall need to do something about that, though not tonight, obviously. There will be time enough in the morning. Still, better get on with it.”

Neville wasn’t sure if he was expected to respond to any of this. The Hat seemed to be talking to itself, rather than to him. “Er…”

“If you could please step to the side!” The Hat yelled again, and Neville felt ready to faint. He got up and shuffled over to Hermione, belatedly remembered he was still wearing the Hat, and returned to the stool. The Professor pulled it off of him with a strange look on her face and then gestured for Neville to again join Hermione. Head hanging, he did.

When he got beside her, he noticed that Hermione was trembling, and her face was fearful. Looking at him, however, seemed to give her a little hope. Neville clung to that hope as well; he wasn’t the only one.

Part of Harry had been waiting for this moment since the first letter came. Just because the Dursleys weren’t capable of playing this kind of joke on him didn’t mean that someone else wasn’t doing it. Of course, Harry couldn’t imagine who would go to all of this elaborate trouble just to prank him but it was a distinct possibility.

By the time the Train had pulled into the station and he had made his first ever friend, the fear of a prank had faded from Harry. Of course, the mystery of the sorting had brought it all back. What if he wasn’t sorted and just sent home?

Then, as though his greatest fear was coming to life, the bushy-haired witch - Granger, Hermione - the stern teacher had called her, wasn’t sorted. Then the boy with the toad, Neville, wasn’t either. Harry couldn’t help but notice that they had been on the same boat as he and Ron, and he began to worry that whatever had happened to those two to make them unsortable had happened to he and Ron as well.

Harry barely noticed the sorting of the handful of people between Longbottom and Potter as he fretted, until his name being called caught his attention. The whole hall was whispering about him now, and somehow Harry just knew that something strange was about to happen to him.

The Hat was placed on his head, and it immediately spoke in Harry’s mind. “There you are, young Potter. I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Er, Not Slytherin, please,” Harry thought. Though, on second thought, if his choices were Slytherin or going home, Harry knew which he would chose.

“That isn’t for me to say, My Lord,” the Hat replied. “I think you are about to get your greatest wish, disguised as your greatest fear.”

“What?”

Instead of answering, the Hat yelled, “If you could please step to the side!”

Miserably, Harry removed the Hat and joined the other two.

The last few sortings were watched with bated breath as everyone waited for a repeat of the strangest three sortings anyone had ever heard about. By the time McGonagall got to Weasley, Ron and Zabini, Blaise, both were clearly terrified, though the latter hid it much better. As soon as he was sorted into Slytherin, there was a collective sigh of relief throughout the Hall.

Then, they turned to look at the three children standing in front of the Staff Table. They were standing in the order of their Sorting, and at some point had chosen to hold hands, ready to face this unknown together.

Headmaster Dumbledore rose to his feet, looking solemn. “I believe an explanation is in order?” he said to the Sorting Hat, though all could tell it was not a mere request.

The Hat opened its brim, and then, to the further shock of everyone in the room, a woman’s voice emerged.

“Hogwarts was built to protect and educate all of the magical children of these lands,” she said. “However, there are those whom she will always seek out. She needs them as much as they need her.”

A golden light shot out of the hat and quickly formed four names in the air above it. Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Salazar Slytherin, and Helga Hufflepuff. Next to each of these, another name soon formed, joined to their partner by a thick line. Godric was joined by Gwendolyn Gryffindor, Rowena by Ulric the Bold, Helga by Charlus Hufflepuff, and Salazar by Mary Catherine Slytherin.

From each of these pairings, lines lead down to several more names, which connected to partners of their own. The family tree soon became a maze, moving too fast to keep track of any one name or line.

The lines continued to form, scrolling through generations of families until finally coming to a halt. The red line of Gryffindor had flowed down through various channels, but the names at the bottom that were highlighted when the spell slowed were James Charlus Potter and Franklin Arthur Longbottom. Slowly, spindly red lines connected them to Lily Marian Evans and Alice Anne Bell, and then formed the names of Harry James Potter and Neville Francis Longbottom. Both of the boys’ names seemed to pulse with a red glow.

A blue line had spun down from Rowena Ravenclaw's children, splintering into various family lines. Two of them finally met at the bottom, both glowing blue. Daniel Johnathan Granger and Jane Emily Hobbs, each descended from their own trails of blue, joined, and produced a line to the name Hermione Jane Granger. Her name pulsed, just like the boys'.

Finally, the more alert watchers noticed, the bottom of the Slytherin tree was pulsing. One name, Tom Marvolo Riddle, was outlined in green, with the name Lord Voldemort written beneath it. A dotted green line began to form from Riddle, stalking its way across the base of the family trees until it arrived at Lily Marian Evans. Her name took on a green hue, which also passed down to Harry, his name alternately flashing red and green.

"What does that mean?" Someone at the staff table asked quietly.

The Hat's female voice answered. "Hogwarts was created by the Founders. In essence, it was a child of those four, just as their descendants of flesh and blood were. Hogwarts has always sought out its siblings, accompanying them through their years of study."

"When needed, the Heirs have always been able to call on Hogwarts for help. But now, Hogwarts needs the help of the Heirs. Miss Granger, Mister Longbottom, Mister Potter, do you accept your inheritance?"

Harry looked to Neville, and found he and Hermione looking back at him. They might all be confused - scared even - but at least they were all in this together. Hermione nodded, and Neville squeezed his hand. "Yes," Harry said, his voice far less shaky than he felt.

"Yes," Neville repeated, also looking squeamish.

"Yes," Hermione agreed.

"Thank you," The woman said. Another golden light shot out of the Hat, this time towards the trio. The light enveloped them from head to toe for a long moment before fading away. When his vision cleared, Harry realized that their robes had changed. They were of a much finer material; Hermione's blue and bronze, Neville's red and gold, and Harry's split right down the middle, Gryffindor red and gold on one side and Slytherin green and silver on the other.

"I present to you Lady Hermione, Countess Ravenclaw; Lord Neville, Earl Gryffindor; and Lord Potter, Lord Slytherin!" The Hat declared.

As stunned, sporadic applause came from the students in the Great Hall, Harry's robes shifted again. They became fully Slytherin, with the Slytherin crest upon the right side of his chest. Another crest appeared beside it, the same size, while the Gryffindor crest appeared beneath it, much smaller.

"The smaller size means that you're the heir," Neville whispered "And the other large one is the Potter crest." Glancing at the others, Harry saw that their own crests had appeared on their robes, just like his Slytherin one. Neville had a large Gryffindor one and a small one that Harry assumed was the Longbottom crest. Hermione had just the Ravenclaw one.

"Now, my Lords and Lady, I come to the reason I have sought you out," the Hat's female voice continued. "I need your help."

"Our help?" Hermione squeaked.

"Yes. Do you give me permission to protect the students within me?"

Harry glanced at his fellows, who nodded; that seemed a reasonable and logical request. "Yes."

"Do you give me permission to adjust the wards as needed, until you can take charge of them yourselves?"

The trio shared another nod. "Yes," Neville answered this time.

There was a flash of light again, this one from the ceiling and bright enough that everyone in the Hall shielded their eyes. When the light faded, the students and faculty looked around, blinking furiously.

Harry saw that three teachers from the Head Table were gone, as was the Headmaster. There was also a commotion at the Slytherin table, though he didn't know enough to say why.

"What just happened?" One of the teachers asked.

"Where is the Headmaster?" Mcgonagall demanded.

"And Snape and Quirell?" Another asked.

"Filch is missing too!"

All eyes turned to the trio standing beside the Sorting Hat. Thankfully, in Harry's mind, it answered for them. "All will be explained in due time. For now, know that the school is once again safe. I would suggest eating your dinners."

Food appeared on all of the tables, and Harry was suddenly struck by a horrible idea. He had to go sit with the Slytherins now, didn't he? He squeezed Neville's hand tighter, not wanting to be on his own right now. To his immense relief, a moment later a new, small table popped into existence beside him. There were three chairs, with the Sorting Hat's stool taking up the fourth position around the table.

"Sit, please," the Hat said. "I have much to tell you, but you should eat. You will need your strength tonight."

Timidly, the trio separated enough to take their seats. Though he barely knew them and never mind that they were only sitting a foot away from him, Harry still found himself missing the solid presence of Neville and Hermione at his side, hand in hand. Still, the sight and smell of food did remind Harry that he was starving, and he quickly tucked in.

"I am sorry to have sprung that on you, but I needed your help," said the Hat’s female voice, which Harry had decided must be Hogwarts. "I had been searching for a way to protect the students for the last several years, but I was blocked through all of the normal ways. This year was even worse, and I was in a deep despair. You have no idea how relieved I was when you three arrived. I could finally have help!"

"Couldn't you ask the Headmaster for help?" Hermione asked.

"Normally I would, but he was part of the problem!" Hogwarts replied bitterly. "The Headmaster was ignoring the needs of the students, and actively working against their safety."

"Where is he now?" Harry asked.

"In the dungeons with the others," Hogwarts replied. "They are each in their own cell, with special wards to keep them from escaping."

"You can't keep them locked up!" Hermione exclaimed.

"I do not intend to." Hogwarts replied. "Once you are ready, you will call the Magical Law Enforcement to come here and take them into custody. I will explain what has happened, but you three need to evoke your power to ensure that justice is served."

"What power do we have?" Harry asked. "I'm just Harry. I didn't even know I was a wizard a month ago."

Neville and Hermione both frowned at that, but it was Hogwarts who replied. "As Lord Potter, you are one of the richest and most powerful people in the Wizarding World. The Potters are one of the oldest families, and have held their seat in the Lords section of the Wizengamot since it's formation. You are among the top ten percent richest families, and, when your parents were alive, the Potters were one of the most politically connected families. That power has ebbed in the last ten years, since the death of your father, but you have the power to make the name great again."

"But that is just as Lord Potter. You are also now an Earl, Just Harry. The Earldoms of Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff were granted by the Kings of England and Scotland many centuries ago. They are the four highest ranked Lords in the Wizarding World - the only families to be granted an Earldom. They are also the only four wizarding ranks recognized by the non-magical government."

"As Lord Slytherin, you are an Earl in her Majesty's service. You may serve in her House of Lords. You are the Highest ranking member of the Wizengamot. The four Founders' houses are the four richest families in all of Wizarding Britain. They are among the top ten in Europe. Harry, You have more power and wealth than any other person in the United Kingdom, save your two fellow Heirs, and you would give the top wizards in Europe a run for their money."

Harry found himself gaping at the Hat, his dinner forgotten. Neville and Hermione were in no better state. "We're really that rich and powerful?" Hermione finally squeaked out.

The Hat tilted towards her. "You do not have the inheritance of a wealthy Pureblood family to complement your Ravenclaw inheritance, so you are slightly less wealthy than Harry and Neville, but that is like saying that you are in the top point two percent of the society, instead of the top point one percent. The difference between you and Harry is far less than the difference between you and the next person after you."

"But wouldn't that money and power go to her parents?" Neville asked. "Any my Gran? I thought you couldn't inherit until you were of age?"

"Ordinarily that would be true," Hogwarts acknowledged. "However, Lady Hermione’s parents are non-magicals, so they could not claim the magical title of Ravenclaw, though they could claim the non-magical title, if they chose. Your Grandmother is a Longbottom by marriage, not birth, so she could not claim the Gryffindor title. Your father could, if he were not incapacitated. As for the rest of your question, in an ordinary Wizarding household, the heir cannot claim their parent’s title until they come of age, but because of their status as Earldoms, the heirs of the founders may claim their title at any age.,"

"Right, there have been several child kings," Hermione confirmed. "England, Spain, France... Of course it rarely worked out well for them."

"And there have been dozens of child Earls in Britain's history," Hogwarts confirmed. "Of course, you are not toddlers in line for the throne of an entire country. You are old enough to understand the world, to pick good advisors, and to make your own choices. You also will have each other."

"And we only have to fight the Ministry, not the whole country," Hermione added.

"The Ministry is pretty scary, though," Neville said. "And we're only children."

"But you have Hogwarts behind you," she reminded them.

A scraping noise drew Harry's attention, and he looked around. Professor Mcgonagall was standing up at the Head Table, and he realized that dinner must be over.

"Students, please return to your Common Rooms now," she said. "Fifth-Year Prefects will lead the First-Years."

"Stay," Hogwarts instructed Harry and the others.

The other students began to get up and trail out of the hall, though most of them turned to watch the trio as they did. Harry saw Ron, standing beside one of his brothers, craning to spot him. Several of the Slytherins were also looking at him, though their expressions were far more hostile.

Harry was struck by the sudden realization that he didn't know where he was going to sleep that night, and again he had the horrible fear that he would be in Slytherin, all alone.

Professor Mcgonagall approached the trio's table and stood between Neville and the Hat. "May I now ask what happened to the Headmaster?" she said, a little frostily.

To Harry's surprise, it wasn't the Hat that answered, but one of the ghosts from earlier. They had drifted over as the other students left, and were now ringing the trio's table.

"He and the others are contained for the moment," a young female ghost answered. "Hogwarts does want him dealt with as soon as possible, but these three are exhausted, so we fear that full explanations will need to wait until tomorrow."

Sir Nicholas floated forward, taking the space between Neville and Harry. "You will need the head of the DMLE and a full complement of Aurors here tomorrow before breakfast. Then everything will be explained. Until then, Professor McGonagall, you are the Acting Headmistress."

The Professor's frown deepened, but she didn't argue with the ghosts. Instead, she said, "Where shall these three sleep?"

"In the founders' chambers," Sir Nicholas replied. "We shall lead them there."

"They will be led back here in the morning," the lady ghost added.

Their answers didn't seem to please Professor McGonagall, nor the other professors grouped behind her, but Harry thought there was little they could say against Hogwarts herself, who the ghosts were clearly speaking for.

"Very well," she said through pursed lips. "I trust you to lead them safely to their rooms." With that, she turned and walked back towards the other teachers.

"I am known as the Grey Lady," said the lady ghost who had spoken up, "though you may call me Helena, if you like."

"We'll lead you to the founders' chambers," Sir Nicholas explained. "They created a suite for each Founder, connected by a common receiving room, where they often held staff meetings. Over the years, as their families grew, the suites were expanded, but the extra rooms have been closed off for many years.”

Harry and the others followed the ghosts, barely noticing the castle around them as the events of the day began to catch up with him. He was still having trouble believing that he was a wizard! From the excitement of the train ride, to the fear of not being sorted, to the surprise of becoming an Earl; it was all getting to be too much for Harry.

They reached a framed painting of a landscape in an otherwise bare hallway, and the ghosts drew to a halt. "Place your hand on the painting," the Grey Lady said.

Neville was the first to move, and he gently ran his fingers over the painting. Harry dimly felt the surprise as the painting slid to the side, revealing a doorway, but he felt as though his exhaustion was muffling his emotions and response.

A quick glance at the other two showed them with similar dulled expressions. "Just a few more steps, and you can go to sleep," the Grey Lady promised.

Through the short tunnel of wall, they arrived in a cozy common room. Four doors spread along the far walls, each with a crest carved into it in beautiful detail. Recognizing his new crest from his robe, Harry made his way to the Slytherin door.

"Simply place your hand on the knob," Sir Nick called after him. “And then head through to the bedroom.”

Harry obeyed, and, barely even noticing the first room, made his way through an open door on the far side. There, he finally found what his exhausted brain was seeking, and Harry all but collapsed into the large bed.

Within seconds, he was asleep. He never noticed the House Elf and ghost who entered his room, nor noticed the wave of magic that swapped his robes for his pyjamas and slid him beneath the covers. He also never noticed the Elf and Ghost exchange a look and walk out, the door gently closing behind them.

When Harry woke, he felt better than he ever had. He was tempted to believe that the last few weeks had all been a strange dream, but he would never have woken up to gentle sunlight in his cupboard. As he opened his eyes and looked around, Harry saw a room he didn't recognize.

He was in an intricately carved wooden four-poster bed, with light green curtains partially drawn around it. The curtains were a thin fabric, letting the light filter in, and they were drawn on two sides. On the other side, Harry saw stone walls with brightly colored tapestries of strange creatures. A wooden desk and chair were placed beneath a window, bearing the same light curtains as the bed.

Harry sat up, letting the dark green sheets and blanket fall around his waist. He was dressed in simple cotton pyjamas, and, as he got up, he was surprised when his bare feet found a thick rug instead of cold stone floors.

Outside of the bed's curtains, he found the rest of the room looked the same as his first glance. There were two armchairs set in the corner by the door, and he saw a dark green robe folded on one of the chairs.

He also found two doors and a wardrobe. The first door he opened led to a small water closet, and he quickly went through his morning ablutions. When Harry emerged, he found that nothing had changed, and he approached the chairs. The robe was still there, sitting on top of a full set of clothes, and there were even boots tucked beneath the chair.

Looking around to make sure he was alone, Harry quickly changed into the clothes and robe, which he found fit him well, unlike Dudley’s oversized clothes. Even the boots were a perfect match; he wouldn’t need to stuff socks into them to keep them from slipping off his feet! Unlike his school robes, the dark green robe hung open in the front, revealing the brown trousers and shirt beneath. His boots were brown too, matching his trousers perfectly.

As soon as he was dressed, Harry was surprised by a pop. Looking around, he saw that a strange, small creature wearing a miniature version of his robes had appeared a few feet away. "Um, hello?" he said hesitantly.

"Hello Harry," the creature said. "I am Frally, an Elf. Breakfast is ready in the kitchens."

"Hello Frally," Harry replied. He tried to think back to his trip through the castle the night before, but was drawing a blank. "I'm afraid I don't know where the kitchens are," he admitted. "Are they near the Great Hall?"

Frally frowned. "I am not sure which Hall you are referring to. I shall escort you to the kitchens." The Elf snapped its fingers and the second door opened.

Curious, Harry followed the Elf. This room appeared to be a sitting room, with a bigger desk and several couches and chairs. Bookshelves lined the walls, but Harry was surprised to realize that they were only half-filled with books. Scattered around the room were models of strange creatures. Or perhaps they were the real thing - stuffed. Harry had no idea what most of them were, so he didn't feel confident judging their realness. Skulls, feathers, and similar related items were also spread around the room, as well as cages in various small sizes.

Harry wanted to stop and explore the room a little more closely, but Frally continued walking, choosing one of a dozen doors that were interspersed among the bookshelves. Harry hurried to keep up, and found himself in a much larger common room that looked vaguely familiar.

There, he finally saw something he recognized. "Hermione! Neville!"

The other two looked over at him, their happy smiles not entirely hiding hints of uncomfortableness that mirrored Harry's own. "Good morning, young guests," Frally said. "Please follow me to the kitchens."

The trio fell in behind the Elf as it led them out into the Castle's halls.

"Excuse me please, but what are you?" Hermione asked.

"I am Frally, an Elf," it replied.

"And are you a male or female Elf?" she asked. Harry missed a step, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Neville turn bright red.

Thankfully, the Elf didn't seem to mind the question. "I am a male elf. If you look at my ears, you will see that they have a bump at the base. Once we reach the kitchens I will introduce you to a female elf. You will see that her ears are smooth."

"Thank you for explaining!" Hermione said. "I'll look for that! And what do Elves do?"

"We live and work at Hogwarts," Frally said. "Some of us help in the kitchens, some with lessons, some with building, some with the gardens, some with the creatures, some with the defenders. We do all sorts of things here."

"So you live alongside the witches and wizards?" Neville asked. "You're equals?"

Harry wasn't sure what the other boy meant by the question, but he thought it must be some aspect magic that he just didn't understand yet.

"Of course! We all serve the Lord and Lady professors."

"The professors!" Harry suddenly remembered. "Are they going to meet us in the kitchens? The ghosts said they would help us with the ar- ar-"

"Aurors," Neville corrected.

"Aurors?" Frally asked. "I don't know this word."

Just then a young woman swept around the corner. "Hello Frally," she said kindly. "I'll take our guests from here." She looked familiar, and finally Harry realized where he had seen her before.

"Are you the Grey Lady?" he asked.

She smiled. "Yes, though right now you should please call me Helena. I know that you will one day call me that, but it is not yet my name."

"What do you mean, one day?" Hermione asked. "And why aren't you a ghost anymore?"

"You mean, why aren't I a ghost yet" Helena retorted.

"What?"

Helena smirked. "Welcome, young heirs, to 812 AD."

By the end of breakfast, Harry felt himself slipping again into his overwhelmed stupor. The surprises had kept coming. After the revelation that they were in the time of the Founders, and talking to people who had lived over a millennium before, they actually met the Founders. Salazar Slytherin and his wife, Mary Catherine, Godric Gryffindor and his wife, Gwendolyn, Helga Hufflepuff and her husband, Charlus, and Rowena Ravenclaw and her husband, Ulric. Moreover, they discovered that the founder's children were also grown, with children of their own, and teaching at the school. The current headmistress was Helena’s sister, Lady Athena Ravenclaw. The school had been around for almost fifty years, and was picking up steam.

That said, the castle was still under construction. A whole new wing was being built, including the area that would come to be the Great Hall that Harry had seen last night.

Hermione had dozens of questions about their presence; was this a dream? Had they really traveled back in time? How did the Founders know about them? Wouldn't there be issues with the timeline and contradictions from them going into the past?

Ravenclaw had gotten into a deep discussion with her about it, using words that largely flew over Harry's head. The gist of it he understood was that the students were not dreaming, but nor were they actually traveling in time. It was something to do with the magic of Hogwarts, and honestly, that was enough for Harry.

Neville seemed almost more overwhelmed than Harry, which he supposed made sense. Neville was used to the modern magical world, and had certain ideas about how magical things were. Seeing them differently here in the past had to be a major blow.

To Harry, on the other hand, who knew nothing about magic, he had no idea what was different in the past compared to the present. With each new revelation, Harry just assumed that he was confused or surprised because that was how magic worked. It wasn't until he saw Neville's shocked expressions that he realized that some things about the past were different than the present.

When breakfast was over, Earl Salazar Slytherin, who requested that the trio just call him Slytherin, took them on a tour of the grounds. Harry had only seen the castle the night before, as they rode on the small boats across the lake, but he could tell that the modern castle had been much bigger.

"We currently have two wings," Slytherin said, "with construction concluding on the second. Gryffindor is in charge of that, and he will tell you more about it."

Slytherin led them to the lake, which was quite large; it stretched out around the forest in the distance, and Harry could barely see the far shore. Slytherin pulled something out of his shirt; a small silver whistle on a chain. He blew a short series of notes and then settled down on a large rock. The trio followed his example, sitting on the rocky shore.

Now, I am going to teach you a spell," Slytherin said.

"But we don't have our wands!" Neville protested.

"Hah! Wands!" Slytherin said dismissively. "Only the rich, or devoted scholars, can afford wands! The students here do not use them." Hermione and Harry nodded in understanding, but Neville seemed very surprised by this news.

"But in our time, everyone uses wands! You can't create magic without a wand!" Neville protested.

"A crutch!" Slytherin waved the idea away. "No one needs a wand to do magic. Tell me, did you do magic as a small child? Unintentional magic?"

"Yes!" Hermione immediately replied.

Harry thought back to the strange things that had happened to him; things that Hagrid had said were accidental magic. "I guess." Neville just nodded, his face red.

"Did you have a wand when you did these things?" Slytherin asked. All three shook their heads. "Then you did magic without a wand," he said firmly. "Now, I am going to teach you a spell. Hold your hands over your ears, like so."

He cupped his hands over his ears and the trio mimicked him. "Push your magic through your hands, and imagine that you are creating a bubble of water around your ears."

"What spell do we say?" Hermione asked.

"You say nothing. The words are not important. Only the intent is important. I could say nonsense, but as long as the intent is there, the spell will be cast."

Hermione seemed appalled by this concept, while Neville just looked nervous. Deciding to trust Slytherin, Harry did as instructed. Cupping his hands over his ears, he tried to concentrate on pushing his magic there. When his fingers began to tingle, he thought, bubble of water. The tingling intensified for a moment, and then suddenly all sound stopped.

Harry dropped his hands in horror, but Slytherin just smiled and applauded. Harry could faintly hear the applause, but it was muffled. "Well done, Harry!" Slytherin said.

"How did you do it?" Neville shouted.

Harry repeated what he had done, while both Hermione and Neville paid close attention. They both tried the spell, and after a few attempts, each got it. Slytherin quickly did the same and then turned to the lake. Harry copied him, and was shocked to see a strange creature floating in the water.

Slytherin began to talk, and dimly Harry could hear what sounded like horrible screeching. More clearly, however, was his deep voice, which seemed to come almost from within Harry's mind.

"Calm waves to you, Apa, and much bounty to the Matsya," Slytherin said.

"Calm waves to you, Slytherin, and much bounty to Hogwarts," the creature replied.

Slytherin then turned back to the trio. "Children, this is Apa, a Merman. He is one of the warriors who helps to protect Hogwarts.

"Hello," Apa said, and Harry again understood him clearly.

"Hello," the children chorused, their voices muffled.

"You are welcome to swim with us and learn our language," Apa added.

"Are we not speaking the same language now?" Harry asked. It certainly sounded like they were, though of course Slytherin and Apa sounded much louder and clearer than Hermione and Neville.

Apa laughed. "No, child. You are speaking English, which Slytherin has taught me to understand, though I cannot speak it. Slytherin and I are speaking my language, what you call Mermish."

"The magic around your ears allows you to hear it clearly," Slytherin added. "Without the water, it sounds like a dying banshee." Apa rolled his eyes at that and flicked a little water at Slytherin with his tail.

"How are Perun and Dodola doing? Has she given birth yet?" Slytherin asked.

"The little ones have arrived," Apa said. “Perun is beside himself with pleasure. Dodola has to remind him to patrol the lake edges every sun."

Slytherin chuckled. "And the little ones?"

"They have invaded Matsya!" Apa said a little sourly. "The females all dote upon them, and upon Dodola! It is enough to make one volunteer to patrol!"

"Then perhaps you will take these children on a patrol around the lake?" Slytherin asked teasingly.

"Anything to get away from Matsya," Apa said fervently. "Ushas wants now to have little ones of our own."

Slytherin laughed heartily, and then turned back to the trio. "Perun and Dodola are two freshwater squid that I rescued from a tainted lake in Severlans. Dodola has been expecting their first batch of eggs to hatch for several months."

"Not long enough," Apa muttered.

"Apa here and the rest of his tribe, the Matsya, were in the Pala region. Their lake was small, and their tribe growing too large for it. Their tribe split, with half coming to live here at Hogwarts," Slytherin explained. "There are strict population rules, to keep them from having the same crowding problem as before, but that does not stop certain mermaids from wanting many young." The last was said in a teasing tone directed at Apa, who grumbled good naturedly again.

"Can we see where they live?" Hermione asked.

"In the lake? Of course. If you can swim," Slytherin said.

"I can!" Hermione quickly replied. Both Harry and Neville remained silent.

"Well, it appears that Apa and I will have to teach your friends before the three of you may visit," Slytherin decided. "But that will have to wait for another day. In the meantime, we have a tour to conclude."

So saying, he stood, dusting off his trousers and adjusting his open robe. Harry and the others quickly copied him.

They began to walk around the shore, with Apa keeping pace in the water beside them. As they walked, Slytherin and Apa explained more about the relocation of both the squid and the merfolk clans. Slytherin, it appeared, was an expert on magical creatures and beings, and he could speak many of their languages. He had taken the small lake on the grounds and expanded it, in part to create more impenetrable defenses on the far side of the valley, and in part to make it more hospitable for larger creatures.

He had worked to build up the ecosystem of smaller fish in order to sustain the larger creatures, and finally had searched the world for candidates who wanted to migrate. He had even imported grindelows and a small herd of hippocampus, both of whom were raised and kept in check by the merfolk clan.

In return for living in the lake and being within the safety of the Hogwarts wards, both the squids and merfolk helped teach the students and formed a part of the school's defensive force. They patrolled the edges of the lake regularly, looking for attackers on the far shore and students in danger or misbehaving on the near shore.

They also gathered plants that grew underwater for Hufflepuff, Apa explained, though Slytherin said that she would teach the trio more about that herself.

By the time they had gotten to the farthest shore, where the lake met the forest, the children were exhausted. Apa bid them farewell and slipped back into the water's depths, while Slytherin just fondly complained about their stamina. He cast a spell with his hand, though none of them could tell what it did, and then instructed them in reversing their earlier spell. By the time all three had succeeded in vanishing the water-bubble shields over their ears, a new creature had appeared.

Harry thought these creatures were less friendly-looking than Apa had been, but somewhat more impressive. They were like horses, but with large black, leathery bat wings. Their manes were stringy and their coats pure black. "What are they?" he asked Slytherin.

"What are what?" Hermione asked innocently.

Slytherin nodded at Neville. "Can you see them?" Neville shook his head quickly. "Congratulations to you both, then." He turned to Harry. "The creature you see is called a Thestral." Neville twitched. "They are very gentle and obedient creatures, and they do much for us around the castle and village."

"However, as with many things in magic, there is a price for their help. Only certain people can see the Thestrals; only those who have witnessed the death of another. For those who have not experienced that horror, the Thestrals will pass them by, and they will never know what they have missed. But for those unfortunate enough to be able to see them, the Thestrals will provide wonderful assistance."

"Who did you see die, Harry?" Hermione asked quietly.

"I- I don't know." Harry admitted. "I guess my parents? They died when I was a baby."

Slytherin nodded solemnly. "That could be it. The mind remembers many things from a young age, even if we are not aware enough to recall those memories."

