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Visitor
Author: Ethan Somerset
Date: 02-23-11 16:04
When Ethan's only afternoon class started, he began with a lecture on engorgement charms. His Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw second years listened attentively and answered his questions as he went along. This was his second time lecturing on engorgio; his Ravenclaw and Slytherin second years had had the same lesson just yesterday.
After his lecture, Ethan had the students practice the charm on various pieces of fruit from a giant basket he'd gotten from his mother. She'd given it to him over the weekend and certainly thought he would be eating the fruit, not using it in his classes.
The point of the charm in terms of Defense Against the Dark Arts was to use it during dueling, but Ethan wanted to make sure everyone had plenty of practice using it in a more innocuous setting first.
It was only after everyone had mastered enlarging an apple, orange or banana that Ethan had the second years pair up and try the charm on each other. Before long, his students had one giant hand, or an oversize ear, or even a nose that was too heavy to keep oneself upright. Everyone was fraught with giggles. Who said learning couldn't be fun?
At the very end of class, Ethan helped everyone resume their normal appearance with the countercharm to engorgio, reducio. As his students gathered their things together and prepared to depart, Ethan said, "We'll continue to practice next time. Have a good afternoon!"
It took a matter of seconds for the room to empty out. Ethan tidied up the desks and then prepared to go to his office, when Rosamond entered the room. She smiled when Ethan took notice of her. He crossed the distance between them and gave her a quick kiss.
"What are you doing here?"
"I decided to take the afternoon off to run a few errands. Since I wanted some tea I can only find at Botanicals and Beyond, I thought I might as well come up to the castle and see you. Are you terribly busy?"
"Not at all. My last class just let out. I was going to head to my office. Walk with me?"
"Sure."
Rosamond had recently moved into Ethan's Greenwich duplex. Although they still hadn't discussed marriage, they did want to be under the same roof when the baby came late next month.
They both talked about their day until they reached Ethan's office. He didn't have any scheduled office hours today and no one had requested a meeting either, but Penn Ellison was leaning against the door.
He straightened up when he saw his teacher and his lady friend approaching.
Rosamond knew who Penn was because Ethan often talked about him at home. She had, on occasion, seen him as well, such as when she'd helped out at the Fall Fair last November. Penn, likewise, knew who Rosamond was from having seen her at the castle from time to time. They had never formally met, though.
"Hello, Penn. Did you have a good day today?" Ethan asked.
"Yes, professor. Your class was in particular was the most interesting, in my opinion."
Ethan chuckled. "I'm glad you think so. Penn, this is my friend, Rosamond Boggs. Rosamond, this is Penn Ellison, one of the brightest students I teach."
Rosamond held out her hand and smiled at Penn. "Nice to meet you."
Penn took her hand and gave it a firm shake. "You as well, Ms. Boggs."
Ethan opened his office door and asked, "Is there something you wanted to discuss, Penn?"
"Not really," Penn replied, "but I was hoping I could study in your office, like before?"
Ethan exchanged a look with Rosamond. He didn't want to run her off so soon after her arrival.
"What's wrong with the library?" Ethan asked Penn with a smile.
"Nothing's wrong with the library," Penn answered. "I just like studying in here with you better."
Rosamond said, "Oh, just let him Ethan. I'll see you at home later, all right?"
Ethan shot her an apologetic smile, but Rosamond didn't seem the last bit bothered. She turned to Penn and said, "It was nice meeting you, Penn."
"You too. Goodbye."
Penn ducked into Ethan's office. Ethan watched Rosamond go for a short while and then stepped into the office as well and sat down behind his desk.
Penn didn't say anything and immediately began to work on his homework assignments. Ethan watched him for a while, but if the boy noticed, he made no sign. He worked diligently, until Ethan felt the need to get some work done as well.
One Appointment - Two Students
Author: Lawrence Masterson
Date: 02-24-11 22:08
Lawrence's Wednesdays were usually spent going through papers and getting things graded to hand in at the end of the week as well as creation of exams for the following lessons, this week however, he had two appointments, which he'd managed to schedule at the same time, which was helpful, because both students were in the same class.
At precisely three fifteen the pair of students slipped into the Greenhouse and headed over to his desk. "Afternoon Adelaide and Timothy."
"Afternoon Professor Masterson." Adelaide slipped her bag off her shoulder and settled at a seat near his desk while Timothy did the same.
"Afternoon Professor."
Lawrence gave them both a few moments to gather their things and prepare their questions so he could aid them in what they needed to get done.
