No surprise there.

Women don't like Caroline Avalon. This has been a constant in the universe since she was 14. Before that, she was still not terribly socially... apt, we'll call it.

She raised her eyebrow in the challenging manner she might if you tell her there is something she cannot learn or cannot heal. "And in which category would place Marcus?" she asked, extremely pleased with herself.

Check.

OHFORTHELOVEOFMERLIN was she a Legilimens now too?! Or was she trying to get herself killed? Really, the hospital wing couldn't have been that bad of a job that Caroline Avalon would just invite Anastasia Bunbury to rip her head off.

"What does HE have to do with anything?" she snapped from her seat, refusing to turn around lest her face betray her current state of confusion. "It's none of your business."

Besides the fact that she didn't know what to call him, Marcus Lawson was probably deserving of his own category entirely...but that reminded her. "If you really want to know, Miss Avalon, why don't you just ask him yourself? I heard you two have been spending soooooo much quality time together."

Heard it straight from the donkey's mouth, she did.

What did Marcus have to with it? Well that's what Caroline would like to know. Especially if Anastasia Bunbury said it was none of her business. Something happened there. Even a social failure like Cari could tell, so someone more apt could probably figure it all out just by spending 30 seconds in the same room with the pair of them.

Sigh. Honestly, just once she'd like to know what was going on, when it was going on. Everybody else seemed to get -

Whaaaat? Cari's eyes flew open wide, despite her exhaustion, Like THAT. I don't get THAAAAT!!!

"I'm sorry," she said carefully, "do you mind explaining your deluded ramblings? What quality time am I supposedly spending with Marcus?"

I hate her. She's mocking me. There is a joke in there, and I'm not getting it.

She'd only been to his class to help out, and he'd been to her office, once - no twice, oh and once to help out with Jake. When else had they even seen each other?

Quote:

Originally Posted by druidflower

What did Marcus have to with it? Well that's what Caroline would like to know. Especially if Anastasia Bunbury said it was none of her business. Something happened there. Even a social failure like Cari could tell, so someone more apt could probably figure it all out just by spending 30 seconds in the same room with the pair of them.

Sigh. Honestly, just once she'd like to know what was going on, when it was going on. Everybody else seemed to get -

Whaaaat? Cari's eyes flew open wide, despite her exhaustion, Like THAT. I don't get THAAAAT!!!

"I'm sorry," she said carefully, "do you mind explaining your deluded ramblings? What quality time am I supposedly spending with Marcus?"

I hate her. She's mocking me. There is a joke in there, and I'm not getting it.

She'd only been to his class to help out, and he'd been to her office, once - no twice, oh and once to help out with Jake. When else had they even seen each other?

Sorry?! Oh yeah, she was going to be sorry.

"I am not deluded," Annie muttered quietly. "If you want deluded, talk to Paris Greenwood. That Quidditch Captain suffers from delusions of grandeur, let me tell you what."

She was avoiding answering the question, obviously, if she was dancing around it by mentioning students in the staff room. The staff room was to escape from the problem children, right? Too bad Caroline Avalon was a problem herself.

The redhead let a moment or two pass in silence before speaking up again. The....events...from earlier were weighing heavily on her mind. "Like I said," Bunbury spoke up again, deciding to twist in her chair so she could watch Cari's reaction, "You should ask him. How did he phrase it...."

The corners of her mouth twitched into wicked grin. "'There is plenty of Axe to go around' but 'a gentleman never kisses and tells.'" And wasn't that the truth.

Oh so confuuuuuused!

Axe is Marcus right? Yes Cari was pretty sure he'd mentioned that was a nickname or something at the feast. But go around to what exactly? Oh wait, it's to who. Okay that idea didn't sit too well with her. She didn't kid herself that Marcus was angel, but... spreading himself around? How ungentlemanly. She somehow doubted it would bother the likes of Anastasia Bunbury, for all her fancy clothes, you can't buy classy conduct. And kisses who? Who was Marcus kissing? And how was Paris Greenwood involved? Blah no, that didn't work, she'd gotten something mixed up.

