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Meandering · 07-06-2006, 12:56 AM

The back of the door you open looks scarred, as if someone has been shooting spells at it. Indeed, now that you look closer, the scratches actually spell out something.

Close the Door.

How bizzare...?!

The words suddenly flame a bright liquid yellow, and the door yanks itself out of your frozen grasp and slams itself shut. The women sitting at the desk barely looks up at the bang. She appears to be writing something slowly, and deliberately, and you wait while the quiet, but somehow menacing scritch-scritch of the quill goes on.

Meanwhile, you take the oppurtunity to look around the room. There are a few pictures lying around the place, soft, swirling, bright splashes of color that could mean anything - a tree, a flower, a cloud, but mostly the wall is plastered with bookshelves, and they in turn, are stuffed with books. A few of them look like they are trying to bite, but can only squirm instead, fastened with black leather bands. Most are more docile, and rather decorative, with smooth spines and delicately drawn words on the covers, in all shades of dark colors.

On top of the bookshelves are perched thin, golden shining things, some bear resemblance to astrolabes, others look a little like windchimes. A few hang from the ceiling, and one particular one is hung over with delicate beads - of crystal or plastic, you can't quite tell. Between them, they catch the light of the room and toss it, glint, glitter, glimmer, glisten, gleam, about, creating provocative shadows and sudden bursts of scintillating light.

But professor doesn't look like the sort of woman who would choose things like these. You look back at her, still writing. She's a lounging sort of creature, with very thick, very black hair that has been pulled back into a bun, though thick waves of it fall forward over her ears. Her skin has a yellow tint, or that might be the lighting. The teak desk she is writing on bears a nameplate. The words shine the same way the scratches on the door did.

Prof. Andi Mao-Macdougal Zizhen

She has long sweeping eyelashes, perhaps overmascara-ed, that brush her cheeks. When she finally pushes away the paper, and holds the quill between two of her fingers, like she's smoking (you suspect that she was just drawing lines on parchment, to prolong your discomfort) the quick look Professor Mao-Macdougal gives you is like ash falling off a cigarette.

She is definitely Chinese - or half Chinese, with eyes that are tilted upwards. She looks tall, but that's only because she holds herself tall and somehow manages to look down her nose on you when you're a head taller. Over the summer, Professor Mao-Macdougal has successfully kicked the smoking habit, though it has not noticeably sweetened her temper.

She leans forward on the table, her eyebrows barely going up in a minimal show of interest. "Yes?" Professor Mao-Macdougal says, quietly. "May I... help you?"

And there is something in her tone that threatens: this had better be good or nothing in the world is going to help you, except maybe those nice trained Healers at St. Mungo's.

Backslash · 08-10-2006, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meandering

Andi's eyes snapped open as she glared at the man who was in danger of burning his nose with the cup. "Oh? So you're saying it's my fault, is it?" she snapped dangerously and not completely reasonably either.

Professor Opteryx repressed the urge to hide behind the teacup. "Y-No, only that...well, let's just say the kind of teacher students love to get on the nerves on, just to see how many things they can get away with before you really, um, snap. It's...something of a prestige amongst them. Therefore, if--" here he nervously adjusted his deerstalker hat, "if you um, behaved differently for a change, and didn't react to them the same way...they wouldn't see a need to act so out of hand."

Meandering · 08-10-2006, 10:00 PM

Andi glared at him a minute longer, till it was quite possible to make a bar out of the concentrated venom she could put into a single look. Then she deflated, and slumped back into her chair, gulping down the tea. "Hm," she said. "You don't say." With a lazy, multiboned shrug, Andi added, even while the ghost of a vile plan was hatching in the back of her mind. "Then there're those who get so... scared that they can't seem to raise their hand and answer anything without going white and stuttering. Can't think why."

She poured herself more tea.

And the Vile Plan grew a little more.

"Behave differently, you say?" remarked Andi, lifting the cup to her lips again. "...define... differently."

Backslash · 08-10-2006, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meandering

Andi glared at him a minute longer, till it was quite possible to make a bar out of the concentrated venom she could put into a single look. Then she deflated, and slumped back into her chair, gulping down the tea. "Hm," she said. "You don't say." With a lazy, multiboned shrug, Andi added, even while the ghost of a vile plan was hatching in the back of her mind. "Then there're those who get so... scared that they can't seem to raise their hand and answer anything without going white and stuttering. Can't think why."

