Why do women always do that? he wondered as he watched Hecate sit down. Why? He quickly averted his eyes by looking down at the floor and scratching the top of his head.

Focus.

"I want each of you to calmly tell me why you were making spectacles of yourselves in front of the entire student population," Max demanded as he took his position at the end of the coffee table (so that he was in between the two feuding ladies) and he folded his arms.

"One of the Hufflepuff team member went to hug the Head Girl, but instead she pulled her hair, causing her to lose her balance and fall. Then instead of apologizing, she tells Flores she'd deserved it." Hecate's grip on her bat tightened, and she dropped the head of it on the floor, leaning forward and holding in down. "And Hadley's response to that was her student was in dire need of tea." She leaned back, and took a breath to calm herself. "When I suggested point deduction or detention, Hadley said one of the Slytherin chasers should come too, because instead of shaking hands, she twirled, and that was unsportmanlike."

Calmly tell him why they were WHAT?! Making spectacles of themselves? Her fingers hovered over the chocolate frog and then eventually found themselves back on her knee, as she fought the urge to utter something childish like, she started it!

Max didn't care who started it, she knew.

Listening to the Snake Head speak first, she frowned disapprovingly. "Actually, I had simply come down to the pitch to ensure that my house members were ... alright. Which they weren't. They needed some comfort." She explained, thinking of them now, in the common room. "Hecate decided to meddle in though about the pulling of the hair, something which I'm sure was an accident ..." considering how messy ones hair could get during flight, obviously Ness' hand got tangled in the mess of the Head Girl's hair. "I was simply defending my house." As Hecate herself had done too, so why was she complaining when someone else did the same?

Women. Hrmph!

"It was an emotionally charged game," Max began and his jaw tightened. "And I saw the hug but not the other part. You should also be aware that not every Quidditch player likes to shake hands immediately following a game - especially close games. I do not consider the lack of shaking hands to be unsportsmanlike."

Then something that was said finally hit him. Hecate wanted to take points? How dare she!

Twitch.

He glanced at each of them and could only think of four words to say. "The Pitch is mine."

Stare.

Twitch.

Perhaps they knew what that meant without him having to elaborate.

...

"Right..." She said looking at Max. "No one is challenging your territory..."

Men... she thought and rolled her eyes.

"On the contrary, we asked you to intervene." She said and let Lucille rest on the side of her leg.

An emotionally charged game? More like, it was an emotionally charged AFTER game, if you bore witness to the dramatics.

And she only brought up the lack of shaking hands because ... if Hecate was going to nit-pick on her house members, she could do the same.

"I think ... he did ..." she said quietly, eying the chocolate frog again.

"Your pitch. My house members playing on it. Got it."

Made perfect sense to her. Of course she hadn't been the one trying to take points from anyone either.

Hecate's reply didn't set him off - Josephina's unfortunately did.

He turned so that he was facing the Hufflepuff Head of House. "You need to learn how to control your rabid Badgers," Vindictus retorted. "Teach them some manners because Slytherins don't hug."

Deep breath.

His eyes flickered away from Josephina and landed on a portrait of himself that was hanging on the wall.

Another deep breath.

I look good in that portrait....

"For the record, this is the first time in Hogwarts history where the leadership of two houses failed to offer positive assistance after the course of a game," Max said slowly since his words were carefully chosen.

Sigh.

"The correct course of action would have been to help get your respective houses off the pitch before screaming about punishments. Don't make me lecture you on professional responsibilities."

Pause.

"I want the person who instigated the problem brought into my office along with those who were victim to this person's antics. Both of you will stand witness to the punishment that I'll issue and justice will be served."

Dun dun DUN!

Slytherins don't hug... that was the understatement of the year, but at least HE understood. Maybe he'd dated a Slytherin in his time. Hecate did like following him when he had gone pro...

"Fine." She said standing up. She stopped in mid air. "I can get up to call the Head girl, can I not?" She didn't want to anger him further, and she wanted to remind him Evelyn had earned the title of being Head Girl... and not because she pulled hair.

"Please do, Hecate," Max replied. "And let her know that she's not in trouble."

