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alt_umbridgeFirst, I am delighted to announce that progress on the Memorial Garden is proceeding adequately enough. We shall all gather together on Sunday, May 12th, for a formal programme dedicating the space to the memory of those members of Our Lord’s Council who have given their lives to his work. We have a number of teensy details to arrange between now and then: if you are interested in being on the programme committee, please tell me within the next two days.
Second, I remind you that we will again be having a formal supper on Saturday. I believe you will be delighted by our speaker, and that we will not have the interruptions and difficulties of our first attempt.
Since I have had dozens of questions regarding our new forms, allow me to lay it out in more detail. Each day, you are expected to fill out form A111-B, which outlines your daily schedule. Should something cause you to deviate from scheduled appointments (which is to say, attendance at class, a meeting with a member of staff, YPL exercise sessions, scheduled detentions, and so forth), you are then required to fill out form V928-A, and to have any other parties with due authority to do so (members of the HJC, and yes, I suppose, members of staff) complete form V932-B.
If you miss a meal, for any reason whatsoever, you are expected to complete form M265-B, M265-L, or M265-S (depending on which meal), If you are present at a meal, but do not for some reason eat at that meal (most wasteful), then you must complete form M373-B, M373-L, or M373-S.
At the end of each week - which is to say, Sunday, you fill out forms A231-A (schedule grid) and A231-D (narrative explanation). For those of you requiring Healer Kerr’s assistance, there is a pamphlet in his waiting area describing the necessary forms. Should staff require you to serve a detention, they have now been informed about the necessary documentation as well.
I trust this is clear? Further questions may be addressed to member of the HJC, who have again been fully briefed.
Second, I remind you that we will again be having a formal supper on Saturday. I believe you will be delighted by our speaker, and that we will not have the interruptions and difficulties of our first attempt.
Since I have had dozens of questions regarding our new forms, allow me to lay it out in more detail. Each day, you are expected to fill out form A111-B, which outlines your daily schedule. Should something cause you to deviate from scheduled appointments (which is to say, attendance at class, a meeting with a member of staff, YPL exercise sessions, scheduled detentions, and so forth), you are then required to fill out form V928-A, and to have any other parties with due authority to do so (members of the HJC, and yes, I suppose, members of staff) complete form V932-B.
If you miss a meal, for any reason whatsoever, you are expected to complete form M265-B, M265-L, or M265-S (depending on which meal), If you are present at a meal, but do not for some reason eat at that meal (most wasteful), then you must complete form M373-B, M373-L, or M373-S.
At the end of each week - which is to say, Sunday, you fill out forms A231-A (schedule grid) and A231-D (narrative explanation). For those of you requiring Healer Kerr’s assistance, there is a pamphlet in his waiting area describing the necessary forms. Should staff require you to serve a detention, they have now been informed about the necessary documentation as well.
I trust this is clear? Further questions may be addressed to member of the HJC, who have again been fully briefed.
Private message to Antonin Dolohov
Date: 2013-04-23 05:15 pm (UTC)I have several matters to raise with you. First, I have none of your completed forms for the past few days. I understand, in particular, that you are inviting students to join you for lunch on a regular basis, and matters will go far the worse for them if you do not complete your counterpart to their forms.
On that account, however, I must ask why you think such things are necessary? Surely you have sufficient time in class to cover the necessary material. Is it necessary to place an additional scheduling burden on students who already claim to not have sufficient time for their expected tasks? (I have, for example, seen attendance drop off noticeably since our return from holidays at our teensy YPL exercise sessions.) And it undermines my tools and mechanisms of managing student time, energy, and focus.
I must know what your plans and intentions are for these sessions. Most promptly, if you please.
In addition, I understand that Mr Linus Moon has been seeing you (and apparently Sizzie?) for detentions since sometime last term. Why have you not reported the details of these detentions previously? Surely you understand that I must be aware of each and every specific of punishment within the school.
Private message to Aurora Sinistra
Date: 2013-04-23 05:26 pm (UTC)In fact, I thought I made it quite clear to you that while I could not, without tiresome difficulty, forbid your attendance at Guild events or obligations, that you were to limit your time away from school to the bare minimum. I gather from reading elsewhere that you are making social calls, and running all manner of other errands. I had not expected such flighty and self-serving behavior from a Hufflepuff. Surely even you understand that we should at all times be focused entirely on knowing our duty to Our Lord and doing it promptly, without little side jaunts.
Explain yourself: I must know what you are doing and why you are doing it at all times.
Re: Private message to Aurora Sinistra
Date: 2013-04-23 06:27 pm (UTC)As I am sure you are aware, the world outside our walls does not work with the same rigid precision you have made it clear you expect within the castle. At the time I left this afternoon, I knew the general outline of my plans - go to New London, meet several people, do several errands, and go to my Guild meeting, but I was not certain exactly which order I would do them in.
As to the Guild, I will not know which members will be present this evening until the end of the evening. And, of course, it is quite a lengthy list: we currently have well over 150 members on the Guild roll, and I anticipate that tonight’s meeting will involve well over 100. Our secretary generally provides the list in order of Guild seniority, but it takes a few days for that to be made available (along with the minutes, which I trust would be sufficient for your form, what was it, X733-A.) since they require review and approval by several parties. Would you prefer I provide an incomplete response when I return tonight, or wait until the full list is available?