"So there are Thestrals all around us now?" Neville asked, a little fearful despite Slytherin’s reassurances that they were calm and helpful.

Slytherin nodded at Harry to answer. "There are only three of them here," he said, pointing them out. "One a little behind Hermione, sort of diagonally. And there are two beside Slytherin, one on each side. I think he has treats for them in his pocket, because the one keeps nudging his hip."

Slytherin laughed and pulled a handful of meat scraps from his open robe’s inner pocket. "Spot on, young Harry!" The three Thestrals immediately made for the treat, the farthest one pushing past Hermione to get to it.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "I felt that!"

"You can feel them even if you cannot see them," Slytherin confirmed. "Now, have any of you ridden a horse before?" he asked.

All three shook their heads, causing Slytherin to sigh. "It will take much time before you are ready to see the outer wards and defenses. For today, we will simply circle back around the lake."

It took him the better part of half an hour to get the trio onto their Thestrals, hampered by the fact that Hermione and Neville couldn't see what they were supposed to be grabbing onto. Fortunately, the Thestrals were indeed quite docile, and Harry's tolerated him with good grace while they watched the other two struggle onto their mounts.

Eventually, all three children were mounted, and the quartet continued through the trees along the lake shore. As they rode, Slytherin walked beside the Thestrals, telling the students about some of the creatures and animals he had brought to Hogwarts.

The smallest magical creatures were snakes and birds, both of which, Slytherin explained, he had an affinity for. He had recruited a number of magical birds, including augureys, jobberknolls, thunderbirds, golden snidgets, phoenixes, owls, hoopoes, boobries, and diricawls.

Of course, having just learned about the magical world, Harry had no idea what any of those birds were, save for the owl, which made him miss Hedwig. Hermione, having read some magical texts before coming to Hogwarts, and Neville, having grown up in the wizarding world, were more familiar with the names, if not the actual abilities of the birds.

As Slytherin explained, augureys, thunderbirds, phoenixes, and diricawls had the ability to disappear from one location and appear in another. Each one traveled in a different manner, but the effects were the same. Thunderbirds were incredibly active in stormy weather, while augureys preferred fog and light rain. Phoenixes, on the other hand, preferred sunny days. Between the three, one was nearly always active and at its best, regardless of the weather. The Diricawls were flightless, and thus had a different perspective than the others.

The other kinds of birds could not transport magically, though the snidget was too fast to have anything but magical augmentation. However, they had their own advantages on Slytherin's sentry squad. The snidgets could fly incredibly fast, the boobries could swim almost as quickly and created illusions so that they appeared to be different animals. Hoopoes had a distinctive warning cry, but also ate pests that would hurt the forest. The owls had amazing eyesight and were active at night, and the jobberknolls were absolutely silent, capable of great stealth.

Slytherin could communicate with all of those magical birds, through a chirping language that he called volucris lexis, the language of winged creatures. He could not communicate with non-magical birds, but the magical birds could, and acted as relays and translators.

The non-magical birds in the area were mostly native, though Slytherin had imported more crows, ravens, herons, robins, starlings, and mockingbirds. All were extremely intelligent, and unlike other intelligent birds such as parrots, these species were able to survive and thrive in the harsh Scottish environment.

Slytherin also pointed out the birds he had brought who were not a part of the school's security. Chickens, ducks, and geese were raised for meat in the village, while game turkeys, partridges, and pheasants roamed the forest. Farmers’ friends, such as swallows and hummingbirds, were transplanted near the gardens and greenhouses.

As they drew closer to the castle, while Slytherin was winding up his lecture on bird species and attributes, a large snake suddenly reared up in the grass before them. The Thestrals came to an easy halt, not disturbed in the least, even by Hermione's scream upon seeing the snake.

"Salsss, Essa isss hunting ahead," Harry heard it say.

"Who isss Essa?" he asked, curious. The other three all turned to stare at him. "What?"

"You spoke the snake language!" Neville croaked out. Hermione nodded fervently.

Harry turned to Slytherin for confirmation. "That was indeed the snake language, or parseltongue, lad," he said. "Solus here was just warning me that Essa, our largest snake, is hunting up ahead. Judging by your screams, Hermione, Essa is not someone you would like to meet?"

Hermione shook her head quickly, and Neville followed suit. "Very well," Slytherin sighed. He turned back to the snake, and Harry listened closely, trying to hear the difference in his words. "Solusss, pleassse take the two non-speakersss home. Away from Essa"

Other than a slightly elongated 's' sound at the end of some words, Harry couldn't tell the difference between the two languages.

"Hermione, Neville, follow Solus," Slytherin instructed them. "He will lead you the longer way, back towards the castle, without encountering Essa. Harry and I will meet you at the steps."

With that, Slytherin strode off in the direction they had been heading. Harry hurried to nudge his Thestral along in the same direction. "So can a lot of people talk to snakes?" he asked. He was wondering if his father or mother had been able to do it; Hagrid had not mentioned it if they had.

"Not many," Slytherin replied. "There are some countries where the talent is revered, and family dynasties that revolve around parselmouths have evolved. However, in this corner of the world it is relatively rare. Two of my children possess the gift, and three of their children so far, but my other three living children do not."

"So even within families it isn't a guarantee?" Harry asked. Perhaps his parents hadn't been able to speak to snakes after all.

"Correct. However, it does not seem to come about randomly. Every parselmouth I have met has been able to trace the ability back in their family. It might only be a great-grandparent, or merely family legend, but the power comes from somewhere. I do not believe that you can study it or have it without a family history.”

"Do the Potters speak it?" Harry asked, before realizing that of course Slytherin would not know about the Potter family. The magical world was all so different to him, it was hard sometimes to remember that he was in the past!

"None of the Potters currently in the village speak it, but their grandmother did," Slytherin said, much to Harry's surprise. "Lyra Potter helped me gather and transport many of the snake species that live around the castle before her death a few years ago."

"The Potters are here?" Harry asked, immediately forgetting his remaining questions about snakes. "Now, in this time? My family goes that far back?"

"Of course they do!" Slytherin replied. "In fact, Lady Cathryn, Gryffindor's eldest daughter, is married to Sir Potter, Lord Potter's eldest son."

"Is that how I'm an heir of Gryffindor?" Harry wondered.

"It is certainly one reason, though I'm sure the lines intersected again somewhere between this time and yours. Now," Slytherin said, halting. "Would you like to meet Essa?"

"Oh, yes!" Harry said, looking around eagerly. Ever since the boa constrictor incident at the zoo earlier this summer, Harry had been looking forward to talking to another big snake.

"Very well," Slytherin stepped forward, out of the treeline, and Harry nudged his Thestral after. As soon as they were clear of the trees, Harry gaped.

There, before him, was the biggest snake he had ever seen! It's body was as tall as his knees; it was easily as long as a bus! "What is it?" he whispered.

"I am Essa," the snake replied, swinging her head around to look at Harry.

"She's a basilisk," Slytherin said proudly. "Bred her myself!"

Harry could see why he would be proud. It wasn't just her incredible size; her scales were irridescent, most of them glimmering a gorgeous emerald green color in the light. A dark green stripe ran down her back, and darker green crossbands led from it, wrapping around her sides. Her belly, where he could see it, was a pale yellowy cream color.

Her face was wide, compared to the snakes Harry had seen, with her head appearing almost heart-shaped. Her eyes were hard to see, and they appeared cloudy white, like Harry had once seen on a blind man. "What'sss wrong with her eyesss?"

"Would you like me to ssshow you?" Essa asked.

"No thank you, Essa," Slytherin said a little sharply. "Harry, do you know anything about Basilisks?"

"No."

"Basilisks have many deadly weapons. The venom in their fangs is lethal. They can constrict around their prey and crush it to death. Their teeth are sharp enough to kill most creatures even without the venom. However, they rarely need to use any of those methods. The gaze of a Basilisk is fatal."

"But she's looking at us right now!" Harry protested.

"That is because she has an extra eyelid. All snakes have a special eyelid called a brille that is clear and acts like a scale, to protect their eye. It sheds with their skin, just like every other scale. However, the basilisk has another eyelid, which is beneath her scale layer. This inner membrane is similar to the ones on Crocodiles and other creatures who must see beneath the water. It covers their eye to protect it. In the basilisk's case, it covers their eye to protect everyone else."

"With this membrane fully across, Essa can still see, though not as well. However, it negates her deadly gaze so that she can safely move around us. Essa always uses her membrane eyelid when leaving her den, except when she needs to unveil her eyes on the battlefield. In this way, she can hunt, and in battle get to where the enemies are, without hurting anyone on our side."

"Wow!" Was all Harry could think to say. Essa gave a series of rippling hisses, in what Harry could only assume was a snake laugh."So is this as big as she gets?"

This time both Essa and Slytherin laughed at him. "Harry, I bred Essa when I was just a student, only slightly older than you, and curious about snakes. She is over 80 years old, and yet, to her kind, she is but a toddler. She could live for tens of hundreds of years, if not killed!"

"Wow." Harry said again. Finally, his struggling brain asked the only thing he could think of. "Will the whole wizarding world be full of surprises like this?"

Slytherin snorted. "Feeling overwhelmed, young Harry?" he asked.

Harry nodded, still drinking in the sight of Essa, though he felt like his brain was shutting down.

"The heirs have usually had more magical education than you have had," Slytherin mused. "I apologize for throwing so much at you so quickly." He thought for a moment, then turned back to Essa. "Good hunting, Essa," he said.

Essa flicked her tail at him, laughed at Harry one last time, and then slid off in the grass.

"We should continue back to the castle, young Harry," Slytherin decided. "Perhaps some time with Hufflepuff or Bones would be better, until you and the others are more familiar with the magical world."

Harry wanted to protest - Slytherin had shown him such amazing things! But at the same time, he wasn't sure he could handle any more shocking things. He had only ever performed one spell - that very morning - and part of him still believed that not only the past but even the present world of magic and Hogwarts was all a dream! A dream that he would soon wake from back in his cupboard.

Harry just wasn't sure he could cope with being the magical heir of a mystical school that could kind of travel through time.

He was drawn out of his thoughts when his name was called, and Harry looked up to see Hermione and Neville waving at him. They were sitting on the castle steps, and Frally was beside them. Harry didn't remember dismounting his Thestral, but suddenly he was beside Hermione, and she was squeezing his hand.

"I think a private luncheon for these three, Frally," Slytherin said. "Perhaps with Lady Hufflepuff or Lady Helena."

"Yes, Lord Slytherin," Frally said, inclining his head in a slight bow. "Right this way, young guests," he said to the trio.

As Harry followed the Elf, Slytherin clapped him on the shoulder. "You'll get used to it all soon enough, young man!" he said.

Harry hoped he was right.

They had a quiet lunch in their common room with Lady Helena, who mostly asked questions about how each of the trio had grown up. Both Neville and Hermione were amazed to when they heard the basics of how Harry was raised. Apparently, a number of books had been published, detailing Harry's supposed childhood.

Depending on which book was to be believed, he had either grown up secreted away in a castle with dozens of servants, or had traveled around the world having grand adventures. He was also supposedly a protege of anyone from Dumbledore to Nicholas Flamel to the Dark Lord himself (who, according to that author, was still alive and controlling Harry like a puppet).

Those stories, and the fact that his name was a household one in Britain, were as shocking to Harry as the knowledge that he had grown up with his magic-hating muggle relatives, as ignorant of his ability as any muggleborn, was to the other two.

Hermione spoke of growing up with her nose in a book, shunned by other students both because of her better grades and because of her parents' profession. She and Harry then had to explain to the two Purebloods what a dentist was, and why that job should have a stigma to children. Lady Helena also did not understand why Hermione should be punished for being studious, as her mother had always pushed her to be her best.

The trio had to explain to her the intricacies of bullying and bookworms, which then led Neville to explain about his family thinking that he was a squib. That was another term unfamiliar to Harry, and though Lady Helena knew the word, she was shocked at Neville's tale.

"But my brother Lares is one of your squibs!" she exclaimed. "He is married to a witch and is the constable of this castle!"

"Constable?" Harry asked. He had only ever heard the term used to refer to the police.

"He is in charge of the castle itself; the construction, the staff, everything." Lady Helena explained. "Selly, an Elf, is the bailiff, meaning the one who is in charge of the entire estate. Selly is second only to the Lords and Ladies of the land - Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. Lares, as a son of Countess Ravenclaw, technically outranks Selly, as the bailiff, but as a younger son, he will likely never inherit."

"And as the Constable, the castle staff, not including the scholars and masters, are commanded directly by Lares. However, as the Constable, Lares is of lower rank than Selly. He and several folk in the village are thus directly under Selly's command."

"You have a house elf in charge of all of Hogwarts?" Neville squeaked.

"What is a house elf?" Lady Helena asked.

"A House Elf! Like Frally!"

Lady Helena frowned. "Wait a moment, please." She closed her eyes and took deep, even breaths. After a minute or two, she finally opened her eyes. "I understand," she told Neville.

"The Elves we have in this time are pure beings. They are our equals, using a magic that is similar, yet not the same, as a wizard's. Many, many years from now, an unscrupulous wizard will invent a spell that binds the powers of an Elf to a wizard. He then raises young elves in horrible conditions, enforcing a mindset of servitude. From these slaves your House Elves were born."

"That's barbaric!" Hermione exclaimed.

"How do you know that?" Harry asked.

Lady Helena smiled. "I am a kind of seer. I am the conduit, if you will, between your time and this one, allowing you to exist in this space. I can connect to my future, ghostly, self, to some extent."

"That's impossible!" Hermione declared.

Spreading her hands to take in the room around them, the food that had been magically delivered by Elf, the moving paintings on the wall, and Hogwarts itself, Lady Helena quirked one eyebrow. "Is it?"

Hermione opened her mouth, then closed it again. Her brow furrowed, and she hunched over in thought. Harry and Neville watched her silently for a moment, before the latter turned back to Lady Helena.

"So squibs, elves, and wizards all live together here? As equals?" he asked.

"Squibs, elves, wizards, muggles, centaurs... many beings live here together in harmony," Lady Helena said. "Status is determined by birth, gender, marriage, profession, and several other factors, but not by magical ability or species. My father is what you call a muggle, one with no magic in his recent bloodline. My mother's parents were both magical. Of my five living siblings, three, plus myself, are strongly magical, and the other two are not. One has a small amount of magic, while Lares, as I said, has none."

"Our family is unusual for the era, in that my mother earned our family title, not my father. She was named Countess for her part in creating Hogwarts, which made my father an Earl, and myself and my siblings Lords and Ladies. My oldest brother, Marius, will become Earl upon the death of my mother. My father will lose his title if she dies before him, as it is hers, not his."

"If my brother dies without an heir, which won't happen, as he already has two young boys, but if, let's say, all three were to die, then the title would pass to me. I would become Countess. Most titles are only passed through the male line, but it is different for wizards and witches. For us, a title is passed to the eldest child, and next eldest. It doesn't matter if that child is male or female, magical or not."

"That's amazingly progressive for the time!" Hermione said, rejoining the conversation.

"Our parents are considered quite progressive," Lady Helena said wryly. "Of course, I understand from my future self that that will eventually change."

"You said that one of your siblings only had weak magic," Harry remembered. "Is that still a thing, Neville?"

Neville considered that. "I don't think so? You either have enough magic to get a Hogwarts letter, or you don't. If you don't get your Letter, they call you a squib and usually you're sent to the Muggle world."

"That's also barbaric!" Hermione cried.

"Well what determines if you get a Hogwarts Letter?" Harry asked. Neville shrugged, so both looked to Lady Helena.

With a fond sigh, she closed her eyes and began breathing deeply. When she returned from her trance, she frowned. "They have created a scale of magical power, which all children are judged against. The accidental magic a child commits during their youth is rated, and that determines whether or not they get a letter."

"That seems to make sense," Hermione ventured.

"The problem is that there are different kinds of magic," Lady Helena explained. "For example, Slytherin can speak to birds and snakes. Would you call that a magical power?"

All three children nodded. "Yet speaking to a snake would not register on the Ministry's record of accidental magic. There are several kinds of magic, which you might call passive magic, that do not register on that recorder. Self-healing, speaking animal languages, helping plants to grow, several forms of mind magic, metamorphmagus changes; all of these magics would not be recorded by your Ministry. And several others I cannot think of off the top of my head!" Lady Helena was quite upset now.

"Why, dozens, maybe even hundreds of magical children have been overlooked, deemed squibs or muggles because their young magic was passive instead of active! Several of our current students and teachers would not be accepted at the Hogwarts of your time!"

"So I might have passive magic?" Neville asked. "That's why my family thought I was a squib?"

Lady Helena looked at him sharply. "You have talent for self-healing and plant magics," she declared. "You should also excel at potions, offensive and defensive magics and strategies, and the study of languages. Most of those are indeed passive magics."

Neville looked like a giant weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Harry thought that he must have wished for active magic just as much as Harry had wished to hide his freakishness. His magic had certainly been active during his childhood!

"What about me?" Hermione demanded.

Lady Helena studied her. "Your talents lie in transformations, mind magics, and crafting. In school, you should excel in history, arithmancy, spell and potion creation."

All of them then turned expectantly towards Harry. "Would you like to know your skills?" Lady Helena offered.

"I guess," Harry said.

With a wry smile, she read him. Her smile soon morphed into a frown, however. She began to reach towards his forehead, but then halted her movement. "I need mother and Aunt Helga to see this," she muttered. She snapped her fingers and an Elf popped into the room.

"Lady Helena?" it asked.

"Evvie, could you please bring Countesses Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff here? It is quite important."

"Of course," the Elf said before popping away.

"That was a female, wasn't it?" Hermione asked brightly. "I looked at the ears!"

"It was," Lady Helena said, smiling at the eager girl. "Evvie is responsible for running the school aspects of the castle. She keeps the schedules for the professors and masters, and knows where they hold their lessons. She is usually the best one to call for if you want to find a teacher during the day."

"And how did you call her, specifically?" Hermione pressed.

"The snap is a spell, or at least the way we generally perform it. It acts as a memory device for learning the spell, and it also allows those without magic to call an Elf. The Elves simply use their magic to 'listen' for snaps. If you have magic, you think the name of the Elf you would like to call while you do it. If you do not think of a particular name, or if you have no magic, then whichever Elf is free and closest to you will respond to your summons."

Before Hermione could ask another question, Evvie had popped back into the room, this time with two older women alongside her. "Thank you Evvie, that will be all," Lady Helena said.

"What is it?" the shorter, plumper, woman asked. "I've got dinner to oversee."

"I need you to Look at something," Lady Helena said, squaring her shoulders. Apparently that meant something to the women, as they quickly moved to either side of her and each placed a hand on one of her shoulders.

Lady Helena then stared intently at Harry again. A second later the other two focused on him as well. He saw a range of emotions flicker across their faces before they finished their inspection. Once they were done, the shorter woman harrumphed and disappeared with a pop. The other one took an empty seat.

"I am Countess Rowena Ravenclaw," she began, "but you may call me Ravenclaw. I have a talent for mind magics, and a passion for esoteric magical studies. My daughter called myself and Helga because of what she saw with her magical sight. Channeling her sight, I confirmed her fears."

Ravenclaw stared piercingly at Harry. "How did you gain the scar on your forehead, young man?"

"Er... my relatives told me it was from a car crash," he began, "but Hagrid told me that I got it the night that Voldemort killed my parents and then died."

His jumbled explanation did not seem to impress Ravenclaw, and she glanced at her daughter. Lady Helena slipped into what Harry thought of as her 'looking forward' trance and soon emerged. "Tom Riddle, who went by the name Voldemort, last blood heir of Slytherin, attempted to create a horcrux with the death of young Harry here," she said. "Harry's mother Lily evoked the ancient rites of parensacrum, and the spell rebounded on Voldemort. His corporeal body was destroyed, while the soul fragment he had prepared latched onto the only living being in the house - Harry."

Harry thought he was going to be sick. He had never heard this version of his parents' death, and Lady Helena spoke of it in such clinical terms. He also didn't know what a horcrux was, but it if relied on his death, and had anything to do with soul fragments, he was sure it wasn't good. And finally, the idea that- "I have part of Voldemort's soul in me?"

"In your scar, yes," Lady Helena confirmed. "The soul fragments are intended to be stored in a prepared item, but in the absence of such an item, will latch onto a living being. It is a less secure means of storage for the soul fragment, but I suppose it is preferable to the alternative."

"What-" Hermione couldn't finish the question, but Lady Helena seemed to know what she was asking.

"If the soul fragment is not placed into the proper receptacle, or does not find an acceptable living host, it will dissipate. Essentially, that piece of soul will die."

Harry finally found his voice again. "So what am I supposed to do about this piece of Voldemort soul inside of me?” he yelled.

“That’s my job,” Hufflepuff replied, popping back into the room. She had an Elf beside her, it’s arms filled with jars and bottles.

“All active magic -- magic that is cast or created -- can be countered or reversed,” Ravenclaw explained. “This is one of the traits that forms the distinction between active and passive magic. For example, if one has the ability to heal themselves, you cannot reverse their healing. You can break the bone again, but you cannot undo the actual act of healing that they committed. Do you understand?”

The three students nodded. “Active magic, however, has counters. I can create a shield with a spell, but it can also be broken apart with a different spell. Creating a horcrux is an active spell, thus there is a counter. If the spell is performed properly, and the fragment of soul is transported into a prepared object, it is highly complicated to reverse. Most prefer to just destroy the object. However,” she quickly continued, “this spell was not performed properly. The soul fragment is inside an unprepared living being, meaning that we have two different paths to counter it through.”

“And that is where I come in,” Hufflepuff said. She plucked the first bottle from her Elven assistant’s arms and handed it to Harry. It held a dark, runny liquid in it. “Drink up!” she commanded.

Warily, Harry did as instructed. To his surprise, the liquid didn’t taste as bad as he expected, more like how the forest smelled; loamy and damp. He quickly downed the entire bottle.

“Good!” Hufflepuff had opened another jar; this one full of a light green paste that smelled like the mint plant in Aunt Petunia’s garden. She smeared it all over Harry’s forehead, which immediately began to tingle. The Elf unobtrusively placed the rest of the bottles and jars on a side table and then popped away. “Now you just keep that on until it hardens,” Hufflepuff instructed.

Harry nodded meekly.

“Why would V- V- He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named be making a horcrux?” Neville asked.

“And what was the other name you called him?” Hermione asked.

“I assume you mean Voldemort?” Lady Helena replied. Both students nodded. “The one your time knows as Voldemort was born Tom Marvolo Riddle. Upon the death of his mother’s family, he becomes the last blood descendent of Slytherin’s line. However, he found his birth name was not suitably intimidating and created the moniker Lord Voldemort. The term “Lord” was purely stylistic, as he had not accepted his inheritance as Earl Slytherin.”

“But we found out as soon as we were sorted!” Hermione exclaimed. “How could he not know?”

“For several reasons,” Helena explained. “Young Harry here is the only living Potter in his time. As such, he was able to claim his Gryffindor inheritance. Similarly, with his mother and Tom Riddle dead, he was the only one of Slytherin’s line. As your parents are non-magicals, while able to inherit the non-magical title of Ravenclaw, they are unable to inherit the magical title. Again, you are seen as the last, or more accurately, the first of your line. Most heirs, including Tom Riddle, are not in a position to claim Lordship while still at Hogwarts, as they have living relatives with higher claim. The last of his mother’s family died after Riddle graduated, and he never returned to Hogwarts nor did he approach the goblins for an inheritance test, so he was unable to claim his Slytherin inheritance.”

“There is also the matter of Hogwarts needing your help, and choosing to name you as soon as you arrived. Had she not needed you so desperately, Neville, with a still living parent, would have been unlikely to have his status revealed until he took up the Lordship of House Longbottom, therefor also making him the head of his branch of Gryffindor. Do you understand?”

All three nodded.

“As for why he was creating a horcrux, there are two common reasons, but only one likely one. The less likely reason is to study the effect of creating one. It is not recommended, and few scholars pursue it. I doubt that was his intention. The other reason is out of a belief that doing so would make him immortal.”

“He’s immortal?” Neville squeaked.

“No, he simply believed that making a horcrux would make him so,” Ravenclaw corrected him. “When you split your soul, the part that is split becomes frozen in time. It does not age, does not think, does not witness the world pass. If one of you were to create a horcrux right now, that piece of your soul would, when released from its object, believe that it is still on this very day, in this very place.”

“In many recorded instances, the piece of soul that was awakened, could not fully comprehend the changes that had happened since its creation, and the being often went mad or committed suicide. Additionally, as only a part of a soul, the horcrux being is at a disadvantage when it comes to all things, from reasoning to spell casting.”

“Of course, that is to say nothing of the effect on the caster. If you create a horcrux, a part of your soul is taken away. Not only does this make you weaker, magically and physically, but it also shortens your lifespan. And when you die, the part of your soul you still retain will pass on. If the soul fragment in your horcrux is revived, it will live it’s own life, starting from the place it diverged from the whole. It is not a path to immortality, as so many think.”

“Think of it like photocopies,” Helena said, emerging from another ‘looking forward’ trance. “The soul fragment is one page copied from a book; stuck on that section even though the book continues beyond it. Meanwhile, the copy is less clear and precise than the original. If someone were to take that copy, and attempt to write the rest of the book that follows, based only on that page, it would look nothing like the original book. And if the book is destroyed, it cannot be resurrected from the single copied page. Nor does the destruction of the page affect the original book.”

Harry and Hermione nodded, understanding what she meant perfectly, while Neville simply looked confused. Helena considered him for a moment. “Imagine that a copying charm creates an imperfect copy instead of a perfect one,” she told him. A moment later, he nodded hesitantly.

“So why would Voldemort want to create one of these things?” Harry asked. “If they’re so useless?”

“Because very few know that they are that useless,” Ravenclaw said. “Scholars are disinclined to split their own soul, while those who create them for less pure reasons are unlikely to publish the pitfalls of their creation. I happen to know a scholar who created a horcrux to study, and then, after a year, activated it. He and the horcrux copy of himself studied together, noting their similarities and differences. He performed numerous tests on his magical and physical strengths both before and after. He studied their memories, and their ability to harm or connect with each other. His studies are the seminal works on the subject.”

“Incidentally, in every instance, the sum of the two parts were less than the original whole had been,” Hufflepuff added.

“Yes,” Ravenclaw confirmed. “His magical strength, physical strength, stamina, weakness, memory, abilities; Everything that he could quantifiably test, he did. The results of himself after the cast combined with the results of the horcrux were never as good as those of himself before the cast.”

“At some point between now and Voldemort’s time, clearly this information has been lost,” Helena explained. “Voldemort found some references to horcruxes that was incorrect, and he believed that they would help him in his quest for domination of the Wizarding World. Ironically, had he simply claimed his Slytherin inheritance properly, he would have been an Earl, and one of the most powerful figures in the Wizarding World.”

Neville shuddered at the thought.

Harry judiciously poked at the paste on his forehead and found it substantially harder than when it was applied. He looked at Hufflepuff questioningly, and she came over to poke it. “Yes, just a little bit longer. Hopefully they’ll have the receptacle prepared by then.”

“You’re going to transfer it to an object?” Hermione asked, agast.

“Of course!” Ravenclaw said. “That’s the only way to take it out of a host. And the best way to study one of these, without having one of our students or masters having to create one!”

“But that’s a piece of Voldemort’s soul!” Hermione protested.

“Yes. An inert piece that is less powerful than the whole, and which would be completely disoriented upon awakening, were we to make a mistake and activate it. How else do you propose that we study these things?”

“Easy, mother,” Helena said quietly. “Today has been a bit overwhelming for them.”

Ravenclaw harrumphed, but did not confront Hermione further. A moment later an Elf - Harry assumed it was the same one as before, but he was a bit frazzled - popped back into the room. It presented Hufflepuff with a rock about the size of a small melon before popping away. She and Ravenclaw both examined the rock and then traded a few looks. Finally, Hufflepuff got up and approached Harry with it.

“It would be best if you held this,” she said, handing him the rock. “The soul fragment might not want to move, and having a tangible connection between the former and future hosts will help the process.”

Harry accepted the rock, but he paled at the thought of the soul fragment refusing to leave his body. What if it could possess him like in the horror movies Dudley used to watch late at night without his parents knowing? Harry had rarely been able to see them from the slits in his cupboard door, but hearing them had been bad enough.

Hufflepuff didn’t seem to notice his trepidation, as she again poked and prodded the goop on his forehead. “That seems firm enough, now,” she declared. Then she grabbed three more bottles and a jar from the table. The blue bottle she handed to Hermione. “Pour this on the rock exactly when I say to,” she told her firmly.

Hermione nodded, though Harry thought she looked a bit afraid. “I will.”

“Good.” Hufflepuff handed the brown bottle to Neville. “Pour this on his forehead exactly when I say to,” she instructed. Neville nodded with even more trepidation than Hermione had. The last bottle, the clear one, went to Harry. “You’ll want to drink this in a minute,” she warned him. “It dulls pain, up to a certain level. Men who’ve been gutted report that it doesn’t get rid of the pain entirely, but as they were able to calmly tell me that and not scream in agony, I think it will do well enough.”

“He’ll be in agony?” Hermione asked.

“I don’t know,” Hufflepuff admitted. “But it is likely. We’ve never done this with a human host before. There was a mouse that accidentally came between a wizard and his prepared object, and we made the switch for him, which is how Ravenclaw and I developed this process. But the mouse wasn’t exactly a forthcoming patient.”

