Quite right. I feel sure that the Ministry have given careful thought to ways of preventing Dogstar from making a ruckus at the Cup. It's another way in which they've done us few favours by making themselves so obvious.

I understand where that thought comes from, but I think the regime want very much to have this event boost their popularity at home and abroad, so while I expect they will take stringent precautions to detect anyone with disruptive designs, I also expect they will avoid harassing or terrorising the crowd. Quite right, though: they will certainly take note of those who don't accept the invitation to attend.

Ah. The inspection. Well. It's not simply a matter of my being under scrutiny. We are, I am informed, to have our largest incoming cohort of first years in a great many years, accelerating the growth of our numbers, so there will be more demand on my stores and my time.

But it's more even than that: we are anticipating a visit to the school by a delegation from the wizarding institutions overseas. Apparently, this is all part of a larger initiative of which the Quidditch Cup is only the first piece. I don't know much more than this, but I was told to expand capacity on my wards, to stock twenty-five percent above the usual amounts of staples, and to err on the side of over-provision.

Now, if I should be found lacking in any aspect of this preparation, then I'm certain my detractors will not hesitate to take advantage of the process to penalise me.