Ronald Weasley's Diary-Chp 23

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: A VIP IS COMING TO SCHOOL

During assembly, the student council president said that there would be a VIP visiting our school, and whenever we see him, we must greet him. He’s easy to recognize. He’s the one walking beside Headmaster Dumbledore.

Later then, I did see the VIP. After assembly, on the way to class, I saw Headmaster Dumbledore standing at the foot of the stairs. There was someone beside him. I bowed to them and said, “Good morning, Headmaster. Good morning, Mr. VIP.”

But Headmaster Dumbledore didn’t seem to hear me. He kept telling the VIP, “Go and hang up the welcoming banner.” And the VIP said, “Yes, sir.”

Harry Scarface pulled me away and walked real quick. Then he laughed out loud and said, “That’s the caretaker Argus Filch, not the VIP.”

How am I supposed to know? Who asked him to stand beside Headmaster Dumbledore and made me make a mistake?

Harry Scarface then told me that if we see the VIP, he would be wearing a very nice expensive suit.

The council president didn’t even tell us such an important thing like this. If we were to call the wrong person, we would surely be done for.

When we went into class, we saw Prof. McGonagall wrote a lot of stuff in her book with her head really low. When the class started to grow noisy, she looked up and warned, “Open your books and study on your own. When the VIP comes, I don’t want to catch you all making a scene.”

She lowered her head again and continued wrote. Once in a while she would wave her hand, like her hand was sore or something. Hermione walked over and asked, “Do you need my help, ma’am?”

But Prof. McGonagall never looked up. She said, “No, Ms. Granger. This is on Ronald Weasley’s report. I doubt you know how to write it.”

What? Prof. McGonagall’s writing about me? Why didn’t she write about Hermione or Draco? I always get the last in class. What is there to write about? I thought she was real nice for picking me for her report even when I’m so dumb.

Later, Headmaster Dumbledore came into class. He and Prof. McGonagall talked at the corridor and kept looking back at me. I was scared. Headmaster Dumbledore must be very angry because I called the caretaker the VIP.

“Ronald Weasley, please come here,” Prof. McGonagall stuck her head in and waved her hand for me to go over.

So I did, with my legs shaking, of course.

Headmaster Dumbledore looked at me for a while, rubbed my head and said, “Mr. Weasley, do you like school?”

I nodded.

“Later if the VIP asked you that, you have to say ‘Yes’, understand?”

I nodded again. My legs were still shaking, but not that bad anymore. Headmaster Dumbledore didn’t seem like he was going to punish me.

Headmaster Dumbledore then said, “If the VIP asked if the teachers gave you any extra classes or have constant contact with your parents, you have to say ‘Yes’ to all of them, understand?”

My legs shook again. How can I remember so much of what Headmaster Dumbledore had said? But I didn’t dare to say that, so I said quietly, “Yes, sir.”

Headmaster Dumbledore finally nodded. He turned to Prof. McGonagall and said, “These special education committees are the most troublesome groups. Once they’re here, they would start flipping through the students’ records. A special student like Ronald Weasley here would definitely be the root of questions popping out of their mouths.”

Prof. McGonagall nodded too, “Especially that head of committee Cornelius Fudge. They’ll never understand the hard work of us teachers. One teacher having to cope with more than 30 normal students in the classroom is already tiring enough. No one would have the time to look after another special student. They might as well try teaching them for themselves while they’re at it.”

“Remember what I’ve said, Mr. Weasley,” Headmaster Dumbledore reminded me again.

I nodded. I had to nod at him all day today anyway.

Harry Scarface was right—the VIP really did wear a very nice expensive suit, almost like Mr. Malfoy’s kind. He and Headmaster Dumbledore were walking together as they came into class and watched us. Prof. McGonagall started the class. She would speak for a while, then come to me and ask, “Understand?” and I would nod my head.

But I was very nervous. I’ve forgotten what Headmaster Dumbledore taught me to say. If the VIP started asking me anything, I’d be dead meat.

Luckily, he only talked to Prof. McGonagall and never asked me a thing. They never came to me and asked to say things that I didn’t know how to say.

I like this VIP.