Growing up Pureblooded

Staff Meeting

After the students had left for the Christmas holidays, the staff had their usual end-of-term meeting to discuss the students' progress. Dumbledore sat at the head of a long oak table, a long roll of parchment in his hands. He rapped the table to get the teachers' attention. They quieted down at once. "We shall begin with our first years," Dumbledore announced, and there was a ruffling of parchment as the teachers turned to the proper place in their notes. "What is your assessment of Hannah Abbott?" By tradition, the student's Head of House was always permitted to speak first. "I find her a marvelous girl," Sprout replied. "She's very diligent and conscientious, and I've had no complaints about her behavior. As for her Herbology work, it's been solidly Acceptable."

All of the other teachers agreed that Miss Abbott was a solid student, if uninspired, and Dumbledore moved on to the next student on the list. "Ah, yes," he said. "What do you think of Aries Black?" "He's a spirited boy, with a great deal of both natural talent and previous preparation," McGonagall answered. "He has overcome significant prejudice to become rather popular in Gryffindor House, and he has become a valued, dedicated member of his Quidditch team." Her lips twisted in a slightly amused expression. "He is certainly rambunctious, and rather reminds me of his father at that age. I have received occasional complaints about his propensity to mischief, but so far there has been no evidence that his jokes have crossed the line into especial malice or cruelty. He seems to get on well with the Weasley twins...."

"As for his academic performance," the witch continued, "his work in Transfiguration has been exceptional, and I do not think that this is entirely the result of his advanced preparation. his native talent in this area is remarkable, which is unsurprising, given his father's own considerable gifts. Fortunately, the younger Black seems to have taken the initiative in keeping himself challenged. So long as his class work remains at its current standard, I have dispensed him from the ordinary homework, and instead permitted him to pursue his own projects under my supervision. The advanced work he has turned in has all been of superior caliber." "Thank you, Minerva," Dumbledore said, and turned to the Charms master. "What do you think, Filius?"

Professor Flitwick practically jumped with delight. "I am very fond of the boy. He displays a gift for Charms I haven't seen since Lily Evans. Like Minerva, I have seen fit to encourage him in the pursuit of his own studies, and have been equally pleased with the results." "The boy is a solid student and shows clear mastery of the material," Sprout said fairly, though it was clear from her expression that she had no particular love for the boy. "However, he lacks motivation. I've noticed that when he already knows something he tends to act out, and I have sometimes needed to stop him from distracting other, weaker students. I have taken to partnering him with Neville Longbottom. Longbottom shows exceptional gifts in Herbology, and tends to move very quickly. This seems to be enough to keep Black interested."

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. "What do you think, Quirinus?" "B-black s-seems to be a very g-gifted student," Quirrell replied. "He d-doesn't pay very much attention in class, but consistently p-performs very well on examinations." He paused. "He was able s-singlehandedly to k-kill a mountain t-troll on Halloween. I think that s-says much about his ability to d-defend himself." "I have some thoughts about that incident," Snape said slowly. "Black used a very powerful Dark curse to bring down that troll, and I have seen on a few other occasions how easily Dark magic seems to come to him." "That's hardly a surprise," McGonagall observed, "given his upbringing."

"There is, I think, more to it than that," Snape continued. "His partner-in-crime Mr Malfoy has the same upbringing, but displays nothing of the prodigious talent Black does for the Dark Arts, though they are of comparable ability in every other way. This, when combined with Black's unfortunate disregard for the rules, gives me great cause for concern." "You make a valid point, Severus," Dumbledore said. "However, as we have seen, the boy does have other, more positive qualities. We ought to find ways to encourage those tendencies, whilst simultaneously inhibiting the growth of his more negative character traits. What do you think of his academic work?" Snape snorted. "Aside from his malignant attitude, I have no complaints. He is a competent potion-brewer.:

As Professor Sinistra had no particular comments, except to observe that the boy's work was consistently at an Outstanding level, and Professor Binns had stopped attending staff meetings some seventeen years before his death, Dumbledore decided to move on. "Very well," he said to his teachers. "Tell me, what do you think of Susan Bones?"