Harry Potter: Marauder at Howgarts

"So, there's a State school? Like a muggle comprehensive?" Harry asked, wondering why no-one had ever mentioned it before.

"There are seven now," Professor McGonagall said with a small smile, "Belfast, London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Manchester, Durham, and Edinburgh." She listed quickly. "Most have an average year intake of around sixty to eighty pupils although the Irish and Welsh schools are much, much smaller. They don't board but students either floo or portkey in on a daily basis. They're quite good although they have to follow a Ministry approved syllabus. Some of our teaching staff came to us having previously worked at one. Professor Babbling taught at the Edinburgh Academy before she came to Hogwarts, and both Professor Flitwick and Professor Vector taught at King's Magic School in London." She paused and continued. "And obviously, home schooling is still chosen by many wizarding families."

"So why didn't I end up at one of the State schools?" Harry asked.

She smiled at him again. "We have wandered from the point, haven't we? But luckily your question brings it back into focus once more. Generally, we have no upper limit of how many children we can take. Your class is somewhat small but it was a terrible year in the war when you were born and we lost entire families." She shook herself briskly. "To answer your question, Hogwarts has a list – usually parents apply for their child to be placed upon it when they're born. Your parents did that for you. Your father's parents did that for him. Most members of the Wizengamot will send their children to Hogwarts as will most senior members of the Ministry."

Harry vaguely remembered that Vernon had done the same for Dudley with Smeltings. He nodded slowly in understanding.

"Now, the Founders – Helga Hufflepuff to be exact – enchanted a book that lists all magical births within the United Kingdom. It resides somewhere in Hogwarts but nobody really knows where – not even the Headmaster." Professor McGonagall sipped her tea. "What does happen is that a month before every child's eleventh birthday, a Hogwarts notification is produced and delivered to the Headmaster's desk so he can send a letter of acceptance. These days they automatically get transferred to me."

"But not everybody goes to Hogwarts." Harry said confused.

"Exactly." Professor McGonagall said looking pleased for some reason. "I have a house elf who helps me and she checks to see whether or not the student is on our acceptance list. If they're on the list, the usual letter is sent which she signs in my name. If they're not on the list but have magical parents, the notification is forwarded to the parents so they can arrange their child's education. But it's the latter category that we're most interested in for your mother's scholarship; those without magical parents."

Professor McGonagall paused to refill her cup and Harry snagged a chocolate digestive from the plate, thinking about what she'd said to him so far. In hindsight, it had been stupid to think that his Hogwarts class were all the magical children of his age in the country, Harry thought a little chagrined.

"All muggleborn notifications are set aside for my action." Professor McGonagall said. "All muggleborns are provisionally accepted at Hogwarts subject to whether they can pay the tuition. The Headmaster and the Heads of the Houses are usually the only people authorised to perform visitations although occasionally another member of staff is authorised if no-one else is available. We deliver the letter personally, reassure the parents to the existence of magic and determine their decision. If they cannot afford the fees, we offer them the opportunity to attend a Ministry school and, if they say yes to that, we send the child's name onto the nearest school so they can make the necessary arrangements by mail. They usually send a letter with a portkey and instructions on what supplies the children will need and where to purchase them."

"What if they refuse to attend?" Harry asked.

"Ah, well, there is no such thing as home schooling for muggleborns as they don't know any tutors." Professor McGonagall sighed, her expression turning to one of sadness. "If the parents do not want their child to attend magical school at all, we bind the child's magic and obliviate the family to the nature of the visit. They say goodbye to us believing that we came to discuss their child attending our school but they've decided against it – and that's it. We have to protect the Statute of Secrecy."

Harry nodded in understanding.

"Now there are some Hogwarts scholarships already available," Professor McGonagall said, "one is for orphans and another is to assist families with multiple children."

Harry wondered idly if the Weasleys had received some help from that scholarship before he flushed – reminding himself it wasn't any of his business how his best mate's family afforded Hogwarts. Although the other scholarship might account for how Tom Riddle had been able to attend Hogwarts since he'd grown up in a muggle orphanage without any money, Harry mused.

"What I propose is this: if a muggleborn family cannot afford the tuition and opts to send their child to the Ministry school, we will give them the option of applying for your mother's Hogwarts scholarship." McGonagall glanced at him. "Is this acceptable to you?"

"Yes." Harry said quickly. "You're giving them the option of not applying?"

McGonagall nodded. "Some parents will prefer not to send their children away to school regardless – that's one of the most popular reasons I get from muggles for turning down Hogwarts even when the parents can afford tuition, and others may see it as charity and refuse it." She motioned with her cup. "Those who accept will be told that a decision will be taken on 1st August which is really the latest we can take it. If they receive notification they will have been awarded the scholarship, if they do not they should proceed with the placement at the Ministry school."

"OK, so what about this year?" Harry questioned.

"I have already sent the families that opted for the Ministry school because of financial concerns a letter asking for them to confirm whether they wished to be considered to notify me by simply writing yes on the parchment letter." She looked immensely pleased with herself. "There are fourteen who have said yes. Now what we must do is decide what the criteria will be for choosing the recipient."

The discussion that followed was spirited and Harry was pleased when his new 'aunt' encouraged him to put his own ideas forward. She challenged him on some of the suggestions. He'd argued that they should test for intelligence – his mother had been smart so it made sense to him that the recipient of her scholarship should be smart. Professor McGonagall had wondered how they would test for such a thing and Harry pointed her at the primary school tests.

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