Ch. 25 Twelve People pt.1

Now that both of my new aides had their duties handed to them, it was time for me to work on my other plans.

Using a list of people who wished to meet 'Micheal Folster', and with the help of my goblin allies, I was able to have a good amount of information on them. I filtered out the obviously hostiles ones, removed the ones who were bought to meet me, shady individuals with unclear motives, and was left with a modest group of mostly muggle-born witches and wizards who had either; been forced out of the magical world to make a living, or are all but homeless in the magical world.

And so I started to organize a meeting with those I had screened. I decided to rent one of the rooms in the Leaky Cauldron for it, setting up some space expansion runes to temporarily enlarge the place since the place isn't exactly fit for many people.

A few hours later the 28 men and women, with ages varying from 27 to 62, arrived one after another. And with a few galleons to the owner Tom, it was easy for all of them to find the right room.

I waited until the appointed time for the meeting before starting speaking, making sure no last minute arrivals would appear.

"Hello everyone. My name is Micheal Folster, the author of those two rather infamous books currently trendy around our communities. And I've called you all here because you had an interest in the points I had weaved into them." I started off with confidence as I addressed the room.

"Because I am unofficially being hunted by private parties and the ministry for my works, I took my time to check who each of you are in a general fashion, making sure that everyone here actually resonates with my views." I explained my situation as this persona and the fact that I know who they are.

"You are all muggle-borns, with talents and abilities you struggled to learn during your time at Hogwarts. People who once excelled among their peers. Men and women who should have had bright and productive futures, capable of contributing to our society." I began, making them remember they had what it took. To know they once had great prospects and futures.

"But then came the cold and hard reality of our governing bodies. Corrupt to no end. Blood purists and bigots holding almost every level of power and influence. Discrimination based on lineage instead of skill or competence. These moronic reasons cost each of you, present in this room, to loose everything. Forcing you out of the world which should have been filled with possibilities and almost being exiled from it. To be forced to make a living amongst the lowest of Britain's magical world." I now said with outrage in my voice.

"I called you all here because I want to change this. I want to be able to give every magically gifted child the opportunity to live with the wonder we all felt when we discovered true magic in this world. To find and follow their dreams without fearing to be ostracized and rejected because of where they come from." I said, trying to make them remember where they themselves started and the hopes they once held.

"And so, to carry those ideals, I wish to form a group to champion them. The Federation for Integration and Respect of Muggle-borns, or FIRM for short. And all of those present are those I believe have the ability and desire to help me achieve those ideals." I then took a small pause after my declaration.

"This will not be a group aiming for revolution or anything that extreme. It will be dedicated to changing how wizards see muggle-borns by demonstrating that skill and ability are above blood, that we are an important part of the wizarding world wether they like or not, and that we have the right to be heard." I explained to those in front of me.

"Those who would be willing to join need simply sign this contract and those who wish not to do so can leave here and now. The contract enforces secrecy to a very strict degree, but guarantees the participants stable, if not greatly improved, incomes and opportunities, Leadership roles in the fields of your expertise within the organization and the ability to help those who will come after us to not suffer as you have." I then plainly stated.

"I will not force anyone to accept. If you do not believe that our community can be changed and that I am a naive or delusional young man than you are free to leave. I thank you for your time and know that I will certainly not hold any of this against anyone. Joining requires great courage and determination, exactly because of the nature of the goal, and it is completely reasonable for many to not care or hold the same values in their hearts. Hence I will not force or punish the issue." I said trying to reassure everyone that this is an offer of recruitment, not conscription.

After everything was said and done more than half of the original 28 had left, leaving 12 men and women behind. But what I was pleased about was that the ones I had hoped would stay had.

"This is actually a much better result than I anticipated. I thank you for placing at least some of your trust in my promises and ideals. The thirteen of us shall become the founding members of FIRM. I shall act as the founder and chairman since I shall be bankrolling the federation and your roles and duties shall be determined after everyone has signed the contract. I explained to the dozen before me.

I was the first to sign the contract, and one by one the 12 followed after me. As the last person signed I tapped it with my wand and at last it was official. This was the founding of FIRM, the start of a new wave within the wizarding world.

And now that the formalities were out of the way I began to explain what I had planned.

"My first two big moves will be to open an information center right in diagon alley to help muggle-borns and their parents understand the world they are stepping into properly and to serve as an area to distribute the guide I have published. And secondly, it is to form a new newspaper, one which will eventually compete and surpass the Daily Prophet since all of us present know how corrupt that paper is. It shall be operating from above the information center for now, until it can grow in a self-sustaining manner. This will allow to weaken the grasp of incorrect information, break a foolish monopoly and try to get people to think a bit more." I explained seriously.

I then turned and spoke to three specific individuals I had my eye on for this job. First was Darius Stone: 42 years old, about 5'10, short brown hair and eyes, with a thin frame, but possessing a inquisitive aura. He was fired from the prophet for constantly posting articles depicting the falsehoods within ministry statements or from the prophets own articles. I don't even know how he was able to accomplish the second one more than once. Second was Julian Cromwell: 41 years old, 6'0, with sleek black hair, blue eyes, a pair of glasses hanging from his nose, a slight gut showing itself as he was aging. He was a journalist as well, but became an editor for the prophet until he resigned. He had been forced to run a particularly distasteful article, praising former death eaters who had killed some of his friends and their families, for 'donating' vaste amounts of money to the ministry. The third was Julian's wife, Martha Cromwell. 39 years old, tall for a woman at 5'11, with light blonde hair and a pair of blue eyes to match her husband. She was successful reporter until see caught wind some scandals of the old heads of departments, resulting in her being banned from posting them due to the man in charge having been good friends with them. And has her husband quit from the Prophet she had decided to leave as well.

