Erica started tapping her foot to a nonexistent beat going on in her head when the student that she noticed before exited the professor's office and announced that he was ready for the next student. Erica nodded as a sign of recognition before turning her attention back to the Slytherin girl standing next to her.

"Well, I guess it's my turn. You're welcome to come in with me if you'd like. I don't think this will take very long and it's better than waiting out in these depressing halls by yourself."

With that, Erica stepped inside Fox's office and silently shaking her head, she produced the note that she'd recieved earlier.

"Well, Professor, I'm here for the make up work since my assignment went in late. What is it you'd like me to do?"

Drusilla raises her eyebrows, when the Hufflepuff says she perhaps should be thankful of what she´s got. She has the nerve ... she thinks to herself. She was about to say something unconsidered, but then the girl blushed seemingly embarrassed about the fact she was late with her homeworks.

Drusilla had had a bad memory lately, but even if she hadn´t, she doubted she could have told had she ever been in same classes as this girl. She had the habit of not noticing the Hufflepuffs, except she somehow remembered their Prefect. She remembered all the Prefects ... or did she? Who was Gryffindor Prefect this year? She really didn´t know. The bad memory thingy again, she thought.

Drusilla hesitated, when the girl said she could come in with her. The curious part of her wanted to go, but luckily her reasonable part win.

"I think this hallway is not depressing at all," she said fake-cheerfully looking at her depressing homework parchment. "Besides, I don´t think Professor Fox will be very pleased if we arrive his office in pairs," she stated.

Besides, she thought to herself, he might think I´m friends with a Hufflepuff, whom I don´t even know. She was very careful not to let her attitude towards Hufflepuffs show, though, having read Professor Fox´s rules. She even smiles to the girl and nods politely towards the Office door. "I can wait, no need to hurry."

"Ah yes, Ms. Arbon. I was hoping that you could help me out by researching a topic I hope will interest you." He reached into his desk and pulled out a piece of parchment. "I would like you to research a topic I hope you will find interesting. You will briefly research cryptology, more specifically ciphers. I would therefore like you to write me about 10 sentences on two topics: transposition ciphers, and what are known as 'Kasiski examinations'." He handed her the parchment.

"I know this likely seems somewhat mundane and banal Ms. Arbon, researching non-wizard forms of codes and code breaking. However, think of it as a stepping stone. Perhaps in the future we can discuss one of many applications of Arithmancy, namely Magical Decryption, or Magical Code Breaking. If you need any help with resources, please don't hesitate to send me an owl or stop by again." He nodded politely to her, "If there are any other students, please have them come in."

Erica accepted the parchment the professor handed her and studied it for a moment before nodding in agreement. She'd have to spend some time in the library researching the subject, as she didn't know much of anything when it came to cryptology. She placed the parchment in the pocket of her robes and smiled before addressing Fox.

"Thanks, Professor. I'll be sure to seek you out if I have any trouble finding information."

Satisfied with her assignment, she walked out of the office, fully intending to hit the library immediately and get the work done. She gave the Slytherin student still waiting outside a slight nod goodbye and motioned for her turn to visit the professor.

Drusilla sees the Arithmancy lesson is soon to be started, and leaves the Office door without entering. I might ask later, she thinks.

Nadia walks into the Artithmancy corridor not much after the last class and knock on the door. When let in, she peeked her head from the door and spoke.

"Good morning, professor," she said. "I hope I'm not interrupting. I was wondering - I couldn't compromise to an extra work to make up for being late on the last assigment, so I was expecting I could perform the job now. Is it possible?"

Professor Fox looked up hearing the knock, and let the student in. He nodded as Nadia talked and reached into his desk.
"Ah yes Ms. Rey, I have your assignment right here. I would like you to do some research for me. Would you please research the topic of magic squares and antimagic squares. I would like 10 sentences on the topic, and I would like you to explain the differences between the two." He handed her a piece of parchment with the topic written on it. "This has no due date, and may be completed at your leisure."

Nadia took the piece of parchment out of intertia, she had gone into a ridiculous trance-looking state where she could only blink. Finally, noticing she had was coming like a looney, she shook her head and addressed the professor.

