Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognise. This is for fun only, please don't sue.

Chapter 10: Rotam Vitae

For the Hardik and Hermione's Year 4 the number of pureblood Anglo Saxon magical children increased. With the Longbottom's decision to send young Neville to there were others who followed their lead in sending their children to the new private mixed system community school. There were the Greengrass girls. The oldest girl went into the Grangers year group while her younger sister joined one of the Year 2 classes. Other familiar names in the magical world such as Zabini, Abbott, Davis, Lovegood, Davies and others were also found in the school.

Not only were the neutral pureblood families were jumping on the bandwagon but other families such as the Finnegan's, Thomas and Creswell's. These families had that mix of both magical and non-magical children with mixed heritage parents that were often described as half bloods.

It was always baffling to Asmara and Fezile how these families could be half bloods because both of them had the desire to say which half. It was not like you could separate a body in half or the blood in half. Was the half the deoxygenised blood giving them the so called blue blood tint that the purebloods seemed to insist they had with their anarchic ways and old world titles.

Other ethnic magical families like the Chang's and Patil's loved the idea of having their children participating in a friendly school environment. The increased mixing of the student population provided a greater amount of resources for the extended community such as the Grandmothers, the book club and the other educational programs.

Picaroon Enterprises were developing more and more business opportunities that enabled magic aware individuals who had their WOMBATs employment opportunities. As Fezile had pointed out individuals like squibs were discriminated against in both worlds. Not enough muggle education to enable them to blend and not enough magic to have some level of respect in their family or magical world. The Goblin Nation benefited from the increased number of magically aware non magicals through Picaroon Enterprises as it gave them a cover to access muggle technology, business opportunities and a greater market for their services.

Retiring Ghurkhas had a wider range of employment opportunities no longer were they always getting forced into security work. If they wanted to they could access the afterhours education provision to improve their qualifications. Picaroon was very willing to use them as security personnel or provide additional job training programs where they needed staff with a very very good understanding of security.

The Building Society increased its number of branches and around Aldershot there were more non-Nepali's choosing to use this financial organisation. The data centre had to be expanded at the end of the second year as external organiations utilised the services. The school had a side benefit as the service fees help to pay for the electronic library and IT provision. There was a digitisation project underway called Svorga that included magical and non magical texts. The Grandmothers fund raised to put IT and better educational resources in the various Hill Tribe areas.

On the second anniversary of the disappearance of Harry Potter the House Black made sure that was plenty of publicity and increased lobbying within the Wizengamot for greater improvements in the care of orphaned magical children. Again it was an opportunity to put the knife into Albus Dumbledore. However not everything was beer and skittles.

The new neutral faction had tried to get their own candidate into the Minister position only to find that somehow Cornelius Fudge managed to over take them in the polls. It seemed that the neutral voters had not come out and actually cast their votes. On the whole the voter participation was down. The new Minister Fudge was a complete berk but with the assistance of Albus Dumbledore he managed to bring a number of new pieces of legislation in that had serious consequences to the magical way. So called traditions cast into stone. There were decisions made that led to grave difficulties for dark creatures like Remus Lupin. Cornelius Fudge the fool had installed Delores Umbridge as the head of department doing that fateful act where an incompetent is installed above their level of competence.

The Department of Mysteries started to find that their budget requests were being denied as the new Minister could not see the point of the department as it would not provide him with the public exposure to maintain his popularity with the wizarding public. The Ministry under his guidance tried to take advantage of the Death Eater estates causing more problems as they created enmity with the spouse and children who were disenfranchised and disinherited. Many a pureblood matriarch found herself without the funds or estate to support her children. The population in Knockturn Alley was increasing. Children who were orphaned by the system were forgotten about or were punished by the sins of their parents. How is a four year old to blame?

Lord Black had put in appearance in London and found that he attacked the attention of a young cadet reporter, Rita Skeeter. The woman tagged him all the time she seemed to have the inside scoop where he was going all the time. As a result during the third summer of Hardik's freedom he did not get to see much of his unca padfoot.

When Sylvia Flint was charge with theft for stealing food to feed her children Amelia Bones had put a plea into Augusta Longbottom that they needed to do something for all the families who were being persecuted since they were on the wrong side of the war. Madam Bones had read her muggle history and knew that the second war was likely to be triggered if the practices of the victors continued. It was the same with Germany in World War 1, afterwards the country was bankrupted through reparations and harsh discriminate polices. In the end the German population had to accept the policies of an extreme party, as they were the only party that seemed to want to help the country find its feat again. Less than 21 years later the world was at war again.

