Professor Deck
December 24, 2006 12:05 PM
[Head of House's office] [Tag: Professor McKindy] by Professor Deck
If Declan had to read another paper, he was sure his eyeballs were going to fall out, and/or burst into flame and diminish to ashes. He winced and laid the latest down to rub his temples. Usually, he avoided taking medicinal potions for as long as possible, a side-effect of a bad experience he had as a child--but this headache was monstrous, and nearing migraine proportions with every minute. With a sigh, he pushed his chair back and began rummaging in a nearby cabinet for an analgesic philtre.Five minutes later, his desk was cluttered with various supplemental potions, a few crystals, a veritable mountain of half-completed, crumpled letters, a jade reclining Buddha, several handfuls of Drooble's Best bubblegum, a half-finished technomancy project, and an astronomical magazine with a picture of a very familiar, red-headed Scottish wizard on the front. There was, however, not a single philtre among them. Deck heaved a frustrated sigh and continued to rub his temples, flopping down in his chair to survey the mess in front of him. Had it really been so long since he'd cleaned out his cabinets? Glancing around, he winced, realizing how cluttered his office had become.
I'll clean it later, he thought glumly, shifting through the pile halfheartedly. His hand paused on the magazine, and he briefly remembered Michael's laugh as he related how a reporter from Orb and Sky had contacted him--me, of all people--to request an interview. BAMA's Prodigal Son, they'd named him. One corner of his mouth quirked upward as he opened the magazine and flipped to the right page. Reading wasn't exactly high on his list of things to do, but that's what the photos were there for, weren't they?
A scratchy meow caught his attention, and Declan glanced over the top of the magazine to see Twitch perched on a chair by the door, eyes fixed on the doorknob and whiskers twitching in the manner that had given the cat its name.
"Someone coming, beast?" Deck called softly. The cat didn't look back, but meowed again, sitting back on his haunches and continuing to stare.\n\n
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Professor Deck
[Head of House's office] [Tag: Professor McKindy]
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Professor Deck
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Professor McKindy
December 24, 2006 2:27 PM
Some visitors, I'm afraid [Tag: Hikaru] by Professor McKindy
Aaron had read Hikaru's essay with mild approval. The boy seemed to get the point (hexes were dangerous and not to be messed with), although he could have merely been feigning it. Many of the more intelligent children picked up on that after awhile. At least, Aaron had been approving until he finished the final paragraph to find the essay signed. In blood. Immediately after the class ended, he had taken Hikaru up to the office of the Head of House of Teppenpaw, Declan Chatterjee.Now, standing here and looking at the door, Aaron felt a bit nervous. He was glad that it was Declan who was Hikaru's Head of House and not somebody whom Aaron had not yet met. However, the man had the irritating quality of making Aaron's control very shaky. On both previous meetings with the astronomy professor, Aaron had ended up blushing furiously and/or overreacting to something Declan said or did. It would simply not do to have that occur now, with one very stupid first year in tow. Making sure both his features and voice were neutral, despite the unease and irritation he felt, Aaron rapped sharply on the door.
"Professor Chatterjee? It's Aaron McKindy and a student. Can I have a word?"
He turned to Hikaru as he waited for a response from inside the office. Aaron would have sworn that the boy was from some pureblood clan up in the Appalacians if he hadn't looked so Asian. After all, who else kept the ancient traditions of sealing almost everything in blood? The habit was about three hundred years dead in most circles.