"Actually," she reached for a pocket of her, still looking shocked and her cheeks tinging slightly, "I was just -" and here she pulled a piece of parchment and offered it to the professor, "my own investigation."

She guessed there was really no need to show it of right now, but for some reason felt compelled to. Then she shook her head and spoke again, "I will work on the assigment."

She nodded, turned and started to leave. (ooc: No kidding, I was reading about Durer's Magic Square just now O_o LOL)

Professor Fox stood up and walked over to his blackboard. He quietly began working away at it, occasionally examining a piece of parchment or a book, then continuing in earnest. He pulled his jacket a little closer, silently wondering why he had no fireplace. He removed his glasses and stared at the board for a moment, then in resignation removed a large, old book from his bookcase and began flipping through the pages. No sooner had he begun this than he heard a familiarly gruff, muffled voice from his desk.
"Lesley? Lesley?!" Said the voice, "Where are you?"
Professor Fox sighed deeply and removed the mirror from his desk. "Ah yes, Milagor, what a surprise," he said a little sarcastically.
"Lesley, no owls, no visits. For two weeks I've been waiting, and mum's the word. Where are we?"
Professor Fox held the mirror up, and rubbed the bridge of his nose, replying, "Milagor, I've told you before, I will contact you once I have found something. So far, I have found nothing but false candidates. Finding these places is not easy, but it is time consuming. I'm working in fits and starts here." He sighed a moment and continued, "I remind you that I am doing this in my free time. If you would like me to work harder to find it, then you can pay me to work hard-"
The voice interrupted him, "I know that!" The voice seemed to calm down before continuing. "Look, just keep me informed, and contact me when you've found candidates for its location, false or no."
Professor Fox nodded unconciously, "Yes Milagor. Yes, yes, yes." He said, stuffing the mirror in a drawer and closing it while the voice was still talking.

Professor Fox sighed, and went back to reading at his desk.

Terry had enjoyed the discussion they had had in class about the number 0. She is hoping if the Professor isn't too busy he might continue it with her. Terry walks up to his door and hears that same raspy voice she heard before. Strange the last time she heard it there wasn't anyone in the office but Professor Fox. She wonders is maybe she's starting to hear voices in her head again. Either way Terry decides to wait until the Professor gives her permission to enter his office just in case he is talking to someone. Professor Fox's office door fascinates Miss Weasley. She's never seen a door quite like it. Terry wonders if she could possibly circumvent the professor's elaborate security spells. Making sure no one is walking down the hall, Terry stares at the door and visualizes it opening in her mind. She continues doing this hoping the door will open on its own.

Professor Fox opened his office door and steped out backwards, closing the door as he went. No sooner however had he stepped out of his office and closed the door, than he bumped into Terry.
"Oh my!" He exlaimed. "Ms. Weasley, I didn't hear you. I was just on my way to have a cup of tea, what can I do for you?" He asked, standing before her with his hands in his pockets.

Alex walked slowly and waited at Professor Fox's door, the owl still clutched in her hand. She knocked gently at the door when realizing that someone was already inside. Perhaps she should come back later?

It's not the fact that she was scared of Fox, I mean, she wasn't really. But he just acted very -- creepy at times. And what was up with the last name basis. I mean, did he do it just to annoy people?

Whatever, she was hoping this meeting would be as short as possible.

[OOC: Actually, they are standing outside his office.]

Professor Fox looked at Alex as she approached. He sighed to himself, wondering if he would ever get chance to get some proper tea. "Ah yes, Ms. Kay. Well, the three of us might as well sit down in my office." He said, turning to the door. Wrapping on it gently with his wand. The door slowly opened and he stepped inside, taking a seat behind his desk, and motioning to two chairs before him for Terry and Alex.

Jaren made it to Professor Fox's Office with the letter in hand and the Professor's raven on one shoulder. He would have sent a reply, but as he had never met this man before, decided that he would meet him in person.

He knocked on the door before pushing it open and noted he was not the only one called here.

"Professor Fox," he said as a manner of greeting. "I recieved your letter."

ooc: Disregard, posting problems

ooc:

Alex hesitated going inside Fox's office -- but did, eventually. She really had no other choice.

