After a brief leave of absence, students and faculty members of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry welcomed the return of former Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Headmaster Dumbledore was asked to leave his position sometime in early spring after confessing plans to overthrow the current Minister of Magic. The disagreement between the Headmaster and Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge began around June of last year, when the two former acquaintances learned of young Harry Potter's alleged claims about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Headmaster Dumbledore supported young Potter, claiming that You-Know-Who had returned, while Minister Fudge dismissed the claim as nonsense, citing reports of Potter's instability. The impasse between the two men did not come to blows, however, until allegations of treacherous behavior on the part of the Hogwarts Headmaster. A meeting involving Potter and the breach of newly established educational decrees quickly turned violent when Dumbledore refused to be taken in quietly. The Minister of Magic, along with a few of his Aurors, were caught off guard and hexed, thereby giving Dumbledore time to flee. Many questions arose about his daring escape. Those present at the time of his escape simply claim he "disappeared", though the very thought of Apparation was out of the question, as one Gryffindor Prefect fervently states. "You can't Apparate or disapparate on the grounds," says fifth year Hermione Granger. "It says so in Hogwarts: A History. Has no one read this book?" Not all of her peers seem to agree with this matter, however, and claim that a man like Dumbledore could very well get past the wards around the school. "Dumbledore probably took the wards down," comments another fifth year Gryffindor, Dean Thomas. "He is a genius afterall -- it would've been a snap for him!" While the reporters of The Quibbler made many attempts to try and clear up this matter, Dumbledore refuses to give any hints about his great escape. "I cannot reveal to the press the details of my disappearance. I can only say how happy I am to finally be back home." |