G. Lippert - James Potter and the Hall of the Elders' Crossing

"Hermione!" Ron's voice barked from the depths of the fireplace again.

"Anyway," Hermione said, turning businesslike. "Yes, the Headmistress does plan to retire, possibly as soon as this summer, assuming a suitable replacement could be found. Most likely, she will stay on to teach Transfiguration and help the new headmaster, whoever he or she might be. Some had suggested Neville Longbottom, but the Ministry feels he might be a bit young for the post, which is just silly, but politics being what they are…"

"Merlin!" James exclaimed. "You're all thinking of asking him to be the new headmaster!"

A whoop of happy triumph emanated from the depths of the fireplace. Hermione scowled.

"You can leave me out of this, thank you very much. This is all your father's and uncle's idea. But I can see you are as mad about it as they are."

"But how can he be the headmaster?" Noah asked, jumping off the couch and crouching in front of the fireplace. "Sorry," he added quickly. "Couldn't help overhearing and all that."

"Really?" Hermione replied a bit archly. "Here, I had assumed you were suitably entrenched in that Arithmancy textbook. How silly of me. Please do keep it a secret, though, the both of you. Oh, what am I saying? Ron, you might as well explain this." She sighed and blew her bangs out of her face in a gesture James remembered from his earliest memories of Aunt Hermione. She gave a bemused smile. "James, have a good trip. We'll see you in a week. Rose and Hugo say hello and to buy them some Cauldron Cakes on the train. Good day, Noah."

She disappeared from the embers and Uncle Ron's face appeared again. "Excellent idea, eh?" he announced, looking from Noah to James enthusiastically.

"But how?" Noah asked again. "I mean, the bloke was the most potentially dangerous wizard in the history of the planet a few weeks ago, wasn't he? And now you think the Ministry will put him in charge of a bunch of kids?"

"Not without lots of oversight," Ron said quickly. He had obviously thought a lot about it. "That's where McGonagall and Neville come in. They'll watch him and help out, sort of like a board of directors. McGonagall has already agreed to it, although we had to push her a bit on it. She's afraid she'll still basically be doing all the work, but with Merlin getting the credit. Might happen, too, I guess, but your dad and I don't think so. Merlin seems the sort of guy born to lead, you know?"

"Yeah," James agreed. "But still, he comes from a time when leading meant telling people which guillotine had the shortest queue. I can't imagine that the Ministry will agree to put him in charge of Hogwarts."

"Your Merlin's a surprisingly quick study, James," Ron said seriously. "He's already been all over the Ministry, meeting people and having big, long discussions about the way things work in this day and age. He's warming up to it, I have to say!"

"So why wouldn't they put him somewhere there, then?" Noah asked. "I mean, most famous wizard in the world and all. Seems like he'd be in line for Minister of Magic, if nothing else."

Ron grinned a bit maliciously. "I suppose you are both too young to understand the implications of the phrase 'overqualified and underexperienced'. Basically, no department wants him. A guy like Merlin doesn't work well behind a desk, for one thing. And it's hard to imagine that any department head who hired him would stay the department head for very long afterwards."

"You mean he'd take over, right?" James confirmed.

"Take over, at the very least. He's a bit of a loose cannon. Sure, he's probably the most powerful single wizard alive today, but with a thousand-year gap in his work experience. As fast as he picks things up, he's sure to be a poor fit in the red tape world of the Ministry. Your dad can hardly stand it, James. Think about what it'll be like for a bloke who's used to being able to banish his enemies to the netherworld with a glance. The fact of the matter is that the Ministry is looking for an out-of-the-way place to stick the old man. Someplace prominent enough to fit a wizard of his stature, but far enough away not to threaten anyone, metaphorically speaking. Or maybe even not metaphorically speaking. One never knows."

"And Hogwarts just happens to be in need of a new headmaster," Noah said, grinning.

"Well?" Ron said, meeting Noah's grin. "It does seem a little too perfect, doesn't it?"

"Even if the Ministry does agree to it, you think he'll do it?" James asked.

In the fireplace, Ron seemed to shrug. "Who can tell? Nobody has asked him yet. But first thing's first." Ron grew serious and studied James. "You know him best, nephew. You were there when he came out of the past. You were the one who talked him into coming and helping Hogwarts and the wizarding world. What do you think? Do you think he'd be a good headmaster? Do you think we should ask him?"

Noah leaned back against the base of the couch, looking at James, waiting for his response. James knew he should think about it, but he already knew his answer. Merlin was a complicated man, and he wasn't exactly what anyone could call 'good', not in the sense that Albus Dumbledore or even Minerva McGonagall were good. But James knew one thing for sure: Merlin wanted to be good. It was hard to tell if it was better to have a headmaster who was good by nature or one that was good because he had to try to be so every day, but James was old enough to know that it was a risk worth taking. Besides, the Gremlin part of James whispered, it might be fun having a headmaster who'd banish someone like Tabitha Corsica to the netherworld with a glance.

"Ask him," James said, nodding once, emphatically. "If the Ministry goes for it, ask him. And I hope he accepts."

"Woo hoo!" Noah hooted, throwing his hands in the air.

"Keep it to yourselves, for now," Ron said sternly. "If word gets out before your dad and Hermione arrange things at the Ministry, it could spoil everything. Got it?"

Noah nodded. James smiled agreement.

"Your dad took back the cloak and the map, did he?" Ron asked James, changing the subject.

"Yeah. And I'm apparently going to be grounded when I get back. Two weeks off my broom."

Ron clucked his tongue. "Just when you were getting pretty good on it, I hear. Ah well. You know your dad has to keep up the look of the thing, punishing you and all, but he's proud of you. Take it from me."

James' smile widened and his cheeks flushed.

"Not that I'd try it again, mind you," Ron said, his grin vanishing. "Once is a charm. If you pull something like that again, Ginny will probably decide to home school you in the basement. Take it from me, she's no one to fiddle with, James."

Later that afternoon, James met Zane and Ralph outside as the Alma Alerons gathered to disembark. As they watched, the three flying vehicles were driven out of the Garage, and then the Garage was broken down and packed inside the trunk of the Dodge Hornet.

"There's something deep and mystical about that, but I can't quite put my finger on it," Zane said thoughtfully.

"What? The Garage being packed into what it was housing a few minutes ago?"

"No. The way Professor Franklyn seems to get more and more popular with the girls the closer it gets to his departure." It was true. Franklyn was quite popular with the ladies, from the oldest staff matron to the first-year girls, who giggled when he passed them, touching each lightly on the head. The only women he seemed to have no effect on were the Headmistress and Victoire, who claimed to believe he was a pompous old blowhard. Ted had explained that one of the benefits of being old was being free to flirt with any girl you wanted, because none of them took you serious enough to get offended. Zane found this remarkably instructive.