Gemma listened to the Healer speak about the three stooges. She couldn't really tell if the woman highly disliked them or if they just all had a love hate friendship. She tilted her head slightly towards the right as she listened trying to get clues from the woman's body language and tone, but she just couldn't pick up anything. Where they friends or enemies? That was something to be figured out. She smiled throughout it all...shaking her head occasionally...still wondering if perhaps the problem had stemmed from the Healer dating one of them back in the day.

"O yes...I remember I was just fixing to ask you a question at the Opening Feast and then I bored you to sleep..." she said teasingly, "Now what year did you graduate from Hogwarts...I can't be much older than ya'll..." she said the last part as a statement and a question. The faces at the Staff Table had been familiar but she wasn't sure how much older she was than them.

So, Alyssa says she has learnt her lesson. "I appreciate the fact that you're apologizing now Alyssa but I'll believe you more once I've seen your attitude has really changed." Once she was finished with that detention.

Looking back over at Sophie, Cece gave a tiny smile. Yes, a smile, believe it or not. "Just remember Sophie, don't be afraid to ask for help if you think you or someone else needs it."

"Yes Nate. Oakey is going to be just fine. I'm not sure he's going to be eating candy anytime soon though." That's not always a bad thing though. "I'll tell you what Nate. Because you do seem to be concerned about Oakey, I'll give you a chance to earn those points back." All he would have to do is a bit of cleaning for her... in the healing area, after it has been used. She just might wait until someone had spewed all over then summon the boy to clean the mess. "I'll let you know when I need your help."

Standing up Cece walked over to the door and opened it. "You're all free to go now," she said waiting for them to all leave her office.

=====================================

So it seems the professor had jokes... about the opening feast. "Yes, I don't know how I've managed to stay awake this long with you here," Cece said with a little chuckle and a shake of her head. "Oh, I graduated in 66. You know, the year it was decided things would be best if the school was divided into one for the boys and one for the girls." What a dreadful year that had been... going to an ALL girls school. "What about you, what year did you graduate?" Was it possible the two women had went to school together and Cece just never knew her back then?

"Ok at least I know he's doing good." Nate said that as he walks out of the room being dismissed from her office.

A smile?? A tiny smile! Healer Tillstorm smiled at her!! Pheeew! Sophie could even start liking the nurse now! She could be a nice lady after all!

"I will, ma'am." she repeated with a weak smile on her face. She got up and went towards the door. "Thank you!" she said when she walked past the witch.

Cece was sitting in her office enjoying a nice cup of tea and some much needed quiet away from all those big babies kids in the infirmary when a owl came swooping through the window. Looking at the envelope it dropped on her desk she set her cup down.

To the Healer. Hmm, whoever it was that sent this must not know her name or else they would have addressed it to Healer Tillstorm.

Opening the envelope she took out the parchment and started reading it over.



Not able to get past the first few sentances she looked at the bottom and seen who it was from. Oh for the love of Merlin. Is this what Tate had this child do while she was in detention? Write her an apology letter. Skimming through the letter Cece thought she was going to throw up. Seriously, if this child groveled any more she would be a permanent part of the floor. Cece wasn't stupid here, she could see right through this little letter. Alyssa only wrote what she thought it would take to get Tate to let her out of detention. Well he may have been fooled by this kid but Cecilia Tillstorm was not.

Crumpling the parchment up she was about to throw it in the fire when she had a thought. She would keep this ridiculous apology and then be sure to show it to her humble and apologetic student the next time she disrespected her in ANY way at all. After stuffing the letter back in the envelope she put it in the back of the drawer of her desk.

Now back to drinking her tea and having some time alone... without students.

Slipping her wand back in its holster Cece went to sit at her desk. "Close the door behind you Mister Abrams." If anyone else wanted to come in they would have to knock first. "Have a seat, make yourself comfortable," she said nodding towards the comfy chair in front of her desk. "So what is it you'd like to talk about today?"

Zayden had instantly felt the warmth of the fireplace when he stepped foot into the office. Merlin's Cupcakes, it felt good in here! It was definitely a step up from the cold dampness that his common room had. Over the last year and a half, he didn't really realize just how damp the common room could get until he shaved all his head off, and that's when he realized it! His baldness made him freeze down there.

