Truebridge turned to Violet and nodded gravely. "It's quite possible. Why don't you sit down and tell me about it? I can cast muffliato if you do not wish to be overheard." He suggested.

Truebridge took the note and nodded vaguely in farewell. He glanced at what was written there, no reaction on his face.

Hmm.

Interesting.

"Anytime. Owl me if you'd like to walk and talk, sometimes it is good to get out and about." And on the grounds it was easier not to be swamped with visitors.

... Beauty Products?

"I believe you need to make an attempt at applying it to what you know about me." Truebridge answered.

.... Beauty Products?

"I can tell you that I was, before I began teaching and in no particular order, a Dragonkeeper, a historian and a broadway actor. If that helps. But I assure you, unless you apply it rather than rephrasing the textbook, you won't earn full marks on your assignment. It is important to show that you understand the application as well as the words themselves." Because Truebridge wasn't one to just dismiss a child without a lesson after all. It wouldn't ever be so simple to do 'homework' on him.

"And you, Cadence." Truebridge answered.

"Alright. Thank you, professor!" She smiled brightly, waved, and headed out, slipping through the other students on the way.

Violet nodded and dramatically fell down on a chair. "Well, it all started on a sunny day-the worst days if you ask me." she said with a dramatic sigh. "My boyfriend cheated on me so I broke up with him, but I still had to act good so I wouldn't get expelled. So I was acting good and nice to everyone, but they don't believe me! Hardly, anyone does they all watch me like Hawks!" she said. "And I'm going crazy being nice if someone says 'Hey Violet, do you like my outfit!' I have to lie and say it looks wonderful when it really looks like fashion disaster!" Pause. "But all the best, it is kinda fun being nice." she said in a sweet little voice.

Ellie had almost forgot what she wanted to do. She could have asked someone else, like Cela, but thought she'd try the Professor first. So she walked up to his office and knocked. Then she took a deep breath and sighed quietly.

Headmaster Tate strolled down the corridor in long steps, pausing in front of Truebridge's office. His knock was sharp, and he didn't wait for a response before opening the door and peering inside.

"Zan. I need a word with you immediately."

"Come in." Truebridge invited, pleased that the crowds were actually thinning out some. "What can I do for you?"

...

"If nothing else at least you are keeping everyone off balance. I expect nobody quite knows what to make of you right now, Violet. That gives you an advantage in some ways." Because Truebridge was going to ignore this... boyfriend business. Yes.

Ethan turned his head slightly.

"Yes?" What did he want? "Take a seat." Surely the man did not expect for him to dismiss the students who were present? Ethan hoped not and did not intend to do so.

Was he being... social? Scratching his chin, Truebridge considered this, trying to figure out the reason for this unexpected visit by tone and expression.

Not exactly his strong point.

Ellie walked in and immediately eyed the headmaster... "Err.."

She kept her gaze on him, not sure whether he would want her to leave or not. He sounded kinda urgent. So she spoke fast, "I was wondering if you could help me with the spells we learned after I went to the hospital wing. I heard what they did and they sounded kind of difficult, so I was wondering if you could help me..." Her eyes flicked to the DADA teacher, then back to the headmaster, then rested again on Professor Truebridge.

Tate stared at the man in disbelief for a moment before very politely taking the proffered seat. He could... wait a bit, but if this got silly, he was going to have to escort people from the office.

"Zan, I appreciate your time whenever you get around to me, but this is a bit of a situation. So... perhaps we could make haste?" Who knew if the wretched woman was already in the castle?

Okay, Miranda had sort of... zoomed off into her Quidditch dreamland or something, because before she knew it, people had left and now Headmaster Tate was here. Eh.

She raised an eyebrow at Professor Truebridge and then glanced at Tate. Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaybe she should come back, yeah? Situation? Hm, what had happened now? More people wanting to ruin students life? Or maybe just a crazy wizard out to take control of the world. But, that was Lori's mission - and she wasn't crazy.

"Sir...s." Heh. "I'll come back...later, perhaps?" Yeah, could be best?

That was all? Wasn't keeping people off balance a bad thing?

"What is that supposed to mean? Your my head of house your supposed to give me advice and take care of my problems though...sir." she replied nervously.

And then she saw Tate come in she faked a smile towards him. The last time she saw him was....oh right. The start of term feast, bad memories.

"Of course." Truebridge answered. "Perhaps you would like to meet me in the duelling arena when you have a moment? That would be the best place for you to practice."

"Certainly." A situation? Truebridge considered the word. Merpeople? Deaged professors? Werewolves? Missing students? Jake Upstead doing Jake Upstead type things? What precisely constituted a situation anyway?

"What is the problem?" ...

..

"...Casey."

There. They were friends, right? Yes.

"I don't mind you staying, Miranda, if you wait quietly of course." Likely whatever this situation thing was, it wouldn't take long.

"What problem?" Honestly she hadn't specifically said she had a problem. "And actually, my role is to help you develop the skills to solve your own problems, Violet. You know by now that I will not simply hand everything to you on a silver platter. Now if you wouldn't mind waiting just a moment, the Headmaster wishes to speak with me. Of course, you could come back later if you wished to."