I currently anticipate returning between nine and ten, though it’s possible the meeting may run later than our usual.
Re: Private message to Aurora Sinistra
Date: 2013-04-23 08:34 pm (UTC)I have just discovered another of your many failings. I sent one of the HJC members - Miss Calderwood, as it turns out - up to leave a package at your office. (Some sort of entirely incomprehensible printed material. Explain that, as well, please.)
Regardless, she was unable to complete the task I assigned her, and I demand to know why. She said that when she attempted the turn into the corridor leading to the Astronomy Tower staircase, she met an impenetrable barrier, and could not pass. Your rooms and other spaces are not your own personal fiefdom, no matter how much you wish it, so I expect you to remove whatever protections you’ve placed there immediately.
Honestly, Sizzie, are you entirely that selfish?
Re: Private message to Aurora Sinistra
Date: 2013-04-23 10:27 pm (UTC)attack on meobsessiondifficulties that led to her being sent down for a year. Is that not the case?Before her return to school in January, I sought the advice of multiple experts in the field of warding and defence, and determined that since she had no reason to be in the Astronomy tower (she is not taking the subject, after all) it would be easier for everyone if she did not have access to that one portion of the castle. I chose an option with minimal implications for her (the protection does no damage, and limits no other student: it merely prevents her from passing into that hallway.) Of course, it also protects her entirely from suspicion should similar objects to last year reoccur in my office or classroom.
Naturally, given the current state of her accusations against my fiance, I feel that leaving that protection in place is surely for the best.
Should you wish to press this issue, I am afraid I would feel obliged to request formal mediation, in keeping with the details of my contract, section XIIID. I will bring a copy back with me, but the process stipulates the presence of a Board member of my choice, a Board member of your choice, and my Guild Master, along with any other necessary witnesses or experts. I suspect given their respective schedules, that this might take some time to arrange.
I would also expect to discuss the fact that to my knowledge, all of the staff maintain wards of some kind on their offices, classrooms, workspaces, and personal rooms. Surely you did not mean to suggest that these are inappropriate? If that is your feeling, I am certain the other members of the staff would also have a strong opinion on the matter.
Private message to Marston Strangeweale and Latimer Caldwell
Date: 2013-04-23 05:46 pm (UTC)Now, I do wish to move ahead with the proposal to build a new, entirely modern and forward-looking school, somewhere far more central, near New London. While using one of the former Muggle travesties would undoubtedly be cheaper, I believe that this is one of the rare times where building exactly to our needs would be far preferable. Now, I do have plans to talk privately to Whitacre in a fortnight, about drawing up the initial plans (and perhaps, Marston, with your dabbling in business and construction, you might also attend?) but I would like to present the basic idea in Court.
I remain deeply unsatisfied with the current House structure. While so many cling to the sentimental traditions, I am finding more and more that it leads to barriers in convincing the children to do what is best and most right for their long-term needs. I am certain that we could overcome the mindless loyalty to house that is present for so many, if we just presented it correctly.
The other matter I am thinking about a great deal is that we are doing our halfblood students, especially those in fostering, a great disservice by pretending that they can take on the responsibilities and obligations of their betters. Far better, surely, to weed out those who will never achieve sufficient scores on their OWL exams.
Marston, didn’t you mention that it was a pity we had to wait until their fifth year to remove them from school, and that doing earlier would be far preferable for a number of parties? (Some project - do tell me the details, dear - that benefitted from younger, more malleable halfbloods?) And for the others, even those who might manage the letter of the law and retain their wands, surely it would be far better (and we would use far fewer resources) if we directed them into tasks where they might simply serve their betters.
Do respond when you get this. I simply must know your thoughts on these matters.
I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good
Date: 2013-04-23 05:47 pm (UTC)Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good
Date: 2013-04-23 07:54 pm (UTC)Good.
Private message to Gwendolyn Acton and Rolanda Hooch
Date: 2013-04-23 06:41 pm (UTC)I’m sure you’re both looking forward ever so much to next Saturday, and I promise, Gwennie, that you will have a chance to enjoy yourself this time, with no intruders to be accomodated. I do hope you have lovely robes ready to wear, my dears.
Now, I’m just so delighted to announce that we have Ms Prunella Post coming to speak to us. You may remember she was involved in that little tiff a few years ago at the Ministry, that foolish matter of them claiming her so-informative pamphlets from the Office of Under-age Wizarding Protection were inappropriate. Can you imagine? Had I still been in place, of course I would have protected her, as she’s a very dear woman, and quite right-thinking.
At any rate, she was transfered to a less public-facing role in that office, and in the intervening years has been working on a book, a much more modern and useful replacement for that Young Wizard's Guide to Manners and Etiquette. She has promised to come and read excerpts, and entertain questions from the students. I’m certain I can count on you to help me find appropriate students to ask, and to discourage those who might make her feel the teensiest bit unwelcome.
I would very much like your help with a few other teensy projects, too. I’ve already had a word with Cordie - my office, at nine? I thought you all might like to watch if Sizzie stops by as I’ve instructed her to.