"I can ask Mr. Masterson?" he asked, giving her a funny look. Masterson. That was the groundskeeper, if he remembered correctly and he knew he did. "What can I ask him?"

Constantine looked up to look at the sound of another voice; a female's voice. His lips curved into a soft smile as he spotted Jezzabell standing before him. "Ah, Miss Higby! Pleasure to see you again and am glad to see that you are well."

As he finished his statement, he raised an eyebrow lightly, still smiling, but looked at her weirdly as she started whispering to her robes. "Do your robes have a mind of their own Miss Higby? Because I highly doubt they respond...unless someone's invented the talking robe..." He chuckled at the thought as he noticed something move a little. "Care to reveal your companion?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by LadyNerd

But then his eyes cut a glaring look to his dear friend, the Acorn Man. Seriously, was he about to say anything unproper to the hard headed statement? Well, he could have and he most definitely should. "I will not shut up and I am not the only one at this table that has had a hard head about certain things and certain people for the past 15 years." There! It came out and he was proud, not only of himself but Constantine as well. It really did take guts to put up with some people in this world.

And on this one, he definitely wanted to hear about Mr. Masterson's summer as well. His smirky look turned towards his dear friend as he waited patiently for an answer of some sort.

While waiting for her reply, he looked sharply at Caleum. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about. And wipe that stupid smirk off your face..." He sighed as he looked back to Jezzabell.

"My summer was excellent, thank you. How was yours?"

At the mention of his name again, he looked puzzled and looked around. "Who can ask me what? I'll do anything, but I draw the line at poking a sleeping dragon..."

"Nothing," she chuckled. "It's just the only other professors I had are no longer here... hence yourself..." She then looked up, as if she was pondering something, "and I have a strict no poisoning staff rule to keep this job... so I won't be able to show you..." She winked at him.

OH! Another light grumbling of a chuckle was heard as Caleum watched the little intern check her spoon. Such amusement he could hardly contain himself at the moment. Ahhh! But the moment soon passed as his dear friend spoke up once more.

His brows frowned a bit. Now Neo was acting like his father. He already had one of those, he didn't need another. The man was full of secrets and the good use of word about the man was correct. He was mysterious. Sometimes too much. But instead of wiping the smirk off his face, he kept it there just to annoy some of the participants at the table...namely an intern.

This boy... yes boy, was more than annoying. He was downright loathe worthy... Her mind was working overtime to think of a potion to use that would not link her... Amortentia was definetely out... Something that gave acne... ruin that pretty little skin of his...

Jezz grimaced. "I don't think you'll like him very much." She said, changing the subject, and shifting her weight from side to side. "Oh I'm glad your summer went well. That's always nice."

Ishni did not apprreciate being stuffed in Jezzabells robes. So as soon as she moved her arm a little bit he jumped out, and landed on the table, right in front of Neo. He didn't like them man, he smelled funny.

As she hurriedly tried to grab Ishni off the table, she looked up at Mr. Masterson. "Well I guess Ishni wanted to meet you." She said, shrugging. She was kind of worried about his feelings toward cute, little grey squirrels.

Neo ignored Caleum and watched Jezzabell, curious as to what she was hiding. "Indeed," he continued, "good summers are alwa-"

He paused as a ball of fuzz jumped out of her robe and onto the table in front of him. He eyed the fuzzball, recognizing it as being a squirrel right away. Slightly bewildered by the fact that she had one, he continued as if nothing was abnormal out the situation at all. Noooo...please, people carried squirrels in their pockets everyday. Just like acorns.

"Ishni, eh?" He leaned forward a little bit and rummaged through his pocket, picking out a brand new acorn. "Does Ishni like acorns?" He slowly stretched his hand out, palm up with acorn.

"How on earth did you befriend one?"

Caleum's eyes watched the things that were going on around him. The student with the-EEK!-squirrel at the table. Shiver! Ah! Another one to ignore him. Snickers! He was doing good for the opening feast. An intern that looked as though she could crawl out of her skin and do only Merlin knows what, being hit in the head by an acorn that started up and entire conversation among the staff and now his best mate ignoring him.

