Chapter 297: Investigator

Compared to emotional problems, homework was obviously more imminent. And just when Harry finished his homework, new things followed one after another.

Early Monday morning, he unfolded the Daily Prophet as usual, revealing a photo of Jim Hake's smile as usual, but what was different from usual was that the person shaking hands with him this time was a combed Severus Snape.

The headline read "Ministry of Magic Seeks Education Reform, Arnold Abinson Appointed as First Senior Investigator"

"In a recent meeting, the Ministry of Magic passed a new decree, bringing its control over Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to an unprecedented level."

"For some time, the Minister has been increasingly uneasy about the status quo of Hogwarts. Hake believes that for thousands of years, the teaching level of Hogwarts has not made substantial progress, and the school seems to have never developed."

Headmaster Severus Snape stated in the meeting that Hogwarts lacks administrative talent. Teachers only work in their respective professional fields, and the overall management of the school relies too much on the headmaster and heads of houses—and these professors are only part-time in management positions, and they each have their own courses to worry about.

The meeting pointed out that this management system is unfavorable to the teaching development of the school. But at the same time, the establishment of pure administrative positions is also a considerable challenge to the traditions of the school. Facing the situation where the school urgently needs administrative talent, the meeting formed a preliminary plan, which is to create a new position of Hogwarts Senior Investigator. This position should be held concurrently by an incumbent professor.

The investigator has the right to review his faculty colleagues to ensure their teaching level is above the standard line. At the same time, the investigator will also evaluate and summarize the overall teaching effect of the school and the development of teaching work, so as to facilitate the Ministry of Magic to formulate further plans to improve the education level of Hogwarts through teaching reform in the future. Sir Arnold was granted this position in addition to his teaching position, and we are very happy to tell everyone that he has gladly accepted it.

This move by the Ministry of Magic has received warm support from the current headmaster.

"I have always been looking forward to some way to help me share those complicated administrative tasks brought by the headmaster position. Now I feel much more at ease." The 35-year-old Professor Severus Snape accepted an interview with our reporter at the end of the meeting. "Many of our professors are not having an easy time. Now that I know the Ministry of Magic is paying close attention to this situation, I feel very relieved."

Taking Professor Snape himself as an example, his work not only needs to complete the teaching tasks and scientific research tasks of Potions, but also includes the student management affairs for which the Head of Slytherin House is responsible, as well as the school management affairs included in the headmaster position. In addition, he also needs to represent Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to attend various diplomatic occasions, or participate in meetings organized by the Wizengamot and the Ministry of Magic, which makes him almost have no rest time.

"This is just the first step of the reform." A Ministry of Magic insider revealed last night, "We need to liberate headmasters like Snape from teaching tasks."

A leaked internal document well corroborated his words. The document pointed out that the Ministry of Magic plans to expand four courses and seventy teacher positions at Hogwarts, and plans to set up several administrative positions. The candidates for these administrative positions may be held concurrently by professors with outstanding abilities, or may be directly dispatched by the Ministry of Magic, and even the possibility of inviting outstanding students to participate in school management together is not excluded.

The authenticity of this document has not yet been determined, but the prospects described in the document are quite beautiful, and parent representatives and school board members are very much looking forward to it.

Harry put down the newspaper lightly. At first glance, this news was a bit headless and tailless, but thinking of Snape's increasingly heavy dark circles, he perhaps understood a little. After the big explosion at the end of the fourth year, it wasn't just Harry himself who felt the pressure; Snape's becoming headmaster was also a bit hasty.

Perhaps it was premeditated for the Death Eaters and the Ministry of Magic, but for Snape himself, he might not have adapted to such busy work so easily.

"He has the nerve to say that. If he really can't handle it, why doesn't he share power with Professor McGonagall?" Luo En said with disdain.

"Haven't you noticed that he has already done so?" Harry shook his head helplessly. "Now the whole of Hogwarts is run by McGonagall. Besides teaching Potions, have you seen him at other times?"

"Ah?" Luo En was stunned for a moment. "What did he run out to do?"

"Order of the Phoenix member, Death Eater high-level, headmaster, Potions Master." Harry said in a low voice. "Snape has many identities, and each one requires a lot of his energy. Judging from the newspaper, he is preparing to divide the headmaster's affairs into two: the school's to McGonagall, and the outside school's to the Ministry of Magic."

"The first two identities are the ones he will never give up," Harry continued. "I think he might be out looking for other people willing to teach Potions."

"Really? Can we change to another Potions professor?" Luo En's eyes widened all of a sudden, revealing an extremely expectant look.

"Don't be happy too early, the people Snape finds will mostly be birds of a feather with him." Harry shrugged.

