The Office of Professor Valon Kazimeriz, esq.
 

Please do not post here until the Professor has invited you in. Please use the office doorway thread to knock and gain admittance to the Professor's office.


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The warm interior of Professor Kazimeriz's office is simply lit with a candlelight chandelier. While it is well organized and fastidiously tidy, the floor to ceiling mahogany shelves are overflowing with thick, ancient books and curiosities that the professor has collected during nearly a century of travels. The walls are decorated with tribal masks and other oddities as well as moving photographs of distant lands and distant people. Several photos are of the professor himself, posing with various wizards, witches, hobgoblins, werewolves, vampires and other magical beings.

At the center of the office is a large mahogany desk with a deeply cushioned leather chair behind it. On the desk are a few artifacts, including a glass-encased hand of glory. There is also a quill, blotter and a photograph of a much younger Professor Kazimeriz with a woman and small child.

At the back of the room there is a large, locked, wood and glass enclosed curio cabinet which contains a variety of objects. Each object has a note card describing the object and the curse placed on it. To the right of the cabinet, there is a brass bell dangling from a wrought iron hook. In this area, there is also a fastidious workspace featuring a triple-locked glass cabinet housing potions ingredients. On the counter you will find an array of potions-making equipment: phials, alembics, stills,and of course several cauldrons in various states of steaming and brewing. The bookshelves are jammed with many ancient texts: An anonymous treatise on the Philosophers' stone, An hundred aphorisms containing the whole body of magic from Ms. Sloane 1321, Basil Valentine's Triumphal Chariot of Antimony, Advanced Potion-Making by Libatius Borage, Moste Potente Potions, Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger, Compleat Potions by Horace Slughorn, and many others.

Comfortable, overstuffed chairs and sofas are positioned within the office near the fireplace sitting area and across from the professor's desk. The smell of tea and warm sugar cookies lingers in the air, mingling with the scent of the burning pine log in the fireplace and the occasional wafting scent of whatever happens to be brewing at the moment.

When you are invited in, please make yourself comfortable.

Professor Kazimeriz entered his office, levitating his cloak up onto the coat hook. The charmed teapot came to life, beginning to prepare the morning tea. He took his place at his desk.

"Sit down, Upstead. How can I help you?" Kazimeriz asked.

Following Kazi into the office, Jake went ahead and and took a seat. "Alright, Kazimeriz? I mean... you know... ProfessSirrr," Jake added, swinging his feat back and forth. "You told me at the feast to come and see you, dintcha?"

Kazimeriz nodded as the tea poured out. "Indeed I did. We have a bit of business to square up, as I am sure you recall." He raised an eyebrow, his eyes boring into third year's. After a moment, his eyes shifted to the glowing orb on his desk.

"I seem to have a queue of students waiting at my door. You will forgive me if I let them in; I do not think my time with you will take long."

Kazimeriz turned to the orb and stated. "You may enter and be seated; I shall be right with you."

"Now then. Mr. Upstead. It has come to my attention that in the hulabaloo surrounding last term's flooding, you have missed detention. I am not one to let a debt go unpaid; however it is most unusual for me to have a student pay out a detention over multiple terms. And so, let us discuss instead your transgression and what you can do to... make amends, shall we say." He smiled a reaper's smile at the boy, his eyes gleaming.

Trouble? Jake Upstead had it.

Theo bounced into Valon's office and sat down in a squidgy seat. He bounced up and down a bit before he found a comfortable position. It was sinkingly squidgy though. "Hello Professor Kazimeriz," he smiled at the man. He also waved from his sunken position in the chair. Mmmm it was eating him up like a doughnut is eaten. WHOLE!

"Grrrrrrr," Jake growled under his breath and fidgetted in his seat a moment. Well... no, he didn't mind other people coming in, but Jake didn't really have a choice in the matter, now did he? He was actually growling at the old man's memory. WHYYYYYYY did he remember stuff like that.

"Well... but see, Kaz, can I call you Kaz? Well, Kaz, it wasn't that I was trying to wind you up... well, not all that much," he said, thinking for a moment. "I wasn't necessarily dodging the detentions. I just... well, let's be frank, you're a scary bloke, right? I just didn't want to come to them. I didn't really feel like hanging around with... oops..."

Oops indeed.

It wasn't until Jake had finished his little speech that he looked up at Kazi, and realised he wasn't talking to Lawson or Truebridge or any of them. This was that very scaru bloke he was talking about. Gulp. "Erm... I mean... Sorry Kaz?"

