Selina Skylar saw the door that led to the man who was in charge of all things Quidditch. One of the reasons the small redheaded first year was attending Hogwarts. Before she did anything else at Hogwarts she wanted to inquire about Quidditch and her ability to practice. Now was the time to get serious if she wanted to make the team. The fact that her father played Quidditch professionally would not get her a spot. She needed to earn it, and practice like she had done everyday that summer.

Reaching the door she outstretched her small hand, knocked, and said, "Excuse me, Professor Vindictus? I'm Selina Skylar, first year, can I come in?"

Aaron was making the trek from the school to the quidditch pitch to both;

Put up the sign up sheet for Quidditch,

And to reserve the field for try outs.

The captain finally made his way to the professor's office. So, he knocked, and waited.

Jacob ran down the grounds towards the familiar large Quidditch pitch and familiar office of a certain Head of House. He needed to see the man for several resons the most urgent of which were the most recent. His butt catching fire, the couch in the common room destroyed and his wand. Or the mere remnants of his wand, which was tight in his hand. He needed a new wand... and suddenly several possibilities ran through his brain. What if this was the only wand he could have, what if he was expelled for not taking care of the only wand he could have... What if he was exiled from the wizarding society to go live with the muggles once again. He couldn't show his face back in his old community, he'd be turned away from there, which was the least of his worries. Pirates could be quite brutal at times.

Jacob reached the door of Vindictus's office and knocked, hoping the man was in, cause he didn't feel like searching the school for Vincictus, while his butt was still stinging. That would be quite uncomfortable.

For a guy whom just moments ago had had his behind of fire, he sure could run fast. Especially down those seven flights of stairs and across the grounds. Golly, how was he not out of breath.

Trying to not take huge gasping breaths, Ivory caught up to the guy who had been identified to her as the Ravenclaw quidditch captain. Hmm, maybe that was why. He was just in better shape than she was. Slim hands on her knees as he knocked, she opened her mouth to speak and instead took another breath.

"Just thought I'd back you up, you know for moral support." And be prefect-y because accompanying him seemed like the right thing to do.

Vindictus didn't hear the knocking at first - he was wearing a pair of earplugs and was stretched out on his couch while reading the sports section of the Daily Prophet. Scandals, gossip, trade rumours, and disaster at the European Cup kept him entertained, and he could be heard laughing.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Now that he was finished reading the paper, he stretched and glanced at the clock in his office. Whatt????? I was reading for that long! He sat up and pulled the earplugs out of his ear.

There was definitely the sound of knocking and voices coming from the other side of his closed and locked office door. The earplugs were quickly thrown into his office desk drawer and he folded the newspaper neatly on his desk.

He walked over to the door and unlocked it. It creaked open and he stood there.

"Jacob, Ivory, Aaron and, uh, the Gryffindor girl - come on in!" Vindictus greeted them and held the door open.

Simon had picked up his team sign-up sheet earlier in the day and had spent some time going over times of other required activities to try and plan when to hold the actual try-outs. However when he had realised that he would need to work around the other teams as well, the sixth year opted to head back down to the field to speak with Professor Vindictus about things. Seeing two other captain's already there he couldn't help being inwardly nervous about loosing the times he had finally planned on.

"Hello Professor," he greeted as he came up the group, spotting the Quidditch leader call them in just at that moment.

"Hey there, Simon," Vindictus greeted the Gryffindor captain as he joined the group standing outside of his office.

Jacob looked around as the prefect girl came by him out of breath. He simply nodded to her, probably better that he didn't say anything, since if he had to aknowledge her name, it would be difficult. He had met her before, he was sure of that. It was just her name that slipped his mind... not that, that was unusual

Jacob looked back around at the door as it opened to reveal Vindictus with the rest of his office, most seemed exactly how it was the first time he ever entered the mans office. But that might just be the memories of the latest times mixing in with the older memories.

