By: Jayden Lukas
With the start of the new year we welcome a variety of new students just starting on their magical education at Hogwarts. With the crop of fresh-faced new students, we also welcome several not so fresh-faced Professors to teach the students. This year we have a new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor. When I first took on the task to interview this Professor, I had no idea what to expect. Especially since he was at first very reluctant to grant the interview.
As I arrived in the courtyard to begin the interview, I have to say that this interview began with a literal bang. I witnessed Professor Macauley demonstrate his dislike for the music playing over a student’s radio, whereby he aimed his wand and exploded the radio into small pieces scattered across the courtyard. The student was reduced to tears as she explained it had been a gift from her father before he passed away. The Professor assumed that she was a Hufflepuff and stated so, when in reality the student answered him stating that she was Ataka Peyroux from Slytherin House. I felt badly for the loss of the radio and offered to try and repair the radio as best as I could. It was the first interview I have conducted that literally started off with an explosion. Based on the conversation with the student I wasn’t holding out much hope that the rest of the interview would go much better.
A small distance away from the scene of the explosion, I learned that his full name is Algenon Humphrey Macauley. He is the uncle of our own George Macauley who is a recent graduate of Hogwarts, former Gryffindor prefect, and the husband of former Head Girl Saffron Foxclaw (Macauley) who now works for the Daily Prophet.
Professor Macauley was sorted into Slytherin house in the time that he was a student who walked these hallowed halls and he revealed that his hometown is Chelsea. I did notice, however, that his whole demeanour was somewhat nervous as though he was going through an interrogation instead of an interview getting to know him. Up to this point he was giving brief one word answers. When I asked what year he had graduated he stated that he could not remember the year. That was a surprising answer followed by what he stated was his favourite course while at Hogwarts. He enjoyed Muggle Studies the most stating,
“We’d have a right old laugh at the back. Nonsense subject, naturally, but the Professor had no control of the class and we’d run wild.”
This was telling as I realised that this Professor very likely saw his own share of trouble during the time when he was a student. When asked to elaborate on this idea that perhaps he saw some trouble when he was in school he said,
“Who, me? No, no. I was the picture of goodness and grace.”
The twinkle in his eye when he said this leads me to believe that despite his claims that studying was his favourite memory of his time spent at school, there was a great deal more that he was not saying.
My next questions were directed to learn what his aspirations for the future were. Professor Macauley answered me as follows in a very serious way:
“You should know better than to ask a former Slytherin his ambitions, past or present. We will never tell you the truth.”
This gives the writer pause for thought and I wonder if this is a basic philosophy of those who belong to Slytherin house. The interview was nearly done and I do believe that he was forthcoming in describing his hobbies. He stated that he enjoyed dueling and when he was away from Hogwarts he enjoyed equestrian show jumping. However he does not care for the sort of dueling that Hogwarts practices now stating that he will perhaps teach proper dueling that is more like fencing; cleaner, sharper and with a strong focus on etiquette. He made the statement that Duels that end with the opponent in the hospital wing are uncouth. When asked to elaborate on his dueling experiences, he refused to comment. As for what made him decide to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts he had this to say,
“I felt like it.”
There you have it. The interview that started with a bang and ended with his favourite dessert being candied almonds. A Professor who holds his cards very close to his vest. As he stated himself his ambitions are his own not to be revealed in this introductory interview. One must read his actions and the words he does not say to better understand Professor Macauley.
