Let's Try Again

Chapter 9: Board Meeting

"And the Shacklebolt family will assist in covering the cost." Kingsley's uncle added and James gave him a nod of thanks. "I second Lord Peverell Gryffindor's motion, for both the medical scans now, and to have the scans made mandatory for the beginning of each school year."

"And just what will we do if any children are found to be being abused. I know that you offered to fund an orphanage of sorts Lord Peverell, but what will we do until it opens." Albus was getting frustrated with this man. Just who did he think he was, making Poppy look negligent.

"Happily, Lord Dumbledore, I have been speaking with Cecilia and Edward, you'll remember them as the co-heads of the DCW. The Sea Cliff Home, as the orphanage has been named, will be fully staffed and open by the end of the school year. Any student that can not safely be returned home will be sent there. Any reports of abuse are to be sent directly to the DCW, by order of Minister Fudge. So I see no issues." James couldn't stop a smirk from forming on his lips.

"You are actually suggesting that we basically kidnap these children from their loving families." Molly all but screeched.

"No Mrs. Weasley." James said in a calm voice. "I am suggesting that we remove children from abusive homes. Not all children are welcome or safe in their own home. No child should have to be sent to a place where their hurt, no matter what their so called parents might want."

Molly's only response to that was to huff. After that a vote was called and it wasn't even close. Both of James's proposals went through without any trouble. Not even Dumbledore or Molly was willing to vote against them.

"Now, next issue I wished to discuss. The other day I was going through Diagon Alley and I saw a few young teenagers at Florean Fortescue'sIce Cream Parlour. It didn't make sense because they were clearly school aged. When I asked them why they weren't at school they laughed at my naivety. They had no problem telling me that their parents worked in Knockturn Alley, so there was no way that they could afford to attend Hogwarts, even if they had been invited. I was hoping that one of you would be willing to explain to me just why it is that children are being denied an education simply because of where their parents work?" James was both hoping and dreading that Molly would be the one to answer. He would love to watch her make a bigoted fool of herself, but her voice was like nails on a chalkboard. The woman clearly didn't have an inside voice.

It was indeed Molly that answered. What followed was a 10 minute diatribe agains the evils of dark magic. By the end only Dumbledore and Andromeda Tonks were looking at her with anything like agreement. It was clear all the others thought she was just as crazy as James did.

"So you think that because their parents happen to work in a certain place, the children are evil and don't deserve an education. Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't those beliefs almost the same as that Lord Voldemort guy," almost everyone in the room flinched, "just going in the opposite direction. He didn't support the rights of the muggleborn, and you don't support the rights of those born with a dark core. I don't know if you are aware of this Mrs. Weasley, but you can not control either of those things. You can not pick your parents any more than you can decide the leaning of your core." James enjoyed watching Molly's mouth drop open in surprise when he compared her to Voldemort. She then went red with anger, the only thing that stopped her from screaming at him was Dumbledore interrupting.

"I'm sure he doesn't mean that in the way it came out Molly dear." James just raised an eyebrow. "You yourself were homeschooled were you not?"

"Yes, I was. The difference is that my parents chose to keep me home because we did a lot of traveling. At least I was offered a chance at a traditional education. These children were denied even that choice because of who their parents are. I feel that that sort of bigotry has no place in this institution. I am putting forward a motion to offer all magical children admittance in to Hogwarts so long as they have the power levels for it."