A few teensy reminders

[alt_umbridge]

Dear children -

I know you are all apparently quite excited to depart on your little holidays, but there are a few teensy considerations before you go.

You are, of course, expected to behave at home with the same sense of discipline, self-control, and maturity that I expect of you here at school. Don't think I won't learn of it should you misbehave or fail your obligations as proper young witches and wizards in our larger community.

Hogwarts Junior Council members, please pick up your membership and service badges so you may proudly wear them at home and tell your parents about how you are helping make your dear school the very best and most perfected it can possibly be. And of course, I'm sure you'll alert me should there be any little things that come up while you're gone, that I should be aware of. You are models for your classmates.

Mr Fred and George Weasley: kindly report to my office at 7:30 tomorrow morning: I have a little request of you while you are home over the holidays. I need to know why you persist in sharing a journal.

Miss Hydra Lestrange, kindly report to my office at your convenience before you return home for the holidays. You are not in any trouble at all, dear, but I have a few teensy things I'd like to learn more about.

Mr Neville Longbottom, I remain displeased with the delay in the full planting of the Memorial Garden. I am certain that you can find some way to plant fall plants in April if you only apply yourself the teensiest bit. Honestly. I expect a revised Memorial Garden schedule upon your return from hols, for dedication this school year.

Miss Megan Jones, my dear, I do hope everything is in order. Do let me know if I need to assist with any additional little arrangements.

Finally, parents, should you wish some ideas and plans to keep your children focused, disciplined, and aligned with the larger goals of the school and our glorious Protectorate, materials are available from the Education office on request. (They have graciously agreed to handle the matter, since I will be back and forth at various appointments through the next two weeks.)

Comments

Re: Private message to Septima Vector and Horace Slughorn

[alt_umbridge]

Honestly, Horace, did you think I would not manage to ascertain the details before making a decision?

Now, to take your points in order, of course they are not adults. But they must be prepared - fully and realistically prepared - to be of service in the world as soon as they leave school. This school has been lax in far too many ways for far too long. Oh, I suppose Minerva (at least at the beginning) was a far better choice than that horrible Dumbledore. But her lack of self-control and discipline has tainted the students and on the staff over the years.

You know as well as I do that the school has fallen behind what it could be under more capable hands - hands I am glad to provide, no matter the amount of effort or toil required. It is not about me of course, but about what I can make of the school. Far too much requires my personal attention, because far too many of the staff here have made it clear that their values are not truly aligned in the best interests of the school.

You suggest that I leave matters of discipline to you and to Septima? Truly, Horace, I am surprised at you! And Antonin - goodness. He's been here less than a year, how can he possibly have the faintest idea of what's best for the school? It's not as if his previous work has given him much of an idea of how to be a real guide to more than his favoured few.

On that note, I find your advocacy for Miss Perks entirely unfathomable. I must know why it is you are so persistent in her service! After all, she's a halfblood. Even were she to do brilliantly on her OWLs or even her NEWTs, you know as well as I that there are almost no positions that would hire her that would require those skills. I cannot imagine why you - or a number of others - think it is remotely appropriate to encourage the poor dear things to expectations beyond their station. Bad blood will tell, you know. The more compassionate out there may not blame the things for their parentage, but they won't make space for them, either, when there are so many deserving others of better breeding and proven magical potential and stability.

Now, I am glad we have the holidays to gather ourselves for the last portion of the term. I'm sure that when we return, it will be much simpler to achieve our mutual goals. And of course, I am thinking most seriously about what changes in staffing I wish to propose to the Board once we reach the summer. I may have been persuaded to avoid other mid-year shifts unless they become entirely unnecessary, but I can only see before me the great work of shaping this castle into what it should be.

Re: Private message to Septima Vector and Horace Slughorn

[alt_horace]

And I am equally surprised at you, Dolores. Heightening the standards of discipline is all very well but what you are suggesting is actively stacking the odds against certain students merely because you believe they will amount to nothing in their lives. That is well outside the scope of our charge, as you ought to know from your years of liaison with the Education office. Miss Perks may have few prospects but there is no reason to ensure her failure--particularly when the consequences to her or any other halfblood are so grievous.

As for your 'staffing changes.' Let us presume you are not attempting to threaten me. While it would pain me to leave the students in the lurch, particularly when it seems evident that they need more assistance than ever, I assure you, it would pass after a few weeks' relaxation and the monthly pension awaiting me after sixty years of investment. I'm sure Our Lord would not begrudge His old teacher and Head of House a quiet seaside retirement, no matter what power you think you may have to arrange it otherwise.

It is not your right to choose who succeeds and who fails, Dolores. Not so long as the students make the effort in good faith to learn their lessons.

Are you sure the strain of the tasks you have set is not too much? Perhaps it is you who need a rest even more than the pupils.