I am so sorry! This has been way overdue. Good news is, the updates will be more regular. I won't bore you with excuses, just apologise because this isn't a very exciting update (it sure is long though). Thanks for reading! R xxx
XXXXX
"Never has a fry up seemed so unappealing," Chester sighed, pushing his breakfast away from him. The morning of the inspection had brought with it a nauseous feeling for the NQT's that could turn even the heartiest of eaters away from their food. Alana hadn't even bothered putting anything on her plate - she just sat there, nursing a mug of tea in her hands, trying not to think too much about it. She didn't voice it but she suspected she had a lot to lose from the inspection; Jackson had come to her office with the essays, rewritten as she'd requested, but it was the way his eyes looked and the tone behind the 'I've quoted any references I used this time, Professor" that made her think perhaps it wasn't going to be as easy as she'd hoped.
"Come on," she said rising, which prompted Jenea and the others to do the same. They were all supposed to congregate in a classroom where they would be addressed by the Minister of Magical Education - Mr. Augustus Mott - and informed of the particulars of the inspection. It wasn't scheduled for another fifteen minutes, but it didn't hurt to make a good impression. Especially in this case.
"I don't know why you're even worried," Chester shot at Alana for the hundredth time in as many days. "You'll be fine."
"We'll all be fine," Ruth said cheerily. "We all did well before."
"Are you alright?" Jenea asked Alana quietly as the others wandered off ahead of them. "You look peaky."
"You know when you wake up and you know something bad is going to happen? I've got that feeling."
"Because of Jackson Mott?"
Alana shrugged. "Maybe I'm just being stupid."
"Maybe. I thought the Potions Master sorted it all out by putting the fear of Snape into him."
"He spoke to him but...I don't know." Alana took a deep breath. "Something's going to happen, I just know it."
"Hey," Jenea scolded. "What would Ruth say?"
Alana narrowed her eyes at her. "I'm not saying it."
Jenea jostled her with her elbow. "Come on - say it with me. Positive..."
"Outcomes Only," Alana said begrudgingly, under her breath. "Positive outcomes only."
"That's the spirit," Jenea smiled pushing her along by her shoulders and into the classroom. They took their seats quietly, and she suddenly felt like her role had been reversed; once again, she was a nervous student, about to undergo an intense examination. There was a small group of Ministry officials at the front, all standing and watching them, holding clipboards and quills like weapons. The headmaster stood stoically at the side. Alana looked to her left and saw Chester visibly gulp.
"Positive outcomes only," she tried, under her breath, but it didn't work when a tall man, with cropped dark hair and a thick, neat mustache turned towards them and called for their attention. She knew who this man must be.
"Attention NQT'S," the man said clearly. He had a deep voice. "Good morning. I am Augustus Mott, the Minister for Magical Education, and I will be overseeing as well as participating in your inspection process today. I understand that this may seem nerve-wracking for some of you, but you should try to see it as a learning curve. Anything we pick up on as an area to improve on is to benefit both you and your students. No one will walk away from this inspection jobless - if there is a problem, you'll simply be put on probation. A trial period to rectify any mistakes that might have occured," he added with what he probably thought was a reasuring smile but it did little to settle Alana's stomach. She hated feeling like this.
"It will work very much like your mock inspection in January; you will be assigned an inspector who will sit in one of your timetabled lessons today. During this time you'll be observed closely, and the inspector will talk to some of your pupils discreetly about how they view you as a teacher and your methods. These student surveys will be random. Then you will be expected to have a one to one with an inspector after school hours to discuss the findings. The results of the inspection will be sent to you by Owl some point over the next few weeks. If there is a problem, and we see fit to place any one of you on probation, then we will detail the aspects of that trial period with you, and the Headmaster. I should hasten to add that probation can result in you being suspended from teaching, perhaps indefinitely, but only if you are unwilling to improve." He paused, glancing over them all with a sickening smirk before his dark eyes rested on Alana. "Is that clear, or do you have any questions?"
Nobody responded.
"I should also note that the students will be magically screened to see if they have been offered bribes," he added a low voice. "If such a violation is discovered, we shall have to take a more serious view of the situation. Not that I suspect any of you would do such a thing," he added with a friendly grin. He turned to Dumbledore. "Is there anything further you want to mention?"
"Just do your best," Dumbledore told them quietly. They all nodded slowly. "This experience can be very beneficial if you allow it to be."
Alana kept a snort to herself. She doubted anything about this would benefit her.
Mott clapped his hands together. "Now, I suggest you go to your classrooms and get ready. Your inspectors will be along shortly."
They all rose slowly, feeling as if the world had been placed upon their shoulders, and trudged away to their rooms. Alana ran her fingers through her hair before tying it back with a heavy sigh. It was time to face the music, she supposed, but her confidence was failing. Something about Mott's sweeping glance at her had unsettled her, and she was preparing herself for the worst.
