FicWad

Outside the mainstream of fanfiction cannon





Harry sat on the Hogwarts' train in a daze. The last 4 weeks had passed at a lightening pace. He still didn't have all the memories from his Voldemort possessed years back. He knew the healers told him he had a piece of Riddle's memories too, but he did not access to those.



The long term effect of the ritual magic he had dabbled in for the past 4 weeks was unknown. The book said he could use the magic safely, but it seems that the depth of ritual magic laid dormant for some time in this magic world. The healers said he had stumbled upon Druid rituals which had been lost to the ages. They had no direct experience with it.



Harry took risks that he felt like would be necessary for his future. He was surprised that magicals didn't have a scientific method for long term ritual magic use. If they taught transfiguration, charms, and the rest; did they have standards for that field of magic? He wondered whether he was up to the task of researching every ritual he had done. If it work for the druid people and their society lasted for ages before this wizard community had taken form, Harry figured it could work for him. He was committed to doing in the future.



Harry was proud when he went to Surrey High and withdrawn himself from the local schools in favor of a muggle Scottish school, East End Primary. He had first obtained the forms his guardians needed to fill out to complete the transfer, asked Rancor for assistance, and taken the completed forms back to the Surrey school authorites. To complete the muggle transfer between schools, Harry sought adult magicals and goblins who could direct him to a mixed magical-muggle school arrangement. Both groups recommended Arthur Weasley for muggle business. His ministry department extended far beyond its intended scope. He found Mr. Weasley was agreat source of a variety of information.



Regardless of how magicals practiced magic, he decided he would incorporate some muggle principles of observation, practice, and repetition in results before he deemed it all safe. After reading and re-reading all the summer Diagon Alley books he received, he thought the rituals needed advanced math and science to function safely. He noted that Hogwarts offered the magical equivalent of math and science---the origin of magic and the nature of the ritualistic symbols through runes and arithmancy---but Harry knew his Rosier inheritance was determined at age 15. If he had to wait at Hogwarts until he was 13 to start taking arithmancy, he might miss the inheritance window his grandmother mentioned in the Dursley ritual.



The muggle math and scientific method might make Harry functional enough to understand the difference he noticed between the justice ritual. His two different experiences with the justice ritual showed him that their needed to be some sort standards or controls when he practiced this magic. He was willing to participate in the justice ritual repeatedly so he could establish a baseline for ritual magic, but he figured he should study the scientific or magic research method first.



He already had questions about the whole thing. Why did his magic combine with the dwarves and goblins so he could uncover the Riddle leech? Why didn't the Dursley ritual uncover Riddle? Why did magic bring the deceased family to help judge the current family and not for Riddle's judgement? Why didn't the pregnant Riddle piece communicate with whatever was left of Voldemort the night since Riddle killed his mum and dad?



He figured some unknowns were unknowable, but if he was going to extend the magic involved in the ritual like Healer Tonks indicated---he needed to know what he didn't know for reliable results. In fact if magicals just wanted magic to work and didn't care about the details, then he would have to do all the work himself. He might be able to make a career out of finding out why or knowing how far to push what wasn't known. Mr. Weasley had been a great help when he discussed all the ways magicals had enchanted muggle goods to operate for magical purposes. Maybe the rituals he had could work in a broader context? The possibilities were mind bending.



Harry had learned from Asgard Potter that he would be the sole provider for his family's well-being. He was going to enjoy his time at Hogwarts in ways he had never been able to relax and enjoy school with Dudley, but he also had nine maybe ten months to figure out how he raise the Hemlot heirs.



He had a faint notion of Mary Poppins acting as governess for his children or a midwife who could wet nurse a baby until they were weaned. Since he didn’t know what to do about all of this, he figured he’d find out as he moved forward. He had even found a magical version of the old lady who lived in the shoe where she decided to use a ritual to manage the needs of so many different children. The good news was Ced would be in a similar situation as Harry. With all the MacKenzie heirs he was responsible for the providing Ian, Ced and his fiancé would have plenty to manage while they attended Hogwarts. Harry was sure Cedric and he could find a way to keep their children with them and go to school at the same time.





A blond chubby boy came into his compartment looking for a toad. He invited the kid, Neville, to sit with him. He had noticed this charm in his supplemental quiwk spell grade 4 book.



“Neville, can you tell from this book how to perform this spell?”



“I thought these spells were for squibs, Harry. Why do you have squib books?”



“What difference does it make if it works? A squib in my neighborhood, Ms. Figg, told me that she was able to get these spells to work for her. She said they work because the reader just has to get the movements right to exercise the spells.