"Yes, ma'am." He closed the door behind him, and then the young Scottish boy made his way over to one of the chairs located in front of the desk.

He shrugged his shoulders as he sat down now. "It's... it's more personal than anything." Mostly about how much he could screw things up. "Over the last few days, I've ruined my friendship with my best mate as well as things with Amelia." And yeah... it sucked. A lot. What if he going to be all alone in this world?! He didn't want to die a lonely man!

Summoning a couple of cups to her desk Cece looked over at Zayden as he sat down. "Would you like a cup of tea?" The least she could do was offer him something to drink. The boy did feel comfortable enough to come to her to talk about personal matters after all.

Not waiting for an answer from him she poured two cups of tea and slid one across her desk to him as she listened to him tell her what seemed to be bothering him. Oh Merlin. The boy wasn't kidding when he said it was personal. "Amelia? The girl that brought you to see me last week? What happened? If you don't mind me asking." Obviously he wouldn't mind or he wouldn't be here to talk to her about it now would he... right?

She would get to his best mate in a bit. Right now she was concerned about him and Amelia.

Zayden watched as the two cups of tea started floating towards them. "No, thank you," he kindly replied. "I'm not much of a tea drinking person." He never really understood why he didn't like tea because it seemed like he was the only one in his family that disliked it, but he just couldn't stand it. He preferred coffee over tea any day.

He was still staring at the tea cup when she asked what happened with Amelia. It took every inch of what he had to say, "We were just on two separate pages about something." Maybe he should explain that better. "You see, she can't take compliments from me at all, but there was this other guy that was complimenting her, and she took what he said and believed it." He knew he was acting stupid, but the situation got to him. He didn't even like that Milton that much now. "I told her we needed a break, so we can think things through, but... it was stupid."

VERY stupid.

"I miss her." A lot.

Not much of a tea drinker? Well she should probably offer him something else... right? Only thing was, she didn't have anything else to offer at this time. "Okay, no tea for you. I'd offer you something else... if I had anything." She wasn't very good at this being nice to students in her office. Usually when a student was in her office it was because they were in trouble for something they did.

Seeing as how he was staring at the cup of tea she just left it there, in case he changed his mind and decided to drink it.

As Zayden explained his problem, Cece sat there listening while she sipped on her tea.

O__O

"You told her you needed a break... because she accepted a compliment from another guy?" Oh this boy had so much to learn about girls. Setting her tea cup down Cece put her elbows on her desk and leaned forward. "Zayden, I'm going to let you in on a little secret, one most guys figure out on their own. It's easier for girls to accept compliments from strangers than it is for them to accept compliments from those that love them?" Not that Cece knew any of this from first hand experience. Here she was twenty... something and still single herself. But whatever, this was about Zayden and Amelia, not about Cecelia and... no one. "I wouldn't say it was stupid, just..." Alright, it was stupid. "Have you tried talking to her to tell her how much you miss her?" Truth be told, Amelia was probably missing him too. Cece had seen how those two looked at each other.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The1HBIC

Don't let it bother her? Why, because she was just some heartless person who didn't have any feelings?

Whatever.

She wasn't about to discuss this in the corridor though. Not where anyone could walk by and hear. "You can keep your chocolate," she said as she stepped aside so he could come in.

Ouch, this was not going well.

William frowned but brushed by Cece and into her office. He took a minute to look around, definitely not feeling confident enough to just sit down without Healer Tillstorm's permission. Geez. What was with her today? She was more like an ice cube than her usual firecracker self.

Willy cleared his throat and thrust his hands back into his pockets, along with the chocolate bar, which he might have broken up into little pieces while he waited for her to say something.

After letting William in Cece sat back in her chair in front of the fire. Seeing William just standing there she rolled her eyes at him. "You can sit if you want." He could sit in the other chair there in front of the fire or he could just stand, she really didn't care either way.

Cece didn't wait for him to move before speaking her mind. "You know what bothers me the most about this whole situation? Not the fact that there was an article written about me." No, that wasn't the issue here. "It's the way I found out about it. You were well aware of it, yet who do I hear about it from... none other than your friend Oliver." Who that article also pointed out as someone that she supposedly had the hots for. "And then to make things worse he informs me that I'm always hanging all over you." If she ever found out who was spreading that lie...