Kazimeriz nodded to Newtington. "Good afternoon, Newtington. If you care for tea, my teapot will see to you. I will be right with you."

"You will address me as Professor Kazimeriz or Deputy Headmaster. We will not continue this discussion until you address me appropriately; for a man's name and title is a matter of respect and honor and must never be desecrated for one's convenience." And if I am unable to teach you this, Merlin pity you when Lord Borr arrives.

He turned dismissively away from Upstead to Newtington. "Mr. Newtington. What brings you by my office this afternoon?" he asked pleasantly, his teapot hovering eagerly by Newtington ready to pour out if the boy indicated he would like a refreshment.

GRRRRR!

"No! Sir, okay, Professor Kazimeriz," Jake said hurriedly, hopefully before Theo had a chance to speak. "I'll call you that, sir."

Gah, he just wanted out of here soon. And you could probably tell by the look on Jake's face that he was upset at the way Kazi had just turned away. "But, it was just that, I'm called Jake, but you lot call me Upstead... and... yeah," he fell quiet, hoping Kazi would carry on with him.

Theo nodded at the teapot as he was slowly digested by the chair. Soon it would just be his arms sticking out. It was exciting though. He loved the squishy feeling. Mmmm tea. "Milk please. But no sugar," he squeaked, his manly voice having not quite grown in yet.

OMG Jake just called him Kaz. That was genius. It was so much more easier than Kazimeriz. Maybe Kazi was better. He would prefer that. "Well Professor Kazi, I wanted to say that I know lots of magic now. My daddy teached me over the summer."

Kazimeriz sighed. The impertinence of the students was truly extraordinary some days. That reminded him...

He took out a parchment and jotted a quick note, sealing it and setting aside to send out later before he forgot. "Mister Newtington. I know you are not deaf nor--" he hestitated and self-edited. "...well, not deaf. You just heard me tell Mr. Upstead that titles and proper use of names were a hallmark of a gentleman; I expect nothing less than gentlemanly conduct in my presence. Unless you address me appropriately, I will have you leave my office. Is that clear to everyone present?"

Merlin's Manners, the amount of time that a professor must waste on drilling in the basic manners thanks to the lazy parenting being done these days! he thought. Time to teach what wasn't taught at home...

"The professors of this school- and your peers who are not close to you- address you by your family name, your surname, because it is proper etiquette to do so. It is your honor to carry your family name, and be identified by it in social and formal settings. This includes school, social events, and of course, professional and academic settings."

"In social settings, you may use the gentleman's title when addressing him formally, such as referring to each other with the title "Mister Upstead"for example. You have yet to earn any other title unless you have inherited one from your family's prominent social position. A lady must always be referred to as Miss. or Mrs., or by an earned title such as 'professor' or 'lady'. For a superior to refer to his underlings by his informal name-- as you once asked me to do Mr. Newtington-- is too familiar and highly inappropriate; this is reserved for close friends as a general rule, not professional relationships. Do you understand these rules?" he lectured the students. He would make gentlemen out of these ruffians yet.

Theo frowned, "I don't want to leave. I like it in here." He smiled at the Professor. His little face squidged up in the chair. He sipped his tea slowly, his little pinky sticking out. "I am number Four. Does that count?"

"I think you are a close friend of mine," he smiled at the Professor. "So I shall call you Professor Kazi. It is easier to say than Kazimeriz. Which is long and drags a bit."

Jake bit down on the tongue that was trying so hard to force the words out to protest and whatnot. When Kaz asked if... well, if something was clear to everyone present, he gave a small tilt of the head.

His eyes glazed over next, and the words Kazi was saying were just, settling in his brain but not making much sense. "But siiiiiir," he whined, slightly. "My name is Jake. Lawson calls me Jake. Truebridge calls me Jake. Professor Morgan calls me Jake. I can handle Jacob, though usually that's my 'you're in serious trouble young man' name. Being called Mister makes me feel icky. And it's so much easier when I'm not saying a whole bunch of words just to address you."

Jake thought for a moment. "Maybe I have a social standing where ya just call me Jake? But pleeeeeeeease sirrrrrrrr... can we get to the whole detent- erm... actually... nevermind."

He didn't mind staying off that topic for a while.

"You shall leave my office, Mr. Newtington. Now. And do not return until you address me in the manner I have requested of you. To do less is most disrespectful and I will not have it." He raised his wand, opening the door and pointing to it. "Go, or I shall take points."

