Ten Years Later (3)

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.

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."

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This is the end everyone, hope you liked this story 😊