During her time within the castle Marchbanks had not been idle. Yes, she'd had to find and elevate replacements to the places of three Heads of House and continually have to deal with an old man who simply could not accept he was now a non-entity in matters of importance, but that was not all she was dealing with.
Of course, she needed to get a wand grip on the sheer amount of parchmentwork that Dumbledore had simply ignored or, against the school rules, passed on to his Deputy. However, she also spent a great deal of time getting the word out to qualified people she was looking for professors.
In the past almost three weeks since she became Headmistress she had sent her letters to the International Guilds of Transfiguration, Potions, Magizoology (magical creatures), Magical Defence and Divination; and the International Magical Historical Society.
However, one of the reasons the School Board were so willing and eager to have her as Headmistress to replace Dumbledore was because, as both a past Professor of many years and Head of the WEA since, she knew a very great many professional educators and those seeking a start in that field. She was both delighted and determined to put that knowledge to use. So, she put out feelers towards those she already knew had shown an interest in the past to become Professors.
She also planned on moving Burbage from Muggle Studies and into two classes. One on An Introduction to the Magical World and the other being An Introduction to the Muggle World. The first would be for the first two years and the second would be for first year only. And she would fill the Professorship for Muggle Studies with a muggleborn and raised.
She had already interviewed a few people who were quick to respond to her enquiries and felt she might be able to fill at least one or two of those positions still vacant. Driving her on was Bart Creston and the rest of the School Board, who wanted to put out word the school would be back up and operational as of the first day of second term, the fourth of January.
When she informed him she doubted she'd have the full staff available, he said, "Then, so long as you have at least six of the core seven and four of the elective five I want you to open. Parents and guardians have paid for their children to receive an education provided by Hogwarts. If we do not provide it we're going to have to start paying refunds and we just don't have the gold in the accounts to do that."
She now had two days short of two weeks to track down, interview and employ suitable candidates. And one of them was a Professor of Transfiguration. If necessary, she'd simply make Dumbledore a Professor without a 'school' and have him fill in if any other Professor was unable to take a class. She just might even have him take the Introduction classes. That was, of course, if she hadn't collected enough support from the Board to fire him beforehand.
Across that two weeks, there was also Christmas to contend with.
The next morning's announcement in the Daily Prophet of the cancellation of the Yule Ball was planned to be in advance by exactly one week of Christmas Day, the date the Yule Ball was scheduled to be held.
She knew there was likely to be quite a few students who were looking forward to it; however, with the significant reduction in student numbers well in advance of it, coupled with Durmstrang and Beauxbatons being happy for it to be cancelled, there was no reason for it to be held.
The Highmaster of Durmstrang and Headmistress of Beauxbatons had not wanted the Ball in the first place, so Marchbanks's excuse she lacked enough Professors to properly organise and host the event was welcomed without a hint of rancour.
She also knew it was going to frustrate Dumbledore.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After leaving the Granger residence, Sirius had to head directly to Grimmauld to meet with the representatives for the contracted curse breaking, magical cleaning and interior decorating company.
Apparating from just inside the front gate of the Grangers' he appeared with a light crack outside Grimmauld. The reps were already waiting for him on the footpath outside the gate.
"Good," he said. "You're here. Shall we?" And gestured to the building.
After affirmative responses from both, leading the way he walked up the path to the front door, removed the lock-down and led them inside.
"Alright," said the woman. "Let's go find out just how bad things are."
Following along but not saying much, the two reps, a witch and wizard, worked their way from the basement up to the top floor and attic. Both were casting detection charms and the like before they'd even walked in the front door; and didn't stop once inside.
He only had to warn them twice about certain pitfalls as they were able to spot all the others.
As they were coming down, the witch asked, "Outside, too?"
"Yes, please," he immediately replied.
Then, after trooping about out the back, they headed back out the front.
Once they felt they were done, the representatives turned to Sirius and the witch said, "We'll have a report and appraisement quote sent to you no later than this evening, which means you should receiv3e it tomorrow morning."
"How soon could you start?" asked Sirius.
"At the moment?" asked the witch. "If another appraisement quote is not accepted, even though it's a Friday, we can start as early as tomorrow afternoon."
"Cast it for me with your best guesstimate. How much and how long will it take?" he urged.
After the two reps looked to one another for a moment, the witch turned back and said, "Give us a few moments, please."
When Sirius nodded he saw the wizard make a very small gesture and felt a privacy ward go up between he and them. Then saw them talking but couldn't hear them.
Less than a minute later the ward was dropped and she said, "Cost-wise, somewhere between eighteen and twenty thousand galleons for the clean out and another two to three thousand for the refurbishing and decorating. It'll likely take us one and a half to two months, in total."
.
.
.