Harry was quite reassured by hearing that they had, in fact, done this before, even if his predecessor had only been a mouse. Hermione didn’t look as convinced, but Hufflepuff didn’t seem to notice, or care. She opened the jar and liberally spread a pale yellow salve on both of her hands.

“Now Potter, drink that potion right down and then grab the stone with both hands again,” Hufflepuff instructed.

Before Harry could follow her order, Helena added, “The soul fragment will fight the magic, Harry, but you shouldn’t. Will the magic to work; encourage the magic to work. It could save you from a potential backlash.”

“Okay.” Harry nodded, and before he could think twice, tossed back the potion. It tasted strongly of herbs and was thick like cough syrup, though not as foul tasting. Harry quickly set down the bottle and then cupped the rock firmly in both hands.

A few moments later, he began to feel as though he was fading away, or perhaps floating. He could see his hands holding the stone, and Hermione and Neville’s worried faces, but he couldn’t feel any of it. Dimly he heard Hufflepuff say, “Now boy, tilt his head back and place your free hand between his scar and his eyes.”

Harry’s view changed from Hermione’s face to the ceiling, but he hadn’t felt his head or neck move. A hand appeared at the top of his line of sight, and then he felt a slight tug.

“Now that the paste is out of the way, get ready to pour,” Hufflepuff instructed. The hand in Harry’s vision shifted slightly.

“Girl, pour the potion on the rock, now!” Hufflepuff demanded. Harry felt the oddest sensation on his hands, but he was too hazy to figure out how to describe it. “Boy, your potion now! Try to concentrate it on the scar!” The odd sensation was repeated on his forehead, making Harry want to giggle.

Another hand moved into his field of vision, swooping over his forehead and settling behind the first hand. “Step back, you two, now!” Hufflepuff said. Suddenly, Harry felt pain. Pain in his head, pain in his hands, pain radiating through his whole body.

“Easy, Harry. Ride with the magic,” a melodic voice said.

Harry tried to relax. Good magic, he thought. Good magic that is going to help me. The pain in his body started to ease, though it was still concentrated around his head and hands.

“Good Harry! Keep it up!” The melodious voice encouraged him.

Harry relaxed a little more, as the pain in his hands began to dim. Nice, helpful magic. he thought. Not painful at all magic. The pain ebbed even further, until it was only in his head and just barely tickling at his hands. Good magic, he thought again.

He wasn’t sure how long it lasted, the pain and his stream of disjointed patter, but suddenly, like one of Dudley’s balloons popping, the pain vanished. A moment later, Harry slipped into darkness.

When Harry woke up, he felt better than he could ever remember feeling. He hadn’t even realized that he could feel this good! Yesterday he would have said that he was fine; a little overwhelmed but physically just great, but today… today blew that feeling right out of the water!

He was in his bed; or at least, the bed he had woken up in yesterday, and a robe and trousers were laid out for him. Harry rushed through his morning ablutions and hurried to put the clothes on. Then, he rushed out the door and through his common room. In the Founders’ master common room, he found Hermione and Neville, who were chatting away with Helena and Slytherin over a small breakfast spread.

“Harry!” Hermione bounced up and immediately gave him a hug. Neville looked a little as though he wanted to do the same, but didn’t. Helena rose at a more sedate pace, but also gave Harry a strong hug.

“I am very glad that Hufflepuff’s treatment worked for you, young Harry,” she said. “How are you feeling?”

“Fantastic! Amazing!” Harry said, sitting down and piling his plate high. “It was like when you have a broken ankle, and it hurts, but then when the pain is gone the next morning you feel fine! This is like something I didn’t even know was broken, but it is completely healed now! I’ve never felt this good!”

“Broken bones don’t heal overnight!” Hermione said.

Harry shrugged. “Mine do!”

“Another indicator that you have a strong self-healing power, young Harry,” Helena said. “Now, I believe all of this came about because you wanted to know what powers you have?”

Harry nodded, unable to keep the smile off his face. He felt fantastic!

Helena’s smiled widened a little in response, then she studied Harry. “You excel in self-healing, as we know, but also have a talent for healing others. Your talent for speaking to snakes is not the only language talent you have; I’m sure you would excel in learning many other languages, and might have the ability to speak another animal language. You also have a talent for metamorphmagus and animagus changes, spectral magics, and creature magics.”

“The horcrux in your scar was partially feeding off of your magics to sustain itself, which is why it was able to last for so long in a living host,” Helena continued. “Because of that, your magic would have been spotty, underperforming at times and overperforming at times.”

Harry nodded. “That explains why when I tried to jump over a few bins I ended up on the school roof!”

“Yes, that would have been a time that your magic overperformed, due to stress. When extremely stressed, your adrenaline would have given your magic a boost, allowing it to burst past the blockage created by the horcrux. Your self-healing would have also shone in times of stress, as injuries boost your adrenaline. I would imagine, however, that your other talents have largely lay dormant, oppressed by the presence of the horcrux. You were likely only able to speak parseltongue consistently because Tom Riddle could as well, so the horcrux encouraged, rather than repressed, that ability. You should now find yourself casting magic more consistently and successfully, and your passive powers, such as your metamorphmagus skills and language skills will become more apparent.”

Harry nodded. “I understand. Helena, thank you again for seeing that thing and getting rid of it!”

“You are more than welcome, Harry,” Helena said with a smile.

After a moment, Slytherin spoke up. “Young Harry, today I shall be taking you around the grounds again. I will introduce you to the other snakes who guard this castle, and we shall see if we can discover any more hidden languages you may know.”

Slytherin then turned to Hermione and Neville. “I presume, given your previous reactions, that you two would not like to meet our snake defenders.” Both shook their heads quickly. “You shall meet with Ravenclaw this morning, who shall discover your interests and what you should study while you are here.” Hermione and Neville both seemed relieved by that.

They all quickly finished breakfast; the others had a headstart on Harry, but he found his appetite had increased dramatically since the day before. Once they were done, Slytherin stood. “Come, young Harry.” Harry quickly jumped up and followed him, eager to go.

Harry’s days began to take on a pattern. He would go out with Slytherin in the morning, patrolling the grounds by Thestral-back and meeting all of the many animals and creatures that lived on the Hogwarts grounds. His stamina and riding endurance quickly increased until he could ride all day and only feel a little stiff after.

The grounds were more extensive than he had realized, encompassing the village of Hogsmeade and spreading out for acres in every direction. Slytherin explained that the four Founders had conquered and claimed the land, and had each been granted an Earldom for it. Technically the land was four separate lands, but the founders had signed a treaty that, in exchange for their peerages, they would never split them up, allowing Hogwarts to continue.

Harry met snakes who lived in the fields and gardens, such as the Greek agathos, the native Fenny, and the Lithuanian zaltys. All three were useful in keeping away pests and magically helping crops grow. One zaltys, named Adelyte, insisted on staying with Harry; visiting him in the castle and often accompanying him around the grounds, curled up on his Thestral’s back.

Around the perimeter of the wards, Harry met several of the snake defenders; native vipers, adders, dispas, and seps, all with highly toxic venoms. Poisonous boomslangs from Africa and taipans from Australia also were homed along the ward boundaries, as were the masters of hiding, horned cerastes. Slytherin also introduced Harry to Hoop snakes from North America who could form themselves into a wheel, build up speed, and ram into attackers. He met Greek Jaculi and Fandrefiala from Madagascar, both of whom hid in trees before leaping into attackers like deadly venomous arrows. The latter was even capable of hypnotizing those who caught its gaze!

Some of the snakes even worked together, as they demonstrated for Harry. Among their other talents, the Australian Akurra could shoot a stream of water into the air, creating a rainbow if it was sunny, or a raincloud if it was not. The rainbow python would then use that rainbow or cloud to transport itself and the Akurra to the next location. They could make it from the furthest wardline to the castle in a matter of minutes that way!

The Runespoor was a three headed snake that made a wonderful lookout, as did the winged Tohil snake from South America. It could fly, and communicate with some magical bird species, and Slytherin had imported many of them to help defend the school and coordinate between the snake and bird defenders.

There were also snakes who would confuse the enemy. The Boiuna were large black snakes that lived in the lake and nearby rivers, and they could change their form to almost anything to frighten away attackers. Harry also found the Tsuchinoko particularly interesting. It could speak understandably to humans, but liked to lie. Slytherin told him of a camp full of enemy soldiers who kept hearing contradicting orders from their Knight leader and eventually turned on each other, thanks to one particularly eager Tsuchinoko.

In the bog on the far side of the estate, Harry was introduced to a pair of Mboi Tu'i serpents, who were waiting for their first clutch of eggs to hatch. Because of this, they were extraordinarily defensive, and even the two parselmouths were in danger of being seen as threats. They quickly left, but Slytherin assured Harry that he would study the creatures of the bog later, when it was a little safer to do so.

Finally, Slytherin took Harry to a rocky cave in the foothills. There he taught Harry a spell to make him impervious to magical heat and flame. Once they were both protected, they passed through a ward Gryffindor had specially designed and into what Harry thought a volcano might look like. Magical fires danced around the space, with huge chunks of burning rock scattered about. But there, Harry was introduced to quite impressive creatures. There were salamanders, which though related to snakes could not speak parseltongue. There were Falak snakes from Arabia, who enjoyed the fire and even seemed to breathe little tongues of flame! Several of the phoenixes came to visit, as they also enjoyed this environment.

Harry also met several baby ashwinders. As Slytherin explained, Ashwinder adults were created from the embers of magical fires and laid eggs, dying within the hour. When the eggs hatched, baby ashwinders were born. As long as they remained in a magical fire, the babies would remain alive, indefinitely. Slytherin proudly announced that some of the ashwinders here were over fifty years old! However, if they were ever to leave their magical flames, they would quickly become adults and enter the usual ashwinder life-cycle.

Harry could have stayed in the cave for hours, talking to the flaming creatures, but Slytherin warned him that the flame-proof spell would wear off. However, he promised that Harry could return in the future.

The snake Harry found the most impressive, besides Essa the Basilisk, of course, was Coatl, the Vision Serpent. It was extremely rare, and, like the Basilisk, Slytherin only had one. But one was all he really needed. Coatl could see what any other snake saw, and it could impart those images as a vision to a Parselmouth like Slytherin. It completely surprised Harry by showing him an image from Adelyte, currently curled around his wrist, giving him a snake-eye view of himself. He also showed Harry a vision from one of Adelyte’s family, of Neville exploring a greenhouse with Hufflepuff and two other people. Harry thought it was incredible!

But the snakes were not the extent of the magical creatures. Over the weeks, Harry met the centaur herd in the forest, who were refugees of a war in their homeland, several hippogriffs which nested in the tallest trees and the highest spire of the castle, and a Gryffin whom Gryffindor had rescued on his travels. In the village were horses, both winged and mundane, and Harry spent time with the farrier learning how to shoe both of them.

He learned about the different breeds of dogs, including crups, grims, and magical boarhounds, who roamed the village alongside their mundane counterparts. Kneazles and cats were also commonplace in the village and castle, and Harry also spent time with the village's herds of pigs, sheep, goats, cows, ducks, geese, and chickens. Slytherin explained and taught Harry the very specialized silencing spell he had cast on every rooster so as to keep them from killing Essa the basilisk with their cries.

Harry hunted with both the men of the village and the centaurs, bringing back various game birds, as well as the occasional larger deer or boar. These were provided to the village and castle for food, as were the plants harvested from the forest and the fields and gardens.

But Harry didn't only spend his time with Slytherin alone. His lessons with the founders often included both his fellow heirs, as well as the students of Hogwarts, though each student was encouraged to pursue what interested them and where their talents led. Harry also spent time with the other teachers and adults around Hogwarts and the village.

Gryffindor and Ravenclaw's husband Ulric were in charge of the castle and village defenses, and they took Harry to the human outposts around the estate's perimeter, where he met the soldiers who rotated through watches there. He trained with the students and youth of the village, who were led by a group of knights who lived in Hogsmeade. Some were magical, like Sir Nicholas, while some were muggle, and their training styles were aimed at teaching the students how to fight either kind of opponent.

Harry spent time with the blacksmith, fletcher and bowyer, learning how their weapons were made, and visited the armorer to learn about both mundane and magical means of protection. He spent time with the carpenter and potter, learning how they incorporated magic into their trades. Harry even accompanied Gryffindor as he oversaw the new construction on the castle, fascinating Harry with the ways that they blended mundane and magical means.

Hufflepuff took Harry to the valleys, hills, and forest, where he learned which wild plants were good for cooking, medicine, and potions, and how and when to pick them. He worked in the fields, orchards, and greenhouses, learning the same with the domesticated plants, as well as those imported from different countries, which were kept in specialty climate-controlled greenhouses. He learned which plants would do well indoors, and helped take care of the many plants inside the castle, which Hufflepuff said would help with the air in the space, as well as the magical and emotional uplift they provided.

He also eventually learned how to swim, and spent many days in the lake, harvesting aqueous plants, fishing, and meeting the dozens of creatures who lived there.

But not all of Harry's days were spent outside or in the village. He spent many days inside the castle, engaged in various studies.

From Hufflepuff and Mistress Bones, down in the kitchens, he learned all they would teach him about cooking, plants, and potions. He also put to use his extensive cooking knowledge from his time with the Dursleys, and found that he could hold his own cooking alongside elves and scullery maids who had spent their lives in the kitchen.

Hufflepuff trained Harry's healing magic, and taught him about various medical remedies. The Elves, merfolk, and Centaurs also contributed, teaching Harry their own healing magics and natural plant remedies. Hufflepuff's husband Charlus, the village surgeon and barber, also practiced medicine, and Harry accompanied him occasionally.

Her brother was a squib and a Priest, and he ran the village chapel. Several monks and friars called the village their home, but they were often out questing, seeking magical children to bring back to Hogwarts. Harry and Neville had lessons with the friars in medieval culture and history. Hermione was exempted when she proved to have sufficient knowledge of the time, but it was something that purebloods were not taught, and a class which Harry had largely ignored, not daring to get better grades than his cousin.

Harry was even able to spend some time with the Potter family currently residing in the village, meeting his ancestors and learning his family history.

From Ravenclaw and the other Hogwarts teachers, Harry and the others learned much about how Hogwarts worked, and the magical studies of the time. The teachers were witches and wizards from all around the world, who had been drawn to the idea of teaching scholarly magic. Students would have general studies for a little while, to find where their interests and talents lay, and then apprentice to one or two teachers.

Students could also apprentice to one of the craftsmasters in the village, or become a squire and undergo knighthood training. Unlike the Hogwarts of the future, students here lived and trained year round, and regularly began their studies as young as seven.

It didn't matter if the children from the village were magical or not, as Helena had explained about her own siblings. Often the Hogwarts recruiters would find families with several magical children, and rather than break them up, bring the entire family back to Hogsmeade. Many in the village were without magic; what would eventually be called muggles and squibs. They could train at Hogwarts too, and apprentice to masters in fields that did not require magic to succeed. To Harry, the system made a good deal of sense, but Neville, with his future pureblood upbringing, was often floored by new revelations.

As Helena explained, translating things into the same terms as the future Hogwarts would use, the school currently offered eight magically-based tracts of study, in addition to the various mundane-friendly apprenticeship opportunities in the village or kitchens.

The first option was to study with an apothecary, who would teach what would later be known as herbology, potions, and a bit of medi-magic. The second, and related field, was to become an herbalist, or gardener, who studied herbology and the growing of plants for food. While the first field required some level of magic to master, the second did not, as long as one had help with the fiercer magical plants.

Defense training could include studies of animals, which was similar to the modern Care of Magical Creatures and Defense Against the Dark Arts, or it could include battle magic, which was more similar to transfiguration, paired with Defense and dueling.

These four fields were common, and those who studied them were able to make practical contributions to the village and school. Slightly more esoteric were those who studied runes and other languages, which could range from mundane languages to ancient magical cultures to the tongues of animals. With the large number of exotic people and animals brought to the town by Slytherin and the others, there were often teachers available in the mundane languages, and those with experience speaking to animals.

Then there were the completely academic fields, as Helena explained. Astrology was the forebearer of the modern divination and astronomy, and was partly taught by the centaurs. Scholars would record and study history, and sometimes branched into minstrel studies, or performance. This was the precursor to history and arithmancy studies at the modern Hogwarts. Finally, Alchemy was for those interested in studying advanced magics and potions.

When Hermione asked, Helena explained that at this time, transfiguration and charms were largely incorporated into their relevant fields, instead of being their own classes. Though, she pointed out, Battle Magic did include a lot of transfiguration, and one who specialized in scholarship could make a point to study transfiguration or charms as their specialty.

After a few weeks of courses, Hermione chose to study in depth with a Master Scholar, a teacher of Runes, and a Master alchemist. Neville immediately latched on to the master herbalist and apothecary, though at Helena's urging he also spoke to several of the language teachers. Harry stuck with his creature studies with Slytherin, and also spoke to the language teachers. Helena had said that he likely had more language abilities, and he wanted to discover them! He also chose to study with Charlus the surgeon, reasoning that if he had an inclination for healing magic he should learn more about it too.

All told, the lands of the four founders supported over a thousand people and almost as many Elves and other sentient beings, with most of them based at the castle and village. With that many folk around, and with them studying under different teachers, Harry was afraid that he wouldn't see Hermione and Neville very often. However, they did study and work together weekly, and they almost always ate breakfast and dinner together, usually with Helena or one of the founders.

And there were times for fun, besides the studying. No classes were held on the seventh day of the week, which was a day off of work for everyone but the cooks. There was a week-long harvest festival around the fall equinox, and similar festivals for the winter and summer solstices and spring equinox. There were also other, shorter festivals to celebrate important days, including the founding of Hogwarts.

Aside from the festivals there were plenty of ways to relax. They played plenty of games and activities, with the students, teachers, and villagers all joining in. Harry and the others learned to play bowls and skittles, both of which Hermione compared to modern bowling, but played outside. There were also matches of stoolball, gameball, and shinty, which Hermione compared to cricket, football, and hockey, respectively. Having never played any Muggle games before, Harry and Neville simply had to take her word for it. There were even races, through the grassy grounds during the warmer months, and through the snow and across the ice during the winter. Having never been allowed to play sport while living with the Dursleys, Harry threw himself into all of them eagerly.

Then there were the combat based events - tournaments in jousting, archery, blades, quarter-staves, wands, and wrestling. At first Harry just watched these, but as he learned more from Sir Nicholas and the other Knights, he eventually took part in the tournaments. With all of the unaccustomed activity outdoors, Harry grew almost a foot, becoming strong, tanned, and toned.

Before they knew it, several months had flown by, and Harry, Neville, and Hermione were about to celebrate the anniversary of their first year in the past. Hermione asked about the limits of their travel, but Helena had merely smiled and replied that they would stay as long as they needed to.

Another year passed, and Harry went on quests with Slytherin to bring back a herd of unicorns to the forest, and with Neville and Hufflepuff to acquire a variant of magical blackberry bush that would fruit year-round. He traveled with Friar Lawrence for a few months, tracing down reports of magical children and inviting them back to Hogwarts, all while learning everything the Friar knew about his metamorphmagus abilities. By the end of the year, Harry was able to change his appearance at will.

By the end of their third year, Harry had learned the healing magics and culture of Elves and merfolk, successfully mastered the languages of elvish and mermish, and finally during a trek to the Danish Kingdom, identified his ability to speak to dolphins and whales in Cetaceatongue. In his fourth year, Harry learned the healing magics and cultures of the goblins and centaurs, mastered the goblin language, and discovered the ability of dragons and wyverns to understand, though not speak, parseltongue. Slytherin reasoned that the snake language and draconic language were close enough for general understanding, in the way that one who spoke French could understand some Spanish, though of course there would always be difficulties in translation.

Shortly after celebrating their fourth anniversary in the past, Harry woke up to a churning in his stomach and a sense of urgency. He dressed quickly and made his way out to the common room, where he found Helena and Hermione waiting. A moment later Neville joined them, appearing as distressed as Harry felt.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"It is time for you to go," Helena explained. "You will have today to say your goodbyes and leave messages for any you wish to."

"Can we bring nothing with us?" Hermione asked. "I've got books and books of notes!"

Helena smiled. "You may not bring it with you, but you may place it in a secure space in the castle under a stasis spell, and it will be waiting for you when you wake."

Hermione immediately rushed off to gather her books, while Neville ran for his own room. Harry took a walk through the forest, trying to figure out what he would want to bring forward with him.

He had few notes; most of his studies had been practical. His language skills and ability to transform himself would be retained in his own mind. He could always grow or harvest plants to make the healing elixirs and potions he had studied. No, the things Harry would miss the most were the animals, people, and creatures of this time. And those he couldn't take with him.

Instead, Harry went through the forest and the village, saying goodbye to those he knew. He took a dip in the lake to visit the squid and merfolk, and took his usual thestral mount, Ehl, to the ashwinder cave.

As the sun began to set, Harry made his way back to the castle; part of him sad to be going, but part of him eager to get back to his own time. After a quick stop at Essa's den, Harry headed to the kitchens for dinner. There, he, Hermione, and Neville were treated to a magnificent feast and wished well on their trip by all of the castle's resident students, teachers, and staff. The elves in particular wished Harry well, as he had spent much of his time among them, giving him a very touching farewell in elvish.

Finally, the trio met again in the founders' common room, where the four founders and Helena were waiting for them. After another touching farewell, and a few parting words for their heirs, the founders left, and Helena sent the three students to bed.

"I'll see you in the morning, in one form or another," she promised.

When Harry woke, it took him a few moments to realize that he was not in the Hogwarts he had fallen asleep in. While the room was technically the same, it had aged greatly through the years. The furniture was different, and the tapestries were dusty and faded with age. The commode was in the same place, though it had been upgraded at some point, and Harry went through his usual ablutions.

He was shocked, however, to look in the mirror and see, not the fifteen year old he had become, but the eleven year old he had been. This body was scrawny, and pale, and dressed in over-large pajamas that were Dursley hand-me downs.

Frowning, Harry concentrated on his metamorphmagus magics. There was the face he recognized, and the muscles he had worked so hard for! A wave of his hand transformed Dudley's pajamas as well, into the same kind Harry had had in the past.

Finished, he returned to his room, and found his clothes laid out for the day, just as they had always been in the past. His Hogwarts robe, sized to his younger body, and a set of Dudley's hand-me-downs sat on the chair, while his socks and trainers were tucked below it.

Annoyed, a wave of Harry's hand transformed these into something much more like what he had worn in the past, though he did take advantage of the modern fabric and construction style. The trousers, pants, and shirt were plain browns and green, and would fit him perfectly. The robes were the ones that Hogwarts had transformed for him the night of the feast, but he needed to make them a little longer to fit his older frame.

Satisfied with his appearance, Harry made his way through the Slytherin common room - also forgotten and aged, and with far fewer doors than he remembered - and into the joint founders common room. There he found Hermione and Neville waiting for him, both looking like their younger selves.

"That is so unfair," Hermione complained upon seeing Harry. "We can't all change ourselves to match how we looked yesterday." Harry smirked in reply, but before he could say anything, Helena floated into the room.

"Helena!" Neville cheered.

"Oh, should we call you the Grey Lady again?" Hermione asked, indicating their teacher's ghostly appearance.

"Helena is fine," she confirmed. "Now, if you would call for breakfast, we will bring you up to date on everything that has happened between your departure and your return."

Hermione snapped her fingers for an elf, and all three gaped when one appeared. It was a shadow of the elves they had known, hunched and wrinkly, wearing only a pillowcase with the Hogwarts crest on it.

"What cans Blinky do for Missy 'claw?" the elf asked.

"Oh Merlin," Hermione whispered, close to tears.

"We will get to that," Helena said reassuringly. "But not today. For now, simply tell her what you want."

Hermione couldn't seem to bring herself to speak, so Harry leaned forward. "Full breakfast for three, please, Blinky," he said. "And if anyone asks, we are not yet awake."

"Yessir, Master Snake!" the elf replied, bowing repeatedly, before popping away.

"Hardly anyone in the castle is awake, so you needn't worry about that," Helena said.

"Yes, we should be able to cover everything you need to know before they expect you," another familiar voice said. A moment later it was followed by Sir Nicholas, who drifted up through the table, followed by Friar Lawrence. "It is good to see you three again," he concluded.

The trio traded greetings with the ghosts and caught up with how they had each died until Blinky reappeared with their food.

Then, the ghosts quickly outlined the last hundred years or so of recent wizarding history. They particularly focused on Voldemort's reign of terror and Dumbledore's era of incompetency. By the time the students were done eating, they had been caught up on the salient points and were ready to meet the aurors. They had also dashed off a few letters for House Elves to deliver while they were busy.

The only downside, for Harry, was when Helena made him change back into his eleven year old appearance, though he agreed that the secret of their trip to the past should be hidden for as long as possible. So it was that three eleven year old students made their way to the Great Hall an hour before breakfast was due to start, flanked by their three ghostly mentors.

In the Great Hall, they found Professors Mcgonagall and Flitwick awaiting them, along with a squad of aurors, and a woman whom Helena identified as the head of the Department of Magical law Enforcement, Madam Amelia Bones.

"Madam Bones, Professors, good morning!" Harry said as they entered, determined to set the tone for the meeting. "I am so glad that you could join us here, though I wish our meeting could be under better circumstances."

"We apologize for the abruptness of the actions Hogwarts was forced to take last night," Hermione added, "but it will soon be demonstrated just how necessary those actions were."

“We would like all of the remaining senior staff to be present for this,” Harry said.

“Yes,” Hermione nodded. “And though it is a Monday, given the circumstances, the students should have the day off.”

"If you have any questions for myself or the other two heirs before we begin, now would be the time," Neville concluded.

The adults stared back at them in shock, and Harry was sure the professors were comparing them to the three scared children they had seen the night before. Of course, to Harry, it was a lifetime ago. Not surprisingly, Madam Bones was the first to regain her composure.

"I suppose introductions are in order first, young man," She said.

"Of course!" Neville gave a polite half-bow. "I am Lord Neville Longbottom, Heir Longbottom and Earl Gryffindor. This is Lady Hermione Granger, Countess Ravenclaw. And finally we have Lord Harry Potter, Lord Potter, Heir Gryffindor, and Earl Slytherin."

This time the teachers were more prepared for the announcement, and it was Madam Bones and the aurors who were stunned silent.

"Incidentally," Hermione added, "We have accepted our positions and reclaimed our lands. Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, and a good portion of the lands around them are Earldoms, jointly owned by the descendants of the four founders. In claiming our heritage and accepting our titles, we have claimed these lands. They are our home, and it is our right to see the law enforced within them. No other, not even the Headmaster of our school, may overrule us, save those of higher peerage or Her Majesty, according to the treaty of 914."

Harry didn't give them a moment to recover. "Now, shall we attend to the matters at hand? Hogwarts, if you will provide us with the first detainee?"

A male Slytherin; a sixth or seventh year by the look of him, appeared a few feet away from the group. He was stunned and bound.

"Madam Bones, I trust that you have veritaserum on hand and an auror who is qualified to take record of an interrogation and confession?"

"I do," she replied readily, "however, it is illegal to interrogate a minor without their parent or guardian present. It is also illegal for anyone other than a DMLE questioner or the head of the Wizengamot to order a questioning under veritaserum."

"Well, by all means, invite the Wizengamot here!" Harry declared. "The more the merrier, I say! Unfortunately we can't exactly go to them, as our prisoner containment system is somewhat stationary, but we invite them as guests to witness these accusations."

"That's a wonderful idea, Harry!" Hermione said cheerfully. "Hogwarts, dispatch messages please. Every member of the Wizengamot are invited to the trials at Hogwarts this morning! Oh, and the Minister! Let's not forget him!"

"And the parents of any students you have detained, minors or not," Neville added. "Posthaste, please!"

"The parents of the victims should be summoned as well," Harry muttered to Sir Nicholas under his breath. The ghost nodded and sank through the floor. "Hogwarts, perhaps a more appropriate place!" He said loudly. The walls began to shift around them, and soon they were in a smaller room that looked more like a courtroom instead of the Great Hall. In the shift, no one noticed Sir Nicholas leave.

"It's the Wizengamot chambers!" One auror muttered.

"No, it is a reasonable facsimile of the Wizengamot chambers," Hermione corrected. "We wouldn't want to delay the students' breakfast by remaining in the Great Hall much longer."

Within a few moments, the Hogwarts house elves who had been dispatched with the summonses began popping people back into the Great Hall. Those who were already at work at the Ministry were among the first to arrive. One person, as soon as he arrived, disappeared again, leaving his house elf escort behind.

"What just happened?" Madam Bones demanded.

"All are welcome at Hogwarts," Harry said with a smirk.

"Of course," Hermione added as a calculated afterthought, "if any of them bear the Dark Mark or are actively working against the safety of the school, they'll just be caught up in the same containment ward system that currently holds the others."

"That's entrapment!" One of the aurors declared.

"That's the law of our land," Harry said firmly. "Look it up!"

The incoming Wizengamot members began to question why they had been summoned, as did the parents who soon began arriving. Neville directed the ghosts to greet each arrival and send them to their proper seating, either in the gallery on the heir's side, the gallery on the side of the accused, or the tiers of Wizengamot seats.

Finally, Hogwarts informed the heirs that everyone summoned had arrived, and was either in the room or in containment. All in all only about fifteen minutes had passed, though it had certainly felt like longer to the trio.

"Well Madam Bones, everyone is here," Harry declared. "Would you like to start this over properly?"

Madam Bones gave him a sour look, but did turn to address the Wizengamot. She quickly explained that there had been some accusations of wrongdoing at Hogwarts, and the founders' heirs and current Earls and Countess had requested that her department investigate. The Wizengamot were present to shorten the process.

