Care of Magical Creatures OWL Level (4th and 5th years)

Was that it? She was mildly disappointed what Eleanor disciplinary actions were. She was hoping for some flare, some backbone, but all she got was trivial nonsense. “Yes, Ms. Valenta,” she said, ignoring the surrounding students coming to the defense of the “awesome” professor. She could not fathom how stupid and dense these students could be. The only redeeming quality that the professor had was that she was mutilated and scared by the clever beast she took care of. The only fault of the beast is that they did not go any further.

It was as if a cold chilling wind came blowing in from behind her. A soft spoken, but strong and steady voice came from behind her bring out a quiver or two down her spine. Like, anyone being surprised like that, her hand went immediately to her wand pocket as she spun around, but she only gripped the hilt, and not withdraws it from her pocket, seeing as how it was Professor Grace, a real professor. Eleanie stood up straighter, more proper than before.

“Nothing at all, Professor Grace. Just getting points taken away from Ms. Valenta here.” She showed all the respect she could mustered to the Herbology Professor. It was as if she was a totally different person towards Professor Grace, than towards Eleanor, even though they both carried the status of Professor. Some of his proper mannerisms were less than desirable, Eleanie could respected how he carried himself and his classroom. He had order, even though most of his plants would like nothing better to do than cause disorder, just like his students.

5th Year Posts : 516 Stats : 455 Join date : 2010-10-03

"Oh yeah, I'm planning on it!" She answered Kimbree, giving a curt nod, "I'm Emma." While she smiled, she looked up at Matthew, and the smiled dropped. Had she missed something? Matthew's face stuck out to her, maybe because she wasn't the center of attention, or maybe because she'd never seem him with such an intense look on his face. Though he'd returned his gaze to her, she looked to where he was focused on previously.

It was as though seeing through another person allowed her to properly assess the situation. Well, for one, she wondered why Professor Grace needed a parasol on such a sunny day, but that wasn't what Matthew was seeing. Then she heard the 'magic words', and Gryffindor took a hit that just wouldn't sit well with her. Maybe she could talk to Eleanie, maybe there was something Emma could do?

How she would start that conversation was beyond her though. She sighed and turned back to the others, twiddling her thumbs as she gave Kimbree a shrug. Gryffindor would just try and work at earning those points back she supposed. Still.

Gradually the feeling faded. Or perhaps it was the black figure that blocked Matthew’s view of the Gryffindor and drew his attention away. He saw the parasol, recognized professor Grace, but made no connection between the two. He would remember sometime later, probably, as such things usually came to him.

He looked to Kimbree, eyes bright, but not really seeing her. He said, “Matthew,” the word leaving his mouth with a small breath, and then he settled back onto the grass, pulled at a strand and twirled it between his fingers.

As chill breeze picked up drawing goose bumps to Eleonora's flesh. She watched as a shrouded figure slinked behind Eleanie. She took in his appearance with interest, noting the pale complexion and the parasol he carried to lessen the light of the sun. Thinking back to her training at the ministry she was nearly one hundred percent sure this man was a vampire. Eleonora, being in the beast department, had never had any interactions with vampires. They were dealt with by the being department and even then it was a tenuous truce. He looked older than the students and carried himself with a very noble and controlled bearing. Was he a professor here? Despite his intrusion into her class she was glad for his help with Eleanie. Once she realized who was behind her her attitude shifted, she was almost polite.

After she walked away Eleonora found herself staring the the professor, uncertain how to thank him for his help without appearing helpless. She didn't want him, or any professor, to think that she was incapable of handling her class. At this point, though, it was almost true. It was a moment before she answered, nervous that the time elapsed between his words and her response would look to him like a sign of incompetence.

“Hello...We haven't met, have we?” Eleonora spoke quietly and then glanced around at her students making sure all was still well. A group sat laughing together by the crates working on their assignment.

Autumn was in the air and Sorrow was thankful for the occasional whiff of wind, for he could feel the sun’s glare above his parasol. The heat had begun gnawing on his flesh, creating a rather unpleasant sensation. Yet his expression remained unchanged as he spoke to the two women, revealing no such thing as discomfort.

His eyes slowly drifted away from Eleanie and towards Miss Valenta; and Sorrow took a moment to observe the other professor’s features. The gentle lines of her face, soft eyes, small nose. The pink curve of her lips. Her ivory skin was given a natural blush, one that came with each kiss of the unforgiving sun. Her read hair glistened in that same light, bright like the fire Sorrow remembered watching in the Hufflepuff common room. If he looked long enough, he thought it might play and flicker, and if he listened perhaps he could hear it whisper with life. He wondered if it would burn him, if he tried touching it.

“We have not,” the corners of Sorrow’s mouth tugged and his lips formed a ghost of a smile. Careful to keep the parasol above his head, the vampire gave a short bow. “I go by the name of Grace and my given name is Sorrow,” a pause as he lifted his eyes to her own. “A pleasure to meet you, Miss Valenta.” Her name was given of notice, along with someone called Laroche, the latter being the new Transfiguration professor. As he watched her, however, Sorrow thought he might have seen her at Hogwarts before. Once upon a time, when he was but a fourth-fifth year perhaps, and she stood in the Great Hall with other graduating students of that year.

He kept his gaze on Miss Valenta, but remembered to address the Gryffindor girl. “And why would that be Miss Carr?”