"Yup! It doesn't get better than this," he smirked as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms across his chest. Now all he wondered was where were the missing staff members. His eyes grazed the table once again noticing that there were still a couple missing.

Themea arched an eyebrow at the interesting comment. "And what makes you think I am one of your pupils?" He realized he was being a little brash. "That is to say, you do assume that I am unskilled by calling me 'pupil'. Personally I prefer the term 'student'. For one, I am not your personal student. I am a member of the whole," he corrected while straightening himself. "I shall not then ask for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for me. As for assistance, I have always sought to become the best that I can. To improve myself. Mostly in the art of combat. To speak truthfully, I am looking for one, such as yourself to help me further that goal. Personally, I had hoped to see Headmistriss Rae as Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, for she truly was skilled." Themea stopped himself and placed a hand over his mouth. "I do realize that I may come across as conceited, but I am not unskilled. I do look forward to your classes, but what I really look forward to, is the opportunity to face a truly challenging opponent. I would like that person to be you." Themea ran over what he said in his mind. What am I selling a used car? he thought to himself. But he knew, that he more than likely struck two chords within in this man. First, his pride. Themea demeaned the professor. Second, also his pride but Themea overlooked that point. He figured that this professor would try to teach him a lesson. A lesson the professor would never forget.

Hehe A truly challenging opponent. If only they knew.... Bontecou chuckled to himself over the student and then turned his twinkling eyes back to the healer intern. He removed his glasses and wiped his face on his sleeve before putting them back on. It was such a change from the previous potion master's never ending cleaning of his glasses. In fact, Rey's glasses appeared to have not been cleaned in weeks. The impervious must have worn off and he forgot to renew it. Rey couldn't be bothered with cleaning his glasses all that often, unless there was a need to keep them clean, of course.

"I must admit to be a trifle disappointed, Ms. Trelawney. If you were once known for poisoning staff and now you wish to give it up simply because you are in a better position now than ever before to mete out your exploits," he grinned, conspiratorially.

She smirked. "I AM a Slytherin, Professor Bontecou." She glanced over to the headmistress. "We don't break rules..." we bend them... a lot. "And we don't get make a habit of getting caught. May I ask you a question?" She said and didn't wait for an answer, she never did, "What have you been doing till now?"

"Hello Angela" Fabian croaked and attempted a serene smile or so he hoped it came out the way intended. Eh? Fex? "OHHHH!" he slapped his forehead and cringed, "I actually forgot Fex at home! Bloody rotten luck!" he stroked his temples with all the hastiness and preparations for Hogwarts, he completely forgot Fex by the gates at Quaffield place. "Thanks for reminding me Angela, I'll have to arrange for someone to bring him here". He continued to shake his head, completely unbelieving what he's done. He never forgot Fex.



He couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Kapoor and Angela.. momentarily. Before his eyes caught the bright pink cubes in his drink, what were those? And here he thought he's already seen everything there was to see. "Kapoor" he spoke after a moment, "think you can do a tarot reading session for me sometime.. uh... when your not busy?"

ooc: yup, hip-buddy is at the tables ;>

Caleum raised a brow to the now 'student' who seemed to be challenging him to a duel. Who in the world was this kid anyway? "First of all, young man," Caleum began with a stern look of dissatifaction. This feast was turning out to be something from what the muggles considered the twilight zone. "The definition of pupil is just that...a student, a person, usually young, who is learning under the close supervision of a teacher at school, a private tutor, or the like; a student. I consider everyone at Hogwarts a pupil...or a student. And yes the Headmistriss is still Professor of Defense and I am her assistant. But as far as dueling someone, it would be another student you would duel, not me. I am here to assist to help the Headmistress with her lessons and any other thing she needs assistance with."

He then placed his hands gently in front of him, one on top of the other. "I'm sorry to disappoint you but, I will not duel a student." If this kid only realized the things he had already seen at his age, he would reconsider his thinking. Being an auror was not something one did on a daily basis just to have something to fall back on. It was something that was serious, nothing to joke about.

Jezz laughed. "I met Ishni a few weeks ago. He fell out of a tree. I put him back in the tree but he just jumped back out and followed me home." She looked at Ishni. "You can have it, go ahead take it."

