Chapter 1173: Latest Appointments Ⅱ

Not about to be turned off course, Professor McGonagall crisply resumed. "Now as I was saying by the directive of the Board an additional language course has been added, Mermish."

Pointing to the third man, Professor McGonagall says, "Please allow me to introduce Professor Ondine Ponce, a former graduate of Castelbruxo who will be teaching Mermish at Hogwarts."

"I am honored beyond belief to teach the native tongue of my father," Ondine Ponce flashed them all a dazzling white smile.

"Father?" Softly whispered Professor Elias Murphy, the professor of muggle studies, and a muquib. A ginger with a smarting of freckles that only stand out as he flushes bright red in realization, he spoke out loud.

"I am so sorry, I meant nothing by that! "Professor Elias Murphy hastily apologized utterly horrified. There were still so many things he didn't know about the wizarding world. He didn't even know magic existed until he was bitten by a werewolf! He was a muggle after all! Oh well, had been…

"No offense taken," Ondine Ponce responded in a slightly accented English with a Brazilian accent. "My mother is Brazilian, and my father belonged to the Uira merfolk tribe of those waters."

"I am certain that answers all and any questions in that regard," Professor McGonagall primly said as she critically gazed at the staff to remind them of their manners.

"Now it is my pleasure to announce that the Board has permitted an assistant to the infirmary matron Madam (Poppy) Pomfrey," Professor McGonagall briskly explained. "The services of Mr. Seymour and his seven apprentices were most useful during the attack. Their services have been acquired and an apprentice will be on rotation for every day of the week in the infirmary."

The assistant professor of Transfiguration furrows his cleft chin. Professor Norman Hopkins is a rather meticulous man with a strict demeanor and heavily gelled-back hair. "Will the Ministry of Magic be providing any assurances that there shall not be a repeat attack?"

Every staff member turns their attention to Professor McGonagall whose lips press together in displeasure. "Professor Hopkins, I am not accustomed to questioning the Ministry of Magic. If there is an action to be taken, they will be sure to inform the public beforehand."

Seeing Professor Norman Hopkins seemingly deflate at the piercing stare of Professor McGonagall, a handsome rugged wizard with spiky hair and a charming, crooked grin speaks up, Professor Douglas Winfrey, the assistant professor of Herbology comes to the rescue. "Now, now, Minerva, it is a valid concern which I am sure that the parents will also ask."

"And when they shall, we shall refer them to the Ministry of Magic, Professor Winfrey," Professor McGonagall pointedly retorted. "Now, then we have the new class schedule to discuss if both Mr. Thurman and Harmon Black, and Mr. Ponce shall take a seat, we shall immediately continue."

The three men sit down in the closest open seats to them while Professor Hopkins mouths his gratitude at his colleague, Professor Winfrey. Professor Winfrey shrugs as if it was nothing, before winking at Professor Disick, who boldly gazes back. Professor Winfrey charmingly smiles back at her before turning away.

Yet one staff member sneaks a glance at him through narrowed eyes. The Head of Slytherin, Potions Professor, Eponine Mortier critically studies the ruggedly handsome colleague out of the corner of her eyes. Her hair is nicely cut short to shoulders and her skin is no longer as shallow thanks to the combined efforts of her cousins.

Although Professor Eponine Morier is not quite as thin as before having been fed by her cousins every time, she stopped by Cousin Seymour's clinic/home. It also didn't help that they always went to eat and visit Cousin Feviel's restaurant, the Hermetic Cauldron. They had lunch or dinner nearly every day at the Hermetic Cauldron. She had put on at least five stones if not more from eating so much! However, she couldn't deny the fact that the food was to die for, nor that Cousin Feviel and his wife Zenia were truly gifted chefs.

Pensively gazing at Professor Winfrey, Eponine Mortimer curls her lip in a sneer. In private, Eponine Mortimer could admit to herself that she had been a stupid, little fool in her youth. She had been so sorely betrayed that she had been inevitably cured of ever having romantic feelings again. Notwithstanding, she was far from blind, and even she could see and admit that Professor Winfrey was an attractive man. Yet there was something about him that terribly rankled her.

No doubt, Eponine would be called paranoid, but it had been rather vexing having to deal with all the confessions made to Professor Winfrey during the course of the past school year. She had given rather carefully crafted lectures to her entire house along with scores of detentions to those found guilty of the terrible slight. Thankfully, the lessons had stuck and there were no further repeats.

Yet Eponine could almost sense a wrongness hiding under his skin. The irksome sensation hadn't always been there but rather had been growing over the course of the past year. It was as though she could sense a rotten stench. It was stomach-churning.

Realizing she would be caught sooner or later; Professor Eponine Mortimer turned her attention back to Professor McGonagall. Had she kept watching she would have seen Professor Winfrey turn around before his gaze rested on her. The gaze appeared to be inconspicuous before turning away and paying attention to the front of the staff room.

After the discussion of the new class schedules, the topic changes to the preparations of the classrooms of the two new courses and the recreation chamber for physical education. Ever interested in the lore of Hogwarts, Master Strauss, the Professor of History Magic asks, "And what of the Chamber of Secrets what is the intentions of the Board?

Professor McGonagall arched her brow at the tanned, good-natured wizard with a scholarly air. "Master Strauss, I was just coming to that," she sighed in exasperation.

Master Strauss good-naturedly shrugs with expectant eyes eagerly awaiting a response.

"The Board had determined the Chamber of Secrets will be refitted to serve as an indoor Quidditch pitch-."

A loud whoop is heard from Madam Rolonda Hooch, whose yellow eyes sparkle like the sun. "About time, I say," she boomed in excitement. "It's right freezing practicing quidditch in the winter. Why I even once had my hands frozen to my broom and had to have them pried off!"

With a rather dour expression, Professor McGonagall silently gazed at Madam Hooch, who quickly quieted down. "If you would withhold your questions until I am done, there will be time for questions at the end," she said in a colder tone of voice rather irked at being constantly interrupted.

Taking the hint, the staff members decided to tactfully remain silent until the end of the statement.

"There will be greenhouses constructed to house plants for herbology and as ingredients for potions," Professor McGonagall said seeing Master Strauss, Professor Boas, and others visibly brighten at her words.

"A classroom will be constructed for mermish along with male and female changing rooms for in-class exercises to practice merish underwater or visit with the merfolk as part of in-class trips. The changing rooms will also be used for physical education to swim or provide lessons to learn how to swim," Professor McGonagall drily said. "And to appease any of your worries, the changing rooms and other areas will be tightly warded so only staff can enter with special keys at certain times of the day.

There are looks of relief throughout the staff room. Everyone remembered the scandal of 1918 between a professor and a student. They certainly did not want another repeat. Not to mention despite their best efforts students always seemed to find a way if the latest example of Peter Pettigrew and Quyen Crowley were anything to go by…