"Barchoke, while the building the orphanage is renting could in no way be considered expensive, it still eats more of their budget than their food bills do. My family has a house in London that I'm more than willing to donate to the Phineas Nigellus Black Orphanage Trust. The trust will have a board that will consist of myself, Miss Hermione Granger, Mr Daniel Granger, Mrs Emma Granger, Barchoke and Mr Neville Longbottom. All of-age children of the orphanage will attend the Potter Institute, paid for by the trust. Harry, this is something you can't put your name anywhere near - officially. That doesn't mean your family can't be heavily involved - and you of course may accompany them anytime you want."
Remus was chuckling along as Hermione then asked Sirius what he was up to.
"It's simple Hermione, my mother will be turning in her grave at the mere thought of her house being used as an orphanage - with a Goblin, a pair of muggles and their magical daughter on the board of trustees too. Phineas Nigellus Black hated children, and was considered the worst headmaster of Hogwarts ever - this will be a fitting memorial to him and the system that's failing these children. In simple terms, we're playing the pureblood bigots back at their own game. They can't object to Lord Black opening an orphanage, named in an ancestor's honour. I'll even use the compensation the Ministry are awarding me for wrongful imprisonment to get the trust started. 'After spending all those years wrongfully imprisoned in Azkaban, I just want to help people'. Can you see the Ministry or Wizengamot speaking out against me helping orphans?"
As more chuckling, and downright laughter, broke out amongst the group Sirius had a serious message to pass onto his godson. "You can't save everyone, Harry, fact of life. It doesn't mean your family can't help save those you have to pass on."
Harry had a smile on his face as he asked the question he was sure he was going to like the answer too. "I'm still gonna be involved though, aren't I?"
...
Dolores entered the Minister's office with the latest issue of the Quibbler clutched in her hand, only to discover Dumbledore had beaten her to the punch. A copy was already spread over Cornelius' desk.
She didn't mess about and got straight to the point. "The young fool will be bankrupt in no time. Supplying all the students' with robes and all other supplies, while claiming their tuition will be cheaper than Hogwarts too, is financially unsustainable. I don't care how rich Potter is, this will be the end of him." Dolores was rather surprised to see her opinion wasn't shared by the other two in the office.
It was Dumbledore who explained what the real problem was here. "It doesn't really mater if this folly eventually bankrupt's Potter, it's what these claims will do to us before he runs out of gold - that's where the real danger lies. According to that article, this Institute will only have around eighty students come September. That's eighty students who won't be doing their shopping in Diagon Alley, eighty students who won't be paying fees to Hogwarts. These same students won't ever be going to Hogsmeade on visits - and that number will increase to one hundred and forty in the next few years -that's almost a third of Hogwarts current role. I've had half the merchants from Diagon Alley on the floo to me already, and expect the other half to catch up with me later today. Since these are the very students who pay full price for everything, some businesses have already indicated to me they won't be able to afford the discount prices those of pure-blood currently enjoy."
This had Dolores incensed. She had of course read that all the Institute's supplies would be purchased in Italy, Dolores simply hadn't considered the consequences of that on magical Britain. "If they dare stop the pure-blood discounts, then they could quite conceivably put themselves out of business."
Albus quickly pointed out that all of Diagon Alley were already well aware of that fact, but the reduced volume of customers could force a few of them out of business anyway. "Madam Malkin has the exclusive contract to supply students with their Hogwarts robes, she pays Hogwarts a retainer for that privilege. With that volume of students going to be missing from her expected tally, I had to renegotiate that retainer to even keep her services. While we all understand she has to make a profit too, where else were Hogwarts students going to get school robes? I expect that scenario to be repeated the entire length of the alley, and there's not a thing we can do about it. With reduced income at Hogwarts too, I'm already having to lower my sights concerning replacement professors."
Cornelius could see only one solution to this problem. "We need to get a hold of Potter, explain to him the knock-on effects of what he's doing here…"
"I have an assurance from his House Steward that Harry will be on the Hogwarts express on the first of September."
Dumbledore's claim astonished the other two in the office, their silence forcing him to continue. "I have to assume he won't be attending Hogwarts but also have plans in place to ensure he will have to be there…"
Dolores caught on at once. "…And should anything happen to him, this entire problem would disappear. I think we should start thinking about taking steps to see that happens."
"We still need the boy, Madam Umbridge…"
.....
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