:: Professor Ganymede stepped back, hoping the argument was done between the older and younger Professor.

She shuffled over to where Opteryx was standing. She looked at him for a few moments. She liked how he figured things out. "Do you think Lainey really is on speaking terms with Voldemortist himself?" She whispered wondering about his opinion.

The thought of the old Professor chatting casually with that maniac made her shiver. ::

Andi glared at the idiotic History of Magic teacher. "If you knew, and you knew well, then you wouldn't put everyone else's lives in danger! Especially lives that we swore to protect! Lives that we are paid to protect! So you keep the book in your office, and one day he bursts in for a cup of tea while someone is in there. Then what? Everyone has dreams of being a hero. This student leaps up, pulls out a wand, can't even cast a simple disarming charm and boom - he'll never ever have another chance to learn how to cast a spell properly, ever again!"

"Exactly how much bobotuber puss did you sniff before coming to this meeting?" Lainey retorted. "You shouldn't comment on things you know nothing about or make up silly scenarios when this situation is nothing but serious." Lainey was a shade bit calmer after the Charms professor gave her last speech. Lainey realized she wasn't dealing with a full deck of cards with that one. Maybe not even a half of a deck.

"Why? How many did you drink before coming to this meeting?" retorted Andi, shaking her head. "Let's reiterate, shall we? You want the book transfered in your doubtlessly fool-and-bullet-and-Dark Lord-proof care. In the school. And in the past, the book has been kept in this school as well. Not in your fool-and-bullet-and-Dark Lord-proof care obviously, which might be why some students died that year. And then after last year's fiasco, he escaped from capture again, killing three Aurors who were sent along to guard him."

It was insane. The woman was obviously two thirds short of a glass of butobor pus.

Hazelle watched the exchange between Lainey and the Charms professor. Both had valid points. She stood,

"Why does everyone assume that by destroying the book we destroy the threat? Who's to say Voldemortist would actually believe we'd destroy the book? That could just cause him to rise up and attack the school full force, either assuming we still have it, or in hopes of catching us before it's destroyed." She had spoken aloud, hesitant at first, but growing confidance.

"Do I want the students injured? No. Do I want to fob off on other people and cause them to be hurt or worse? No. Do I think the book should be destroyed? No." She turned to look around the room, "My first responsibility is not to this school. It's to the students and their families. If we pass the book off and several of the students famlies have sudden deaths, we will get the blame, because instead of keeping the book safe and hidden, we let it leave and possibly fall into the wrong hands. I read the Daily Prophet article in Diagon Alley, every thing was the Headmistress' and Professor Branxton's fault."

She turned to Lainey, "Professor, I do have confidence in your abilities, I do, but how do you know that Voldemortist wouldn't hurt the children? He's already done that several times, and had no qualms about killing them before." She turned to the Charms professor, "Professor, you are thinking about just being a professor, which is fine, that is your job. She was an auror and training does not die easily. She is thinking how she should think. There is no need for yelling. That may impress the students, but it gives me a headache."

She looked at Virosha, who seemed more paranoid than everyone else, "The want of a book is not always evil, some people would just want the knowledge just for the sake of it. Surely you wouldn't accuse me of being evil for simply wanting to have a book I could learn from. Besides, how can you say he 'wouldn't dare show up' if we were to destroy the book? Unless you've spoken with him on the matter?"

She turned back to the Headmistress, "Why are we deciding about the book anyway? Shouldn't that be a ministry decision?" She asked as she sat back down.

Rae took Branxton's hand so she would realize she meant nothing personally. "The Ministry sent that Book here and then left it here. We gave over Voldemortist to their keeping, and they lost him. They no longer have a say in what we do with the Book. We can give it over to them, or we can get rid of it. It will not stay within these walls any longer," she looked apologetically at Lainey. "I'm sorry, Anj. I can't risk the school, nor can I risk you. I know your concerns... your fears... but I can't risk many for one."

She squeezed Doyle's hand again and looked to Hazelle. "Your loyalty is to the students, taht much is true, but it is also to me. You agreed, when you took this job, to trust me to lead as I saw fit for the good of all of us. If you think that somehow I am to blame for the massacre those many terms ago or Voldemortist's escape, than you cannot in good confidence stay on here. I understand. We work together, or we do not. It is your decision."

Professor Virohsa looked at Ganymede... Save the book? That was highly suspicious.. She looked around as the Professors spoke... and this time, it was the young and energetic Lainey that shocked her.

It seemed that some Professors were on speaking terms with Death Eaters. She was right to be cautious. Deciding to trod on this quite lightly yet firmly, she frowned slightly as Lainey spoke. She is defending Voldemortist, Virohsa considered. Perhaps, Lainey was under a spell... or worse...

It was then when a different Professor asked the question that Virohsa had indeed answered a few minutes back. "Voldemortist will know we have destroyed the book because his spies will confirm it so", she replied briefly. "You do not expect someone in that position of power to be misinformed! It just isn't so. Especially when you have the means to place spies everywhere."

Professor Opteryx held up his hand, in an attempt to stop Andy and Lainley from ripping each other's throats out and Virohsa from pulling her wand out and declaring them all spies. He probably wasn't having much luck with it. "By destroying the Book of Mysteria, we may or may not remove the thread of Lord Voldemortist from the face of the Wizarding World--however, I believe it's quite clear that if the Book does fall into Lord Voldemortist's hands, much more will be threatened. Obtaining the Book of Mysteria is only one of his prelimiinary goals."

