It had been a very... busy month. The letters from parents were coming in torrents, especially after the announcement that there was indeed going to be a tournament. Herschel had taken to using a standard response and a magical quill to answer them all, which was something he almost always refused to do. Each parent deserved a personal response and individual attention, but it was something he could not give at the moment. The details of the tournament were not entirely settled on just yet, and with Analiza still in Egypt it was hard to get a definite grasp on the expectations of the tournament and what she had planned or had said to those in charge of the visiting schools.

Herschel had planned to meet with Persepolis at Hogwarts that Tuesday to discuss accommodations for Durmstrang, Beauxbatons, and Salem- though that was not the only reason that he was anxious to meet with and speak to his colleague. The announcement she was going to run for Minister did not come as a surprise, but he was very curious to hear more about her platform and her plans for the future of the wizarding world.

Being back at Hogwarts was quite the experience for Herschel. He had been a professor here for a total of five years in his past, and had loved every moment of it. But with the castle empty, it had a quiet sense of foreboding and he hoped that this tournament would have a much better ending than the last hosted at Hogwarts. He could remember reading about it, even attending some of the events, and it had been the jump start to a terrifying time in the recent history of Wizarding Britain.

"Do you suppose the Great Hall is large enough to house all of the students?" he asked. "I would very much like to arrange it so that meals could be enjoyed together- discuss with the house elves appropriate cuisine for our visiting students. It could be a new experience for all of the students and perhaps even for some of the staff. I wonder how difficult it would be to make more room? Is there a tentative headcount that you are aware of?"

"So lovely to see you, Herschel!" Persepolis had greeted, dressed in bright crimson.  She'd embraced the wizard and kissed his cheeks.  Compared to his tall, pale candle-stick frame, Persepolis was dark and rounded, covered in color.  All of this was such a bright and shining time for Hogwarts (and herself) she could barely contain her excitement.  Such a surge of forward momentum with dear Analiza Snark at the helm.  If ever Hogwarts needed a forward-moving leader, Snark had been it. She was ruthless, if you were to say it without charity, but it was apt enough.  It was dreadfully difficult to get the international wizarding schools moving as one, but by Merlin, Snark had done it!

And though she planned to leave Hogwarts very very soon, Persepolis Zephyr had ever intention of staying closely involved until her new responsibilities dragged her away, Tournament staff permitting.  Hers was more of a sideline role, mostly concerned with fund-raising and sponsor ship, and much of the Hogwarts/Ministry interaction, but with Headmistress Snark out of country, she and Hershel Reid were doing what they could to do some of the home-planning.

The Great Hall, how it echoed!

"This old hall always seems to be just large enough, doesn't it," she mused, standing next to him in her voluminous red robes. She looked up at the sunny afternoon sky.  Was a shame the students weren't here in the summer months more - it really was a stunning castle.

"The plan, as I understand it, is to host at least thirty students from each school," she went on swiftly, "but you know how that can change.  Parents are the same all over the world.  Why the owls I'm getting about how having the visitors here would distract from normal studies!"  She looked at Herschel knowing he had the same stack to deal with. "I can't imagine how Salem is handling its parents.  An entire school year here at Hogwarts, all the way across the ocean.  Now that's a parent relations nightmare! All we have to deal with are dragons..."

She began to walk down between the empty, un-adorned tables towards the front of the grand hall. 

"My word... it's all really going to happen.  I certainly hope it goes smoothly.  I suppose it can't be worse than last time..."

Herschel nodded in understanding- he was indeed getting the same stacks of letters. It was always something with the parents. As a parent himself, Herschel had always been satisfied as long as his child and his grandchildren were getting the appropriate education and receiving good marks. "Parents do not realize it is all about self discipline. If a student wishes to receive O's and E's- then they shall. The distraction is only a problem when an individual allows to become a problem." It was a simple concept, really. But naturally the children were never at fault. "It is a shame more parents do not hold their children more accountable."

"Just be glad, Persepolis, that we are not handling Salem's parents and that our own students are not to be going overseas. Otherwise you would have triple the stress- running for minister, looking after affairs at Hogwarts, and wrangling vicious parents. Can you imagine the outrage were we to send the young minds to Salem? I do believe most of the pureblood parents would remove their children from school." Not that he could particularly blame them. Herschel was not, by definition, a purist- but he did find the idea of wizarding children learning about the muggle world to be quite silly. It was all superfluous information. If one was not going to be living amongst muggles or working hand in hand with them then there was simply no point in it. There were much more beneficial and useful knowledges a child could be storing away than how to dress like a muggle. (Muggles had zero fashion sense anyway. It was all so bland or incredibly vulgar.)