XXXXX
"Settle down!" Alana said for the third time and a little sharper than she intended. She knew her patience was hanging by a thread, but it was third lesson already, and no sign of her inspector. She had double Potions with the Slytherins now, and they seemed determined to ignore her.
"Thank you," she sighed, when they finally found their seats and turned to the front. A points deduction would be her normal port of call, but she wanted to play it safe; bribing might be against the rules, but there was no harm in keeping them sweet. Especially her sixth year Slytherins, who were fully capable of being conniving little toerags when they put their mind to it. "Let's start by turning to-"
Her instruction was interrupted by the door opening, without a knock, and a tall, but rather large woman waltzing in armed with a clipboard. Alana swallowed hard. The inspector gave her a nod, but offered no reassuring smile. "I shall sit at the back Professor Cross - just continue with whatever you were doing and pretend I'm not here," the woman told her wearily. She walked over to a seat at the back with a dramatic flourish of her indigo robes and stared pointedly at Alana, waiting for her to start.
"Er...ok...right. Page twenty nine, please," she said, putting her hand to her forehead and breathing a long deep breath to calm herself. There was a collective groan amongst the students when they saw what it was.
"But Professor," Helena whined. "We've done this potion a hundred times."
"And we went through this rigmarole last week, Helena," Alana explained slowly. "NEWTs aren't based on what you learn over the next two years - they cover your entire magical education. So you might walk into your exam and get a potion that you only touched upon in your first year. It'll be easy enough to prepare, but could you remember the properties? The application? The health and safety? No, I don't think so, and that's why we're going to recap them until you're talking, eating, sleeping and breathing these Potions. And judging by the results from your test last week, I'd say we've all got a long way to go."
Helena said nothing, but rolled her eyes when she thought Alana wasn't looking.
"Right - shrinking draught," Alana said, flicking her wand to make a piece of chalk write the words on the chalk board. "Let's see what you remember."
She stuck to her guns and went on with her plan. It made no sense in doing a lesson that might wow and impress the inspector - there were too many things that might go wrong, too many variables she couldn't control. Not to mention the woman would probably see right through it. Alana was there to teach, and she was going to go on doing it as she always had. She'd gotten this far, and done well hadn't she? So there was nothing to be afraid of. Snape thought she was a good teacher, and that was praise indeed. He was a much harsher critic.
Alana forgot the inspector was there after a while, and it was only when the woman started to walk around and interview the students that she became aware of her. But she turned her attention back to helping one of the students with their daisy roots and swallowed down the lump of anxiety sitting in her throat.
"Professor?" someone called out. Jackson, Alana realised, recognising the lazy tone. She bristled but kept her calm demeanor and glanced over her shoulder at him.
"What is it?"
"My draught is doing something wierd."
She frowned and walked over to his cauldron to see the mixture bubbling violently, threatening to spill over the sides. It was picking up speed, pulsating rapidly.
"Is it supposed to do that?" he asked dumbly, but when she caught his eye she saw a hint of amusement there. She was about to answer when the potion bubbled loudly and drew back, sucking itself inward like a tsunami before it expanded quickly, threatening to explode and cover the room with purple liquid. Alana quickly extracted her wand and encased the minor explosion in a protective shimmering orb, that rumbled and stretched slightly as the potion hit the sides of it and slid down to collect in the bottom. With another wand flick, the mess, the orb and the potion itself had disappeared, leaving nothing but open mouths and silence.
Alana turned off the heat underneath the empty cauldron and glowered at Jackson, gripping the table tightly.
"What did you do?" she snapped accusingly.
Jackson leant back at the harshness of her question. "Nothing, Professor. I just followed the-"
"Don't give me that," she said over the top of him. "Potions are not something you play pranks with - they're dangerous! You add too much of something and you're dealing with a volatile solution that could kill you or anyone in this room! That's serious Jackson, so you're going to tell me - what did you do? You must have added far too much of something."
"Maybe," Jackson said. "It was an accident though. I-I didn't mean to."
"Like hell it was," Alana said, raising her voice. "Circe, you must have dumped the entire lot of ingredients in there to cause a reaction like that."
Jackson looked at his fellow peers for support.
"Right - fifty points from Slytherin and a week's worth of detentions," Alana hissed. "I won't have people messing around in my classroom, not when lives are at stake."
"Excuse me," the inspector said loudly, making Alana turn her head her way. The woman's face was screwed up in a disdainful scowl. "But I hope you're not suggesting this boy did this on purpose."
Alana looked at her sharply. "He did."
"Well, he couldn't have. I was watching him the whole time."
