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Chapter 963 - Hogwarts Board Deliberation

With great grace and style, the icy handsome, pale, long-haired blond, Lucius Malfoy strides down the hallway to the deliberation chamber almost fashionably late, but as always right on the dot. His elegant opera cloak flutters behind him while his walking stick makes a sharp, almost rhythmic clang against the floor.

Lucius, the chairman of the Hogwarts Board paused before the great oak doors to ensure that his clothes are perfect before pushing the doors open and entering the floor. The other eleven board members don't even glance up from their chatter, while others read the Daily Prophet as they wait. The eleven other board members of the Hogwarts board had long resigned themselves to the fact that the Chairman of the Hogwarts Board enjoyed making a dramatic entry. If one didn't know that Lucius Malfoy was a Slytherin, they would argue to say that he might be a Gryffindor considering his constant desire for the dramatic.

"Good evening, members of the Hogwarts Board," Lucius coolly announced his presence as he took his seat at the center of the table, before stylishly removing his leather gloves. "It is most excellent to see the board members faring so well."

"If I did not know any better, I would almost believe that the Chairman cannot afford a pocket watch," crisply declared, Garrick Arnold. The stern, proud-featured wizard wore a rather expensive couture and prided himself on his appearance. However, it had been a constant source of vexation that almost in every single aspect Lucius Malfoy outclassed him not only in appearance but even in power and wealth. It was a rather sore point.

A bout of silence follows the outburst as the board members decide not to interfere. The longer serving board members knew that the Chairman Malfoy despite his youth could more than defend himself. While the newest added board members knew that Board Member Arnold was no match for the Chairman. Still, they would not rise to defend Arnold except to remind the chairman to commence the meeting if the banter became prolonged.

Not rising to the bait instead Lucius slowly grins at Arnold in an insincere warm fashion. "You have my belated congratulations, Board Member Arnold, I congratulate you on your engagement to Dementia Pewtritt. I am certain it is an excellent match."

Arnold's cheeks flush bright red in humiliation. He had no choice but to marry the obnoxious chit after an unfortunate night of drinking. Dementia Pewtritt was an undesirable pureblood spinster with a large mole and a protruding jaw. However, in the midst of heavily drinking at a friend's party, he had unfortunately succumbed to the terrible fate that awaits all wizards that do not keep their wits about when drinking. And to worsen the situation, Dementia Pewtritt carried his seed. As it was his parents nor the Pewtritt's would permit anything less than marriage. Had it been a lesser witch, Arnold could have easily paid off the chit, but a pureblood witch of Pewtritt's caliber could not be ignored.

Seeing the pulsing veins in Arnold's forehead the newest board appointment and replacement of the widow, Fiona Bly, Secundus Wilkes frowns. He was a handsome older man with dark eyes with an almost head fully white that occurred after the cruel betrayal of his eldest son, (S.R. Wilkes). Seeing the clenched fists of Arnold, Secundus sighs and says, "I am certain that there will be plenty of time to congratulate Arnold on his nuptials, but let us return to the topic at hand, no? It would be prudent, I believe, and I am certain that the Chairman is an agreement."

Maxwell Zheng, a descendant of the famous Chinese explorer turns his almond-shaped eyes towards his friend, Leif, Amundsen, and shares a wide grin. Leif Amundsen's clear eyes are also filled with amusement. He reaches up to touch his wiry, neatly trimmed hair, before rubbing his cleft chin to hide his barely suppressed laughter. (Just as a friend, Amundsen too was a descendant of a famous Norwegian explorer.)

Lucius Malfoy narrows his icy colored eyes once at Wilkes, before saying, "Very well, then shall we commence the discussion at hand?"

The Board members all nod their heads in agreement, before Lucius says, "At the last meeting, we conducted interviews for the new Physical Education position at Hogwarts to ensure the health and exercise of all 1st and 2nd-year students three times per week. The requirement will extend to 3rd and 4th years twice per week with 5th-year students and older having the option to continue their enrollment in the class."

"I am certain those that remain will primarily be Gryffindors and any member of the Quidditch team," Francesca De Leon chuckled prettily with her full lips. She was a breathtaking beautiful Spanish descended witch with lively almond eyes, slightly olive tinted skin, and a curved figure that caused many a wizard to turn twice and glance back at her.

A burst of agreeing chuckles fill the air, but they knew that there were boisterous children in all four houses of Hogwarts. Many of the pureblood parents were pleased with how much more obedient their unruly children had become after physical education classes at Quattor. In fact, the pureblood parents were very much in favor of the continuation of these muggle sports to properly channel their children's energy and ensure their children's proper education. The board had received such a flood of donations and pointed requests for such a new addition to a Physical Education at Hogwarts that they had no choice but to interview a list of potential candidates mostly squibs and muquibs.

Arnold glares and opens his mouth to speak, but an older wizard with bushy untrimmed brows pointedly glares at Arnold to be quiet. Arnold wilts like an inflatable balloon, while the older square-faced wizard with puffy, wild hair raises a bushy brow. "Personally, I am in favor of the muggle, Ellen Cracknell."

A stunned silence fills the air as most of the board members had automatically discounted the older muggle female as she seemed rather flighty, to begin with. Furthermore, as an older female, they did not believe she possessed the capacity to deal with energetic magical children. And though the older muggle had been married to a wizard, Orford Umbridge, the couple was divorced. The daughter, Dolores Umbridge long missing and presumed dead, while the couple's squib son, Berford Cracknell had been raised in the muggle world and is now teaching at one of the Quattor academies.

"A muggle," Arnold sputtered indignantly. "That is absolutely a preposterous idea! We already have a squib and muquibs at Hogwarts! You would have a disgusting muggle dirty the sacred institution that is Hogwarts!"

A few board members face's twists in agreement as the thought of an actual muggle at Hogwarts filled them with undisguised disgust and appalled horror. Even Lucius Malfoy was unable to hide his shock as he wasn't quite sure what to make of the surprising suggestion.

"Mm, that is a good suggestion, Livingstone," Secundus Wilkes thoughtfully murmured earning surprised glances from everyone on the board. "By employing a muggle at Hogwarts, we will quiet the muggleborns, who argue and protest about equality despite the employment of squibs and muquibs at Hogwarts. Furthermore, it will show that the Hogwarts Board is willing to be more open-minded. It is an excellent political move in that regard. And should a pureblood argue otherwise, we will state that those positions are lowly and should only be filled by those not possessing a single drop of magic."

The board members slowly digest the thought the reasoning of Secundus Wilkes. Secundus turned to glance at a solemn wizard with long sleek hair tied back in an elegant top knot, Izuki Sato. The wizard had almond-shaped eyes, cream-colored skin, and oriental-styled robes. A proud wizard that carried the blood of ancient samurai wizard ancestry.