William stared into the fire as Cece took a seat, his face starting to redden as she opened up about what 'bothered her most' about that article. Oliver........!

"He took the article from me," Will offered by way of explanation, his hands still in his pockets as he turned away from the fire and toward Cece. "I didn't think.... I guess I didn't anticipate him going to you with it. I just figured you would find out on your own." He shrugged and moved over to a chair opposite hers.

So Oliver had somehow misconstrued something Willy said............ and reported it back to Cece? Great friend he was. At least she didn't seem to know it was he who had made that comment. "Well obviously that's not true," William pointed out, "since I haven't seen you in a while."

Apparently she had been avoiding him after finding out about Aparecium. Cool. Not.

"You just figured I'd find out on my own? You didn't think that as my friend you should have warned me about something like this... especially knowing that Oliver knew about it?" Turning away from the fire Cece looked at William in disbelief. "You know how much he hates me and how he would do anything to humiliate me, yet you didn't think he would track me down and rub that article in my face?" Not able to look at him anymore she turned back to the fire. "If the roles were reversed I would have told you. I would have made sure I was the one you heard about it from... not one of my friends that hated you. That's what friends do William, they look out for each other." Apparently Cece didn't fit into the friend category with William though since he let her be blind sided by Oliver.

"And whose fault is it that you haven't seen me?" Sure she may have been avoiding him but he hadn't made any effort to find her either... that is until now... when he was bored.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The1HBIC

"You just figured I'd find out on my own? You didn't think that as my friend you should have warned me about something like this... especially knowing that Oliver knew about it?" Turning away from the fire Cece looked at William in disbelief. "You know how much he hates me and how he would do anything to humiliate me, yet you didn't think he would track me down and rub that article in my face?" Not able to look at him anymore she turned back to the fire. "If the roles were reversed I would have told you. I would have made sure I was the one you heard about it from... not one of my friends that hated you. That's what friends do William, they look out for each other." Apparently Cece didn't fit into the friend category with William though since he let her be blind sided by Oliver.

"And whose fault is it that you haven't seen me?" Sure she may have been avoiding him but he hadn't made any effort to find her either... that is until now... when he was bored.

Whoaaaaaaaa SOMEBODY was still mad. William sat there and just took it, trying not to get angry as she blamed him for what felt like everything under the sun. Honestly, wasn't she just... blowing this whole thing out of proportion? Could he say that to her?

"I think you're blowing things out of proportion a bit, don't you think?" William gave her a LOOK that said he didn't really feel guilty about it all. "You're not the only one the article's about, remember." He wasn't stomping around Hogwarts like Aparezilla though, was he. "And besides, that's not the first issue of the gossip rag. I only found out about it because Edvard came to my office with a story about him in a love triangle with Josephina Hadley and Althea Schirmer."

And if that wasn't the biggest load of crock.... well he'd eat his shoe.

He remained quiet at her last question and slowly pulled his hands out of his pockets, raising them in an 'I surrender' gesture. "Clearly you don't want to see me now, Cece, so just say the word and I'll leave."

Cece turned to GLARE at William and his little comments. "Well excuse me for thinking you were my friend." She should have known better than to ever think he would consider her a true friend. "You just don't get it do you. I already told you it wasn't the article itself that was the issue here. It's the fact that... You know what, just forget it." What was the point in her repeating herself? He obviously wasn't listening to a word she was saying here. "I get it, Oliver's your friend and I'm just... the one who hangs all over you. I'm sure you two had a good laugh reading that bit about me having 'eyes' for him too didn't you." She knew Oliver did anyway. He made sure to rub that in her face.

"I don't want you to leave William." She had a feeling if he walked out that door then whatever friendship they had really was going to be over. "I just... I want you to understand how I feel here." She was pretty sure that was too much to ask for though.

"I am your friend, Cece, or I wouldn't be sitting here and taking this like I am!" William raised his voice a bit at last, throwing his hands up in a completely exasperated gesture. "Rehashing it isn't going to get us anywhere, all right? I should have showed you the article right away, I shouldn't have let Oliver get to you, I know, okay, SORRY."