Ms. Figg told me this company, Qwik Starts, used formalized ritual magic to draw out ambient magic to power spells. Ms. Figg said these were the same movements we, magicals, use in our spells except we did not have to rely on our magic cores. She told me purebloods had left squibs to fend for themselves in the muggle world and looked down on qwik spells because our magic cores didn’t have to be engaged. We don’t have to use our wands for these.”



“So squibs can use ambient magic for spells?”



“Yes. Don’t you know any squibs?”



“Let’s find Trevor, my toad. Then, I will give you the history of magical politics and squibs.”



The animated book demonstrated the motion needed and spell pronunciation. They both used their entire arm to create the movements. Neville called out the accio spell for Trevor. After a few moments, the toad floated into the cabin. Neville smiled broadly.



“All this time I thought I was a squib. I dreaded what would happen to me if my family found out. I had no idea magic could be put to use without engaging my core. My life would have been so much easier.”



“It still can. I plan to use these qwik spells to work through Hogwarts curriculum. They have a set to match each area. If I continue to use these, I won’t have to depend on my wand. If I can learn it both ways, why not do it? You never know what you may need.”



“I see your point. My grandmum only allows me a certain amount of spending money. I can’t purchase these books for myself. Would you be willing to share your books with me?”



“Depends.”



“Tell me what it depends on.”



Harry extended his hand to Neville. “Do you want to be friends?”



Neville grinned. He took Harry’s hand. “Sure, it is a deal.”



Harry and Neville spent an hour talking and getting to know a little more about each other. As their conversation winded down, a table filled with food appeared next to the door. A house elf told them that Lady Hogwarts wanted each student to be fed and given a handbook of the school rules and student privileges on the trip. In an hour, the house elf would return to clear away the food and take any questions to the heads of house waiting on the platform.



After Harry and Neville read the handbook, they saw a schedule of course descriptions at the end of the handbook. The handbook directions requested that each student indicate their level of interest and turn their handbook over to the elf when he returned. Harry conferred with Neville on what sounded best to him in the handbook. They decided they would stick to the same courses and express the same level of interest.



When the house elf returned for the platter, Neville asked him whether first years would take a new series of classes this fall. The house elf said the new courses were offered by new schools. Each student could audit classes at these schools. The classes would take place throughout the year and would be scheduled at odd times throughout the year. The house elf asked Harry and Neville to write down all their questions before he returned to the castle so the heads of houses knew how much they had to explain.





Across the country, Arthur wrestled with his own set of new options. Arthur had successfully sent all of his children to school. Ginny was being tutored this week so she could blend in with her cohort next week. Arthur decided his underling, Perkins, could take over managing the active casework in his ministry office. Arthur would use his talents on some of the passive magic he had created in his shed.



The ministry owed Arthur for his work as an unspeakable in the last blood war. He called in some favors so he could take up his position as department head for muggle items. The only people who he reported to directly was Madam Bones, the Head of Law Enforcement, and Minister Fudge. The minister had no use for what he did or created as Fudge thought Arthur was beneath his notice.



Arthur approached Madam Bones about working off site with Perkins left in the visible role for his department. He told her that he was going to follow Gale MacKenzie’s example. His department had the muggle mandate and little to no appreciation. He would work from home, return to the ministry for staff or Wizengamot meetings, and trade off active investigations for particular device research. Madam Bones knew he would still honor their original agreement he had made when he transferred to his department.



He let Madam Bones know that he was thinking about switching to an inactive status for law enforcement like Head Auror Alaster Moody. If Perkins had problems training new people, Arthur Weasley would step in. Otherwise, Arthur thought this was a good way to start a business using enchanted muggle devices.



His conversation with Harry Potter about gaining a muggle education appealed to him. Arthur Weasley had a hazy business plan for manufacturing charmed cars. He might be able to get a waiver like broom makers received to enchant broomsticks. Stan Shunpike took about a year to get clearance to create the Knight Bus. Arthur figured he could market enchanted cars to Muggleborns. He had his Ford Aguilera as his prototype for ministry approval. He needed to come up with a line of big ticket projects which could sustain his children as they completed school, bring his curiosity and zest for muggle ingenuity together with his need to discover new things, and give him a nest egg for the future.



If Molly returned home within the year, Arthur doubted she would know what to say about all the changes he was instituting. He never expected to stick with the ministry for as long as he did. Molly always told him his ministry job gave their family stability. In some ways, it had. Arthur was interested in reaching for the things that made him happy and made his work mean something. Arthur would use the time given him to reach as far and as wide as his imagination took him. If this business venture didn’t work, he’d return to work in his department. If it did work, he would look forward to making his ministry career a distant memory.