"Hikaru?" Aaron asked the boy, voice still neutral. "Why did you feel compelled to sign your essay in blood?"\n\n
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Professor McKindy
Some visitors, I'm afraid [Tag: Hikaru]
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Professor McKindy
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Professor Deck
December 24, 2006 3:09 PM
Good timing. by Professor Deck
A moment after Twitch mewed a second time, someone knocked sharply on the door. Declan exhaled swiftly in shock, and one elbow slipped off the desk as a vaguely familiar male voice called through the door, half-muffled by the door. "Professor Chatterjee?" Not someone he spoke with often then, if they weren't calling him Deck. "It's Aaron McKindy and a student. Can I have a word?" Ah, that explained it."Just one moment please," he called back, standing up so swiftly that his chair caught on rug and tipped backward, nearly tripping Declan up as he moved. Cursing under his breath, he scooped the majority of the flotsam on his desk into his arms and deposited it on a chair in the corner, before pulling two more to the front of his desk. He spared half a second to glance around--the office was still a mess, with books and papers everywhere, along with one rather large, enchanted telescope that took up an entire corner. Oh well--it would have to do for now.
Combing one hand through his shaggy, dark brown hair, he stepped forward and opened the door just in time to catch, "--to sign your essay in blood?"
Declan frowned and looked down at the student, one of his first years. Hikaru Kasuragi, he believed. But what was this about signing essays in blood? Merlin, the practice of signing anything with human blood had died out centuries ago, though it was still an Irish tradition to witness marriage, birth, and death certificates with a mixture of India ink and dragon's blood. "Aaron," he greeted with a nod, still frowning perplexedly at the boy. "Hikaru. Come in, please. Is something wrong?"\n\n
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Professor Deck
Good timing.
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Professor Deck
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Hikaru Kasuragi
December 25, 2006 11:09 AM
I understand your concern. by Hikaru Kasuragi
Hikaru nodded when Professor McKindy asked him that "I sign things in blood so that it fufills the promise I have to myself to never let things go undone. It's a custom I'm used to and it also proves that I did the paper and not anybody else." Hikaru didn't want anyone to think that he was cheating and thats how he had done things in Japan with his father and god-father while he had resided there and then moved to Las Vegas. He slightly sighed when Professor Chatterjee asked him if somwthing was wrong, he stood up even straighter to make himself look taller "I practiced a hex in Professor McKindys class and he caught me after the spells effecs began to wear off." He waited for a reply and then continued speaking "I was very sarcastic and iresponisble towards him when he caught me and 'told' (commanded practically) that he could punish me in any way that he desired and so he had me write an essay about the dangers of hexes and why we shouldn't do them amoung people unless we have absolute control over them." He bowed respectfully towards Professor Chatterjee "I apologize for any harm, trouble, or pain that I may have caused and if you need to punish me then do so; I have made my peace with the matter and only hope that I can regain the trust you have placed in me as a student to be responsible and I have failed I await your judgement." Hikaru stood there straighter than a pole and waited patiently for Professor Deck to respond.\n\n
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Hikaru Kasuragi
I understand your concern.
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Hikaru Kasuragi
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Professor McKindy
December 26, 2006 8:10 AM
Can't say that's a <i>bad</i> thing by Professor McKindy
Declan opened the door just as Aaron finished his question to Hikaru. The astronomy professor's hair, only slightly lighter than Aaron's own, looked mussed. Maybe this was a bad time? Interrupting something important hadn't been Aaron's purpose. However, the relief that flooded him when Declan appeared was unnerving. Surely he hadn't been that desperate for somebody to help him with this perplexing first year. Equally odd was the tinge of nausea that came with the relief. Mentally quashing both feelings, Aaron shot a wry look at Declan over the back of Hikaru's head as the boy explained himself. Confusing and arrogant explanation that it may be."I thought we should discuss it with you, Declan," Aaron said shortly as Hikaru finished the explanation. "As both matters are fairly serious."