Herschel fell into step a few paces behind Persepolis as she began to walk between the empty tables. She did have a point- the idea of things being worse than last time was preposterous. "We are living in a different time now," he said simply. "There should be little worry of such a disaster. We are, relatively speaking, living in a time of peace- save for a few extraordinary happenings." MacDuff had certainly been out of the ordinary, and it seemed as swiftly as his reign of terror had begun it ended. "It is much different from how I grew up and what I have experienced. It is odd, to be in a world without fear, is it not?" He had lived through the first and the second war, and could not remember there being a time in the past where it seemed that people were happy in their lives and had little to worry about.

"It will be good for the rest of the wizarding world to see that," he added. "That we are no longer a place of turmoil, that our people are not living in constant fear or worry of some villain..." Herschel trailed off, pursing his lips as he considered his own words. "This tournament is exactly what we need to usher in- though I barely dare to say it- a new era in our history!" He was quite proud of the changes in the wizarding world, and with a possible change of power on the not-so-distant horizon, he felt as though he could make such a statement with little ridicule from Persepolis. She was running for minister, and was much different from those who had run wizarding Britain in the past. It would hopefully be a change for the better if she managed to secure the much sought after position.

Persepolis continued their circuit of the Great Hall, meandering around again towards the entrance.  She liked Herschel, even for all his stuffiness.  He was a wizard of breeding and influence, thoughtful, consistent and generally fair.  She appreciated that about him. 

She nodded and chuckled in good time as he himself waxed on about the Tournament, complications and better hope for the future.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," she said after he'd finished, "although I shall certainly have to try.  I believe that's what Hogwarts needs - what our country needs.  If there's a way to lead us forward it's under that canopy.  This Tournament really shall do what you say - a moment of self-esteem for Britain.  A time to prove ourselves evolved from our past troubles."

They rounded out of the Great Hall against, and Persepolis led the way casually up the great staircase.  She had a mind to visit the old Hospital Wing.

"I do worry that it will be seen as just another Hogwarts spectacle, though," she admitted.  "That it will be a return to the old ways, a relic of times past when we felt the need to compete against the world, against ourselves.  It is already becoming a useful endeavor, but I fear it could fall on the other side of the line.  That it could simply prove to reward ourselves for dueling, dragon-fighting, and sport.  I shudder to think that it's all Hogwarts is about.  Couldn't we put a better foot forward, I wonder?"

They slowly climbed the stairs and Persepolis still remembered her time as a student so vividly; she'd climbed these stairs fare more nimbly then. 

"Don't ask me how," she said with a little bit of retreat, "but improvements to its image could improve our foreign attendance, and put a stop to all these owls...!"

Herschel liked the way that Persepolis said it- evolved from their past troubles. It encompassed what he believed, what he wished they could prove to the rest of the world. He followed her again, this time out the great hall and up the staircase, listening attentively as she spoke, waiting not only on her to finish but a few extra moments as he carefully considered the best way to reply- words were a finicky things for Herschel sometimes.

"A spectacle is not how I wish for the tournament to be seen. It is, naturally, a competition- but you are correct in putting a better foot forward. There certainly must be a way to accomplish it, and it is likely a relatively simple solution to the question at hand." The best solutions were often simplest, and yet the simplest solutions were often the ones most easily overlooked.

"Improvnig foreign attendance would be a marvelous thing. I believe that our students and staff could learn a great deal from the other schools attending. Life and culture is very different amongs the four institutions, and it is a shame that in the past the tournament barely allowed others to see such a thing. If I do rememberly correctly the Yule Ball is the only chance the schools had to truly interact with one another..." He paused as they came to one of the landings, the stair case shifting its position with little warning.

He watched it switch to a new landing, eyes glued to the moving stairs as he continued to speak. "I have grandchildren who attend Hogwarts," he said to Persepolis. "And I would love for them to have the chance to learn from the tournament about more than competition. I would love for them to better appreciate their adversaries than those in the past- to respect their skill and position. It would be a much less brutal world if people could simply learn to tolerate and accept those who are different- rather than segregating and shunning them." The staircase settled into its new position, and he looked to his colleague before he started to ascend the stairs again. "Do you think it would be possible to make that happen?"

