Chapter 29: Staff Meeting - part 2

Hogwarts Castle, Somewhere in the Scottish Highlands

November 23rd, 1992, 2:03 PM

"You have my word, Professor Binns, we will hire a good substitute for you."

Erik said to the ghostly professor. Cuthbert Binns' ghostly appearance floated more straight after hearing that, like an enormous weight had just been taken from his shoulders.

The other Professors and staff members were looking at the man with different eyes now. Professor McGonagall was the first to ask.

"Cuthbert, you were forcing yourself to stay here, waiting for a substitute?"

"Yes, Minerva. I first started teaching here in Hogwarts just after I graduated, fresh out of my NEWTs. I got a Professor-Apprentice contract and stayed in the castle teaching until I got my Mastery. After that, I traveled the world and visited a lot of different magic communities and learned their history. I came back, five years later, after receiving an invite from my Master and Professor. He was retiring and asked me if I wanted to go back to Hogwarts to teach in his place. I was very happy with the invite, and came back and assumed the History of Magic Office in the next school year. I was twenty four year old at the time. I died at the age of a hundred and fifteen, of old age, of course. Before passing, I decided to wait for my substitute, so the students' education would not suffer. And here I am now, seeing for a second time the visit of Lord Ravenclaw to Hogwarts."

Professor Binns answered to his colleague. Professor McGonagall was looking at the man/ghost with enormous respect right now.

"Thank you, Cuthbert."

Professor McGonagall thanked the ghost, giving him a small bow in sign of respect. That broke a dam in the meeting room, and the other staff members started thanking the ghostly Professor too.

After a round of 'thank yous' while Erick was serving his second cup of black coffee, Erik continued with the meeting.

"Second subject to the meeting is the renovation of resources for education and entertainment. With new funds being liberated, we will have the Galleons necessary for the renovation of the school's classrooms and other materials necessary for classes…"

At this mention, the school's flight instructor, Rolanda Hooch, jumped into attention on her chair.

"Does this mean we will get new broomsticks for flight classes?"

All the other staff members looked at the woman, and some of them chuckled at her enthusiasm. Madam Hooch would always, in all staff meetings, ask for new broomsticks for the school.

"Yes, Professor… ?"

"Hooch, Rolanda Hooch, Lord Ravenclaw. And I'm no Professor. I am the castle's flight instructor and judge for the Quidditch House's Cup."

"We will have to change that, Madam Hooch, if you want to, of course. We used to have swords' play and archery classes in the past, but since swords and bows had entered in disuse in both magical and non-magical worlds, we will be introducing a Physical Education class, mainly to teach the child how to move and to focus some of their excess of energy. But answering your question, yes, if the school is in need of new broomsticks, then we will get new broomsticks."

Erik said to the now excited flight instructor.

"Oh yes, we need new broomsticks, Lord Ravenclaw. Our newest broomstick is dated from fifty years ago."

Madam Hooch said. Erik nodded at that, recognizing the urgency of the request. Well, maybe not so urgent since the flight lessons happened only during the first two months of the school year. But urgent the same way.

"Yes. Maybe some of the brands of broomsticks in the market want to make a partnership with the school and advertise that Hogwarts' students are now learning how to fly while using their broomsticks…"

Erik said to Madam Hooch, forming a smirk on his face. The woman got his idea and smirked back.

"Madam Hooch, you have my authorization to research the best models that attend a new flyer necessities and to enter in contact with their sales department to negotiate the price for the acquisition of let's say… fifty?"

He tried while looking at Madam Hooch. As if her smile was any indication, he continued.

"Fifty new broomsticks for flight lessons. Be sure to specify to the brand that if they want to use the school's name in the advertisement of their broomsticks, that they give us a good price. If they insist on normal prices and still use the school's name, they will have some lawyer going after them."

Erik said with a sharky grin that would make a goblin proud. Madam Hooch nodded at Erik, already going in her head over all the good models available in the market.

"And, Madam Hooch, don't limit yourself to National brands. If, let's say, a French brand has a good model, enter in contact with them and ask that they send you a model for testing. That would give them some incentive to better their offers."

Erik finished saying to the woman, who had paid attention to what 'her' boss said. The tips on how to haggle for better prices would be really appreciated.

"Lord Ravenclaw, are you sure that you don't have any goblin blood on you?"

Asked Professor Flitwick with a tone of joke, and some amusement on his face. Erik understood the Professor's joke. And he replied in the same manner.

"Goblin's blood? No, no, Professor Flitwick, I have some Valkyrie's blood in me, but no goblin. The price haggling is just a skill that I got during the years that I ventured as a sea merchant, some good three hundred years ago."

"Valkyrie?"

Professor Flitwick asked. He, obviously, had heard about the race of women 'created' and raised for battle and war in the Norse Pantheon.

"Yes, one of my grandmothers was a Valkyrie. Just like the Veelas, a Valkyrie's female child is always a Valkyrie, a male child is from the same race as the father, human in my case. My father was a human born from a Valkyrie, so technically, I have Valkyrie's blood in me."