Regent Longbottom became the head of a charity organisation called Rotam Vitae. The aim of the women led organisation was to provide aid and assistance to magical women and children. The fact that children were being orphaned by the system and left in poor conditions was one of the first lobbying points for this organisation. The rotam vitae tried to provide a supporting hand to mothers such as providing small business loans so they could earn their own money to support their children.

But while there was good work done by the Rotam Vitae there were some in the Ministry who were trying to build their own little fiefdom. Cornelius Fudge again promoted and supported Dolores Umbridge with her appointment as a Deputy Under sectary. Now she did not have one Department Section under her command she gained others. At the same time the policies and practices of the Fudge administration had lead to a further shrinkage of the magical economy. The House Black and the Picaroon Group were sheltered by how much business they had in the non magical world.

With the new Deputy Under Secretary Umbridge the budgets of many areas within the Ministry were cut. With budget cuts so came the personnel cuts. It was interesting to note when looking at who was given their pink slip at the MOM there was a greater percentage of muggle born or half blood former employees who were sent on their way. Purebloods where the Under Secretary could were retained however some who blood traitors like Dirk Creswell who had married a muggle born witch and learnt gobblygook were fired promptly. According to Delores he was a horrible horrible man since he had learnt the filthy language and seemed to have a close relationship with the Goblin Nation. It was one sub department that she was happy to absorb into the Dark Creatures.

There is a strange concept that you have to spend money to make money. The practices of the MOM under Fudge's leadership led to withdrawal of money from the economy. People were fearful so they were not spending. The non spending had a knock on effect on businesses where there was downsizing. This increased the number of unemployed and the more fear within the community about their economic survival. Disposable incomes were down and this trickled through to the magical government as taxation income decreased. When Tom from the Leaky Cauldron shut up shop on this pub it was the first time in 500 years when the publican had not been a member of his family. As it was Tom had opened a second premises in York that had been keeping the Leaky afloat but now it was not possible. The Green Gumboot could not support the second pub and its costs any more. With a heavy heart Tom Firkin handed the deeds over to the Goblin nation for the property to pay off the loan collateral he had borrowed to start up the Green Gumboot. The Firkin trade as publicans would continue but they wouldn't be there at the gateway between the magical and muggle world.

With the decrease in trade in Diagon Alley there was a knock on effect in the other London magical premises. So there was less money coming into the business district, property values and rents decreased. People did not frequent the formally busy district it was becoming a ghost town. The Goblin nation had to foreclose on a number of merchants.

oOoOo

Madam Umbridge was not having a very good day. She only had so many galleons to do her tasks such as wiping out all those horrible half breeds. She wanted to place them into work camps where they may products for sale that undermined and tormented muggles or provided further income to the Ministry to carry on the good works of Cornelius Fudge. Delores made sure she was seen at tall the photo opportunities but behind the scenes in the Ministry of Magic she had one of the biggest fiefdoms.

Delores truly believed that she was the epitome of the adage behind every great man there is an even greater woman. Madam Cornelius Fudge was a poorly woman who was hardly ever seen in public. She had been a pureblood debutant with a powerful family, low bride price and high dowry to enable the marriage contract. The young Cornelius fudge had married her to ensure he had a good career in the Ministry. But now according to Delores it was time for the Minister to upgrade after a suitable period of morning.

However there was the increasing problem of not enough funds. St Mungo's could no longer provide a universal health service so unless you had the money you could not get the health care. Delores had managed to get the place to start working, as a profitable enterprise but there had been considerable shrinkage. No longer was there the 24 hour Accident and emergency free service. If you wanted a mediwitch it had to be within working hours and after you paid the initial appointment fee. For every appointment the Ministry needed to make a profit.

If you couldn't afford the fees well tough bickies you had to go somewhere else like that horrible organisation Rotam Vitae. As soon as possible Madam Umbridge was determined to ban the organisation and that should put Augusta Longbottom and the likes back in their boxes. How dare these uppity women sneer at her she was Cornelius' right hand woman.

