The Head Office

The office of Thaddeus Dawson Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

[the-head-office]

Post - task 1

It was early in the morning, when the scents of the plants in the head office would be particularly overwhelming and musty. The scents in the courtyard, however, were tempered by the dampness and the openness of the area. Headmaster Dawson was a familiar figure at these times, talking to no one, a scrithing, scratching noise following close by.

“ ’ … such checks are necessary to ensure the safety of every student at the school. ‘ “ He stopped and frowned. Behind him the scritching noises came to a halt.

Hogwarts was a massively confusing structure, and the students were children. Getting lost was normal. Yet already several professors had come to him of children who needed rescuing from their team building excursion. He expected an influx of owls from bewildered, upset parents who had gotten possibly exaggerated letters from their children. Platitudes about how they’re children were perfectly safe within Hogwarts’ walls were something he had been doing for years, with more or less sincerity as the occasion required. He had gotten used writing them under Headmaster Roberts ( whose reign required a lot of them) and it was one of the duties that he had never quite passed on to the next Deputy. Today, it sounded false.

“ What do you think?” he asked. The scratching began again, the hasty scribbles of lines being thrown out. His frown deepened and he nodded. It was a sad day when even something as basic as a Quill agreed with him.

He kept walking, inhaling the scents of morning. It was a calming combination. It still didn’t stop him wondering. What if they had been his children, His grandchildren? What if the professors hadn’t arrived in time?

“If we are to agree that all this was necessary, what can we call the result? A success? A failure? A…what is that word they third years enjoyed so much? A ‘glitch’ ? And what can we do about it? These are things that are going to be asked about, and I--we need to have the proper answers.”

He paused in midturn. It was generally too early for anyone else to be out in this weather. His eyes narrowed as he peered into the corridors surrounding the courtyard. He hadn’t been mistaken. Tehre had been movement, a shadow. Nothing responded to his look. He continued on, treading lighter on his feet, head down, muttering to the Quill that floated behind him.

[the-head-office]

The Welcoming Feast

Over the years the Welcoming Feast had become a well-timed production. The staff and older students were seated with the production officially began as the doors opened to begin the Sorting Ceremony. A few years previously, someone had suggested adding music to the proceedings. It was mostly drowned out by chatter, but what could be heard added to the sense of welcoming. At the head of the staff table, Headmaster Thaddeus Dawson watched the proceedings, nodding imperceptibly at each name. He was as straight backed as his chair, with intense light-colored eyes and the general air of one had had been in charge for most of his life. After the last child had been Sorted, he counted slowly to one hundred in his head. It allowed the students to begin chatting while allowing a few of the less social staff members to slip away. At the end of the count he stood. He no longer raised his hands for silence. That seemed pretentious. When everything had quieted down enough, he made his speech.

“Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. A few announcements before we get in." He paused for the inevitable groans. "I have been informed that the break in at Gringotts bank earlier this week was the result of the regulation of their new security system. It was a highly unusual occurrence, and I have their assurance that it will not happen again.”

There was an authorativeness in the way he said that, as though the bank itself were a particularly naughty student that had used up all its goodwill points with him. The candlelight flickered, the smell of wetness breezed through the air. The Headmaster gave no sign that he noticed.

“Now that we are all here, safe and sound I must remind you that the Forest is to remain out of bounds to all students," and here he glanced at a few students in particular. There was a few whispers and giggles of varying nervousness as he continued. “The pitch should be prepared by the end of next week, so remember to sign up for your house teams early. To those who have just arrived, we wish you to enjoy your time here, and see it as your second home. The older students are like your siblings and you should feel free to address your concerns to them, especially your House Prefects, who I’m sure will do their best to make you feel welcome."

There it was again. That voice that made it sounds like a suggestion, that looked that made it clear it was instruction.

“And now, I have stalled more than enough. Welcome, and enjoy.” He made a small gesture with his hands and an abundance of food appeared on all the tables, beginning with the soup. Dawson had been raised on courses, considered it one of the few luxuries in life to be enjoyed whenever possible.

[andrewwoodbridge]

Heads Office

[andrewwoodbridge]

Andrew tugged his cuffs again.  “No sir. Everything is in order. ”  He hoped. He had spent the majority of the past few months being looked over, making adjustments to the potions and charms that served as medication. Right now his worst effect was an occasional migraine.

[the-head-office]

Dawson kept that look up for a little longer, then took up his quill again and turned back to his notes “You will let me know if the situation changes .”

[andrewwoodbridge]

Heads Office

[andrewwoodbridge]

Now it was Andrew’s turn to look confused. “ Sir?” Individual meetings were not unusual, but they tended to occur after Christmas break, not at the beginning of the new term. He glanced at the niffler cage. Billy showed no signs of distress, but that didn’t mean anything. Andrew  tugged at the ends of his cuffs. 

[the-head-office]

“I know this is sudden, but considering the events of the recent years it seemed the best. ” He set his quill down  and folded his hands in from of him patiently. “ Is there anything we need to accommodate for this term that we haven’t previously?” He titled his head downward slightly, which made it look like he was looking over invisible-rimmed glasses.

[andrewwoodbridge]

Heads Office

[the-head-office]

andrewwoodbridge:

Andrew hesitated. He was partway through his change. Even after all these years, he till wasn’t sure which Dawson deemed better. “Much more stable, yes sir.”

“Good.” Dawson’s attention had gone back to his notes. There was only the sound of wizards’ breathing, quill scribbling, Billy’s movements and plants growing.

“Sir” , he said at last “ if this is about Ravenoak, I can assure you th—” He fell silent as the Headmaster held up a hand.

Dawson waved away the comment. That matter had been settled without to much fuss, but he understood  Woodbridge’s  anxiety on the matter. The poor man had trouble when it came to dealing with social matters, especially having to deal with such a unique condition. “ I merely wished to discuss the plans for this term on an individual basis.”

[andrewwoodbridge]

Heads Office

Andrew Woodbridge eased the door open and stepped inside. Even after so many years, he still felt like a child upon entering the Headmaster’s Office. And this hadn’t even been his school. Beneath the crawling vines, behind the scent ( he wouldn’t dare say stench ) of flowers was the dark wood high backed chairs and imperious looking portraits of the past, imposing even in their sleep. He took comfort in the rattling, snuffling sounds of Billy the niffler in his cage at the corner by the window, fixing his teeth on the bars.

“You, wished to see me Headmaster?” he asked anyway.

[the-head-office]

Thaddeus looked up from the notes he had been making. “Ah, yes Woodbridge. " he said, not setting the quill down. The beginning of terms meant the beginning of new correspondence, all of which had very strict due dates. It made one miss Hunter‘s Pass. “You’re looking better today. Feeling better, are you?”