Journal of Albus Dumbledore

Week # 3

What a week! The students started and the welcoming feast was as cheery as always. The sorting went well and the hat was very clever this year with its' song. I must ask its' secret to the endless repertoire it seems to have. The usual announcements were made with the Weasley twins putting on a bit of a show for the entire hall. I must say that Fred and George have certainly livened the place up although they do cause a bit of stress for both Minerva and Argus with their antics.

We had a few occurrences at the beginning of the week which required attention. This year we had a bit of a mix up with some of the schedules and Severus was not entirely pleased when the whole of the first-year class showed up for potions at the same time. However, it was all straightened out quickly and efficiently by Minerva. But, as Severus enjoyed pointing out, it was her fault in the first place. I fear those two may never get along.

Also, Filius came into my office highly upset because the castle had rearranged a bit and made his classroom much smaller than its usual size. After checking on the situation myself, I had to agree. It took me much longer than expected to remedy the situation and for his patience, I even added a few additional feet. I wish all of my professors were as easily pleased.

Hagrid has also reported some strange occurrences in the Forbidden Forest. Some of the more friendly creatures seem to have virtually disappeared and others have been acting very aggressive. I may need to make a trip out there at some point in the future to see if I can sense anything with the sudden change of atmosphere. Hagrid did assure me that he had some contacts he would speak with and get back to me with a report in the next few weeks.

Well, as I previously mentioned, I did ask Minerva to a private dinner and she agreed to meet with me. I had the table set by the house elves in my private sitting room and bought flowers for the occasion. I believed they would add credibility to my apology and indeed they did. I have not seen her eyes light up so, except for her first day of classes, and I was very pleased with her reaction.

Since term had not yet begun, she wore a set of dress robes in a beautiful deep red and they looked wonderful on her. It was nearly like seeing her for the first time…anyway, the conversation was delightful and we laughed heartily. A sound that is not usual for my stern deputy. I must remember to suggest such activities more often. The night ended with a game of chess which I lost rather quickly. I seemed to have been preoccupied and Minerva took advantage of the situation. Not that I blame her as I would most likely do the same.

I had a visitor this week which was unexpected. Ms. Orchid stopped by to check on the staff's progress. Such dedication makes me even more confident in the outcome of this program. We had a rather nice chat over some tea. She mentioned her school years at Hogwarts rather fondly. She attended before I began teaching and we talked about the old transfiguration instructor fondly. She had many nice things to say about the school and remarked on the excellent staff.

After our meeting which was short due to the students being in session, I thanked her for stopping by and told her to feel free and come back anytime. I passed her comments along to the staff at dinner. It is always nice to receive compliments and I always like to share anything I hear. They all seemed pleased and the conversation was pleasant that night. It is nice to see everyone warming up to the journal.

As busy as I was, I did manage some time for myself this week and decided a stroll around the lake was in order. The squid came up to say hello and I gave it one of my lemon drops. I believe he has a fondness for them. The peace and quiet was welcomed and it allowed me to reflect on the school and my life which is the point of this exercise.

Sitting on the opposite bank, I was given a rare view of the school at night. It was breathtaking with the moon framing it in such a way that it seemed to be out of a fairytale. I realized how truly at home I feel within its' walls. I could not imagine a life outside of Hogwarts and nor would I want to.

We shall speak again next week!