Now on the first floor, Persepolis calmly steered them down a main corridor.  She wasn't in any rush and smiled as the paintings waved at them.  Summer sun was coming in from a high bank of windows, and the shadow fluttered over the many levels of staircase, as pigeons fluttered and re-arranged themselves somewhere out of sight.

"Learn! Absolutely! With four schools all together for an entire year, what a potentially rich environment we have!  The students can so benefit from each other.  It's just a shame to waste such an opportunity... None are more driven than Durmstrang, more progressive than Salem, and more refined than Beauxbatons.  And not to forget Hogwarts, our students are outstanding examples of a well-rounded witch or wizard," she said.

They came upon a door.  The large door that lead into the former Infirmary.  The smell of burnt wood still lingered in this corridor, the edges of the door still singed black.  It was sealed up tight with a massive lock.

"This really must go." 

She laid a hand on the door as she kept on about the Tournament. 

"I mean, but how to encourage that sort of thing, Hershel? How to define it? To own it.  The answer must be simple - itt's as if we have all the ingredients for a ... a... a magical university! Or some such.  Call me crazy, but if I had my druthers, I'd have the student in class together every day."

She laughed then, at her own imaginings.  It could indeed be difficult to such a thing.  All the extra students in school with the Hogwarts staff too small to manage them.  And they have their own studies to focus on.  That could make things worse for the foreign school to abandon their diligent tutoring to embrace a strange new curriculum. 

"This really must go..." she said again, referring to the remains of the Infirmary with a wrinkled nose.

The descriptions Persepolis gave of the foreign schools was the most accurate he could think of. Drive, progression, refinement- they were all things that Hogwarts could benefit from. While he remained quiet, thinking carefully through the resolutions to their dilemma, Persepolis continued talking- coming to a very thoughtful and intriguing point on classes that he couldn't help but agree with.

"I think that would be a tremendous improvement over the way things have been done in the past," he told her- his generally even tone filled with unusual gusto. "Imagine! All of the students learning together, learning from one another! All four schools in a single transfiguration class," he carried on- his favorite subject, the one which he had taught longest at Hogwarts, "having to learn with another. It would help students learn to cross language and cultural barriers, teach them to be more observant of their own behaviors, inspire drive among the more lackluster. It would definitely help to bolster the comradery that the tournament has always boasted yet never accomplished!"

Herschel paused for another moment as they reached the door to the infirmary, then sighed quietly. "It is a shame, isn't it, that it could not work both ways? Imagine if some of the professors visited, and taught some classes at Hogwarts. It could be an entire learning experience for staff and students. Our own professors could benefit from seeing new teaching styles, the students could benefit from the exposure, and it would create a true community amongst them all. They will be here all year, after all, it seems a pity to leave them cooped up in whatever they travel in. The castle is more than big enough to house extra students in classes- or even in living quarters."

"The entire atmosphere would change if they lived and learned amongst one another. It would breathe a whole new life into the tournament, and shift the focus from the competition. Those who are not chosen champions could still benefit from the experience then- they could be a part of something truly magnificent and exciting without relying on the goblet to spit out their name..."

He trailed off again, considering the infirmary that Persepolis was inspecting, and nodded. "Yes, we really should clean this up and get it open again. It would not take very long, and would help to remove another spot from Hogwarts which need not be there... Imagine, a hospital hut," Herschel clucked his tongue, "when we've a perfect infirmary gathering dust."

"A hut...yes..."

Persepolis paused.  Her hand on the door.  She was looking past it, through it.  Beyond it to a hardly imaginable time at Hogwarts.  She saw the halls filled with students from all over the world - the eyes of the international wizarding world focused on the ingenious experiment in magical education.  Looking on at Hogwarts with envy.  Admiration.  Looking to Wizarding Britain as an example of the way things ought to be.

"It's courageous," she said, her eyes still unfocused, immersed in the fantasy.  "A little mad."

The headlines were spinning in her head announcing the grand change.  She imagined the owl she'd send to Headmistress Snark to get back to the schools with a fresh proposal.  To tell the professors to start packing for a year abroad!  Not only the best and brightest students, but the top professors in the world right here alongside Britain's finest at Hogwarts! 

She gave herself a little shake, her red robes billowing airily, her giant earring jingling.  She smiled and looked up at Herschel.

