"That'll do," Tate nodded and almost smiled. Almost. "We'll look at the list and make some decisions about what you feel is most necessary to further your education." Probably not the whole list, but they could try a few in a duel scenario.

"We ought to give Lord Borr a chance." Hehe.

Arya continued to REALLY look at Tate and not let her mind wander on things not in this room or pertaining to their conversation. It took a moment for it to become easy. She did smile, hand dropping from her ear and into her lap. "Great! Thanks, Headmaster." For future plans and all.

"Suuure. I'll try and all." She had vague memories of promises she made over the summer. "Keep my mind open... welcome the other professors." Yup. Cause she was SO good at that.

"No one's going to hurt you here," Tate offered, almost off-handed. It wasn't a random statement, and she should recognize that, but he said it as if it had just occurred to him. "Not just because I will it to be so, but because you are too strong to let it happen."

She was, actually. Meddling kid. Hehe.

"I... know." Had she not had terrible things happen to her since stepping into the castle, she would have thought the statement random, and because she had, the comment seemed to bring her some bit of comfort. Her smile threatened to twitch into a grin, but she shrugged it and the comment off. "I guess that's true, but that's not all I'm worried about. I'm more worried about Borr and his people... all the changes he's trying to make here." She shrugged. "Didn't get the greatest impression that he cared about the students at the party."

"Sometimes, we have to take people at what they have to give, not at what we want them to offer. If Lord Borr wants to teach in an effort to prove something about himself, or about me, then we let him teach. It doesn't matter that his motives are not about you. We have to work with what we've got." It was one of those life lessons that usually took decades to come up with.

You could shake your fist at the world for not giving you all that you needed to be successful, or you could dig in your heels and work with what you had. One led to dissatisfaction, and the other a glimpse of freedom.

Meh. She supposed he was right, though she'd rather not take anything Lord Borr was offering. Especially if he was trying to 'prove' something about Tate. "I'll keep that in mind when attending his lessons, Sir." It wouldn't be easy, but she had to at least try right? Arya was almost certain that's what Tate was suggesting she do.

"I should let the others speak with you." Or that one girl that'd come in after her. Let her speak with him. Arya slowly slid out of her seat and up on her feet, sending him another smile. "Thanks again, Headmaster."

Tate rose and offered her his hand. Grudgingly. "You're welcome. Can you... send up the next one, please? And be safe out there, Miss Lovegoods. Lot of crazies here at Hogwarts."

Arya was more of a hugger and not really a hand-shaker, but she shook Tate's hand anyway. Even though he seemed to have trouble getting it out there, maybe he was a hugger too? Hm. "I'll send the next one right up." Retrieving her hand, she slipped them into her pockets. "And I promise to be safe." As safe as one could be at Hogwarts. "See you later, Headmaster." With a bit of a twirl, she turned and headed back down the stairs.

Gemma walked up the stairs and towards the door to the Headmaster's office. When she got closer she started questioning her decision to stop in and say hello. She hesitated and then figured she might as well go in and see him because it was stupid to get this close to the inside door and then turn around.

She knocked timidly on the door and pushed it open softly since it was still cracked from the young girl. After getting just inside the threshold she said with her a smile, "Headmaster? The young girl that came down said it was clear for me to come up....is my visit okay?" she asked as politely as she could. She didn't need to make another bad impression but in the back of her head she was thinking that she was doomed to stay in the shadows.

"She was supposed to retrieve the next student waiting in line," Tate sighed over that. There was a line of them waiting down there in his seating area, but professors generally were allowed to jump the line if the need was urgent. He shrugged and gestured for her to take a seat.

"What can I do for you, Professor Cerulean? I hope you find everything in your classroom satisfactory."

She wasn't sure if he wasn't happy with her or the student, but she didn't dwell on it too long. "Well, I promise not to keep you too long since this is just a quick visit." she said with a little nod. She came a little bit closer to his desk and placed the basket of muggle and wizard candies on his desk.

"I just wanted to stop in and give you a little basket of goodies to thank you for giving me the position here. So far everything is just great! Thank you for asking." she paused and then continued...she tried not to talk quickly since she knew he had others to see. "Also, I wanted to apologize for not making the greatest first impression at the feast, but I can guarantee that you won't be disappointed." she said with a smile and another small nod.

Knowing that she was probably already wearing out her welcome, she said, "And I know you are busy man, so I'll be heading off. I need to go visit one of the Heads of Houses at some point." she said holding her hand out to shake his, "Thank you and would you like me to send up the next student?"

Yes it was an awkward and fast visit but she knew she didn't want to be known as the annoying new teacher. Her timing was all wrong again and she could tell.

Tate examined the basket for a long moment and tried to collect his thoughts. It was true they'd started badly, especially as she'd put her foot deep into her own mouth within a few minutes and he'd gotten up on his soapbox to lecture her on it. Not good behavior for anyone by any stretch of the imagination.

So in spite of the fact that there was a line, and in spite of the fact that he wanted to dismiss her for a frivolous interruption, Tate pointed at the chair across from his desk.

"Sit."

Gemma let her hand that she had been holding out for a firm hand shake drop slowly at the same time that her lovely smile faded to a blank face. O great what had she done now. She thought in her head about the short time she'd been waiting by the Gargoyle. There had only been one other student down there so she wasn't delaying too much by stopping in.

Her face became a little hard set and she searched his for some clues. 'Sit' well that wasn't the greatest impression on his part either. She tried to think about how man words he had said to her since she had arrived...maybe a total of twenty...and none of them friendly in any way. But, nonetheless, he was the boss, so she followed his directions and sat in the chair.

She crossed her legs and placed her hands nicely in her lap trying to go for a nonchalant pose even though inside she was screaming. If you glanced at her eyes though you knew she was confused as to what was going on, she glanced from the basket to his face and back again occasionally.

