They found Quicksword having a very lively discussion with Dobby. Both noticed the arrival of the family and stopped before anybody could hear enough to understand what they were talking about. Dobby just bowed and disappeared, while the goblin seemed quite pleased.
"He's very smart, for a house elf," Quicksword noted as the teens took their places on the couches around him. "Now, with a fuller belly, I believe you can better understand what I came here to tell you."
Harry stopped him. "With your permission, I think I should first acknowledge my house elves, as I seem to have neglected them unknowingly."
Quicksword looked amused. "Yes, that would be nice. Your head house-elf is Thimble."
"Thimble?"
Although it was not really a call, another house elf materialized in front of Harry. It was wearing a dark blue uniform, similar to ones worn by human soldiers, only much smaller, and had three golden bands sewn under its shoulder on the right arm. "Master called?" it asked.
"Yes, Thimble. I've just found that I have several house elves and I thought I should get to know them."
Thimble seemed amused. "There are too many for Master to get to know them all right now, and Master doesn't even need that. Thimble can pass all orders to the other house elves, freeing Master from having to deal with each and every one separately."
"How many are there?" Hermione asked.
Thimble thought for a moment. "There are eighty seven, as of last night. Two females are due to give birth any time now, so there may be more, and there are six females expecting to deliver during the winter. There should be more than ninety by spring equinox."
"Where do they live?" was Hermione's next question.
Thimble shrugged. "That depends. The manor's team lives in the elves' wing, of course. The others have similar accommodations at or near where they work. All have more than enough space and are well furnished."
Hermione's anxiety about the house elves seemed to calm down. Harry was also feeling better now, knowing that his elves were happy. "I have some other stuff to handle now, but I'll call you as soon as we're ready to visit the manor and get to know the other house elves. You may go back now."
The elf vanished immediately, with barely a sound. Harry turned his attention back to Quicksword. "Care to explain about the heir stuff?"
The goblin seemed delighted to answer. "The four founders knew that the school could not be handled by their children. As you probably know, Rowena's only magical child died young. The children of the other founders had no interest in teaching or handling a school, as it was a lot of work and not worth the trouble, especially since schooling was free at that time. The founders set a trust fund and let my ancestor handle it on their behalf. They set the rules for assigning a board of directors to supervise the school and to elect a headmaster who could lead the school. They still hoped that their descendants would eventually be able to take control back. That could only happen if the magical descendants of all the four founders agreed. My ancestors were also assigned the role of informing the descendants of their being heirs, if the conditions were met. You've met them last night."
"So, as I'm currently the heir of all four founders, I can take control of Hogwarts?" Harry's statement sounded more like a question.
"That's true. You can take control of the school and use the funds to advance the magical education as you see fit. I must only make sure that the funds you request are indeed used for the benefit of the school. You may now dismiss the board completely or use it in any way you seem fit; you can hire and fire teachers; you can assign a headmaster or take the job yourself. You are almost unlimited in your powers, concerning Hogwarts."
"Can I change it to use electricity and allow modern technology?"
Quicksword gave it some consideration. "I'm not sure about how such combination may work. Electric lights should work fine, I believe, but electronics may not fit too well in magical environment. You should check the possibilities."
"Shouldn't I control the wards around school as well?"
Quicksword smiled, which seemed quite awkward for a goblin. "I believe you already have that. You can probably control the school and its wards already. Try to concentrate on them and see for yourself."
It only took Harry a moment to feel the wards responding to him. He also felt something else. It wasn't really alive, but it seemed quite sentient – Hogwarts herself. It was as if the school had a certain personality that he could interact with. It was something he would need to consult with Hermione about.
"What does it all mean about us as students?" Hermione asked.
Harry chuckled. It was so like Hermione to think of her studies even in such a situation.
"It doesn't change much. You still need to graduate and pass your NEWTs, preferably with very good grades. It would not do to be mediocre when you're expected to become an example for the students for several generations to come, would it?"
He didn't expect an answer. "You still have your duties as students, and they don't change due to being in control of the school, although you could be exempt from curfew, yet your lordships give you these rights already."
Quicksword then went into details about the financial state of Hogwarts and how Lord Hogwarts could use the assets at his disposition to achieve his goals. Harry tried his best to understand, feeling quite happy that Hermione, Fleur and Daphne were also listening. He trusted their memory and their understanding more than he trusted his own.
It took more then two hours for Quicksword to finish all his explanations. He bid them farewell and left. Harry consulted with his wives, trying to better understand what he should do quite soon and what he could leave for the future. Dobby popped in some time later.
"Master and Mistresses, the headmaster would like to know if you'd agree to meet him after lunch. He suggests meeting in his office, the teachers' room or the board's room, but will come wherever you choose to see him." Dobby seemed to feel very important for delivering this message.
