—.CHAPTER.FIFTEEN.—.
The.Hogwarts.High.Inquisitor
They.had.expected.to.have.to.comb.Hermione.s.Daily.Prophet.carefully.next.morning.to.find.the.article.Percy.had.mentioned.in.his.letter..However,.the.departing.delivery.owl.had.barely.cleared.the.top.of.the.milk.jug.when.Hermione.let.out.a.huge.gasp.and.flattened.the.newsaper.to.reveal.a.large.photograph.of.Dolores.Umbridge,.smiling.widely.and.blinking.slowly.at.them.from.beneath.the.headline..
MINISTRY.SEEKS.EDUCATIONAL.REFORM
DOLORES.UMBR1DGE.APPOINTED
FIRST.EVER.HIGH.INQUISITOR
.Umbridge.‐..High.Inquisitor.?..said.Harry.darkly,.his.half‐eaten.piece.of.toast.slipping.from.his.fingers...What.does.that.mean?..Hermione.read.aloud:.
.In.a.surprise.move.last.night.the.Ministry.of.Magic.passed.new.legislation.giving.itself.an.unprecedented.level.of.control.at.Hgwarts.School.of.Witchcraft.and.Wizardry.
..The.Minister.has.been.growing.uneasy.about.goings‐on.at.Hogwarts.for.some.time,.
.said.junior.Assistant.to.the.Minister,.Percy.Weasley...He.is.now.responding.to.concerns.voiced.by.anxious.parents,.who.feel.the.school.may.be.moving.in.a.direction.they.do.not.approve.of..
.This.is.not.the.first.time.in.recent.weeks.that.the.Minister,.Cornelius.Fudge,.has.used.new.laws.to.effect.improvements.at.the
wizarding.school..As.recently.as.30ih.August,.Educational.Decree.Number.Twenty‐two.was.passed,.to.ensure.that,.in.the.event.of.the.current.Headmaster.being.unable.to.provide.a.candidate.for.a.teaching.post,.the.Ministry.should.select.an.appropriate.person.
.
..That.s.how.Dolores.Umbridge.came.to.be.appointed.to.the.teaching.staff.at.Hogwarts,.
.said.Weasley.last.night...Dumbledore.couldn.t.find.anyone.so.the.Minister.put.in.Umbridge,.and.of.course,.she.s.been.an.immediate.success.—..
.She.s.been.a.WHAT?..said.Harry.loudly...Wait,.there.s.more,..said.Hermione.grimly..
..—.an.immediate.success,.totally.revolutionising.the.teaching.of.Defence.Against.the.Dark.Arts.and.providing.the.Minister.with.on‐the‐ground.feedback.about.what.s.really.happening.at.Hogwarts...
.It.is.this.last.function.that.the.Ministry.has.now.formalised.with.the.passing.of.Educational.Decree.Number.Twenty‐three,.which.creates.the.new.position.of.Hogwarts.High.Inquisitor.
..This.is.an.exciting.new.phase.in.the.Minister.s.plan.to.get.to.grips.with.what.some.are.calling.the.falling.standards.at.Hogwarts,..said.Weasley...The.Inquisitor.will.have.powers.to.inspect.her.fellow.educators.and.make.sure.that.they.are.coming.up.to.scratch.
.Professor.Umbridge.has.been.offered.this.position.in.addition.to.her.own.teaching.post.and.we.are.delighted.to.say.that.she.ha.accepted...
.The.Ministry.s.new.moves.have.received.enthusiastic.support.from.parents.of.students.at.Hogwarts.
.T.feel.much.easier.in.my.mind.now.that.I.know.Dumbledore.is.being.subjected.to.fair.and.objective.evaluation,..said.Mr.Lucius.Malfoy,.41,.speaking.from.his.Wiltshire.mansion.last.night...Many.of.us.with.our.children.s.best.interests.at.heart.have.been.concerned.about.some.of.Dumbledore.s.eccentric.decisions.in.the.last.few.years.and.are.glad.to.know.that.the.Ministry.is.keeping.an.eye.on.the.situation..