"Alright, who wishes to go first?" He asked, putting aside what he was working on, which was the lesson plans that would be for the month of March as the class already has this month's lesson plans.
"I will." Adelaide spoke up and after a brief moment of shifting through parchments she spoke again. "On the scrolls that are due at the end of the month, I'm having trouble with what exactly you are asking. I know it has to be four poisonous plants, do they have to be from the same grouping of plants like vines, trees, or berries? Or can we do some from different groupings? Also, can sketches be included in the assignment?"
"Alright. Good question, and no, they do not have to all be trees, vines, or berries. You can pick and choose from the groups that we've covered or from ones we have not covered. It can be a muggle plant or a wizarding plant. Though, I would highly suggest that you limit the amount of muggle plants to no more than half of the four." Lawrence said. "As for sketches, they can be included, however, they will not count toward the actual scroll length, it still must be twelve inches written."
Adelaide answered and rapidly wrote down notations on the parchment that held the assignment. "I don't think I have any other questions, and I am ready for the make up examination from when I was in the Hospital Wing on Thursday of last week."
Lawrence nodded and handed Adelaide the make up examination and she moved to a desk near the back of the greenhouse to allow Timothy to ask his question. "Alright ,Timothy, what can I do for you this afternoon?"
"What can I do to bring up my marks? I know I've been struggling with this section, and I honestly do not know why, other than the fact that I find it very hard to get into. It isn't like the others where I did fine. I mean, it is just frustrating me that I've gotten horrible marks on the last few assignments."
Lawrence thought for a few moments. "You aren't the only one who is having a hard time with this section. I think because very few people enjoy dealing with poisons, however, it is important to know about them, the things that cause certain reactions in the body, and even those plants found so readily in nature that can kill you instantly. So, what I am going to do, is before the examination at the end of the month, I will be handing out a study guide within the next couple of days which will have everything we've covered already and everything that we are going to cover. Fill it out as you can, and I will encourage study groups for this examination becuase I know it can be difficult."
Timothy nodded and shifted lightly in his seat before pushing himself upwards. "Thanks Professor Masterson, have a good day."
"Welcome Timothy, I'll see you tomorrow in class." Lawrence said and shifted in his seat, gaze flicked toward the clock, thankfully he was almost done with what he was working on. Which was good, because he had plans this evening with his wife, and it involved a romantic dinner in their quarters instead of joining the usual hustle and bustle in the Great Hall.
About fifteen minutes later Adelaide came forward and handed him her examination. "I'll see you tomorrow Professor. Thanks again."
She headed out, and Lawrence quickly wrapped up what he'd been in the middle of, put things away and after set up for his first class in the morning headed out of the greenhouse and toward the castle.
Killing Time Before A Night Class
Author: Sage Porter
Date: 02-25-11 16:08
Seated at one of the smaller tables in the Wyrding Way, Sage thumbs through the notes he'd taken in a class earlier in the day at nearby St. Emrys, trying to decide if he wants to start rewriting them now or wait awhile. Sage doesn't rewrite lecture notes for every course but this particular professor talks so rapidly that Sage tends to do a sloppy shorthand in order to keep up. Sometime before the next class meeting he writes the notes out, expanding on his shorthand and making complete sentences.
The arrival of the onion rings he'd order helps make the decision for him. He'll do it later when not eating greasy food just so that he doesn't have to take the time to use a degreasing spell on the parchment later. Putting his notes back into his bookbag, Sage pulls out a book he's reading, a thriller set in the world of professional Quidditch. It's by an author AJ Hodfuffer had told him about.
Sage has hardly read two pages of the book when Euan Abercrombie approaches. "Something for a class?" he asks with a nod at the book after saying hello.
"No, though I should be doing course reading. I've enough of it."
"What are you doing hanging out here alone?"
"Night class in a little while. What about you?"
"Meeting some friends. Once everyone's here we'll decide what we want to do. We'll probably just grab something to eat then go somewhere to play cards. When I saw you over here I was going to ask if you wanted to come with but if you've got a class, I guess it will have to be another time."
"Thanks for the thought. Want an onion ring? They're excellent here."
Euan accepts Sage's offer and between his first and second bites says, "Aubrey went for a time in a real snit that her pretending to like another bloke didn't faze you in the slightest."
"I told her and told her I'm not interested."
"Everyone's told her but you know my sister. She gets a thought in her head and is too stubborn to admit she's wrong. I think she's finally over you though."