Sitting at her desk that morning in her pink office within the Ministry of Magic looking at her lovely cat plates Delores Umbridge had a lightening wave. Lets tax everyone's gold. Make the goblins declare all the contents of each vault and account and take a minimum of 10% from everyone. Buildings like the Ministry could have all the gold chandlery removed and cashed in. That one would be a 2 for 1 income generator for the Ministry. All the galleons from the gold chandlery and then the 10% levy on the goblins for the increased ownership of gold providing even more galleons for the ministry coffers. The Ministry would also have to ensure that each magical household, business and individual had correctly reported their gold ownership. Sitting there looking at her cats drinking her tea Madam Umbridge came up with the Vir Aureum Inspectors. The Ministry would be able to earn money by selling of the letters of marque to individuals to become Vir Aureum Inspectors. So again more money would come into the Ministry.

oOoOo

The current muggle Prime Minister the Right Honourable Margaret Hilda Thatcher had come to power thanks to her performance in the Parliament during the Winter of Discontent. The first couple of years of her Prime Ministership had been implanting policies to correct the economic shambles of the UK economy. She had provided the leadership to the nation to through the Falklands War proving that a woman could be a wartime leader in the modern age. She had been given the nick name the Iron Lady for her lack of tolerance for incompetent idiots. Prime Minister Thatcher had repeatedly demonstrated her determination not to bow down to terrorists with her policies and decisions in relation to the Northern Ireland Troubles. It was just like how she didn't bow down to the unionists in the same year when the IRA had attempted to kill her at the 1984 party conference. Since the bombing and the repeated fronts of disgruntlement the Prime Minister utilised her security services. It had come to the attention of both MI5 and MI6 that there was increasing issues with Magicals. New Scotland Yard reported to the Iron Lady there was an increased amount of crimes that was distinctly magical.

After sending an OWL to the Ministry of Magic (how inefficient) the former industrial chemist and lawyer was becoming highly agitated with the lack of response. She had thought James Callaghan to be pulling her leg when he left her the notes about the world of magic in her dispatch box. She had been very pleased to met Millicent Bagshot the then Minister of Magic. Yes another powerful woman in politics dealing with the incompetents. When Millicent had retired she had introduced her replacement and she could tell from Millie's body language that she did not like her replacement. With his comical green bowler hat Mrs Thatcher confided to Dennis she had wanted bop him one with his condescending manners towards her.

The Prime Minister was drumming her fingers a clear sign to her administrative staff that she was not happy to be kept waiting.

POP! "Ah my dear you asked if I could come an have see you?" bustled the self assured Minister of Magic

"Yes Mr Fudge. I requested last week for you to present yourself for a urgent discussion," advised the Lady Prime Minister. If you had been a regular in the cabinet room you would have known by her tone of voice that Margaret was not happy

"Are we having tea and biscuits?" Cornelius Fudge blindly barged on promptly seating himself across from the Prime Minister. He had not been given permission to take a seat and the level of irritation that Margaret Thatcher had for this man rose up another couple of knotches. She would be needing a Bex when she got the chance to clear the tension headache she had.

"No we are having a frank discussion and you are going to give me some answers today"

"Now Now my dear lady surely there is no reason to be quite so brisk today I am a busy man and I have come to visit as you asked" he whittered on at her. Clearly not noticing the tense jaw movement the tightening of the eye folds and the increased pace of the tapping fingers on the long wooden table.

"It has come to our notice that there has been an increased level of magical crime occurring. There are magical crimes occurring in our world. I thought your Ministry had dealt with Death Eater terrorists in 1981. What is going on?" she demanded with a hiss of anger in her voice.

"I am not sure I know what you are referring to, my dear?" God the man was a baffoon. Nothing but a complete air head how he had even managed to get elected as the Minister she was completely surprised. Millie had written her a lovely handover note briefing her on this mans career and Margaret was sure he was profiteering from his position. Denis would agree with her that he was one of the lowest of the low.

"I am not your dear. I am not your lovely woman. I am the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. I have been an elected Member of Parliament since 1959. Now lets get this straight Mr Fudge. Here is list of suspicious crimes allocate one of your magical policemen to investigate. I want the detective to report to me each evening here in the Cabinet Room at 9pm. I am warning you now that Her Majesty is not happy about the situation I have to report to her the latest information when I next see her which will be Tuesday at the weekly Audience. So stop fiddle faddling about and get it sorted. Good Afternoon. I expect that detective to be introduced to me this evening at 9pm and I will expect an update on the situation."

With that the Prime Minister closed one file on the cabinet room table and proceeded to open another one from her stack of intray matters. Mr Fudge had been dismissed in her mind and she had more pressing matters to deal with before she went up to the flat and had dinner with Dennis. After dinner she would return back downstairs to complete some paper work before meeting the magical detective. Hopefully this someone would be competent.