"I don't know the details of what happened behind the Hogwarts massacre terms back, or why it was that Lord Voldemortist murdered those students that he did. But what needs to be done is to ensure that the students are no longer put at risk--and also, the rest of the Wizarding community, in a broader scope."



Opteryx didn't answer this yet, but put his index finger to his lips to indicate he would discuss it later. Instead, he said, "Professor...Craft, is it? If my deductions are correct you were a reccent student here...what do you think the students would say in regards to what we do next with the Book?"

:: Professor Ganymede sneered inwardly and shifted on her feet. That didn't answer my question. She thought while examining his question carefully. She tilted her head to the right and stared for a heartbeat or two at the cieling. Then she leaned towards Professor Opteryx and began her answer with a soft voice. She wasn't sure if she wanted the others to hear. The immature feeling of secrecy she used to have sneaked up on her.

"I know when I was a student.. I and certain others were quite curious about the book. Personally, I think it would be better just to destroy Voldemortist and keep the book." She rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. She tried to supress the idea of actually obtaining the book. It was a fault of hers that probably helped her get sorted into Slytherin.

She pressed her lips together and became serious. "I bet though that would only bring other horrors to the school to capture the book. I certainly remember some of the nasty characters who came to Hogwarts. I don't think all of them were after the book." Then she muttered, "Thinking about it, Leiden actually was attacked by a Death eater. So maybe the ministry isn't... they still imprisoned some of the best people.." She was getting away from her point. Her dark eyes glared at Virohsa for a moment.

Then she snapped back to looking at Opteryx. "As I was saying.." She returned to her answer and folded her arms acrossed her chest. "All and all, the book probably needs to be destroyed. Atleast it will put some of the students and the now graduated students minds at ease." She took a long sigh, remembering her and her special friends adventures, assumptions, and shared memories. She wondered what those people were up to now. She knew each was quite busy with their own career goals. For all she knew they were hundreds of miles away, tracking mysteries she'll never hear about while she sat about in Hogwarts. She missed them.

She slowly leaned in closer, waiting for his answer. ::

"I did not mean to imply that I do not trust you, Headmistress, because I do. I was merely saying how no matter what we do if there is ever a downfall, people will point their fingers at us. Whatever it is that we decide here, I will go by it."

Lainey hadn't meant risking everything and everyone for her. That's not at all what she meant. It was a concern, sure, but she was a much better person than that. It hurt for Rae to even insinuate it and she fell quiet. She'd just have to contact him herself and find out what she needed to know.

Lainey got up and went to the door, waiting impatiently to be dismissed.

Rae watched her dearest friend rise and head for the door. "I don't suppose we'll agree on this at this time. Let's agree to reconvene in about a week and we'll discuss this issue again." She smiled and waved at the door even as she held tight to Branxton's hand. As soon as they were gone, she needed a cuddle.

Professor Virohsa frowned at the suspicious behavior exhibited by Professor Lainey. She would need to have that woman followed. Rising with the others, she walked slowly towards the door and left immediately. There was no time to spare.

Doyle turned toward Cassandra and squeezed her hand, placing his free hand over her han which grasped his. "A decision will be made," he assured her.

"I already know your vote," she responded wryly before she returned to her seat and leaned against him. "I think I need a hug. Does that make me un-Headmistress-like? Do I lose credibility?" She nuzzled his cheek with her nose.

Hazelle rose with the others and left the room.

"Not with me," he assurred her, wrapping his arms around her and patting his back. "It isn't unprofessional to be concerned or stressed about difficult decision and having a productive, non-destructive, way to deal with such stresses is a mark of maturity."

Andi exited the room, her eyes still flashing a remnant of anger. Far from making her trust in her colleagues, this meeting seemed to have distanced her - particularly now she suspected that half of them were crazy as loons.

"And needing a squeeze is a mature way to handle stress?" She pulled back and grinned at him impishly. "Tell me anyway, now that they're gone. You think I should give it over to the Ministry for keeping?"

"You'll have to decide that for yourself but, if the Ministry follows through with their original plans, I can assure you The Book would be quite safe and secret," Doyle noncommitally replied. He didn't want to influence her decision as her husband. This was a professional decision, not one to be taken lightly or under the influence of emotions.

"But that IS what you think is best, right?" She tilted her head onto his shoulder and stared across the room. "I have trouble trusting that they'll follow through, Doyle. They've let me down before. Putting the book here in the first place, letting Voldemortist get away... and Leiden."

Doyle winced at the mention of Nora Leiden. "Yes, well there were quite a few unreliable people working at the Ministry in key departments," he thoughtfully answered while cleaning his glasses. "Many of them were weeded out before I was sent to procure the post of Potions Master here. There are still holes but, I am the only one with certain key information."

"Lucky for us both you were upfront with me regarding your past at the Ministry, or I don't think we'd be here like this now. You could have snuck in, and I'd have hired you. It means a lot that you were honest with me." She patted his cheek.

"Yes," he said and sighed, still thinking about Nora Leiden and his last term at Hogwarts. "It would have been characteristically Slytherin to be less than forthcoming but, I believe it was in my best interest to be upfront as it proved easier to obtain the book with help. Of course, my priorities have slightly changed now which is why I am not insisting that it be handed over to me. I would prefer you make this decision based on what you think is right, not based on who your husband is and what he is here for. I am sure my position here is secured so, if I do not go back to the Ministry, it is not a terrible loss." It would pain him, though. He still aspired to be Minister of Magic, even after so many years.

"I don't want you to stay here simply because you won't get fired," Rae laughed, but it faded abruptly as she stared hard into his face. She jerked out of his embrace and studied him closely. "The book has been found. If you want to return to the Ministry, you should."