From the Ashes

The students will be arriving tomorrow night via Hogwarts Express for those in the country and via Portkey for those coming from abroad. As usual, we’ll need professors to greet the train, separate the students into groups and escort them to the feast.

Sixth- and seventh-years have almost all been here before; they’ll take the Thestral-drawn carriages to the castle. Carriages will need to be arranged; please speak to Professor Walker if you need assistance or more horsepower, as it were. Some of the unicorns may be willing to pitch in. For obvious reasons, certain professors are more suited to minding the Thestrals than others, so I trust you’ll sort yourselves out.

First- through fifth-years will, as is tradition, take the boats across the lake for their first view of Hogwarts. We will have an extreme shortage of boats, clearly, so if you can charm something into floating safely, please do it. School brooms might do as well, if the students are experienced in riding and keep low to the water with the rest of the group.

The students arriving via Portkey have all been sent owls with their enchanted item and should arrive in the courtyard at the same time the Hogwarts Express arrives. There is a list of names available to ensure no late student is accidentally left unattended; whichever staff members take on this duty can retrieve it from my office during the day tomorrow.

During the feast, we’ll need someone attending the Sorting Hat, and Heads of Houses should be available to greet their new classes and escort them back to their dormitories at the end of the evening. If you have any questions or concerns, please stop by to discuss them with me before the Sorting Feast.

Best of luck for the start of classes and the coming school year. I have the utmost faith in each of you.

Sincerely,
Headmaster Schechter

Professor Saporta,

I would like to extend an offer of added responsibility to you, as the Head of Slytherin House. I realize that you have not been raised in this school and certain particulars of our Houses may be foreign to you, but you have the qualities of experience and leadership that these children will need, which I believe makes you the most suitable candidate. It may also be for the best that they are taken under the wing of someone raised without the House prejudice peculiar to this school in the past, although I suspect you will have the most trouble with the older students who remember the way things used to be before the war. I would recommend speaking with Mr. Smith for guidance if you should find yourself in difficulty, as he grew up in Slytherin House and may even know a good number of the returning students from his days here as a student himself. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about this appointment.

Sincerely,
Headmaster Schechter

Professor Wentz,

It is my privilege to congratulate you on being chosen as Head of Gryffindor House for the upcoming school year, or until such time as you choose to resign or are asked to step down, which I trust will not be an issue. Your responsibilities will include guiding and advising the young people in your House, as well as safeguarding them against any threats. I also trust you will handle them with less dramatics than your own childhood recalls, and manage to keep them out of troublemaking scenarios, no matter how fondly you are filled with nostalgia. If you ever require help, Mr. Blackinton is also stationed near Gryffindor Tower and I’m sure he could be called upon in times of need. I have the utmost faith in your abilities.

Sincerely,
Headmaster Schechter

P.S. I also assume you'll want to coach the Quidditch teams this year? It would be a shame if you didn't, there's no one else here with anything approaching your level of talent. Nothing brings Gryffindors in line like giving them someone they can respect and follow.

Due to a lack of available and qualified full-time candidates, the professorship of Divination is currently vacant. For the time being, we are asking teaching staff to take the classes for third through seventh years in rotating shifts. Divination OWL requirements include knowledge of the following:

Astrology
Cartomancy
Crystal balls
Dream interpretation
Fire omens
Rune bones
Palmistry
Tea leaves

I expect everyone to sign up for one of these subjects, preferably according to passable skill level. If you have any actual experience Seeing, for the love of Merlin come talk to me, and we’ll see about giving you the seventh years. This might be an excellent topic for discussion at the staff meeting on Monday morning.

I recognize that this is an additional burden on teaching staff, and as a result am willing to discuss appropriate adjustments in salary. If you have a complaint, you know where my office is.

Sincerely,
Headmaster Schechter

Heads of Houses will be chosen next week before the start of classes. If you have a closing argument for or against being chosen for a particular position, send an owl or come see me in my office.

Sincerely,
Headmaster Schechter

P.S. Bribes will be accepted, but they won’t actually do you any good.

As I’m sure everyone is aware, the remaining teaching and seasonal staff will begin arriving tomorrow. The list of arrival times and methods is below. Please meet new arrivals in the appropriate location as assigned and show them to their suites. A brief tour might be polite as well.

Mr. Beckett:
Mr. Gabriel Saporta, early morning, arriving via enchanted galleon somewhere on the lake. Hopefully.

Mr. Wentz:
Mr. Ryland Blackinton, early afternoon, arriving via Floo Network in the kitchens, as the rest of the fireplaces still need to be cleaned out.

Mr. Urie:
Mr. Ryan Ross, sometime in the late evening, arriving via Apparition at the edge of the grounds on the other side of the forest.

Mr. Smith, if you would show our most recent and unexpected arrival Mr. Jonathan Walker around the castle and particularly the grounds, I’m certain he would appreciate the orientation.

Mr. Lazzara & Mr. McCoy, if you wouldn’t mind taking a look at Mr. Ross’ suite before his arrival; I believe it could stand a few general household charms, but the elves won’t go in. It seems the former occupant was rather liberal with the protection and privacy spells. I trust the two of you will be able to dispense with any lingering unpleasantness.

Sincerely,
Headmaster Schechter