"Hello, Professor" Jacob said and stepped into Professor V's office, trying to hide his half a wand out of anyones veiw. Not that he needed to hide it from Vindictus, it was the reason he was down here in the first place, but he tried to hide it from the other captains that entered into the office. He rathered not be judged before they actually saw him and his team-to-be on the pitch. Jacob didn't speak, he waited to be spoken to before he spoke himself. It was more polite, and he'd rather not say his dilema and what happened in the common room before he was actually told, to more he put it off, and the less people were inside the office, the better.

At the sound of the older man's voice Selina jumped out of her skin. He had quite the commanding voice, probably from his days of playing Quidditch. Which made her wonder- did he play with her father or against him at any point in his career?

Following the other students in she stayed toward the back of the group and allowed them all to talk. She patiently listened to every person and even saw her own Captain of her House talk. He was something for sure. A very nice guy and from what she had heard very talented. She wanted so badly to play on his team, but knew she would have to earn it. That was part of the reason she was there.

Awaiting for the Professor to address her she kept her head somewhat down and brushed a red strand of hair behind her ear. Something about older people in the room tended to pull all of her fire and loud mouth tendencies right out of her body.

Vindictus nodded at the students who were still standing outside his office. "If you need to see me, please come inside and have a seat," he said while holding the door open.

Selina kept her eyes cast down as the older students took their place among each other in the office. If her father would have seen her in such a state surely he would not have been happy. Jake Skylar raised his daughter to speak up in front of others and be herself. At that moment she was doing neither.

She looked up at the Professor slightly awaiting him to address once he was done with the other students. She could wait and when he was ready to talk to her he would.

Jacob didn't move to the seats, stitting would probably hurt his butt more. Jacob stared at the man who was waiting for the rest of the students to enter. taking his eyes off of Vindictus, Jacob looked at half of his wand... the other half was still laying as a pile of ash on the common room floor, oh the shame. A insturment that was used to make magnificent feats, was laying on the cold floor. He didn't take care of it enough, none of this damage would have happened if he were to just spend an extra few galleons on a holster. I would have protected his butt and the common room couch, not to mention ithe wand would still be whole.

Jacob looked around the room at everyone... what ever. They all should know him well enough by now to not be too suprised. So Jacob place the half-a-wand on Professor V's desk, and stood by it, waiting to be questioned and yelled at, or even expelled and/or exiled from the wizarding community if that was the punishment for losing your wand.

Vindictus watched Jacob with a trained eye. "Is that broken bit of wood from your prized broomstick or is it your wand?" he asked the Ravenclaw captain. "Sit down and start talking."

Jacob didn't know how to respond to the mans question. He felt that if he told the truth there would be yelling. And big Punishment.

Jacob looked at the chair behind him. Okay Jacob, You can do this. He slowly backed into the seat, and the second his butt hit surface, Jacob winced. Torture! the man was trying to torture him! And he was succeeding! He then looked up at Vindictus, and thought it better just to tell the man. "It's my wand, sir" Jacob said and put on a sort of Don't-Beat-Me! kind of face.

Jacob wanted to change the subject of why he came down here, but he had already started, theres no stopping now. "Well, proffesor." he started explaining the situation. "My wand was sitting in my back pocket. and It sort of sent sparks out, for some reason." Jacob stopped to think of how he was going to explain the rest. "And my pants sort of caught fire, along with the couch in the common room. and well as my butt was burning, the wand kind of.... burned along with." yup and that was his story. And it was truth... well at least what he could remember. It all happened so quickly.

Jacob should count his lucky stars that Vindictus didn't start bursting out with laughter.

"Do you always carry a wand in your back pocket?" he asked as he began to wonder exactly what was taught in Charms class. "You're mighty lucky that all you burned was your gluteus maximus because there are unlucky wizards who lost -" He stopped mid-sentence.

"You WHAT?"

Dun dun DUN.

Did he always carry it in his back pocket? "Pfft! Nooooo!"Jacob said as if he were offended "........ okay yes." he said. Was that really that bad?

