What the Future Holds

The Malfoy Cottage

Lucius Malfoy looked around the cottage with a look of pure disgust. He wasn't used to the idea of seeing his family "Weasley Poor". It was even worse than Weasley Poor as the Burrow had farm land and pastures.

"Cissy", he said, "how can you live here in this hovel?"

"It's not Malfoy Manor, dear, but I'd hardly consider it a hovel either. We're comfortable, our neighbors are quite nice..."

"You mean the muggles?"

"Yes, that is what our neighbors are, and they treat us much better than those we encounter coming and going from Gringott's. I'll take a kind word from a muggle over the hateful glares of our kind, or the rejection of those we thought friends for all these years".

"What of Draco? Why hasn't he returned to Hogwarts?"

"Father, I'm no longer sure I want to return to Hogwarts..."

"So you decided to turn your back on your pure blood and heritage? Just like that?"

"What good did that 'pure blood' (finger quotes) do? Did it give you any special insights into the nature and character of the Dark Lord? Have you forgotten how he treated all of us? The way he hurt Aunt Bella for no good reason? The way he humiliated you in our own home when he took your wand? You call our new home a 'hovel' (finger quotes) but all that pure blood isn't worth a plugged knewt is it?"

"How dare... you are no son of mine!"

"Before you decide that, at least consider a couple of things. The Malfoy name is becoming respectable again. Furthermore, we aren't going to remain Weasley Poor for much longer..."

"Draco, Cissy: why didn't you tell me this?! It's great news..."

"Before you get too excited, you should know that that new respect is from muggles, show him"

Narcissa produced the old copy of the Financial Times that featured the story about a technological break through, and the partnership of New Revelations and Silicon Solutions that made it possible. The article named Narcissa Malfoy as New Revelations' CFO and Jadin Weston the CEO. The further into the article Lucius read, the farther his jaw dropped.

"That's right: Malfoy has become synonymous with high tech. We'll probably be buying back Malfoy Manor, and it will be with muggle money. The next Malfoy Yuletide Ball will be attended by muggles involved with muggle technology".

Lucius collapsed into an overstuffed chair, head in hands. He knew he had a lot to relearn about being the patriarch of a family that made it in technology, and being a captain of muggle industry.

"Since going to school with Jadin, I've learned a lot I never knew before. I like tech, and I'm looking forward to a career in either comp-sci or IT. Hogwarts doesn't offer courses in those fields".

The discussion went on until the wee hours of the morning, and ended with a compromise: Draco would return to Hogwarts, sit his NEWTs, attend muggle highschool during the summer break. Then he could attend university.

0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

The digimon returned to their partners. Zhuqiaomon was able to persuade his three colleagues that the presence of digimon in the Outworld no longer posed a risk of exposing the Wizarding World, now that the revelation of its existence was imminent. The Frontier, however, remained closed to further emigration until the matter was resolved completely, and there was no telling when that might be possible.

This time, Shacklebolt's word proved good. Reforms were pushed through the Wizengamot, and the Board of Governors approved a revised curriculum for Hogwarts that updated Muggle Studies. There were field trips to an airport that included a trip through the hangars where aircraft mechanics told how these mighty birds were kept in the air, a shopping mall, cinema, an offshore oil platform. Guest lecturers were recruited from squibs and muggles alike.

Other subjects, such as Astronomy were updated with emphasis on more than just the magical properties of comets, and more than just recognition of asterisms and constellations. Arithmancy included algebra and pre-calc to the OWL level. Potions included an overview of actual Chemistry.

Weekend visits were included to keep families from drifting apart, as were Hogsmeade outings and Quiddich. Squibs could now have sleep-overs and sit in on the classes their magical siblings were taking. So, too, could the parents of the muggle-born.

Magical Britain was finally coming into the modern age.