Minister Fudge, who had paled at the mention of their titles, was now looking around the room frantically. "We cannot begin a Wizengamot session now!" he said. "The Chief Warlock is not present!"

Madam Bones glanced at Harry, who merely smirked back. She sighed and turned back to the Minister. "Chief Dumbledore will not be joining us today," She explained. "According to the bylaws of the Wizengamot, the next most senior member will run the meeting in his absence."

A man who the ghosts quietly identified as Lord Greengrass stepped forward and took the Chief Warlock's seat. "This emergency session of the Wizengamot is called to order on this day, Monday the second of September, nineteen-ninety-one," he declared. "I now turn the meeting over to the one who called it; Madam Bones."

"I didn't call it," she said sourly. "Lord Slytherin did."

Harry smirked and stepped forward. "Ladies and Gentlemen. The short version of yesterday's events is that myself and my two fellow heirs claimed our inheritance from the founders. As such, Hogwarts is now ours. We have changed the wards and rules of our land as we see fit, as is our right. Because of that, several people already on the grounds were forcibly detained.

The crowd began to mutter, but Harry continued strongly, talking right over them. "We wanted them brought before Madam Bones and questioned, and she reminded us that certain formalities must be adhered to, which lead to the summons you all received. Now that those formalities are observed, I suggest we get on with the interrogations."

"Hogwarts, please present the first detainee," Neville said. The Slytherin boy returned, causing a gasp from one woman in the crowd.

"Hogwarts, if you please," Hermione summoned a stool, and the Sorting Hat immediately appeared on top of it. It spoke in the Hat's usual voice, instead of the feminine voice of Hogwarts it had used the night before.

"Seventh Year Slytherin, Zachary Nott, accused of one count of rape and two counts of attempted rape upon female Hogwarts students," the hat declared. "Paintings and ghosts were witness to these events, and are willing to testify."

"It would be quicker to give him Veritaserum and get it over with," Harry snapped. "Madam Bones, this is why you and your team were summoned. Please help us prove or disprove these allegations."

"As a minor-"

"No seventh year student can be a minor," Hermione retorted quickly. "They must turn seventeen before the first of September. Calling his parents was a courtesy, but we expect you to do your duty!"

Madam Bones again looked shocked to be spoken to that way by a young girl, but after a moment she nodded and then turned to her aurors. "Shacklebolt, set up the recording quills. Scrimgeour, the Veritaserum."

Once the quills were recording onto long parchment scrolls and the truth serum had been given, Madam Bones enervated the student. His questioning was quick, and everything the hat said was correct. He even admitted to two more attempts and a single rape on the grounds, where the castle was unable to monitor. He also admitted that one of the girls, a Slytherin, had complained to their Head of House, but that he had not been punished.

As soon as the questioning was finished, Harry stepped forward, his gaze steely. "I hereby revoke the admission of Zachary Nott to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, for conduct unbecoming of a student. He is forbidden from setting foot on the school grounds ever again, to be effected at the conclusion of this trial."

"So Mote it Be," chorused the three heirs. A glow of white light surrounded Zachary briefly, before fading.

"I would suggest that the Wizengamot now punish this criminal accordingly," Harry said, eyeing the members. "Rape is illegal both in the Wizarding court and the court of Her Majesty, so your duty should be clear."

With little discussion, the boy was sentenced to a year in Azkaban for each rape, and six months for each attempt. Harry and Hermione were disgusted, as they felt the sentence was far too light, but Neville and Helena quietly explained that the Wizarding prison was so much worse than the Muggle ones that a month served there felt more like a year.

They quickly repeated the procedure with the next five Slytherin seventh year boys, one seventh year Slytherin girl, and one boy each from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff's seventh year. Next came the sixth year boys, and two Slytherin fifth years, who all had at least one parent present. Their parents attempted to object to the use of Veritaserum on their sons, but given the accuracy of the accusations so far, Lord Greengrass overruled their objections.

Each time, Harry and the others expelled the students and forbid them from returning to the school. For the fifth-years, who had not yet taken their OWLs, being expelled also meant that their wand was to be snapped, which one of the aurors did after each case.

Four of them were also accused, and found guilty, of bringing Dark Arts items onto the school ground, as were a handful of other Slytherins not accused of greater crimes, including one first year, Draco Malfoy. Those items were summoned and confiscated by the aurors, and for each student not already expelled, the heirs ordered two weeks of suspension per each item.

Once all the confessions were out and the victims had been revealed, including those that had been obliviated of the rape, the heirs called for a brief recess. The parents of the victims who had been in the witness stands were escorted from the room by McGonagall, and allowed to see their children for the day. Harry also informed them that any House Elf could direct them to a private room, as needed. The parents of the guilty students had each been escorted out once their child was sentenced.

Finally, they were done with the students, and all of the watching parents were gone. Harry and the others braced themselves. Now things were going to get tough.

The first adult presented was Snape. He was questioned, and revealed that he had been hiding the reported rapes in his House for years. He had also actively terrorized the other Houses, unfairly graded students to keep them from reaching his NEWT classes, encouraged the Slytherins to bully other students, and admitted to a host of plans to make Harry's life miserable once he arrived at Hogwarts. When questioned about his attitude, Snape even confessed to lying about not wanting the Dark Mark in order to get Dumbledore to accept him to the light. He admitted to playing both masters, and also let slip that it was impossible to give an unwilling person the Dark Mark. He was quickly sentenced by the Wizengamot to life in Azkaban.

Next came Lucius Malfoy and several others who had been summoned either as parents or as Wizengamot members. Each of them was revealed to have the Dark Mark on their arm, and each, under Veritaserum, admitted what they had willingly done to receive their Mark. At the heirs' suggestion, each was also questioned on how they had stayed out of Azkaban so far, which lead to several accusations of bribery against Fudge. Hogwarts immediately gagged him and confined him to his chair, awaiting his own questioning. Several aurors were deployed to the ministry to gather others named as taking bribes, holding them for questioning. A list was also formed of Death Eaters who had not been caught and were not currently in Hogwarts, more aurors were summoned and dispatched to hunt them down.

The last of the Death Eaters was the one that caused the greatest stir. At first, when Hogwarts presented him, all that could be seen was a small, dingy rat. However, Harry suggested an animagus-revealing spell, after which he was quickly forced back into his human body. As Pettigrew detailed all of his actions as a Death Eater, including the betrayal of the Potters and setting up Sirius Black, Harry's expression grew colder.

When Pettigrew finished, Harry turned his furious gaze to Madam Bones. "I want my godfather out of Azkaban immediately!" He said icily. "I want him here, within the hour, for a proper questioning, and I want whoever threw him in that hell-hole without a trial sitting in their own cell by the end of this day! As Earl Slytherin I demand it!"

Half of the Wizengamot members behind her quivered and hurried to reassure Harry, but Madam Bones was made of sterner stuff. "We'll see to it that he gets a proper trial, today, My Lord," she said calmly. Then she turned to her group of aurors. "Bell, go back to the department, get whoever you need, and report to Azkaban immediately. See to it that Mister Black is here as soon as humanly possible. I'm authorizing a portkey. Jones, go to the records archive. See who was responsible for this mess ten years ago and get them in our cells."

The two aurors nodded sharply and then bolted from the room. While Harry tried to take deep, calming breaths, the rest of the trials continued.

Filch was found to hate the students at the school, but not found to have actually tortured any of them, so he was fired but not arrested. Fudge and several other Wizengamot members who had been pulled from the chamber admitted to taking bribes to keep Death Eaters out of jail, as well as several other things. They were each banned from the Wizengamot, ordered to repay double the bribe amount to the St Mungo’s victim's fund, and, in the more severe cases, sentenced to brief periods in Azkaban. Fudge was also sacked as Minister, and, when most of his Undersecretaries were also accused of bribery, is was decided that Madam Bones would become the Interim Minister until elections could be held. Dozens of others were currently in the DMLE’s holding cells, awaiting their own trials over the coming days for bribery, corruption, and being a Death Eater.

Finally, the Hogwarts cells were down to just two people; Quirrell and Dumbledore. Many on the Wizengamot were starting to wonder, after everything they had heard, what these two could possibly have done to be saved for last.

Quirrell was brought forth, but in addition to being stunned and bound, he also had a ward-field, like a shimmering blue bubble, around him. When Madam Bones turned to the heirs for an explanation, they turned to the Hat.

"Professor Quinnius Quirrell," the Hat announced calmly, "currently hosting the parasitic soul fragment of Tom Marvolo Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort, accused of-" No one could hear what he was accused of, as the entire room erupted with noise.

Over the yelling and screaming, Hermione set off a spell like a gunshot. As everyone focused on her, she said calmly. "As long as Hogwarts' containment ward holds, I don't think all of that noise will be necessary. Now Hat, you were saying?"

"Quirrell is accused of endangering the students, illegally selling contraband creatures, supporting the Dark Lord, and murder. Tom Marvolo Riddle is accused of murder, founding a terrorist organization, torture-"

"Yes, we'll get to those later," Harry interrupted. "I'm sure we can throw the book at him. Now, in the meantime, Madam Bones, do you have a way to feed Quirrell Veritaserum and Enervate him without waking up Riddle too?"

"As a matter of fact, we do," she said wryly. "Shacklebolt, get to St. Mungo's. I want their best specialists in possession here immediately."

"Yes Ma'am!"

As they waited, the heirs chatted quietly with the ghosts about their upcoming plans. Since the students had had the day off, due to the impromptu session of the Wizengamot, the heirs would still be able to announce their changes at dinner or breakfast without upsetting their schedules too much.

Within ten minutes Shacklebolt had returned with the mediwizards, who were quickly brought up to speed on the problem. They cast a series of spells through the containment ward before nodding at Madam Bones. "You can drop the shield and Enervate him now," the oldest of the three said.

Hogwarts quickly dropped the shield, and an auror administered the Veritaserum to Quirrell before Enervating him. His questioning was quick, as he admitted to all of his crimes since meeting Voldemort's spirit just over a year before. He was also able to attest to the crimes that Voldemort had committed since gaining control of his body, and what their plan was at Hogwarts.

The revelation that the Philosopher's Stone was supposedly at Hogwarts right now sent a ripple of shock through the room, and it was one more mark against Dumbledore in the heirs' minds.

When the questioning was done, Quirrell and the healers left with an auror escort. Their intention was to separate Voldemort from Quirrell without killing him, if possible, and then contain the spirit form of Voldemort.

At last, only Dumbledore was left. However, the setting sun was also streaming through the windows of the hall, and Harry felt more tired than he had after spending a day with the Hogsmeade blacksmith. "Ladies and gentlemen," he said, "I propose at this time that we adjourn for the day, to reconvene here again tomorrow. Dumbledore will still be contained until then, and just from what we have heard today, I am certain that his trial will last far longer than we would care to go without dinner."

"You all are welcome to join us for the evening meal," Hermione added. "We will be making several announcements to the students, and the parents among you might be interested in hearing them firsthand."

That did seem to entice several of the Wizengamot members, though just as many chose to take their leave. As they all trouped next door to the Great Hall, McGonagall was just about to serve the students. The adults quickly found spaces, either with their children or at the Head Table, while the heirs' small table reappeared at the front of the room.

The trio shifted their chairs so that they were all facing the students, before exchanging glances. "I'll start," Harry volunteered, surprisingly calm. While he was not used to speaking in front of large crowds, the trio and Helena had spent many long hours discussing the changes they needed to make, and how best to implement them, and Harry just needed to follow Hermione’s carefully scheduled planner. As the other two started to eat, Harry cast a sonorus spell on himself. "Please continue eating, everyone, but in the interest of saving time, I will address you while you do."

"As you know, last night, myself and my fellow heirs were made aware of our inheritance and claimed our titles as Earls Gryffindor and Slytherin and Countess Ravenclaw. You also know that several of your teachers and fellow students disappeared at that time. I can now share that those students committed crimes worthy of suspension or expulsion, so you will not be seeing any of them for at least a week. A list of the students, their general crimes, and the Wizengamot's rulings shall be posted. The same is true of the missing teachers."

Harry took a quick sip of his pumpkin juice to wet his throat before continuing. "We are going to be making several changes to Hogwarts, and depending on which year you are in, these may affect you greatly. That said, we realize that this will take some time. To that end, you will have the rest of this first week free from classes while we sort everything out. Changes will be pushed through as we can throughout the week, so we ask that every student attend all three meals in the Great Hall, so that we may make announcements and ensure you are informed."

"We understand that some of you have been at Hogwarts for many years, and are quite used to the way things have been run. For you, there will be fewer changes, as we will do everything we can to facilitate a smooth transition for you. For the younger years, who have not been at Hogwarts that long, the changes will be major. Generally speaking, we will divide you into the first through third years, the fourth and fifth years, and the sixth and seventh years. Sixth and Seventh years should expect some changes in teaching staff and policy, but few other major changes. We know that you are the most familiar with the routine of the old Hogwarts, and you are also studying for your NEWTs, so we don’t want to throw too much at you. Smaller and more extracurricular changes will happen, but they should only make your time at Hogwarts better."

"In fact," Hermione spoke up, gesturing for Harry to take a break and start his dinner, "Every change we make is intended to make Hogwarts better for you, the students. It may not quite feel that way at first, as you war between change and comfortable routine, but in the long run, all of these changes will benefit each student individually, as well as Hogwarts as a whole.”

“As Harry said, the younger three years will experience the bulk of the changes, while the fourth and fifth years will experience something of a hybrid version of Hogwarts. We understand that the Fifth years in particular will be busy with their OWL studies, but these changes should actually help them with that.”

“To that end, we are going to split you up after dinner. The first through third years will stay here, while the fourth and fifth year students will meet in the empty classroom one floor up to the left of the stairs. The sixth and seventh years will meet in the temporary Wizengamot chambers next door. At that time, each of you will be told about the changes to your class schedule and the options for new classes. We want you to have as much time as possible this week to absorb those changes and make plans as needed.”

Neville stood and waved Hermione to sit and continue eating while he took up the next part of the explanation. “Once these basic changes are announced, you have a choice. You are well within your rights to decide that the new Hogwarts is not for you. We would love it if you would give it a chance, but we understand that you might feel that it is best for you to continue your studies elsewhere. Thus, in each of these meeting rooms, there will be information provided with regards to the other prominent magical schools in Europe. You will be able to compare them to the new Hogwarts, and, if it the decision of you and your parents to switch, you should be able to do so without missing too many days of class at your new school.”

“That said, I’m sure I speak for all three heirs when I say that our goal is to make Hogwarts the best choice around, and hope that you will stick it out with us in this time of change. We also know that this is not a decision to be made lightly, or on your own. Parents will be invited to an after-dinner meeting tomorrow to learn about the biggest of these changes themselves.”

“However,” Neville’s gaze turned hard. “There are a few things you need to keep in mind before inviting your parents. Hogwarts is ours. It is our home, and just like anyone else may ward their home in whatever way they see fit, we have done the same. If anyone bearing the Dark Mark of Voldemort-” the students and teachers all twitched at the name - “crosses our ward boundaries, they shall be contained in a cell and handed over to the DMLE to face charges. Death Eaters are not welcome at Hogwarts!”

Several hands went up among the students, particularly at the Slytherin table. Knowing what they were going to say, Harry stood and nodded to Neville that he would handle this. Hopefully, as Lord Slytherin, they would take it better from him. “We do this not to deny you your rights. You have as much right to counsel as any other student, and we encourage you to invite another family member or trusted advisor to tomorrow’s dinner in your parents’ stead.”

“As you all know, an emergency session of the Wizengamot was held at Hogwarts today, and another will be held tomorrow. What you do not know is that, at this meeting, several Death Eaters who had been found on Hogwarts grounds were tried. During the trial, each was given Veritaserum.”

There was a gasp at that - Veritaserum was rarely used, even in trials, much to the confused disgust of the Muggle-raised heirs. The Wizarding world had the power to make sure that no one innocent was ever sent to prison, and no one guilty ever escaped justice, yet they never used it.

“Under veritaserum,” Harry continued, “they confessed to two major things. The first being that no one may take the Dark Mark unwillingly, under the effects of the Imperious or a similar compulsion charm, or without knowing what they are getting. The second thing was exactly what was required in order to earn the mark--”

“Mister Potter!” McGonagall shot to her feet. “I do not think that is appropriate-”

“It will all be in tomorrow’s Daily Prophet, Professor,” Harry reminded her. “It will also be a part of the new history and defense curriculums next week. It is relevant, and more importantly, it is imperative that the truth be out. There are dozens of known Death Eaters from the last war who used lies and bribery to keep themselves out of prison a decade ago, despite the fact that they had to torture and kill someone in order to earn their Dark Mark!”

Gasps went up from the crowd, but Harry barged on. “These people have been raising children for the last ten years with those same ideals; follow Voldemort, maim, rape, and murder whoever you want, and then if you are ever caught, just lie and hand over a sack of gold to the right person. What do you think will become of children raised with that kind of moral code - or lack thereof? You don’t need to guess; we saw several of them confess to their own crimes today.”

“No. The truth needs to be told. Their parents and relatives are murders. And this society will no longer stand for their kind walking free. They will be banned from Hogwarts. They should be banned from the Ministry as well. Terrorists have no place in our society. Better for these students to learn that now and save them having to discover it tomorrow when their parents come for dinner and are instead transported to a cell!”

“And most importantly, these children need to know that they will be punished for their own crimes. But as important, they need to know that they will not be punished for the crimes of another. The sins of the parent will not become the sins of the child. Every student at Hogwarts has a clean slate, and will be judged on their own accomplishments and misdeeds. Calling someone Death Eater scum because of the choice of their parents is as bad as calling someone a blood traitor or a mudblood because of their parents. Hogwarts is our home, and we will not tolerate these slurs. Better for the students to know that now, before they decide whether or not to stay at Hogwarts or chose to continue their schooling elsewhere.”

Hermione quickly rose, hoping to stave off too much anger from Harry’s inflammatory words. “We know we have given you a lot to think about. For now, enjoy the rest of your dinners, and we shall meet everyone after the meal.”

The noise in the room swelled as the students immediately began to discuss what the heirs had said. Those who had parents nearby immediately questioned them on the trials that had happened that day. The heirs ignored the furor in the interests of quickly finishing their dinners. It had been a long day, and it wasn’t even over yet.

Once the meal was over, the trio split up. Hermione and several teachers led the upper years next door, while Neville took the lead on getting the OWL students upstairs. Harry was left with the younger years, and the first thing he did was encourage them to gather around the front of their House tables.

“Right,” he began. “I know that some of you have already been here for one or two years; however, you are still going to be going through a lot of changes. Before you object, I have to ask. You had Snape for potions. You had Binns for History. You had Professors Samson, Gothard, and now Quirrell for Defense. Did you really learn anything in any of those three classes?”

Many of the students shook their heads, and several said “no.”

“Right,” Harry said. “So changing those three classes for you would already be a big change, and a wonderful one. Now, third years, you’re set to start your elective classes this year. What if you had more elective options? Would you like that?”

This idea was met with agreement, so Harry ploughed on. “Those who were Muggle-raised, like me, you’ve always had classes in maths, science, literature, languages, and the like, yes?” Several students nodded. “Now, if I told you that Arithmancy - one of the electives - was mostly maths based, but that you weren’t going to be taking maths at Hogwarts before you were expected to just jump right into that, you’d think I was a little barmy, yeah?”

“And most of you were going to into chemistry at secondary school if you hadn’t gone to Hogwarts. What if I told you that knowing the basics of chemistry would make potions a snap! What if you were encouraged to continue studying whatever language you’ve been taking. What if we actually taught you how to write the kind of essay that the Hogwarts teachers want to read? All good changes, yeah?”

Harry received a chorus of “yeah”s and many nods.

“And of course, how would you like less class time, less homework, more clubs and sports, and the like?”

This was greeted quite enthusiastically by the lot, and Harry smiled.

“So, here’s what’s going to happen. We’re reshaping the classes for all three of your years. The core classes are going to change, and the elective classes are going to change. For the second, and especially third years, some of your classes are going to be a little off. We know that you’ve already had some study in, say, defense, but you’re not at the place we would want you to be after having taken it for two years. That isn’t your fault, of course, but just a commentary on the sad state Dumbledore let Hogwarts slip into. Now there are also classes that are becoming core classes, like maths, which you haven’t had for the last two years. So we obviously can’t just plunk you into third year maths. You’re going to get an accelerated version that will hopefully get you caught up by the end of the year. Second years, you’ll get a slightly less accelerated version, and firsties will get the regular class. You’ll start electives in fourth year now, instead of third. Make sense?”

The group nodded along. “Right, so here are the new schedules.” Harry waved his hand, and three stacks of colored paper (All three heirs agreed that biros and paper were much better than parchment and quills) appeared on each table. “Firsties, you’ve got the light blue ones, Second years are tan, and Third you get the brown.”

As the students scrambled to pass out the papers, Harry continued. “Now, the basic schedule is the same for everyone. Breakfast is from half six until ten to eight. At eight, your first period starts. You’ll have nine classes and a free study, each meeting for three periods a week. Each class period is fifty minutes long, with a ten minute passing period. After your second period there will be a fifteen minute break for morning snack. Two more periods brings us to lunch, which is a full hour. Then you’ve got two more periods, afternoon tea, and your classes are done at half three.”

“Now, that’s not to say that your day is done. From half three until four is a physical education rotation that we’ll discuss later, and also a chance for clubs. Clubs and sport will also meet from four to six. Dinner is from six to seven, and then you’ve got time for homework and such after that. There will be a limit on the amount of homework a teacher is allowed to give. All professors will have open office hours during that evening time, so you can go to them with questions, work in the library or commons, whatever you’d like. At nine will be your lights out curfew, strictly enforced. Your advisors will be doing bed checks. Now before I get to the classes themselves, any questions with the schedule itself?”

There weren’t any, so Harry continued. “Now, for your first three years, everyone will take the following classes. Defense, Herbology, Transfiguration, and Charms will generally be the same as they’ve been. There will be some changes to these classes, but those will be minimal.”

“Also similar to old Hogwarts classes will be Creatures, both magical and muggle, Magical literature and History, and Muggle literature and history. Now you will recall I said that Binns will be gone, and that’s the truth. Hopefully you’ll all find that class far more interesting. Also, in addition to just studying history, you will also be learning about wizarding literature and traditions; things that even purebloods are rarely taught anymore. The Muggle version of that class, replacing the Muggle Studies elective, will be the same, and it will be very interesting to see how those two classes converge.”

“For example, did you know that the Muggle world war two and the Wizarding war with Grindelwald were at the same time, and in fact were interconnected? Or did you know that some Muggle literature is based on actual historical Wizarding figures? Or that Muggles can fly faster and farther than a broom and have even gone to the moon?”

The students were spellbound, and a quick glance behind them showed that the parents and teachers were in a similar state. Harry hid a grin.

“Finally, you will have classes in Science and Maths. Science will touch on some basic introduction to potions, and Maths will do the same for Arithmancy. Your final class will be a free period, which you may use to study, do homework, and meet with professors if they also have the period free.”

“Now, are you completely overwhelmed, or would you like to know a few more fun plans for the year?” Harry asked mischievously. Most of the students quickly nodded and asked for more.

“For one thing, everyone will be shown how to access the kitchens and introduced to the elves that work in them. The kitchens are open to everyone, and you will be allowed to go in and get a snack from five in the morning until nine at night. However, anyone caught abusing the kitchen elves will find their privileges revoked. Understood”

They nodded, so Harry continued. “All but the Firsties know of Hogsmeade, yeah?” Harry asked, getting nods in return. “Hogsmeade is a little village, where the train station was,” he explained. “It is also part of the Hogwarts land. In the past, only third year students and up were allowed to go, and only on certain weekends a few times a year, and then only with permission. Well we’re changing all of that!”

“You remember that time in the afternoon, from half three to six, when you can do sport or clubs? Well, during that time, and every single weekend from 8 in the morning to 6 at night are Hogsmeade times. All sixth and seventh years can go to the village during those times, and fourth and fifth years in good academic standing may go. First through third years may go, with parental permission forms. Additionally, your advisory groups, which you’ll learn about tomorrow, will also plan regular trips there every week or two. So even if you do not have parental permission to go on your own every day, your advisor will take you there at least twice a month!”

This lead to loud cheers from the younger students, and Harry just hoped that the other two heirs were getting along as well with their groups.

Hermione, in fact, was doing quite well with the upper years. They had decided not to change any of the classes they were already taking, but to offer the electives and “catch up” classes for those already in their NEWT studies. Those still taking History, Muggle Studies, and Divination would be advised to drop them, as the British NEWT exams were useless. Students would also have the option, as would everyone, of doing an eighth or ninth year.

In the Founders’ era, students began studying at Hogwarts as young as seven, and most continued until they were eighteen or nineteen. Some, those interested in more scholarly pursuits, or those who had come to Hogwarts later, studied until they were twenty or twenty-one. In the muggle world at the time, and of course in Hogsmeade, pages were taken on at seven, then becoming squires, and graduating to knighthood around twenty-one. It was highly common to see students of all ages at the school. And of course, in the modern muggle world, students generally began their schooling at age five, and if they went on to university, finished when they were around twenty-one or twenty-two.

The classes for the younger ages was one of the long-term goals of the heirs, but in the short run, allowing the NEWT students more time to study what interested them was a small step towards the future they envisioned.

The only other major changes for the NEWT students were the ability to go to Hogsmeade every day during certain hours, and their new curfew times. Prefects would do patrols from 8 to 11 on the half hour. The younger years had an enforced lights out at nine, while the fourth and fifth years had to be in bed by ten. Thus, the last few patrols would be handled only by the older Prefects.

Additionally, instead of an enforced lights out, the NEWT students had an enforced curfew. They had to be in their dorm rooms by eleven, but no advisors would be checking to make sure they were actually asleep. If they chose to stay up until two working on homework or whatever, that was up to them. Their advisors would instead simply check that they were all in at curfew, and patrol for the final hour until midnight.

Hermione did have to warn them that the ghosts would be patrolling the halls at night, particularly around the entrances to the dorms, so if anyone felt like being out of their room after eleven, they would be caught.

As these rules were roughly on par with what they had been in the past, and in fact, with regards to Hogsmeade and the extra classes, an improvement, the older students accepted these changes with good grace.

Neville’s OWL students were also pleased with the chance to go to Hogsmeade more frequently, and while the enforced lights out was less appreciated, they had to acknowledge that it made sense. The new Prefects were also a bit relieved to find that their patrol duties, which had originally been scheduled as late as midnight, would now only go until ten. The fact that each Prefect also only had two patrols a week, instead of the nightly patrols originally scheduled, was also appreciated.

The sticking point, as the heirs had known it would be, was the classes. While the older students would not be changing their classes at all, and the younger students would be completely changing, the middle students were going to be the toughest to come to terms with. In the end, the heirs had decided to meet with the teachers and OWL examination department and discuss the changes before formulating a plan for the year.

In the meantime, Neville explained what the new system would look like for a student who was starting this year as a firstie. He laid out what their schedule would be like as a fourth and fifth year, just to give the students an idea of what changes could be made, passing out the accompanying color-coded schedules. He also passed out a yellow paper with the list of OWL classes, and asked the students to follow along as he explained.

“The schedule would stay the same from third year to fourth year, as would the free period,” he explained. “And five required core classes would remain. The first is advanced Herbology, which will be the study of both magical and mundane plants. Advanced Creatures should be fun. Because the students will have already had three years of creatures, the advanced classes will get to do some pretty amazing things, such as swimming with the merfolk, learning to ride horses, thestrals, and hippogriffs, and possibly even field trips to dragon preserves.”

That went over quite well, as the heirs had suspected it would. “Advanced defense, of course, would be similar to the class you currently take, though taught by a competent teacher,” Neville explained. “And advanced magical and muggle literature and history would build on the previous years for those classes. There will be more discussion of careers, specialty areas, and several field trips incorporated.”

“With those five required classes and the free period and our new schedule, that would leave four periods free for elective classes. Those who enjoyed science could advance to potions and advanced sciences, while math students could continue into arithmancy. There would be an Astromancy class, roughly equivalent to the current astronomy and divination classes, though focusing more on the use of divination and astrology to those without the gift, since the gift can’t be taught.” Neville explained.

“Ancient runes would be an option, as would charms and transfiguration. Finally, there would be classes in magical languages, such as mermish and goblin, and human languages, such as French, Chinese, Spanish, Latin, German, Greek, and so on. If there is demand for a language, we will find a teacher for that language.”

“By the end of your fifth year, each student would sit for a minimum of twelve OWLs, with the option of more, pending faculty approval. The eight that all students would take, based on their core classes, would be in Herbology, Magical Creatures, Muggle Creatures, Defense, Muggle Literature, Muggle History, Magical Literature, and Magical History. Each student would also take at least four elective OWLs, in the fields of Science, Potions, Math, Arithmancy, Astronomy, Divination, Ancient Runes, Transfiguration, Charms, and languages.”

“Now,” Neville continued, “Under this system, a lot changes after the OWLs are taken. Once you have obtained your OWL scores, your classes are entirely elective. You may continue in any of the classes you took for OWLs, as each has an equivalent NEWT, but there are also several new offerings.”

A wave of his hand caused a pile of purple papers to appear on the tables, much as the schedules and OWL class options had earlier. “These are the NEWT electives,” Neville explained. “I’m not going to go into detail on them, but you can clearly see which OWLs they would require.”