She poured herself more tea.

And the Vile Plan grew a little more.

"Behave differently, you say?" remarked Andi, lifting the cup to her lips again. "...define... differently."

The glare Andi dealth him would've made anyone else shrivel up on the spot, all while writhing in pain. He swallowed and bought himself some time by sipping the hot tea--which seemed to have chilled considerably.

"Maybe...more laid back and...cheery?" He suggested hesitantly. "No offense, I think you're fine the way you are, but...it might help to be a bit more friendly towards the students."

Meandering · 08-10-2006, 10:24 PM

"Yes thank you," said Andi vaguely. "I think you're fine the way you are too. More laidback and cheery, huh? More nice, and - and cute, you mean. Like you are." It was a backhanded compliment that might have landed most of her students into the hospital wing for shock treatments, but Andi barely noticed. She was staring into the amber depths of her tea and envisioning a whole new brand of torture.

Slowly, she smiled. "Good idea indeed, Op. A very good idea. Maybe I could get some results, hey?"

Andi grinned - well, it was more of a smirk with teeth. "I'd kiss you," she told Opteryx, rather maliciously, "but I'm afraid you'll have a heart attack. And that one of those little pests might've hid a camera in the room. You've given me a... a whole new outlook." She sipped her tea. "Thanks."

Backslash · 08-10-2006, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meandering

"Yes thank you," said Andi vaguely. "I think you're fine the way you are too. More laidback and cheery, huh? More nice, and - and cute, you mean. Like you are." It was a backhanded compliment that might have landed most of her students into the hospital wing for shock treatments, but Andi barely noticed. She was staring into the amber depths of her tea and envisioning a whole new brand of torture.

"Er, yes. Something like that," Professor Opteryx said, or rather, murmured uncomfortably into his tea.

Quote:

Slowly, she smiled. "Good idea indeed, Op. A very good idea. Maybe I could get some results, hey?"

Andi grinned - well, it was more of a smirk with teeth. "I'd kiss you," she told Opteryx, rather maliciously, "but I'm afraid you'll have a heart attack. And that one of those little pests might've hid a camera in the room. You've given me a... a whole new outlook." She sipped her tea. "Thanks."

Opteryx exhaled in relief, glad that Andi would try out his suggestion, though he blinked a little at Andi's next sentance before speaking again as he set down the empty teacup. "You're welcome, Andi. And thank you for the tea--I should be getting back to my office. Good luck."

Meandering · 08-10-2006, 10:57 PM

"Oh, absolutely!" chirped Andi - cheerily. And somehow, maybe because her cheer was like a blade that had been sharpened on pure evil, the smile was alarming. "Drop in anytime."

Thump0427 · 08-10-2006, 11:20 PM

Walking up to the door looking sad but determined Thump knocked on the door,wand in hand incase Professor Mao-Macdougal decided to send a hex through the door to meet him instead of a plate of tea and cookies.

Meandering · 08-10-2006, 11:54 PM

"Come in," said Andi. For a moment, she wavered, wondering if she should go into it now. Then decided, no, she wouldn't. She'd save it for a ... wider audience. Sitting at her desk, Andi raised an eyebrow as the boy entered the room. "Yes?"

Thump0427 · 08-11-2006, 12:14 AM

Walking in cautiously hiding his wand behind his back Thump said"U-um Professor....i was wondering...well thinking for a long time,and i hope you dont give me detention for asking but....why do you seem to hate all us students? I mean did you attend Hogwarts?If you didnt do you have some inner grudge against all of us who do? Are you planning to somehow kill us all? Or at least get a day when at least all of us are in detention.Because every class or even everytime i see you around you seem to delight in bellittling our efforts,lowering our self-esteem,or at least...as was clearly appearant to anyone watching you the other day and knew you at all,take enjoyment in cursing students however rarely you get the chance." said Thump finishing in a gasp of breath...he had thought long and hard on what he would say and it all went to waste when finally coming face to face with this beautifull but highly intimidating being,he hoped she wouldent curse him on the spot for disturbing her with such emotional nonsense and kept a tight grip on his wand behind him.

