Elise, the Academy's new Headmistress, receives the Ministry's promotion orders and must personally approve all faculty appointments. Her assistant warns her about Corvinus, a depraved criminal accused of conspiring with dark wizards and trafficking magical creatures, who is on the list. Despite the assistant's insistence on removing him, Elise approves the appointment, showing her first act of authority. She then informs her assistant she has personal matters to attend to at Blackwood Manor, declaring her intent to go and reclaim what is hers.