Belatedly taking the invitation to come in, he walked into Declan's cluttered office and stood behind one of the chairs as he motioned Hikaru to the other. Aaron did not want another student to come along and get any ideas from the boy. Not to mention that he was mildly curious about the other professor's office. A movement caught his eye and he turned sharply to find a grey cat with twitching whiskers looking at him. Recalling the original search for a cat in the Gardens, Aaron decided that this must be Twitch. There was a monstrous telescope in one corner, and there were books and papers everywhere. One chair in particular was stacked with veritable pile of seemingly random items. Aaron could make out a few crystals and some crumpled paper from where he was standing. He wondered how Declan could manage to function in such a mess.\n\n
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Professor McKindy
Can't say that's a <i>bad</i> thing
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Professor McKindy
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Hikaru Kasuragi
December 26, 2006 3:17 PM
Alright, lets work through this by Hikaru Kasuragi
Hikaru waited patiently for Professor Deck to say hispeace in this matter, he looked around the room carefully for potential threats that might happene in this office. In all of the clutter it was hard to tell the danger in this office. It was cluttered with books, potions, crystals and various other objects. He saw the cat staring at Professor McKindy and smiled to himself. He had always liked cats, but not as much as he like foxes. His favorite creature of legend The 'Kyuubi' or the Nine-Tailed Fox was a creature that was feared as much as reveared in Japanese culture and it was the creature he held dearest in his heart.He remebered a fox that his godfather had let him keep when they lived in the mountains in Japan training, he had named it Kitsune (fox in japanese) and had cared for it more than anything else in his life. When his father attempted to kidnap him while they lived in the mountains, the fox had given its life to save him from his fathers fatal wrath. His godfather was incapactated and Hikaru had been forced to defend himself, all he rembered was that he had been shaking and tried some of the magic that his uncle taught him (Japanese magic mind you) and had cast an illusion where a seemingly nine tailed fox chased his father away. He had a piece of Kitsunes fur on a cord that was currently laying on his chest under his robes. He clung to it and thought of Kitsune while he waited for Professor Deck gave his judgement on this matter.\n\n
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Hikaru Kasuragi
Alright, lets work through this
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Hikaru Kasuragi
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Professor Deck
December 26, 2006 9:01 PM
A thoroughly uncommon Teppenpaw, this one. by Professor Deck
Declan was new to this whole Head of House thing, and even newer to house politics--at least, this side of the Atlantic. To be perfectly honest, he hadn't paid much attention to it during his own education at Hogwarts, despite being a Ravenclaw prefect three years running. Houses were just words on paper and an organizational system based on an obsolete method of picking and choosing characteristics, in his opinion. Still, he'd noticed at Sonora at least that those "characteristics" often did shine through quite obviously, though there were always exceptions.Hikaru, apparently, was one of those exceptions. Declan hadn't missed the wary glances the boy cast about his office upon entering, and that so-called explanation of his--well, he'd gotten to know his charges relatively well through observation, and he had rarely seen anything nearing that level of impudence and arrogance. To find it in a first year... well, it was baffling, to say the least. Declan returned Aaron's wry glance with a questioning, almost bewildered one of his own.
"Thank you, Hikaru," he said, even though he'd directed the question at his fellow professor, as Aaron ushered the boy into the room and towards a seat. "You too, Aaron, please," he said, motioning towards the second chair while moving to his own seat behind the desk. As he sat down, he gave Hikaru a measuring look. The boy sat quite patiently, and his wariness seemed to have given way to curiosity.
"Hikaru," Declan said, sitting forward with his hands folded on the desk, "I understand that you have made this promise to yourself--not to let anything 'go undone.' You, however, must understand where we are coming from. This is a school, and at schools the drawing of blood--either from others or one's self--is generally discouraged." He looked at the boy, fixing him with an unwontedly stern look. "Not only could you get in trouble--believe me, this meeting that Professor McKindy arranged is the least of what he could have done--but you could also get the school in trouble for allowing you to continue with such behavior."
His gaze softened a little, and he leaned forward a bit more, his posture almost confiding. "You're a good boy, Hikaru; we can see that already. You don't need to sign your essays in blood for us to believe that you, and only you, completed them. You have our trust, fully and unconditionally, until you do something to lose it. So no more blood rituals, however minor or benign they seem, all right?"
Declan sat back then to allow Hikaru a chance to speak, and glanced involuntarily at Aaron for some sign of approval. This was the first time Deck had had to have this sort of discussion with any of his students, and though he wouldn't admit it for the world, he was nervous as nine hells.\n\n
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Professor Deck
A thoroughly uncommon Teppenpaw, this one.
