Chapter 169: The Governors and Their Performance Review

In August, Murphy Darkholme donated fifty thousand Galleons to Hogwarts to improve the salaries and living conditions of the school's teachers.

Additionally, he donated another hundred thousand Galleons as a fund for the repair of the Hogwarts Express.

That same month, due to Albert Runcorn's disappearance for nearly two months and rumors of his death at the hands of a dwarf, Hogwarts School Governor Lucius Malfoy proposed to the Board of Governors to elect a new governor to replace Albert Runcorn, who was likely unable to continue his duties.

The proposal was quickly approved, and Murphy Darkholme, who had recently made significant contributions to Hogwarts, naturally became a key candidate.

The Board of Governors held a full meeting and spoke with all the candidates in turn.

Although the other candidates showed great enthusiasm for education and proposed many insightful school reform plans, Murphy easily defeated them.

When asked how he would improve the quality of school teaching, Murphy said, "I will increase investment in the school."

When asked how he intended to boost the teachers' enthusiasm for teaching, Murphy said, "I will double their salaries."

When asked how the Board of Governors could play a better role in school management, Murphy said, "The hard work of each governor should be rewarded."

Murphy kept his word and immediately donated 10% of the income from the Supreme Potion Shop as a management fund to cover the expenses of the Board of Governors.

By mid-August, Murphy was elected as a Hogwarts governor by a large margin.

However, Murphy faced trouble soon after taking office.

First, "The Daily Prophet" published a commentary titled "As Unemployment Rates Continue to Decline, What's Wrong With Our Education?"

The article pointed out through strict data investigation that the employment rate of Hogwarts graduates had fallen from 30% in 1945 to below 15% this year.

Many students faced the dilemma of being unemployed upon graduation. This employment rate was not only far lower than the 27% of the American wizarding school Ilvermorny but even below that of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, the other two major European magic schools.

"Is it our society that's failing, or is it our school's education?"

Although "Counter-Chant" quickly pointed out that the American wizarding society is much larger than the British wizarding world, making Ilvermorny's higher employment rate not a fair standard for comparison. And, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, being more international schools compared to Hogwarts, which mainly recruits and exports students within Britain, have an easier time addressing employment issues.

Yet, Rita Skeeter's article still sparked much discussion.

Soon, to address this issue, the Ministry of Magic decided to hold a hearing at a later date, requiring the Hogwarts Board of Governors to report and explain.

At Murphy's suggestion, the Board of Governors launched a comprehensive investigation and assessment of the performance of all Hogwarts staff.

On August 19th, four years after his last visit, Murphy returned to Hogwarts.

The Hogwarts Astronomy Tower was set up as a venue where twelve governors formed a jury, sitting in a circle, and listened in turn to the Hogwarts staff presenting their duties at the center.

The first to be reviewed was Argus Filch, the Hogwarts caretaker.

"Mr. Filch, your main job is to guard the gates of Hogwarts and be responsible for cleaning and patrolling within the school, correct?"

Filch had made an effort to dress up for the day, wearing a hat that appeared to be over a century old, "Yes, yes, respected governors."

"What do you think about the students' adherence to discipline?" a governor asked.

"Oh, those little creatures are too arrogant! They don't take school rules seriously at all, wandering around the school at midnight, shamelessly meeting between boys and girls, and using a lot of prohibited items, especially those from the Weasley family..."

"So, you mean the school is not doing well in terms of student discipline?"

"Ah... I didn't mean that, sir, I mean... they're not obedient enough..."

"Do you have any suggestions on how to make students adhere to discipline?"

"I, my opinion, I think, we must punish them severely! Sir, we cannot let them off, those who make mistakes should be hung up and whipped, then they will realize their errors..."

"You mean, corporal punishment? Abuse of students?"

"This, I, I think..."

"What about the handcuffs and torture devices in your office? Have you used them on students?"

"No, no, although I wanted to teach them a lesson, Dumbledore..."

The governors exchanged glances, some shook their heads, another asked, "You're a Squib, right?"

"I, I... I'm not, I..."

"Alright, gentlemen." Murphy suddenly spoke from among the governors, "He's just an old, pitiable caretaker, I believe he's incapable of harming the students. Let's spare him."

The second to be reviewed was Professor Sybill Trelawney.

"Professor Trelawney, I hear your ancestor was the famous seer Cassandra?"

"Yes, yes," Trelawney was visibly nervous, "She was my great-great-grandmother."

"So, you indeed have the blood of a seer." A female governor spoke, "Sorry, because prophecies, we haven't really seen one in many years, could you show us something?"

"Of course... of course..." Trelawney nervously picked up her crystal ball, murmuring to herself. After a while, she made a frightening face, looked up at the people around her, "Thirteen people, gathered together, the first to stand up will die."

The female governor frowned, "Are you threatening us?"

"No, no," Trelawney became even more nervous, "I have another prophecy, the man with two faces has appeared, he will bring disaster and death..."

As she spoke, her voice rose, almost intimidating the governors, even Murphy frowned, thinking a real prophecy had emerged. However, due to Trelawney's exaggerated movements, the crystal ball fell from her hands, shattered on the ground with a snap.

"Oh! An omen! This is an omen! We are all under the watch of evil!"

"Enough!" The female governor patted her chest, "I don't want to listen to this madwoman's nonsense anymore."

The third interrogated was Professor Binns.

"A ghost?"

The fourth was Professor Flitwick.

"A pixie?"

Then there was Hagrid.

"A giant!"

Finally, there was Quirrell.

"Merlin's socks! He can't even speak clearly!"

By the time the review was over, the governors' faces were as dark as the bottom of a pot.

"I think we've found the reason for the decline in Hogwarts' teaching quality over the years."

"Gentlemen, I believe you have a misunderstanding of the true level of our professors..." Dumbledore tried to explain further.

This inquiry was unfair to his professors, most of whom were recluses, utterly unable to present their best in such a situation.

However, the governors were unanimously critical, an elderly governor said: "Albus, we trust your abilities, but we cannot accept the teaching level of these professors! Hogwarts' reputation is being tarnished! And all this, due to these unqualified professors!"

"We demand you immediately dismiss these people, Hogwarts is a school! Not a place for you to charitably shelter vagrants! We must be responsible for our students!"

"My professors are not vagrants, Phineas, they're just a bit reclusive..." Dumbledore tried to defend.

"Reclusive, is that a suitable trait for a professor?" a governor questioned.

"And that Snape," another governor spoke up, "he looks like a Dark Wizard! Allowing such a professor to teach our children, what will become of the future British wizarding world?"

"Gentlemen!" Just as Dumbledore struggled to respond, Murphy suddenly spoke up.

"Gentlemen! We've only come to the school today, and our contact with the professors was limited to these brief ten to twenty minutes. To negate their teaching achievements based on this short performance, I believe, might be very unfair to them."

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