And here came the students. The first one was a Slytherin prefect. Erik took note of her badge and returned her nod. "Good day." She didn't have to address him as professor, but he appreciated the title as a sign of respect regardless.

Erik almost cracked a smile at the next student to enter, simply because she was one of his favourites the most enthusiastic-looking, so far.

"Alexa," he gave her a nod, and, "you may call me Mister Vinteren, if you vish. Professor's just a title." And one he wasn't sure he had a right to, at that.

"Hello again," Erik recognised the boy whom he had spoken to during the goblin raid. He didn't know his name though. He'd work on that.

"Hello," Erik returned the Ravenclaw's greeting, watching the boy as he picked out a desk.

This girl had also been in the hallway during the goblin thing. Erik gave her a nod no smile as she took a seat. "Hello." Ah, so she was a quidditch captain? He must have missed seeing her badge before, but it was duly noted now.

Erik recalled this girl as looking familiar from his numerous observations over the last year. She was related to Roxanne Carter, if he wasn't mistaken. Heh. Heh.

"Hello Miss." He returned her greeting politely. Shame Carter hadn't made it on the Board, despite all her efforts.

"Good day," Erik almost returned the smile given to him by the next Hufflepuff to arrive, but didn't really. He didn't have anything in particular to smile about...yet.

"Hello," Erik returned yet another Slytherin's greeting. There were a lot of the green-clad students in here, hmm.

Everyone was being so quiet and polite. Erik wasn't sure he had been expecting that out of the Hogwarts students. They had all seemed so...difficult....last year when he had been running for the Board of Governors. No matter, here was a badger complimenting him now.

"Thank you," he replied to the boy, with just a touch of surprise in his tone. He glanced down at his own suit and then to his watch. Nearly time to begin, then.

Another badger who looked familiar...something reminded him of the auction of last year. Had Erik outbid this boy for his hammer? Heh, yes, yes he had. He wouldn't mention that now though, since the boy was being polite and well-mannered. So far.

"Good day."

Erik wondered if this one liked sitting up front in all her classes. He returned her greeting with a polite nod and a, "Hello" back.

Another young student, sitting near the front. Good. "Hello," Erik returned his cool nod.

The attitude exuding from this older Slytherin caused one of Erik's eyebrows to rise ever so slightly as the boy strutted waltzed into his classroom.

"Student." Erik returned his greeting, not at all mocking him. On purpose.

"Hi," Erik returned the greeting of another Gryffindor. Good, there were Gryffindors in attendance. He approved of that house. Nearly time to begin now, since the desks were filling up...

But not before the son of the Board's President arrive. Aha, Erik had been hoping he would make it. And already he had questions. Naturally.

"Hello. Thank you," he replied politely to the first two questions, his hand absentmindedly adjusting said tie when Branxton brought it up. "I do. I know many knots, most used in sailing." And that was all he had to say about that. "Thank you for coming to class," Erik added, as a way of cutting that conversation short.

"Hello," Erik greeted the last student to come in, giving her a nod before glancing at his watch again. And....perfect, she would be the last one. It was time to begin.


He pushed off from the desk and waved his wand at the doors, removing it from his holster and stowing it away in one very smooth motion, and then coming forward toward the desks while the doors closed with an ominous thud.

"Hello and velcome to History of Magic," Erik started promptly. "Before we begin, I vould like to introduce myself." He gave the students a thin smile. "My name is Vinteren, Erik Vinteren. I am not a professor, but you may address me as either 'Mister Vinteren,' or 'Professor Vinteren,' out ov respect. I am currently serving vhe Hogwarts Board of Governors and took vhis post as a favour to your Headmistress." Who was rather short-staffed and frantic at the time, though he didn't add that bit aloud.

"Since I am still new to vhe castle," Erik continued, "if you vould kindly take out a sheet of parchment and fold it in halv to make a nametag for yourself, I vould be most grateful." And it would certainly help him to address them all by the proper names. "While you are doing vhat, you may also raise your hand and answer vhe question, Vhat is History of Magic? Vhat do ve study in vhis class, and vhy?"

As soon as he said that, the questions appeared on the board beside him so that students who might have been better at reading than listening could remember what had been asked. And Erik started looking for hands, to call on people, because he was most interested in their responses.