Oh... Here's the yelling. Yeah, like Jacob didn't see that one coming. "Yeah, the couch sort of went..... WHOOOOOSH!" he exclaimed, demonstrating with his hands, as if something blew up. "The others put it out, but I didn't see what happened after that. I came straight down here." cause it was either this or the nurse. And the nurse was gonna put him in the looney pen!

"Who was your Charms professor in your first year?" Vindictus asked because it seemed like there was a constant open door at the school with professors coming and going. If it was Ashby, then Jacob was doomed.

But it wasn't too late for an intervention that would save lives, furniture, and body parts.

"Uhm....." Jacob tried to think, was he really expected to remember who his charms teacher was 5 years ago. He didn't even know who it was now. was it Carlton.... no, she was later. Oh! "Uhm.... i beleive it was Professor Ashby" he said... Yup, it might have taken a while, but Jacob remembered. Was that good or bad. Was he gonna write to the old teacher or beat Jacob?

Uh oh.

DOOMED.

"Ooookaaay. You need a remedial wand safety lesson. Who are you less scared of - Tate or Truebridge?" Vindictus asked. "Think quick or else I'll refer you to Professor Lafay."

Wait!.... What? This was what Jacob came down here for! Why did he need remedial wand lessons, it wasn't fair!

Who was he less afraid of...... Jacob couldn't choose, "UHM......" Jacob fumbled, not knowing what to say. "UHm......." was this part of the punishment? This wasn't humane.

Lafay?! No, he wasn't going to get any extra lessons from her. Come, fast! "UHM........... Tate!" Jacob said quickly...... No wait.... Whatever, their both better than sitting in a detention room with the crazy lady. But why did he have to do this anyways, it was so unfair.

"Alrighty then! I'll make arrangements with Headmaster Tate but in the mean time you need to get a new wand - you can't perform magic with a wand held together with Spellotape. Let me know when you get a new one and for Merlin's sake, use a wand holster!"

Vindictus saw that Ivory was still hanging out by the door. "Ivory, can you please make sure Jacob sees the nurse regarding his, ahem, injury? He can't sit on a broom without treatment and tryouts are only days away."

He looked again at Jacob. "Tell her that your wand backfired and leave it at that. Now off with you!"

He clapped his hands and rubbed them together.

"Now, who's next in line? Come on in!"

SPOILER!!: Prof V intro

Quote:

Originally Posted by demented_death_eater

Vindictus didn't hear the knocking at first - he was wearing a pair of earplugs and was stretched out on his couch while reading the sports section of the Daily Prophet. Scandals, gossip, trade rumours, and disaster at the European Cup kept him entertained, and he could be heard laughing.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Now that he was finished reading the paper, he stretched and glanced at the clock in his office. Whatt????? I was reading for that long! He sat up and pulled the earplugs out of his ear.

There was definitely the sound of knocking and voices coming from the other side of his closed and locked office door. The earplugs were quickly thrown into his office desk drawer and he folded the newspaper neatly on his desk.

He walked over to the door and unlocked it. It creaked open and he stood there.

"Jacob, Ivory, Aaron and, uh, the Gryffindor girl - come on in!" Vindictus greeted them and held the door open.

Looking up from her winded stance, Ivory gave her head of house a grin. "Hey Professor" Her voice blending in with all the other greeting, Ivory leaned against the wall nearest the door, right around that area. Didn't want to take up the comfort of a seat in case some one, lets say someone who needed to sit on a cushion, would need one. And of course to hide the fact that she wasn't wearing her school robes on account of you know them being a semi charred mess.

SPOILER!!: Jacob and Prof V ^,^

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walrus

Jacob looked around as the prefect girl came by him out of breath. He simply nodded to her, probably better that he didn't say anything, since if he had to aknowledge her name, it would be difficult. He had met her before, he was sure of that. It was just her name that slipped his mind... not that, that was unusual

Jacob looked back around at the door as it opened to reveal Vindictus with the rest of his office, most seemed exactly how it was the first time he ever entered the mans office. But that might just be the memories of the latest times mixing in with the older memories.