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Professor Deck
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Hikaru Kasuragi
December 26, 2006 9:35 PM
I apologize by Hikaru Kasuragi
Hikaru listened carefully to the words and tried to think about it from a teachers perspective and saw how creepy what he was doing was. He thought about normal wizardong culture and the fact that shedding blood was frowned upon. He thuroghly examined what he had been doing and thought about what his godfather would do to him (he would probably be the least to say angry). He sighed to himself as he reviewed what he had done and saw a perfect vision of his father blatently acting this way 'I will not become my father!' he thought to himself. "I understand what you are saying, I haven't been representing my House very well have I?" He said with a sorrowful look on his face. He was truly sorry but it would nigh impossible to regain his standing amoung these two Professors. "I...I wanted again to say how sorry I am and that I hope that you two can forgive me, this isn't who I really am and I don't want you two to think that." He looked at them determinatly "I will do whatever it takes to regain your trust and that of my classmates." He bowed his head and said very softly "If I am being arrogant and I don't care what it is, tell me!" he raised his head and he took a deep breathe as he began to speak again "If there is anything I can do to reagin your trust please let me know and I promise that I won't continue to act like this! Please do tell me if I am and I will amend it." he waited for them to respond and folded his hands together.\n\n
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Hikaru Kasuragi
I apologize
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Hikaru Kasuragi
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Professor Deck
December 27, 2006 11:41 AM
As well you should. by Professor Deck
Declan nodded, accepting Hikaru's somewhat verbose apology. For all of its strangeness, it was well-meant--that much the Astronomy professor could see clearly. "Thank you, Hikaru."He was distracted for a moment by the sight of something moving out of the corner of his eye; Twitch had jumped down from his perch and was eyeing the Charms professor curiously. He stifled a smile as the cat began to rub his head against Aaron's pantlegs.
"This, however, leaves the matter of this hex. Care to enlighten me?" he asked, directing the question at both his student and his fellow professor. \n\n
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Professor Deck
As well you should.
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Professor Deck
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Hikaru Kasuragi
December 27, 2006 4:51 PM
Ah, the Inforium Hex... by Hikaru Kasuragi
Hikaru nodded when Professor Deck asked that question "The Inforium Hex, a second level spell that temporarily blinds an opponent and for humans leaves them with a miserable headache." he cringed as another wave of pain hit him like a wave. He thought about a headache remedy that he had in his bag but, now was probably the right time to use it. He looked away as the cat rubbed up against Professor McKindy and was about to laugh. He spoke again slowly "I had never tried that spell before and I had heard somebody, somewhere talkig about it." He pulled his notebook out from his bag and handed it to Professor Deck "I have a bad habit more like something is forcing me to write things down that I lean, usually they're things that I shouldn't. I can't control it when it happens and I can't understand anything that I write until I finish it." He knew that they now probably thought he was insane. Well, it was kind of odd to be writing down the mechanics of a spell he'd never even heard of. \n\n
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Hikaru Kasuragi
Ah, the Inforium Hex...
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Hikaru Kasuragi
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Professor Deck
December 27, 2006 5:25 PM
Speaking of headaches. by Professor Deck
Perhaps it was his still-thriving migraine. Perhaps he just wasn't as cut out for this Head of House thing as he'd originally thought. Whatever the reason, Declan was swiftly losing patience with this boy. He swallowed back the urge to sigh (and/or simultaneously beat his head against the wall and overdose on an analgesic philtre, if he ever managed to find one) as he flipped through the boy's notebook.His eyebrows rose. "Hikaru, these 'things' are all hexes," he said, his voice very quickly losing any of its amiability. A small corner of his mind was surprised at how well he played the stern schoolmaster, but the rest was quickly overwhelmed by an even stronger urge to beat Hikaru's head against the wall in an attempt to pound some common sense and normal human logic into it. "Why, exactly, are you collecting hexes, Mr. Kasuragi?"
