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"Depends really how you see it. I think one of the worst problems is the environment: dividing the entire student body in four antagonistic factions is not a good idea at the best of times, and some teachers are very lax in discipline and punishments." The famous British author shrugged. "Of the seven main courses at Hogwarts, I can say with the information I gathered three of them are doing their jobs on par with what every American magical schools expect of its students. Charms, Transfiguration and Herbology are taught by Professors who have mastered the subject, so no critic there. Astronomy is a bit behind the others, as the British have not adapted to the latest innovations on the field, but it is generally correct."
"And the others?"
"Snape is a difficult case." Admitted Lockhart. "The Death Eater and his minion Whitehead are generally detestable human beings, but I have to admit they are doing their best to implement the safety measures of their class and improve the Potions skills of their students, especially the information research and the initiative. The issue I see is that their methods suffer from a Slytherin bias and are considered elitist."
"Explain." For once the voice of Hendryk Jones showed interest.
"The Potion Masters of this school are teaching the first-year students in the same manner they experiment with the students about to graduate. For the young witches and wizards who are willing to work hard and follow the hard guidelines Snape imposes, they rapidly thrive and reach impressive levels in the field of Potions. Alas, for every student who manages to follow this infernal rhythm, there are five or six who abandon the effort before their fifth-year, often with catastrophic grades."
"A lack of pedagogy and a strategy of privileging the formation of Elite Potioneers rather than average ones, then." Summed-up Jones in a thoughtful tone. "Problem is, it is not an uncommon policy. Our sources at Durmstrang indicate they are doing more or less the same thing for all their classes."
"Yes, but Durmstrang has over a thousand students they recruit all over Scandinavia, Germany and Eastern Europe." Noted Lockhart. "That gives them an impressive pool of talents to choose from. Hogwarts, on the other hand, has only a bit over four hundred students for all the British Isles. And there is more." The spy's voice turned grimmer. "While the number of students who graduate with a Potions NEWT hasn't changed in decades, the number of students achieving a Potions OWLs per year has completely collapsed and the composition of those who continue a Potion NEWT is alarming. There have never been more than two Gryffindor taking Potions after their fifth-year in the last five years, and the number is less than five for the Hufflepuffs. All the teenagers who continue are in majority Ravenclaw and Slytherin witches and wizards, who as a result are going to take the jobs of Healers, Potions Masters, Aurors, Curse-Breakers, Ward Masters and so on."
"The most prestigious and influential jobs." Said Jones absently. "And the better paid too." The MIB high-ranking wizard paused to think for a few seconds before speaking again. "All right. And the other classes?"
"Defence Against the Dark Arts is a disaster." Winced Gilderoy. "I would like to say it is my fault because I play the imbecile as part of my cover, but the Junior Professor they hired with me is no better, and all evidence point out to say this class has been a true disaster for two decades. I haven't managed to discover if a curse is truly active, but changing of Professors each year is certainly not doing the program any favour."
"I wonder how Dumbledore is justifying such abysmal skills in Defence from his students." Told Jones in an amused tone. "Dumbledore closed several self-defence courses when he became Headmaster, and now the Defence Against the Dark Arts class is useless?" Jones made a negative nod of his head. "I would not describe it as a good thing."
"Some students deal with it by self-study. But the class of History is utterly and completely lost. When you use a teacher as a ghost, and a boring one at that, you have the results you deserve."
"And the elective classes?"
"Divination and Muggle Studies are the same fiascos as History, if not worse because one is told by a drunk who believes she is a Seer while the other is convinced we are still in the nineteenth century. The three other elective are quite good, but all the others main classes have been disrupted and closed by Dumbledore." The blonde-haired author paused. "Do you want more information?"
"No, I think it will be enough." Said Hendryk in a pensive tone. "Although I will want your full report before you go back to Hogwarts."
"Of course."
"Now let's speak about the Aura Reader."
Gilderoy emitted a loud sigh, with a pained expression which would have in all likelihood not won him any awards in Witch Weekly.
"Let me guess, there are girls and boys at Hogwarts who have the potential to reach Lord or Lady-levels."
"I'm afraid so." The tone of Lockhart's superior was worried. "Eight of them in fact."
"Eight?" That was worse than Gilderoy Lockhart had thought possible calculus. In reality, it was the double of what the worst-case scenario he had imagined. "Who? No, don't tell me. What I don't know can't traumatize me."
"Wise choice." Grimaced Jones. "Especially as some of them promise to be pure monsters in the future."
"That bad?"
"Let's just say Albus Dumbledore should really be careful in a few years. He might not be the Champion of Light any longer when they graduate."
It went unsaid that if one of these potential magical Lords and Ladies rose to the top, they might not only expulse Dumbledore from his prominent positions but also deal with the Light Party as a whole.
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