"Hello, Professor" Jacob said and stepped into Professor V's office, trying to hide his half a wand out of anyones veiw. Not that he needed to hide it from Vindictus, it was the reason he was down here in the first place, but he tried to hide it from the other captains that entered into the office. He rathered not be judged before they actually saw him and his team-to-be on the pitch. Jacob didn't speak, he waited to be spoken to before he spoke himself. It was more polite, and he'd rather not say his dilema and what happened in the common room before he was actually told, to more he put it off, and the less people were inside the office, the better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walrus

Jacob didn't move to the seats, stitting would probably hurt his butt more. Jacob stared at the man who was waiting for the rest of the students to enter. taking his eyes off of Vindictus, Jacob looked at half of his wand... the other half was still laying as a pile of ash on the common room floor, oh the shame. A insturment that was used to make magnificent feats, was laying on the cold floor. He didn't take care of it enough, none of this damage would have happened if he were to just spend an extra few galleons on a holster. I would have protected his butt and the common room couch, not to mention ithe wand would still be whole.

Jacob looked around the room at everyone... what ever. They all should know him well enough by now to not be too suprised. So Jacob place the half-a-wand on Professor V's desk, and stood by it, waiting to be questioned and yelled at, or even expelled and/or exiled from the wizarding community if that was the punishment for losing your wand.

Feeling her mouth open to start up on an explanation, since she figured that's what a prefect was supposed to do, she paused. Seeing Jacob (That's what Professor V had called him right?) place his semblance of a wand on the desk, she nodded almost subconsciously as he began to speak. That was way Vindictus would know there was no funny stuff and the truth was being told. Nods backed up stories right? Gave them validity.

SPOILER!!: Start talking

Quote:

Originally Posted by demented_death_eater

Vindictus watched Jacob with a trained eye. "Is that broken bit of wood from your prized broomstick or is it your wand?" he asked the Ravenclaw captain. "Sit down and start talking."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walrus

Jacob didn't know how to respond to the mans question. He felt that if he told the truth there would be yelling. And big Punishment.

Jacob looked at the chair behind him. Okay Jacob, You can do this. He slowly backed into the seat, and the second his butt hit surface, Jacob winced. Torture! the man was trying to torture him! And he was succeeding! He then looked up at Vindictus, and thought it better just to tell the man. "It's my wand, sir" Jacob said and put on a sort of Don't-Beat-Me! kind of face.

Jacob wanted to change the subject of why he came down here, but he had already started, theres no stopping now. "Well, proffesor." he started explaining the situation. "My wand was sitting in my back pocket. and It sort of sent sparks out, for some reason." Jacob stopped to think of how he was going to explain the rest. "And my pants sort of caught fire, along with the couch in the common room. and well as my butt was burning, the wand kind of.... burned along with." yup and that was his story. And it was truth... well at least what he could remember. It all happened so quickly.

Wincing as Jacob was made to sit down, a movement that didn't look all that comfortable despite her earlier thoughts that cushion would help, (Bah but sitting involved pressure on said burned areas) Ivory continued right along nodding. Perhaps it was his story to tell.

SPOILER!!: DunDunDun couch moment

Quote:

Originally Posted by demented_death_eater

Jacob should count his lucky stars that Vindictus didn't start bursting out with laughter.

"Do you always carry a wand in your back pocket?" he asked as he began to wonder exactly what was taught in Charms class. "You're mighty lucky that all you burned was your gluteus maximus because there are unlucky wizards who lost -" He stopped mid-sentence.

"You WHAT?"

Dun dun DUN.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walrus

Did he always carry it in his back pocket? "Pfft! Nooooo!"Jacob said as if he were offended "........ okay yes." he said. Was that really that bad?