Erik explained to the little Professor, who grinned at Erik and said.

"I would like to trade blows with you sometime, Lord Ravenclaw."

Erik grinned back at the half-goblin.

"It would be an honor, Professor Flitwick."

After a short pause, where Erik and Professor Flitwick were grinning at each other, Erik continued the meeting.

"As I was saying before the subject changed, the Galleons will be enough to renew most if not all classrooms. We, of course, will have to take in consideration that the three professors from the same discipline will not share the same classroom. Each Professor will have its own classroom and office. This means that classrooms for more advanced classes will have more advanced materials. For example, NEWT classes for Defense will have dummies capable of taking more hits or shooting more advanced dummy spellwork."

Erik continued and explained better for the staff, while taking some notes in the parchment about the broomsticks subject.

"Now, starting from my left, I will ask that each of you tell me what you are needing in new material for classes, start with the most urgent material."

Erik asked and the Professors, one by one started to talk about what materials utilised in class needed to be renewed, or what needed to be bought. And Erik was taking notes of everything, and giving them the same talk that he gave Madam Hooch, to enter in contact with suppliers and to haggle for better prices if possible.

Time slowly passed inside the meeting room, and Erik was happy with the result. The meeting, in his opinion, was a success. He had managed to 'attack' all desired subjects and now he knew better of the situation that the school was and knew the staff a little more. Erik looked at his wrist watch.

'4:30PM…'

"Does anyone want to bring something to the attention of the group?"

Erik asked the staff in the meeting room. Professor Silvanus Kettleburn raised one of his hands, better saying, raised his only hand. He was the Master of the castle for the Care of Magical Creatures and had some body parts missing, including his entire left hand and left eye.

"Yes, Professor Kettleburn, you have the group's attention."

"I was going to announce this after the midterm, but since we are all here and we were talking about the hiring of new teachers, there's no better time than now. I have decided to retire at the end of this school's year."

Erik made a quick note that he would need to hire a new Master for Care of Magical Creatures too, while Professor Kettleburn was receiving the 'well wishes' from his peers.

The group calmed again, and Erik continued.

"I noted it down, Professor Kettleburn. Does anyone want to bring attention to anything more to this group?"

After some seconds of silence from the staff members, Erik continued.

"If not, then we adjourn this meeting. Don't forget that I await your answers about apprenticeships. Please address them to the Headmaster's Office via internal mail."

After saying that, the staff members started to get up and exit the meeting room in small groups, while doing some small talk. Erik had just finished organizing his notes and looked around the room and noticed a fidgeting big man still in place.

"Yes, Hagrid? I imagine that you wanted to talk to me about something?"

The giant man fidgeted a little more, taking some courage to talk. Finally, he managed to gather some and said.

"Lord Ravenclaw, my dream was always to be a teacher for Care of Magical Creatures, and now with two more teachers, I… I would like to apply for one of the positions."

Hagrid said. It took a great deal of courage from the big man to say those words. Erik could feel that. He then asked the main question to Hagrid.

"I would have no problem with that, Hagrid. But then, you heard about the requisites for the position. If you have the qualification, just apply for the position."

"I… I was prohibited to use a wand, Lord Ravenclaw, just after the entire Chamber's fiasco."

Hagrid answered with a lowered head. He had some degree of shame in his voice.

"So? Do you need a wand to apply for OWL and NEWT in Care of Magical Creatures?"

Erik asked Hagrid with a calm voice. The big man looked at Erik with eyes full of tears and some hope at the same time.

"For NEWT level you would probably need a wand to deal with certain creatures if you were a normal wizard, but for a big man like you? You would probably be alright without one."

Erik didn't want to say in a loud voice that Hagrid had Giant blood on him. Some people were that sensitive about their origin. Hagrid was looking at Erik with even more hope in him.

"There are some disciplines in magic, Hagrid, that even a squib can apply for OWL and NEWT exams. Go to the Department of Magical Education, in the Ministry of Magic, and ask them about it. If you are sure of your knowledge in the field, theoretical and practical, enough to have an 'O' mark in it, schedule with them so that you can do it. After receiving the OWL result, if you then again are sure about your theoretical and practical for the NEWT exam, then apply for it. I suggest that you talk with Professor Kettleburn and ask him about what is asked in the OWL exams."

The big man, Hagrid, nodded at the information and had a determined look on his face.

"Thank you, Lord Ravenclaw. I will talk with Professor Kettleburn."

"Just don't be reckless in taking the exam, Hagrid. I don't know how it is right now, but some time ago you only had one chance to do the exam."

Hagrid thanked Erik, who warned the big guy back. He then got up and trotted out of the meeting room, leaving Erik alone in it.

Erik took his notes and put them in his internal blazer pocket. He then exited the meeting room and searched for Selena using the wards of the castle. She found her inside the castle's Library, and quickly walked to meet her.

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