Jackson sighed. "I had my hand up for ages Professor - because I was stuck - but you didn't notice."
"No you did no-" Alana froze suddenly, doubt rushing into her mind like a flood. Had she missed him? Had she subconciously ignored him, because she was worried about what trouble he could cause? Well, he had certainly made trouble, but had it been intentional? Or had she just jumped to a conclusion that had possibly marred her inspection?
"Professor Cross," the inspector said, rather curtly she noticed. "I suggest you continue with your lesson and try and regain control of your class."
Alana's heart sank at her tone. "Jackson, you'll have to pair with Robbie for the rest of the lesson," she managed. He moved his stuff over to the boy next to him obediently.
"Sorry Professor," Jackson said. "It really was an accident. Guess I should be more careful, huh?"
Her doubt dissapated at his expression; he looked too innocent truth be known, and his pointed stare straight into her eyes - unrelenting and challenging - settled it in her mind. He'd planned this. He'd set her up.
"No harm done," she said with a smile, and clenched fists, not breaking eye contact until he turned away. "Carry on class, and we'll test the potions at the end."
Alana walked back to her desk and leant on it briefly, looking up just in time to see the inspector shaking her head and Jackson smirking in Alana's direction.
XXXXX
Jenea closed the door behind her as she came out of the room where they were to be interviewed and winked at Alana, who was sat, head in hands, waiting for her name to be called. "How's it going?" her friend asked.
"I think I have as much chance as surviving a duel with an angry hippogriff, as I do coming out of this inspection without being put on probation," Alana said in a quiet voice.
Jenea shook head. "You'll be fine. And I just spoke to Minister Mott, and he's actually a nice guy. Real laidback."
"Sure he was. Because you didn't call his son out as a cheat."
Her friend opened her mouth to reply but someone called out "Alana Cross" in a loud voice from inside the room Jenea had come from.
"Good luck," whispered Jenea, with a thumbs up and a big grin.
Alana rose slowly and took a deep breath before walkimg towards the door and knocking quietly. "Enter," the inspector drawled, and she stepped inside. The room - another spare classroom - was well lit, with all the torches ablaze on the walls. Mott sat at a desk, with a chair on the other side facing him, a quill scribbling away beside him. He waited patiently for her to walk across the room before he waved a hand at the other chair.
"Please, sit," he said with a smile - the same smile that had made her feel so uneasy that morning.
"Miss Cross," he started when she was seated. "Your mock inspection report was exceedingly impressive and that is praise indeed, as Professor Snape is not at all prone to exaggeration." The quill scratched away, distracting her slightly, and her eyes darted from the parchment to Mott's face.
"No, he isn't."
"That is why I was most surprised by Inspector Moonstern's report this afternoon." he picked up a piece of paper and scanned it with a frown. "Rude to students, laughed at their failures, ignored some and seen to favour others, directly accused one student of deliberately trying to cause harm to others, humiliated him in front of his peers, disrupted the class atmosphere with wild allegations, subject material weak and bores the students..." He sighed and picked up another. "Of course, I was ready to believe this was an isolated incident, perhaps all down to nerves but the student interviews say otherwise. One girl said you constantly belittle her efforts, another said you favour some houses above others, and you isolate students you dislike." He set dowm the papers and steepled his fingers. "This is a very worrying report, Miss Cross."
"I fully expected it to be," Alana told him, finding some courage at last. He quirked an eyebrow.
"And why is that?"
"Come now, Inspector Mott," Alana said reproachfully. "We're both adults. Let's at least be honest and frank with one another."
"I hope you're not suggesting that this report is unfair."
Alana said nothing.
"Do you enjoy teaching, Miss Cross?" he asked after a moment.
"Very much."
"And what do you make of your student's accusations?"
"I think they're unfounded."
Mott looked at her quizically. "You have never belittled a student? Or favoured one over another?"
"Not intentionally," Alana spoke calmly, more calmly than she felt. "But I don't think time-wasters should be allowed to disrupt the work of a student who wants to do well. I happen to teach a lot of students who would like to get away with doing as little as possible and cause as much mischief as they can."
"They are children."
"They're young adults," she corrected through gritted teeth. "And as such need to know what they can and can't get away with. Are you proposing that I teach them that it's ok to cut class, or not do the work...or cheat?" she added accusingly.
Mott's lips curled upwards into a smirk. "Yes, Jackson told me about this. He said you have it in for him, and I'm now inclined to believe him. Which student was it that you launched at today? Remind me?"
Alana paused. "Jackson."
"And you still maintain you don't isolate students?" He smiled to himself.