Percy Weasley was on a different path completely. He thought he would love to work for the ministry. He had completed his first step in gaining a good position within the power elite. He was a fifth year prefect. The twins teased him about having the honor of gaining extra responsibilities, but they didn’t appreciate the level of extra privileges prefects earned. They would gain leadership and management training for prefects within the school, but the school administration also brought in external trainers for managing ministry departments or organizing prefect’s start up businesses. If he could seek out a competent master, he could directly apprentice to gain these skills.



As a Weasley, he could not afford an apprenticeship. He would have to work as soon as he left Hogwarts. If he was lucky, he might be able to find a business to work through each summer. Being a prefect was his one path to gaining the exposure to the trainers and access to their ministry contacts. Without George and Fred at Hogwarts, he might be able to find like minded Gryffindors without the ridicule the twins inspired.



The candy lady knocked on the prefects’ carriage to offer her wares during the prefect meeting. The train ride had been nicer this year than Percy’s other four years combined. The handbooks being given out to the rest of the student body was new. He also was surprised when the elves offered them lunch midway during the trip. Someone must have told the Headmaster that a 6 hour train trip without a solid meal didn’t make too much sense for school children. Percy was content overall. There had been no problems so far on this journey.



Oliver Wood was the only friend he had made in Gryffindor. Oliver also had a singular focus. He devoted his time and energy in researching all the players who could give him access to a professional quidditch team. He could quote team statistics by heart. Oliver took the time to gather details on draft picks. The information he gained normally stood outside of publicly released documents. Oliver understood exactly what it would take to gain entry to the professional world and be on the inside.



Ultimately, Percy just wanted to be a part of something bigger than him and be accepted for who he was. His desire to be on the inside is what drove him to do all that he did. Hopefully, one day he’d wake up and finally be on the inside. He wanted that kind of camaraderie more than anything.





Albus, on the other hand, needed his insiders to recommend a better future course. Grindelwald and his brother, Aberforth, were the only ones who knew him through all the twists and turns of his life. Albus had sought them both out when he realized just how different his school year would be. The group met at the Alberforth’s bar, the Hog’s Head.



“I’ve called you both here today because I have lost sight of the greater good. Lady Hogwarts has announced her presence to some of the staff. She has rededicated herself to the goals of the Founders. She has taken over administrative functions and has directed our steps toward fulfilling that vision. As a young headmaster, I believed in their vision of a larger wizarding community, set apart from the muggle wars. This sentient castle has updated those ideals and has taken steps to make it happen.



I don’t know how to implement my plans to educate Harry to defeat what’s left of Riddle and how to fulfill the mission here at Hogwarts. I am on the cusp of my life’s work being completed, but here I am being forced to manage Harry. I kept him safe from death eaters for over 10 years. Now, I think Harry’s presence at Hogwarts will pull my attention away from that same greater good. What can I do?”



Grindelwald was the first to respond. “Albus, you are a grey lord. You fight your nature too much.



You stopped me from meeting my goals 50 years ago. You pulled me back from the abyss. You gave me the opportunity to set right what I tore down. I have faithfully served humanity all these years.



I never stopped wanting a wizarding world which lived in the open. We shouldn’t have to hide who we are so the muggle masses don’t overtake us. I did it wrong the first time. I am doing it better now.



Your day in the limelight as the mover and shaker is coming to a close. Harry is the next white wizard. In time, he will begin to grey as you did. Let your light diminish so he can take up the mantle. Find a mentor for the boy. He will find his way as you found yours. Give him guidance when he needs it or when he asks for it.



Let us spend our twilight years together. There is plenty of work for us to do in the background. After over hundred years of public service, isn’t now the time to let Minerva take the reigns at Hogwarts?”



Dumbledore was startled. “Can I really quit and let it all go?”



Aberforth responded. “Yes, you can retire. You can retain an emeritus headmaster position. Minerva can become the active headmistress while you protect Harry for the next seven years by remaining at the castle.



You can work at passing on the Dumbledore legacy to an heir. You can do a blood adoption and give them the rich inheritance our family gave us. As Gellert says, you don’t have to be the only one slaving away, mentoring Harry, running Hogwarts, fighting the ministry, and single handedly preserving what is best for British magicals here and abroad.



You do love all your jobs, but they ask for more than you can give. You initially started out as a teacher. Why not return to your first love on a one on one basis? Get your affairs in order and be available to answer any and all questions your empowered associates have for you. You will then know if your work amongst these various jobs will live beyond you. Pull back.”



“Gellert, what will our life together be like? We haven’t been in a relationship for over 60 years.



Aberforth, what is the Dumbledore legacy at this point? What could we possibly pass on?”