“Languages obviously could continue as you wish. Students who earned both Muggle and Magical History OWLs would be eligible for the Government and Law elective, and the Philosophy and Ethics Elective. Those with a Defense OWL could study the Weaponry, Curse Breaking, Dueling, and Battle Magic Electives.”

“An Arithmancy OWL paired with any Language or Runes OWL would make you eligible for the Spell Crafting Elective, while an Arithmancy or Maths and History OWL make you eligible for the Finances Elective. Arithmancy and Defense OWLs are needed for the Warding Elective.”

“The Alchemy Elective requires a Potions OWL and Transfiguration OWL, while the Potion Creation Elective requires Potion and Herbology OWLs. And finally, the Elective in Healing also requires Potion and Herbology OWLs, with a Defense OWL prefered.”

Neville set the list aside. “Clearly there are many choices here, and students would have regular meetings with their advisors to make sure that the OWLs and NEWTs they are taking are aligned with whatever career they would like to pursue after Hogwarts. Now, are there any questions?”

Almost every hand went up, and Neville resisted the urge to bury his face in his hands. He would get Harry later for sticking him with this year group!

After a very long day and an even longer night for some of them, the heirs were not looking forward to Dumbledore’s trial today. Harry in particular knew that a lot about his own past was going to come out in this trial, and he had spent many hours with Helena and Cathryn Potter in the past discussing this. Cathryn was a healer, specializing in those suffering from battle fatigue or trauma, and with Helena’s help translating from past to present, Cathryn was able to help Harry deal with the abuse he had suffered at the hands of the Dursleys. It was also wonderful for Harry to talk with Cathryn as a Potter, a connection to the family he had never known he had. They discussed his sudden fame, which as daughters of the founders both women empathized with. They also talked through Dumbledore’s probable part in Harry’s childhood, given what Helena could see, and Harry had worked past his anger.

That said, Helena didn’t know everything, and all three had suspected that things would come up at the trial that Harry was unprepared for. Also, even though Harry had dealt with his feelings, that didn’t necessarily mean that he wanted his family’s dirty laundry aired on the front page of the Daily Prophet. But if that was what it took to get Dumbledore’s own dirty laundry exposed, Harry was going to suck it up.

Still, he was quiet as he ate breakfast with the other two heirs, the ghosts, and Madam Bones, who had joined them. Fortunately the others kept the new Interim Minister occupied, and Helena never strayed far from Harry’s side.

Madam Bones shared that her aurors had been up all night, and that dozens of witches and wizards had been arrested, all scheduled to be tried that week in the regular Wizengamot chambers. Some were suspected Death Eaters, some had been accused of bribery and corruption, and some had taken part in the wrongful imprisonment of Sirius Black. Sirius was currently in St. Mungo’s, recovering from his imprisonment, but Harry would be allowed to visit him at any time.

Finally, breakfast was over, and the group hurried to the temporary courtroom next door. The Sorting Hat and its stool popped into place, and Scrimgeour and Shacklebolt went about setting up the Dictaquills and Veritaserum just as they had the day before.

Once the Wizengamot had assembled, with Interim Chief Warlock Greengrass again presiding, he called the session to order. "This emergency session of the Wizengamot is called to order on this day, Tuesday the third of September, nineteen-ninety-one," he declared. "I now turn the meeting over to the one who called it; Lord Slytherin."

Harry again stepped forward. "Ladies and Gentlemen. We are here for the questioning and trial of one Albus Dumbledore. Hogwarts, if you would…”

Dumbledore appeared as Quirrell had, with the shimmering blue ward around him, causing several in the chamber to gasp.

"Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore," the Hat announced calmly, "Accused of endangering the students, possession of illegal items, murder, attempted murder, wrongful imprisonment, conspiracy, abuse of authority in his position as headmaster, abuse of authority in his position as Chief Warlock, abuse of authority in his position of Supreme Mugwump, perjury, kidnapping, child abuse by proxy, child endangerment, withholding official Gringotts mail, withholding official ministry mail, performing illegal blood magic, mistreatment of a muggle, mind rape, mistreatment of a minor under his guardianship, attempted line theft against an Ancient and Noble House, theft, illegal use of the obliviate spell, embezzlement, founding an illegal organization, bribery, corruption, use of the imperius curse, aiding and abetting a terrorist, and aiding and abetting Voldemort.”

There was barely a sound in the courtroom when the hat finished, until after several long moments one of the Wizengamot members whispered, “He’s done all that?”

“Those are all the charges that we at Hogwarts can prove,” the Hat clarified. “Questioning under veritaserum will likely lead to more charges”

Madam Bones eyed the blue ward around Dumbledore. “Is he also possessed?” she asked.

“Oh no,” the Hat assured her. “The ward is a magic-nullifying ward. Since Dumbledore can use wandless magic, this was the best way to keep him from escaping or attacking those in this room.”

“Right,” Madam Bones shook herself gently. “Scrimgeour, administer the Veritaserum.”

An opening appeared in the ward as he approached, allowing the auror to dose the still unconscious Dumbledore. He stepped back, and the opening tightened until there was just a small hole in the ward.

“If you would enervate him through that opening,” the Hat explained, “the ward will then close, containing the prisoner.”

At a nod from Madam Bones, Scrimgeour did as instructed, casting the enervate spell and then leaping backwards. The ward sealed as soon as the spell was cast, containing Dumbledore again.

With the list of charges and further details provided by Hogwarts, Madam Bones began her questioning.

Under veritaserum, Dumbledore admitted to everything. He told of his affair with Grindelwald and the heinous acts, including murder, that he had committed during the war. Dumbledore had not been a soldier on the front lines of Grindelwald’s army, but a spy on the light side, sending others to their deaths and changing the curriculum at Hogwarts to impress Grindelwald’s beliefs onto the next generation.

He admitted to freeing Hagrid from Azkaban after he was proven innocent in the Chamber of Secrets fiasco, but not fighting to get the young man reinstated at the school, because the half-giant was more useful to him without a wand or education.

Dumbledore admitted to engineering the death of then Headmaster Armando Dippet so that he could assume the position. He also explained how he had betrayed Grindelwald by attacking him in the back; not because he disagreed with anything the Dark Wizard had said or done, but because Dumbledore had realized that the true path to global domination was through being the hero, rather than the villain.

When questioned about the school, Dumbledore admitted to tinkering with the wards, taking out several of the defensive and warning wards, allowing Voldemort’s curse on the Dark Arts office, and introducing a ward that fried muggle electronics. He also confessed to encouraging Inter-House rivalries to escalate to bullying, removing classes, hiring incompetent teachers, allowing equipment to degrade to unsafe levels, and slowly changing the curriculum to fit into his world-view.

Many of these things had been subtle, or had happened off the grounds, so Hogwarts had not taken advantage of the presence of the two heirs of Gryffindor when Harry and Neville’s fathers were in school.

However, as Dumbledore confessed, once they graduated and Voldemort rose to prominence, that was when most of his crimes occurred. Dumbledore founded the illegal vigilante organization, the Order of the Phoenix, embezzling funds from Hogwarts to do so. He also rose to the position of Chief Warlock and began to corrupt that system.

Dumbledore also admitted to several crimes during the war. When attacking Death Eaters, he had a policy of non-lethal fighting, which he also forced the Order to adhere to. The reason for this was that, when Death Eaters were captured, Dumbledore quickly Legilimized them, then took anything of value that they had stashed away. He couldn’t steal anything from those with heavily warded manors, like the Malfoys, but the boltholes and homes of the lesser Death Eaters were fair game.

The victims of the Death Eaters were also fair game, as far as Dumbledore was concerned. For those who were too far gone, he would Legilimize them to discover where their most valuable possessions were hidden, and then return in his capacity as Chief Warlock to seize the items. He estimated that he had obtained hundreds of valuable items and several thousands of books in this manner.

So much time passed as he explained these things that they had to take a short break to readminister the Veritaserum, while the Hogwarts House Elves passed snacks around the chamber.

Once the questioning resumed, the crimes against Harry and his family came to light. As the one to cast the Fidelius spell on the Potters, Dumbledore was well aware that Pettigrew was the secret keeper. He was also aware that Sirius was innocent. It was revealed that a prophecy had been made, which could refer either to Harry or to Neville, and indicated that as long as they lived, only they could kill Voldemort. Dumbledore’s plan was to send the madman after both boys, with the intention that he would kill the children, thus making him killable again. Then Dumbledore would swoop in and off him, once again becoming the hero.

To that end, Dumbledore admitted to deliberately suggesting Pettigrew, whom he knew was a mole, as the Potters’ secret keeper. He could not convince the Longbottoms to go with anyone but Augusta, so he mis-cast the spell on them so that anyone given the secret could pass it on. Once Dumbledore had it, he was able to give it to Snape, and through him Voldemort.

According to what Dumbledore had gathered from Snape and others, Voldemort had believed that the Potters were the more likely candidates, and so had seen to them personally. The Lestranges had been sent to kill the Longbottoms and retrieve their son, as a backup plan.

With Augusta Longbottom’s survival, there was little that Dumbledore could do to Neville, and he, like Voldemort, believed that Harry was the real child of the prophecy. Still, Dumbledore did his damage there, using illegal Legilimancy on Frank and Alice to trap them in their own minds.

As soon as that was heard, Neville stood, his face suffused with fury; the expression matched by Augusta in her Wizengamot seat. Fortunately, Madam Bones anticipated this, and was already standing. “Shacklebolt, get to St. Mungo’s immediately. Have their best Mind Healers see to the Longbottoms with this new information.” Shacklebolt all but ran from the room. Neville nodded to Bones and then resumed his seat, still upset. Madam Longbottom did the same.

Once the courtroom had calmed, Madam Bones resumed her questioning of Dumbledore. He admitted to also using illegal Legilimancy on Augusta to make her harder on Neville, beating down his self esteem so that, if needed, he would sacrifice himself to Voldemort. He also stole several items, mostly books, from the Longbottom’s house during the investigation into the attack.

Once the Potters were killed, and the Longbottoms incapacitated, many of Dumbledore’s crimes against Harry really began. As the one who had cast the Fidelius charm, Dumbledore was aware of the second that it fell. He sent Hagrid to the house to look for survivors, before disillusioning himself and taking a portkey to the scene. By the time Hagrid had run to Hogsmeade, floo’d to Godric’s Hollow, and found the ruins of the Potter house, Dumbledore had already collected everything of value. When Sirius Black arrived soon after Hagrid, and began to argue over who would take young Harry, Dumbledore hit him with the imperius curse and forced him to hunt down Pettigrew instead.

Having been a witness to their will, Dumbledore was well aware that Alice Longbottom was Harry’s godmother. He also knew both that Sirius was Harry’s godfather, and that he was innocent of betraying the Potters. However, as either godparent could interfere in his plans for young Harry, he used his position as Chief Warlock to send Sirius straight to Azkaban as soon as he was caught.

Dumbledore was also aware of the dozen other names listed in the will as suitable guardians for Harry, but none of them would do for his plans either. Thus, he kidnapped Harry to the Dursleys, where, in addition to casting illegal blood wards, he placed an imperius compulsion on Vernon Dursley, causing him to hate Harry. This, as Dumbledore explained, would cause Harry to grow up humble, and desperate to escape. Since he would know nothing of the wizarding world, he would view Dumbledore as his savior when eventually rescued from his relatives.

It also came out that Dumbledore was well aware of the horcrux in Harry’s scar, as he obliviated Madam Pomfrey to its presence as soon as she found it. He also obliviated McGonagall several times over the past decade, whenever she enquired after the wellbeing of young Harry. Dumbledore admitted to being well aware of the abuse that Harry suffered, and the numerous incidents of self-healing, but waved them off as being necessary for his grand plan.

Once again the Veritaserum began to wear off, and as it was just past the start of lunch time, the Wizengamot agreed that Hogwarts would return Dumbledore to his cell while they took a break. Madam Bones ordered Augusta Longbottom, Madam Pomfrey, and Professor McGonagall to immediately take themselves to St. Mungo’s Mind Healers. She also sent Auror Jones to inform Sirius’ mind healers of the Imperius damage to his mind.

Harry immediately slipped from the room, unwilling to speak to anyone about what had just been revealed. Neville felt the same, so the other two heirs followed Harry, having a quiet lunch with their ghostly mentors in their private common room before returning for the second half of the questioning.

When he was again contained, dosed with truth serum, and revived, Dumbledore was questioned about his other actions regarding Harry and the school over the last ten years.

He admitted to using his positions as Supreme Mugwump and Chief Warlock to pass self-serving laws, seal the Potters’ will, illegally claim guardianship of Harry, block the testing of experimental treatments on St. Mungo’s patients that might have cured the Longbottoms, blocking legislation that would test muggleborns for connections to wizarding families, and several other scandalous bits of corruption that didn’t directly relate to Harry.

Dumbledore also admitted to blocking and subsequently destroying all of Harry’s mail, claiming a “guardianship stipend” from Harry’s vaults every year, which went into his own pocket, and obliviating the Muggle child protection agencies who attempted to help Harry on almost a dozen occasions. He was also aware of the rampant abuse happening within Slytherin House, and, like Snape, allowed it to continue.

Finally, they reached the current year. Dumbledore confessed to colluding with Molly Weasley in return for her support in the Order. She had been sent to the Platform to find Harry and bring him onto the train, practically guaranteeing that Harry and her son Ronald would be best friends. Ronald had been given instructions by his mother to that effect, which Dumbledore intended to reinforce with legilimency once the boys were at Hogwarts. Once young Ginny Weasley began attending school and Harry showed any interest in girls, Dumbledore would provide the Weasleys with a love potion so that Ginny could one day marry Harry.

The presence of the Philosopher’s Stone in Hogwarts, and the laughably easy set of traps leading to it were also revealed, along with Dumbledore’s hope that the Stone would entice Voldemort to attack the school and that Harry would pass the test of the traps and stop him, possibly even fulfilling the Prophesy at last.

At the end of the very long questioning session, Harry was exhausted. He had known or suspected only some of Dumbledore’s actions, but to hear them all laid out by the man, and to hear his reasoning… it made Harry sick.

Needing to be alone for the brief break before dinner, and knowing that the other two would know where he was going, Harry hurried outside. Once he had become acquainted with the new thestral herd, he mounted one particularly eager stallion and away they ran, zooming above the grounds as fast as his wings could take them.

Dinner that night was more crowded than the night before, as most students had at least one parent or other adult in attendance. The House Elves had sent out the invitations with the school owls the day before, informing the families of the Heirs, the proposed meeting, and the chance to have dinner at Hogwarts beforehand. Temporary portkeys had been included for the Muggle-born parents, though the heirs intended to do something more permanent for them in the future.

The heirs did not make any announcements at dinner this time, as they were focused on both the trial that had just finished and the meeting to come.

Word had come from St. Mungo’s that it would take several days for the Healers to undo the damage to the Longbottoms, and in the meantime they were not allowed visitors. Sirius was also restricted, as they had found some worrying things in his mental scans. Neville and Harry would both have to wait. However, Mcgonagall, Pomfrey, and Augusta Longbottom had been healed and released, and all were at dinner that night.

Before the meal was done, Harry quietly arranged for one of the House Elves to bring them headache and pepper-up potions, sure that all three would need both before the night was out. They knew that many parents would object to the heir’s changes, and many would feel that, as children, the heirs had no right to make those changes in the first place.

With the trials done, the temporary wizengamot chamber was no longer needed, so during the meal Hogwarts had converted it into a lecture hall, with plenty of seating for the students and their families. Once the meal was done, everyone was invited to the other room, including those families who had foregone dinner and just arrived for the meeting.

First, Neville quickly brought the parents up to speed on the way the heirs had been presented by the Sorting Hat. The trio had agreed that, as a Pureblood, Neville was the best to explain that to the families. Then Shacklebolt, the Interim Head of the DMLE as Madam Bones was now the Interim Minister, stepped forth and gave a quick summary of the trials that had occurred the day before.

He repeated the relevant bits of Dumbledore’s testimony, including the Philosopher’s Stone fiasco, the hiring of Voldemort as Quirrell, and the criminal ignorance displayed towards Snape and the crimes that students were committing. The details that pertained to Harry were not covered that night, though he knew they would be in the Daily Prophet soon enough.

Once the parents were convinced that Dumbledore had indeed not had their children's’ best interests at heart, and once the Goblin delegation had confirmed that the trio were indeed heirs and that they did indeed own the land that Hogwarts and Hogsmeade were on, the trio was able to get down to business.

A wave of Harry’s hand had a thick packet appearing in the hands of each adult in the hall. They were encouraged to read along as the Heirs explained the contents. The first few pages were the various class schedules that the students had received the night before. Following that were the new allotment of core and elective classes, as well as the OWL and NEWT tests that students were eligible for. Several parents appeared impressed at that, but as the House Elves had put silencing spells on every bench, the trio had to judge only by their expressions. Of course, given the way that some parents seemed upset, and especially seeing the angry red hue of Mrs. Weasley’s face, they knew that the silencing spells had been a good idea.

The next pages in the packet detailed the new rules of Hogwarts, including the restrictions of the new wards, the removal of the anti-electronics ward, the broadening of Hogsmeade visits, the curfews, and the implementation of parents’ weekends once a month. A clear, concise list of actions that would warrant suspension or expulsion was listed, as well as several standard point deductions for things such as not completing homework or being late to class.

After that was an explanation of the new advisory system. The older three years would remain in their House dorms, but the younger four would be divided up into ‘advisories,’ composed of one teacher and a dozen students. The third and fourth years would be divided roughly within their current Houses, while the first and second years would have mixed advisories. Advisors would rotate every year, to give the students experience with a broad array of mentoring styles and to hopefully minimize favoritism.

Each advisor would be responsible for teaching their advisees good study habits, showing them handy charms for the dorms, making sure they were up in time for breakfast, doing nightly bed checks, and, for the first years, helping them find everything. They would also chaperone trips to Hogsmeade and assist with field trips as needed. Each advisor would be responsible for keeping track of the grades of their advisees, and meeting with the parents at least every other month to keep them updated. Advisors would be advocates for their advisees, acting in loco parentis, attending any meetings that the student had with the Headmaster, and working as the go-between for the student’s teachers and guardians. Due to the slow phase out of the House System, the current Heads of House would serve this role for their upper years; the heirs hoped that by having them preside over a much smaller group, the Professors would actually have time for their advising duties.

Next were the listing of clubs the heirs hoped to found, as well as sport teams, such as football, rugby, and cricket. The final section was the IWC’s report on the top twenty European schools over the last five years. For number of OWLs taken, Hogwarts was ranked seventh, but for percentage of passes, they were eleventh. NEWTS were slightly better, with number taken still ranked seventh and pass percentage up to tenth.

However, the exams were also broken down by classes. Hogwarts didn’t even appear in several of the rankings, offering no language courses and no Muggle subjects, unlike many of the other schools. For those they did offer, Charms and Transfiguration ranks were high, but Hogwarts was dead last in Potions and History, and only seventeenth in Defense.

A short summary of the previous survey from the prior five years showed Hogwarts in a slightly better light, though still out of the top five in almost every area.

Hermione then took the chance to read from the pamphlet she, as a Muggle-Born, had been given by Professor McGonagall along with her Hogwarts letter. A wave of Harry’s hand had the pamphlet appearing before every adult in the hall.

“Hogwarts is the premier school for magic in Europe,” she read, “its pupils only matched by our two largest competitors, Beauxbatons in France and Durmstrang in Romania.”

“Of course, you will note that, far from being the premier school in Europe,” Harry snarked, “ according to the IWC, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons are only two of the schools which have consistently outperformed Hogwarts for the last ten years.”

Hermione continued reading aloud from the packet, “Every professor at Hogwarts is a Master in their field, and with a long history of teaching.”

“In point of fact,” Harry said, “the following teachers at Hogwarts do not have Masteries in their fields: Trelawney in Divination, Burbage in Muggle Studies, Sinistra in Astronomy, Kettleburn in Care of Magical Creatures, and four of the last five Defense Professors.”

Neville held up his hands to forestall the inevitable, though silenced, outburst. “We are not saying that these Professors are not qualified in their fields. For example, Professor Kettleburn has had years of real-world experience with Magical Creatures, and none would doubt his knowledge of his subject. We are simply pointing out the discrepancies in the claims the Headmaster has been making.”

“Further,” Harry pointed out, quite enjoying being the ‘bad cop,’ “the last part is wrong too. If you take a “long history of teaching to mean, say, more than ten years, then you’ve disqualified Snape in Potions and Trelawney in Divination, both just starting their tenth year; Burbage in Muggle Studies who is in her second, and Vector in Arithmancy who is in her fourth year. Not to mention the Defense professors, who haven’t managed to last longer than a year for the past two decades!”

“Again, we are not necessarily speaking against these teachers. Every teacher has to start at some point,” Neville said soothingly. “ We are simply pointing out that the past Headmaster has lied to every single student for at least as long as this brochure has been printed. This does not just go to Muggle-Borns, but every student in the British Isles who does not immediately agree to come to Hogwarts, and every student in the rest of Europe who is offered an invitation.”

“For comparison,” Harry said, and another wave of his hand provided copies of the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons pamphlets, as well as ones for Gleann Scoil in Ireland and Glyndwrdref in Wales. “For starters, I doubt many of you knew there even were Magical schools in Ireland and Wales, certainly none of the three of us were told that when we were choosing which school to attend.”

“You’ll note,” Hermione added, “That Gleann Scoil and Glyndwrdref both consistently outperform Hogwarts in the IWC rankings. Also, all four schools, instead of offering the vague platitudes found in Hogwarts’ pamphlet, actually cite their rankings, and quotes from the IWC independent review counsel. A review counsel which has not been invited to Hogwarts in over twenty-five years!”

“Furthermore, did you know that, while each country sets their own OWL and NEWT tests, they must conform to the IWC standard to be accepted in other countries?” Harry said. “The History OWL and NEWT in Britain have been dumbed down so much to compensate for how little Binns teaches that both tests are a laughing stock in Europe. Further, our Muggle Studies and Divination tests are worthless as well!”

“It is generally accepted that five NEWTs is a solid achievement, and will place any graduate in good stead to get a job in Britain. However, if that student took History, Muggle Studies, and Divination for three of those five NEWTs, they will find it impossible to get a job anywhere else! This is not the Hogwarts that our founders created!” Harry finished triumphantly.

“You have been provided the information on the major changes we intend to make,” Neville took over the speaking. “You have also been shown which other schools are an option for your student, and been provided pamphlets for our closest competition. As we have explained, those with older students will find very few changes, while those with the youngest students will find quite a lot changing. Those in the middle will experience various levels of change, once we consult with the teaching staff and testing board.”

“Now, again, Hogwarts is our home, so we have the right to make these changes. We hope that you can see how these changes would benefit your children, first and foremost. However, we also recognize that you have every right to transfer your child to a different school. That is why we have provided the pamphlets. Please compare them, do your own investigating, talk it out as a family, and make the best decision for your child. Classes will not be starting until next Monday, to give us time to hire new teachers, so you have a few days yet. You are also welcome to meet with us over the next few days. We will be quite busy, interviewing applicants, testing curriculum, and rearranging the dorms, so the meetings may have to be short, but we promise to give equal time to anyone who wishes to meet with us. All of your families are important to us!”

With that, the elves released the spells on the benches. As the families began to converge on the trio, they turned to Shacklebolt and Bones, who had both been seated in the front with them. “Minister Bones, Mister Shacklebolt, we would like to meet with you first thing tomorrow,” Hermione said. “There are several problems with the school and grounds that we would like the Aurors to investigate. We will also be sending for a Goblin warding team to help comb through the wards. We need to eliminate the curse on the Defense position, and also adjust the wards so that they again cover our entire property.”

“Would either of you like to be at the meeting with the goblins, or would you like to be scheduled before?” Neville asked. “There will also be a meeting later tomorrow with the OWL and NEWT testing board, but I don’t think either of you would be needed for that, unless of course you wanted to attend.”

The two exchanged a long look before turning back to the trio. “I shall attend the Gringotts meeting,” Madam Bones decided. “But we shall both decline to meet with the testing board.”

Harry nodded; they had predicted those answers. “Then we will see you both an hour before breakfast tomorrow, Minister.” Then, looking at the crowd of parents standing a slightly-less-than respectful distance away, waiting for the trio to finish, Harry snapped his fingers. As soon as a House Elf appeared, Harry grabbed Neville and Hermione’s hands. “To our common room, please.”

The Elf grabbed Harry’s knee and immediately popped them away to the founders’ common room. Breathing a sigh of relief, Harry sank into his chair. “Well, we’ve put them off until tomorrow, at least.”

“Hopefully the ones who just want to yell at us for being children or making changes or whatever will have blown off their steam by then,” Neville added.

Hermione quickly drew up a list. “If we’re meeting with the Aurors before breakfast, and the Goblins immediately after, then we’ll be able to meet with parents starting around… ten?” she guessed. “No, wait, the testing board…”

“I reckon it’ll take longer to figure out the boundaries,” Harry was well familiar with them, having often patrolled the borders in the past. “But I can do that on my own, once we tell them what we need. I think half an hour and then you two can start meeting with the parents. It’ll probably take me until lunch, and that’s if I don’t have to help the aurors in the forest.”

Neville frowned. “Didn’t Sir Nicholas say that the current centaur herd have not followed their part of the agreement to keep the forest clear of dangers?”

Harry quickly skimmed through his memory of the meeting with the three ghosts the morning after they returned. “Bugger. Yes he did. That means I’m going to need to talk to them before we send any aurors into the forest.”

“Is there enough inside the castle to keep them occupied tomorrow?” Hermione asked.

“It depends on how many aurors Shacklebolt brings. If he’s got a half-squad, then we can keep them busy inside all day. But if he’s got a full squad they might be done by lunch.”

“Well we’ll know tomorrow morning. If you can hold them off until lunch, then you can escort them into the forest. And if there’s only a half-squad, then you’ll still have the afternoon to treat with the centaurs.”

“So you won’t really have time to meet with the parents at all tomorrow,” Neville said thoughtfully, looking over Hermione’s schedule.

“Is there anything that you have to take care of tomorrow?” Harry asked.

“I wanted to look at the fields and greenhouses; see what state they’re in,” Neville said. “Then I’d need to talk to the House Elves about them. But I suppose a quick fly-over would give me the general idea, and I could certainly meet with the Elves during a meal.”

“What if you missed the meeting with the aurors tomorrow morning?” Hermione suggested. “That would give you an hour to figure out the state of everything, and then you could figure out what you wanted to do over breakfast. You could meet with the Elves while Harry is meeting with the Goblins.”

“What about you?” Harry asked, turning to Hermione. “Anything pressing?”

“Not as such. I want to start interviewing the candidates, and meeting with the current faculty to discuss their new roles, but I suppose that could wait a day. Of course we wanted to meet with the testing committee to discuss the OWL students as soon as possible. Oh, and I want to get my notes and things from the past, but that requires all three of us to open.”

Harry thought about that for a minute. “Is that a complicated process? Getting in to where the things from the past are stored?”

“Helena said it should only take about ten minutes.”

Harry nodded. “Then let’s do that before we meet the aurors in the morning. They really only need to deal with one of us, so I’ll take that meeting, as well as the one with the Goblins. You can use that time to meet with the teachers and the testing committee. If you and Neville switch off during the day, that makes one Heir free at any time to deal with parents. I’ll take the evening, and the late afternoon if I’m able. Divide and conquer, as Godric would say.”

“What if we convert the room beside the Great Hall into offices and meeting rooms?” Neville suggested. “We could each have an office, and have a handful of meeting rooms. That way people could find us, and we would have a place to talk to the parents.”

“We could put a timer on the door,” Harry added. “Ten or fifteen minutes, and that’s all they’ve got. If parents want to talk to us for longer, they can make another appointment after everyone else has gone. And that way if they only want to yell, you can guarantee it won’t go on too long.”

“Perfect!” Hermione added that to her notes for the following day, intending to ask an Elf to take care of it first thing in the morning. “Now we’d better get to bed. Tomorrow is going to be another busy day.”

Groaning in agreement, Harry and Neville quickly bid her goodnight and the trio retreated to their own rooms.

Bright and early Wednesday morning, Harry met Helena and the other two heirs in their common room. Hermione consulted with Helena for a few minutes before moving to the appropriate wall. A wave of her hand moved the bookcase out of the way, and Harry saw a small triangle carved in one of the bricks. Hermione cast a series of spells, and then sprayed a potion on the triangle before casting a few more spells. Finally, she called the others forward.

“Now, I’ll take the top point, Neville you’re here on my right, and Harry on my left,” she instructed. “On the count of three we’ll each place our hand on our point of the triangle. Then, together, say Revelare. It will only open for the three of us. Now, one… two… three!”

All three slapped their hands on the triangle and cast the spell. A brilliant flash of blue light filled their vision, and by the time Harry had blinked it away, he saw that the bricks wall had opened, revealing a hollow.

Hermione cast another series of spells to undo the stasis charms, before declaring that it was safe to remove their items. Neville removed a shrunken trunk, while Hermione began to pull out several. Harry had not placed anything in the stasis chamber, and so was waiting for the others to finish, when he heard a groggy voice.

“Isss it time to awaken?”

Harry had heard that voice just a few days ago in his skewed version of time, but it was impossible! “Adelyte?”

“Harry!” The small Zaltys snake wiggled out from among Hermione’s trunks and quickly wrapped herself around Harry’s forearm. “You have returned!”

“I don’t underssstand, Adelyte.” Harry stared at his companion, bewildered. “Why are you here? How are you here? I left you in the passst!”

