Chapter 2

Author's Note: Much thanks again to my beta-reader for her excellent suggestions and kind manner. I enjoy working with her very much.

Disclaimer: The characters you recognize belong to the brilliant J. K. Rowling; I owe her an immeasurable debt of gratitude for her creation, a new kind of Camelot.

Chapter Two

Board of Governors Chambers, 6th floor, Lion Tower, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Hogsmeade, Scotland

Draco Malfoy, Chairman of the Board of Governors, tapped the gavel on the heavy oak table in the Board of Governor's chamber and requested, "Please come to order."

The whispers abated as people took their seats and looked expectantly towards the head of the big table.

"Thank you for coming. I'm grateful that everyone could be here today for this meeting. I wish to state for the record that the entire Board of Governors is present, and Madam Fleur Weasley, our Ministry Liaison Officer is also in attendance."

Draco glanced to the foot of the table, where a glamorous blonde witch was the focus of admiring glances from every wizard in the room.

"Thank you, Mr. Chairman." Fleur Weasley stood up and bowed her elegant blonde head then sat back down.

"As I'm sure you are all aware, Headmistress McGonagall passed away around eleven o'clock. As authorized by your owls this morning, I have asked Madam Hermione Granger-Weasley to serve as Interim Headmistress. She has graciously accepted this duty and will serve as long as she is needed."

Draco looked over at Fleur Weasley again.

"Madam Weasley, I believe you told me before the meeting that you had a message from the Minister of Magic? "

"Yes. I bring you greetings from Minister Shacklebolt, who extends his sympathy to the staff and students at Hogwarts at this sad hour. He had the greatest respect and admiration for Minerva McGonagall, and he admired her courage. He asked me to say that he knew her to be a woman of the greatest integrity. She was a valued colleague and he will miss her very much."

"Thank you, Madam Weasley."

"Allow me to inform you of the events as they occurred and the arrangements that are pending, and then we will discuss the issue of a new Head of School for Hogwarts. Mr. Charlton, distribute the agenda for our meeting to everyone, please."

He nodded to the Recording Secretary of the Board of Governors, who immediately got to his feet and distributed a sheet of parchment to each person in the room.

"Madam Granger-Weasley was called into Headmistress McGonagall's office by a house-elf named Kreacher, who had taken in the Headmistress's morning tea. The house-elf was in much distress, as he could not awaken the Headmistress. Madam Granger-Weasley came to the office at once and called Madam Bones, the school's Mediwitch, when she herself could not awake the Headmistress. Madam Bones examined the Headmistress and determined that she had passed away. As per our established policy, Madam Granger-Weasley notified me, then she and Madam Bones sealed the office until the arrival of Ministry officials, who went to Hogwarts as soon as I notified them of the Headmistress' death. Headmistress McGonagall died of natural causes, and there was no evidence of foul play. It's distasteful to think of it, but the issue will come up, with Headmistress McGonagall being a War Hero. Madam Granger-Weasley had been given a copy of the Headmistress' will and letter of instructions, which are in good order, and will be executed in good time. Madam Granger-Weasley has made no formal announcement to the school as yet."

He turned cool grey eyes on each member of the Board of Governors in turn.

"You must expect to be approached by reporters, and I trust you will all deal with them honestly and discreetly."

He drew a piece of parchment out of his robes and once again looked around the room at each member of the board.

"Headmistress McGonagall left this last request about her interment."

He cleared his throat and began to read from the parchment in his hand.

To the Chairman and Board of Governors, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry:

At Hogwarts, I found my greatest friend, and life-long companion. I have loved Albus Dumbledore as a mentor, colleague and friend ever since he was my Head of House here at Hogwarts, and I request the privilege of remaining close to him, even in death. I desire my remains be cremated and my ashes scattered over the Black Lake, near the tomb of Albus Dumbledore.

Chairman Malfoy looked around the room once again.

"Those who wish to grant Professor McGonagall her last request signify by raising their hands."

The vote was unanimous, and he nodded as he saw the secretary record it in his notebook.

"Thank you. Headmistress McGonagall's request is granted, and we shall place a stone monument to her memory on the grounds near the tomb of Albus Dumbledore. The Board of Governors will send a suitable floral arrangement to whatever memorial service is planned. As Headmistress McGonagall was very close to Madam Granger-Weasley, I thought it appropriate for Madam Granger-Weasley to discuss the planned memorial services with Minister Shacklebolt. That meeting is taking place at the Ministry even as we speak. I also think it would be appropriate for us to fund a Memorial Scholarship in Headmistress McGonagall's honor. We will add that item to the agenda for next month's regular board meeting."

He dropped his eyes to the ground for a few moments, and everyone could see that he was struggling for composure, but when he spoke again his voice was cool and perfectly controlled.

"I wish to pay my own tribute today to Headmistress McGonagall. In the years I have served with this board I have seen her devotion to her pupils and her concern for their magical education. Looking back to my own days here at Hogwarts, I remember that she was always concerned for the welfare of all the students under her care."

He paused for a moment, then continued, his voice a little shaky now.