Ishni eyed the man carefully. He still smelled funny, but he was offering food. He moved slowly closer to Neo, still sniffing. When he reached the acorn, he grabbed it with one last sniff. It wasn't this man that smelled funny, it was the man next to him. This man smelled good, like trees and dirt and acorns. Ishni climbed onto Neos hand and gave him what could only be described as a smile.

Jezz laughed at her fickle little squirrel. "I think he likes you, and he's very intelligent. Would have come in handy last term."

Constantine smiled as he watched the little squirrel snatch the acorn up out of his hand and then a few seconds later, he climbed onto his hand. Constantine moved his other hand in slowly to scratch the little guy on his head.

And then he looked up at Jezzabell, "Oh no, Miss Higby...I don't think I could take him away from you." He shook his head too; sure, he liked the squirrel but he was her companion.

Angela grinned again at Alex's remark. "Most definitely! I'm sure that you'll catch on quickly." She said encouragingly. "And I believe that Max won't mind showing you. After all, flying is his passion. How could he resist showing off?"

Oh, now that was definitely a great idea. "Sounds fantastic, Alex!" She exclaimed, glancing off down the table towards the only new female staff member. "I'll definitely keep that in mind...In fact." She removed a small notebook from her robes and scratched the ideas down onto the sheet.

At Fabian's sudden shout, Angela instinctively flinched. Forgot Fex? That was completely unlike Fabian. "Oh...well, you're welcome." She finally said, still in slight disbelief that Fabian had left his goat behind. "You seem...sort of flustered." She observed. "Everything okay?"

"Well, it would take me a while to recount everything I've done for the past thirty years or so but, if you mean by profession, I've done a little of this and a little of that," he explained.

Themea waved a hand dismissively. "These students are nothing. I could best anyone of them. As I said, I look for challenge." Themea ran a hand across his chin. He had misunderstood the nature of this man's character. A rookie mistake that Themea did not dwell on. "As for disappointment my good sir, one just learns to expect that from the British. I'm sorry I overestimated your dueling abilities. I guess, losing to a student would be torture for you. I'm sure I can dig up a first year for you to thrash." Themea turned and started to walk away. A sudden thought overcame him and he turned around. "Oh wait, my mistake. A first year to thrash you. Forgive me. Good day sir." Themea turned sharply on his heel and continued his walk.

Jezz laughed. "I was telling Ishni he could take the acorn." This guy was crazy. She loved Ishni too much.

Ishni sighed contentedly as the man scratched his head. He could get used to this. Was Jezz taking notes?

"Sure .. Sure.. everything's okay" he reassured her and waved his right hand, he caught the look on her face and scowled at her. Unintentionally. "That's the new potion teacher, aye?" he prodded nudging with his chin towards the new addition down the table deep in conversation with a student.

"I take it you are trying to retain your mysterious edge?" she said raising a brow. "You are one of the professors I don't know and you won't allow me to get to know you... Why?"

Drago rolled his eyes at the student who had been talking to Caleum. He edged over and nudged the guy. "I believe that should be 10 points from Slytherin for disrespect, or are you under restrictions where that's concerned?"

Cassandra's head spun... Did Caraccio just try to take points from Slytherin?! Because of Caleum Myers?!? She was beginning to hate the DADA Assistant beyond any measure...

Bontecou laughed. "Cocky kid," he smirked, grateful for the distraction. There were an over-abundace of ex-aurors at Hogwarts and he really didn't want to just be lumped with all the rest of them. Better to drag out exactly what he'd done for a living before this. "Better to whoop him in Defense class than to take points away, in my opinion. Doesn't teach him anything otherwise," he added under his breath to Ms. Trelawney who seemed a might bit upset over that taking points away business. "Actually, my last job was an railway engineer with the tube," he continued his conversation at a more normal volume.

Cassandra smiled at Bontecou. She nodded... What was 'the tube' she wondered... "Must have been... interesting work." She said trying to mask the fact she had no idea what he did. "Professor Bontecou has an interesting approach, Myers." Cassandra said and then leaned into Rey loudly whispering. "He should probably take the points off," implying the boy wouldn't be able to 'whoop' the student.