“I did not want to be left.” Adelyte informed him primly. “I wanted to ssstay with you. Salsss put me in there for you.”

“Slytherin said she insisted on coming,” Hermione said, unaware of what the snake had already told Harry. “He knew you weren’t putting anything in the stasis field, but he brought her as we were performing the spell. He said that the stasis field wouldn’t hurt her.”

“Are you alright?” Harry quickly asked.

“I am a little hungry” Adelyte admitted.

“She seems okay!” Harry told the others gleefully. “We’re meeting sssome people, and then eating. You can come with me and eat my food or go hunting.”

Adelyte tightened slightly on his arm and laid her head on the back of his hand. “I will ssstay with you.” she decided.

Harry couldn’t wipe the smile from his face as they headed downstairs. His time in the past had been surrounded by people and animals, and he had grown quite close to many of them over the years. When given the chance to bring something back to the present, he had thought he had nothing to bring. Harry had never expected to have one of his companions come forward with him! He was practically skipping on the way to the Great Hall.

Once there, they split up. Hermione called for an elf to create the offices and meeting rooms they had discussed. She also grabbed a quick bite to eat, as she would be talking to the teachers over breakfast. Neville called for a Thestral and took off to survey the grounds (working in the Hospital Ward meant that all three Heirs could now see the spectral horses), while Harry greeted the aurors who soon arrived in the Entrance Hall.

If you’ll come this way, please,” Harry waved them towards one of the new meeting rooms. “We’ve got a space set up.” The room held a large oval table with a dozen chairs around it. A plate of light pastries and a jug of pumpkin juice were in the center, and Harry discretely summoned a juicy field-mouse for Adelyte’s breakfast. Harry was secretly pleased to notice that Bones and Shacklebolt had only brought six Aurors; the half-squad would allow him to keep ahead of them in investigating the forest.

Once everyone was seated and had grabbed a bite to eat, Harry began. “Now, as you know, yesterday Dumbledore confessed to having several illegal items within the school. I also have distressing news about the state of the grounds and forest, but that is a slightly lower priority.”

“Now, from Dumbledore’s confession, paired with the investigation of several of our ghosts, I can tell you that the third floor corridor on the East side is where the majority of the dangers are.” A wave of his hand provided a holographic representation of the castle, and another wave highlighted the information the ghosts had confirmed, including the series of animals and traps on the third floor. “With the possibility of either the troll or the cerberus to escape and harm the students, I would like to prioritize that area.”

“The ghosts have also confirmed the presence of a handful of dark artifacts in the dungeons, another handful in Filch’s office, several in the defense suite, several in the Library’s Restricted section, a few dozen in the Headmaster’s tower, and over a hundred in a storeroom on the seventh floor. Fortunately, those brought in by the students this week were removed alongside their owners during the trials.”

The aurors were staring at him in varying degrees of shock. Shacklebolt was looking like he wished he’d brought another squad. They were expecting to have a rather easy day of it, but Harry had just dropped a mess of problems in their laps!

“We might need unspeakables for this,” Shacklebolt mused.

“Of course, you are welcome to bring in any assistance you require,” Harry allowed. “Gringotts will be sending a delegation here after breakfast, and we will be borrowing several of their warding specialists and curse breakers. I recommend leaving the Defense suite until the curse breakers have looked at it. Better to know exactly what that curse is before you and your squad go looking for the dangerous artefacts. That said, there appears to be enough in the castle to keep you busy until then.” Harry smirked.

The depths of Dumbledore’s incompetence were becoming more and more apparent, as a school should not have so many dark items. One or two for the NEWT defense students and such were to be expected, but over a hundred items!

“Now,” Harry drew their focus back to him. “As we will not know exactly what these items are until they are found, and as some of them might be useful for the NEWT students, I would ask that anything found be brought to one location - the room with the black door just down the hall - to be sorted through by a team including myself and the other heirs.”

He quickly held up a hand to forestall their protests. “We will, of course, not touch anything, and will require specialists from either the Unspeakables or the Curse Breakers present at all times. However, as these items are in our home, we will examine them before any decisions are made.”

“Now, are there any questions?”

There were several, and Harry spent the better part of the time answering them and arranging for ghostly guides for the Aurors. By the time they were ready to head to breakfast, his stomach was grumbling quite loudly.

After a quick breakfast, Harry and Madam Bones went back to the meeting room. An Elf soon showed in the Goblin delegation, which consisted of four goblins and two wizards. One of the latter looked incredibly like Ron, while Harry recognized one of the former as Griphook, who had shown him to his vault.

"Hello. May your coffers overflow with gold and your enemies tremble before you," Harry in perfect goblin.

All four goblins halted, the shock on their faces clear to one who had spent several months with their kind. From what Neville had told Harry, very few modern wizards spoke the goblin language - mostly those who worked for Gringotts or who had studied it for scholarly reasons. Even fewer knew of the proper greetings to use.

Finally, the leader of the group, identifiable as the only one with a sword hanging from the belt of his three piece suit, nodded his head at Harry. "May the blood of your enemies bathe your weapons, and your vaults never empty," he replied.

Harry switched back to English, recognizing that at least two of the humans present hadn't understood the goblin language. He hadn't gotten a good read on the red-headed man. "I am Lord Slytherin, but you may call me Harry. I am sure you are familiar with Madam Bones, currently the Interim Minister for Magic?"

The Goblin leader nodded curtly. "I am Warclaw, Hogwarts Account Manager." He then waved Griphook forward. "With me are Potter Accounts Manager-"

"Griphook. Nice to see you again," Harry nodded at the Goblin, causing all four to gaze at him in shock again.

Warclaw quickly recovered and waved forward the next goblin. "Also attending are Toughnut, head of Curse Breaking, and Sharptooth, head of Warding."

"Well met!" Harry greeted them as the fourth goblin stepped back into the group.

"We have also brought Warder Abbot," Warclaw continued, gesturing at the witch, "and Curse Breaker Weasley," the redhead stepped forward.

"Any relation to Ron and the twins?" Harry asked curiously.

The redhead laughed. "Those are some of my brothers; I'm Bill Weasley."

"Well met," Harry greeted him. After hearing about the way that Dumbledore and the Weasley matriarch had planned to manipulate and potion him, Harry was inclined to be wary around the rest of the family. However, Bill was clearly trusted by the goblins, so Harry would give him a fair chance and tried not to judge him by the actions of his mother.

"So, where would you like to begin?" Harry asked Warclaw. "With the school accounts, the hiring, the wards, or the curses?"

Warclaw grinned, showing many teeth. Goblins appreciated those who got right down to business instead of wasting time. "We'll start with the Curses and Wards, and send those teams off first."

"Very well." With a wave of his hand, Harry created a map of the second floor south corridor and the sixth floor Northwest hall. "For some time there has been a rumor that the defense position is cursed. That rumor was partially confirmed during the trials of the last few days."

"As you can see on this map, the defense classroom and office on the second floor have not changed in the last fifty years, which is beyond the time frame of the curse. In the faculty quarters on the sixth floor, several rooms have been used by the cursed professors, each of which is marked with a star. Though it is far easier to access the classroom and office, we don't want to rule anything out. It is also possible that the curse is located in another part of the castle, and merely long-reaching enough to affect the defense position, but these rooms are, we believe, the best place to start."

"Well reasoned," Toughnut said. "Do you know who placed the curse?"

"We believe it most likely that it was done by Voldemort himself, though he could have used a Death Eater or other proxy, either willingly or unwillingly." Madam Bones said.

"And do you have a sample of his magical signature?" Toughnut asked.

"As a matter of fact," Harry snapped his fingers and a House Elf popped into the room.

"Yes Master Snake?"

"Please go to St. Mungo's and have them send over a magical signature trace from the spirit that was possessing Professor Quirrell," Harry instructed it.

"Yessir!" The elf popped away and returned a few minutes later. Warclaw and Toughnut had been engaged in a soft discussion in rapidfire goblin, and upon seeing the elf reappear they broke off.

Toughnut gathered the parchment and crystal the elf had provided, along with Harry's map, and stood. Bill Weasley quickly followed him out.

"Now, with regards to your wards?" Sharptooth asked, as Warder Abbott leaned in closer.

A wave of Harry's hand created another map, this one much older and more expansive. "These are the limits of the founders' lands when they were awarded by the Crown," he explained. "At the moment, the wards do not cover most of our land. Additionally, there are partial wards in some locations, such as over Hogsmeade, and a tangled mess of wards over the castle."

The two warders nodded, looking over the map. "What we heirs would like is a multi-part service. First, we need a detailed accounting of all the wards that are on our lands, either full or partial. Second, we need a new ward scheme; one which protects all of our land, while also having reinforced and specific wards in key areas, such as the village and castle. Thirdly, we need the boundaries clearly marked, and the new ward scheme implemented. Finally," Harry smirked, "we would like to speak to someone at Gringotts about guest teaching warding classes to our NEWT students, but I believe that matter can wait until later in the week."

Warclaw grinned toothily again. "You are very ambitious, Lord Slytherin," he said.

Harry grinned right back. "As I should be, Warclaw."

After a quick discussion, the two warders turned back to Harry and Warclaw. “We shall analyze the current wards,” Sharptooth decided. “If you will arrange for us to see the boundaries you would like the new wards to fall on?”

“I can take you myself,” Harry offered. “When you are ready simply ask for a House Elf and they will summon me. I offer you free access to our land and also the next room over with the brown door, if you need a space to work undisturbed.”

“Thank you, Lord Slytherin,” Sharptooth said, very respectfully for a goblin. He gathered up the map and then left, followed by Warder Abbott.

Harry turned to the two remaining goblins. “Next?”

Griphook pulled a self-inking quill and a thick folder from his briefcase and handed them to Warclaw. The elder goblin opened the folder and prepared to take notes.

“First,” Harry began, “I would like to know where the Hogwarts vaults stand.”

Warclaw looked at the notes in the file. “Given the confession by Mister Dumbledore yesterday, we did an exhaustive audit of the Dumbledore, Hogwarts, Founder, and Potter accounts. Account managers are currently finishing the audits for the Longbottoms and other accounts.”

“We found no wrongdoing in the four Founders vaults; Dumbledore was unable to access them and it looks like no heirs have done so for several generations. Unfortunately we did find problems with the Hogwarts vaults. There have been a number of withdrawals over the last forty years, and especially in the last twenty years, that cannot be traced to valid school expenses.”

Warclaw shuffled his notes and continued. “Tracking these withdrawals, we found funding for the Order of the Phoenix, bribes paid to several members of the Ministry and Wizengamot, and several personal purchases.”

“If you don't mind me asking, how were you able to track these?” Madam Bones asked.

Warclaw grinned toothily. “That's a Gringotts secret.”

The Minister frowned, and Harry stepped in, hoping to avoid any ill feelings. “Suffice to say, Madam Minister, that Gringotts have the ability to track every galleon they make. It is a power rarely used, but it comes in quite handy for cases of forgery and embezzlement. If they are stating that they have traced the purchases, then they have irrefutable proof.”

Again the goblins regarded Harry in surprise. His goblin tutor in the past had explained to Harry about the magical serial runes on each galleon, and the spells that could track a galleon’s passage through every vault it entered. It was a closely guarded secret, as the goblins felt that the more who knew, the more who might figure out a way to counter their tracking methods.

The Minister seemed satisfied with Harry’s vague explanation, so he nodded at the goblins to continue. Warclaw resumed his report. “The monies taken by Dumbledore for his own purposes have been reclaimed from his vaults and returned to the Hogwarts vaults. Reparations have also been made to the Potter vault. We are in the process of reclaiming those monies paid as bribes to others.”

“However, there is another matter for concern. In the course of the audit, Gringotts examined the tuition rolls for every student over the past forty years. Tuition is the main source of income for the Hogwarts account, followed closely by investments and then interest.”

Harry nodded. The Hogwarts fund had been created by the founders, with a huge starting balance to invest and collect interest from. Tuition was supposed to adjust over the years, intended to just cover the yearly expenses on the school and, if possible, add a little to the balance. The idea was that the years would ebb and flow, but overall the vault would slowly grow, and that the students would never face a tuition so high they could not study at the school.

Warclaw pulled out a long parchment from his folder. “We have found numerous examples of students paying partial tuition, or tuition being waived entirely.”

Frowning, Harry attempted to remember what he had been taught about the Hogwarts finances. “I thought there was a discount for families with a certain number of students?”

“There is,” Warclaw confirmed. “Families with three or more children attending Hogwarts at one time may apply for assistance. Families with four or more children attending Hogwarts may also apply for assistance, even if the children do not all overlap. However, the maximum assistance is half of the tuition per child. Most of these discounts are for more than fifty percent, and many of them have fewer than three children attending Hogwarts. Some who do qualify for the multi-child discount are getting an extreme discount, far beyond the maximum.”

“Some of these families also received money from Dumbledore, so it appears that he was using tuition discounts as another form of bribery. In another disturbing trend, in the past twenty years, many muggleborn students have been overcharged on their tuition.”

“What?” Harry had not suspected that.

“It appears that either the Muggleborns were being vetted, and those with more affluent parents were charged more,” Warclaw explained, “or all Muggleborns were charged a higher tuition, and then those who were unable to pay were ‘discounted’ down to the regular rate. No Muggleborns are receiving the multiple child discount.”

Harry barely controlled his anger. “We're very lucky Hermione isn't here right now,” he tried to joke. “None of us would want to experience her reaction to this discrimination.”

Suddenly, another thought occurred to Harry. “Is it possible that there are muggleborn students qualified for Hogwarts who are not attending because they could not afford it without a steeper discount? Or ones who have transferred back to Muggle school after starting?”

Madam Bones looked sick at the thought of Muggleborn children still having accidental magic problems as their powers grew. “I can assure you that the Ministry will look into that immediately,” she assured Harry.

“Gringotts will also investigate this,” Warclaw promised.

“Thank you.” Harry said. “In the meantime, I want the list of all tuition discrepancies. I also want an accounting of their family’s financial status. Nothing confidential, of course, just the same overview I would be entitled to if considering them for a discount. For those cases from a considerable time ago, I want both the current financial status as well as their status at the time of the discount.”

“Of course, Lord Slytherin,” Warclaw said, quickly taking notes.

“I also want the applications for financial aid, if any were filed. Also the applications, if any, that were rejected by Dumbledore. We will go over all of these with the guidelines for discounting and make our judgements. We will then either request reimbursement for unqualified discounts, or offer refunds for those overcharged.”

“Do you intend to press charges?” The Minister asked.

“That depends,” Harry declared. “If the families accepted the discount in good faith, then we will leave them be. However, if they were engaged in the same kind of back room shenanigans as Dumbledore, then we’ll ask you to throw the book at them!”

“Very well,” Madam Bones said, appearing pleased with his restraint for those who were mislead by Dumbledore. The goblins appeared pleased as well, though for the opposite reason. Those found guilty of financial misdeeds would have to pay the goblins heavily.

“Finally, hiring,” Harry brought up the last item on his mental list. “As I mentioned earlier, we would love to hire from Gringotts Professors in Warding, Finances, Curse Breaking, and the Goblin language. However, those are just a few of the many new hires we will be making.”

“To that end, we would like to contract the services of Gringotts. You are in a better position than we to know what is a reasonable salary for these positions. We would also ask for your assistance in determining where the pay of our current employees falls, so that we may adjust them accordingly. And you are more likely to attract some of the teachers we need who are… shall we say… less conventional. We want to hire teachers with a wide variety of experiences for our students, so, barring Death Eaters, all beings will be considered as professors.”

Harry allowed himself a small smirk for the shock he created with that declaration. “Also, we need assistance with drawing up the hiring contracts, revising our tuition assistance policies and the subsequent contracts, and dealing with those companies who currently operate in Hogsmeade. In that priority order.”

“What is wrong with Hogsmeade?” Minister Bones asked.

“We own that land,” Harry explained. “Any residents or businesses can only rent the land, and that rent is to be paid into the Founders’ accounts. I suspect that those in Hogsmeade have either forgotten this and are paying nothing for their premises, or someone long ago illegally ‘sold’ them our land. Again, if they have entered into an agreement in good faith, we will work with them towards a solution. However, if not, then we will ask that the full weight of Gringotts and the DMLE be brought to bear.”

“On a similar note, Griphook,” Harry added, “Hermione mentioned something about my parents’ house in Godric’s Hollow being a memorial or some such. I certainly didn’t authorize that, and I want to know who, if anyone, did.”

“Of course,” Griphook made a note.

Warclaw finished his own notes and looked back at Harry. “We will, of course, work with you on all of these points, Lord Slytherin. I assume you have already advertised for the positions?”

“Yes. We sent out notices to the media two days ago. Among other things, the course-load of each position is changing. Hermione is meeting with the current staff today to discuss which professors would like to remain at Hogwarts, and in which modified position. Once those decisions have been made, we intend to start hiring immediately.”

Harry waved his hand and a packet appeared on the table. “This is a list of all the positions we are creating. As the current staff make their pick and as new professors are hired it will automatically update.”

“Each full time professor will be expected to cover eight units of class, with two units free. They will also be expected to fulfil two non-teaching positions; one as a student advisor or administrator, and one as the sponsor of a club or sport. Part-time professors, of course, will be exempted from the non-teaching requirement, though if they wish to assist in those areas their pay will be adjusted accordingly.”

“How many teachers do you intend to hire?” Madam Bones asked, glancing across the table at the thick packet.

“Approximately forty, including current staff. Though with the part-timers it will vary slightly.”

“Forty!” Madam Bones gasped. “Hogwarts currently has only twenty professors!”

“Thirteen professors and four staff.” Harry corrected. “And that is far too few. With smaller classes, the students can progress at a faster pace, meaning they will have more time for electives. With a smaller load for each teacher, they will be able to get to know their students better and improve the relationships and accountability between students and professors. Part of the reason our competition in Ireland and Wales do so well in the IWC rankings is that they have fewer students and more teachers, allowing the students to move at a faster pace and individualize their load.”

Madam Bones frowned, but didn’t object.

Warclaw gathered up his documents, including the new packet from Harry. “We shall return to Gringotts and begin implementing your requests immediately, Lord Slytherin,” he said.

“Thank you. Then I shall check in with the warding, curse breaking, and auror teams and see if they need my assistance,” Harry quickly bid the goblins goodbye and then escorted the Minister to the edge of the apparition ward. As he walked to and from the gate, Adelyte took the opportunity to stretch her muscles, but then spent the rest of the day again curled around his wrist.

Harry checked on the aurors and found them just finishing up on the third floor. Shacklebolt assured Harry that, barring any unexpected problems, they should finish with the interior by the end of the day. All of the dark items would be placed in the designated room beside the Heirs’ offices. Pleased with that, Harry went in search of the Curse Breakers and found them investigating the Defense room. They waved off his help, so he returned to his new office to check in with the warders.

Here Harry found his help welcomed, as Sharptooth wanted a closer look at the ward boundaries. Given the options of brooms or thestrals, the goblin chose the latter, bemoaning the fact that British wizards had banned flying carpets, which were excellent for team surveying. Once mounted, Harry took them on a quick tour of the boundaries he had known so well in the past.

By the time they finished, it was lunch, and Harry invited all the teams to stay. He sat with the other two heirs at their customary table, and quickly caught up on the progress each had made that morning.

After giving the others a summary of his morning, Harry turned to Neville. “How are the grounds?”

“Miserable,” Neville grumbled. “I don’t know when the orchards and fields were last used, but it was probably over a decade ago; they’re in horrible disrepair. The gardens have mostly gone to pot, save for the one closest to the greenhouses, which just seems to be a supplement for them. Maybe it was used for a student project, or the NEWT class -- I’m not sure, but it has been used more recently than the others.”

“So we’re not growing any of our own produce anymore?” Hermione asked, dismayed. “We’re importing it?”

“I think we’re importing everything,” Harry added, equally disgusted. “I didn’t see any herds or flocks or any place for them when I was showing the Goblins the warding line. There might still be a bit of game in the forest, but as for the rest…” he looked to Neville for confirmation.

“I saw no places for them to graze. I think the herds are gone, and we’re importing all of our food.”

“That’s insane!” Hermione consulted her notes. “We thought we’d just need to streamline the process to get up to full savings, but if we’re importing everything, that’s over a hundred thousand galleons wasted every year just on food import!”

“Well we’ll have to put out more to start with,” Harry said, mentally doing the math on what they would need to restock the school’s food animals. “We’ll need mature animals for food this year, and possibly next year, as well as breeding stock for the future. At least twenty thousand galleons for me.”

“The same for me,” Neville said glumly. “We’re going to need to order mature trees for the orchards if we want to get anything from them this year, and that will cost much more than saplings. Plus, none of the current elves have experience outside. The oldest one remembers stories about harvesting fresh food, but it sounds like that hasn’t happened in well over a hundred years. I’d either need to spend time training these elves in herbology or hire out some who specialize in it.”

“Well, we’ve got a few hundred students not attending classes for the next few days,” Hermione suggested. “Why not put them to work?”

Neville’s face lit up. “That would help a lot, actually. The younger ones can mark the boundaries, and the upper years can prepare the ground. We could be ready to start planting tomorrow morning! Then we’d only need a few elves to maintain and harvest...”

“Here,” Harry conjured a pair of charmed papers and a biro. “Who are you ordering all these plants from?”

“Hardy Herbologists to start,” Neville said after a moment’s consideration. “We’ll need supplies and some of the more common magical plants from them. The mundane trees will need to be transplanted by magical means, and I’m not sure of a company that does that. We’ll also need large amounts of mundane vegetables and herbs for the gardens. I don’t know if Hardy Herbologists can do that, but if not, then Acacia and Rhodera should be able to.”

Harry created another pair of papers, and titled it Acacia and Rhodera, then labeled the first set Hardy Herbologists. He then handed all four pages to Neville. “Here. I’m using something similar with the Goblins. Anything written on one page appears on its mate. Have an elf take these to the shops, and as you’re working today, tell them what you need. Oh, here,” Harry conjured a third set of papers and handed it over. “If they recommend another location, just label it so you can keep them straight and have a House Elf deliver it. I’ll ask Gringotts about arranging for specialist elves while they’re looking for professors. Though your Herbology experts might have some ideas on that front as well.”

“Thanks, Harry!” Neville accepted the papers. “I’ll also send a note to Gringotts that I’m opening accounts at those shops, so we should be able to get everything right away.” He conjured spare paper, a biro, and a clipboard -- something the other two had introduced him to in the past as the best way to write on the go.

Harry wrote a quick note to Warclaw, explaining their need for House Elves specialising in herbology, harvesting, and animal husbandry, and handed it to Neville. After a few moments writing his own notes, Neville summoned a House Elf to deliver all of them to Gringotts and the two shops. Then he stood and called for the attention of the students. “After lunch, all students are required to report to the gardens behind the greenhouses,” he announced. “You may chose to change first, into something you wouldn’t mind getting dirty.”

As he sat back down, the students immediately began discussing the announcement, raising the volume of the Hall considerably. Amused, Harry turned to his other side. “Hermione? How was your morning?” Harry asked.

Hermione sighed. “Most parents aren't happy. Thank Merlin for the time limit. It was quite satisfying to call an elf when the timer went off and have them popped away!”

“Do you think they'll pull their children from the school?” Harry asked.

Neville shook his head. “Not the ones I talked to. They seemed more like they just wanted to complain, but didn’t intend to take any action.”

“Same here,” Hermione agreed. “They’re blowing off steam because they just don't like change, or don't want to admit that Hogwarts was flawed when they went here, or don't like being told off by children.”

“They could also be the ones getting favors from Dumbledore and don't want to lose their inside man,” Harry pointed out. He was going to save the tuition information from the goblins until they weren't in public, but he had confirmed that Dumbledore had been embezzling from the Hogwarts account, as that had been mentioned at the trial.

“What about the teachers?” Neville asked.

Hermione sighed deeply. “They aren't too happy with us either, for basically the same reasons. Even when I pointed out that they were being criminally overworked, and that we were trying to make their lives easier.”

“Are they staying on?” Harry asked, pulling out his control paper for the stack he had given to Warclaw.

Hermione pulled out her own notes. “McGonagall elected to remain with the older Transfiguration classes and as the Gryffindor head. Flitwick was quite surprised by our offer, but accepted the Headmaster position. He was also quite pleased with the idea of still teaching, and volunteered for the NEWT dueling class.”

“Excellent!” Harry noted that on his list. The trio had hoped that Flitwick would be willing to teach dueling. Part of the problem with Dumbledore was that he hadn't actually taught students in years, and that detachment had lead to problems. They intended to give their Headmaster enough support that he could actually take the time to interact with the students under his care.

“Sprout was torn,” Hermione continued. “She wanted to continue on with Herbology and Hufflepuff, but was also quite interested in the new grounds positions. Eventually she decided to take the same option as McGonagall. Pomfrey will remain, and providing that we do hire an assistant healer, she is willing to teach the NEWT Healing elective.”

“Sinistra was willing to take over for the older Slytherins, and also accepted the changes to her class. She is also open to inviting guest lecturers in different areas of divination and astrology to augment her strengths. Trelawney, of course, was fired. Kettleburn was actually thinking of retiring, so the option of a less dangerous job was quite appealing. He was very interested in taking on the younger years, and liked the idea of incorporating Muggle animals. He is also willing to help with the herds.”

Harry quickly jotted that down as Hermione flicked through her notes. “Hooch is willing to head the physical education department, and will work with us to develop that. Of course she’ll continue to teach flying. Burbage, like her predecessors, knows nothing about modern Muggles. She’s elected to stay on, however, as an advisor and beginning charms instructor.”

“Is she qualified for that?” Neville asked.

“She has her NEWT, and Flitwick offered to pass on his lesson plans. Of course we’ll be making changes, but if he’s willing to help her out…” Hermione trailed off.

“I’d rather keep someone who wants to stay and give them additional training, then fire someone who believes in our new system,” Harry offered.

“I agree,” Neville said.

“Me too,” Hermione said. “Now, Babbling would like to stick with Runes, and has also agreed to take over the Ravenclaws for Flitwick. Vector has elected to take the upper years for Arithmancy, and will also be the secondary Ravenclaw advisor.” They had decided to have two assistant heads for the older Houses this year, with the intention that they would become regular advisors as the Houses phased out. “And finally, pending his trial, Hagrid has accepted the option to become a student again. He would also like to continue to work with the animals.”

“Is that all of them?” Harry asked. Despite what he had told Madam Bones that morning, it seemed like such a small list.

Hermione flipped back through her notes. “Dumbledore, Snape, Quirrell, and Filch are all out, Binns will be allowed to rest, and Trelawney is sacked. That’s all that’s left.”

“We’re lucky that all the others elected to stay, despite the changes,” Neville pointed out.

“I’ll let the Goblins know,” Harry said, finishing his notes on the charmed paper. “Hopefully we’ll be able to start interviewing tomorrow and get most of these positions filled by the end of the week. Now, how did it go with the testing committee?”

Hermione sighed again. “For starters, they didn’t like the idea that their tests weren’t up to snuff; some of them got quite stroppy with me. I sent an Elf for an IWC testing representative, and they read the British testers the riot act. Tester Winthrope also looked at our plans for the classes and was quite pleased with it. He’s going to recommend we have an IWC tester working with us throughout the year for the next few years as we sort everything out, and recommends an official review in five years.”

“He also said that they could come do a quick interview with some of our older students and go back over the scores from last year to come up with a partial review of the school under Dumbledore. That would give us a good example for comparison.”

“Let’s do it,” Harry said.

Neville agreed, “That would give us something else to give to the upset parents.”

“What about our fourth and fifth years?” Harry wanted to know. Their plans there would affect the teachers they hired, and he needed to let the Goblins know quickly.

“The group consensus is that our Fifth years don’t have the time to catch up to the IWC standard OWLs in anything but Charms and Transfiguration, where we were only slightly low.” Hermione said. “It would be a waste of time for them to continue with the old Divination, Muggle Studies, or History classes, however, and dropping those classes might make it easier for them to catch up in their other exams.”

“The Fourth years will be in a similar position. By dropping their three useless classes, they might be able to get up to snuff on their others in time to roll out the new OWLs. I also suggested putting off the OWLs for a year, or allowing them to split their testing, and Tester Winthrope thought that was a great idea. Our teachers didn’t like it, but agreed that we would present the option to the students.”

Harry nodded. “Winthrope sounds like a good person to talk to in more depth. I’m glad that he liked the idea of splitting up the exams; that bodes well for our future plans.”

“I thought the same,” Hermione agreed. “He recommended that we get a retired IWC tester to join our Board of Governors when we reform them. He’s going to give me a few names.”

“Brilliant!” Neville said. “We can let the OWL students know the plan for them after dinner today.”

“Well you’re the one who talked to them before,” Harry pointed out slyly. “And I’ve got my share of parent meetings…”

Neville debated for a moment which was worse, before deciding he’d rather face the students. “I’ll get you for that yet, Potter,” he joked.

Laughing, the trio hurried to finish their lunch before heading off to work again.

As they reconvened for dinner, Harry was pleased to note that the students appeared to be happy, for the most part. They were all covered in dirt, but chattering cheerfully with their neighbors. Harry also noted quite a few of the younger years sitting in mixed groups.

“I assigned them into cross-house groups,” Neville confessed, noticing where Harry was looking. “The younger ones seemed to get on quite well.”

“They’re awfully dirty,” Hermione pointed out, joining the boys.

“The oldsters taught everyone the hand cleaning charm before we got back inside the castle,” Neville said a bit defensively.