Pause, go back, think.

No dice.

"Where is Marcus spreading himself? And who is he kissing? And why should I care enough about it to ask about his personal life? It seems like you care enough for everyone." There, she asked for clarification, made it clear she didn't care, and sneered at Bunbury for caring all in one fell swoop. That was a social win.

Go Caroline.

Well well someone wasn't the brightest bulb on the Avalon family tree. Honestly, was Anastasia going to lower herself to this woman's social standing and explain things to her? Did she have to? Really?

Well it would certainly make her feel better about herself. She'd just have to word this carefully so as not to sound...jealous? But she wasn't jealous. No she wasn't. And she was going to keep telling herself that too.

"You....." idiot. "You should care because he was talking about you. Your friend Marcus came alllllll the way out to my greenhouses --- Merlin knows why when he claims to hate me --- just to show me that he was fine and dandy and no, his lips aren't a bit rusty thanks to youuuuuu."

Sheesh. Some people needed to get their heads out of the library once in a while. Annie couldn't help but let an exasperated sigh escape at the end of her sentence. That tart was hopeless. Absolutely hopeless.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BanaBatGirl

Well well someone wasn't the brightest bulb on the Avalon family tree. Honestly, was Anastasia going to lower herself to this woman's social standing and explain things to her? Did she have to? Really?

Well it would certainly make her feel better about herself. She'd just have to word this carefully so as not to sound...jealous? But she wasn't jealous. No she wasn't. And she was going to keep telling herself that too.

"You....." idiot. "You should care because he was talking about you. Your friend Marcus came alllllll the way out to my greenhouses --- Merlin knows why when he claims to hate me --- just to show me that he was fine and dandy and no, his lips aren't a bit rusty thanks to youuuuuu."

Sheesh. Some people needed to get their heads out of the library once in a while. Annie couldn't help but let an exasperated sigh escape at the end of her sentence. That tart was hopeless. Absolutely hopeless.

Cari's coffee cup, still nearly full, slipped out of her hand and dropped to the floor. Shattered. They were using breakable mugs still? Seriously? She didn't notice when the coffee splashed her feet. Didn't care. Her shoes had an Impervius charm on them. She liked her shoes.

Her mouth fell open. "He -"

She wouldn't cry. Not in front of Anastasia Bunbury, not over a man. Both of those terms were completely unacceptable.

But how DARE he? There was almost nothing worse he could have done. How -? More over how had she allowed herself to believe for a second that Marcus Lawson was more than the basest form of life to be scarped from the bottom of her shoe and disposed of in a biohazard waste bin?

She stood slowly, leaving the shattered mug and the coffee on the floor. They ceased to exist. As Marcus would very soon. When she found her voice it was very calm, scarily so.

"Anastasia, if you're still interested in poisoning Marcus, I have toxin from the Golden Dart Frog on the very top shelf in my office, now there are several charms protecting it, but it's all yours if you want it. My only condition is, I get first crack at Marcus Lawson." With that, Cari marched out of the room.

Quote:

Originally Posted by druidflower

Cari's coffee cup, still nearly full, slipped out of her hand and dropped to the floor. Shattered. They were using breakable mugs still? Seriously? She didn't notice when the coffee splashed her feet. Didn't care. Her shoes had an Impervius charm on them. She liked her shoes.

Her mouth fell open. "He -"

She wouldn't cry. Not in front of Anastasia Bunbury, not over a man. Both of those terms were completely unacceptable.

But how DARE he? There was almost nothing worse he could have done. How -? More over how had she allowed herself to believe for a second that Marcus Lawson was more than the basest form of life to be scarped from the bottom of her shoe and disposed of in a biohazard waste bin?

She stood slowly, leaving the shattered mug and the coffee on the floor. They ceased to exist. As Marcus would very soon. When she found her voice it was very calm, scarily so.

"Anastasia, if you're still interested in poisoning Marcus, I have toxin from the Golden Dart Frog on the very top shelf in my office, now there are several charms protecting it, but it's all yours if you want it. My only condition is, I get first crack at Marcus Lawson." With that, Cari marched out of the room.