When Alana didn't answer, Mott went on. "Fact of the matter is Miss Cross," he said with a sickly smile, "regardless of the student, or the circumstances, a teacher must keep their cool, be an example and a pillar of stability. You lost your temper. You should have taken Jackson aside after class, and yet you chose to condemn him - for an error might I add - in front of all his friends."
"Your son put his friends in danger with the stunt he pulled."
"My son has never been particularly good at potions. I apologise for the trouble he caused with his ineptitude, but he cannot be punished for not being as gifted as the others in your class. I would expect a good teacher to recognise that."
Alana stared at him through narrowed eyes, knowing at that moment if she were to say any of the comebacks going through her mind she would do herself no favours.
"I'll try and pay extra attention with Jackson and make sure his practical skills in Potions improve then," she bit out, the words tasting bitter. "Probably the stress of the inspection...my perspective was...askew."
Mott smiled, and waved his wand at the quill so it ceased in its movements. "A good idea. I do believe you have the potential to be an exemplary teacher Miss Cross. You just need to learn to follow guidelines...to pick your fights a little more carefully," he added with a direct look. Alana stiffened; the silence in the room was painful, full of the words unspoken, and her suspicions began to overwhelm her.
Mott rose, checking his pocket watch as he did so. "I trust you'll take my advice, Miss Cross, and there will be no more trouble?"
"I'll try." She offered him a mirthless smile in reply, and extended a hand for him to shake. He did so, with a polite nod, and the second he let go, she turned on her heels and left the room.
She was being paranoid, wasn't she? There was no way that Jackson and his father had set out to destroy her career just because she had called the boy out. Was there? Alana pinched the skin between her eyebrows as she walked back. How far would some people go to remove a problem? And she had made herself a problem with her actions.
A nagging feeling pulled at her mind and she picked up her pace to get to her room, eager to dispel her doubt. She went straight to her desk, pulling out the magical slate Lucius had bought for her some time ago. The reply would be faster than an owl and she had to know, to settle her fears - had everyone been in on this? Had she been doomed to fail from the start? She wrote a quick message to him and sat back in her armchair, waiting for his reply. It was almost instantaneous.
Inspector Moonstern was Jackson's aunt.
Merlin, she'd been completely set up.
The news didn't shock her as much as she thought it would, and instead of flying into a fit of anger, she sat quietly for a long time replaying the day in her mind. There was nothing she could have done to make today run any smoother. The only thing she could have changed was her reaction to Jackson's prank, which - although she was loathed to admit - Augustus had been right about. She'd handled it badly.
You just need to learn to follow guidelines...to pick your fights a little more carefully. Mott's words played over and again in her mind, the warning becoming clearer each time. She couldn't gauge from their talk whether or not it was just that - a warning - or whether it was a promise. A promise to make an example of her. She hoped his scheme today had been enough to sate him - he had showed her that he could destroy her job if he wanted. He could have her thrown out, and made to look as if she were petty, with a vendetta. Weak. Would he go so far as to put her on probation?
Only time would tell, she thought, ignoring the new message appearing on the slate from Lucius asking if she was ok. She extinguished the only light in the room, and went straight to bed.
XXXXX
The results came through a week later; white envelopes attached to legs several Screecher owls, all adorned with the Ministry wax seal. The NQT's collectively swallowed their breakfast down, which had turned to lead in their mouths and took their letters eagerly, barely pausing before ripping them open. Alana however, stared at it, ominous thing that it was, taking a long deep breath before opening it slowly and pulling out the letter.
"Merlin," Ruth breathed. "I passed."
"Me too," Chester grinned. "Thought for sure I'd be on probation after the awful day I had."
Jenea smiled and showed them her pass letter, and turned to nudge Alana. "What about you, Cross?"
Alana's eyes lifted from the paper, and she offered them a relaxed smile. "Yeah, all fine," she said, putting the letter back in its envelope and tucking it into the pocket of her robes. She was faintly aware of someone's eyes on her and when she glanced up, she caught Professor Snape watching her shrewdly, searching her expression. He raised an eyebrow at her, but she said nothing. Instead she turned to her friends and grinned.
"I've gotta go prep for a class," she explained, rising from her seat. "See you at the Three Broomsticks later to celebrate. First rounds on me," she added as she walked away, smiling at their laughter.
She knew he'd followed her, though she could barely hear his footfall behind her, so it came as no surprise to hear him call out to her on the staircase.
"Professor Cross," he said blankly. "May I see your letter?"
She sighed and turned to him, walking back up, delving her hand into her pocket to yank it out. "Keep it, give it to me later," she said. "I've got to go and get my class work ready."
Snape took it wordlessly and watched as she walked away, a little more quickly than before, and waited until she was out of sight before opening the envelope and glancing over the letter. He stiffened as he read the reply, and gripped it tightly in his hands, scrumpling the paper.
She was on probation.