"I'm not sure how things worked at your home," he said after a moment of silence, "but there are rules at this school, as I and all of my colleagues have attempted to impress upon you and your peers. A few rules I will delineate for you very clearly right now. One - you are never to draw blood from yourself or another student. Two - you are not to study, practice, or share hexes unless in you do so with the supervision and express permission of a professor. Three - you must attempt to exercise some self-control. Unleashing unpracticed hexes and being 'incapable of controlling' the urge to write down anything that might cause harm to another living thing..." he pressed his lips together and shook his head. Blood rituals and hexes from a first year... from a Teppenpaw first year!
A few deep breaths restored at least an outward semblance of patience. "If you have another of these urges, Hikaru, or have anything to discuss, I hope that you will come find me; during the day, I can usually be found either here in my office or in the Astronomy classroom. If you need me during the night, there is an alarm set on my office door that will alert me if you knock, so please don't hesitate to come to me then, either."\n\n
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Professor Deck
Speaking of headaches.
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Professor Deck
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Hikaru Kasuragi
December 27, 2006 6:25 PM
*Nods* I completely understand! by Hikaru Kasuragi
Hikaru listened carefully to Professor Decks instructions and nodded furiously "I will do so!" he thought to himself after looking more carefully at Professor Deck 'I better be careful otherwise I'm probably going to be hexed into oblivion..." He sighed to himself and spoke calmly "Please keep the notebook for me, I think without that I might not write things down that I shouldn't. I really do apologize, and I won't be doing any of the things that you said I can't. I swear this upon my personal honor!" he said looking more determined then ever.'Well, at least I can still practice martial arts outside out of the range of students, that might acutally help vent my frustration." Hikaru thought to himself and asked "There was one more thing that I wanted to ask about...My father gave me something and I'm not sure if it's a dark artifact or what but I think thats the compulsary effect taking place, I think that the DADA teacher should examine it." he pulled out a small box that was scrawled with ruins and seemed more western than eastern style.
He set the box on Professor Decks desk and felt as though a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, he wasn't going to get in trouble any more and carrying a dark artifact around didn't really help...he didn't even understand why he was keeping it. Then he mentally smacked himself in the face, the box was designed for mischief or something darker oh well, alls well that ends well.\n\n
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Hikaru Kasuragi
*Nods* I completely understand!
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Hikaru Kasuragi
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Professor McKindy
December 27, 2006 9:33 PM
*blinks* You people have been <i>busy</i> by Professor McKindy
OOC: Sorry, guys, I was working yesterday and most of today. And part of tomorrow, come to that...how a barn can manage to get so busy I shall never be able to guess.BIC:
Aaron reluctantly took a seat per Declan's request. His stomach was still feeling vaguely odd, and the bottom seemed to drop out when Declan returned his wry glance with what seemed to be a bewildered one. Merlin...did Declan know no more than he did about how to go about this sort of thing? Apparently he did, though, or at least demonstrated a very good ability at improvisation as he went on to lecture Hikaru in a patient, understanding way. Quite impressive, actually. Aaron definitely couldn't hit near that amount of patience at this point, although that might be attributed to the sheer amount of time he had already spent with Hikaru. Of course, then Declan had to look at him again, a glance that almost seemed to be looking for...approval? From him?
Hikaru apologised for the blood problem, and Declan seemed to accept it. At that point, Aaron felt an odd pressure against a pantleg, and looked down to see Declan's cat rubbing against him. Smiling involuntarily, he reached down to rub its head as Declan asked about the hex and Hikaru responded. As the astronomy professor examined the notebook, Aaron looked up from the cat briefly to watch the man's reaction. He knew Declan had a snapping point (and had made the man reach that point twice in as many meetings), but would Hikaru...yes, Hikaru would make him hit that point. However, far from losing his temper like he had done with Aaron, he maintained a professional appearance and manner. Again, impressive, especially considering that Aaron knew the other man was a relatively new professor. Before ducking his head back down to pay attention to the cat, who was still pointedly rubbing against his legs, Aaron shot Declan an amused but approving smile.