"Mr. Stone, Mr. Cromwell and Mrs. Cromwell. You three shall be the ones to start this newspaper. Mr. Cromwell will be the chief editor for the paper. I want this paper to be known for fact-based new. It doesn't matter if we are slower than others, but our paper needs to be seen as the most credible source out there. It shall also be seen as a neutral existence, not attacking or critiquing anyone for now." I explained to the trio clearly. "I shall give you the funds necessary to employ those you believe will be willing to join, since I've no doubt many with the likes of the prophet are sick with such 'news'. I will also equip you with everything necessary to publish this paper."

At this time Mr. Stone stepped up to speak. "And you can provide all of that?"

"I have more than enough money to fund the projects I am juggling. News outlets should not be done to gain money. They should be there to inform people first and foremost. And so I am going to always be expecting to make a loss regarding the paper." I answered honestly.

The three looked very pleased with my view on the subject. With excitement at the possibility of surpassing the prophet.

"Then we shall do as you ask Mr. Folster. You shall not be sorry you gave us this chance." Declared Mr. Cromwell with determination in his voice and eyes.

"I know you won't. But I am worried someone might get a bit overzealous. I've read her articles." I said with a bit of a chuckle aimed at Mrs. Cromwell.

"I will be fine. Plus Julian will nag me if something's wrong." She declared in response, leading to a sigh from her husband.

With another chuckle I turned to one Mr. Timothy Mathews. The man was 53 years old, with shoulder length gray hair, a slight hunch bringing his height to around 5'7, sharp green eyes and the smell of potions lingering around him. He actually should have become a formal potions master, he was and still is an extremely talented man in the field. He aimed to revolutionize the way wizards brew potions, but this threatened many purebloods about 20 years ago. As a result they stopped the man from ever becoming a certified master in the field. Unable to push forward his new methods or potions, he became stuck. Becoming the owner of a small shop, suffering through the stupidity of those in power alone.

"Mr. Mathews. You shall become the shopkeeper for the apothecary that will be opened in a second building i own in the alley. It shall be a place to challenge current and future potion masters in the field. This book contains my own results in the field, please do give it a read as I speak with Madam Chambers." I said to the older man, handing him my first volume of improvements and originals.

I then turned my attention to Madam Melody Chambers, a person who reminds me quite a lot of Professor Sprout. The portly woman stood at 5'2, with curly gray hair and green eyes, grandmotherly face and aura. She seemed to be a very kind elder. Unfortunately, her son's family was targeted by Death Eaters during the war and ended up loosing him, her daughter-in-law and grandchild. It broke her heart when it happened and angered her greatly when those responsible got away using the 'Imperio defense'. She tried to fight against the ruling, but the pureblood families pushed her down by buying out everything surrounding her ingredients shop and greenhouse. In the end she was forced to sell it all and try to make a living in the muggle world.

"Madam Chambers, I wish for you to be in charge of my developing herb farm. I am currently in the process of creating a place to grow rare and difficult magical plants in great quantities. I know this is a difficult task, but like Mr. Mathews I wish for you to see my notes on the subject before hearing any feedback on the offer." I said to the woman respectfully. She is skilled and experienced in the field, with the only reason she is not officially a master being because it was taken away when she was being suppressed.

I was about to speak to one Mr. Oliver Gunn when Mathews grabbed me by the shoulders and looked into my eyes fervently while shaking.

"Did you truly think of these and create them yourself!? Do they work? Have they been tested? How did you do it?" Came his rapid fire questions with energy I did not expect from the man.

"Yes Mister Mathews, these are recipes i created, improved and tested. Everything in this first volume can be brewed at anytime." I answered the man calmly

"Did you say first volume?!?" Exclaimed the man in shock.

"Yes. These are the 2nd and 3rd. This is as far as I've tested. The rest remain purely theoretical and unrefined." I said while handing the books to the man. "Like I said, the shop shall challenge masters and those aspiring to become one. I want to force them to innovate by rewarding and producing those capable of improving recipes or creating new ones."

"I'll do it. I'll make it into a holy ground of potioneering. No one in the field will not know Breaking Grounds apothecary." He proclaimed with what almost seemed like fanaticism and suddenly coming up with a rather fitting name for the shop.

"I will have to agree with Mr. Mathews enthusiasm as well." Came the polite and happy voice of Madam Chambers.

"If this information is true, you have basically revolutionized the field of Herbology with this book alone Mr. Folster. Not even counting the fact that it says it is one in a series of four." Proclaimed to short woman. "I shall plant every single one and shove the results in those pathetic old men's faces. They shall rue the day they took my title away."

"I am very happy to welcome the both of you abord then. We shall use Mr. Mathews innovations regarding the brewing process to help improve efficiency, but we will also recruit some individuals after the name spreads. As for the farm, it has been named Natural Cultivation's, and it will be used to supply a vast amounts of herbs. It shall be a place for those muggle-borns struggling to make a living snd find a steady work. It will be advertised in the information center and the paper. So it shall take more time to truly get it off the ground since they will require training." I said as I explained the beginning stages for both and properly shake their hands.

Next up is...