Geesh, the woman sure knew how to drive a guy up the wall. Will was almost wishing she HAD just told him to get out. "I didn't laugh at it at all," he added, much more quietly. "I thought it was garbage and I knew I should have just thrown it away when I had the chance."

He ran a hand through his hair and pulled out the chocolate bar, unwrapping it noisily and starting to munch on a few of the broken pieces. "Look, I understand. I think I do. They made up lies about me too, okay, and half of our other colleagues. We can still be friends and..... and dance in pubs or whatever in spite of that stupid article." Okay????

Really? He was going to yell at her like that. She wasn't raising her voice one little bit yet he felt the need to raise his voice to her. Nice.

"I'm sure it wouldn't have mattered if you threw it away or not. He probably has a dozen more copies of it laying around." She was pretty sure this was something Oliver Jenkins would make sure he could get his hands on whenever needed.

Cece shook her head when Willy tried saying he understood. The man was hopeless here. He was never going to understand what she was talking about. "You know, I was all set to come find you and have a laugh about that article." Yes, laugh. Because really, anyone that knew her at all knew she did NOT have eyes for Oliver Jenkins. "But when Oliver said, more than once I might add, that I'm always hanging all over you... well, I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing me head off to find you." Okay, so maybe that was stupid on her part. For all she knew that could have been Oliver's plan all along. To keep Cece away from William.

Huh?

"You want to dance with me... again?" She was pretty sure the only reason he had danced with her the last time was because he had a bit too much to drink.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The1HBIC

Really? He was going to yell at her like that. She wasn't raising her voice one little bit yet he felt the need to raise his voice to her. Nice.

"I'm sure it wouldn't have mattered if you threw it away or not. He probably has a dozen more copies of it laying around." She was pretty sure this was something Oliver Jenkins would make sure he could get his hands on whenever needed.

Cece shook her head when Willy tried saying he understood. The man was hopeless here. He was never going to understand what she was talking about. "You know, I was all set to come find you and have a laugh about that article." Yes, laugh. Because really, anyone that knew her at all knew she did NOT have eyes for Oliver Jenkins. "But when Oliver said, more than once I might add, that I'm always hanging all over you... well, I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing me head off to find you." Okay, so maybe that was stupid on her part. For all she knew that could have been Oliver's plan all along. To keep Cece away from William.

Huh?

"You want to dance with me... again?" She was pretty sure the only reason he had danced with her the last time was because he had a bit too much to drink.

Yeah, actually, it probably would have mattered. William rolled his eyes at that but refrained form answering. Oliver would have kept maybe one copy of a piece of trash like that. It wasn't like the paper was glorifying his accomplishments as a Muggle athlete or anything. Those were the kind of articles he laminated and framed.

"Sorry," he said shortly, sinking down in his seat a bit as he didn't know what else to say to that. He tossed his chocolate on her desk, not sure if she didn't want it still but he was done with it anyway. "Oliver's just an immature jerk. He'll never stop bothering you so long as you keep letting him." Sigh. He didn't know what else to say then, short of confessing that HE had made that comment that upset her so much just to sound cool in front of his friend.

Did he say he'd wanted to dance with her again......? William's eyebrows shot up as he tried not look too alarmed. "Well, yeah, if you want to. It was kinda nice." It would kinda be nicer not around kids, too....

"Okay, you can stop saying you're sorry now." She got the point already. "I can usually ignore him. It's just this time..." Looking over at Willy as he tossed the chocolate on her desk she just had to ask. "Why does Oliver hate me so much? What did I ever do to him to make him hate me like he does?" Until recently she had never been mean to him or anything. Even back when they were students she knew he didn't like her but she never knew what it was she had done to him.

Okay, so maybe William didn't want to dance with her again. That look he was giving her right now was kinda like a 'Oh crap, what the hell did I get myself into here' look. Or not. "Yeah, it was kinda nice." She said with a little smile spreading across her face.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The1HBIC

"Okay, you can stop saying you're sorry now." She got the point already. "I can usually ignore him. It's just this time..." Looking over at Willy as he tossed the chocolate on her desk she just had to ask. "Why does Oliver hate me so much? What did I ever do to him to make him hate me like he does?" Until recently she had never been mean to him or anything. Even back when they were students she knew he didn't like her but she never knew what it was she had done to him.

