The Transfiguration Mud and Fire Incident

[alt_mcgonagall]

I am uninterested in further discussing the Mud and Fire Incident. Despite whatever rumours you may have heard, no child has died; no person has been seriously injured. However, it seems wise to announce that Professor Lockhart shall be teaching both his own classes and Professor Amycus Carrow's for the time being.

All the second-year Gryffindors present in the class are hereby assigned to write a twelve-inch parchment about 'Why I Ought Not Damage School Property.'

Comments

ORDER ONLY: The real story

[alt_mcgonagall]

Alice, I am sorry I wasn't able to respond to you last night; I know you must have been frantic, but there was simply too much to see to.

I got it all out of Hermione in the end, and I imagine she'll have her own perspective on the story to share; but as far as I can tell, Amycus Carrow had some kind of plot to have Dean thrown out and Hermione - well, I'd imagine killed, at this point; there would be no mercy for her if she were in deep trouble for magic-working again. But the Slytherin girls of Marvolo's year got wind of it, and somehow arranged to warn Hermione and Dean both, and put spells on them to protect them. This plan appears to have worked well enough, but when Carrow's plot was foiled, he became something of a berserker. Then, to top it all off, the Boot boy had an incidence of uncontrolled magic, which cast the classroom into utter chaos.

I shall, thank God, be able to press more strongly for Carrow's removal from the teaching profession. It is one thing for him to torture Dean Thomas, but the Dark Lord believes that Granger belongs to Marvolo, and he won't be so sanguine about stealing from his son and destroying his son's property.

Re: ORDER ONLY: The real story

[alt_alice]

I understand you had your hands full, Minerva. I'm just glad our Hermione and Dean Thomas didn't get in serious trouble as a result of all this. And if it gets Carrow out of the classroom, all the better.

And what of Terry? I saw his post last night. Have you or Poppy seen him today? After the day Carrow had, I shudder to think about what might have happened.

Re: ORDER ONLY: The real story

[alt_molly]

I know you desperately want to rid Hogwarts of Carrow, Minerva. Merlin, we all do. The man's an absolute menace in the classroom and should never be allowed in the vicinity of any child. Yet there's a part of me that almost wishes he could be demoted to groundskeeper or caretaker or something. That way at least Terry could stay at the school where Poppy can continue to patch him up. If Carrow leaves the school entirely, the poor boy would have no protection at all.

Re: ORDER ONLY: The real story

[alt_poppy]

It's that thought that brings me to meditate on violence, Molly.

Re: ORDER ONLY: The real story

[alt_poppy]

Carrow broke the boy's arm. Judging by the bruising, I'd say he smashed it across the edge of his desk. It's healing now, of course, and was whole enough that the boy insisted on carrying out his regular tasks for me this morning.

I despair of it, Minerva. Carrow knows he can batter the boy with impunity--in fact, I'd wager he allows himself grosser violence--because he knows that I will heal the boy again, so he needn't even factor in the inconvenience of losing the boy's service to his injuries. I am simply a wheel in Carrow's machinery of torture. And yet, I can hardly refuse my role: to leave the boy suffering when I have the opportunity and means to heal him is not an option. Imagine if I were to send him away as broken as he arrived? Carrow would likely kill him for having become useless--to punish me for abdicating from his scheme.

Re: ORDER ONLY: The real story

[alt_mcgonagall]

In my reading of the situation, the Lord Protector is quite upset with Carrow. I believe that with enough massaging, and some careful trickery in the Board meeting, I can manage to have Carrow's Mudblood privileges taken away - particularly if Hermione seeds the idea in Harry's head. Hermione, do you think you could do that? In that case, I could at least temporarily ensure that Terry is kept safe - and allow Carrow's temper to cool.

Re: ORDER ONLY: The real story

[alt_poppy]

I will pin my hopes on that. I can't think when I've been so eager for the day of a Governor's meeting to arrive!

Re: ORDER ONLY: The real story

[alt_molly]

It would be an wonderful thing if it could be arranged.

One thing I'd advise you, Minerva: don't give Carrow the slightest hint before the meeting that you're contemplating this. The last thing you'd want would be for him to argue that custody of the boy should be transferred to his sister. I'm sure she would be just as bad, and Amycus Carrow would have as much access to the boy as ever. You should probably give some thought to how to argue that option away, if anyone raises it as a possibility. Unless--you might be able to head it off entirely if there is any indication that she was involved in this scheme of Carrow's?

[alt_lucius]

Thank you, Minerva. I received an owl from Draco this morning, telling me Marvolo's side of the events.

Doubtless this shall be a topic of some discussion at next week's Governors' meeting. I believe you know my views and I trust this ... incident ... will only serve to further our mutual goals.

In addition, as you know, I shall see Our Lord this afternoon and could, if you wish, gauge His temperature on the matter.

[alt_mcgonagall]

I would greatly appreciate that, Lucius. I did allow young Marvolo to make a Floo call to his father last night, as he was quite distraught. I would imagine that He is quite displeased with the Professors Carrow, and I can't say I blame him.