Maddox smiled, he was a little nervous. Usually he didnt visit professors, but Asmara was sick and he wasnt sure what was wrong. "Hello Professor Morgan. I am Maddox Darcy." He followed her in to the room and noticed how tranquil it was. He might have to come here around NEWT's.


Mads sighed and replied, "It's my snowy owl. Her name is Asmara. She wont eat and wouldnt come to me when I tried to send a letter. It looked like something was wrong with her wing but she wont let me look. She snaps at me when I try." He was genuinly worried about Asmara. The fact that Professor Morgan was gorgeous, was effecting his nerves a bit.

"You are so right, Daphne!" Celandine enthused, her expression bright and innocent. Daphne's questioning look bounced off her. Daphne would figure it all out eventually. She was smart. Oooh and she was getting it now. Celandine nodded happily in agreement and looked up at the CoMC professor.

Celandine dutifully presented her wand, "I'm quite good at levitating heavy things." If she hadn't have promised Garret that she wouldn't tell anyone she had rescued him from the tree that time, then she'd have used that as an example but as it were she kept her mouth shut.

"I've had more experience with dragon hide, but some with regular leather, Professor." Celandine answered, happily. She noted where everything was kept, took an armful of what they'd need, and followed Professor Morgan outside, nodding as she listened.

"We don't need luck. Hard work is better than luck." Celandine responded, taking the parchment and looking at it.

"Thank you, Professor!" Cela called, not lifting her head from the instructions.

"Daphne. I think you are a genius." Cela said earnestly, "I bet you are quite good at overseeing things like this to make sure they are done properly?" Cela asked, offering the instructions to her Gryffindor friend. She turned to the saddles and levitated one to the saddle stand.

At the mention of wands, Daphne happily extracted hers from the inside pocket of her robes. On her lips danced a bemused smile, eyes easing on the Professor's face with curiosity. Was she being completely honest? What kind of witch didn't carry their wand with her at all times?

Daphne, rather reluctantly, followed the Professor outside having seen her f-f-f-person she was friendly with do the same. Whether she had been tricked or persuaded to participate in this wasn't of importance anymore. She couldn't let her f-f-person she was friendly with look bad, nor herself.

"Don't worry about us, Professor!" called Daphne more cheerfully than she trully felt, waving a small pudgy hand at her retreating backside. "We'll be just fine."

Hopton humphed heavily, taking the note of instructions from Celandine's hand. "You're very smart yourself, Celandine," cooed the blond with a small pout. "I'm glad we recognize each others' superior intelligence." Turning sideways, Daphne hummed, one finger tapping her chin rhythmically. "After putting the saddle on the saddle stand it says here to remove the stirrups, breast collar, cinches, and any other attachments...oh, this seems tedious," finished Daphne in a whisper. "You have strong arms. You'll do well!" almost apologizing for her bossy behavior, Daphne walked up to where Cela stood and clapped her enthusiastically on the shoulder. "You don't suppose this will count as extra credit do you?"

Oooh. Points!

"I know." Cela agreed to the 'smart' comment. She paused though and looked at Daphne, the superior intelligence thing sinking in and making her wonder why on earth the two of them were friends with Garret? He was... differently smart, Celandine figured. Satisfied with that self-answer, she listened to Daphne and immediately began to remove the attachments, "Strong arms? Not so much. But I am good at charms so I don't need to be physically strong to do this easily." Celandine neatly placed the attachments aside and turned expectantly to Daphne. Actually... Cela knew what she was doing but it was important Daphne was involved. More involved. Most involved.

"Extra credit? It might." Celandine shrugged, apparently unconcerned. After all that wasn't her reason for doing this; merely the reason she used to get Daphne involved.

Jillian walked up to the new Care of Magical Creatures Professor's hut, maybe befriend her and welcome her to Hogwarts. And since she was a CoMC Professor, there was no doubt she'd love her Tree Frog! She knocked thrice on the door and pushed the door open.

Surprisingly, she found her two friends--her fellow Pirates, if you will. "Daphne? Cela?" she said, looking at the both of them, "What are you two doing here?" She wasn't sure but she thought she caught that mischievous look in Cela's eye.