Drama queen much? Anastasia could only blink for a few moments at Caroline's mug-shattering reaction. Well then. So she was honest for once and her only payment was receiving key information on the exact location of a rare poison with no known cure?

I could use the poison though....mmmhmm...Annie watched the nurse rush out of the room and vaguely wondered about her destination before getting comfy in her seat again. A sadistic smile swept across her face as she pulled out the box of chocolates and wrapped them all up.

Her day had just gotten a lot better, suddenly. Heheeh. She didn't even need the chocolates, no, someone else would be needing them before her. And just because she had been offered aid in a potentially beneficial plan didn't mean she was going to act on it.

Yet.

After all, Marcus "the Axe" Lawson was still a good kisser although he most definitely was not a good gentleman. Anastasia stood up from her chair and slipped the purple chocolate box back in its hiding place, stepping carefully around the coffee mess on her way out of the Staff Room. She had work to do.

Headmaster Bontecou arrived in the staff room more than just a little bit late for the term. Where he's been or what he was doing is unknown to anyone but himself. He'd had some tidings from Kazimeriz, but other than that one brief communication he has had no contact with anyone from the school. So, pretty much clueless, he stepped into the staff room hoping to catch some of the staff and figure out what's been going on in his absence.

All in all, things were not going well, aside from Ethan, the staff pretty much hated her. Marcus turned out NOT to be a good friend at all. And her immediate supervisor, and the headmaster BOTH had been swallowed up by the some giant invisble gerbil that stalked the halls.

Or something.

Also stalking the halls was Caroline Avalon. Until she decided it was time to raid Anastasia Bunbury's chocolate stash in the Staff Room. She didn't expect to find the headmaster in there.

She gasped. "You!"

Uh huh, THAT is how you address your boss Caroline.

"I mean... I mean...." she stammered without ever really getting across what she meant.

He turned and narrowed his eyes at the entrant. The look lasted but a moment before he broke out into a grin. "You," he chuckled in response. "So, what's shakin?"

Lawson made his way into the staff room as instructed by the old man and stopped just inside the doorway and he blinked a couple of times and kind of just stared for a moment before clearing his throat.

"Headmaster, so good to see you again and looking quite well too." He moved further into the room. Marcus spotted Caroline and he gave her a polite nod but said nothing more.

Having sent off the requests for supplies, Angela made her way back down towards the ground floor in hopes of finding Professor Forrester to inform him of the pre-arrangements and to inquire of further supplies that would be needed. If he were not in the Great Hall, then perhaps he was in the staff room. Though, she supposed it would be best to stop there first.

Opening the door once she reached the room, Angela stopped just inside, noticing Caroline, a professor whom she didn't know the name of right off the top of her head, and..surprise, the Headmaster.

"Well..hello everyone. " She greeted offhandedly with a small smile as she attempted to cover the surprise that she felt upon seeing the Headmaster in the room. Then again, why was she surprised? This was Hogwarts, after all. Anything and everything could happen here. Though that didn't stop her from wondering about the Headmaster's sudden absence and reappearance.

Professor Kazimeriz entered the staff room, striding in and seeming to be quite a bit stronger than he had been when down in the dungeons. He was still leaning on his cane, but some of the color had returned to his ghostly, drawn face.

"Miss Avalon."Kazimeriz said, coolly nodding to her and taking a seat. He turned to Bontecou and the Librarian, smiling warmly. "Reynard... Miss Kohan. So nice to see you both this evening."

Vindictus found time not just to shower and change into fresh robes, but to swing by the kitchen to grab a sandwich. He had just taken a large bite when he walked into the room. "Mrmph . . . Iboughtyoustuckwincwoset!" he blurted out with a full mouth upon seeing Bontecou in the room.

Umm... Everything short of the foundations?

"The dungeon flooded, my hospital wing has gone mad, and the head nurse has ceased to exist. I'm sure I'm missing something important," she replied automatically. "Where - How -" usually she was able to ask hundreds of questions without even taking a breath, but nothing was coming. It didn't help that Marcus chose THAT moment to appear in the Staff Room. She ignored him. Really. He didn't exist.

