YPL students, parents, colleagues, and members of the public:

[alt_sinistra]

As many heard at the CCF awards presentation this afternoon, Madam Dolores Umbridge will be replacing me as the chair of the YPL planning committee beginning immediately. She has spent the past two months observing our summer programmes and making suggestions, and I am confident she will bring a new vision to the school year opportunities as well.

The Ministry and the YPL oversight board both hope that additional focused time and resources will allow for coordinating a more robust programme of education and training for our young people of all ages than can be arranged around any teaching schedule. To aid this, Madam Umbridge will be residing at Hogwarts during the school year, but also available to meet with various constituencies and interested parties in other locations.

While it has been my privilege and honour to be of service, from this point forward please address any questions about either the YPL or CCF programmes to Madam Umbridge’s self or staff. They will be delighted to be of assistance.

Thank you again to everyone who's assisted with the programme:
We truly could not come this far without the help of so many - from those who serve on the YPL planning committee to those who offer instruction and logistical support to those who readily coordinate matters within their own fields and departments so that everything runs smoothly. I’ve deeply appreciated your help and service to the Protectorate and I’m confident you’ll offer the same to my successor.

Students:
There are so many fond memories for me, far beyond the formal aspects of the programme and the chance to get to know you outside of the classroom. I remember chance moments on the camping trips, laughter during play rehearsals, exploring the redevelopment of New London, and seeing students thrive and grow in skill and grace and magic during the challenges of the CCF training. Thank you all for the chance to be a part of your growth in magic, potential, and skill.

On a personal note - while I do admit I’m looking forward for more time for new teaching approaches, astronomy research, and other interests - I very much hope all students will feel welcome to continue stopping by my office hours and talking about all manner of topics. Otherwise, I’ll quite miss hearing about your triumphs and other interests!

Finally:
Thank you all for both the opportunity to be of use to Our Lord’s vision, and for three years of learning, new understanding, and collaboration. My best wishes for the ongoing success of the programme and all the students involved.

Comments

[alt_umbridge]

Thank you, dear, for that graceful statement.

Children, colleagues, Hogwarts staff, I am simply delighted that I will be joining you this year in helping to forge a stronger, more energetic programme.

While Aurora - Professor Sinistra, that is - has done a quite good job with the foundation of the programme, especially given her lack of formal background in organisation, it’s clear it could be so much more. I am so terribly excited to be joining you all to take the programme and shape it into something more powerful and wonderful for all the most deserving students at Hogwarts and I particularly look forward to nurturing the gifts and talents of the brightest of our newest generation of wizards and witches in the CCF programme.

Look for a further announcement from me with some exciting new plans once we arrive back at dear old Hogwarts. And in the meantime, yes, all questions about either programme should be directed to my office.

[alt_draco]

So you'll be residing at Hogwarts then, Madam Umbridge? Hope you don't mind the company of ghosts - or poltergeists. The food the elves cook is getting better all the time, though.

I'm sure I speak for the rest of my fellow Slytherins when I say that we very much look forward to what the programme will deliver with you at the helm.

[alt_umbridge]

I'm just ever so delighted to be returning to Hogwarts, yes. (And I do remember the ghosts from my own time there, of course.) How lovely to be able to return to a place I remember with such fondness from my youth.

One point the oversight board did agree with most clearly is that the programme does benefit from having someone who can see all of you dear students day to day, not just at YPL events. While I won't be in the classroom in the same way, I'm expecting there will plenty of opportunity to get to know just everyone and all your strengths and weaknesses.

Private message to Dolores Umbridge

[alt_sinistra]

Just a final few details, as we didn't manage time to speak about them after the announcements.

As you’ve asked, I’ve directed Felix to make the various records and materials fully available to your staff. I understand that as of a week Monday, his duties will be reassigned, and he will have limited time for further assistance after that. (As you preferred, yes?)

His files are most complete, so I believe you’ll have everything necessary going forward. That includes, of course, the materials and activities already planned for this coming year and the relevant contacts should you wish to make other arrangements.

At the moment, I expect to return to Hogwarts very shortly before the students do, and am likely to be occupied with a variety of other plans between now and then. Should you have questions, I suspect I’ll be more available by owl or journal than for meetings, but I’m sure you feel you have everything well in hand.

I’ll be submitting my final reports for the CCF weeks this coming week, but of course you’re already well aware of the events and issues there.