"Oh, you do seem the type!" exclaimed Daphne with a raised brow. Yes, Celandine did seem like the mischievous little witch with a knack for witty and useful charms. The kind to use them in a different way anyone else would. "I bet if you tried hard enough you could come up with your own charm. Mix two together and create a new string of charms patented to your name."

Fame. Prestige! Daphne could see it now. Day dreaming over her f--person she was friendly with' possible accomplishments, Miss Hopton became sparkly eyed.

"Oh...don't use that tone," reproached the pudgy blond with a guilty tone. "Extra credit isn't the only reason I'm doing this--I mean, sure, I won't say no to a few points, Merlin knows the Gryffindor Hourglass needs a few rupees, but of course--there's other beneficial things coming out of this!"

Like....Liiiiike...hesitated Daphne, bending over to pick up a stiff cloth from the bucket, having retained an odd shape from having been unwashed and left wet with soap and grime on it.

"For example, we get to bond--while we wipe off dust and dirt from the saddles with this yucky cloth."

Caught by surprise, Daphne let out a squeak and dropped the stiffened cloth, spinning on her heels in the process. Confronted with the ever familiar inquisitive look of Miss Jillian's, Hopton sighed. "Conditioning saddles," replied the third year truthfully.

After all, that's what they were doing...right?

"Jillian! Hi!" Cela greeted. How brilliant. How timely!

"Like the charm on my shoes." Cela agreed brightly. "Yes. Bonding; we haven't really done that without Metal-Mouth." Cela noted. She rolled her eyes and scourgified the cloth that Daphne was holding before turning to Jillian again.

"We are conditioning saddles. And Jillian, you should come to the library with me later and I'll show you some interesting charms that might come in handy for the next pirate adventure!" Celandine nudged Daphne, and picked up a dry cloth, " What do we do after wiping the dust and dirt off?" Cela began to do exactly that, gesturing to another stack of saddles and the empty stand next to hers so Jillian could get involved if she wanted.

Jillian grinned. "Oohh! Sounds fun!" she said excitedly. It was odd that the girl genuinely thought the task fun, that was most probably because she hadn't done it before and anything people usually described as 'new' Jillian called 'fun.'

"D'you two mind if I joined in?" she asked, already taking a seat next to Cela. Her Tree Frog, Eadric, slipped out of her pocket and hopped on one of the saddles. "Eadric, we en't using 'em yet. We need to condition 'em first, yeah?" And at that, she took a dry cloth and began wiping the saddle next to the one her little frog was perched on. Jillian nodded. "Sure, We can go and learn charms. I bet they'd be really helpful once we try meeting that Giant Squid that's s'pose to live in the Black Lake. Eadric and him are gonna be great friends, I can tell!"

"So," she began, trying to strike up conversation. "What's new with you two?" Eadric croaked, as if echoing her question.

Ruby walked to Professor Morgan's hut she seemed nice and she wanted to speak with her she knocked on the door and waited.

Daphne simply nodded along reading the instructions on the note. It was all trully tedious. Tedious, tedious. "I'm sorry, who's meeting the Giant Squid?"

Certainly not her.

"I wish you two the best. May you be merry and live a long life--together." Suddenly pointing at the bucket with a manicured finger, Miss Hopton frowned. "It says here you need to lather up the saddles with glycerin soap and a clean rag. You must as little water as possible. Like I said...tedious."

Or more like she was telling herself. "Nothing new really, Jillian," besides world domination. "Besides getting Miss Winnie to rid herself of that ridiculous giant bow. You know Winnie Ferguson don't you? I think she's a year below us. Gryffindor."

"Oh it will be! But what we need are gripping charms." Celandine explained, as she put some elbow grease into the wiping of the saddle.

"What's new? I got some new pets!" Celandine shot a sideways look at Daphne and finished dry wiping the saddle.

"I hear the giant squid is just lovely." Celandine commented, eyeing the saddle. "Lather! Right!" Cela took the bucket and a clean rag and levitated them closer to her and Jillian. She wet the cloth and rubbed it against the glycerin soap until it started to lather nicely.

Cela began scrubbing at the saddle with the damp cloth, building up a lather.

"Who has a bow?" Cela turned her head slightly, "You know who should have a bow? The giant squid. Do you think your friend Winnie will donate her bow to the giant squid?"

