She pulled another document out of the drawer.
The draft framework for the review committee that Percy had submitted along with his letter yesterday.
She had only skimmed it before.
Now she read it word by word.
"...The committee's executive authority shall be exercised independently by the Wizarding Examinations Authority... personnel at department and office head level shall be assessed under the same standards..."
Her breathing quickened.
"...The Minister's Office shall retain final approval..."
She raised her head.
"The Minister's Office."
She repeated the words under her breath.
"I am the Senior Undersecretary."
"I have the right to take part in the affairs of the Minister's Office."
Her gaze shifted from the document to the pink Persian cat plate on the opposite wall.
The cat in the plate blinked.
"If the review committee is established-"
Her voice changed.
It was no longer anxious muttering.
It became calculating, cold, and precise.
"The power to assess every Ministry of Magic official will rest in the committee's hands."
"And final approval over the committee rests with the Minister's Office."
"I am the Senior Undersecretary in the Minister's Office."
"If I take the initiative now and help build this committee-"
She stood up.
"If I package the results of Hogwarts' educational reforms as a pilot trial for the review committee-"
Her footsteps stopped.
"Then Hogwarts will be my testing ground."
"The assessment system will be my political achievement."
"And that joint letter from the seventeen families-"
She turned to look at the Daily Prophet on her desk.
The black headline in the right-hand column looked particularly glaring in the morning light.
"-will be wastepaper."
"When I hold the power to assess every official in the Ministry of Magic, what can these people do by signing another joint letter? Who will they show it to?