Spring of 1998: Voldemort Defeated<br/><br/>June of 1998-May of 2001: Hogwarts Stops Accepting Students<br/>Due to significant damage to the structure of the school, Minister for Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt "regrettably" decides that Hogwarts is not safe for student admission.  The school remains closed for three years while repairs to the basic infrastructure are made.  Repairs appear to take longer than expected, as the remaining professors were largely uninvolved, and wizards sent from the Ministry to aid in reconstruction were not granted access to certain areas of the school.  During this time, remaining students were either transferred or instructed in smaller facilities.<br/><br/>November of 2000: A New Division Created<br/>There is considerable debate over who should have authority regarding the approval process for Hogwarts.  Headmistress McGonagall is initially reluctant to allow anyone the right to declare Hogwarts unfit, but the International Magical Office of Law rules that any structures or areas used for education and/or competition must be declared structurally sound.  The Department of Magical Games and Sports is placed in charge of creating this process for approval, based on experience with managing venues for Quidditch and duels.<br/><br/>July of 2001: Hogwarts Accepts New Students<br/>After several inspections, all of which hindered by Headmistress McGonagall, are deemed incomplete, Minister for Magic Shacklebolt grants a waiver that only areas above ground or intended for student use require approval.  Hogwarts is allowed to admit new students for the first time since 1997.  The age of enrollment is changed to 14, with a smaller wizarding preschool set up for those 11-13.  (Note: all sixth year students that are not transfers are assumed to have enrolled at this time.)<br/><br/>July of 2002: Freeze on Professors<br/>An attempt to hire a new professor is challenged by the Department of Magical Education.  Incidents of professors being given positions for which they are not qualified are brought up, and a series of trials at Wizengamot commence, as Headmistress McGonagall challenges the professors previously approved by the Ministry that turned out to be far more than unfit.  The trials go on for the entire 2001-2002 school year, with both Ministry officials and Hogwarts professors making accusations of power grabs.  The ongoing litigation, combined with teaching duties, results in further claims of negligence.<br/><br/>May of 2002: The Trials Escalate<br/>In an apparent attempt to undermine Ministry authority, Headmistress McGonagall countersues the Ministry of Magic for the unlawful sacking of and slander against Albus Dumbledore, seeking what was expected to be a simple ruling to discredit the Ministry's judgement.  In a surprising move, the Ministry countersues Hogwarts for the villainization of Severus Snape.  Both cases are thrown out for a number of reasons, but soon become part of the main trial.  Talks of approval authority disappear entirely.<br/><br/>November of 2002: Resignations Abound<br/>Hermione Granger resigns from her position in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, expressing "greatest discontent and regret," creating shockwaves and further fueling the Hogwarts team's case against the Ministry.  Fires are further fueled when Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom follow suit, resigning as well from the Auror's Office.  The four high-profile resignations kick off other resignations as well from within the Ministry.  Just as the Daily Prophet announces the "collapse of the Ministry of Magic," Poppy Pomfrey and Rolanda Hooch resign without public comment.  The Daily Prophet runs many stories on the resignations, but is unable to secure any interviews.<br/><br/>February of 2003: Chaos Takes Hold<br/>Two class action lawsuits are filed, the first against the Ministry for various crimes committed by their appointed instructors, and the second against Hogwarts for negligence.  The lawsuits are both headed by the currently unemployed Hermione Granger.  A very thorough list of dangers were left unchecked within the school and on the school grounds is provided, as well as charges of conspiracy from within the Ministry.  Neville and several other students provide testimony of the Crucio curses they received at the hands of their Ministry-approved professors, and Hermione herself takes the stand to tell of the troll and basilisk that almost killed her while she was in the school.  Strangely absent from the trials are Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.<br/><br/>April of 2003: Death Eaters Return<br/>A muggle family is murdered and the Dark Mark appears for the first time since 1998.  Two more marks appear within a week.  With three Aurors no longer employed by the Ministry, little can be done in response.  Ex-Auror Scott Edgar is brought out of retirement to lend a hand, and Minister Shacklebolt issues a decree to suspend all trials involving the Ministry so that the Ministry can focus on the new activity.  Harry Potter finally comes forward, bringing a series of accusations against the Ministry as well as Shacklebolt himself, bringing light of his actions as part of the Order of the Phoenix, to include the missions authorized by Shacklebolt endangering the students of Hogwarts.  Shacklebolt is suspended during the investigation, leaving Pius Thicknesse as acting Minister.  Thicknesse, under significant scrutiny, allows the trials to continue.<br/><br/>October of 2003: A Deal is Reached<br/>Hermione Granger agrees to a deal with Kinsgley Shacklebolt and Professor McGonagall.  Under this deal, the Ministry of Magic would be required to pay a stipend to all students that attended Hogwarts from August of 1995 through May of 1998 for offenses committed by Dolores Umbridge and the Carrow siblings.  Professor McGonagall was forced to agree to allow any number of students to gather outside of classes without retribution provided that a prefect, Head Boy, Head Girl or Quidditch Captain was in attendance (the latter for Quidditch practice only).  This would be to ensure that the students would have the ability to ban together and protect each other in the result of an abusive professor as well as learn defense skills necessary for such an event.  Should that right be infringed, the students would contact the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, which would be authorized to intervene in such cases.  Shacklebolt is unable to carry out his end as he is currently suspended, so Harry agrees to drop the charges in exchange for a written agreement to the terms.<br/><br/>July of 2004: Court Ruling<br/>The Wizengamot rules that the Wizarding Examinations Authority may evaluate proposed professors at NEWT level, requiring a minimum score of Acceptable in any subject they teach, assist, or substitute.  In addition, the Department of Magical Games and Sports would retain approval authority over Quidditch pitches, dueling grounds, and classrooms involving the instruction of magic, but that the Ministry does not have the authority to interfere with school proceedings in any other way.<br/><br/>August of 2004: Back to Work<br/>With the ruling of the Wizengamot accepted by both sides, Hermione Granger reapplies and is accepted back into the Department of Magical Law.  Within the week, applications are received from Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Neville Longbottom.  They are accepted back into the Auror Office.  They join the existing Aurors against the recent surge in Death Eater cells, and Dark Marks stop appearing very quickly.  Unfortunately, Hogwarts can not claim the same success.  Rolanda Hooch and Madame Pomfrey do not return.  Steven Gates becomes the first new professor hired after re-earning his NEWTs in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Herbology, and Arithmancy, just in time to begin Hogwarts' fourth year since re-opening.<br/><br/>May of 2006: Autonomy<br/>After endless inspections of both professors and structure and several debates about the Forbidden Forest, the Department of Magical Education and Department of Wizarding Trials Authority (formerly Games and Sports) rule Hogwarts fit for instruction and free to self-govern within the limits agreed upon.  Headmistress McGonagall and Deputy Headmaster Flitwick immediately set about inscribing various security measures and doing some "minor renovating".<br/><br/>August of 2006: Current Time