Meandering · 08-11-2006, 02:51 AM

Andi stared at the boy, allowing his torrent of words to flow over her. She recognized him as the Ravenclaw Tag's friend. Insanity was probably catching. "Sit down," she said, after he had finished, breathing heavily in front of her. Perching on the edge of the desk near the chair, Andi fixed the boy with her 'Intimidating' glare - level 3. It was terrifying enough to glue someone in their chair, but not frightening enough to make them lose complete control of their senses (and their bowels) and attempt to make a break for it (and a holy hell of a mess besides).

She studied the hapless child for a moment or two, with no expression on her face. "Like detention, do you Mr. Nixon?" she remarked mildly. "I do not, indeed, hate all you students, as you so eloquently put it. Would you prefer I gave preferential treatment to some, and left out the others? I do not do that. Much, anyway. I quite simply, am who I am." A slight smirk grew on her mouth as she continued, "I have no wish to... 'kill all of you'. Not much anyway. I do not delight in belittling and lowering your self esteem. Not much anyway. However, I do demand hard work and near-perfection in my lessons and most of you simply do not cut it. As for cursing you students whenever I have the chance..."

Andi shrugged, and the smirk grew a little, "What am I to do when people punch each other in the halls and attempt to drown themselves in lakes, hm? Maybe you want a teacher who smiles a lot? Who hands out cookies? Who giggles and flips her hair and skips while she writes on the blackboard?"

Her dark eyes seemed to spark slightly, or it might have been the light in the room - the torches had begun flickering as Andi's voice grew quieter and smoother. "Be careful what you wish for. It might come true."

She cleared her throat, breaking some sort of dark, velvety spell. "Have I answered your question, Mr. Nixon?" she said briskly, getting off the desk and going behind it, seating herself. "Good day to you."

As he started to leave, Andi swiveled her chair about, "And ten points off Ravenclaw for impertinence, Mr. Nixon."

Thump0427 · 08-11-2006, 03:08 AM

Thump had almost had the urge to laugh at her comment about skipping teachers,and handing out cookies though Miss Lainey did hand out mints thought Thump but the glare she had him locked in was to deadly he wouldent utter a sound until the Professor had finished. Impertinence,impertinece thought Thump angrily "Is it wrong for me to want to come discuss my feelings about someone with a teacher I trust.Isnt that partly a teachers purpose?To be there for students to confide in when they have problems instead of rebelling against society? Fine! Ill remember this next time i have a problem and hopefully then its something that involves something more than a little emotional scarring,and then maybe you'll show compassion for something other than yourself,your work and your dear Andrei Vannacut" said Thump looking starring straight at the Professor with his most hatefull glare "ten points from ravenclaw for impertinence,whatever" he grumbled.

Meandering · 08-11-2006, 03:41 AM

Andi raised an eyebrow. "Now why exactly would you come to a teacher you trust, to complain about the teacher you 'trust'?" she said impatiently. There was no expression on her face, or in her voice, but the atmosphere in the room - to an active imagination - seemed to darken. The torches were flickering madly. With a curt wave of her hand, Andi stabilized them. "I am a teacher, Mr. Nixon, and I do not choose to meddle in student affairs." Remembering a few like Rosalie Hale and Nikolai Vannacutt, she added, "Much. You want a psychiatrist? I'm afraid you will have to approach the nurse. Or run home to your mother. I'm not here to be your cuddle toy, your barrier against the real world. I am the real world, and I don't save those who can't save themselves. Compassion? I reserve it for those who deserve it - and it is most definitely is not bloody Count Arrogant-vapid-Andrei-Vannacutt." The boy caught a nerve there. Andi's hands were twitching already and a nasty hex was bubbling in the back of her mind. "The next person," she said, the calm before a storm - of hailstones the size of small cars, or killer mutant frogs, of herrings with fangs, "who links my name with that - that man is going to be hexed all the way to the North Star. Got that? Good, ten points toi Ravenclaw for being smarter than the average brick wall."

Mafia Leader B · 08-11-2006, 03:52 AM

Not hesitating in the slightest this time, Rosalie knocked on the door. Part of her wondered how she ended up at this office so often. But to be honest, she appreciated Professor Mao-Macdougal's being straight forward. Talking to this Professor, she didn't feel like she was being expected to be an ignorant child. Professor Mao-Macdougal seemed to expect nothing but the very best from everyone, and she was prepared to meet such expectations. She liked the feeling even if Professor Mao-Macdougal expected her and the rest of the world to fail misserably at it.