Re: Private message to Dolores Umbridge

[alt_umbridge]

Aurora, dear (and I hope you don’t mind, now we’re to be true colleagues), that sounds excellent. You’ve done truly heroic labours for the YPL and CCF, especially given your age and lack of experience, but I’m so very glad you’ve been appropriate and graceful about this transition.

I had hoped, of course, to have another day or two of your time to wrap things up, but I suppose you feel it’s necessary to move on. As long as you’re responsive by owl or journal, we’ll just have to make do the best we can. It must be a great relief to you, dear, to divest yourself of a job to which you were never quite suited.

Now, I do hope you’ll take a teensy bit of advice, if I might offer it. I do wonder - I hate to press - but I have noticed your new ring, and I hope there’s a reason to offer public congratulations in the near future. I’m sure I’m not the best person to offer advice on many romantic matters, but on the topic of logistics and organisation, I would be most glad to offer whatever assistance I can. Please, do call on me as you would one of your own sisters or aunts. (And should you speak to your aunt Alphecca, do pass along my good wishes for her health. Or your uncle Salvus, on the other side, who I remember as quite the gallant from my own school days.)

Sometimes it takes the eye of someone capable of being objective, dear, standing outside it all. And of course, I’m married to my work and service to the Protectorate, without other matters to be a distraction. While I’m sure the dear students will come to be treasured, I’m quite sure I’ll have time to be of help to you and to others.

Private message to Campanella Wright and Helena Provim

[alt_sinistra]

Thank you, both, for your support, recently and over the past three years: the work we’ve done would not have been possible without both of you. I certainly plan to continue at least some visits on Tuesdays to New London, and hope to see you both at least sometimes.

I’m torn between wanting to know exactly how things go, and knowing I shouldn’t pry, but I’m sure you both know me well enough to know which one will win out. And of course, if I can be of help to either of you, please ask.

And Helena, thank you again for your offer to look out for Felix. It’s good to know he’s got someone to help him adjust to the shift in duties, and I can’t recommend his work and attention to detail highly enough.

[alt_harry]

Thanks for all the work you've done on the programme, Professor Sinistra.

[alt_sinistra]

Thank you, Mr Marvolo. And excellent work, the past weeks. Truly.

[alt_luna]

Thank you for everything, Professor. Other people may continue the programme, and I'm sure they will do a wonderful job, too, but by starting it, you had the opportunity to truly shape it into what it has become. That will linger a long time afterward.

[alt_sinistra]

Thank you, Miss Lovegood. That's quite a lovely thing to say, and most appreciated.

Do stop up, when we're back at school? I've a couple of things I've come across this summer that might interest you.

[alt_luna]

Thank you, Professor. I shall.

[alt_sally_anne]

Thank you for all your hard work setting up the programme, Professor Sinistra, and for giving us so many exciting opportunities.

[alt_sinistra]

Thank you, Miss Perks.

(And I saw you'd left a note for Madam Pomfrey. When I last talked to her, she expected to be rather wrapped up dealing with her most recent training course today and without much spare time, but I'm sure she'll reply when she gets a chance.)

Private message to Professor Sinistra

[alt_sally_anne]

I realised that after I wrote, that she probably wouldn't have time to answer, so I told her not to worry about it and I'd stop up to say hello when we got back to school.

I hope I didn't look terribly impertinent.

Re: Private message to Professor Sinistra

[alt_sinistra]

Oh, not impertinent at all - I know she'll be eager to hear about what you've learned over the summer. Just that she's had more than one thing on her mind.

Are you doing all right, settling in with your foster parents again?

Re: Private message to Professor Sinistra

[alt_sally_anne]

Mrs Stretton and Jeremy are fighting almost all the time. I got woken up this morning by the shouting. It's sort of related to me, even, Mrs Stretton said something about how that ruddy half-blood charity case might make something of herself and Jeremy hasn't even found a job yet.

And you know I AM going to make something of myself but I'd rather not be the stick she uses to beat Jeremy with? Because I get on okay with Jeremy most of the time and now he's not speaking to me.

It's okay other than that. I'm looking forward to coming back to school.

Re: Private message to Professor Sinistra

[alt_sinistra]

I am sorry. Glad you know it's not your doing, or anything you should feel guilty about.
I'm looking forward to school as well. Well, largely. Glad to be back to a routine again, anyway.