"This is fantastic.  I could kiss you, dear wizard! We must be swift - the schools will need time.  But oh, Herschel, this will work.  It will work!  With the visiting professors here we can organize the most amazing international curriculum - Beauxbatons take on spell-casting is legendary, and our Herbology greenhouses are the envy of the world.  And Durmstrang -," she paused.  And frowned.

"Well, Durmstrang...!"  That was a slight sticking point.  The rigor of Durmstrang certainly produced accomplished pupils, but the rumors of their methods and specific subject matter didn't totally alight with brave new worlds.    But Persepolis washed away the shadow of a doubt with a retreating grin.  Good with the bad!  Maybe the other three would serve as a positive influence?

"We've got work to do."

"Courage is a trait to be admired in others... And often times greatness has been mistaken for madness," Herschel commented. Though he couldn't understand why anyone with the ability to reason and think for themselves could consider such an educational and once in a life time opportunity mad. The best professors from all over the entire world- the best students from the world- they would all be in one place. That was something to be admired, not looked down upon.

And as Persepolis went on about the things that they could do, Herschel could feel himself swelling with pride. What an amazing experience this would be for the students and professors! "It is what the tournament should have always been," he said. "I'm certain that it will be an amazing experience. Perhaps we should also invite the school to bring a wider variety of students as well?" Herschel suggested. "The best and brightest for certain- but why limit their number to so few? Our castle is easily able to accomodate more than an extra ninety or so students- and with a quick team of spell casters it would be easy to expand even further if the need is there. Temporary dormatories for each of the visiting schools..."

"Yes, yes, quite a bit of work," he agreed. "Contacting the other schools, owling the headmistress, getting Hogwarts ready. A complete clean from top to bottom, we must be at our very best. Discuss their arrivals and work on a release to the press and we must organize a proper welcoming for our esteemed guests." Herschel hooks his thumbs into the pockets of his jacket as he imagined a large event, people giving speeches, a grand welcome for their guests- something public, something that would give everyone the chance to see the greatness from the outside, since so few would be there from the inside.

"My dear Persepolis, imagine- we could be making history. Your passion certainly cannot be mistaken, and an event such as this accredited to your name would certainly go quite a long way in a campaign to become Minister of Magic. If we can accomplish so much on change on such a small scale, just imagine what could be accomplished on a larger scale." Herschel loved the idea of the entire wizarding world of Britain being launched into a brighter future, emphasizing education and tolerance over separation and purity. "It could be a great awakening, a Renaissance of sorts," he said quietly.

The wands in Persepolis's brain were firing, jets of thoughts zinging back and forth as she aligned and organized all the bits and pieces that would have to go smoothly.  Strong leadership would be needed to drive the initiative forward, to coordinate such a diverse field of scholars, international cooperation to help ensure perfect consistency and accessibility for the students' home exit exams.  There'd need to be formats and procedures for scheduleing the students - she'd need to meet with Snark and O Morain straight away to begin.  There was so much to do!

But Herschel couldn't have been more right.  "A shining moment.  Truly! Oh, we will have our critics, but they haven't got a leg to stand on.  Only good can come of fellowship, scholarship and collaboration.  The children will sure set the example - I can think of no one more suited to show us the way then the young people who will take to each other immediately."

"Blast this door!" she interrupted herself.  What were they going to do about the school improvements.

"First thing's first - I'll contact Snark and have her court the schools once again.  I have a meeting with Gabrielle Murray-Harker this week in Snark's stead to see that the travel arrangements are made for our guests and well, to amend them to include the staff!"  she smiled brightly as she ticked off the happy errands that would lead up.

"And bless Gryffindor's sweet wrinkled knees, we'll need a crew in the castle! Speak with that caretaker about what these improvements are going to cost."

One of the primary roles of the school governors was to keep the gold flowing.  From Ministry allocations, to private donations, to the publication of research done by Hogwarts staff - the Tournament just got more costy.

But with a quest like this one, Persepolis couldn't imagine anyone would shut up their purses...

Herschel nodded. "Quite right," he agreed when she said there was no leg to stand on. He could not imagine any valid arguments. The purebloods might argue about Salem- but they would have Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. And muggle families rarely complained about anything. Muggles were such simple folk, after all. Breezing through life with ignorance and naïveté.

"A team to clean and a team of witches and wizards to help create living quarters. Perhaps a large common room available to all students?" Herschel suggested. "I suppose that Durmstrang students would be most at home among our Slytherins, perhaps we can house them in the dungeons. Our Beauxbatons students would appreciate something lavish with a view- one of the empty towers would be best suited. Salem would be right at home anywhere, I do believe... I'm sure we have an unused wing which can be easily converted."