"Really? That would be great. I'm past the point of politeness with Aubrey about this."
"Yeah. She started seeing this chap as part of her ploy to make you jealous but the irony is that now she seems genuinely interested in him and hasn't mentioned you in an absolute age."
"That's a relief. She was becoming stalkerish."
"Don't I know it. I thought I was going to have to tell Dad we needed to admit her to the St. Mungo's psychiatric ward for observation. Of course, I have been telling Aubrey for as long as I can remember that she's barmy. It's grand to be the big brother," Euan chuckles. "I see two of my group has arrived. If you aren't doing anything Saturday, some of us are going to a Muggle street fair in Cornwall. We're meeting up here at 8 am. See if Jared and Alanna want to come too. You don't have to make a decision right this second. Track me down later in the week or owl me."
"Yeah, thanks."
Euan pops the last bite of his onion ring in his mouth as he leaves to join his other friends. A Muggle street fair sounds fun but Parents' Day is this coming Saturday at Hogwarts. Sage doesn't have to be there of course but it would be a day when he'd get to see more of Georgia. Then again, her parents are going to be there and probably her little sister Liberty as well so it's not as though they'd have much time alone together.
Opening his book again and reaching for another onion ring, Sage thinks it's definitely something to think about and whether he goes or not he'll let Jared and Alanna know in case they might like to attend.
Lohengrin Pops By
Author: Saffron
Date: 02-26-11 20:20
Without looking up from her grading Saffron chastises, "Niccola, if Mummy has to tell you again not to climb the drapes, you will get a time out AND your play area will be moved away from that window."
Nic lets go of the curtains and her lower lips pushes out in a pout. At just over two years of age, she's got the pouting thing down well though it's far less effective on Mummy than it is Daddy. Upon realizing Mummy isn't even looking at her, Nic looks to the inviting drapery again but then heaving a huge sigh, lip poking out even more she toddles over to one side of the invisible barrier created with magic to form a playpen area. Reaching up to see if she can grasp the edge, Nic eyeballs the shelves where the lovely crystal balls sit catching the light, with some forming rainbow patterns around the room.
Saffron does look up from the stack of seventh year homework assignments she's grading to watch as Nic attempts going up high on tippy toe, reaching, reaching, reaching her fingers trying to find the barrier's top edge. Saffron picks up her wand and points it, utters a few words, and the top of the barrier turns the color of rich, lush grass. Startled, Nic drops down flat footed again, frowing at the color that now goes around her playpen on three sides, one side being the wall with the window. Saffron tells her, "Now you can see what you're trying to reach, Nic."
"What's she trying to reach?"
Saffron nearly jumps out of her skin, never having heard anyone on the stairs. Even more startling is who the visitor is. Saffron hastily rises. "Da. This is unexpected. Is everything all right?"
"Yes, of course. Am I not allowed to visit? I'm interrupting your work. That's it, isn't it? I'll just go wait in your flat then."
Da blusters in his usual way yet at the same time Saffron thinks there's an undercurrent of hurt. That's a first.
Moving quickly around the desk and raising one hand in a stop gesture she says, "No, you aren't interrupting. These are my office hours and I'm just grading papers. I'd be stopping shortly anyway for lunch and then it's more office hours. I've not got any classes on Thursdays. Please, sit. Would you like tea?"
Lohengrin sits but waves away the tea offer. His eyes have gone back to Niccola who's now standing pressed against the playpen wall, making kissy faces at him.
"Is that Niccola? She appears to have grown quite a lot since I last saw her."
"She has grown since we saw you just before Christmas. If she has another growth spurt anytime soon I'm going to have to make the top of that barrier taller. She's just about able to reach it now and Nic is a climber so if she could her hands firmly enough on the top of it, she'd find a way to haul herself up it."
Lohengrin asks, "May I hold her? Will she let me?"
As this is the first time Da has ever asked to hold Nic - before today, the few times he's bothered paying attention to Nic someone else had to more or less force him into taking her and then he'd only do it for a few seconds before passing her off - Saffron knows the surprise is evident on her face. Lohengrin stares expectently at her and just when the silence has stretched a shade too long Saffron remembers she's supposed to verbally reply.
"Yes, of course you may." She hastens over to the playpen area, using her wand to drop the barrier as she goes. Kneeling down beside her daughter she points to Lohengrin and says, "Nic, Grandda wants a cuddle."