There wasn't really much point in Aaron being there. If he tried to leave now, though, he would take attention from Hikaru, who had to be dealt with. Not to mention that Aaron was still fairly interested to see what Declan would end up doing to the boy. When Hikaru pulled out an odd box, however, Aaron began to pay much more attention. He scooped Twitch up so as to be able to keep his pantlegs intact and still see how Declan would deal with this.
"Perhaps," he interjected quietly, looking over at the other professor, "if you wouldn't mind, Declan, Hikaru could serve a sort of detention with me?" This way, at least, he could put Hikaru's obvious knack for Charm variations to a proper use. As well as attempt to show the boy a bit of common sense in dealing with the magical world.\n\n
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Professor McKindy
*blinks* You people have been <i>busy</i>
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Professor McKindy
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Professor Deck
December 27, 2006 11:18 PM
That's vacation for you. by Professor Deck
As Hikaru spoke, Declan glanced over at Aaron again, and caught the tail-end of an amused smile as the man bent to stroke Twitch. The cat preened under the Charms professor's ministrations, arching his back and curling his tail. In fact--yes, as Hikaru finished speaking and placed a curious box on Deck's desk, the young Head of House could actually hear his cat's peculiarly raspy purr.Gingerly, he picked up the box to examine it. The runes were only vaguely familiar to him, as he'd never paid too much attention during Ancient Runes at school, and hadn't had any reason to keep his already rusty knowledge in any semblance of working order since graduation. Perhaps he should ask Sadi to take a look at it before he approached Drake O'Leary, who he'd never actually spoken to before (and who, to be perfectly honest, intimidated the astronomy professor as much as he seemed to intimidate his students).
"Thank you, Hikaru. I will let you know what we discover, and if it's innocent, I'll have it back to you as soon as possible," he said. Movement out of the corner of his eye distracted him again; Aaron had scooped Twitch up into his lap, and the cat settled down quickly, displaying his white stomach so that the professor could better rub there and kneading the man's robes blissfully.
Aaron spoke a moment later, and Deck's eyes flickered from his cat up to the man's eyes; it still--well, disturbed wasn't the right word for it, not really. But it gave him an unsettling-yet-not-necessarily-unpleasant feeling to look into eyes that so closely matched his own. That unsettling-yet-not-entirely-unpleasant feeling was soon joined by another: relief. He'd had absolutely no idea how to go about punishing Hikaru, and here Aaron had given him the perfect solution.
"Yes, that would work well," he said, his voice grateful. "Hikaru, Professor McKindy and I will arrange something; you'll be given the details as soon as possible. For now, you should get back to your classes. Aaron, if you wouldn't mind staying for a few minutes?"\n\n
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Professor Deck
That's vacation for you.
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Professor Deck
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Hikaru Kasuragi
December 28, 2006 1:40 PM
I would be honored by Hikaru Kasuragi
Hikaru listened carefully as soon Professor McKindy spoke "I would be honored to serve a detention with you." he said in a very serious tone. He understood that they were still very angry with him and he should start treading, very carefully around these two.He responded as Professor Deck spoke again "I would rather not have it back, you could give it to someone if you'd like. It has no sentimental value and it seems to just take up space." he said the last part with a very meaningful look on his face, it was his fathers for God's sake, he didn't care what happened to it.
Hikaru picked up his bag and bowed to both of them before leaving "Thank you for your time Professors." He walked out the door quickly and sighed...it was going to be a long day.
He dug the medication out of his bag and swallowed a blue pill quickly, the migraine seemed to leave him instantly.\n\n
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Hikaru Kasuragi
I would be honored
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Hikaru Kasuragi
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Profesor McKindy
December 28, 2006 4:13 PM
And that was an interesting encounter by Profesor McKindy
"Of course," Aaron answered Declan's request, ignoring Hikaru's response to the suggestion of a detention and the boy's denial of any sentimental or practical value the box had. Why on earth had he been carrying it around, in that case? Aaron was definitely not looking forward to a detention with this obviously stupid, arrogant child. With any luck he could beat some sense into him, although Aaron would not bet on that. Eleven year olds did not tend towards listening well to adults. Even odd eleven year olds who thought giving permission for their punishment and bowing to professors was perfectly fine behaviour.After the first year left, Aaron raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'm impressed," he said dryly. "You handled him quite well. Personally, my patience was running out at around the time he fired off the hex in the middle of class."
