2 November 1991.
Hogwarts Castle.
Headmaster's office.
Meeting with the school board.
10 am.
Madame Augusta Longbottom, Madame Amelia Bones, Lord Adrian Greengrass, Lord Lucius Malfoy, the newly minted Lord Sirius Black and Barrister Theodore Tonks, accompanied by Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, Sprout and Snape waited for the Headmaster to make his entrance.
Augusta was delighted to see Amelia and Adrian, they had become almost like family ever since the previous Lord Black had championed his Grandson Sirius in that historic change of fate of the Wizengamot.
The families grew closer, now that Lord Arcturus had stepped down due to age. A fib if there ever was one. The rest of the members of the Wizengamot and school board members now joined in this impromptu visit, no thanks to the circus on Samhain.
Dumbledore walked into his office and observed the cold stares from the board members, while the heads of house remained neutral.
Lucius and Severus tried not to roll their eyes, while Augusta wondered how many turns of the man's long beard would make a garrotte.
The rest just wanted him sacked. It was barrister Tonks who took a step forward and said, "Headmaster, we can all agree that something went very wrong on October 31st. We are of the same opinion, all of us. However, and I quote, If you want to avoid something of a painful death, please stay away from the third floor, corridor ,"
The head of houses wanted to facepalm. Lady Augusta said, "Oh, I've got one better, my grandson almost broke his wrist, because of the old brooms they have to ride on in flying class. Professor Hooch said, those brooms, in particular, were last renewed when Charlus Potter made the house team, in 1939,"
Lord Greengrass said, "My daughter and heiress was caught behind the door on the third floor corridor, she was escaping the Poltergeist Peeves. She unlocked the door with an Alohomora spell , then, would you believe she said that Cerberuses are real? She found one in said place,"
"Fuck," said Sirius.
Everyone turned and Amelia tried not to smile, so did Adrian and Theodore, but everyone had a barely hidden grin.
"Indeed, Lord Black, you took the words out of my mouth," said Adrian Greengrass. He turned to Dumbledore with a rage, " . . .you?" asked Adrian.
"Our children could have died," said Madame Bones.
Sirius cleared his throat, and said, "We all agree, and then on the 31st of October, before six months into the school year, the goblins saved your arse in Hogwarts, I would love to think that you, for once in a decade, were proactive and did something for someone else, other than yourself. I was wrong, it was my son Harry, who summoned the goblins, to collect a wanted thief, and said thief had released a Troll, inside the dungeons. The goblins, in situ, who have a deep respect for children and learning, offered a service, not without profit, but they kept the school safe, while they too defanged a Mountain Troll. Did I forget something?" Sirius turned to Amelia, Augusta, then Theodore.
Madame Amelia Bones said, "Yes, the thief caught that day, was Professor Quirinius Quirrell, he was possessed by the wraith of Voldemort,"
Everyone in the room except for Dumbledore, shuddered.
"Let's recap on the information, shall we? Cerberus in a deathly trap? Check. Faulty school equipment? Check. Evilly possessed teacher/thief? Check. Plus, the headmaster had no clue what the goblins were doing, but he hesitated when said goblins offered aid with the Troll problem? Check." Said Sirius.
"Effective immediately, you are dismissed from the Headmaster's position in Hogwarts." Said Augusta Longbottom snapping her fingers and making a roll of parchment appear in front of Albus.
"I suggest you follow the notice, Dumbledore," said the sorting hat.
"Effective immediately, Deputy Headmistress McGonagall is now intern Headmistress of Hogwarts and Pomona Sprout is the Deputy. Ladies, you have the duty to bring Hogwarts out of the dark ages, and into the 21st century, this madhouse needs to stop being a playground of lunatics and needs to step up to provide quality education. One other thing, Potions Master Severus Snape will transfer to St Mungo's for potion brewing, as well as Poppy Pomphrey, and the positions for Potions class, Potions master, healer and history of Magic will have openings. We don't care if the applicants are muggleborn or if the history of magic teacher is a squib. Also, before we forget, the post for teacher of defence against the dark arts is also in need of filling. We need to stop being the equivalent of mediocre studies in the wizarding world. Ladies, the floor is yours," said Augusta Longbottom.
The sorting hat, said, "Pappy come here,"
Pappy, the elder house elf in charge of the house elves in the castle, appeared. The hat said, "Take all the possessions of Albus Dumbledore and transport him and his belongings to Hogsmeade, I froze his form, with the help of lady Hogwarts, he was about to obliviate everyone here,"
Pappy nodded and then began snapping his fingers. Before five minutes were up, the headmaster's office was now a blank space. A trunk appeared in front of Sirius Black and Pappy said, "These belong to the boy Harry, the objects have a family connection to him, the bearded goat stole them from his father and ancestors, I leave those to your able hands," Pappy bowed deeply.
Sirius had a feeling that he was going to cry and rage if he perused over the items in the trunk. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and slowly released the air in his lungs through his nose. Praying for a steady heartbeat.
Sirius raised his eyes and found Augusta and Amelia close. He cleared his throat. "Thank you ladies, I'm going to call a house elf. Anima,"
"Master Sirius called," replied the fearsome looking house-elf.
"Take this trunk, and guard it, it's Harry's," said Sirius.
"Who could have seen this outcome, the leader of light, being a thief, will the surprises ever end?" asked Lucius with sarcasm.
"You do love to tempt fate, don't you?" asked Sirius.
Before Lucius and Sirius could get into an argument. Amelia said, "Please, if there is anything we can do to help, send us a message, this is our children, I want my Susie and everyone's child in the school to thrive and become something more than what that lunatic who just got the boot, dreamed,"
"Of course, Madame Bones, you will be informed," said Minerva.
"One of the first requirements in taking the mantle of Headmistress is to take a full physical check-up. Do not procrastinate Headmistress, the same for you professor Sprout," said Augusta.
Both teachers, now, had to nod heads, with the rest of the people who were still employed in the castle.
The sorting hat added, "Thank you board members, you made a hard choice, trusting your instincts or going for the endless spiel of that so-called leader,"
No one was rendered speechless before today. The Sorting hat was better at negotiating someone's working contract than singing. Then again, after a thousand years, anyone would jump at a chance of reinvention, the hat was not an exception.