"Thank you." She said flatly. She stepped outside and found the Head girl, bringing her back to the Quidditch Official's office. "Professor Vindictus said you aren't in trouble Prefect Flores." She said in the office.

Still mostly in her quidditch uniform, except without all the protective gear, the Slytherin girl followed her Head of House into Vinny's office, arms crossed and a bit of a scowl on her face; still a little upset from what happened after the game. What? She didn't do anything. And...Lafay saying she didn't do anything actually made her think she did something. Wait...what? "Professor Vindictus." she greeted, seeing the Ravenclaw Head of House standing there...and so was Hufflepuff's. "Professor Hadley."

She frowned. Control her rabid Badgers? Didn't he realize that up until this year - no last - she tended to stay away from the student Quidditch players? That students weren't rabid ... outside the pitch? This was new to her. But yes, she would go over that with them.

They set a record? Oh wait. That wasn't a good record. But she did try to get her Badgers off the pitch! She really did. But then .... Hecate had to go and interfere.

Sigh.

Person who instigated the problem? That was Ness, wasn't it? "Excuse me, Miss Flores. Professor Vindictus." She said, rising from her seat. "I'll shall go get Miss Dixon."

And with that, she stepped from the Deputy Headmaster's office to get the second year.

Hecate went to put her hand on the Head Girl's shoulder in solidarity, but... it was awkward... and she ended up just holding her hand hovering over her shoulder and then put her hand down.

Where'd she leave Lucille? By the couch. Right. She kept her eye on it.

He won't kill me, he won't kill me. Ness repeated in her head as she followed Hadley into Vindictus' office. She looked at Evelyn with an irritated look on her face and then looked away not wanting to anger herself again. She gave a small nod to Lafay and then to the deputy headmaster. She didn't feel like talking unless necessary.

Stupid temper. Ness could sorta tell what she had done was wrong but she wouldn't have done it if it wasn't for her temper. She stood waiting for the Professors to start with the court case.

"Ness, you know why you're here," Vindictus said rather sternly. "But I want you to remain silent while I hear Evelyn tell us of what you did to her after the game ended."

He turned to the Head Girl. "Please tell us what Ness did to you while giving you the unexpected hug."

Aw great, they were bringing Miss Hugs Alot in here too? Eying the girl, Evelyn kept silent, turning her attention back to Professor Vindictus. Tell him... "Alright." she muttered, not bothering to look at the Hufflepuff again as she spoke. "Well, I was still on my broom when she came over and hugged me, saying something about a good game, but before I could say so back, I...felt a really sharp tug on my hair..." Sigh. "Made me lose my balance off of my broom too."

Sigh sigh. Sad face. Such icy and cold ground she landed on. "She also pushed me when I tried to get back up." Just...throwing that out there.

Having walked back into the Quidditch Official's office with the young second year, Fina gave a polite nod toward Max but just stood next to her house member rather than resuming her seat on the sofa.

Even though she knew Ness was in trouble and there was no way really out of it, she was there for the girl. And she did try to get her off the pitch safe and sound. And would have succeeded, had Hecate not interfered.

Resting her hand on the second year's shoulder in that comforting sort of way, she waited as Max proceeded onward. Starting with Evelyn's story first.

Which was ... surprisingly truthful, despite the fact that Fina was questioning how a second year was able to push a seventh year down ... But she guessed that had to do with pent up energy and anger versus being worn out from the game.

Hecate rolled her eyes when she saw Hadley put her hand on her student. Really? She needed coddling?!? Poor little Hufflepuff, tugging on hair and pushing the big bad Slytherin down. She nodded to her prefect and Head Girl. She wasn't going to coddle her student... Slytherins were stronger than that.

"And, Prefect Flores, did she say why she did this?" Of course Hecate knew the answer as the girl had said it in front of her... but for Max... she had to ask.

Looking over to Hadley and the annoying girl, she wasn't expecting Lafay to say something first. Eyebrows raising a little in surprise, she glanced over her shoulder to her Head of House for a moment before her gaze shifted to Vinny again. "She said I deserved it." Was as simple as that. Obviously someone didn't like to lose.

Tori skipped down to the Quidditch Official and Professor's door, parchment clutched in one hand, and raised her free hand to knock.