Finally she said, "Sir, have I done something wrong by stopping by?" she knew if she had then she had just opened up the flood gates, but she couldn't imagine a boss that wouldn't want his staff to come visit and get to know them, but Gemma was nothing if not straight to the point. After all, it seemed that he was close, or atleast tolerated, the returning staff members. As she waited for the answer, a thought crossed her mind, maybe this is why so many staff members left after only a few terms. She pushed that out of her brain and waited with a blank face, an unusual face for her, for his answer.

Tate perused the basket before selecting a small brown packet. "Lemon drop?" He asked it so mildly that there couldn't be any offense taken, but at the same time, it was possible that someone who didn't know Tate well wouldn't understand that he was trying to be amusing.

"Of course you're welcome to visit. If not, I wouldn't hand out my password, and I certainly wouldn't have invited you to sit. That implies staying, you know. Sitting is the act of staying with your legs bent at a ninety degree angle." Or something. Maybe something with a chair. Hard to say. "I think we're having some communication issues."

The young professor glanced back up at the Headmaster as he reached for something from the basket. Yes it was a lemon drop. This seemed like a better start.

She listened to his words and slowly her face became less blank and more pleasant and her stance became more comfortable. She cocked her head to the side as he explained his understanding of 'Sit'. He was an odd man that was very hard to read. She kept her smile on her face...communication issues...yes I think so.

She nodded her head up and down slightly..."Yes I think you are correct I think we have some minor communication issues...I'm afraid that I overanalyzed everything and I am sorry for that..." she paused and then continued, "I suggest that we start a new."

She stood up from her chair and held out her hand, "Gemma Cerulean, so nice to meet you....It is a pleasure to be able to meet you Headmaster Tate...." she said with a smile. "What would you prefer I call you? Headmaster? Tate?" she asked with her soft tone of voice...yes maybe this would be a good idea.

"We can start after your interview but before that travesty of a conversation at the feast, where you joked about house bias and I gave an unnecessary pep talk," Tate took her hand without rising and gave it one firm shake before letting go again. "Obviously the interview went well, as I thought highly enough of you to invite you here full time."

She clearly didn't want the lemon drop, and Tate dropped the packet back into the candy basket. "And it's a pleasure to see you again, Professor Cerulean. You may call me Headmaster or Tate for now, although once we become more comfortable with one another, you may want to call me Casey."

Gemma let out a small breath that she hadn't realized that she had been holding. "Well you do have a point about the interview...I must've done something right then..." she paused as she watched him drop the lemon drop back into the basket...o he was offering it to her......could she be anymore dense...well probably...

"Okay well then I'll call you Tate for now, because I'm sure you get tired of hearing Headmaster a billion times a day just as I get tired of being called just Professor as if I don't have another name." she said with a smile. "I appreciate you taking time out of your day to let me visit briefly..." she said with a little nod up and down. "And if there's anything that you ever need from me, please don't hesitate to ask. " she said hoping she didn't sound too drab or boring or just needy...yes she probably did, but o well.

"I hope you like the basket full of candy...I personally could eat candy all day and when I'm stressed it's my simple comfort food." she said with a shrug not really knowing what to talk about....she guessed that would come as they got to know each other a little bit better but right now it was a little...awkward...but she was trying.

"I don't have much of a sweet tooth at times, but I think it'll work out quite nicely. Students tend to scoff at my paltry offering of biscuits," Tate pointed out the dinged up cookie tin. He actually seldom remembered to offer the biscuits, but students in general didn't seem impressed with them.

"I hope you'll call on me if you need anything as well.... actually." He tilted his head in consideration. "I have a history issue. We all do. Perhaps you can work with Madame Donovan to see what you can find about the ship on the lake. We found some documents on board that I sent on to our historian, but any insight would help."

The young professor, well not much younger that the man in front of her, smiled at him, "Well glad to hear I can help out in some way, but I think there might be some salty and sour things in there as well. I threw in some bags of muggle pretzels...some of my faves..." she said motioning towards the bag.

She nodded at his offer for help and then her eyes perked up and opened wide as he mentioned something history related...she scooted to the edge of her seat and sat up very straight as he mentioned the mysterious ship. "O yes I would love to help out. I have to admit that I am very intrigued by this mysterious ship. I've been meaning to venture down there and check things out myself, but I know it's been covered up with students." she paused and thought about the documents and her historian background kicked into high gear, "Were the documents in good shape? I mean did they look as if they might have been emerged in water or anything? " she asked with one eyebrow cocked up.

"They were remarkably well preserved, all things considered. It's damp on the ship, but I find it hard to believe the thing was submerged. I don't know how else it was just... hidden, I suppose, but it's not rotting and falling apart." Hmm... something in that. "Maybe it's magic."

Of course, it was probably magic. Stupid thing to say, really. "Feel free to wander around down there."

Gemma was even more intrigued about the ship and these mysterious documents. She smiled at the Headmaster and stood up extending her hand, "Well I am very happy that I stopped by, but I know you are busy man, and I have to admit that I'm anxious to go check out these documents..." she paused and then continued, "So, I'm going to head down to see what all I can find out."

"That sounds promising. If you spot anyone waiting down there, you can send them up," Tate did take her hand this time, giving it a rather firm shake before letting go.

"Do let me know what you find."

Gemma shook his hand with a smile, "I'm glad that we are on the same page now sir." she said with a little nod. Then she turned towards the door with a mission in mind.

Cove walked up to the Headmasters office and knocked on the door. She took a step back and waited.

"Come in, shut the door behind you, sit down, speak up... all that and in order, please," Tate called out, his tone light and his expression jovial. He was nearly through the line, yes?