Chapter 255
During her time within the castle Marchbanks had not been idle. Yes, she'd had to find and elevate replacements to the places of three Heads of House and continually have to deal with an old man who simply could not accept he was now a non-entity in matters of importance, but that was not all she was dealing with.
Of course, she needed to get a wand grip on the sheer amount of parchmentwork that Dumbledore had simply ignored or, against the school rules, passed on to his Deputy. However, she also spent a great deal of time getting the word out to qualified people she was looking for professors.
In the past almost three weeks since she became Headmistress she had sent her letters to the International Guilds of Transfiguration, Potions, Magizoology (magical creatures), Magical Defence and Divination; and the International Magical Historical Society.
However, one of the reasons the School Board were so willing and eager to have her as Headmistress to replace Dumbledore was because, as both a past Professor of many years and Head of the WEA since, she knew a very great many professional educators and those seeking a start in that field. She was both delighted and determined to put that knowledge to use. So, she put out feelers towards those she already knew had shown an interest in the past to become Professors.
She also planned on moving Burbage from Muggle Studies and into two classes. One on An Introduction to the Magical World and the other being An Introduction to the Muggle World. The first would be for the first two years and the second would be for first year only. And she would fill the Professorship for Muggle Studies with a muggleborn and raised.
She had already interviewed a few people who were quick to respond to her enquiries and felt she might be able to fill at least one or two of those positions still vacant. Driving her on was Bart Creston and the rest of the School Board, who wanted to put out word the school would be back up and operational as of the first day of second term, the fourth of January.
When she informed him she doubted she'd have the full staff available, he said, "Then, so long as you have at least six of the core seven and four of the elective five I want you to open. Parents and guardians have paid for their children to receive an education provided by Hogwarts. If we do not provide it we're going to have to start paying refunds and we just don't have the gold in the accounts to do that."
She now had two days short of two weeks to track down, interview and employ suitable candidates. And one of them was a Professor of Transfiguration. If necessary, she'd simply make Dumbledore a Professor without a 'school' and have him fill in if any other Professor was unable to take a class. She just might even have him take the Introduction classes. That was, of course, if she hadn't collected enough support from the Board to fire him beforehand.
Across that two weeks, there was also Christmas to contend with.
The next morning's announcement in the Daily Prophet of the cancellation of the Yule Ball was planned to be in advance by exactly one week of Christmas Day, the date the Yule Ball was scheduled to be held.
She knew there was likely to be quite a few students who were looking forward to it; however, with the significant reduction in student numbers well in advance of it, coupled with Durmstrang and Beauxbatons being happy for it to be cancelled, there was no reason for it to be held.
The Highmaster of Durmstrang and Headmistress of Beauxbatons had not wanted the Ball in the first place, so Marchbanks's excuse she lacked enough Professors to properly organise and host the event was welcomed without a hint of rancour.
She also knew it was going to frustrate Dumbledore.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After leaving the Granger residence, Sirius had to head directly to Grimmauld to meet with the representatives for the contracted curse breaking, magical cleaning and interior decorating company.
Apparating from just inside the front gate of the Grangers' he appeared with a light crack outside Grimmauld. The reps were already waiting for him on the footpath outside the gate.
"Good," he said. "You're here. Shall we?" And gestured to the building.
After affirmative responses from both, leading the way he walked up the path to the front door, removed the lock-down and led them inside.
"Alright," said the woman. "Let's go find out just how bad things are."
Following along but not saying much, the two reps, a witch and wizard, worked their way from the basement up to the top floor and attic. Both were casting detection charms and the like before they'd even walked in the front door; and didn't stop once inside.
He only had to warn them twice about certain pitfalls as they were able to spot all the others.
As they were coming down, the witch asked, "Outside, too?"
"Yes, please," he immediately replied.
Then, after trooping about out the back, they headed back out the front.
Once they felt they were done, the representatives turned to Sirius and the witch said, "We'll have a report and appraisement quote sent to you no later than this evening, which means you should receiv3e it tomorrow morning."
"How soon could you start?" asked Sirius.
"At the moment?" asked the witch. "If another appraisement quote is not accepted, even though it's a Friday, we can start as early as tomorrow afternoon."
"Cast it for me with your best guesstimate. How much and how long will it take?" he urged.
After the two reps looked to one another for a moment, the witch turned back and said, "Give us a few moments, please."
When Sirius nodded he saw the wizard make a very small gesture and felt a privacy ward go up between he and them. Then saw them talking but couldn't hear them.
Less than a minute later the ward was dropped and she said, "Cost-wise, somewhere between eighteen and twenty thousand galleons for the clean out and another two to three thousand for the refurbishing and decorating. It'll likely take us one and a half to two months, in total."
.
.
.
.
🎉The novel is available in PDF with more than 400 chapters, visit us in our Ko-Fi store🎉
🎉ko-fi.com/shihao123🎉