Barchoke continued with his pitch. It wasn't something he would usually do but the goblin was confident his client would act immediately to help. Miss Green was also known to the goblins as one of the most honourable witches the bank did business with. Every knut that entered the orphanage was cherished and used to help the children under her care. For a goblin, what could be more honourable than that.
"As I said, I know the people involved. They will probably want to visit first…"
"Any time, sir. They will probably need to contact the press themselves if they want pictures and an article…" Jillian stopped as the goblin actually laughed at her.
"Miss Green, I can assure you that press coverage is the last thing they would want. They are a totally different proposition to those who offer a few galleons for the positive press they gain. I will contact them today but also know they are very busy. If they can't make it before the end of the month, I will personally guarantee your establishment funds for the following month."
Jillian was in tears again, and missed Arteck's look of astonishment at Barchoke's unbelievable offer. Jillian eventually left that office a lot happier than she'd entered it. The door had hardly closed before Arteck just had to ask what had Barchoke making that astonishing offer.
"You know what happened with my wife and son, my family ends with me. There are a few obnoxious cousins floating about, ready to fight over anything I leave. Apart from being the right thing to do, can you imagine their faces if I spent every Galleon helping orphaned witches and wizards?"
The office then shook with the sound of goblin laughter.
....
There wasn't much laughter in the Minister of Magic's office. Not one known for her sunny disposition, Dolores was off on a rant about uppity half-bloods who didn't know their place - and what this new school could do to the country.
It was then Cornelius had his epiphany. "Dolores, This school is only going to be able to accommodate a percentage of the students Hogwarts holds. Remember, this is Potter we're dealing with here. Who is he likely to take?"
Like pulling the curtains open and discovering an unexpected sunny day, Dolores' expression changed to as near a smile as she got. "He'll take all the mudbloods and half-bloods, leaving Hogwarts for the pure-bloods…"
"Exactly! Can you see anyone from this Institute of theirs ever finding employment at the Ministry? They will be lucky to find anyone in Britain who will employ them…"
"Meaning all the mudbloods and half-bloods will need to stay abroad. No one who really counts will give this Institute the time of day, which will clear our country of all these undesirables in a generation - far more effectively too than any legislation we could try and push through the Wizengamot."
Both were now smiling at the implications this Institute would have on their society. Cornelius had one final suggestion on how to deal with this. "When all the furore over this matter has died down a bit, I'm sure we could sneak a bill through the Wizengamot that will stop any qualifications awarded to Institute students being recognised within Britain."
Dolores was enthusiastically nodding along to that idea. "After all, it's not as if any members will have relatives attending Potter's school. They will basically be voting to give their offspring a bigger advantage than they already have." Neither could see that bill fail, permanently ostracising within Britain anyone who attended the Potter Institute. An increase in funds for Amelia's department should publicly show them as 'doing something' amid claims that you-know-who was trying to return, while decrying as much as possible he could ever return.
.....
After breakfast, everyone at the Institute grabbed one of the brooms that Harry had bought yesterday and took to the air to watch as work began on the foundations for the Potter Institute. Emma was once more clinging onto Harry as Remus took Dan up to see this momentous moment.
The brooms allowed them to see everything that was happening, without getting in the way of the workmen. As the ground was cleared and the shape of the Institute was marked out, everyone got to see for themselves the scale of the project being undertaken here. Since they had all been involved in the planning of the building, each person on a broom knew exactly what went where as the giant π took shape below them.
Pomona flew over to Harry and Emma. "This brings it all home, this is really happening. I don't think I've been this excited - or scared - since I was a teenager. Lord Potter, I can't thank you enough for giving me this opportunity."
"Headmistress, my betrothed and I are teenagers - so we know about being scared and excited. I just want to say that having you as Headmistress takes away a lot of our fear for this project. We want to thank you for taking on a task that, if you'll excuse the pun, gets larger every day."
Sirius then joined the conversation. "I have to say my godson doesn't do things by half - but this has totally blown me away. Harry, this is humongous - the biggest Pi in the world!"
Not able to resist, Harry just teased back. "I'm glad the scale of this managed to take your mind off the architect down their in the white hard hat. I'm surprised you even noticed anything else."
Not even trying to pretend he hadn't noticed her, Sirius almost pouted in reply. "Francesca's working, I can't interrupt her while she's busy."
Harry had to almost bite his lip to stop from laughing, though Hermione had no such compunction as she giggled loudly by his side. Harry eventually took pity on his clearly smitten godfather. "I'm glad you're not going to keep my architect from her important work, but she will still have to eat lunch…"
That was all the encouragement Sirius needed as his broom took off like a Francesca seeking missile on a mission to ask the lady to lunch with its rider, to the accompaniment of much laughter from those he so abruptly left behind.
.....
Want to read ahead by more than 60 chapters. Then join my p@treon Right Now.
Link: p*atreon.com/BookReaderBoy (Remove the *)
Also Free members get 2 advanced chapters for Free as well.