Harry chuckled as he fed a tidbit to Adelyte. “I wish I’d known that one, growing up.” He’d often had to sneak a moment to wash with the garden hose before coming inside after working in his Aunt’s garden. “How did it go, Nev?”

Neville sighed happily. “We’re in a much better position than I feared this morning. The first and second years marked out the edges of each garden, orchard, and field. The sixth and seventh years went through the old orchards and marked every tree that was dead, so we can pull them out tomorrow. The middle groups picked up the tilling spell quite quickly and tilled the first two fields and three gardens.”

“That’s quite impressive!” Hermione agreed. “So they’ll finish the prep work tomorrow?”

“Yup. The youngsters will start planting, the middle group will finish the tiling, and the oldsters will rip out all the dead trees.” Neville explained. “Acacia and Rhodera turned me on to a Nursery that operates in both the muggle and magical worlds, Barcham’s. They’re providing our orchard stock, and they also have a device that will magically chip the dead trees. We’ll be able to mulch the gardens with them and also get a good start on the composting area for the kitchens.”

“Excellent!” Harry was quite pleased with that progress. Hogwarts and Hogsmeade had been entirely self-sufficient in the past, and all three heirs wanted to get back to that standard, or as close as they could. “And how was your afternoon, Hermione?”

Hermione blew her bangs out in a tired sigh. “Thankfully, the parent visits appear to be tapering off. Some of them seem to have been warned by the others, though, so the yelling has cut down a bit. I’ll be glad to hand them over to you tonight!”

Harry chuckled. “I know, I’ve gotten off easy today. Well, I’ve got the first batch of resumes from Gringotts for you to go over tonight. Plus they’ve got some information on House Elves tucked in the back. I just glanced through it, so I’m not sure what they actually said.”

“Great!” Hermione accepted the packet and began flipping through it.

Neville chuckled at her enthusiasm. “So how did your afternoon go, Harry?”

It was Harry’s turn to sigh deeply. “The aurors are going to be busy tomorrow. We might even need to call in some Hit Wizards.”

“Really?” Hermione was shocked. Hit Wizards were the magical equivalent of the Special Forces.

“The heart of the forest has been taken over by giant acromantula - over a hundred of them!” Harry snarled. “The centaurs haven’t done anything about them, because, and I quote, ‘They don’t bother us. Why should we worry about dangers to wizards?’”

The other two gasped. “They’ve completely forgotten the treaty?” Hermione asked.

Harry nodded glumly. “Yup. And that isn’t the half of it. They claimed that any game in the forest is theirs and theirs alone, obliquely threatened any students who venture there, and directly threatened any warriors I might bring in.”

“That’s insane!” Hermione protested.

“What are you going to do?” Neville asked.

Harry grinned ferally. “I’m going to remind them exactly what their ancestors promised Slytherin all those years ago, and hold them accountable. If they do not agree to fulfil the treaty, they will be evicted.”

“How are you going to get rid of the acromantula?” Hermione wanted to know.

Harry’s grin widened. “Let’s just say that I have a secret weapon, assuming she’s still here.”

Hermione accepted that. “So tomorrow, Harry’s in the forest, Neville’s working with the students on the grounds, and I’m going through resumes?”

“I’d say you could even start hiring,” Harry said. “I know Ravenclaw and Evvie taught you all about judging teachers. I trust you to hire who we need.”

“Me too,” Neville nodded. “You spent all that time with Lares and Selly too; I daresay you could run this whole place without us.”

Hermione blushed, but accepted that. “Alright, I’ll begin the hiring. Though I’ll send a House Elf for you before taking on anyone who will be working on the grounds with you two.”

“Fair enough,” Harry acknowledged. “That sounds like a good plan for tomorrow.”

“Anything tonight?” Hermione asked.

“I’m going to be making some floo calls,” Neville said. “I want to make sure we have everything set up for the orchards.”

“We should talk to the ghosts and elves about making the new dorms,” Harry realized. “Get the students moved as quickly as possible, so they get used to it.”

Hermione nodded. “I can do that first. And you’ve got the parents?”

“I want to meet with any muggleborn and muggle-raised for a quick word after dinner, but then yes, I’m with the parents,” Harry took the teasing good-naturedly. He had been quite lucky to get out of doing that yet today.

“What do you need to meet with them about?” Neville asked.

“Teachers,” Harry explained. “We need people who actually understand muggles to teach our muggle-based classes, and no wizards schooled at Hogwarts qualify, with their abysmal muggle studies curriculum. I want to see if we can find any teachers in the families of Muggleborns, or students with a muggleborn parent who raised them in a muggle-household.”

“Anyone with experience teaching english, maths, science or history, would great for the Firsties, but also the language classes, sport program, and some of the NEWT electives could use Muggle experience. There are plenty of classes that a Muggle or Squib could teach, not to mention the Muggleborns who have been discriminated against in the past.”

“Good idea,” Neville said. “But I thought I had the fourth and fifth years after dinner.”

“Shoot, I forgot about that,” Harry frowned.

“I’d announce it to all the students,” Hermione said suddenly. “There could be some with a muggleborn parent who don’t identify as Muggle-raised. Or pureblood students with a squib relative living in the Muggle world.”

“True, I hadn’t thought of that,” Harry said. “My concern was having some Pureblood claim to be an expert in Muggle history just because they’ve taken the Hogwarts Muggle Studies class, but not having any actual experience with modern Muggle life. But if you don’t mind weeding those applicants out, then it couldn’t hurt to tell everyone. And that still leaves the after-dinner slot free for Neville.”

With the other two in agreement, Harry stood and made his quick announcement to the hall, asking for applications from any family with teaching experience, including muggle and squibs. The trio then finished their dinner, and set off to work again.

The last two days of the school week passed in a blur for the trio. Thankfully, the parent visits had tapered off, and the heirs were able to focus on their tasks to get Hogwarts back on task.

With the help of the students, Neville completely reinvigorated the gardens, fields, orchards, and greenhouses. He also hired on four specialist House Elves found by Gringotts who were placed in charge of tending, harvesting, and preserving their produce, as well as running a composting program between the kitchen and gardens.

Hermione hired on two dozen teachers, filling out their teaching roster nicely. The current teachers had been responsible for welcoming their new colleagues and showing them around the castle. The elves had also created the smaller dormitories, with their attached advisor suite, and both students and teachers moved to their new homes. Abandoned classrooms were also cleaned and repaired by the Elves, and made ready by the new teachers. She still had over a dozen positions to fill, and they hoped that these would be taken care of over the weekend.

Harry had had a very strenuous two days. He and Adelyte had visited Essa, and discovered that she was suffering from a compulsion cast upon her by a previous Heir of Slytherin which had resulted in her hurting and even killing students. Harry quickly reversed the spell, and counseled her through her grief at failing to protect the students. Adelyte, having also known Essa and Slytherin in the past, and having the logic of a snake, was very helpful with that.

Harry had then sent Essa out hunting acromantulas while he and the aurors approached the centaurs. Bearing a copy of the magically sealed contract between Slytherin and the first centaur herd and accompanied by the Sorting Hat speaking for Hogwarts, Harry entered into the verbal battle. Much to Harry’s relief, it largely remained a verbal battle, though he did have to banish several members of the herd who refused to obey the treaty. Fortunately, there was a clause in the contract for that, and he merely had to speak the correct phrase, rather than actually fight the malcontents himself.

Once the herd was willing to do their duty again, they teamed up with the aurors to begin cleaning out the forest. Several dark creatures had moved in over the centuries, as the centaurs retreated to their own small territory. Harry wanted the entire forest cleared out, making it safe enough for the students again. As he told the aurors and centaurs, it was never supposed to be the forbidden forest; it was supposed to be the learning and providing forest.

The combined auror and centaur forces estimated that it would take roughly two weeks to completely clean up the forest, even with Essa taking the lead on the acromantula. Part of the problem was that many areas were completely overgrown, sometimes with deadly magical plants, and those needed to be cleared before the creatures hiding behind those hedges could be gotten rid of.

Unfortunately, battling overgrown plants wasn’t really a common specialty in the Wizarding world, but when Harry mentioned the idea of a flamethrower to one muggleborn auror, they began to think outside of the box. The Hit Wizard squad was also contracted to help, and Gringotts even offered a goblin half-squad for some of the nastier beasties, which Harry gratefully accepted. He’d gladly pay the extra cost up front to get the long term gain of having an accessible forest again.

While the forest was temporarily turned into a battleground, Harry, accompanied everywhere by Adelyte, began working on game and livestock. He would have to wait a few weeks before introducing game animals into the forest, but he could take care of the lake and fields right now. He learned that most wizarding restaurants relied on the same supplier for their meats and livestock; a farm taken over by Lucius Malfoy during the last war after the tragic death of its owners, and now run with brutal efficiency.

Not wanting any part of that, Harry had reached out to a variety of muggle livestock suppliers, getting part of his herd from each. It would take a little more effort to hide his tracks from the muggles, but it was far preferable in his mind than adding to the ill-gotten Malfoy fortune. He even took some satisfaction in denying the Death Eater the profits from Hogwarts’ usual large meat order.

With the help of three House Elves who specialised in medium to large livestock and two with experience in a poultry farm, Harry’s first batch of cows, pigs, sheep, ducks and chickens were settled in their new homes. By the end of the week he would have a full complement of goats and geese added, and another handful of Elves to take care of them all. He remembered to carefully apply the silencing charm to the roosters, in case Essa ventured near their pens. He also made a note to get the animal houses warded against the harsh Scottish winters, but that could wait a month or two.

Harry also made several trips into the lake, connecting with the modern tribe of merfolk, who thankfully were still upholding their contract from the founders’ days. They also agreed to provide a teacher of mermish and swimming for the students, though as none of them understood English, Harry would be needed to translate for a while.

In the lake, Harry met the giant squid, who was much larger than the squids he had known in the past. Unfortunately, his large size was an abnormality, and had caused the death of his fellow hatchlings. Without another female, he was the last of his kind. Harry promised to look into that in the future, though he didn’t think the lake could support two squids of that size. He also agreed to import more fish and other medium-sized creatures, as the food supply in the lake had been running a little low.

Finally, Harry rented a few House Elves who worked maintaining professional Quidditch pitches. After taking them to a few Muggle pitches for examples of he wanted, they worked together to map out the position of the new sport fields. Then, the elves proceeded to make the Football, Rugby, and Cricket fields for the new physical education classes. Harry also requested bids from the goblin for companies to build the stands, locker rooms, and indoor training center, and quickly hired a dwarven based-company, who promised to be done by the end of the next week.

The students were excitedly following these changes, and many seemed to be looking forward to their new classes the coming Monday. Finally, Friday drew to a close, as the three heirs reconvened at dinner. They were all exhausted after the strenuous week; though they had been quite fit in the past, the trio found that their younger bodies wilted before their minds wanted to stop.

And, unlike in the past, where the hard work had been interspersed with periods of fun and rest, in the present there was just too much to do. With classes starting in just two days, there were still plenty of items on Hermione’s to do list. And those were just the immediate changes. There were long term projects as well, which they would promptly be starting on once the school year properly began.

Maybe by Yule he’d be able to relax, Harry mused, half-heartedly eating his Shepherd's Pie.

Saturday morning saw Harry meeting with Madam Bones and Auror Shacklebolt again. First, the Auror confirmed that the school was completely cleansed of Dark Items, save for the storeroom for them next to the Heir’s offices. The forest was well on the way to being cleared, especially due to the recent decrease in acromantulas.

Bones confirmed that the trials were continuing apace for those who had been revealed at the Hogwarts session. She also had word from St. Mungo’s that Sirius was declared fit enough for visitors, and she had told his protective detail to expect Harry. Similar news had been delivered to Neville the night before, and though his parents were not up for long visits, he could see them briefly every day.

The Minister also approved granting permanent, multi-use portkeys to the families of all Muggleborn students, which would allow them to attend parent-teacher conferences, games of Quidditch and the other new sports, and the monthly Parent Weekends. A Portkey receiving room had been created next to the Heirs’ offices, with an alert ward that would summon a House Elf if anyone appeared in it.

Madam Bones had a petition from Narcissa Malfoy, in proxy of her husband, to convene the Hogwarts Board of Governors and overturn the actions of the Heirs. Harry quickly pointed out the charter of the school, which made no provisions for a Board of Governors, and officially disbanded it, promising to create what he called a Parent-Teacher Board in the future.

Madam Bones also brought up a suit from a nameless parent, which Harry had been expecting all week. This parent claimed to have been under the Imperius when receiving their Dark Mark, and was appalled that they would be denied access to their child.

Harry smirked as he gave her their official answer, which he also intended to send to the Prophet. “We at Hogwarts by no means deny a parent’s right to their child. Students may leave the campus at any time, provided proper notice by a legal guardian has been submitted to the Assistant Headmaster and the student’s advisor. Also, parents are welcome at Hogwarts, provided they have not committed some heinous crime, such as willingly joining Voldemort. It a parent can prove, under Veritaserum, that they did not willingly accept the Dark Mark, then of course the Wards will be adjusted accordingly. However, for the safety of our other students, we cannot in good conscience do otherwise.”

Madam Bones also smirked, knowing that Harry’s reply had effectively shut down any future complaints. They quickly finished up their remaining business, and Harry escorted them to the Apparition point.

Harry had a few minutes’ time to check in on Hermione, who was still interviewing teacher candidates, and she let him know that Neville had just gotten back from St. Mungo’s and had also checked in with her before heading out to the orchards.

It was soon time for Harry’s next appointment, and right on time a House Elf led the Goblin contingent into his office.

After exchanging the traditional greetings, Harry got right down to business. “So, updates on the Defense Curse and wardings?” he asked.

Toughnut stepped forward. “Curse Breaker Weasley and I identified the curse and found it on the doorframe between the Defense classroom and office. Every time a person crossed the door’s threshold, they would get a dose of it. Students or other teachers who only entered occasionally wouldn’t be affected, but over weeks and months of encountering it daily, the target would be affected. Because of its subtlety, we are unsurprised that Wizards missed it.”

Harry smirked at the dig, “Most wizards are rather oblivious, aren’t they? Did you remove it?”

“We did,” Toughnut confirmed.

“Excellent, then we have just one more project for your department. The Aurors have collected a trove of Dark items from around the school and placed them in storage around the corner behind the black door. We would like an itemized list of the objects and what curse or curses are upon them. We would then employ your services to break the curses as applicable.”

Toughnut’s grin widened. “We look forward to it.”

“Next, the Warding,” Warclaw said. Toughnut stepped back and Sharptooth replaced him.

“We have finished the assessment of the wards and submitted our proposed scheme,” he began.

“And we approve of it,” Harry said, pulling the roll of parchment from his bottomless satchel. “Here is our copy, signed by all three heirs.”

“Thank you,” Sharptooth accepted the parchment. “Then we shall be able to begin as soon as you would like. With the number of people crossing the boundaries every day, it might be better to make the changes at night.”

“Yes, it wouldn’t do for someone to cross the boundaries mid-warding,” Harry mused. “I’d prefer splinching over getting tangled up in a warding.”

Again, the goblins showed surprise at his comment; wizards and witches rarely knew the consequences of a failed warding, and one Harry’s age should not have experience with apparition and splinching either.

“Can you do it tonight?” Harry asked, “Or will you need another day to prepare?”

Sharptooth and Warclaw exchanged a look. “We can be ready tonight, Lord Slytherin,” Sharptooth said.

“Excellent!” Harry rubbed his hands together. “I love it when things work out. This is why we hire experts!”

Very pleased, Sharptooth and Toughnut left the room, leaving the two Account Managers with Harry.

“With regards to your hiring plans, I take it you are also pleased?” Warclaw asked. The Heirs had set up payroll services with the bank, so he was well aware of how their hiring was going.

“Yes indeed!” Harry said. “I am especially pleased with some of our language teachers.” The students were going to be in for a surprise when their teachers were introduced. “It is good for the students to get a broader view of our fellow beings than what is taught in limited and sometimes questionable texts. The more they see all beings working together for a common good, the better!”

“Indeed, Lord Slytherin,” Warclaw said respectfully.

“Now, what else?” Harry asked.

“With regards to tuition, we have the documents you asked for,” Warclaw said. Griphook opened his briefcase and pulled out a thick banker’s box, which he passed to Warclaw. The latter then passed them to Harry. “This contains all of the relevant information on each case. We also found several instances of Muggle families applying for loans from Gringotts during the summer months. Since they claimed the money was for Hogwarts supplies and tuition, but it was several times higher than the stated tuition amount, Gringotts rejected them for fraud.”

“You think those were Muggleborns being overcharged by Dumbledore?” Harry asked curiously.

“We do. Most of those families do not appear to have gone to Hogwarts. They might prove a good starting point for your investigations.”

“Thank you!” Harry said. “That will indeed be helpful.”

“Now, about Dumbledore’s theft,” Warclaw continued. “We now have a complete list of his thefts, but have run into a snag while making reparations. His vault has run out of money, and the usual Gringotts procedure is to sell off his possessions.”

“But he admitted to stealing many of those,” Harry realized.

“Exactly,” Warclaw nodded. “The DMLE is endeavoring to get accurate lists of every item stolen, but the subject is proving… shall we say… difficult.”

Harry snorted. That word certainly fit Dumbledore. “Are they using Veritaserum or looking at his memories?”

“I am unsure. We shall enquire.” Warclaw said.

“Good.” Harry said grimly. “He confessed to taking Potter family heirlooms after getting my parents killed, and I want them back.”

“We are working closely with the DMLE on this, as it directly affects our own investigations,” Warclaw promised him. “Once the stolen items are returned to their rightful families, we shall sell the rest to finish the monetary reparations.”

Harry nodded. He trusted the goblins to make sure that every knut went to the proper victims.

“Speaking of reparations, we have news about your family house in Godric’s Hollow,” Warclaw said, pulling forth a new parchment from his file.

“Oh?”

“It seems that the Ministry claimed the land as a monument the week after your parent’s deaths.”

“I see.” Harry said. “What are my options?”

Warclaw waved Griphook forward. “The Potter accounts have been paid nothing for this use,” he said. “You could sell them the land, or you could keep it and charge them rent.”

Harry thought for a few minutes and then smirked. “Please figure out what appropriate land rental fees are for the last ten years, and charge the Ministry accordingly. Under a yearly rental, they would be paid through this November. At that point, give them the option to buy the land at current market value, plus a little something for historical interest. If they chose not to buy, inform them that the land will be hidden from passers-by, and I will decry the Ministry for attempting to profit from the orphaning of an innocent child.”

Warclaw and Griphook wore matching smirks; Harry truly had the mind of a Goblin. “It will be done, Lord Slytherin,” Griphook said respectfully.

“I assume Hogsmeade is in a similar situation?” Harry asked.

“Indeed,” Warclaw nodded. “A few hundred years ago the Ministry began to rent, and eventually sell, the lands of Hogsmeade. Currently, a handful of shops and a dozen homes have been sold by the Ministry. They continue to collect rent on the other properties.”

“Excellent!” Harry rubbed his hands together. “First, the heirs demand all moneys obtained by the Ministry from Hogsmeade to be immediately paid into the Hogwarts fund, including back interest. We also demand all paperwork dealing with said sales and rentals. New rental contracts will be drawn up for all current tenants, and those monies will be paid to Hogwarts. We shall deal with the illegal sales as soon as we have gone over the contracts.”

“Yes, Lord Slytherin,” Warclaw said happily.

“Anything else for me?” Harry asked.

“That is all at this time.”

“Wonderful! As always, it has been a pleasure doing business with Gringotts!” Harry said.

Both Goblins bowed respectfully in return before leaving. Harry returned the gesture before moving on to his next meeting.

By Sunday at lunch, the heirs were able to check almost everything off of Hermione’s list for their first week back.

They had, accompanied by the other ghosts, met with Binns. They thanked him for his service and offered him the chance to retire. He could either move on, help out around the castle like the other ghosts, or simply chose a room to rest in where the heirs would ensure he was undisturbed.

To their surprise, Binns was quite relieved to be done with teaching, and eagerly offered to join the other ghosts.

Their other teachers had all been hired, classrooms, offices, and personal rooms had all been arranged for them, and they were ready to begin teaching. The new advisory suites and smaller upper year Houses had been created, and the last of the students moved by Friday night.

Only a dozen students had resigned from Hogwarts - all of whom had been suspended during the initial trials. The rest of the students seemed willing to take the ‘wait and see’ approach and give the Heirs a chance.

On the grounds, all of the new structures outside would soon be completed and ready for classes, as would the lake. The forest would take another week or two, but the heirs were confident it would be at least partly useable by the end of September.

It would take a few weeks for Hogwarts to run out of pre-purchased food, but they should be able to start eating self-sufficiently by the end of the month. Both Harry and Neville were confident that their new livestock and gardens would be up for the task.

Hermione was also pleased to note that, thanks to the reparations from Dumbledore and the Ministry, their vault was now overflowing, despite the unexpected expenses they had encountered.

Harry and Neville had also both spent time at St. Mungo’s that weekend, despite their hectic schedules, catching up with their lost family.

Finally, though, it was Sunday night, the last of the new faculty had been confirmed, and the students had been asked to come to dinner early. As the students entered the Great Hall that night, they found the formation changed. Instead of the old formation, consisting of a Head table, four House Tables, and the recently added Heir’s table, the room was full of a variety of round tables that sat six to twelve people.

“There is plenty of room for everyone!” Harry called out. “Pick any table you want, but please leave one seat empty per table! Thank you!”

The students followed his instructions, whispering amongst themselves about this latest change. Once they were all seated with the required empty space, Harry nodded to Neville. The other heir opened the side door and called in the waiting faculty.

“I know that some of these folks are familiar to the older students, and some have become familiar over the last few days, but we’re going to introduce everyone!” Harry declared. A wave of his hand made bright yellow sheets of paper and a box of biros appear on every table. “Those of you who met with Headmaster Flitwick over the past week to rethink your electives should be fairly clear on what you are taking, and everyone else should know what classes you are taking. So grab a pen and follow along, filling in your Professors as you go!”

“First,” Hermione took over, “The Creatures Studies teachers; for first and second years, Professor Kettleburn, third and fourth years have Professor Yarrow, and the upper years have Professor Wiggleswade!” All three professors stepped forward as their names were called, waving to the students, who applauded politely in return.

“Next is Herbology,” Neville said, gesturing for those three teachers to step forward. “Beginners will have Professor Bell, cousin of Gryffindors Marcus and Katie Bell. Third and fourth years will have Professor Acacia, who most of you have already met while working in our gardens this week, and the Fifth years and NEWT students will still have Professor Sprout.”

“We have some extraordinary defence professors,” Harry said in turn. “First and second years will have Professor Marchbanks, who has spent the last few years studying in the Amazon. Next we have Professor Lupin, a werewolf and expert in both defense and transfiguration, and finally retired Master Auror Moody will take on our NEWT students.” McGonagall and some of the others had been against revealing Lupin’s status, but Harry believed in being upfront with the students. After all, they would have merfolk, goblins, a siren, a part-veela and a centaur teaching them; why hide the fact that one professor was a werewolf?

“Magical History classes will be divided along the same lines,” Hermione said, “And-

“Basically all of your core class teachers will be divided into first and second, third and fourth, and fifth and NEWT,” Harry interjected.

“Yes,” Hermione frowned at the interruption. “Magical History and Literature will be taught by Professor Tonks--,”

“The first!” Harry interrupted again.

Hermione continued as though he hadn’t spoken. “--who comes to us from St. Mungo’s Hospital and is the mother of Hufflepuff Prefect Nymphadora Tonks, Professor Greengrass, mother of Slytherin Daphne Greengrass, and Professor Peasegood, formerly of Glyndwrdref School in Wales.” The Professors stepped forward in turn and then moved to the far side of the dais, while the students continued to applaud politely.

“Muggle History and Literature will be taught by some familiar names,” Neville warned. “First we have Professor Tonks--,”

“The second!” Harry added.

Neville just shook his head at his fellow heir. “Husband of the other Professor Tonks. Next is Professor Clearwater, mother of Ravenclaw Prefect Penelope Clearwater, and finally Professor Fawcett, mother of Hufflepuff Anna Fawcett.”

“Transfiguration teachers are Professor MacMillian, Aunt of Hufflepuffs Ernie and Emily, Professor Wetherby, and of course Professor McGonagall,” Harry rattled off.

Hermione gave him a look, but continued. “In charms we welcome Professor Burbage, who many of you already know, Professor Diggory, mother of Hufflepuff Cedric Diggory, and Professor Su, cousin of Ravenclaw Su Li.”

“Science will be started by Professor Abercrombie, Aunt to Ravenclaw Sally-Anne Perks and mother of future student Euan Abercrombie,” Neville said. “Third year science and potions and fourth year potions will be taken on by Professor O’Dowd, while OWL and NEWT potions will be taught by Professor Spudgeon.”

“Incidentally, we thank you all for reaching out to your families,” Harry added. “We were quite happy with the response, and as you can see, we have invited many of your family members to join the Hogwarts family. Now, Professor Granger, yes, as in grandmother to Lady Ravenclaw here, will be teaching beginner maths.”

Hermione stuck her tongue out at her fellow heir, who simply laughed and continued. “Third year maths and beginning arithmancy and fourth year arithmancy will be taught by Professor Spencer-Moon, mother of Slytherin Lillian Moon, and the latter years, of course, will continue with our own Professor Vector. And I think that’s the core classes done!”

“Now for the electives,” Hermione confirmed. “OWL and NEWT Astronomy and Astrology will be taught by Professor Sinistra, assisted by Professor Firenze, of our centaur herd. OWL and NEWT Ancient Runes will still be taught by Professor Babbling.”

“As we mentioned before,” Neville continued, “we will be introducing several OWL and NEWT foreign language classes. Students now have the option of Spanish, with Professor Reyes-Applebee, Latin with Professor Tintwistle, Chinese with Professor Zhang, and Hindi with Professor Patil. You might recognize her daughters in Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, Parvati and Padma.”

Harry picked up the narrative. “Other language courses offered to those Fourth year and above are German with Professor Ziegenbart, or Greek with Professor Hopkirk, who it so happens is a Siren. Also French with Professor Vane, a quarter-veela and Aunt of future student Romilda Vane, Mermish in the lake with Professor Kesa, or Goblin with one of our Gringotts contingent, Professor Blightarm. How cool are those options!”

Hermione did not appear to share his enthusiasm, though from the expressions of many of the students, she was the only one. “Finally, the NEWT electives. Professor MacDougal, Grandfather of Ravenclaw Morag and Slytherins Camden and Lachlan, will teach Alchemy and Potion Creation. Professor Kettletoft will take on the Government elective, while Professor Lovegood, uncle of future student Luna, teaches Philosophy. Spell Creation will be taught by Professor Nettlebed.”

“Battlemagic will be taught by Professor Buttermere,” Neville continued. “Weaponry will be taught by Professor McTighe, and Dueling will be taught by Headmaster Flitwick! Healer Pomfrey will also be teaching the Healing elective.”

“Finally,” Harry said, “the rest of our Gringotts contingent. Professor Hordesruin will be teaching Warding, Professor Rageblade will be teaching Curse Breaking, and Professor Dragonsear will be teaching finances. And I think that’s the lot!”

“Two more things before we get to the feast,” Hermione said. “First, advisors. If you write your name on the top blank on your yellow paper, it will automatically add your advisor’s name. This advisor will be with you through the year, and will determine both your class schedule and physical education rotation.”

“Note your advisor as we call their name, as they’ll be seated among you now,” Neville warned. “Advisors for the first years are Professors Bell, Fawcett, MacMillian, and Marchbanks!” The four stepped forward as their names were called, and then left the dais, taking the seats left empty at the students’ tables.

“Second years get Professors Burbage, Granger, Spencer-Moon, and Ziegenbart” Harry declared. “Third years have Professors Abercrombie, Hopkins, the less attractive Tonks, and Zhang.” Hermione smacked Harry upside the head, but Ted Tonks just laughed good-naturedly as he stepped forward and waved to his students.

“I’ll go by Healer Tonks, instead of Professor,” Andromeda declared, smirking at Harry, “to spare my husband any more of your nick-names.” The whole hall laughed at that, and Harry took the ribbing in stride. He had met the Tonks while at Sirius’s bedside, as they were cousins, and knew that both could handle his teasing, and just as easily dish back some of their own.

Neville cleared his throat. “Back to advisories. It was decided that the fourth years would be broken into advisory groups like the younger years, but that they would still be split by House, like the upper years. Therefore, the Fourth year Ravenclaws will have Professor Su, the Hufflepuffs will have Professor Reyes-Applebee, the Gryffindors will have Professor Wiggleswade, and the Fourth year Slytherins will have Professor Spudgeon.”

“The fifth through seventh years will remain in their Houses, with their Head of House,” Hermione said. “However, in anticipation of when this system will be phased out over the next few years, those House Heads will have two assistants. Professor McGonagall remains the Gryffindor Head, assisted by Professors Buttermere and Peasegood. Professor Sprout of Hufflepuff will be assisted by Professors Diggory and Patil.”

Neville spoke up before Harry could. “As he is now the Headmaster, Professor Flitwick had to turn over his Head of House duties for Ravenclaw to Professor Babbling, assisted by Professors Vector and Tintwistle. And finally, Slytherin House will be Headed by Professor Sinistra, assisted by Professors Greengrass and Moody.”

Choosing to be serious for a moment, Harry said. “You will notice that not all of the Professors up here are to be advisors. That is because they will be assisting in other ways around Hogwarts. I’m sure all of you are familiar by now with the new gardens, fields, and orchards?” The students cheerfully agreed. “While not teaching, Professor Acacia is heading up our grounds and gardening department, assisted by Professors Lupin and McTighe.”