"We're meeting the Gian Squid, silly!" Jillian replied matter-of-factly. "Eadric needs some animal friends too! He dun' like 'em owls very much 'coz he thinks they'll eat him. I think he'll like the Giant Squid on account of they can both swim." she said nodding. "Hey, you think the Giant Squid's got a name? I mean, I bet it's less trouble calling it by it's name than saying Giant Squid all the time."

Jillian eyed Daphne. "Erm, Daph? Why were you talking to the bucket?" she asked, a little confused. Wow. Maybe her craziness was affecting poor Daphne.

"Winni Ferguson? Nope. I don't think I met her before, have I, Eadric?" she said turning to her frog. The frog simply croaked passively. "That's a no then. Although she sounds pretty unique if she's got a big bow on her head. Takes guts to walk around Hogwarts looking like a christmas present!"

Jillian wondered what the gripping charms were for but didn't really linger on the subject for Cela had told her exciting news. "New pets? What are they and when can we meet 'em?" she said as she clapped her hands together.

"Yeah? Where'd you hear it from? Have they met the Gian Squid?" Jillian was simply ecstatic. She knew it was a good idea to drop by the CoMC Professor's hut!

Jillian grabbed a clean cloth and dampened it with the concoction Cela had made and started scrubbing the saddle. "Ooooh! That's be really fun! I hope she does give it to the Giant Squid. We should write something on the bow...y'know leave a mark so that when we get outta here and someone else befriends the squid they'll see the bow and know that we were friends with it too!" Jillian spoke so fast that she hardly had enough time to catch her breath. "We could write something like...'To the Giant Squid, X marks the spot! -The Pirates.'"

Daphne tried not to snort and failed miserable. Losing her composure, she tried to brush off her unladylike behavior with a fake cough. "If we can dig it out of the trash bin, I'm sure she wouldn't mind. It's good to donate to the needy." Merlin knew the Giant Squid was in desperate need of make-over.

Daphne breathed out as she watched Miss Jillian bounce about as she worked and talk--endlessly. Reaching out to rub her forehead, the blond Gryffindor shifted her weight to her right leg as she stood. "Honestly, Jillian, do you ever breathe?" It was a miracle the girl didn't pass out mid-conversation from lack of oxygen.

"I read somewhere the squid's name is Bartholomew Henry the Third...or was it the fourth?" hesitated Hopton in doubt, suddenly chewing on her lower lip before fumbling with the notes in her hands. "Either way, whoever heard of naming a giant squid?" spoke the girl with a haughty laugh. "It's silly! And I wasn't talking to the bucket dear," corrected the girl promptly with a shake of her head, golden curls flying from side to side. "I was talking to both of you--Wash the entire saddle and all leather attachments, methodically--Oh Honestly!" exclaimed Daphne finally irritated. "I can't believe we're doing this."

More like, she couldn't believe they were doing this.

"At home, Papa has the help do it," informed Daphne pointlessly, unaware that no one really cared what Papa did or didn't do at home. "Either way," sighed the pudgy young woman waving the parchment in the air. "It says here wash both sides of the leather. Soooo tedious!"

Celandine continued cleaning the saddle and the leather attachments, cleaning both sides of the leather and giving extra attention to the cinch straps and stirrup leathers.

She nodded brightly at Jillian's pet question, "Barry got me a pygmy puff and Gar... I named it Whoopsiedaisy." Celandine paused briefly, hoping that neither Gryffindor had noticed her almost slip, "And I got a scorpion. It's name is Him."

Cela picked up the brush and took extra care getting the dirt out of the nooks and crannies on both of the saddles she was working on.

Celandine just kept working while Daphne and Jillian talked, rinsing the soap off with warm water and another clean rag, being sure not to use too much water but still get all the soap residue off.

Once she had done the saddles for herself and Daphne, Cela moved over to Jillian and started to help her with her one. Lathering, scrubbing, wiping...

"Servants do it at my estate too." Cela agreed, "But my Grandmother says its important that you can do everything they can do or you risk them having one up on you. Silly right?" She continued helping Jillian with her saddle.

Cela moved over to the other two saddles which were almost dry. She levitated them one at a time and placed them where they'd dry easily and be in shade. "I suppose we are done. Are you done Jillian?" Cela asked the Gryffindor.