"In addition to the care I received as her student,I owe a great personal debt to Headmistress McGonagall for her kindness to my mother. At the end of the last war, when Riddle had fallen, some of his followers attacked my father and burned our house. Headmistress McGonagall invited my mother to stay at the school for her safety, and I have always been grateful to her for her compassion."

There were murmurs of agreement with Chairman Malfoy's tribute, but the room grew silent as Draco motioned for attention and spoke briskly.

"Now let us proceed with the second order of business. I will entertain discussion of the appointment of a new Head of School for Hogwarts. Let me remind you of the qualifications we seek for this position, and then we will discuss it further.

The successful candidate will be a witch or wizard in good standing in the magical community, a British citizen, and preferably a graduate of Hogwarts. He or she may be a professional educator, a qualified Healer or nurse, or a professional administrator with a minimum of five years experience in an educational environment. He or she is expected to live on the premises, and to educate, or have educated his or her own children, if any, at Hogwarts. We have several recommendations already, and I will present those now, before we begin our discussion.

Those recommended for consideration are:

Madam Susan Bones, Mediwitch, Hogwarts.

Madam Hermione Granger-Weasley, Master of Arithmancy, Potions Master, Deputy Headmistress and Potions Instructor, Hogwarts.

Madam Rolanda Hooch, Flying Instructor and Quidditch coach, Hogwarts.

Mr. Harry Potter, Defense against the Dark Arts, Hogwarts.

Healer Theophilus Parkinson, Deputy Director of Medical Education, St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies.

The floor is now open for discussion, with the first question being whether we think it appropriate to choose a new Head at this time or appoint an Interim Head of School while we search for a suitable candidate."

Suddenly the room was filled with the babble of many voices, and it took a while for Draco to sort out the order of the speakers. Everyone in the room seemed to have an opinion, including the portraits that hung on the walls. The board quickly voted to appoint a new Head of School as soon as possible.

"And do we have a qualified candidate whom the board is confident of appointing?"

The big room was silent for a moment, and then the portrait of former Headmaster Severus Snape spoke in his familiar drawl.

"Draco, it would be obvious to a Flobberworm that the Board of Governors should offer the position to Hermione Granger-Weasley."

Draco nodded up at the portrait of his godfather, austerely dressed in black and seated in a gothic chair of fabulous black oak. "Her qualifications and record of service to the school are impressive," he said quietly, watching as his godfather's mouth quirked up in what might have been a smile. "The board must consider all the candidates, though, before making a decision. It's procedure."

"Merlin's Fancy Beard, far be it from me to suggest the discussion is unnecessary, since it is procedure." Snape raised one eyebrow and cast a mocking glance around the boardroom, and Draco chuckled to see nearly everyone at the table wince and shrink back in their seats. Most of them had been taught by Severus Snape at Hogwarts. His godfather had long since consigned all administrators to the category of self-important dunderheads. He did understand educators very well, though, and his support of Hermione Granger-Weasley showed he still recognized an excellent teacher when he saw one.

Again, a babble of voices, but as Draco allowed each person to speak in turn, it became apparent that Madam Granger-Weasley was the unanimous choice of the entire board.

Draco actually smiled as the final vote was tallied. How well he remembered Hermione Granger, as she had been then, from their years together at Hogwarts. They had been enemies and rivals, at first, Hermione being sorted into Gryffindor and Draco into Slytherin. Over the years they had developed a grudging respect for one another. That respect had turned into an odd sort of friendship after the Second War.

"Madam Granger-Weasley, then, is this board's choice for Headmistress of Hogwarts."

The minutes of the Board of Governor's meeting contained an abbreviated version of Hermione Granger-Weasley's Curriculum Vitae.

b. Hermione Jane Granger, September 19, 1979.

Madam Granger-Weasley is married to Ronald B. Weasley, General Manager, All England Quidditch League, and is the mother of two children, Hogwarts students Rose Kathleen and Hugo Arthur Weasley.

Once again Malfoy smiled; this time it was a relieved smile that the issue of a new Head of School was successfully concluded.

"This meeting is adjourned, and we will meet again next month on the date and time already appointed. I will present our formal written offer to Madam Granger-Weasley at the earliest opportunity, which I anticipate will be tomorrow, and inform the board at once of her acceptance or rejection of that contract."

Draco watched as the members of the Board of Governors made their way out of the conference room and went their separate ways. Then he went to the office of the Deputy Headmistress, where he was ushered in and seated on the sofa in front of the fire and offered tea.

Prompt Information

This story was written for the Potter Place Deathly Hallows Challenge.

I used prompts 6 and 8 but modified them.

The original prompts:

6. The kids leave after Snape dies. He sits up and realizes he is a ghost.

8. As Hermione, Ron, and Harry watch Snape die Hermione is devastated because she has been secretly in love with him. Waiting until after the war is won, Hermione gets her Time Turner and goes back a year. She confronts Snape and tells him what will happen. They take the year to come up with a potion that will react once the Dark Lord and the gang leave the Shrieking Shack. Since Hermione cannot be seen by her other self she must stay with Snape in the dungeons until the day of the battle.I think it would be kind of cool is she were to fight during the battle as herself and her time turner self.)

My modifications: The story is written about a portrait, and not a ghost. I only borrowed Hermione being in love with Severus from prompt 8.