"Sometimes the smart thing is to be the bigger person," Tate answered, giving the girl a steady look. "I'm a reformed Gryffindor, so I know quite a bit about sticking up for yourself, but be careful you aren't drawn into a fight that cannot be won."

"I would love to professor but as many times as i apoligize they don't listen" she replied

"Then you walk away and make them none of your concern," Tate shrugged at that. "I have a feeling you'll do well at Hogwarts, Miss Riddle. Good luck this term."

"Thank you professor you helped a lot really thank you" she said and got up to leave.

He raised his hand in farewell. "You're most welcome. Thank you for the apple."

Dani had walked into the Headmasters office and was now standing and waiting to be able to speak to him. She looked around the room as she waited. It was the first time she had been in the room since that merman had stabbed her. The Headmaster looked rather intimidating, but he seemed kinda nice.

"You must have snuck up with that last one," Tate looked at the girl in surprise. Where had SHE come from?

"And... sneaky thing. What can I do for you?"

Dani looked up from the floor in surprise. "Umm.. well." She paused for a moment. "I wanted to talk to you about one of the Professors." Now that she was about to voice her opinion she wasn't sure it was a good idea. What if he found out? He was scary.. For the second time in her life Dani was actually completely terrified of something.

"Yes? Go ahead, child. Spit it on out. No good keeping secrets. I can't help if you don't speak." He leaned back in his chair and gave her a level look.

Dani eyed him apprehensively for a moment before straightening her shoulders and speaking. "It's Professor Duskurk. He's scary." Realizing she sounded like a little kid she added. "And I don't get scared easy. Ask Professor Lawson, he knows. I even jumped on a merman, but that's a different story." She thought a moment before remembering she hadn't' given a reason. "It's just... He made us use the Unforgivables and he didn't even look like it upset him in any way and the poor spiders were twisting in pain and he made us watch.." Her eyes glazed over slightly and she stopped talking.

"I spoke to the Professor, and he won't be doing anything like that anymore," Tate nodded. "It was good of you to come to see me with this. I hope you know that my office is always open if you have a concern about something you see in the school."

Dani nodded at him. "Okay." She gave him a charming smile. The thrid year was still much like a little kid. "Why are you here?" She asked him. Realizing that sounded rude, she corrected herself. "I mean we had a Headmaster already..." She wasn't really asking why he was there, more like why Headmaster Bontecou was gone. She missed him. He had saved her from a giant fishy-dude.

"No," Tate shook his head. "Your Headmaster left, and now you have me. You see how that worked out? If Bontecou comes back, I suppose I won't be needed any longer."

Dani shrugged. "Cool. I was just wondering." She hoped he hadn't taken it the wrong way. She gave him one of her bright grins. As usual, there were ten million questions in her brain, she hoped she wasn't a bother. "What did you do before you came here to be Headmaster?"

She eyed the floor as she waited for a response. Normally adults didn't make her nervous, but she had been accidentally offending people lately. She missed her dad.

"I worked for a law enforcement agency," Tate said politely. "I hate to be rude to you, my dear, but I have several visitors waiting for me at the bottom of the staircase. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to have to let you go for now."

Dani nodded and wandered out. She needed to go bug Mr. Masterson. It had been a long time since she had seen him. Hmm..

Following the headmaster up to his office, Marcus stepped inside and glanced around quickly. It looked like an ordinary office, nothing that would need hiding.

"Nice foe glass" he remarked to the headmaster as he stood behind one of the chairs.

"I'm a firm believer in... knowing your enemy," Tate shrugged with an amused little grin. Takes a former Defense professor to notice the glass right off.

"So, Professor... Lawson, right? Yes. Muggle Studies? What can I do for you today?"

"So true" Marcus replied and wondered if Duskurk's face popped up in the glass.

He shook himself slightly when he heard the headmaster speak to him again. Oh yeah the reason why he was here. "Well it seems young Miss Sidney Marlowe was rather upset when you took her camera off her. She came to my office and told me about it."

He glanced at the foe glass again, "I'm sure you had your reasons of course." Marcus turned back to the headmaster, "The young girl was too afraid to come back here by herself and ask for it back. I was merely here for moral support."

"Did she tell you why I took it from her, though? Did she call me the big bad Headman and leave out the part about how she strolled in here on a tourist jaunt? Ignored me while she was in here, and when I took her camera, she had the temerity to suggest I wasn't fit for my post."

It all sounded pretty bad, and yet... Tate was laughing over it. He was amused, although it didn't save the girl from punishment. "She can have it back at the end of term unless you feel differently."

A slight fluttering sound drew closer and closer, and a moment later a snowy white owl made its way in. Noel, Healer Ashford's owl, circled the office just once before dropping a notice in front of Headmaster Tate. With its job done, the owl steered itself around and headed right back out.

Quote:

Headmaster Tate,

Due to a recent emergency situation, your input and attention is needed in my office. I've asked a number of involved parties to come, as well, and I believe it to be important that you are made aware of certain mysterious situations they've all been through.

In appreciation,
Healer Gabriella Ashford

Ah funny how the little Hufflepuff had left that bit out, Marcus didn't know whether to laugh or be put out that he had been dragged all the way up here for nothing. "Like I said, I am sure you had your reasons and it seems that you did. I am sorry that I wasted your time headmaster. Give the camera back to her whenever you like."

And Marcus felt the need to have a few quiet words with the young girl himself.

"She's probably a very nice girl," Tate shrugged. "Just needs a reminder that there is a time and place for frivolity and that a bit of respect will get you a long way. I'm not the evil creature I apparently appear."

He grinned again as he snatched the note from the owl, but the grin quickly faded. "Duty calls, I'm afraid. Healer Ashford requires me. Perhaps you'd like to accompany?"

Noticing the smile leaving the headmaster's face when he read the note that had just appeared. Marcus stood up straighter and stiffened slightly. Oh bloody hell, what was happening at the school now.

"Of course, I would be happy to" he said following the man out of the office.

He hadn't said a word on the way here. There had been an awkward and unprecedented manhug when Axe had come for him, but that hadn't been the reason for Ethan's silence.

They'd stopped at his home because Ethan had desperately wanted to shower and shave, so at least he had clean clothes on. The problem was more that they did not precisely fit, he'd lost a fair amount of weight in the six, almost seven months he'd been in Azkaban though it was clear he had spent a fair amount of his time keeping in shape as best he could.

As they walked into the headmasters office, Zan looked around and then over his shoulder at his friend. He finally got his mouth working, his eyes flicking down to his friend's hand, specifically his ring finger.

"Congratulations. She wrote to me. I appreciated... I appreciated it." His voice sounded unused, almost hollow. His wand hand was flexing slightly, though it was empty.