Outrage, embarrassment, shame, and disappointment spread across the British Wizarding World as the results of the 2nd Quinquennial International Wizarding School Invitational of 1989 was announced.
Final IWSI Rankings
1st Place: Uagadou - 30
2nd Place: Ilvermorny - 28
3rd Place: Castelobruxo - 26
4th Place: Beauxbatons - 24
5th Place: Durmstrang - 23
6th Place: Mahoutokoro - 21
7th Place: Hogwarts - 16
"An utter embarrassment" was Rita Skeeter's scathing remark in the morning's Daily Prophet.
Calls for Dumbledore's retirement were being screamed across the nation.
"The Disaster of 1989" was the headline of that week's Quibbler.
1st in Quidditch, last in potions, last in wandless casting (the subject that Uagadou chose), last in dueling, 6th in charms, and 4th in transfiguration. That report card that Hogwarts presented to the British Wizarding World at the end of the IWSI of 1989. It is worth noting that the 6th place in charms was due to Flitwick being disheartened that Dumbledore was ignoring his constant lobbying for the reinstatement of the dueling club.
The unexpected failure caused an emergency Wizengamot meeting to be called by Minister Fudge. With his job as minister under threat, Cornelius knew he had to do something, and fast.
"Lords and Ladies of the Wizengamot, I have called this meeting today to discuss the measures that we, as a society, should take to ensure that our children are getting a proper education here in Britain," said Minister Fudge as the meeting went underway.
Sitting in his usual spot, Albus Dumbledore had lost the twinkle in his eyes and was listening to the calls for his immediate replacement and the suggestions of decreasing funding with growing unease. Hogwarts was his school. Dumbledore thought. As such, he was thinking of ways to ensure he kept his job as headmaster.
Lost in his thoughts, the meeting was coming to a close.
"Fret not Lords, Ladies, and Minister. The Board of Governors will convene a meeting shortly after this one adjourns, and we will ensure that a satisfactory solution is found," said Lucius Malfoy, as he knocked his snake-handled cane on the ground.
Dumbledore's eyes squinted ever so slightly at the thought of the meetings he had yet to attend. The fallout from this failure is truly great, he thought. Maybe I ought to bring him in. He is, after all, someone who will ensure my position at Hogwarts.
After the Wizengamot meeting adjourned, Dumbledore headed for another meeting, this time in front of the board of governors.
"Aahh, Headmaster Dumbledore, why are you hear? We have not asked for you to join us," Lucius said in a slightly dark tone.
"After all that has occurred in the last half month, I thought it prudent that I be here for this meeting," Dumbledore replied, as the light in his eyes twinkled once more. "It is not very often that the board of governors meets, and I have missed my former students."
Lucius rolled his eyes at the thought. Yeah, right old bee.
"Be that as it may, we are discussing who should take your position as headmaster," Lucius replied. The twinkled is Dumbledore's eyes extinguished at the words.
"Any suggestions? I think Professor Snape would be a good headmaster," Lucius said with mirth. He was relishing the fact that Dumbledore was finally on his way out.
"While Professor Snape is an excellent potions master, he is clearly not a good professor," Joseph Bulstrode replied. "Hogwarts has finished last in potions at every IWSI so far."
"If we were going based off who taught subjects the children did the best at, the perhaps we should ask Mr. Scamander to become headmaster," Josephine Shafiq suggested.
"Scamander will just turn Hogwarts into a zoo," Lucius retorted. "The ranking should not be taken in account, after all the teachers of our top-ranking subjects are a glorified zookeeper and a half-squib woman who probably has used her wand properly in 25 years (he is referring to Madam Hooch)."
"Might I make a suggestion," Dumbledore replied softly, "I think Gregory Gage would make a ----"
"The black sheep of the Gage family, I think not!" Henry Rowle retorted. "What would he know about teaching?"
"Since returning to the muggle world, Dr. Gage has become a vice-dean at the renowned muggle university, Oxford." Dumbledore continued. and once he does some radical changes that don't work, I will be reinstated as headmaster, he thought.
"He is a pure-blood and not a traitor," Malfoy muttered just loud enough for his supporters to hear. "Very well, Dumbledore leave us we need to conduct a vote."
Dumbledore nodded and left the meeting with a slight skip in his step. Five years and I will be reinstated as headmaster, he thought.
The vote was conducted, with Henry Rowle and his voter bloc being opposed, and Gregory Gage became the new headmaster with a vote of 8-4. In order to ensure that Elphias Doge and Wilbur Chandler voted for Dr. Gage, the bloc the wanted to keep Dumbledore as headmaster, concessions were made, and Dumbledore was given the role of Honorary Vice Headmaster and would resume teaching by teaching the DADA class.
Thus, on January 17th, two days after the disaster, owls were sent out to parents announcing that this semester would be Dumbledore's last semester as headmaster.