| The Hall was packed. Every student in the school sat crowded around their respective house tables. There was a strong sense of anticipation, lots of animated chattering and gesturing. There was a certain end of term atmosphere about the place. There were many end of term announcements to be made, awards to be given and examination results to be posted.
Druscilla Danuliete rose from the head of the staff table and the students seeing to her, began to fall silent, to nudge each other and finally silence fell. The Headmistress allowed it to envelop her and waited a full minute without speaking a word. Somewhere beneath the cold exterior there was in the long family history a secretive desire for showmanship and display. Although Druscilla could never have voiced this, even to herself, nevertheless the grand far-flung gestures and dramatic pauses were a part of her heritage she could not escape.
“Students of Hogwarts,” she said finally her voice needing no amplification to carry around the hall. “We come to the end of another School Year. Much has happened. Some have accomplished much, others,” and a few students felt her piercing gaze on them in particular and shrank back slightly, “Still have a lot to learn. I commend you all for your behaviour on the unfortunate night of the Halloween ball. You behaved with great courage and for the most part discipline.” Her voice caressed the final word. Druscilla had, for personal reasons, no desire to dwell on this and moved swiftly on.
“However this evening is about celebrating success. And first of all I will read out the list of those students who have successfully passed their external OWL and NEWT examinations this year. Can you please show your appreciation with a round of applause for each student. The following students have passed their OWL examinations with a grade. Emma Kenza, Kelly Vining, Megan Vining. Next we come to those seventh years who will be graduating this evening from Hogwarts. The school is rightly proud of the achievements of its seventh years and for the exemplary standards of behaviour which they have set this year. Our Head Girl, Amanda Vining, has lead by example. Our Assistant Quidditch Coach, Gemini Taurus has inspired many younger students to take up the sport and dedicated long hours to their training. Ariella Agglebash has always been a lively presence around the school. And this evening we also remember and commemorate others in their year group who are graduating even as we speak from other schools around the world. So today we remember to Crystal Lake, Katana Star, Hybrid Kelly, Nerak Tolstenold, Anya Burton, Gene Starwind, Epp Rooks, Stee Parker, FM, Hannah and Josh Henderson.
So can we have a special round of applause for our seventh years. Amanda Vining, Gemini Taurus and Ariella Agglebash. However,” and here the Headmistress paused quite significantly. “It is not a sad occasional of farewell. It is not goodbye but merely a change of status. All three students are going to be attending the University of Granenfells in Scotland, an academy which specialises in teacher training courses. They will also be joining the staff of this school as trainee teachers as part of their course. Professor Vining will be teaching Arithmancy, Professor Agglebash will be teaching Divination and Gemini Taurus, although this is news to her as well as to you all, has been accepted as Quidditch Coach in place of Habba Dabs.”
The Headmistress pulled a face. She was unable to confirm this as a full time position, due to the fact that she had found it impossible to locate Habba. She had disappeared down one of her many holes about a month ago and had not been seen since. It was an impossible state of affairs and Druscilla simply could not stand any more of the odd blue creature’s antics. That and she had her own, personal reasons for keeping Gemini Taurus nearby. But more of that anon.
“Therefore they will join the staff of the school and you will treat them all with the respect that is due to any member of staff. They will be addressed as Professor Vining, Professor Agglebash and Coach Taurus, not by the informal use of first names.”
The Headmistress paused again and motioned for the three girls to sit down. She moved on.
“Next we come to the appointment of a number of other new members of staff and I would like to extend an official welcome to Professor Twidle Cadleswitch, teacher of Potions 1-2 and 3-4. To Professor Nikolas Kareem, teacher of Transfiguration 1-2. To Professor Rikin Buckmiter, teacher of Transfiguration 3-4. To Professor Cassiday Mohney, teacher of History of Magic 1-2. To Professor Joseph Mervin, teacher of History of Magic 3-4 and finally to Professor Serena Snow, teacher of Muggle Studies.”
The Headmistress gestured to each and every one formally along the staff table. She nodded a curt welcome of her own. Her words may have expressed a welcome, but her looks could have frozen water.
“Next we come to the appointment of students to positions of authority. Our new Head Girl will be Serenity Gates of Ravenclaw and our new Head Boy, Jason Couldren of Gryffindor. Congratulations to both of you and I hope that you will both do justice to this honour bestowed on you. The Prefects next year will be Lys Scoresby of Gryffindor, Kelly Vining of Hufflepuff, Jamie Quidd of Ravenclaw and Venus Carter of Slytherin. The Quidditch Captains will be Echo Kiwina and Kristy Elkan of Gryffindor, Emma Kenza of Hufflepuff, Brooke de Black of Ravenclaw and Megan Vining of Slytherin. Again congratulations to those new to the positions and I trust that you will all do your best to integrate the new first years into the school and to set them an appropriate example of behaviour.”
“Finally and I know that this is what most of you have been waiting patiently for. We come to the awarding of the House and Quidditch Cups for this school year. The Quidditch Cup. In fourth place, Gryffindor, in third place Slytherin, in second place Hufflepuff and for the seventh consecutive year in first place and winners of the Quidditch Cup is Ravenclaw. Will Brooke de Black please come and collect the Cup on behalf of Ravenclaw.”
As Brooke came up, there were wild cheers from the Ravenclaw bench and muted applause from elsewhere, notably the Hufflepuff table, worthy runners up, yet not winners, once more.
“And now we come to the House Cup. Hufflepuff have the Cup in their cabinet at the moment, but can they maintain it this year in the face of strong competition? We shall see.”
Deputy Headmistress Gates handed her the final end of term results on a gold embossed scroll. The Headmistress read through the results and cleared her throat.
“In fourth place with 25 points is Gryffindor. The placing between third and second this year has been very very closely fought and has fluctuated much of late, but in third place is Slytherin with 145 points. In second place is Hufflepuff with 152 points and therefore for the second time today and what a year they have had, is Ravenclaw with 183 points.”
The Headmistress pointed her wand at the enchanted ceiling and immediately the decorations changed to royal blue and the Ravenclaw crest waved from every point in the Hall.
“Will Serenity Gates please come up and collect the Cup on behalf of Ravenclaw.”
Serenity held the Cup aloft and returned to the, by now, chaotic and shrieking Ravenclaws. A double victory was truly something to savour.
The Headmistress waited but a moment, then imposed silence for the final time.
“And now,” she proclaimed, her voice rising a notch higher, “I announce the end of the school term. New first years will arrive tomorrow on the Hogwarts Express. I trust you will all behave in an appropriate manner and show them how students at this school are expected to conduct themselves. With discipline. With discipline and good manners and respect,” she reiterated.
“There will be a week’s holiday before classes commence for the new term. Students may remain at the school, or go home. Third years and above may sign up for option classes during this week.
All students, except seventh years, must take a minimum of seven classes. Third years may include one option subject in this total, fourth years up to two, fifth years three and sixth years four. Seventh years may choose the number of classes in which they wish to study as they will be conducting more advanced research projects. However even for seventh years there is a minimum requirement of four subjects.”
Students were beginning to get restless at this administrative overload, so without further ado, Druscilla raised both arms aloft and declared,
“Let the feast begin.”
Golden plates and golden goblets appeared at every place and the tables became loaded with every imaginable delicacy. The noise level in the Hall suddenly escalated and Druscilla sat back down with a sour look on her face.
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