ᵖʳᵒᵘᵈ ᵖᵃʳᵉⁿᵗˢ ; ʰᵃʳᵐⁱᵒⁿᵉ

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter 29 - Radio Ga Ga

Pomona would be delighted to know her interview came across as nothing like Dumbledore's pompous pontificating from the previous week's broadcast. Rather someone who was very proud of what they were trying to achieve, and had every right to take pride in those achievements. The Headmistress laid the groundwork for those being interviewed after her.

In Hogwarts, you could have heard a pin drop as every wireless had groups gathered around it. The pureblood Greengrass family extolling the facilities and quality of Professors available at the Institute was a bitter pill to swallow for those who were refused entry.

Gerald Greengrass was talking about meeting with the Institute's potions Professor to try and incorporate some of the things he'd seen fitted in her classroom into his own potions business. After hearing that, Daphne going into raptures about their potions class was perhaps expected. Her younger sister had different ideas. Astoria claimed she liked the outdoor section of the library best - because she could work with friends on their assignments in the sunshine - the weather wards ensuring a pleasant temperature all year round. Not only did they not have to converse in whispers, they were even allowed drinks and snacks as they worked.

Dumbledore counted Poppy Pomfrey as his original betrayer. With hindsight, it was now obvious that she was protecting Potter and Granger from him. She was one of the first members of his staff to resign, and hearing on the wireless how she left Hogwarts to immediately portkey to Italy and Potter was just kicking a wizard when he was down. Anyone who'd ever shared a conversation with Poppy couldn't fail to hear the happiness and contentment in her voice while speaking about her new job - or should that be new life. This broadcast was turning into as much of an embarrassment to Albus and Hogwarts as the Halloween fiasco had been.

The interview with Dean Thomas gave a totally different viewpoint, from someone who previously had to give up so much while attending Hogwarts.

"I can phone home every night now, and talk to all my family. I can even phone my Nan, who knows nothing about magic. My Nan is just chatting to her grandson as usual, and over the moon my new school lets me call her. My dad was a wizard, but he died when I was young. My mum is a muggle, and so is my stepdad - my kid brother and little sister too. None of them had ever seen me do magic before - and this is my fourth year of being taught it. They were one of the families who visited last month, like everyone else Harry's school blew their minds. They saw me do magic, even got to see me in classes - and I was able to take the kids up flying on a broom that weekend. They had a great time."

Lyndi was honest enough to say she hadn't appreciated that problem, and asked what else had changed for Dean now that he was attending the Institute.

"I'm a football nut, most of my friends back home are too - you've no idea the amount of time we waste blabbing about our favourite team and players. If you switch quidditch for football, then most teen wizards and witches will know exactly what I mean. Here's the thing, for ten months of the year I can't watch my team, can't listen to their matches on the wireless or even read about them in the newspapers. When I go back home at summer, not knowing the latest goss has me sticking out like a sore thumb - and it's against magical law to say why. For the last three years it's like I drop of the planet for ten months, and it has my mates wondering if I'm getting banged-up for shoplifting or something. After the BBQ tonight, I'll be shooting straight for the Institute's tv room, and watching The Hammers play The Gunners on Match of the Day. Having these links to my 'other' life just helps me out so much."

Lyndi thanked Dean, before they moved on to the next recorded interview.

For anyone connected to the Ministry or the Wizengamot, bar Amelia and Augusta, it was the Grangers being interviewed that had them cringing.