As the morning mail arrived, four strangers entered the Great Hall. Three remained by the doors while the fourth walked up to the Head table and handed an envelope to the Headmaster. Those closest to the Head table saw the Headmaster pale slightly before getting up hurriedly and escorting the four visitors out of the Great Hall.
The silence that followed in the wake of the Headmaster's rather abrupt departure was almost deafening. It was quickly followed by the excited babble of the students trying to figure out what those four people were here for. From the expression on the Headmaster's face it probably wasn't anything good.
Dumbledore led the four who had been sent by the Wizengamot up to his office. Gesturing to the seats around his office he said somewhat distractedly, "Have a seat, gentlemen and ladies."
Once they were seated, a wizard who appeared to be almost as old as Dumbledore told the Headmaster, "My name is Adam Jessup. My colleagues and I are here to conduct the first of the periodic inspections the Wizengamot requested. We are from the American Department of Magical Education."
Dumbledore stared at him surprised "I have been expecting someone from the Ministry, since the hearing several months ago. Can you tell me, Mr. Jessup, why they chose to request assistance for this inspection from America?"
"It's quite simple, sir," Jessup told him. "The Wizengamot wanted to make sure these inspections were fair and impartial for all concerned, so they requested inspectors who didn't have an axe to grind with you, or who might choose to ignore things they see because of who you are, Professor Dumbledore."
Dumbledore nodded in understanding, but was not pleased by it. He had been hoping to get someone at least moderately sympathetic to him and who had gone to Hogwarts previously. "Very well, Mr. Jessup. How do you wish to proceed with this inspection?"
"Actually Headmaster, the Wizengamot has asked us to conduct this first inspection without any input from you or your staff. They have also given us full authority to do what needs to be done, including the right to get access to all areas of the castle we may need to go into." Jessup coughed as he handed over a sheaf of papers to the Headmaster. "This covers some of what we will be inspecting on this trip. Also you are not to tell anyone other than your Deputy Headmistress why we are here. We will also be visiting classes randomly. Don't worry there will be no disruption of the classes. In fact neither the students or teachers will know that we are there, that should allow us to get a better idea of the teaching methods used by the individual teachers. Once the students have dismissed for the Christmas break we will be talking to the teachers individually. We do need a list of those teachers who will be leaving Hogwarts during the Christmas break, so that we can arrange to see them first."
While Dumbledore managed to control his expression, inside he was seething. He was not pleased by this turn of events. Not pleased at all. He didn't like the idea of strangers having full access to his castle and he couldn't fathom what the Wizengamot was thinking in allowing total strangers full access to Hogwarts.
...
As the four strangers took up residence in Hogwarts, rumours flew fast and furious about what they were doing there. The Headmaster hadn't even introduced them or explained their purpose to the students when they joined the teachers at lunch that day and everyone agreed that was not like him.
A few days later, those with family in the Ministry had smug looks on their faces when they revealed to their friends the fact that the Wizengamot had brought in inspectors all the way from America to check out the school from top to bottom, including the teachers. Once this information had made the rounds, the only students who tried to keep up with any new information on the inspectors were those who still had a year or more to go at Hogwarts, and they couldn't help wondering why the Wizengamot had chosen to bring in someone from America to inspect Hogwarts instead of using their own people. Some, mostly Slytherins, thought despite their claims of impartiality that the inspectors were there to find something on Dumbledore so he could officially be removed as Headmaster, unlike the way Delores Umbridge had tried to remove him a few years ago.
Unfortunately, that was all they were able to learn because other than the rumours going around the school, there was no other information forthcoming from any official source. One thing was for sure though. No one saw the inspectors except during meals and that made a lot of people nervous.
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