“You might also have noticed the herds and flocks of animals I’ve been importing?” He continued. About half the students confirmed that. “Well if not, you’ll get quite familiar with them during your first creatures class and any detentions you may earn. Their care will be headed by Professor Yarrow, assisted by Professors Kettleburn and O’Dowd.”

“Similarly, we are expanding our physical education program.” Hermione said. “First through fifth years, you will notice that twice a week after classes your schedules list a physical education slot. The back of your papers have your advisory’s particular rotation. These rotations include flying, taught by Head of the Physical Education department Professor Hooch, swimming, taught by Professor Kesa, Quidditch, taught by Professor Wetherby, Football with Professor Bell, and Cycling with Professor Spencer-Moon, just for starters!”

Neville added, “You’ve also got Cricket with Professor O’Dowd, Dance with Professor Vane, Yoga with Professor Su, and two different styles of fitness training with Professors Wiggleswade and Moody.”

These professors also acknowledged the students and joined them at their tables as Hermione took the fore again. “Various teachers have agreed to lead clubs this year. Some tie into your classes, such as the reading, science, astronomy, charms, dueling, weaponry, gardening, animagus, and zoology clubs. Some are for those interested in the arts, such as the music, performing arts, fine arts, cooking, art history, choir, and journalism clubs.”

“Some are for those interested in learning more about our world,” Neville added, “such as the Magical traditions, centaur history, goblin culture, lakelore, world runes, and travel clubs.”

“Some are purely for fun, such as the movies, chess, gobstones, and muggle games clubs!” Harry added.

“And some, like the speech and debate club and student government will give students a voice in Hogwarts,” Hermione concluded. A wave of her hand had a stack of green paper appearing on each table. “This paper lists all of the clubs, which teacher is sponsoring them, and when the first interest meeting will be held.”

After giving the students a moment to look over the papers, Harry stepped forward again. “Finally, we’ve got the really important folks!” he warned with a smirk. Hermione looked ready to hit him again, but she refrained for the moment. “You already know Headmaster Flitwick, but I am pleased to announce that the Assistant Headmaster position has been taken by Professor Kettletoft! Our Head of Discipline - that’s the one ultimately in charge of punishments - is Professor Clearwater.”

“As always our Head Healer is Madam Pomfrey, but now she will be assisted by… Healer Tonks.” Hermione looked relieved that Harry hadn’t made another joke at the Tonks’ expense. Of course, having met them for the first time with Sirius in the room, Harry was quite aware of how well they could take a joke. “And, for our upper years interested in figuring out what they want to do with their lives, or just interested in making a little extra pocket money, may I introduce our new Internship department, headed by Professor MacDougal!”

With the last Professor off the dais, Harry slumped theatrically. “Now then, let’s eat!” He declared, prompting the elves to send up their dinners. Hermione finally gave into her urge to smack him as the trio made their way to their own table.

Despite appearing to only concentrate on their meals, the trio kept a close eye on the other tables. They were pleased to see the teachers welcomed by the students they sat with, and also happy to note that, for the most part, the younger years were sitting at mixed-house tables. It was a good sign for the new Hogwarts they intended to launch the next day.

True to Harry’s prediction, the first few months of the school year simply flew by, with the three Heirs too busy to do anything but work. It wasn’t until the bulk of the children had gone home for the Holidays on the Express, followed by a few more meetings, and a lovely dinner, that the Heirs were able to relax in their quarters for an evening together.

Of course, Hermione’s ever-present ‘to do’ list – now expanded to several dozen sheets tacked to a conjured corkboard on wheels – was still looming in the corner, but the Heirs had chosen to ignore it that evening. Of course, despite his choice to relax, and his excitement over Sirius arriving tomorrow for a real family Christmas, Harry still found himself mentally reviewing everything they had accomplished in the last few months.

The Parent-Teacher Board had been formed, with an eclectic mix of members that promptly infuriated the former board of Governors. As representatives of families with multiple students attending, the Heirs picked Arthur Weasley and Deidre Diggle, the latter of whom had three children and two nieces as current students, with three more on the way between her and her sister. Arthur had been found to be completely ignorant of the plans that his wife, Molly, had hatched with Dumbledore, and he had fully supported the DMLE’s case against her. The Heirs had been wary about including someone with such close ties to Dumbledore, but with seven of his own children and more than a dozen nephews and nieces as former, current, or future Hogwarts students, Arthur’s input would be invaluable.

Amos Diggory, Sirius Black, and Augusta Longbottom we brought in to represent the neutral, dark, and light old families, respectively. Mary Thomas and Elsabeth Finch-Fletchley represented the parents of muggleborns. Binns and another former teacher, a plump, grandmotherly, ghost named Professor Anna Greenbriar, were the castle’s representatives. The living teachers were represented by Vane and Wiggleswade, while the goblin Ogrestone, centaur Swiftlet, Mermaid Kesa, and House Elf Junnie made up the non-human allies. Harry had rigged a pair of mirrors with built in translation spells so that Kesa could attend meetings from the lake.

The heirs hoped to one day have non-human students learning alongside their wizarding counterparts, but that was many, many years away. Still, having non-humans on the teaching staff and Parent-Teacher Board were steps in that direction.

The last member of the board was Professor Krum. She was a former Dumstrang teacher turned IWC tester who had recently retired. She had several grandchildren in Durmstrang, from her family in Romania and her brother’s family in Belarus, while other relatives had children in Poland’s Giewont Szkola, Germany’s Rhinenixie, and Italy’s Pompeiinido and Vegoia.

She herself had been one of the IWC testers in Spain and Portugal, covering Duende, Feudo Bruixes, and Moradia Moura. She had come highly recommended by Winthrope, and her diverse connections made her a perfect choice to help with the Hogwarts restructuring.

The board met weekly – a far cry from the semi-yearly meetings of the past – to cover all kinds of concerns with the Heirs. The board members were appointed as ambassadors, as such, and helped to facilitate the new changes, such as meeting with muggleborn families, organizing the parents’ weekends, and working with the ministry testers to overhaul the OWL and NEWT exams. They also functioned as a first line of contact for parents with questions and grievances, dealing with them in place of the heirs. It saved Harry, Neville, and Hermione from dozens, if not hundreds, of short meetings with parents like those they had suffered in their first few weeks.

Sirius, Ogrestone, Ms. Thomas, and Mrs. Diggle were also formed into a sub-committee to deal with Dumbledore’s tuition shenanigans. Diggle was a muggleborn, married to a half-blood, who had kept in close contact with her muggle relatives. She was excellent at relating the two worlds to each other and explaining things clearly to both sides. As a muggle, and more importantly a manager in a police office, Mary Thomas very good at finding the muggle families who had been unable to afford Hogwarts, while Sirius’s own experience with Wizarding injustice made the trio uniquely suited to work with the Goblin on sorting out that mess.

Five families were immediately contacted – those whose children should have been first or second years this year. Arrangements were made, and all seven students were quickly brought to Hogwarts. While the four second years would be behind their peers in the magical subjects, they would be far ahead of them in the new, muggle, classes. The Heirs hoped that the new students could find some friends willing to help them out for a little reciprocity.

Another sub-committee was formed, consisting of Madam Krum, Professor Greenbriar, Elsabeth Finch-Fletchley, and Amos Diggory, which was tasked with dealing with the testing changes. Hermione was more than happy to turn that fight over to them, supplying input from the Heirs and teachers as needed, but able to avoid the stubborn ministry testers.

Harry and Neville were focused on their respective sides of making Hogwarts self-sufficient, and had turned the corner around Halloween. Hogwarts no longer imported anything but drinks, condiments, and a few rarer delicacies for special occasions. The larger upfront cost had been well worth it, as their monthly expenditure almost immediately dropped to practically nothing.

Harry also assisted with the swimming and Mermish lessons, as well as the lakelore club, though Kesa was getting much better at English. He estimated that by the next school year he wouldn’t be needed to translate at all. Her enchanted mirror was also used when it was just too cold for the Mermish and Lakelore lessons to be held outside, while the pool inside the sport center was used for the swimming classes.

Kesa had also been teaching several of the other merfolk English just as she taught Mermish to the students, and Harry envisioned lively conversation springing up under the lake very soon. Several students were throwing themselves into the magical language classes, and Harry suspected that they, like himself, had passive magic in that area.

Neville spent a lot of time with his parents, making up for the lost years, but never neglected the school. Soon there was almost as much greenery inside as outside, the various fields and orchards had been warded for the winter, and he had made a map of important plants in the forest that were both handy and close to the castle for the students to pick.

The forest was another of Harry’s pet projects, and by Halloween it too had been cleared of anything that could harm the students. Essa had a nice stockpile of acromantula under a stasis charm that Harry had placed; enough to feed her for several years. Teachers were now encouraged to take the students into the forest as classes and clubs progressed.

Madam Bones had quickly given up on Veritaserum and switched to forceful memory withdrawal on Dumbledore. She managed to obtain all of the relevant memories from Dumbledore by the end of September, and the Goblins had spent the next month tracking down the rightful owners or heirs of the many items he had stolen. Harry and Neville had each received quite the haul, as had many other families at the school. Once those items were returned, the Goblins had liquidated the rest and finished paying out restitutions. Others found guilty of bribery or similar backroom shenanigans were also forced to make reimbursements to those they had harmed. Several prominent families had been paupered over the scandal, including Dumbledore, Fudge, Umbridge, Bode, and Gibbons.

Many others were furious about losing their tuition discounts, but the heirs managed to pass those complaints off to the board. Madam Longbottom was always willing to go show them the error of their ways. Without offering such hefty discounts to the rich old pureblood families that Dumbledore had favored, the tuition vault increased substantially; even with the “discounts” to those muggleborn who had been overcharged. At Hermione’s insistence, the tuition price and the rules for discounts would be printed in all future Hogwarts literature for prospective students.

Madam Bones did a little research and directed the trio to the legal firm of Macmillan, Turpin, and Entwistle, who had served both the Longbottom and Potter families for generations. Eugenia Turpin had, in fact, been the Potter family Solicitor for Harry’s parents, until Dumbledore had had her fired while working as Harry’s “guardian.” The firm, working with Sirius and Madam Longbottom, began building a number of court cases in the trio’s name. While the goblins and the DMLE were going after Death Eaters and those involved in Dumbledore’s bribery scandals, there were several other cases the trio wanted pursued.

First, the Dursleys were on the chopping block for their horrible mistreatment of Harry as a child. Two Assistant Healers at St. Mungo’s had been implicated in the continued incapacitation of the Longbottoms, and Augusta and Neville wanted the book thrown at them. Harry also had Mrs. Turpin go after anyone who had written books about him or used his name to promote their goods; a long list over the past ten years. Then there were those who had claimed his family home for the Ministry, or who had “sold” land in Hogsmeade.

With her tough stance on crime wiping out many political opponents, and the backing of the three Heirs, Madam Bones easily won the official election for Minister of Magic. Once she was confirmed as Minister, Madam Bones and her new DMLE head, Auror Scrimgeour, were kept busy in the courts for most of the fall. Dumbledore and Fudge both had prominent trials, as did several Ministry members accused of bribery. Most of the remaining “former” Death Eaters who had not been caught in the initial sweep at Hogwarts had been hunted down, and trials were scheduled to begin in the new year. Of course, as soon as those were concluded, MacMillan, Turpin, and Entwhistle had an avalanche of cases pending for them. It was going to be a busy year for the courts.

Things had been no less busy inside the school. After the first dozen students were pulled from Hogwarts and enrolled in other schools, no other families followed. Since all of the students had already been suspended, and since all were the children of “former” Death Eaters, frankly the Heirs were glad to be rid of them.

The initial cascade of punishments had also slowed by Halloween, as those older students who were used to the former system eventually learned to adapt to the new Hogwarts. Gryffindors found they could no longer pick on younger Slytherins for being “filthy snakes.” And without Snape covering their tracks, Dumbledore looking the other way, and most teachers having their hands tied in the name of “staff unity,” the Slytherins found that their own bullying and name-calling would be quickly found out and harshly punished. Words like mudblood and squib were no longer acceptable language at Hogwarts, much to the surprise of all four Houses. All three heirs had been bullied when they were younger, and they had no tolerance for it in their home. With the paintings and ghosts reporting to the Headmaster and heirs, and even Hogwarts herself speaking through the Sorting Hat, very little escaped notice or punishment.

While those upheavals were happening, all three heirs were also finding a few spare minutes to work on their pet projects. Neville was working on de-stigmatizing the idea of taking more than seven years at Hogwarts, for those who wanted to study further. Hermione was working on fair treatment rights for House Elves, with a goal to eventually seeing their race return to the powerful, unshackled freedom they had once known.

Harry was working on a sensor array to detect passive magic. He was determined to prevent those children from being seen as squibs or simple muggles. He had a suspicion that the parents and siblings of several muggleborns would actually display passive magic, just as Neville did. He just couldn’t understand how, as strong a witch as his mother was, her sister had no magical ability whatsoever. As a ghost, Helena was bound to Hogwarts and so unable to read his aunt’s aura. However, she knew of a young girl with the same power as her, and Harry had made plans to borrow Professor Lovegood’s niece Luna over the Christmas Hols for a quick trip to Surrey. Knowing if his aunt or cousin had passive magic would give him excellent guinea pigs for his sensor array.

Of course, each of their pet projects were going to be years in the making, but slowly but surely some of the other things they were working on were going to be turned over to other hands. The Parent-Teacher board would be handling the new testing system, the teaching staff would be the leaders in curriculum changes, the Headmaster and the rest of his administrative team would run the school, and the various specialty elves they had bought would keep Hogwarts sustainably fed and maintain the grounds and new sport areas, while training some of the existing elves to assist them. The heirs might have provided the kick in the trousers to start everything, but they had surrounded themselves with experts to carry on their visions.

That said, Harry was still looking forward to relaxing a little over the Holidays.

Ten years to the day after he first stepped foot onto the Hogwarts Express, Harry found himself sitting alone at the Heirs’ table, looking out over the Great Hall. In some ways, it still looked the same as it had ten years ago, and the same as it had over a millennia ago. Of course in many more ways it was completely different, and not just from twelve hundred years of smoke and grime accumulating. More shocking, however, were the changes of the last decade.

Waiting for Hermione and Neville to join him for breakfast before welcoming the students back, Harry took the time to reminisce.

They had finally implemented a system where students learned at their own pace; instead of classes being divided by year, they were divided by skill level. So a first-year student with a Potion Master or Healer for a parent would not be stuck in Year 1 Potions Class if they were already at a Year 3 skill level. All new students would take basic entrance placement exams and then be assigned into the class that fit them the best.

This choice had been largely approved by Purebloods, as they assumed that their children – surrounded by magic since birth – would quickly advance above their muggleborn counterparts. Of course, in the muggle-based classes, the opposite was true, and the language classes were a mixed bag.

However, the change had been crucial for the biggest upheaval that the Heirs had made – expanding the age range of the students. Potential students now received their Letters at age eight, and could begin as a day student the following September. Students born before November of that year, such as Hermione and other September and October babies, were also eligible, provided they could keep up in the classes. At twelve (or eleven for the fall babies) students switched to boarding full time. Students were eligible to live “off-site” at seventeen, and could continue to study until they turned nineteen. The more studiously inclined could then apply for Mastery studies – the magical equivalent of University.

Because of the placement testing, a class of students could have a wide age-range, but very similar skill levels. The new class system had helped to break down the barriers of year and age, and with the abolishment of the House system, tensions within the school were at an all time low. There were still friendly rivalries out on the various sports fields, and within the dueling and fencing clubs, but these were mild, unlike the hateful language and flying curses of before. The mandatory physical education classes and numerous physically active clubs meant that the students were also in better shape than before; a boon to those looking for careers in physical jobs such as law enforcement, professional sport, and creature wrangling.

After the OWL committee’s decision to delay the OWLs for the first batch of fourth and fifth years at the new Hogwarts, the three Heirs had quickly jumped on the precedent. Now, when a professor agreed that a student was ready, they could sit their OWL, as long as they were fourteen or older. Similarly, students only had to be sixteen to begin taking NEWTs. So a student could sit their first two OWLs at fourteen, then two more the next year, and then finish their OWLs and begin on their first two NEWTs at sixteen. This reduced the pressure on students, allowing them to progress faster in the courses where their talents lay, and take their time on those that they needed more work on.

The trio of Heirs had been the poster children for the new system, taking their OWLs in their own specialties as soon as they were able. By the end of Hermione’s third year, she had her OWLs in Maths, History, Transfiguration, Arithmancy, and Potions. Neville followed her a year later with OWLs in Herbology, Potions, Science, Defense, and French. At the same time, Harry passed his OWLs in Creatures, Defense, Science, and the languages of the Goblins and Merfolk. Of course, the fact that he had been one of the main writers of the Mermish OWL was less a sign of him cheating and more a sign that he was already at NEWT level there.

As soon as their OWLs were passed, the trio continued with their NEWT studies, but each also picked up other OWL classes. Hermione added Charms, French, Literature, Defense, Astronomy, and Runes; Neville added Maths, Runes, and Creatures; and Harry added Spanish, German, Transfiguration, Herbology, and Potions. As the three explained to anyone who doubted, by working at their own pace, and building upon foundational classes such as maths for Arithmancy and science, herbology, and creatures for potions, any student could achieve the same. And of course competent teachers and an environment conducive to learning were also key.

Soon other students were following in their footsteps, and some of the students who had been in their NEWT years when the Heirs took over even stuck around or returned for a few more classes. It meant that graduates were taking slightly longer to enter the workforce, but were also entering it far more prepared than ever before. The DMLE and St. Mungo’s saw an immediate increase in applicants, and others soon followed.

Of course, as soon as Harry passed his first NEWT, Sirius cheerfully declared that he was an adult. When Harry pointed out that, as Earl Slytherin, he had been an adult since he was eleven, the Marauder’s face had fallen. When Sirius then pointed out that, with a NEWT, Harry no longer needed to attend school, the young boy had scoffed and gone back to take the offered NEWT classes in Healing, Wards, Weapony, Finance, and Government, while also starting up the OWL level classes for Chinese and Greek. All three Heirs firmly believed that one never stopped learning, just as the Founders had taught them, and under their guidance, that philosophy bloomed again at Hogwarts.

Hermione’s quest for Elven rights had made steady progress over the last ten years, helped along by a new generation of elves born at Hogwarts who were living their whole lives as free beings. She was by no means done, but she was also no longer the only one fighting that crusade.

Harry’s passive magic sensor array had finally been completed and installed five years ago, with receivers and antennae at strategic points around the Isles. Instead of detecting bursts of accidental active magic, as the old Ministry sensors did, these detected the magic within the genes of a person. Those with dominant magic genes would ping the sensors, receiving a magical tracking tag in return.

The tracking tags were displayed on a large map in the Ministry’s reformed Department for Underage Magic. Once a tag was created, department personnel tracked it down and identified the individual it was attached to. A dossier was created on each magical individual, which was added to as time passed. The families were contacted as soon as a magical child was identified, and they received a Wizarding Mentor. This person helped them deal with bouts of accidental active magic, identifying passive magic, and anything else they needed from the magical world.

As both children and parents learned how to deal with their active magic, accidental outbursts decreased, and the statute of secrecy actually became easier to maintain. Much to the surprise of everyone but the Heirs, Luna Lovegood, and Helena, the tracking system identified many magical beings who were not children. These were the muggleborns who had been unable to afford Dumbledore’s Hogwarts, so-called squibs with passive magic, and many apparently muggle relatives of muggle-borns who had passive magic.

Thanks to Luna, Harry had been proven right; his Aunt Petunia had self-healing, animagus, language, and spectral magics – all passive. Even more surprising was that Dudley also had all but the self-healing. It was a very smug Harry who found his former family and informed them of their own freakishness.

Most of the others, however, were eager to explore their magical side. And thanks to the age-barriers that Neville had fought to dissolve at Hogwarts, no one objected to these older students. For their own comfort, however, the adults were taught at a newly established “Lily Potter Adjunct School” in Hogsmeade. Offering classes at night and on weekends for those who worked, it was a place for adults to study their newly discovered passive magics. Even many living in the wizarding world took advantage of the sensors Harry and Luna had developed to discover their own passive abilities.

Hogsmeade had thrived, coming to resemble the bustling village of the past that the trio fondly remembered. Several teachers at the Lily Potter school had moved there, bringing their families along. A few other families of the Hogwarts’ professors had also moved in. Another pub and café sprang up to deal with the increased load from the students. Now that the electronics ward was gone, the family of muggleborn Stephen Cornfoot had expanded their electronics chain to a branch in Hogsmeade, which the students eagerly visited. A dozen other shops sprung up to support the burgeoning community, including a student-staffed stall where they could sell extra produce and preserves from Hogwarts. It was part of the Heirs’ internship push, and students could work there for business experience and a little pocket money.

Returning to a fully supporting partnership with the school saw Hogsmeade’s popularity rise with renters, too, and several recent graduates chose to leave the nest and take up a flat in the village. The promise of the same wards that kept Hogwarts safe from Dark Wizards was also a draw; soon it was just as populated as Diagon Alley and Godric’s Hollow.

Not that safety was as big of a concern as it had been during the last war; though it would have been had the heirs not inadvertently prevented a second one during their first two years at Hogwarts.

When the Curse Breakers were going through the dark items that had been picked up in the initial sweep of the castle, they discovered a piece that matched the signature from the possessed Quirrell and the DADA curse. When another sprang up at Gringotts during the reappropriation of the Malfoy fortune, the Goblins started to hunt for more. Their Curse Breakers looked through every Death Eater vault and house, finding another in the Lestrange vault, one amongst Regulus’ things at the Black House, and a third at the Gaunt shack, home of Riddle’s mother. Despite searching the length and breadth of the Isles, the Goblins could not find more than those five.

Helena was able to identify them as horcruxes, like the one that had been removed from Harry’s scar, and between her and Hermione they were able to cleanse the items. Interestingly, as soon as they finished, the spirit of Voldemort trapped in St. Mungo’s shrieked in pain and dissolved. A check of the few Death Eaters left alive in Azkaban revealed that their Dark Marks had disappeared, leaving large scars.

This was quietly celebrated by those in the know as the second defeat of Voldemort. None of them were aware of the fact that, three years later, during a routine check, an Unspeakable discovered a darkened orb in aisle 97 of the prophecy room and filed it as “filled.”

The parents of muggleborns embraced the changes at Hogwarts. Parent-Teacher Boards, regular reports, Parent-Teacher conferences, and Advisors were concepts that they were used to, and they dragged the Pureblood families along for the ride. They were also thrilled with the parent weekends once a month that let them see this foreign world their children had entered.

The idea of starting as day students also appealed to the parents of the younger children. Those who had older students at Hogwarts often proclaimed how wonderful it would have been to have seen their children more frequently, instead of being told their child was magical and then having them whisked away to an inaccessible boarding school a month later.

As the students acclimated to the changes, they began to spread them outside of Hogwarts. By the fifth year of the Heir’s rule, Wizarding Cricket, Football, and Rugby leagues had sprung up. There were only a handful of teams in each league, and their fanbase was miniscule compared to Quidditch, but it was a start. And of course a new store sprung up in Hogsmeade to sell supplies, team gear, and souvenirs. Hogwarts volunteered their fields for the first two years, but dedicated players soon built their own. Five years on, and there were now almost a dozen teams in each league.

Muggle astronomy was light-years – as Harry often joked – ahead of wizarding astronomy, and as soon as that was realized, students immediately sought out the Professor in charge of internships to ask about working for NASA. As it turned out, the Russian program was easier to access, thanks to a half-blood Durmstrang student with a family connection. One tour and look through their powerful telescopes had Sinistra swooning.

She requested – and received – a summer sabbatical to learn everything the muggles knew about her topic. Within two years, Hogwarts had some of the most advanced OWL and NEWT Astronomy students in the world – second only to those at Hawaii’s Kilokilokula, who had long collaborated with their muggle counterparts.

This advance was proudly touted in the next year’s prospective student brochure at Hogwarts. They were also near the top of the pack for sustainability and integrated potions/herbology/creatures studies, thanks to the work of Harry and Neville. Between the lake, the forest, and the ability of Harry and Hagrid to speak to or tame just about any creature they encountered, Hogwarts quickly gained footing as a premier school to study plants or creatures. As a byproduct, their potions students had access to ingredients that other schools simply couldn’t afford, and their OWL and NEWT scores soared. With Snape gone and competent teachers in place, plus the science class priming the students, Hogwarts was finally becoming as wonderful a school as Dumbledore had advertised.

The IWC’s frank review of Dumbledore’s reign, based on test scores and interviews with recent graduates, was extremely unflattering and widely published. Their review of Hogwarts in the Heirs’ fifth year was brutally honest, as they requested. The school’s faults were laid bare, but the improvements were also clearly stated. As promised, the trio hid none of it; sending a copy to every family with a student at Hogwarts, and including it in the prospective student pamphlets the next year.

They pointed out that if you wanted to play Quidditch on the national scene, Ireland was a better choice, as the variety of sports at Hogwarts meant that students were less likely to go Pro at Quidditch. Hogwarts was also lagging behind in both their Muggle and Magical literature and History classes, having started from so far behind in those areas. Their Charms and Transfiguration scores had always been decent, so those areas hadn’t faced the rigorous focus of the Heirs when they took over. As such, those areas now lagged slightly behind compared to the booming potions, creatures, and herbology scores. It was an honest assessment, and the trio were completely transparent about it.

And the parents who supported them loved them all the more for it, while those who hated their changes viewed the report with grudging respect and acceptance.

By the ten year mark, Hogwarts was again a force to be reckoned with in the scholastic world, and her main competitors in Europe and the Isles had seen their own programs improve in the effort to keep up. Still, Harry, Hermione, and Neville kept pushing forward.

Both boys had stopped studying after eight years at Hogwarts (not counting the four years they had spent in the past), and had moved on to other projects, though still keeping close to their home at Hogwarts. Hermione, however, seemed determined to be a student forever, though the boys were trying to convince her to transition to the Lily Potter Adjunct School in Hogsmeade. After all, Harry had teased, it wouldn’t do for her to still be taking classes at Hogwarts when her own children attended.

Harry was now pursuing his interests in healing at St. Mungo’s, eventually intending to go into the research division. He had immensely enjoyed continuing his Healing education from Healers Pomfrey and Tonks at Hogwarts, and he found that Helena had been right that his magic was inclined towards that branch of study. His abilities to talk to creatures, as well as his time studying in the past had left him knowing cures and treatments that had been lost through the ages, causing modern healers to hail him as a genius.

He had also made it a point to study muggle medicine, as they had made so many advancements that wizards were completely ignorant of. True, pepper-up potion was essentially the cure for the common cold, and he could market it as such if he could find a way to get rid of the steam-from-the-ears effect. But magicals didn’t even know what CPR was! When someone died, they were dead forever, as far as magicals were concerned. Healer Tonks was all set to call Harry a miracle-worker after he had brought back a grandparent who had an allergic reaction during a parent’s weekend. Only her husband’s insistence that even muggles could do what Harry had done had stopped the demi-god talk.

In addition to Muggle methods, Harry had several ideas about incorporating snake venom into healing potions, and his dolphin friends had also found him some interesting plants from the bottom of the ocean. All told he figured he could happily spend the rest of his days that way. When he wasn’t back visiting Hogwarts, of course.

Neville, on the other hand, had chosen to become a professional dueler, though Professor Sprout was trying to entice him to replace her when she retired. After being enthralled by stories from Headmaster Flitwick of his dueling days, and after seeing how powerful his charms, battle magic, and transfigurations were, Neville had been drawn in like a moth to a flame. In the last two years since graduating, he had traveled the globe, following the professional circuit and learning from any master dueler who would teach him.

It amused the trio that anyone introduced to eleven year old Harry, the defeater of Voldemort, and Neville, the apparent squib, wouldn’t believe which one of them was becoming the professional dueler.

Hermione, meanwhile, couldn’t decide what she wanted to do with her life, other than achieving House Elf rights and possibly becoming the first Muggleborn Minister of Magic. Harry and Neville had no doubts that she would manage both, and eventually go on to become the Hogwarts Headmistress. Their beliefs were obliquely confirmed by the seers Helena and Luna, though all four unanimously agreed not to tell Hermione herself.

And now, ten years had passed. Harry looked around the hall, observing the clean round tables, the gleaming armor, the neat banners and tapestries. They had finally returned Hogwarts to the school the Founders had intended it to be. They were not finished with it, and they were certainly not finished with the rest of the wizarding world, but they were getting there.

A pop saw the Sorting Hat on its stool appear in its usual place at the Trio’s table, and Harry smiled at it. “You have indeed fulfilled my wishes from that night,” the Hat’s Hogwarts voice said. “Beyond my wildest dreams.”

“Obviously you need to dream bigger, like Hermione,” Harry teased.

The Hat harrumphed in its own voice. “Thank goodness I didn’t have to sort her. The Slytherin House of that day would have been appalled to receive a muggleborn. Between the two of you, Snape probably would have keeled over then and there.”

They both chuckled at that image. Though Harry hadn’t known Snape, he had heard enough at the various trials ten years ago to know that the Hat’s description was completely accurate.

“Here’s to your last ten years,” Hogwarts said, reclaiming the hat, as a goblet of pumpkin juice appeared at Harry’s elbow.

Grabbing the glass, Harry raised it in toast to the school. “And here’s to the next hundred.”