"Lets go inside and tell the Professor we are done so she can check if we did alright." Celandine was about to pick up the bucket and cloths but turned and eyed Daphne speculatively instead. Hmm. Need to make this convincing. Cela marched over to Daphne and forcibly rolled up the other girl's sleeves before batting at her hands with one of the dirty cloths. Yeah now she looked like she'd been working hard, "Don't worry, I'll clean you off afterwards." Cela smiled and turned to go inside, emptying the bucket on her way.

She walked up the steps and stowed the cloth and buckets away,
"Done, Professor Morgan! Daphne and our other friend Jillian; who came to help too, are just finishing up and will be inside in just a moment." Cela looked out the window at her friends, offering a wave and gesturing the other two to come inside.

"Very nice to meet you, Mr. Darcy. I'd be happy to take a look at your owl." She said, giving Asmara a little frown. Poor baby. She glanced over at Vincent and gave him a little whistle then watched as he flew off her desk and back into his cage. No reason to upset the sweet little owl with his fluttering about. Iliana smiled and placed a few more seeds inside with him and closed the cage door. "Good boy, Vinnie." She whispered before returning her focus on Maddox.

"Why don't you sit Asmara right here." She instructed. "And tell me.... when did you notice the difference in her behavior?"

"Please excuse me." She said, hearing another knock at the door. "Come in, the door's open."
Morgan turned and waved the girl inside. "Finished already?! That's excellent!" She said. "You girls have surely outdone yourself today." She said. "Just who's idea was this little experiment? Daphne's?" She asked. "I'm curious to know what you've both learned."

Ruby walked into the hut and saw the professor was busy with quite a few students she smiled and said "sorry professor Morgan i didn't realise you were so busy" she felt embarresed for disturbing the professor now.

Allie dragged Cam and Jake towards Professors Morgans hut. Wow, who would have thought she would have picked up Astrid's manhandling problem?
But enought about that, she would write to Astrid later, right now she had to teach these two firsties a lesson. And they wouldn't listen to her so she had to take them Professsor Morgan. They practically forced her too. And its not liek they would get detention or lose points or anythign horrible like that she hoped but probably just a lecture.
"Here we are!" she said, knocking on the door with her foot. Sh edidn't want to risk letting go of either of them incase they ran away.

Jake was bamboozled by Allie's sudden complete, total and utter VIOLENCE! "No!!!!! No, GET OFF!!!!!" he yelled, scared.

She was bigger than him, and Jake suddenly noticed where he was. "Get OFF me!" he cried out, struggling, clawing at Allie's hand. Getoffmegetoffmegetoffmegetoffmegetoffme!!!!!

Jake subconsciously bared his teeth as he struggled. Wow, a month sharing a dormitory with Willie Crocker was kinda having an affect on him.

"Nuuuuuuuu!!!!!" Jake yelled, turning and trying to run for the castle. His feet were just scraping back again as he tried harder and harder to run, his legs going faster and faster. He would NOT be manhandled this way.

Cam was dragged by the girl he did not like, and he didn't realize that they were heading towards the professor's hut until now. Oh what?! Was Allie more crazier and meaner than he thought? She probably was with her hands holding him. He tried to run away but she was just too strong, it was mean! "Ge'roffffff me." The lair of Professor Morgan was more than just a lair, if Allie had told her, then it would now be his detention room for life. "Pleaase Allie," he begged and now had the look to fake cry right in front of her.

He quickly opened his mouth, daring to bite her hand off of him if necessary. Just trying to help the professor from that meanie and now possibly getting in trouble because of it. "'Ey Aehh. Weaase dun do zis to ush," he begged again, but didn't know if it could even be understandable because his mouth was still open.

They were really going crazy. What did they think was inside there that was so bad anyway? Professor Morgan was nice as much as she knew....they weren't in any danger of anything at all.
"Calm down guys!" she said, as her arms were starting to hurt from holding them back, and Jakes clawing at her hand was started to cause her real pain.
"Your not going to get in any trouble I promise. And if you do, I will take the blame for it ok?"
Awwww now Cam was starting to cry. He looked so adorkable she could just let go of them now and let them run off. But she couldn't, this was important. If they started that rumor, then who knows what Dom would do to them? She HAD to protect her little firstie buddies. She wouldnt let Dom eat them. SO she just looked away, and started at Professor Morgans pretty door, waiting for her to answer it.