Harry looked at Hermione for a moment before answering. "Please tell the headmaster that the Board's room would do just fine. Come to lead us there when we finish lunch, as I'm not sure we know the way, if you don't mind."
Dobby looked happy with the reply. "Dobby will come to lead you from the Great Hall as soon as yous all finish lunch."
The board's room sported an oval table, large enough to seat twenty people. When Harry stepped in, after holding the door open for all his wives, he found Dumbledore sitting there, looking quite pensive. The old headmaster stood up as soon as he saw Harry and only sat down again after Harry sat down, occupying the seat between Hermione and Fleur.
"You asked for this meeting, Headmaster. I think you should tell us what you wanted this for."
Dumbledore sighed. "There's so much I'd like to talk with you about that it's difficult to choose the first subject. Let's start with this, though..." He waved his hands as if to encompass the whole Potter group. "I believe I can safely assume that you've acquired another wife last night, Lady Slytherin, if I'm not mistaken."
Harry smiled. "Yes, Pansy wished to show me her love and asked me to marry her. It was another flash wedding."
Dumbledore nodded his head, as if he expected this answer. "The wards transferred to you soon after that happened. I was still in my office when I felt that, and knowing of your titles, it was very evident to me that you've finally got your Lady Slytherin, although I must say I'm a bit surprised to find who she is."
Pansy frowned, but the headmaster lifted his hand, as if asking her to wait. "I know about your old betrothal contract. That's something I had to know as the Headmaster of Hogwarts. I'm not surprised that you liked Harry. I'm only surprised that he accepted you despite your history."
He turned back to Harry. "Looking at you and your wives I feel I can finally be able to retire, feeling that I leave the school in good hands, better than I thought possible for many years."
"Why? Don't you trust Professor McGonagall?" Hermione asked.
"I trust her with my life, but Minerva isn't young anymore. She no longer has the patience and the understanding that she had when she started teaching here. I've lost them as well, but there was nobody I could pass the school leadership to and feel content about it."
"I don't think we are ready to take that burden soon. We still have to graduate, first," Hermione noted.
"Of course you have, and I don't doubt that you'll all excel in your NEWTs and then get your mastery at whatever you may choose. Yet I can see you leading the school and the whole wizarding community into a bright new future a few years from now."
"Do you intend to retire?" Harry asked.
"Yes, Lord Hogwarts, I was contemplating retirement long before you were even born, but I could not see the school staying on the right track if I did. Too many forces were at play. The board of directors was more concerned with politics and side benefits than with education, and whoever I could think of as Headmaster was not enough politically savvy to navigate the rough waters of politics. With Lady Black, Lady Hufflepuff and Lady Slytherin at your side, that should no longer be a problem, especially since you can do without a board, if you choose so. I'm sure that Lady Gryffindor would be able to take care of any misbehaving board member."
The four mentioned ladies smiled reluctantly at his words.
"I'm also sure that with both Lady Potter and Lady Ravenclaw at your side, along with Mrs. Potter, you'll have all the academic support you may need, especially considering that your other wives are doing quite well, academically, as well."
"Is this what you had in mind for me since the start?" Harry asked.
"No, Lord Hogwarts. Initially, I was quite sure you would have to face the dark Lord and try to defeat him. The outcome of such a confrontation could never be assured. Yet fate intervened once again. By acting the way your conscience dictated, you not only saved a young woman, but you also gained an ally and a wife. Whoever that ally is, he was the weapon the Dark Lord knew not, finishing him off for you. Now, with your new wife, you were set on a different road, one that made you Lord Hogwarts. I feel much happier preparing you to take over the education of the next generations than preparing you for battle."
Harry finally let himself smile. "I like this much better as well. Now, I do hope you can keep your position as headmaster for a few more years. We all need to finish school with good grades and then learn enough to be able to conduct Hogwarts as we feel it deserves."
Dumbledore nodded his acknowledgment.
"This doesn't mean that we wouldn't like some changes introduced as soon as possible, thought," Harry continued.
Dumbledore raised his brow. "What changes, pray tell?"
Harry smiled. "I think Professor Binns needs to finally retire. We need a livelier history teacher who can teach us without inducing sleep."
Dumbledore nodded understandingly.
"I also think that Muggle Studies should be taught by somebody who is much more knowledgeable about Muggle life. A muggleborn, muggleraised, or a squib who lives among muggles, would be best. The equipment demonstrated in class should also be updated to reflect current technology. It is outdated by a least three decades."
"Are you sure about this?" Dumbledore asked in surprise.
"Muggle technology advances rapidly. The newest technology may become obsolete withing a decade. You need to upgrade that class every year or two to stay up to date."
"I doubt we can change much before the new year. I hope some changes will occur during next term and a full upgrade should be scheduled for the summer vacation," Dumbledore suggested. Harry nodded.
The discussion soon turned informal. A while later, they parted, with Dumbledore promising to first try and replace Binns with a better teacher.