Angela Kohan and Professor Kazimeriz showed up too. What, was there an anouncement? Are they convening now? Oh wait, and now Max.

Seriously, there was an anouncement and she missed it.

"So you're back now?" was the best she could do.

Headmaster one, Giant Invisible Gerbil zero.

Alessia walked into the staff room and her eyes lit up when she saw the headmaster had returned. She moved to a seat in a corner and gave him a tiny little wave. "Welcome Home..." she said smiling.

He turned briefly from the healer intern to look toward the other staff members who started filing in. "Oh good, meeting time and I'm not late," he said and paused a moment before adding. "Well, not for this meeting anyway."

He laughed and thanked Marcus for his kind greeting. He was feeling much better than he had only a few days ago. He seemed in much better shape than at the last staff meeting, too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by XanaSnape

"Miss Avalon."Kazimeriz said, coolly nodding to her and taking a seat. He turned to Bontecou and the Librarian, smiling warmly. "Reynard... Miss Kohan. So nice to see you both this evening."

"And yourself, Valon. Thanks for looking after things for me while I was away," he smiled warmly at the elderly wizard.

Quote:

Originally Posted by demented_death_eater

Vindictus found time not just to shower and change into fresh robes, but to swing by the kitchen to grab a sandwich. He had just taken a large bite when he walked into the room. "Mrmph . . . Iboughtyoustuckwincwoset!" he blurted out with a full mouth upon seeing Bontecou in the room.

"Um....." he laughed. "Get back to me on that one." What the...? He'd heard 'stuck' but that's about it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by druidflower

Umm... Everything short of the foundations?

"The dungeon flooded, my hospital wing has gone mad, and the head nurse has ceased to exist. I'm sure I'm missing something important," she replied automatically. "Where - How -" usually she was able to ask hundreds of questions without even taking a breath, but nothing was coming. It didn't help that Marcus chose THAT moment to appear in the Staff Room. She ignored him. Really. He didn't exist.

Angela Kohan and Professor Kazimeriz showed up too. What, was there an anouncement? Are they convening now? Oh wait, and now Max.

Seriously, there was an anouncement and she missed it.

"So you're back now?" was the best she could do.

Headmaster one, Giant Invisible Gerbil zero.

He blinked. "Uh... I see... Yeah, I'm back so... dungeons?" he asked, blinking again and looking around, his eyes resting on Kazimeriz for an explanation, though anyone would do, really.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeerCassandraTrelawney

Alessia walked into the staff room and her eyes lit up when she saw the headmaster had returned. She moved to a seat in a corner and gave him a tiny little wave. "Welcome Home..." she said smiling.

And then Less spoke and he turned smiling to her. "Thanks," he winked.

Bunbunz bustled into the Staff Room with a thundercloud expression on her face, mostly because she was still cold from that little kitchen stunt. Stupid, annoying ex-Aurorers....speaking of which....

The redhead froze in the doorway when she spotted Bontecou...back from the beyond section of Bed, Bath & Beyonder at last? Er whatever that Muggle store was called? That could only be the reasonable explanation for his disappearance, surely, even though the man hardly looked like he had ever shopped for fine linens and towels.

"Er, hello Headmaster," she called out slowly, taking a quiet step into the room. Of course she had changed her shoes to match her cleaner, plain black robes. Annie stepped around Alessia, wrinkling her nose slightly (she was convinced the woman carried a decaying scent even if she didn't) and found an empty chair on the opposite side of the room from Marcus. Hehehee at least that healer tart didn't look too happy with him either. Good.

Kazimeriz smiled back and gave a respectful nod. "But of course, Reynard."

Kazimeriz did not like that wink. No, not one bit. His eyes narrowed for a moment-- just a moment! -- as he got a whiff of something passing between the two professors. Something very disconcerting to the old man. He forced himself to snap back to attention and issue a report.

