Quote:
Originally Posted by
sweetpurplepeopleeater 
The astronomer smirked and tried to muffle his amused chuckle with his fist at the boy's reaction. "First time in a planetarium, Mr. Baines?" The first year's reaction indicated as much. "Nothing compared to the real thing, but it will suffice and is quite handy for research."
Ah, okay. Clearly not the same Seren, so that was a bit of a relief to know that the former Herbology professor had not been leading this double life that he was entirely unaware of. Well, he was still unaware of a lot of things, but at least one less thing to check off on that list.
"A favor? Sure," he nodded. "Hopefully it is something I can deliver on."
"It is..." Thornton whispered in response, fascinated that something created by muggles could replicate the sky like that. He thought about some of the evenings when he'd been able to persuade his parents that simply laying in the grass and staring at the sky constituted study. Mostly, though, at-home astronomy was him and his father with their telescopes, drawing charts. Telescopes. The favor.
"Um, well," Thornton began nervously.
"I was wondering if you could maybe, if it's not too much trouble, write to my father?" Thornton bit his lip and considered his next words.
"He said I had to leave my telescope at home and I thought maybe if you suggested that I should have it here, he would let me bring it next term?" Thornton wiggled in his seat, putting the book down on the empty chair next to him. If Father even let him come back for next term given what was going on.
"I don't think he'd agree if it was me asking but if it came from you and that it was about school work and not just me wanting to have it, then he might?"
Word from a Professor might be enough. So long as Father didn't hear about the food fight.