A thousand quick witted and sarcastic answers were at the tip of her tongue, the next one cleverer than the last, but she said none of it in front of Professor Grace. His frightful, almost ghost like appearance did not scare her like some of the other students, who whispered about him. No, that wasn’t it at all. She respected him as an expert in his field, and he challenged the students on an intellectual base and not on trivial pursuits, that was the reason she held her tongue. Instead she uttered, “I told Ms. Valenta that I was busy with your Herbology Homework than look silly trying to catch-“She did not know what they were until on slowed down long enough to get a good look at them. “-Snidget.” Eleanie did not care for the professor at all, but she did like reading about Magical Creatures, especially cute puff balls like the group of them flying overhead.

Eleanie held back a gentle smile seeing on sneeze in the distance sending itself back a few feet. They were so adorable, she wanted one but for now she acted indifference.

5th Year Posts : 516 Stats : 455 Join date : 2010-10-03

Emma tried not to pay attention to the scene unfolding right behind her, but as the conversation died off with her classmates, the temptation grew stronger. Her hands grew more fidgety as she watched Matthew pull grass out of the ground, trying to focus on anything that didn't involve Eleanie. It wasn't her business what the Professor said to her, and she didn't want to embarrass the girl by staring.

Soon Emma had started tapping on the crate on which she sat, keeping a beat familiar to a song she'd heard once. She imagined for a short while that she was on the Quidditch Pitch, flying in the air, and as she did so, her mind pulled away from the reality she sat in, and she had tuned out completely.

Eleonora stood by, trying her best not to fidget or blush as Sorrow ran his eyes over her. He was looking at her rather carefully, his eyes pausing on certain aspects, her hair in particular. Being on display was making her uncomfortable and she worried over what to do with her hands, folding then unfolding and finally settling for hiding them behind her back. He appeared younger than her but his gaze was making her feel like a child. It was embarrassing she was worried over such a thing, they were both adults, both professionals. Yet all Eleonora wanted to do right now was slink back into her office and be done with people for the day.

Sorrow gave a small bow as he introduced himself, speaking in such polite tones. He had such a control over the situation and his words that Eleonora found herself feeling envious. She wished she had the natural grace he carried himself with. She listened as Eleanie explained herself and looked off into the distance. Following her line of sight Eleonora realized the sun was much lower in the sky than she thought, time had been passing fast. It would be time to end her class now.

"Ms. L, seeing as it's time to end class, please see me in my office to work out how you will make up for missing today's lesson." Eleonora tried her best to sound professional and stern. She had a sinking feeling she wouldn't be seeing Eleanie anytime soon. "Please excuse me for just a second, Professor." She stepped over to the other students and informed them it was fine to leave now and to see her in her office if they needed any help or had questions before the next class.

Turning back to Sorrow, Eleonora let a small smile of gratitude form on her lips. "Thank you for coming to introduce yourself."

Her nervous gestures did not escape his notice, and Sorrow softened his gaze, aware that it was of his own fault that she might feel uncomfortable. Eleonora’s gentle motions reminded him much of Lacetta; a thought that made his soul ache with memory. The faint redness of her cheeks made him look away in hope he had not upset her.

“Is that so?” Sorrow’s brow tugged upwards, the expression he offered Eleanie almost pleasant. “And you phrased it so carefully too.” From the exchange he had witnessed earlier, he very much doubted it was so.

He remained patiently silent as professor Valenta requested Eleanie’s presence in her office. And as the professor turned to dismiss the students from her class, he again addressed the Gryffindor girl, his lips playing at a smile. “Well then, Miss Carr. Since you like Herbology quite so much, I would be delighted if you came to help me in the greenhouses.” It was not a request. “After you have made up for the lost Care of Magical Creatures class, of course.” That was the end of it, as far as Sorrow was concerned, and his smile carried over to the other professor as he too turned her way.

“Not at all. I hope my presence has not been of inconvenience to you. I had meant to wait until your class had ended.” Yet he had not, for reasons that seemed obvious at the time. Now he wondered if he had possibly made an error by stepping in. It was not only for Eleonora's sake however; after witnessing Eleanie's behaviour, he wanted a moment to speak to her as well. There was something off about the way she spoke. He could not help but wonder at the reasons of this.

Shit!

It was as simple as that, she stepped in it big time. She could care less about losing house points. That was a trivial thing, and she was secretly hoping the Gryffindors lose for a fourth year in a row, seeing as how prideful Gryffindors could be. But the thought of getting two detentions was downright dreadful. She could have squirm out of Eleanora’s “make up assignment,” but Professor Grace was another matter. Even though she was clever enough to slither out of Eleanora’s grasp, Professor Grace would see to it that penance will be made, forcing her to suffer both detentions and whatever else Eleanie will be subjected to by both professors.

This time she could not hid her annoyance even towards Professor Grace. “As you wish,” she said as she performed a mocking curtsy before turning her back on Professor Grace, Eleanora, and the class. She trotted away, more disgruntle than before.

Eleonora watched as Eleanie stomped off toward the castle in full hissy fit mode. She shook her head, sad that one of her students had to be so difficult. She would rather have just given her a reprimanding sentence or two and let her be on her way but Eleanie had ended up with two detentions instead. She felt her face betray her emotions as she watched the rest of the class depart as well. Soon she was left with just Professor Grace and the snidgets buzzing around their heads.

For lack of knowing what to say, Eleonora withdrew his wand from her hair in preparation to recapture the snidgets. Gently, of course. She turned to Sorrow, unable to ignore him any longer without being rude.

"Thank you," she said quietly, perhaps a little embarrassed of herself. "I guess I'm not very good at dealing out punishments..." She paused, gathering her words before continuing. She noticed that Sorrow's face had lightened, his face not so stern and intimidating. There was almost a glimmer of softness there, but Eleonora was probably just imagining things. "Is she always like that or is it just me?"