Although it's been a few months since seeing this man, Nic grins and moving in that full steam ahead way a toddler on a mission moves, she's soon crossed the distance to him and is holding her arms up invitingly. Looking somewhat unsure, another rarity for Lohengrin Porter, he bends and lifts Niccola into his lap. The two year old immediately throws her arms around him in her version of a bear hug. Only when he's tentatively hugged back does she release the hug and settle against his chest to play with the watch fob hanging from one vest pocket.
"She's very affectionate."
"Yes, she is that. We're hoping this one will be as well," she replies, patting the belly that's really just now beginning to show at four and a half months along.
"I've forgotten, when are you due?"
"End of June though the first part of July is a possibility."
He nods, taking in that information before saying, "Sassy children aren't sure about me."
"That's because you hardly see them and you do tend to be gruff, Da. Small children often don't take well to frowningly stern adults."
"Nonsense. I'm myself with them."
"Which means you frown a great deal, are stern, gruff, and usually terse."
"None of you seemed bothered by my demeanor when you were children."
Saffron gives a short, not very humorous laugh. "Sassy and I were petrified of you, Da. Sage to though I think Sassy and I managed to shield him from the worst of it when he was really small."
"Petrified? Don't exaggerate."
"I'm not. We hid it as best we could because one way to make you worse was to snivel around you."
"All I ever wanted of you three was to be obedient, respectful, dutiful, and not whine. I thought I was being a good disciplinarian."
"You were an extremely rigid dictator. Still are if you want to get down to it."
Saffron holds up one hand when it's obvious Da is about to protest. "You still try to control our lives, ordering us around, and if we don't fall into line just as you wish, you try to make us feel guilty and miserable."
"A father has the right to expect his children, no matter their ages, to respect him and his wishes."
"There's a huge difference between respecting a parent and kowtowing to every whim and order. If you won't get your way, Da, you act like the spoiled brats you cannot tolerate."
"I know I have high expectations and can be difficult but you must be exaggerating. I am not that bad."
"Da. Seriously. Look at your relationship with Sage. You constantly bully and belittle him and still are not over the fact that he does not want to follow in your footsteps and become a great chef."
Lohengrin colors, opening his mouth to loudly bluster and hotly deny Saffron's statement. He stops before the first word is out of his mouth because Nic chooses that exact moment to grab his chin and plant a very wet, smacking kiss on his chin. He'd almost forgotten she was even in his lap and now conscious of her and of what Saffron has just said, he's not about to start yelling. Instead, Lohengrin shifts Nic on his lap and chucks her under her own chin. Looking to Saffron again, he clears his throat and makes an announcement that is so unexpected and jolting that Saffron feels as though she might physically topple over from it.
"Birdie's decided she wants children. At her age getting pregnant isn't wise but before we consider adoption we're looking into having someone else carry a child for us. There's a Muggle procedure in which a fertilized egg can be implanted in someone so we're going to try that in hopes of getting a child that's biologically ours even if Birdie didn't carry the baby herself."
It takes Saffron a moment to find her voice. "That's... I know I'm supposed to say congratulations or something along those lines, but this is such overwhelming news, Da, that I'm not sure what to say."
"Yes, it is a great deal to take in. Birdie is over the moon, already thinking about how to decorate a nursery even though she knows it may take a few implantation tries before we have success."
"And what if there isn't success?"
"Then we try using someone else's egg or sperm or both and then we would consider adoption."
Still rather stunned, Saffron struggles to find something else to say. She's saved from anything immediate when Lohengrin abruptly stands with Niccola in his arms. "I don't know about you, young lady," he direct as his granddaughter, "but I am wanting some lunch. Am I invited to eat here or should I find out if Mummy will agree to going into Hogsmeade. For a restaurant that's not one I own, the Crown & Cauldron is surprisingly acceptable fare."
Getting to her feet, legs oddly shaky, Saffron tells him, "You are of course welcome to eat here in the Great Hall, or I'd be happy to make you something. The Crown & Cauldron is also quite nice if you'd prefer eating there."
"The Great Hall is fine. I've always found the Hogwarts kitchen elves do well considering."
"The Great Hall it is then. Let me just grab Nic's sippy cup."
The walk down to the ground floor is somewhat surreal for Saffron as Lohengrin not only carries Nic but is jovial and playful with the toddler the entire way so that when they reach the Great Hall Niccola is giggling nonstop. As Saffron is still somewhat in a daze that's fine with her because it means she's not had to say much the entire way.