Okay, so maybe William didn't want to dance with her again. That look he was giving her right now was kinda like a 'Oh crap, what the hell did I get myself into here' look. Or not. "Yeah, it was kinda nice." She said with a little smile spreading across her face.

Good. She'd gotten his point. William let out a breath of relief and shrugged for the second time. "It's either mutual hate, so you guys like hate each other equally for reasons I don't know, or you don't actually hate each other at all." Maybe that Aparecium article had more truth to it than they knew.

"I mean, he doesn't hate many people, and I really don't think he hates you. He just likes to get a reaction out of you because it's funny. To him." To him only, Willy hesitated to add. Admittedly, he did find an angry Cece adorable, but there was no way he was going to say that out loud now.

There, she was smiling now! "You look so much better when you smile instead of frown," William murmured, more to himself than to her. "Wherever we hang out next time should definitely NOT be around the students." Because they were the ones writing Aparecium, right?

Mutual hate he says. "You know, it's not so much him that I hate. It's the way he treats me that I hate. I'd be happy if he just went back to ignoring me" At least then she wouldn't have to be watching her back all the time.

"And do you think it's funny... the things he does to me?" Because Cece didn't find anything funny about it at all.

"Thanks, it's kinda hard not to smile when you're around." It was true. She couldn't even stay mad at him when he was around. He just had a way of making her smile. Which sometimes made her mad... that she couldn't stay mad at him. Right. Now she was starting to confuse herself here. "Right, no students... unless we want to see our names in print again."

Quote:

Originally Posted by The1HBIC

Mutual hate he says. "You know, it's not so much him that I hate. It's the way he treats me that I hate. I'd be happy if he just went back to ignoring me" At least then she wouldn't have to be watching her back all the time.

"And do you think it's funny... the things he does to me?" Because Cece didn't find anything funny about it at all.

"Thanks, it's kinda hard not to smile when you're around." It was true. She couldn't even stay mad at him when he was around. He just had a way of making her smile. Which sometimes made her mad... that she couldn't stay mad at him. Right. Now she was starting to confuse herself here. "Right, no students... unless we want to see our names in print again."

Interesting. William hadn't considered that she hated Oliver's immaturity more than his mere presence. "I'll mention that to him," he told her seriously. "Because no, it's not funny. He acts like a five-year-old and being around someone you 'hate'," or whatever, "can't be healthy for either of you."

So there, he should get brownie points for mentioning health and trying to talk some sense into his friend. Heh.

Willy smiled at her comment and nudged the chocolate toward her again. "Likewise." She was usually a fun person to talk to, for him anyway. "Got any plans coming up for the spring?" Just wondering.

"For some reason I don't think you talking to him is going to help here." No, if anything it would probably make matters worse. Oliver would probably just use that little chat to his advantage and figure out a way to make Cece's life even more miserable.

Taking a piece of the chocolate Cece popped it in her mouth and smiled a little more. "I don't really have anything exciting planned. Just going back home to Sweden to visit my parents. What about you? Got any exciting plans?"

Zayden's green eyes had been going back and forth between the Healer and a sheet of paper that was on her desk because, like many people, he didn't enjoy keeping eye contact for long periods of time. When Healer Tillstorm spoke up, he shrugged at her response to him not liking tea. "Don't worry about it," the Scottish replied. "I'm not even thirsty." He was more hungry. Hungry for some darn cupcakes.

...

"Yes."

He moved back in his chair some so his back was supported more while she gave him some explanation about girls. Not that he REALLY needed that! He knew enough about girls to know they were crazy. However, he did find himself blinking at her words. "I... I don't understand," he said. "In my mind, if a woman can accept compliments from another guy, they should be able to accept them from the one they love more than anything." Why did girls have to be so complicated? "No, it was stupid." He should be punishment from eating cupcakes and have his light sabers taken away from him for doing such a stupid thing. "Not exactly." He sighed. "I've thought about talking to her, but I'm not sure if she wants to see me right now."