"Yes, the dungeons. As I am certain you are aware, the dungeons have been flooded-- totally flooded, at this point. The potions lab was compromised. Not only did this affect all the stores of potions, but it also affected several cauldrons in the lab. I was brewing the Despicable Draughts in preparation for a demonstration on critical concoction potions for the NEWT level students. The potions I brewed bled into the floodwaters creating a-- well, you know as well as I the potential ramifications of those particular potions combined, even when diluted by lake water and altered by the contaminants therein." Kazimeriz knew he didn't have to detail such things to Reynard, who was also a Potions Master.

"Every student has been accounted for and they have been evacuated to higher ground, though those who may have suffered damage from potions contamination are being seen by Miss Avalon. Led by Professor Vindictus, we made an attempt to resolve the flooding. However, our best efforts to slow or remove the contaminated waters made no impact, and we were forced to retreat. "

Alessia tried to concentrate on the subject, ignoring the rabid Bunny Woman. Dungeons... flooding... Those poor kids... Right! The kids. "Those poor children, forced out of their common room and now they are cramed into the Observatory. No disrespect to Professor Forrester, it was fast thinking on his part... but that is no place for children to stay. No matter how temporary it is. One night... maybe. Two... but a week is getting to be too much. How much longer till the dungeon's drained? The water wasn't very responsize to my charms... who stopped it?" She said looking at the obvious person. Valon Kazimeriz.

Vindictus swallowed. "Yeah, and the new brooms were destroyed in the process thanks to the contaminated water. The very same racing brooms that were graciously donated by the League." He was hurt and rightly so - those brooms had died an awful death without even having a chance to fly freely in the open sky.

He sat down next to Bunbury. "Got any chocolate? I feel as if the happiness was sucked out of my soul down there."

"Oh Max, that's horrible!" She said looking sad. "Maybe if we wrote a letter? Explaining the situation and letting them know what happened... do you think they'd give us another set?" She was probably coming off as a dingbat, but she was trying to help... "I'd be happy to write it."

Antonio slipped into the staff room quietly, having been delayed with grading reports from his muggle studies class. He smiled and nodded to his fellow staff members and took a seat. How he hated to be the last to arrive!

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeerCassandraTrelawney

Alessia tried to concentrate on the subject, ignoring the rabid Bunny Woman. Dungeons... flooding... Those poor kids... Right! The kids. "Those poor children, forced out of their common room and now they are cramed into the Observatory. No disrespect to Professor Forrester, it was fast thinking on his part... but that is no place for children to stay. No matter how temporary it is. One night... maybe. Two... but a week is getting to be too much. How much longer till the dungeon's drained? The water wasn't very responsize to my charms... who stopped it?" She said looking at the obvious person. Valon Kazimeriz.

Well obviously Loopy Lupa wasn't adressing Anastasia, but she did notice the way the woman looked to her slightly-less nutty godfather for leadership. "He didn't stop the water," she stated a bit bitterly. She would have taken credit for stopping it but even Bunbury's usually ego had been dampened by the dungeons.

Quote:

Originally Posted by demented_death_eater

Vindictus swallowed. "Yeah, and the new brooms were destroyed in the process thanks to the contaminated water. The very same racing brooms that were graciously donated by the League." He was hurt and rightly so - those brooms had died an awful death without even having a chance to fly freely in the open sky.

He sat down next to Bunbury. "Got any chocolate? I feel as if the happiness was sucked out of my soul down there."

"Poor Maximus," Annie bit back a slight smile and patted the flying instructor's bicep of steel. "I do, actually, here." She was too lazy to get up and didn't want to walk past several people she despised, so, the redhead just levitated her box of purple chocolates from the top of their cupboard hiding spot over to where they were sitting.

"Erm, there may or may not be a half-eaten one in there," she added in a quiet tone. "Someone could have been rooting around my stash. You know. We have sneaks here." Sneaks meaning just kidding I didn't plan on sharing my chocolates teeheehe whupsadaisy and yes I had to abruptly hide them from Tarticus so don't mind me rambling in my head ENJOY!