She jumped slightly when she heard an angry voice inside, and wondered if she should go back and try again later, after she had a chance to cool down.

Meandering · 08-11-2006, 04:01 AM

Andi looked up at the sound of another knock on the door. "Come in," she instructed, curtly opening the door with a snap of her fingers. Normally she didn't waste her magic in such showy, but ineffectual matters, but the vent was welcome. The door swung open smartly and just stopped short of hitting the wall. "Yes, Ms Hale?"

Mafia Leader B · 08-11-2006, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meandering

Andi looked up at the sound of another knock on the door. "Come in," she instructed, curtly opening the door with a snap of her fingers. Normally she didn't waste her magic in such showy, but ineffectual matters, but the vent was welcome. The door swung open smartly and just stopped short of hitting the wall. "Yes, Ms Hale?"

Her thoughs of leaving fled her mind when the door popped open. She felt mildly uptight when she thought about the raised voices from moments before, but other than that wasn't worried about the most widly feared professor at Hogwarts. Trying to slow her trains of thought, Rosalie walked into the room.

"Uh...if this is a bad time I can come back later." She said, refering to her previous thoughs of her sounding irritated. Rosalie looked over at the other boy in the room before looking back at the woman behind the desk. "I just had a question about something Samea said." She explained with a shrug.

Meandering · 08-11-2006, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Her thoughs of leaving fled her mind when the door popped open. She felt mildly uptight when she thought about the raised voices from moments before, but other than that wasn't worried about the most widly feared professor at Hogwarts. Trying to slow her trains of thought, Rosalie walked into the room.

"Uh...if this is a bad time I can come back later." She said, refering to her previous thoughs of her sounding irritated. Rosalie looked over at the other boy in the room before looking back at the woman behind the desk. "I just had a question about something Samea said." She explained with a shrug.

"Oh, no," said Andi with another snap of her fingers. The door shut, just an inch away from being slammed. "No trouble." She glanced at Rosalie, flick Rosalie a look like a whip. "Now, what is this about Samea?"

Mafia Leader B · 08-11-2006, 04:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meandering

"Oh, no," said Andi with another snap of her fingers. The door shut, just an inch away from being slammed. "No trouble." She glanced at Rosalie, flick Rosalie a look like a whip. "Now, what is this about Samea?"

She took another step into the office, and tried to recall all the details of the story she was going to tell.

"I was looking for a friend in the halls the other day, and heard Samea on the third floor. She was taking...a poll..." She explained, avoiding the subject of the poll. "Maybe you heard about it. Samea said the headmistress gave her permission. But that's not the point I suppose." Rosalie coughed into her arm before continuing. When she spoke again, her voice was hoarse from the cough. "She was giving grief to a Ravenclaw prefect, and said that Professor Lainey won't be with us much longer." It was the conclusion of her story. Rosalie coughed again, and shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

"I was headed off with a friend at the time though, and didn't much want to ask her anyways. Anything she'd say in response would likely make very little sense, considering it's Samea." Rosalie rambled. "I just thought to ask you, your generally pretty well informed." Rosalie explained to her with a shrug.

Meandering · 08-11-2006, 04:26 AM

Andi's eyes widened. "I know about this, of course," she said, having passed by and voted in fact. "But as to Professor Lainey not being around any longer..." Her voice trailed off thoughtfully as she stared at her bookcase (the embarassed books nearly sidled out of her stare). "Perhaps she might leave to marry Professor McAiken," she volunteered, thought it was obvious from the languid tone of her voice that it probably wasn't so. "I believe they have an arrangement."

Mafia Leader B · 08-11-2006, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meandering

Andi's eyes widened. "I know about this, of course," she said, having passed by and voted in fact. "But as to Professor Lainey not being around any longer..." Her voice trailed off thoughtfully as she stared at her bookcase (the embarassed books nearly sidled out of her stare). "Perhaps she might leave to marry Professor McAiken," she volunteered, thought it was obvious from the languid tone of her voice that it probably wasn't so. "I believe they have an arrangement."

