@rr-professor-mcgonagall said: 📫
October 15, 1991
Lucius Malfoy,
I got all three of your letter, but as I am currently in the middle of a term, trying to get any small amount of information into the thick skulls of these children. If this is a glimpse into the future of the wizarding world, I pray that I don’t make it past the age of 30. Once this lot is in charge of the ministry there will be chaos for sure.
Draco seems to have settled into the school fine. He is doing well in most of his classes and has created a bit of a kinship with both the Crabbe and Goyle boys. Though I’m sure he could do much better to find companions, they aren’t the worst students I have in the new year. I’m very please to note that he has created particular enmity with Potter’s demon spawn, and tends to have the upper hand in most verbal disagreements.
As to Draco’s difficulties with Professor McGonagall I don’t know why you thought writing me three separate letters on the issue was necessary, especially since you know that I have no control over the staffing at the school. In all honesty I have no control over Minerva and the way she conducts her classes, especially since she has seniority as a faculty member compared to me. I don’t understand why you didn’t address these concerns to Professor Dumbledore, especially the last letter which detailed your frustrations in all ten written pages included in the envelope. I’m surprised your owl could carry the damn thing.
Minerva is generally a fair woman, though the boundaries of house seem to affect her judgement quite often. She does tend to favor the Gryffindors, which I’m sure you remember from my own complaints regarding schooldays. She seems to have a certain affinity for Potter, much to my distaste. Any student that bears the red and gold tie gets slight preferential treatment over any of the other houses.
As frustrating as that issue is, Minerva is one of the most knowledgeable witches around when it comes to transfiguration. I fear I didn’t quite respect her as much when I was her own pupil. My judgement was clouded by my distaste for her house. While I still find the house “where dwell the brave at heart” the most obnoxious of the students as a general rule, not all of them are entirely horrible.
As to your request that Draco be placed on the quidditch team, I’m afraid I will have to deny that request. While Minerva feels confident in recruiting a first year who has only ridden a broom twice, I trust the judgement of the captain of the Slytherin house team. Our seeker, Mr. Higgs, is an exceptional seeker, and helped pulverize the Gryffindor team last season. I see no reason to replace him.
Minerva may often have a level head, but she is competitive when it comes to quidditch. I love nothing more than seeing the look on her face when her house team looses again and again, and lording it over her head for the rest of the year. She’s got a fierce temper, but she wouldn’t dare do anything to a fellow staff member without definitive reason. She’s a rule-follower, and respects Professor Dumbledore too much to truly cause distension among his staff.
If you are still frustrated, my dear friend Lucius, I suggest that you pen your next small novel to Professor Dumbledore. That will certainly have more weight with McGonagall than I do. In many ways I believe she still sees me as her quiet, sallow little student. Though she has grown to respect my outstanding knowledge of Potions, we certainly aren’t the best of friends. That category, I regret to report, still rests upon your shoulders squarely.
Please tell Narcissa I wish her the best, and I am doing what I can to look after Draco. Unfortunately I won’t be able to leave the school grounds this winter break, and I will miss the usual festivities in order to care for the darling children and have tea parties with Minnie. What fun.
Sincerely,
Professor Severus Snape
Potions Master, Head of Slytherin House.