Dooooodoodoooo. Hopefully he would answer soonish.

"WHAT?" boomed Vindictus and he immediately whipped his head towards Ness. His breathing was rather loud as he tried to contain his rage at the Hufflepuff's unsportsmanlike actions. "You shake hands with the opposition."

Did the young Hufflepuff know what that meant? Probably not.

Deep breath.

"Professor Hadley, will you please take the time to speak to Ness and the entire Hufflepuff team about how to properly behave after a Quidditch game?" he said and his eyes were still on the guilty one. "Nessa, I want you to apologize to Evelyn - make it sincere. And I even want you to apologize to the three of us!"

By the 'three of us' he meant him, Hadley, and Lafay.

In the background, he could hear someone knocking on the door and knowing that he had been speaking rather loudly, he was hoping the person would just slip inside the office.

Doooooooodooodoodoooo. Perhaps the professor hadn't heard her? Tori raised her fist and knocked again, REAL LOUDLY this time.

She kinda of edged a little closer to the door, and then a little closer yet still, hearing the unmistakable sound of a raging bull walrus.

Er, perhaps that was Professor Vindictus? MAYBE HE WAS IN DANGER!

Tori quickly put her hand on the doorknob and was surprised to find the door able to just swing open.

Oh. It wasn't JUST Professor Vindictus. Professors Hadley and Lafay were there too, apparently. Well well well. AND her hero the Head Girl and some random Puffer. Well well well.

Tori just kind of... folded her arms and leaned against the door frame, trying to appear invisible and yet madly curious about all the shouting going on in here. Homework... what homework?

"Apologize?" Really?? Is that all he was going to have her do???

She held her anger in... Apologies were a knut a dozen, she would have gotten one had she asked. She was going to bow to Vindictus' judgment, but really? No detention? No point deduction? She wasn't expecting a you're-off-the-team punishment, but something harsher than just 'apologize...'

And HADLEY was going to speak to her students about sportsmanship?!?! She didn't know the meaning of the word!

... "Very well, thank you, Professor Vindictus." She had agreed after all... He would make the call.

... wait... had Bunbury been here the whole time?

It felt good to know that Hadley was by her side. It deffinitely made her feel better knowing Hadley wasn't angry with her. She listened to Evelyn's story and kept her mouth shut the whole way through, not wanting to cause another fight. She watched Lafay growwing a little angry inside and she looked away afraid she'd blow again.

Once Evelyn was done, she turned back to Vindictus starting to think of what she'd say as her side of the story. Before she could think much further she jumped from fright at the sound of Vindictus's voice. He did know there was no need to shout right?Right shake hands with the opposition. She nodded at him quickly then noticed another Slytherin walk in. And who did this Slytherin think she was..just barging into the office interrupting this whole dilema? Ness eyed the girl and looked back at Vindictus.

He called her Nessa...this made her furious. NOBODY was allowed to call her Nessa. It was Ness, Nessie or her full name Renesmee. As her face got a little redder she clenched her fists trying to stay as calm as she could. Focus on apoliogizing. Right. "I am really really Sorry Evelyn, Professor Hadley Professor Vindictus, and Professor Lafay." she did her best to sound calm. "I promise to never do what I did today again. I'm sorry" she said sincerely even through her rage. She couldn't believe Vindictus though. No detention? Wow he was softer than she though. His bark was waay worse than he's bite.

Now that, that was done could she go?

Oh...Merlin...

Jumping a tad at Vinny's outburst, Evelyn stared a little wide eyed at the man before glancing over to Puff girl, a slight grin appearing on her face. This was it. The girl was sooooo going to get it!

Yet as the Slytherin heard the girl's punishment, her gleeful expression and hope filled heart and mind vanished when she realized Vinny was done talking. Wait, what? Apologize? That was it?! That was all Puff girl had to DO!? Where...where was the detention? Where were the promising words of torture and suffering!? Why was Puff girl still standing on her own two feet?

Mouth agape some, she just stared at the second year as she apologized to her, not even taking a moment to see who else had just entered the room. Yet...there. The insanely lucky girl apologized. That didn't mean Evelyn had to accept it, right?

Scowl.