"I don't know maybe." Rosalie agreed and shrugged once more. "But with the way she was talking it seemed a bit more cryptic than a marriage." She added. "Samea sounded like Professor Lainey was going to die. I'd assume if she had some kind of fatal illness, it would be more widely known, which only leaves murder in my mind." She mumbled.

It occured to her that it would be more wise to talk to Professor Lainey about this, but she didn't know the woman, and wasn't sure if she was feeling daring enough to go knocking on a new, strange door.

Meandering · 08-11-2006, 04:39 AM

"A murder?" Andi's eyebrows flew up. "I think you've been reading too many of Op - Professor Opteryx's detective stories, Ms. Hale. Nevertheless, this is a concern that you should bring up to Professor Lainey herself. She's a trained auror though, and I'm sure she can protect herself. Furthermore, most of the professors here are quite competent in defensive and... combative," she smirked a little, "magic. So. No worries, eh?"

Mafia Leader B · 08-11-2006, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meandering

"A murder?" Andi's eyebrows flew up. "I think you've been reading too many of Op - Professor Opteryx's detective stories, Ms. Hale. Nevertheless, this is a concern that you should bring up to Professor Lainey herself. She's a trained auror though, and I'm sure she can protect herself. Furthermore, most of the professors here are quite competent in defensive and... combative," she smirked a little, "magic. So. No worries, eh?"

"I think I just read to much overall." Rosalie agreed with a grin. "It's a horrid habit that I'm finding impossible to break." Listening to the comment that most of the Professors can defend themselves wonderfully, Rosalie nodded her agreement.

"I know, I'm only worried because last year a single riddle turned into...everything that happened last year." Rosalie explained. "I'm just paranoid that it will be a trend." She mumbled, not wanting to fess up to any of the stories she'd heard from family and other students, which were the real source of her worrying.

Meandering · 08-11-2006, 04:53 AM

Andi's smile was a twisted little thing, and there was no humor in it. "Things are never quiet at Hogwarts," she said thoughtfully. "If ever I saw a proverb acted out, it's here. Small stones starting avalances or something apt like that." She brought herself out of her thoughts with a little shrug. "Oh well. We'll see. Please keep me updated on anything you might notice out of the ordinary. Like," a slight smile here, "girls burning dark marks onto others and so on and so forth."

Mafia Leader B · 08-11-2006, 04:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meandering

Andi's smile was a twisted little thing, and there was no humor in it. "Things are never quiet at Hogwarts," she said thoughtfully. "If ever I saw a proverb acted out, it's here. Small stones starting avalances or something apt like that." She brought herself out of her thoughts with a little shrug. "Oh well. We'll see. Please keep me updated on anything you might notice out of the ordinary. Like," a slight smile here, "girls burning dark marks onto others and so on and so forth."

She giggled and nodded her head, a huge smile plastered on her face.

"Of course Professor. When anything happens in my life I seem to show up at your office. I'll keep that up so long as I don't get attacked for stalking you or something." She announced in a light tone of voice.

In the back of her mind, articles floated about Voldemortist in the castle, students dying. She shivered, and warded off the thoughts.

"Thanks again Professor, I suppose I should leave you in peace now." She suggested with a more mild smile. "I'll be back with updates when I hear of any." She promised, before turning out the door, waving back over her shoulder as she left, closing the door behind her.

Meandering · 08-11-2006, 05:17 AM

Andi nodded at the girl before she left, and settled back into her chair again, closing her eyes for a while as she reorganized new facts and slotted them into place. The pieces of the puzzle were in her hands, but it was like trying to fit them in without a picture for a guide.

Maxilocks · 08-11-2006, 05:54 AM

For perhaps the hundredth time that week, made her way towards the Professor's office, but this time, there was a genuine look of concern on her features. She ran the length of the corridor and, without even knocking, she strode in, completely out of breath and looking ghostly white. She knew she should have gone to the Hospital Wing, but it was much farther away from the Professor's office, which was the only place nearby where there had been a living soul who might be able to help her - [i]Might be able to[i/], she reminded herself.

"I can't breathe, Professor," she gasped. "I've no idea why, or how it happened," she panted. What she needed was a charm that could ease her breathing. "Can you help me, please?" she asked, hoping very much that Professor Mao-Macdougal didn't make her condition as dangerous as she, the Professor, herself was.

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