"I understand your perspective, however, while some of the young and less experienced professors seek to make you think you are their buddy, I shall do you no such disservice."

Kazimeriz looked at the boy frankly. "This is not a social club. We are both here for professional reasons- me, to teach; you, to learn. We respect our positions in this endeavor by referring to each other by our formal names. No less is acceptable. If it is a mere matter of the effort involved, well, showing respect is worth an effort, is it not?" He raised an eyebrow at the boy.

"B...b...b...but," Theo's lip began to wobble. His hand began to shake also. He squirmed out of the seat, spilling tea on himself as he went. Having finally squeezed his way out, the last push was more of a birthing procedure. He flew out of the chair in Kazi's direction. He squeezed his eyes shut hoping he wasn't going to land on the old man. He hoped his hot cup of tea wouldn't either.

Shrugging at first, Jake looked down at his feet, hood covering up his face, which was good, as pooor confoozled little Jakers felt his eyes stinging with tears. But he wasn't crying. He was... just cleaning his eyes.

"But I don't-" Jake said suddenly, glancing back up before sighing in resignation. "Fine," he pouted, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in the chair.

Kazimeriz was a lot of things. Ancient. Decrepit. Arthritic. Stern bordering on severe... Lame in one hip from the cursed injury that Truebridge had re-opened two years ago...

But slow on the draw? Never.

The former show dueler and Auror raised his wand the very moment he saw the boy burst forward, catching boy and teacup mid-air in the nick of time... missing, however, a spatter of hot tea which landed on the journal on his desk.

He sucked in air between his teeth, his patience clearly worn thin as he cast a cushioning charm for the boy's inevitable landing on the floor. The tea could not be helped, but he could at least clean up the spill.

"Evanesco!" he spat through gritted teeth as he cleaned up the hot tea off his papers. "Merlin's overstuffed loveseat, be CAREFUL Mr. Newtington!" he grumbled.

"Very good." he said to Upstead. "Now. Let us discuss your debt, Mr. Upstead. As I see it, you owe me a month of Saturday mornings. Due to your irresponsible behavior last term, avoiding detention and class, I shall double this. Eight Saturdays in my service, where you shall work off your debt. Is this clear?" His eyes darted back and forth between Upstead and Newtington.

Eyes going increasingly wide, Jake snapped his head and and gaped at Kazi. "Are you out of your ever-lovin' mind?!" the boy gasped, looking around for some sign of evil puppeteer or something. Nope. The only evil was Kazi. DOUBLING what Jake had done so well to avoid, too. "I..." he stalled for a moment, sitting back and pounding the arm of the chair once with a clenched fist.

Theo crashed quite softly, it would seem, to the floor. And so did his teacup. Wow at least that wasn't Kazi's lap. He stood up and smiled, brushing himself off. "Thank you Professor Kazimeriz. You saved me."

"Indeed." he said, smiling at the lad in spite of himself. The child had used his proper title. He could be taught.

Kazimeriz turned back to Mr. Upstead. "And that will be five points for cheek, Mr. Upstead. Shall we go for 16 Saturdays in detention? Your smart mouth will make you miss every quidditch game and Hogsmeade weekend... what. a. pity." He said coldly.

Gripping the arms of the chair firmly with both hands, Jake jumped up from the seat, hood of his hoodie falling down. "Fine!" he exclaimed, a little louder than was necessary. "Can I go now, Sir?"

GAH! The man was infuriating.

Kazimeriz looked at the boy coolly. His wand still out from Newtington's incident, he casually pointed it at the boy and cast... something.

"No."

Theo wasn't sure of he had to leave now. He had said the dude's full proper name. He hadn't call him Kazi or Kaz. So did he have to leave? The world was crazy. Or Kazi!!! He he. He sat back down in the squidgy seat. Maybe he could get lost in it and never leave.

Kazimeriz turned back to Newtington. "So, Mr. Newtington... You were saying that you had learned more over the summer?" He sipped his tea, nice as you please, ignoring Upstead. The tea set drew over a fresh cup of tea and set it on the desk within reach of Newtington, should he want it.

Theo nodded from his cacoon. He smiled. "I know lots now. Do you want to see it?" He reached for his new tea and took a sip. He quickly breathed in some air. Ow ow ow ow!!! He stuck his tongue out. Burny burny!

"Perhaps you could start with a cooling charm on your tongue and tea, Mr. Newtington. It seems it is warmer than is to your liking?" The teapot quivered as though embarrassed by the mishap.