Truebridge turned his attention back to Tate, waiting patiently for the man to speak.

"Well." Tate glanced at the students who were still in the office. Was this appropriate to discuss in their presence? Probably... not.

"I've received a letter from the school governors. Regarding your employment. And mine."

Violet sighed. "Oh okay then." she replied. "Well thank you for your time, professor." she said and skipped out of the office.

"Oh, yes sir. Ofcourse, I'll wait quietly." She nodded and then...sort of tried to sink low in her chair.

And then she watched Violet skip out of the room... Uh.

Catching Tate's glance, Miranda smiled akwardly, but quickly dropped it as the Headmaster seemed tense. Was that the right word?
Anyways... the man's next words made her sitt still...and listen because she got pretty curious now. What the...

Letter? Governors?? Employment!?


La la la la-la la allaaa...

"Alright." Truebridge answered, clearly not yet seeing the situation part. They both did their jobs well, no? And it wasn't like he was on probation any longer. "What kind of letter?" Because clearly Tate wanted him to ask.

Well she'd certainly turned over a new leaf. And polite too.

Truebridge simply nodded at Miranda and fixed his attention on the headmaster once more.

Tate put his hand to his head and gave it a slow shake. Was Ethan so distracted or so naive not to read the clear signals he was giving him? HE DIDN'T WANT TO DISCUSS IT IN FRONT OF STUDENTS.

"Apparently there have been a number of complaints from parents regarding the recent departure of our Potions Professor, and the governors have decided to reinstate her. And they say... there is nothing I can do about it." It was HIS school. What right did anyone have to say what he could or couldn't do?

Ellie nodded. She almost, almost, slapped herself on the head. Right. The Duelling Arena.... How could she forget about that, honestly. It was where they had class, was it not? And duelling club... Yeah, that was a.. Not very Ellie moment.

"Right. I guess I'll see you there..." Mhm. She had failed this time. Way to look like an idiot, Ellie. Way to go..

She turned to leave and gave a shifty look at the headmaster. He said WHAT?! W-was that really allowed to happen? Was she allowed to say something. No, that wouldn't help. Yikes.

"S-see you, P-professor.." she gave a small smile and wave before leaving.

"I had been under the impression that Hecate chose to leave." Which wasn't something he had expected of her. He kept his voice level, though that might have simply been because he wasn't one have emotion inserted in his tone particularly often.

He still wasn't completely sure what his thoughts were about the whole fire thing. Honestly, worse had been done to him in his own time as a student at Hogwarts, but considering the circumstance and the fact that several of the students had insisted that there had been real pain...

... well he hoped they'd learn from it and that Hecate would be a little more sensitive considering the trauma many of the students had already been through over the past few years.

"Not a problem, Ellie." Truebridge nodded at her, not noticing any discomforture and generally quite pleased that she'd requested to catch up on her missed work.

"She did," Tate agreed. He knew his frustration was NOT with Ethan Truebridge, but he felt so tight and tense and cranky... it was hard not to take it out on the other man. "They've asked her to reconsider. The stipulation, now, is that..."

Sigh. "They want her as Slytherin Head of House, Ethan. I drafted my angry letter telling them where they can send future owls... it involves certain anatomical impossibilities. But the person who loses in this situation is you. And Slytherin House."

"Are they aware," Ethan spoke carefully, "That Hecate is in her first year teaching? That she does not have any expertise, save for her undeniable ability in the potions field, which would lend to her being particularly suited for such a role?" At least, at this point. Sure, she was once a prefect but it was not as if such a thing had much bearing on these matters.

There was more to it, surely.

"They are aware... that the current Head of House is a former inmate at Azkaban," Tate said, his eyes closing as if in pain. His fault. He had put Truebridge in prison for the greater good and now it was coming around to bite him in the bum.

"I'm sorry, Ethan. This is on me. I'll move heaven and earth to make this up to you."

Right.

He digested this, green eyes unfathomable, but certainly not accusing.

"And my position as a professor?" He inquired, almost softly, back straight and eyes steady.

"Untouchable, as far as I'm concerned, and they haven't asked for your dismissal. I think we could mount a reverse letter writing campaign should that ever come up, but as far as I can tell, Head of House was a stipulation of Lafay's return and the governors are grasping at straws to please the parents," Tate rubbed his forehead. He would walk out if they tired to fire Ethan. He would.

Expression turning just a little shrewd, Truebridge considered this. "Of course, my salary will not change." In other words, he wouldn't get a pay cut over this.

Hmm.

"Might I inquire what prompted the board to make this decision?" Surely it had come from something?

"Pay raise, I think. For both of us," Tate perked up over that. Sure, they could make it as uncomfortable for the governors as possible. Why not?

"You know... I think it was the parent letters. The school governors always bend to popular opinion for fear of losing their own positions, and this smacks of that tendency. Do you know any unhappy parents?"