"Um... Will, have you considered that too many people want to join? There are crowds of students asking to get in. Some even come to High Tower to beg us to take them," Hermione said. "It's only because everyone's been busy with exams that they've left us alone lately."
"Doesn't matter. Same as before—turn them all down. Keep only the recommendations from full members... No, wait." Will paused, as if something had just occurred to him. "Let me think."
Under High Tower's current recruitment system, each member could recommend one person per semester. The members then voted on whether the nominee could join, with the result decided by the number of votes.
Apart from Will, only the first twenty members had voting rights. Later recruits were ordinary members who could nominate candidates but not vote.
Will had the power to veto a decision or settle it with a single vote.
Everyone watched him, unsure why he had suddenly changed his mind.
Part of it was that Will had thought ahead to the changes Hogwarts would face in fifth, sixth, and seventh year. Next semester would be their fifth, and he had no idea whether Fudge would find some excuse to send that pink toad Umbridge in to make everyone miserable.
The other part was something Grindelwald had said: "You'll want to change this era. If you mean to reach the pinnacle of magic, you'll have to take that step." The words had stayed with Will. He needed to prepare in advance for whatever he might have to do later.
After a moment, Will said, "Here's what we'll do. We'll establish a lower-tier organization under High Tower. Its core membership will be fixed at fifteen—the current members. Starting today, each of you can nominate one new member per semester, but they