The Board of Directors

Albus is very distraught with the latest sorting of the Weasley twins. He never really expected that. As much as he had hoped Molly Weasley to have promoted the importance of their house to her children, it doesn't seem to have worked very well. He doesn't think Arthur is reliable enough. He was a bit scatterbrained. He heard that the man does not seem to mind that his sons are in Slytherin and was even proud of them regardless. At least George Weasley is in Ravenclaw but the two hooligans even though they were not sorted to Gryffindor brought distress to the school in just one year. Granted, he finds it funny. It seems sad that there seem to be fewer and fewer Gryffindors being sorted every year despite the rising population of students thanks to the muggle-borns (and that the muggle population is growing fast) but most muggle-borns usually find themselves sorted in Ravenclaw the most as they are the most curious lot due to them having no experience in the magical world. It is just ironic that even the Slytherin respected the Ravenclaw house despite having the most muggle-borns.

But Albus has been wondering what the hat has seen to have to be able to sort the Weasley siblings so differently and he worries what would become of Ronald once he enters the same year with Godric Potter. Godric Potter has grown significantly and while he also promotes fun and friendship for the boy, he has shown talent in all of the training he has to go through. Because of his age, magic using wands is dangerous to his core so they have no choice but to build up his mind and his body as much as possible. It was Lily who suggested this muggle art of fighting called "karate" and taking Godric for lessons. Although it would help, they still haven't told Godric about the reason for all the lessons and training. Lily and James wanted Godric to remain a child as much as possible (which Albus understood). James still has denial that Voldemort would come back but as an Auror, he understood the possibility. Lily just wants her family safe and normal most of all.

These sudden changes among the Weasleys would mean Albus has to make more adjustments to his plans for Godric Potter and Voldemort. He did hear Godric is a copycat of his father and he hoped he would be a Gryffindor. After all, the Potters were direct descendants of the founder himself. It would be a shame if they weren't Gryffindors. The prophecy must be properly fulfilled. If only he could entice the hat to get them sorted the way he wanted but he can't. The hat has ancient magic and it doesn't answer to the headmaster no matter what he wanted. It's a cheeky one too and would tease him even if he tried.

But the sorting is the last of his worries. This morning in the Prophet, the headlines read THE LAST PEVERELL HEIR RETURNS! And that gained Albus' attention. A man named Ignatius Cadmus Peverell, a long descendant of the Peverells has returned to claim his seat in Wizengamot. It was mentioned in the article that the man is a descendant of the first brother and is considered the last of the family to bear his name. Albus glanced at his wand at the thought of it. He was always been fascinated by the hallows and the Peverell family by extension and is aware that the eldest brother was the one with the elder wand. The man also holds more than one seat in Wizengamot, not just the Peverells. He was aware the second brother's line has combined with the Slytherin line and the youngest is Gryffindors but he never thought the Ravenclaws were of the eldest. He does know that the Smiths are the last direct line of the Hufflepuffs and like the Potters, despite being a noble house have been snubbed because they hold a very common surname that is very commonly found in the muggle world.

According to the article, Peverell is an American wizard and the reason for his absence is because he and his family are fighting some disease and he indicated that they are now cured of it. He has a cousin with him though he bares the last name, Blake. There is no picture in the paper so Albus will assume they will meet in the next Wizengamot meeting. Despite him holding at least five seats including the Peverell one, the other lords and ladies might not take him very seriously. The British wizards and witches do have a biased view about themselves against foreigners due to their strongest access to magic and are historically believed to be among the best in magic around the world. They would not take kindly of him mostly due to the fact they wanted to confirm that he is pure blood and that will be difficult because they don't have access to the man's family tree to know. According to the article, man has ancestors all around the world. At least the man is not prejudiced against the muggle-borns and even the squibs which surprised Dumbledore.

