Dumbledore held up a hand to silence her. "Thankfully, I already found a solution. Someone from the Ministry will take over the subject for one year, while you will go into seclusion in the divination tower, to be apprenticed under Madame Flan. After that year, your performance will decide your future."
Trelawney was astonished, since Madame Flan from China was a well-known and respected seer. It made her wonder how the Headmaster had convinced her to do it. "I... I understand. I will open up myself to Madame Flan."
"Good. The next point is History of Magic. The complaints about that subject are substantial as well and the grades have suffered greatly over the years."
Everyone knew why that was. After Professor Binns had died in 1969 in his sleep, his ghost simply had went on to teach the subject, completely oblivious of the fact that he was dead. Many guessed this was because he had shown first signs of increased forgetfulness shortly before his death. Him being dreadfully boring and droning on mainly about goblin rebellions had soured many students on History. Ironically, the reason why he had not been replaced was simple: no one ever found it in their heart to tell the man that he was dead.
Seeing the looks he got, Dumbledore decided to be clear. "As cruel as it may sound, it is even more heartless to leave him oblivious of the fact that he is dead. I'm pretty sure, had he been aware of what was happening to him, he would have went on instead of staying. Should he decide to do so after he is made aware of his situation, I can hire a new teacher for the position."
Some looked sad at the fact that it mainly had been their own cowardice of not telling the ghost what happened to him that allowed this situation to fester for decades. Now that they were forced to think about it, actually giving the man the choice between staying and going on was the only humane way out of this situation.
"Good, I will reveal the truth to him after this meeting is over." Dumbledore hoped the truth would finally give Binns peace. "The next subject was brought to me by Silvanus. I give him the word."
"Thank you, Headmaster." The Care for Magical Creatures professor said. "As you all know, I've had an accident this year which cost me my lower left leg. I'm also getting on in years, so I really want to train a successor in time. I do have someone in mind, but there are a few problems..."
"Yes, a few problems..." Hagrid had been told in advance and everyone knew that Kettleburn really wanted the big man to succeed him. Sadly, reality had put some stumbling blocks in the way.
"Don't blame yourself, Hagrid. It's not your fault they wanted a scapegoat when that ugly thing happened forty years ago," Kettleburn reminded the big man.
That didn't cheer up Hagrid much. "Maybe... but I'm still on the books for it, am not allowed to use a wand and haven't even finished Hogwarts. Right now I'm hardly professor material..."
Dumbledore knew of all of this of course. To his great shame, he had never really tried, despite having the means for years, to clear Hagrid's name of the crime he'd not committed. Even more shameful, the idea hadn't even crossed his mind until Kettleburn had approached him. This treatment of a man who'd shown him nothing but complete loyalty reminded him painfully of Sirius' observation that he'd gotten his priorities wrong.
This is a long-term struggle with my errors. Thankfully I can correct this one now, before the old blood regains its prestige, he thought, then addressed Hagrid.
"Please do not worry about that, as I have already taken steps to rectify this situation. Some patience is needed, but I am already collecting evidence to resolve this problem." Seeing how Hagrid's mood visibly improved at these words, the Headmaster decided to announce the next topic. "Now, next, Defense and Potions are connected in the measures planned."
This made Snape look up, now giving the Headmaster his full attention. "Please go into more detail on that, Headmaster."
"Gladly, Severus, and we'll start with Potions first. During my meetings with the Board of Governors, complaints against you also were brought to me, though I was able to deflect them since your competence is out of question. Also, there were complaints that the low output of people with good Potions grades has become highly embarrassing for a school like ours. Still, before I go on, please describe in your own words the problems that you are facing."
For a moment Snape toyed with the idea of simply saying nothing, but the look the Headmaster was giving him made it clear that the time for games was over and the cards had to be put onto the table. "I have no patience for students not up to my standards. I can live with the NEWT classes, since they have the needed discipline, but teaching the younger children is a nightmare to me."
Dumbledore gave him a thoughtful look. "I think what you experience, is a chicken and egg problem. Due to your very high standards and genius, you expect the students to already have the needed knowledge, while as a teacher it would be your duty to first relay the basic knowledge to them. However, that is not the only problem plaguing you."
Snape now grimaced when being reminded of that little fact he now had to reveal to everyone. "The vast majority of House Slytherin does not respect me as its head. Partly it may be because of my age and partly due to my teaching standards, but the actual root cause is, that the parents of my house's pure-blood students - the majority I might add - have poisoned their children's opinion against me. To them I'm a traitor, after all, regardless of all and any facts."
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