"I'll see to all of that, since you seem to be handling the diplomatic end of things." Herschel would rather be involved in transfiguring the castle to get it ready for visitors. It would be a way to exercise his skill to full potential and be better involved in the whole process. "And there should be no worry about the cost. Hogwarts rarely spends money apart from what we pay the professors. If we need to do fundraising it should not prove to be too difficult."

"I will send an owl to the other governors of our plan," he added. "Just to keep everyone in the loop and be sure we are all on the same page. I'm sure that Prideaux will have an opinion in the matter, and might prove quite useful in organizing the welcoming events. He has connections throughout the wizarding world and can make sure it is impressive enough for our visitors. First impressions are everything, after all. I would hate for our guests to find us... lackluster."

"There is so much to do!" Herschel exclaimed. "And seemingly so little time. Scarcely more time than a month to pull everything together. But I have faith in our capabilities. Once the details are in place we will have a herd of owls to send to the students and parents. An announcement for the prophet, as well."

"You are a wizard I truly rely on, Herschel," Persepolis said.  "You know, I have a connection with the Department of Mysteries.  Perhaps they can buy us some more time."

She had made the acquaintance of one Sissel Jowd earlier in the year, and while he was loathe to make any guarantees, he did indicate from time to time that there were 'temporal' resources available when there was a large-scale pinch.    And the pinch she and Herschel had just devised was on a scale that could be considered by many to be something more than minor, perhaps in some circles easily defined, without prejudice, as large.  It'd be another delightful opportunity to show her face at the Ministry. 

"See what you can do, dear colleague, and I shall do the same as well.  When the Governors meet next - when will that be? Tuesday?  We'll have to see what else can be done to come up with the proper funding.  Surely we can get Prideaux on that, what a snake-skin he is," she rambled on.

She gave the door to the inflamed Infirmary a final farewell pat, before smiling and moving away. 

"I feel like there's not a second to lose.  Would you be terribly bothered if we cut this tour short? I won't sleep a wink until I set ink to parchment on this."

Herschel smiled. "Yes, the Department of Mysteries might be of some help. If you have a connection feel free to see what they can do. I used to work for the Department of Mysteries, you know," he said to Persepolis, "I have the greatest faith in their capabilities." Perhaps they could send over some of their great spellcasters to help with the expansion and alterations needed for the castle. That would be wonderful!

"I might have a word with them to see if I can borrow some spellcasters to get Hogwarts ready. They are certainly the most skilled wand wielders in Wizarding Britain."

Herschel was already making his own to-do list mentally. "Yes, yes Tuesday," he agreed- somewhat distracted. His mind was racing, pulling names and acquaintances who might be of some help. "I'm sure that Prideaux would do a fine job fund raising. He could probably fund the entire event on his own if he was so inclined," Herschel added as they moved away from the infirmary.

"And yes, I do believe that both of us have quite a lot to do. I certainly do wish you luck on your end, Persepolis. I am quite certain that with hard work and carefully placed favors and words we can make this work. I shall fill you in on what I have managed to accomplish our next meeting."

"If you need anything, please do not hesitate to send me an owl." Herschel led the way back down the stairs toward the entrance hall. "I think that this will be a fine accomplishment. I certainly look forward to getting things ready, and to your run for minister. I will certainly be behind you one hundred percent. Any favors you need to get you there, and I will do what I can to help."

"I do so rely on you, Herschel," she repeated again with a passionately furrowed brow.  He was in all ways excellent this man.  When she was at her least charitable, she could probably be pressed to point out that he is a bit stiff, a bit of a pouter, and more traditional than she found favorable, but in all other ways he was excellent and probably a main reason these last years from McGonagal to Greyfriar to Snark had gone so smoothly.

Again, she moved to embrace him, clapping a hand to each of his shoulders and squeezing.  She kept a distance between their torsos and looked up again, with that earnestly impassioned look she'd been practicing her whole life, as a way to ensure the one she spoke to believed the confidence she had in them, truly grasped the fervent honesty behind her words.  And she almost always used it for the forces of goodness in the world... Almost...

"Thank you."

She gave him a final squeeze of the fingers, and a flat sort of smile, before stepping back.

"Farewell, Mister Ried! Owls!" she called, as she swept away down the hall.