Professor Potter

Chapter 25

Chapter 25 

"Thank you, everyone, for being here," Professor McGonagall began. "Hopefully we can keep this meeting relatively brief. I know we need to get ready for the students returning from break this evening. But we must also be ready for our guests who will be arriving tomorrow evening." 

The faculty and staff of Hogwarts were gathered in the Transfiguration classroom for a meeting to finalize preparations for the arrival of the teachers selected to staff the new school of magic to be established on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria. The near demise of Durmstrang Institute had prompted the move by the combined magical communities of most of Eastern Europe. 

"As you know the problems at Durmstrang have compelled our colleagues in Eastern Europe to start a new school. At the suggestion of Professor Potter we have extended an invitation to their prospective faculty to spend a month here to become familiar with how we do things at Hogwarts. This is not to suggest we are training them to do things our way, whatever those might be. We will simply allow them to observe our techniques, participate as they, and we, see fit and give them the opportunity to adopt whatever practices they deem suitable for what they are attempting. They will be making a similar visit to Beauxbaton when they have concluded their visit here. Are there any questions?" 

There were a few, mostly about practical matters of language, accommodations and the like. One question got everyone's attention. Professor Flitwick asked what was really going on at Durmstrang. 

"Professor Potter, could you share anything with us?" Professor McGonagall asked. 

"Certainly," Harry replied. "As best as has been determined, after the death of Igor Karkorov a conflict of sorts emerged between factions of the faculty. The side that won wanted to more heavily emphasize the dark arts. This drove a majority of students from the school. Beauxbaton picked up a number of them and this was the first clue that something was wrong. More recently the situation has gone from bad to worse. Indications were that the education process had broken down to the point where students were attached to individual instructors for all of their lessons." 

This caused a few murmurs. Harry continued, 

"As it stands now there is little more there than the Headmaster and staff and a few die hard pupils." 

"It seems so hard to believe something like that could happen so quickly," someone said. 

"The big unknown in all of this is the Headmaster. No one seems to know who he is or where he came from. That information would likely explain a great deal." 

"Harry, thank you for that, my boy. It would seem your connections with the Ministry are still solid," Professor Flitwick said with a sly smile. 

Harry simply smiled in return. The meeting carried on for a short while more and was brought to a close with the Headmistress saying, 

"The important thing to remember about this is that they want to see how we do things. So just do what we always do, be available to answer their questions or offer advice and let them determine what it is they take away from their time here." 

That night at dinner, Professor McGonagall made the announcement to the students that the school would be hosting the group of teachers and made similar requests that they conduct themselves in a manner that gave a true impression of what life at Hogwarts was really like, if perhaps with a bit more restraint. This got a few laughs from both students and faculty. The following day Harry started out with his sixth year Applied Magic class of Gryffindors and Slytherins. A young wizard in Slytherin colors raised his hand. 

"Yes?" Harry asked. 

"Sir, can you tell us anything about what is going on regarding this visit? Why is someone starting a new school?"