Who?
Disclaimer: Not mine. All the people and places you recognise belong to JKR. As for the others, well I don't think anyone wants to claim them!
Minerva McGonagall, deputy headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry sighed as she looked at the huge pile of correspondence sitting on her desk. Much as she loved teaching and to a degree enjoyed being the deputy headmistress, the paperwork associated with the role tended to be rather excessive and she sincerely disliked it.
However it all had to be done and as such she tried to spend at least an hour a day clearing some and spent one evening a week clearing the rest, trying to fit it all in between, teaching and marking, staff meetings and patrolling the halls to name but a few of her duties.
Sitting down at her desk she metaphorically rolled up her sleeves and set to work excavating the green leather writing pad that covered the top of the desk that was currently buried under piles of paper. A couple of hours and several cups of tea later she was down to the last item of post.
This was rather different to the normal run of the mill correspondence, if there can be such a thing in a school of witchcraft and wizardry. For one thing it comprised many flat oblong sheets of paper, some held together with a small piece of metal, rather than the more common rolls of parchment.
Absentmindedly blowing across the top of the latest cup of tea to cool it down, Minerva took a sip as she started to read the covering letter only to choke as the words began to make sense.
"Dear Headmaster/Headmistress," the covering letter started.
"We would like to inform you... ...missed in previous years... ...visit past due... ...team of... ...arriving..."
"Yours sincerely,
etc..."
The further she read the more Minerva's face paled; scanning through the accompanying documentation only made the look of horror grow.
"What are we going to do?" she breathed into the silent room, but got no answer.
She re-read the letter, hoping against hope that the wording would somehow have changed in the last few minutes, but to no avail.
Shaking slightly she pushed back her chair and crossed her office to a locked cabinet that sat by the window overlooking the Quidditch pitch. Reaching into the cabinet she poured herself a small Scotch and tossed it back to steady her nerves. Eyeing the bottle she shook her head and returned it to the cabinet.
Noting the time she gathered the papers and her courage, then set off to the staff room where the Wednesday evening staff meeting was soon due to start.
Pausing outside the staffroom to take a deep breath, the deputy headmistress stood straighter and pulled her shoulders back. Turning the handle and stepping into the room the sight of the headmaster made her forget the calming breaths she had taken only moments previously.
"Oh Albus," she burst out, ignoring the rest of the staff in the room, "What are we going to do?"
"Now, Minerva, what seems to be the problem." Asked the headmaster, eyes twinkling like blue diamonds. He joined her at the door, "Come in, sit down and have a lemon drop."
She scowled at him. "This is more important than lemon drops, Albus. Something terrible is happening. Look." She thrust the papers that she had been clutching to her chest at him.
Taking the wad of papers Dumbledore smiled, "It surely cannot be that bad Minerva. Voldemort is dead, his deatheaters in Azkaban and spring is here."
"But they'll be here on Monday." She nearly cried.
"Who'll be here?" he asked.
The answer made the rest of the staff pale and caused even the manic twinkle in the Headmasters eyes to dim.
"The OFSTED inspectors!!"
Fini
Sorry the plot bunny bit me the other day and wouldn't go away. I may write some more chapters detailing what happens to each class whilst the inspectors are in, or should that be to the inspectors, but if anyone wants to write their own, feel free, just let me know so I can read and enjoy them.
For those of you who don't know, OFSTED is the Office of Standards in Education who have to inspect every school in the UK at least every 5/6 years.
I won't say reviewing will make me write any faster, but it can't hurt. Go on you know you want to.