When the first class started, some students who had read the newspaper looked around expectantly, hoping that Arnold could help them reform Professor Binns' lifeless History of Magic class, but to their disappointment, Arnold didn't appear at all.

He didn't appear in the first class, and he didn't appear in the following classes either. It wasn't until his own class that Arnold sat leisurely behind the podium, drinking black tea while smiling and signaling to every student who walked into the classroom.

"Sir Arnold, I saw from the newspaper that you became an investigator." A girl asked. "But why don't you launch an investigation into other professors' courses?"

"I didn't say I wouldn't launch an investigation, it's just that I need to wait for the opportunity to come. Everything is ready, the conditions are ripe, and all necessary procedures are completed. Of course, I can't launch an investigation rashly." Arnold said calmly. "You might think that being an investigator is a very prestigious job, but in reality, an investigator bears very important responsibilities, and every move must be cautious."

"We sincerely hope you will conduct some review of the Divination class." Another boy said. "Trelawney predicts the death of a student in every class."

"Is this too much? It's just a prediction. People will always die. I will die, and you will die too. Don't take it too much to heart." Arnold said plainly. "But if I launch a review of her without any basis, to put it mildly, it will make her feel nervous and affect her teaching quality; to put it seriously, it might make her feel offended and cause dissatisfaction among the teaching staff toward the Ministry of Magic."

Under the disappointed eyes of the students, Arnold took out the textbook and announced the start of class. This so-called Senior Investigator, in Zhang Qiu's words, was all thunder and no rain.

"I don't quite understand, if he didn't intend to launch an investigation at all, then what is the significance of establishing this investigator?" After dinner, when Harry and Zhang Qiu were taking a walk, they discussed this issue very naturally.

"This, perhaps the situation is much more complicated than what we see." Zhang Qiu said. "Who is the person who really wants to establish the position of investigator? What is his purpose in establishing the position? Does it involve Arnold's interests, which is why he is slacking off?"

"For example, if it was Hake who established the investigator, what do you think he wants to do?" Zhang Qiu continued along the line. "We all know Hake likes to use reform to highlight his political achievements, so the position of investigator is just as the newspaper said, to pave the way for his subsequent reforms."

"Then Arnold should cooperate with him." Harry questioned.

"Ah right, no matter how Hogwarts reforms, it won't touch Arnold's interests, so he shouldn't be actively disobeying orders. It should be out of some concerns that it's inconvenient to launch work—" Zhang Qiu quickly thought of a new explanation. "Right, it must be that Snape doesn't want Hake to mess around here. It was under his opposition that the original reform measures became such an investigator."

"But I don't think Snape would necessarily strongly oppose it," Harry shook his head. "If the Ministry of Magic is willing to think of a way to make him not so busy, I think he would definitely be happy."

"If Snape just wants to live a more relaxed life, he can directly recruit a few new teachers. The headmaster has this power." Zhang Qiu narrowed her eyes. "This investigator might be the exact opposite. It's Snape wanting to use the Ministry of Magic's hand to get rid of some, or even several, teachers."

"Yes, compared to direct expansion, the investigator seems to focus more on reviewing existing teachers." Harry nodded with a solemn face. "And the current teachers have no grievances with the Ministry of Magic, and there won't be any conflict of interest with Arnold, so it can only be that Snape wants to squeeze someone out. But who does he want to squeeze out..."

"Snape's popularity can't be called good, but at least it's not bad. I can't imagine who he hates." Zhang Qiu shrugged. "Unless he intends to replace people in some key positions with his own people—but Snape's popularity, I mean, does he have his own people?"

"Or there is another possibility, the investigator position is not a formal move, just groundwork and probing." Harry touched his chin. "Just like you took Hermione to the photo studio, but didn't tell her about Cassandra; the Ministry of Magic or Snape set up an investigator position here, but didn't start the investigation immediately."

"This is to warn some teachers," Harry nodded in agreement. "To let them know that if they go too far, Snape has a way to fire you."

"Then the teacher being warned is undoubtedly, most likely, Professor Haipu." Zhang Qiu paused. "We all know he is paid in US dollars, but now the relationship between Britain and the US is still cooperative, so it's just a slight warning to him."

"You also said that the relationship between Britain and the US is currently cooperative. I think there is another possibility. Since there is someone like Haipu who is paid in US dollars, could there be any professor who is paid in Rubles?" Harry felt his train of thought opened up again. "Perhaps the investigator is to warn this professor, or perhaps the investigator is to find out this professor."

"There is one thing you need to pay attention to, Arnold is old. If they really want to launch some exciting spy-finding activities," Zhang Qiu laughed, "they mostly won't invite him to serve as an investigator." ===== CHAPTER 298 =====