The astronomy professor's cat was purring, an odd sound. Quite loud, though. Aaron rubbed the animal's stomach as it squirmed around. He had never been entirely fond of cats, mostly because they were never too fond of him. So long as Twitch kept his teeth and claws to himself, Aaron was perfectly fine with the animal.
"Declan, you have a lovely cat, by the way," Aaron commented, looking up from the animal to meet the other man's eyes again, then shifting his gaze to the overly cluttered chair in the corner. A more random pile of items he had not seen since his roommate's collection of Muggle artifacts had been confiscated in their fourth year of school. The other professor obviously lacked either the time or the drive to clean his office, and while the mess would probably prove to be an interesting examination, that wasn't what he was still lingering around here for. Idly, the charms professor wondered what would need to be sorted out about the detention, or if Declan was merely confused about the whole occurance.\n\n
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Profesor McKindy
And that was an interesting encounter
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Profesor McKindy
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Professor Deck
December 28, 2006 9:56 PM
To say the very least. by Professor Deck
Declan very, very carefully bit the end of his tongue as Hikaru first gave his blessing to the detention idea (if I had any doubts as to this child's strangeness...) and then informed his head of house that he'd rather not have the mysterious, quite possibly Dark artifact he'd been carrying around in his bag back once it was cleared.With an irritable flick of his wrist and a quick wandless charm, the door closed with a sound just short of a slam. "Patience?" he asked dryly after Aaron spoke. "That was me attempting to keep my headache from becoming a migraine. Are we entirely sure that boy is human? Or sane, for that matter?"
His rant was--thankfully--derailed by Aaron's comment about Twitch. The uncommonly intelligent beast preened even more at the praise, and in reward, flicked his pink tongue out against the heel of Aaron's hand. Deck's lips quirked upward as he glanced towards Aaron's face; it was an interesting sensation, being licked by a cat. Like warm, wet sandpaper.
He realized after a moment that he'd--well--not been staring, but he certainly had exceeded that unspoken time limit on looking at others. He felt himself begin to color, and stood, turning his back to Aaron as he began to straighten up a little--mostly to hide the fact that he was noiselessly cursing his Irish complexion, and his tendency to blushing with no provocation. Once he'd run through a few oaths in Gaelic and English, he spoke up audibly.
"So, about Hikaru. I'm not sure what you had in mind, but I doubt that one detention would get through to him. In fact, I doubt anything than a stint of counseling could do so." His cheeks felt cooler now, so he turned back to face his colleague. "Oh--sorry. Would you care for some tea?"\n\n
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Professor Deck
To say the very least.
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Professor Deck
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Professor McKindy
December 29, 2006 10:22 AM
Somehow, understatement isn't usually my forte by Professor McKindy
Aaron looked down at Twitch, amused. Were they sure the boy was human? Fairly. Aaron wasn't precisely certain of his sanity, but he wasn't precisely worried about it either. The cat licked him, so apparently it approved of the attention being paid it. This did not necessarily ensure that the animal would keep its claws and teeth off him, but it made the occurrence less likely.When Aaron looked back up, though, the other professor was still looking at him. Had he done something wrong? Declan began to blush, and turned around, ostensibly to begin sorting out the mess behind him. Somehow, Aaron doubted that he would be able to make much headway. The state that the room was in aside, the man seemed much to flustered to effectively concentrate on the work. Not to mention that, generally speaking, one did not decide to clean their office while discussing detentions. Of course, there had been very little discussion thus far. Perhaps there was another reason Declan had asked him to remain? The lack of speech was making things a bit awkward, at least on Aaron's side of the river. About to say something in an attempt to jump-start the conversation, Aaron was relieved to hear Declan do so instead.