This OTOS scholarship fund is a charity that belongs to the man who benefitted mostly the squibs, and thanks to the arrangement with the ministry the muggle Liason wizards and witches now include their packets in the things they brought for muggle-born students. This has helped make the muggle-born students stay in the school as they can now afford it – something that has been a challenge for them since muggle schools especially public ones were free so muggle parents took a while to convince them why they should pay for their children's education when there is a cheaper and free option (even though doing so is dangerous based on the statute of secrecy). This also helped bring in more money because now even the orphans don't need to be given free tuition since the scholarship pays for it now. This has been another challenge in the school. A former headmaster a long time ago is the reason why the school remains in debt creating issues for faculty and resources. It's also the reason they keep Binns, despite his abysmal teaching methods, because aside from the contract, the man is free after all. There is also the part that the classes for their defense against the dark arts class being so poor due to the curse on the position.

But maybe he should consider getting Peverell in the Order as well. The more allies they have the better for the preparation in case Voldemort ever plans to come back at all. He has hoped that man would come back when Godric is older and well-trained but Trelawney has not shared any prophecies about when the dark lord will come back or even how. He already speculated that Voldemort has found a way to prolong his life but until now he wasn't sure what it could be.

Today was another meeting with the board of governors – the group that oversaw the running of the school. There were a bunch of proposals on his desks and it annoyed Albus. Mostly because the head of the governing body is Lucius Malfoy. That man's pockets are so deep he could go anywhere and do anything without any repercussions. The Malfoys and the Blacks are the two families who are so rich that is so difficult to even go against them. He was a little worried since Sirius was no longer on their side and has been hanging around with his own family, at least with Andromeda but he has seen the man hanging around his nephew and his cousin, Narcissa, and Draco Malfoy. So, despite everything, a Black will always be a Black. If Sirius has no children, which he does not seem to be planning, Nymphadora Tonks and Draco Malfoy will inherit the Black fortune (Sirius reinstated Andromeda back to the Black family) but the idea that the Malfoys becoming richer than it already is, terrifies Albus. He can imagine what mayhem the Malfoys can do with that fortune.

"Ah, good morning Albus." Macklemore Macmillan, one of the board of governors and the head of the Macmillan family greeted him when Albus entered the conference room. The board has called for an emergency meeting which is unusual as they already have an annual meeting. The Macmillans have always been Hufflepuffs and another known pureblooded family. But they were the biggest supporters of the Order. The poor man lost his wife after the first wizarding war. Cassandra Macmillan was an Auror who was killed by a death eater during one of their pursuits. His son will enter Hogwarts the same year as the boy who lived.

"Good morning, Macklemore." Albus greeted the man. He glanced at the rest of the other members of the board. Half of it he considered to be part of the light side, and the other half is the dark side with Malfoy being the head of the board to Albus' annoyance. It's not like he can do anything about it. Malfoy has tried many times to usurp him or make some changes but Albus finds those changes unacceptable. Lucius Malfoy is currently talking with Lord Parkinson and Nott who are also members of the board.

It seems the meeting was about to start so they all took their seats.

But Albus found something surprising.

Lucius Malfoy is not sitting on the head of the table where the head of the board usually does.

"Lord Malfoy. Why are you sitting there?" Macklemore asked surprised.

Lucius just looked at them calmly. "Oh? I thought you heard. I'm no longer the head of the board."

"Huh? Since when?" One of the board members asked.

Before Lucius could reply.

The door opened. In came, Benjamin Smith, another pure blood from a well-known Hufflepuff family. Despite being a Hufflepuff, Albus never liked him so much. He and his family despite their lineage and connection with another founder are very arrogant and haughty-looking. But he wasn't alone. He was talking and even smiling at the new visitor in the room.

Albus saw him before. He looked like he is in his mid-thirties, with black hair, silver eyes, pale skin, and tall. His clothing and aura tell you he is very wealthy. He has that look on his face that reminded Albus of the typical pureblood families, especially since the man also has a cane and looked like a silver eagle head on the cane. Who is this man?

"Good morning." Lord Smith greeted smugly.

"Good morning." The man also greeted them.

"Mr. Smith, is this him?" One of the board members asked. Lord Smith just smiled at him as they approach the table.

Albus, Macklemore, and most of the other members looked confused. Including Lucius Malfoy. Lucius who received a missive from the board that he was no longer the head of the governors. How that happen, he still didn't know. He heard it has something to do with Smith and the ministry and he wanted to crush that smug look on him.

"Allow me to introduce our new head of the board of governors, Ignatius Cadmus Peverell."