There were the Hufflepuff girl -- the Hufflepuff Prefect there. Perhaps she had recieved a letter as well. As she walked in, she scanned the office carefully. Wordlessly, she took a seat and stared at Fox.

Before even asking why he took the whole apology thing so seriously, there was someone else on the other side of the door that sounded quite familiar. When the person pushed open the door, she realized who it was -- Jaren.

"Erm, I haven't recieved an owl from Selena, if that's what you're wondering," she replied slowly.

Professor Fox looked up from the two students already before him, seeing Jaren. "Ah yes, Mr. Kymers, welcome." He would have offered him a seat, save for the fact that he only had two. Thinking for a moment, he then stood up and lifted his own chair, setting it down in front of his desk. Professor Fox then motioned for Jaren to sit in it. "I see Ms. Kay. Thank you very much, that was all I needed to know. If you have no other questions, you may go."

"I'll stand," Jaren replied calmly. "Was there something that you wanted to discuss with me specifically or is Alex here for the same reason?"

Professor Fox nodded. Meanwhile, the raven had flown over and perched atop one of his bookshelves. "I simply wanted to know whether Ms. Rickman had apologized to you and given you her letter Mr. Kymers. That was all."

With a small nod and a sigh of relief, Alex quickly got up and left the office without another word. Thankfully, it was only about the apology letter she was supossed to recieve from Selena. Heck, she didn't even care about the letter.

Although, she had an idea that she just got Selena into even more trouble than she was before.

"No, she hasn't," Jaren replied. "Nor was I actually expecting one."

Before exiting the office entirely, she stopped and listened for a sec to what Jaren and Fox were talking about. Alex turned around and glanced at Jaren, but then her attention turned on Fox.

"Professor, it doesn't matter," she began slowly. "Once you hang around Selena as long as Jaren and I have, you get used to her everyday pranks. I mean, she's done --" Why are you talking about this to Fox?

The girl sighed. "The point is, it's just a letter. Like Jaren said, I don't expect a letter, because -- well, because she is Selena," she finished, rather bluntly. What ...?! It was true.

Terry walks into Professor Fox's office and takes a seat. She looks around. No one is there again. "This is the second time I've heard that voice and there wasn't someone in the professor's office too." Terry is beginning to believe she might be hearing voices in her head again. The last time that happened Voldemortist was hiding in the Shrieking Shack. Terry didn't even want to consider that possiblility. She is sure there is a logical explanation as to why she keeps hearing a raspy voice everytime she get near Professor Fox's office, but she's not sure she wants to ask the professor about it.

Trying not to listen in on the other students conversations, Terry get up and walks over to the chalk board. It is covered with equations. Terry continues to study the writing on th chalk board with interst. It looks like the professor is trying to solve a giant puzzle or something. Her knowledge of the dungeons is somewhat limited. The previous History of Magic professor had taken them on a tour of the dungeons during her second year, but one of those imposters from Beaubaton had interupted them half way through. They are generally off limits to students except for the potion classrooms and the detention halls, so even getting a look at the layout is fascinating. Terry still can't make heads or tails of the equations on the board. Could the professor be looking for a hiden burial chamber at Hogwarts? Terry continues to try and not listen to the others conversation. Professor Fox mentioned something about a cup of tea. Perhaps she could talk him in to allowing her to join him. She'd like to have a few minutes alone with the professor to discuss her theories about security at Hogwarts.

ooc: Psst...Terry, Jaren hasn't left yet and Alex is just about to.

Jaren looked towards the door as Terry entered and realized her attention was drawn to one of the blackboards in Fox's office, which naturally drew his attention to it. He gave it a cursorary once-over as if just to see what she was looking at before regarding what Alex had said and Professor Fox himself.

Professor Fox listened politely to Jaren and Alex. "Thank you, both of you. While your loyalty to your fellow house mate is to be admired, the issue at hand is not really about you two." He sighed, "I digress, it is a matter concerning Ms. Rickman. Thank you both, you may go." Having said that he turned his attention back to Terry's seat, only to notice she was no longer there, but behind him examining his chalk board.
"Ah. Ms. Weasley, come and sit down, that we may discuss the issue you came to see me about." He said, quietly motioning to a chair before his desk.