"I was thinking less along the lines of detention and almost more like a private study session," he said carefully. "You're probably right in that a detention wouldn't get through to Hikaru, but if he's going to do things like shoot hexes off in the middle of class, I would like to attempt to instill some sense of protocol and safety into the boy. Worst comes to worst, he could probably re-organise my bookshelves." The astronomy professor turned back around. The man was only tinged slightly pink now. He seemed to blush rather a lot, now that Aaron thought of it.
"I'd love some, thanks," Aaron responded to the question of tea. Declan was certainly very strange. But the tea would probably help quell his resurfacing nausea. Not to mention that tea was usually quite the intrinsic part of his day.\n\n
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Professor McKindy
Somehow, understatement isn't usually my forte
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Professor McKindy
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Professor Deck
December 29, 2006 11:05 AM
Somehow, I suspected that was the case. by Professor Deck
Declan nodded as Aaron detailed his nascent "detention" plans; he'd probably have ended up giving the boy lines for a few nights or making him spend every day after supper cleaning telescopes. Then again, punishment at Hogwarts always had been hopelessly old-fashioned, and really of little use in these American schools. There weren't any dungeons to strike fear into the hearts of the younger students. He repressed a shudder at the memory of his own detentions in the dungeons, and set about making the tea.He was rather proud of his little water heater; it was his first technomancy project gone right. He'd taken the Muggle contraption and wired it for magic instead of electricity, back when he still lived with Michael. Of course, it had taken a few tries. The first to be completed had had its glass parts melt, because the charms were too intense; the second had simply exploded. But this one was his pride and joy. He flicked his wand out to turn it on, and within the space of a few breaths, the water was beginning to bubble.
"Only have peppermint left, I'm afraid. I need to restock soon," he said, passing a cup of the steeping tea to Aaron before pouring one for himself. "The study sessions sound like a good idea to me. If you let me know when you're planning these, I'll let Hikaru know. And if you need any help," he said, giving the other man a smile and nod to show that Aaron need only ask.
...Which left them both with cups of tea and the conversation's subject dead. Brill, Deck, just brill. "Ah... so... how's your first year coming?" Death. Just give me death. Ever heard of something called 'originality' Deck?\n\n
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Professor Deck
Somehow, I suspected that was the case.
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Professor Deck
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Professor McKindy
December 30, 2006 2:45 PM
Somehow, I'm not surprised by Professor McKindy
"Thank you," Aaron said, accepting the tea and the offer of help with the slight inclination of his head. Out of the corner of his eye, he examined the water heater. It obviously didn't run on electricity, since there was no cord and Declan had flicked his wand at it. Personally, Aaron was more partial to the traditional method of charm use than to any of the obscure branches that were gaining more and more recognition. Granted, crafting charms weren't exactly well known or often practised, but that was more artistic license than anything else. Playing with Muggle artifacts was generally looked down upon. At least with the people that Aaron usually conversed with.Unfortunately, Declan's offer of help and approval of the 'detention' plans seemed to effectively finish the conversation. The other professor seemed to have the attempt at a conversation topic up his sleeve, though. A fairly basic one, but a conversation topic nonetheless, which was more than Aaron could say for himself.
"A few minor problems," he replied. "But nothing too drastic. How about you? Sadi mentioned that you came in around Midterm of last year, so I suppose it would technically still be your first year as well."
Sadi mentioned...that didn't sound too awkward, Aaron thought. Not like he had been asking around about Declan. After all, it had been Sadi in the Gardens the day after the Welcoming Feast. Aaron always made the attempt to know as much about others as was possible. It made it much easier to predict responses and avoid missteps that way, as well as being fairly interesting in its own right. He watched the other man idly, waiting for a response.\n\n
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Professor McKindy
Somehow, I'm not surprised
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Professor McKindy
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