Kurumi hadn't expected her trip up to the staff table to be so...somber. The Headmaster's announcement and glances around the staff table had came to a real shock to the Gryffindor. Shock wasn't even the word that could begin to describe the wave of emotions that had washed over the almost seventh year lioness...but it was a start. She just wished that she had baked more personalized cookies. As it was, Kurumi carried four boxes of cookies in her arms. One was filled with her usual
Hogwarts cookies for all of the school's staff to enjoy. Another was for the
Headmaster, filled with
oatmeal cookies, and she set this crimson box in front of him first.
"
Headmaster Tate....thank you...for the past six terms," she said softly, biting on her lower lip rather furiously. Sh hadn't known that he was
retiring leaving and had had other reasons for giving him these cookies...but those thoughts had gone right out the window after his speech. Other words were sort of failing her at the moment so she left things at that, offering one last bow to the man and a weak smile before moving along.
Having set down the box of Hogwarts cookies already, Kurumi stopped in front of
Professor Scabior and then glanced at the empty seat of Professor Lafay. Kurumi had seen the man go to the snake table
and was now wondering if HE had something to do about the woman's disappearance, and figured he would be the person to ask. "
Professor Scabior...do you know where Professor Lafay is?" she asked softly. "
I...I have cookies..." I was dared to give her. "...I wanted to give her." Kurumi could always go and ask Sierra...but Sierra never really wanted to have anything to do with the Gryffindor so she would rather not.
Finally, and rather reluctantly, Kurumi approached
Professor Williamson with her eyes already shimmering slightly. Back to chewing on her lip, Kurumi simply stood there in front of the man staring at the top of the table for several moments with the last box of
cookies in her hands. These cookies were supposed to just be a kind gesture to let him know that she wasn't upset that Roro had
SLAUGHTERED burned all of their plush dragons, only now that was one of the last thoughts on the Kurumi's mind. Now she was selfishly hoping that these cookies would make him not leave. That he would stay and teach at Hogwarts. They did say that the way to a man's heart was through his stomach...so it could work, right?! Tears and cookies?! It worked on her father...
"
P-Professor Williamson..." she began, her voice cracking involuntarily as she set the box down in front of him. "
Do you...do you really have to leave?" She suddenly felt like such a first year asking their parent if they had to board the Hogwarts Express all by themselves. Couldn't daddy just get on board and continue to hold onto their hand and just be there? She suspected that it had something to do with Roro, his reasons for leaving, but...wasn't there another possible solution? "
You're...you're the best Care of Magical Creatures professor I've ever had..." Not that the others hadn't been fantastic. Professor Williamson had just been for her what Professor Zookara had once been. More than JUST a professor. A sort of hero. Someone to aspire to be like...and she didn't want to let go of that...again.