An Interference of Portraits

Magic

Just as we were leaving the orphanage, Maria stopped us.

'Thank you,' she said to me. 'You really helped give something to them today and it was fun. I was wondering if you're interested in coming back and doing a few sessions teaching English because we've got a couple of Polish children joining us next week? I think it could be beneficial for them. And maybe some more on accidental magic? I'm sure we could pay you for your time. It won't be much but... well, you know how these things are after your experience of working with a NGO.'

I felt Draco looking at me in surprise.

I smiled. 'Yeah, I'd be interested. Do you need my qualification certificates and references from France? And I guess I'll need to get a full DBS check from the Ministry because the French one will need updating. But that would be good, I'd really like that. Plus, I'd like to talk to you about Nepal some more because I've had an idea I wondered if you'd be interested in, linking the two orphanages. It's lovely premises that they've got but I'm really inspired by your garden here and was thinking the kids could have something similar if we did some fundraising together. Or maybe we could get the kids writing to each other, like penpals.'

Maria smiled. 'I'll talk to Orla, our Supervisor. It sounds like a good idea and we're always keen to expand our contacts beyond this small circle, especially if it's teaching about diversity too. Regarding the teaching and Aleksandra and Marek; I'm sure we can sort everything out quickly. I'll Owl you.'

When we stepped through the Floo at Grimmauld Place, Draco turned to me, stepping close, and appeared to brush some Floo dust from my shoulder.

'What orphanage in Nepal?' he queried softly.

'I ended up in Kathmandu for six months. It was only supposed to be two at most, but some contacts in France provided me with a work visa so I could work with one of their NGO's out there. I got a temporary job working at The Orange Tree Orphanage to earn some money for the next leg of my trip. It was tough, really bloody emotional, and very hard to leave. I nearly didn't. I was teaching English as a second language to the older kids and helping with accidental magic for all of them. I also ended up helping out raid two Muggleborn child-trafficking fronts in the city with the NGO and police. We rescued a number of children taken from Muggle parents in rural areas under promises of teaching them magic in special schools and setting them up for life. The horrible truth was they were being kept in abusive and severely neglectful fake orphanages. It is, unfortunately, a seedy connection to the "Voluntourism" that has sprung up and where fucking unscrupulous traffickers pocket volunteer's and government money at the cost of these kids. Not everywhere is like that, I don't want to give the wrong impression, and corruption is sodding everywhere in the world, a small percentage of the population taking advantage of the systems. I knew I always planned to do more fundraising after I settled into life back in London so my connection to what you're is doing is important, for my own learning as much as anything. As I said to Maria, it makes me wonder if we can set anything up to connect the two places together and to help them. Like a sister charity to help fundraise for. I don't know, I haven't really thought this through.'

'Really, Harry. Can you actually get anymore noble?' he said, his voice sounded different but I couldn't place it.

'I don't know what you mean.'

'Working in an orphanage in Nepal?'

'It's not about being noble, it's about doing something positive. Plus, as I said, I got paid by the organisation. I needed to work to keep travelling. It helped justify what I was doing. Otherwise, travelling for three years and just living off my inheritance seemed indulgent and out of touch. I ended up working at various places during my trip.'