Oh... Here's the yelling. Yeah, like Jacob didn't see that one coming. "Yeah, the couch sort of went..... WHOOOOOSH!" he exclaimed, demonstrating with his hands, as if something blew up. "The others put it out, but I didn't see what happened after that. I came straight down here." cause it was either this or the nurse. And the nurse was gonna put him in the looney pen!

This is where she felt herself pipe up. "Put out and handled, sir. The smoke was even vanished for good measure." Even her charred robes had been extinguished, which was why she wasn't wearing them. But that was neither here nor there.

SPOILER!!: Talk of wand safety

Quote:

Originally Posted by demented_death_eater

"Who was your Charms professor in your first year?" Vindictus asked because it seemed like there was a constant open door at the school with professors coming and going. If it was Ashby, then Jacob was doomed.

But it wasn't too late for an intervention that would save lives, furniture, and body parts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walrus

"Uhm....." Jacob tried to think, was he really expected to remember who his charms teacher was 5 years ago. He didn't even know who it was now. was it Carlton.... no, she was later. Oh! "Uhm.... i beleive it was Professor Ashby" he said... Yup, it might have taken a while, but Jacob remembered. Was that good or bad. Was he gonna write to the old teacher or beat Jacob?

Quote:

Originally Posted by demented_death_eater

Uh oh.

DOOMED.

"Ooookaaay. You need a remedial wand safety lesson. Who are you less scared of - Tate or Truebridge?" Vindictus asked. "Think quick or else I'll refer you to Professor Lafay."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walrus

Wait!.... What? This was what Jacob came down here for! Why did he need remedial wand lessons, it wasn't fair!

Who was he less afraid of...... Jacob couldn't choose, "UHM......" Jacob fumbled, not knowing what to say. "UHm......." was this part of the punishment? This wasn't humane.

Lafay?! No, he wasn't going to get any extra lessons from her. Come, fast! "UHM........... Tate!" Jacob said quickly...... No wait.... Whatever, their both better than sitting in a detention room with the crazy lady. But why did he have to do this anyways, it was so unfair.

Well that sounded very reasonable. Fair. Just. All that jazz.

SPOILER!!: Final instructions

Quote:

Originally Posted by demented_death_eater

"Alrighty then! I'll make arrangements with Headmaster Tate but in the mean time you need to get a new wand - you can't perform magic with a wand held together with Spellotape. Let me know when you get a new one and for Merlin's sake, use a wand holster!"

Vindictus saw that Ivory was still hanging out by the door. "Ivory, can you please make sure Jacob sees the nurse regarding his, ahem, injury? He can't sit on a broom without treatment and tryouts are only days away."

He looked again at Jacob. "Tell her that your wand backfired and leave it at that. Now off with you!"

He clapped his hands and rubbed them together.

"Now, who's next in line? Come on in!"

Straightening up she gave him a nod. Sitting on a broom with a burned bum...eeeeeh. She didn't even want to think of that. "Sure," she was almost ready to leave now that he'd moved on to the next person when she remembered a small detail. "Oh and Professor V," Ummmm. "About the couch?" Should they attempt to repair it? Transfigure new cushions. Leave it to the house elves??? "Anything in particular you'd like us to do?" She hoped it sounded like a valid question rather than the nervous wondering of a new prefect.

Jacob nodded, "I'll send an order, straight away" he said. And a holster, yes that would be a good idea... mo more pants fires. He still didn't like the idea of remedial wand saftey. And the more he thought about it , the more he regreted the decision of Tate over Truebridge. Tate was sure to lecture him about something like 'One in Every Three Wizarding household explosions are due to improper wand saftey' or something like that

He wanted to avoid the nurse, but if he was gonna get off of Vindictus's bad list, he was going to have to do everything the man said. And Ivory was most likley gonna pull him into the hospital wing by the hair if he didn't comply.

Jacob stood up and walked to the door, leaving his broken, burnt wand. He waited for the Prefect to finish up with Professor V.

"Leave the couch remains alone - I'll take care of things," Vindictus answered. "Now get Jacob to the nurse before the blisters appear 'cause there's no way to protect blistered bums on brooms."