The Grants Artefacts

06 Crups and Clabberts

Crups and Clabberts

It took longer than she expected to navigate the corridors but she eventually found the classroom. She pushed the heavy oak door open with her foot and started to drag her trunk inside, but a throat cleared and she dropped it.

"Professor," some habits die hard, and feeling like she was about to be told off by her old Transfiguration teacher was one of them. She had to remind herself that she was no longer a student and McGonagall was not her superior.

"I must say," the upright, severe woman looked at her with heavy-lidded distaste. "When Professor Dumbledore told me who he had appointed I was more than a little surprised."

Arundel straightened and studied McGonagall. She'd always wondered who would win in a duel, but today was not the day to find out. "You're my mentor," she said, keeping any kind of emotion from her voice.

"I am. I've come to induct you on to our staff. You will find miss Granville, that teaching here is very much harder than being a student."

Arundel doubted that, but she didn't voice her thoughts and in response dragged her trunk further into the room and sat on it as the door swung closed. McGonagall picked up a folder of papers and swept around the desk, crossed the floor with catlike speed, and handed them to her without even the slightest smile. "You will find a timetable and a year plan in there. The year plan is broken down into termly subject areas for your classes. You teach third years to seventh years, OWL's and NEWTS. You will take a registrar at the start of each class and you will set and mark homework. Grades will be collected the week before last at the end of each term, three times a year. Behaviour infractions are usually dealt with through detentions, I suggest you set detentions which have some bearing on your subject or the infraction. Filch has a list of banned objects. Don't put your students in the way of irreversible harm. Turn up for your lessons on time and be prepared for them."

Arundel flicked through the pack and noted that she had both Monday and Friday free of lessons but taught a full day on Tuesday to Thursday, that was not something she would complain about.

"We meet at seven thirty sharp for head teachers briefing, regardless of if we have duties in the day, we eat with our students in the great hall. Sometimes we go to Hogsmeade for lunch and on Quidditch days or events lessons might be collapsed. There's a year schedule in your pack. If you feel so inclined, you may run after-school clubs or activities."

"What about resourcing?" Arundel asked as she continued to flick through the pack. "Boggarts, Cornish pixies, Grindylows. Hinkypunks. Inferius, kappa, redcaps... Don't tell me the students will read a book and never work with these creatures."

"Ask and you will receive. You have autonomy over what happens in your classes Miss Granville if you want to make the OWL or NEWT test harder you can if you want to add more creatures you can, But the Ministry has a prescribed curriculum which must be covered." McGonagall raised an eyebrow. "If you want students to do well teach thoroughly, not quickly."

"Where does the money come from to run this place? I've always wanted to know."

McGonagall looked confused, "The Ministry, of course."

"What all of it? They are a bunch of tightfisted old bastards, this place must cost a fortune to run!"

The professor raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "Should you wish to make a donation-"

Arundel smirked.

"Well." McGonagall had enough, she turned and swept to the door. "The day is your's Miss Granville, don't waste it."