Knowing what to look for, Dan could clearly see Harry and Hermione were discussing this problem over heir bond. This was exactly what Dan had meant earlier, the adults were standing back and looking to these two teens for answers. It was time to offer them some help.
"It's now crystal clear to Emma and me that neither of us can return to our old lives anytime soon, if at all. Both of us have a range of skills that can help here, and neither of us is the type to sit about and do nothing for long. If we can take over a lot of the administration details, that would free the staff up to work on these new courses. Sirius should be available for advice on anything magical that we need help with."
A smiling Emma took Dan's arm, displaying her obvious support of her husband's idea. Harry pounced on their offered help like a starving man at a feast.
"That would be brilliant. Minerva will soon be contacting the new first years we hope to entice to come here. If you can check the muggle-born addresses and find a central city, then we can book a hotel with conference facilities to have a meeting. If that were to be in place before her visit, they could personally be invited along. For all muggle-born students, we can supply them with rail tickets and at least one night stay in the hotel."
Pomona and Minerva's initial reactions were rather muted to Dan's offer, feeling the Grangers were encroaching on their turf, that was before hearing Harry's plans though. Neither witch would have a clue how to arrange what the Grangers were already nodding in agreement with. Asking about phone lines and internet access also left both of the witches floundering too.
Hermione of course picked up on this and offered reassurance all around. "When that story breaks in the Quibbler tomorrow, there will be more than enough work to go around. Headmistress, how would you feel about having a couple of muggles teaching Muggle Studies?"
She barely had time to watch Pomona's face light up with a wide smile before her view was blocked by a delighted Harry kissing her. Feeling her parents arms wrap around both of them too gave Hermione a feeling of happiness that was worthy of generating a patronus.
Emma summed it up for all three Grangers. "I've got my daughter back, my husband at my side and we're going to work for our future son-in-law - that sounds like a plan to me. Keeping our family close is going to be the new Granger mantra."
Thinking of taking their intake discussion a stage further, Harry asked Dobby if he could get the twins to pop in. A bewildered Fred and George were then hit with a totally unexpected question from Harry.
"Guys, how do you think you did in your OWL's?"
Being nervous was a new look for the twins, one that didn't suit them. That nervousness didn't interrupt their ping-pong style of communication however, with each still flawlessly finishing the other's sentences.
"Well you see…"
"It's a bit complicated…"
"Mum is determined we're going to work in the Ministry…"
"Fred and I have other plans…"
"You can't work in the ministry without good grades…"
"Mum will be upset at us but we're well used to that…."
"It will put an end to her Ministry obsession though…"
"Totally worth it…"
It was left to an astonished Hermione to state in plain language what the twins had apparently done. "You deliberately tanked your OWL exams - how could you?"
"It was rather easy actually…"
"Yes, if I say so myself - we seem to have a talent for it."
Harry was left shaking his head but this might just play into their hands. "If these two sit the more difficult OWL's next year, it would give each of their professors a bit of practice with the new coursework. With only two students sitting them, and promising to do their best, it shouldn't overly tax the Institute's resources. All the other students attending would still have time to catch up on anything we should already have been taught. Having students who failed their OWL's in Hogwarts pass the harder versions at the Institute would also be a good advert for us, and might be the carrot needed to get both your parents on board to let you attend here."
The professors could instantly see the advantage of having a couple of students to work with as they wrote their OWL course, Fred and George looked nervous though.
"Eh, about that, Harry."
"Bill met with our father…"
"Dad wants to come and see us…"
"And Ginny…"
"Before he mentions anything to Mum."
"He hoped to see us before the news broke…"
It only took a glance between the teens and their minds were made up. They knew Bill intended to meet with his father, asking if Arthur could come to the Institute gave them a good idea how that meeting had gone. "Invite your dad for dinner tonight. Tell Bill I'll alter his portkey to include your father. You are welcome to have a family dinner served somewhere else, that will let you talk things out between you."
The twins each grabbed one of Harry's hands to shake, before both then quickly hugged Hermione and shot off to speak with Bill.
Dan was left shaking his head. "And I suppose you two class this as a quiet day?"
Slipping her arm around Harry's waist, Hermione couldn't help but smile as she answered. "Trust us, dad, this is a quiet day for us."
.....
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