Jake saw Cameron's face, and blinked his own tears away. He didn't want trouble. Trouble meant hate, and he didn't want no more any more hate. Nononononononoooooooo!!!!!

"Let me go..." he whined, using any protrusion on the ground to push him forwards, as if he was rock-climbing. Wow... did Allie have superglue on her hands? Jake's arms started to stretch as he pulled on something sturdy to get away, and then the popping sound from his shoulder, the one attached to the arm atteched to the wrist that Allie held.

"Owwww..." he moaned, still stretched. Jake sniffed a little. Just a cold. Curse him never getting out much, or drinking milk. Stupid bones and joints; he couldn't remember what was supposed to be the beneficial thing, but it didn't matter. He was in PAIN. He didn't think it was dislocated... maybe, but it hurt like the Dickens as he carried on trying to run, blinking tears back as his breath hitched slightly.

"You..." breeeeeathe... "... are meeeean and cruel!" he yelled back, ignoring his uneven voice.

Maddox tried to keep his composure the best he could. He sat Asmara's cage where she told him too. "Thank you, I really do appreciate it." He smiled, hoping it didnt look too nervous. Mads watched as the little bird flew to its perch with just one simple whistle from the Professor. "You can call me Maddox by the way." He smiled, wondering if she would or not, though he doubted it.

He thought for a moment and replied, "Well I just went up to the Owelry for the first time today. I needed to send a letter to me mum. So I would say today." He shrugged. He felt bad that he hadnt come and check on her before though. He needed to do that more often.

Twilight Mcdonahue walked down to Professor Morgans hut, but saw what was all going on, she decided that maybe she should come back later. She peeked into the stone building and a longing so big filled her heart that she decided to sit down and write a note instead and then let Eveningstar deliver it.

Eveningstar was the biggest headache in the world, he just would not stay put in the owlery... he seemed to be small enough to escape easily... she would have to find another solution. She sighed.

SHe took out her quill and a light green parchment and wrote her note, adding flowers, curliques and little animals. SHe attached it to Eveningstar and whispered to him to deliver the note quietly and not to be greedy.

SHe watched him fly off first towards the castle, whereupon she shook her head. He finally seemed to realize his error and headed for the hut. Twilight smiled softly to herself and headed back towards the castle.

Herminny had not raised her hand in class because she was a little scared at first to take on such a huge responsibility caring for magical baby creatures, but she thought it over and decided she wanted to take on the challenge after all. Thus she knocked on the proffessors door hoping it was not too late to take on the journal activity thinking why oh why did I not realize I waned to do this earlier.

Celandine's nearly slip-up went unnoticed as Daphne reminisced over the girl's eight legged pet. "Yes, I know the tarantula," admitted the girl solemnly, wishing she didn't. Choosing to ignore her quip about servants, Daphne thought it over silently, digging the toe of her shoe into the dirt pensively. Her Nana made a whole lot of sense. She'd have to take such motto into consideration.

"Done?" squeaked Daphne, throwing her arms up. "Oh, good! I think I could go for some--" except, her wishes for almond cookies and black tea were cut off shirt by Celandine's sudden dirty attack. "Do you--Honestly--What are you doing?" interrogated Miss Hopton shrilly when her pudgy hands were smacked with a dirty cloth; the one she had been casting disapproving looks at earlier.

Whimpering slightly, lips turned downcast, she entered the hut after Celandine, holding out her hands before her away from her body. She was dirty.

D-I-R-T-Y. Do you know what that spells?

Yes. Dirty.

Blinking, Miss Hopton dared not chance a glance at Celandine for reassurance and merely smiled politely, nodding ever so slightly in acknowledgement. "We've learned that conditioning a saddle takes a lot of--" bossing around. "Time management skills and a keen eye for details," thought the blond considering how Celandine seemed to get the soap water ratio just right in the first try. "Celandine learned a lot too!" chirped Daphne, tucking a dirty hand underneath Cel's elbow and pulling her closer towards herself.