As he rounded the corner Corin found himself setting his sight on the familiar gargoyle. Ah but there are couches now to the side of it. Rather inviting isnt it? As the silver-haired man settled down into one of them his eye caught the magazines by the side tables.

Muggle magazines? A curious smirk tugged at his lips as he leafed through the stack quickly. Yes they were boring by Muggle standards, but he just wondered if children raised mostly in the Wizarding world would actually find these... educational?

Or ridiculous, depending on who raised them of course.

The Mysteries Head leaned back in his seat and waited his turn for the Headmaster's audience.

The gargoyle, noting that the Headmaster's guest had arrived, sniffed loudly to get the man's attention before sliding to the side to reveal the door to the spiral staircase.

No sooner has he leaned into the comfy seat did he suddenly hear the gargoyle sniff loudly. He stood up just as it was sliding away to reveal the spiral stairs. He made his way up its steps purposely and as soon as he was halfway up he heard the gargoyle groan shut behind him.

Not really all THAT much later, although it might have felt that way to the students, Tate reappeared with a sandwich in hand. It was one of those magnificent Dagwood types, piled high with everything but the kitchen sink... and nearly too tall to take a bite. The house elves were GOOD to this Headmaster.

"Ah, yes. Sticky situation, that." Tate headed into his seating area and took a seat. "What's all this, then?"

Kurumi had sort of just watched everything else transpire, including the rather ironic house unity banner that went up....but the ignoring of fellow Hogwartians in need. The arrival of more protesters did not go unnoticed either, but Kurumi didn't have time to greet them as Headmaster Tate arrived...with a sandwich in his hands. Kurumi's gaze went to Kennedy for a moment, thinking about the oatmeal cookies that were in her bag and wondering if they really SHOULD eat them in protest, but her attention was back on the Headmaster when he spoke.

"Well," Kurumi said as she swallowed. Probably best to go ALL the way back to the beginning, yes. "We were given an assignment by Professor Scabior to protest something we feel strongly about and we all decided that that was the reopening of the observatory." You know, in case all the signs and chants hadn't been enough of an indication of this. That was the basic outline of what was going on and any of the others could elaborate if they wanted. There WAS an awful lot to say on the matter after all.

Thankfully not too much time had transpired before Headmaster Tate returned to the area surrounding the steps up to his office, the man returning with his apparent conquest from the kitchens. At least he hadn't opted to linger there and make them stew which Gideon had hoped ...correctly he might add...that the former Gryffindor wasn't that type of person.

The prefect stood up from his crouching position with the help of his sign, having bent down to try better to keep his legs from falling asleep and watched as the man took a seat and asked for their explaination on their presence. Kurumi beat him to it and Gideon nodded to show confirmation and agreement to his friend's words. "Aye...what she said," he added, waiting and wondering for the answer Tate would give. To either their predicament or the original purpose...the protest.

Upon the arrival of the Headmaster, Kennedy's eyes went to Kurumi.

GIVE HIM THE COOKIES!

He watched as the man was standing...all fine and dandy with his sandwich that made Kennedy's stomach grumble. That was not fair, man. Oh right, the reason they were here. He added to Kurumi, "That's what were trying to accomplish when..." they were STUCK to the ground. Oh yeah, and they had signs and stuff.

Kennedy craned his neck up and tried to push himself up with his arms - the only body parts that weren't glued to the floor - to emphasize his point. It was a fail though.

Kurumi, cookies, please.

Oh. The spell. Tate patted around in his pockets for his wand, until he was FINALLY able to release them all from the gluing spell. Whoops to that and stuff. "So tell me truthfully... are you doing this for homework, or do you honestly care whether or not you can get into the Astronomy tower? You realize we're using it for seminar courses this term? You're saying you'd rather have a place to sneak into when you're out after curfew than have extra lessons from experts in their fields?"

HMMM?

Kurumi saw THAT look Kennedy. Yes, Kurumi still remembered what the Slytherin had said earlier about the cookies, but now was not the time to think about them even if she was feeling a little hungry.

When the Headmaster addressed them, Kurumi couldn't help but blink and cock her head to the side in confusion. He...seemed to be missing the point entirely. "This assignment provided us the opportunity to put into action what we already felt," Kurumi explained. At least, that is how she had felt about it. She had wanted to come speak to the Headmaster sooner regarding this, but prefecting duties and...other things had kept her from having a clear enough mind to do so. The other comment, about classes, was sort of off base a little too. At least to her. "With all due respect, Headmaster, seminars are not every day and what we are all missing is the ability to stargaze and do our own independent research in the field of astronomy by utilizing the observatory...every day." So, no, Kurumi did not think that the seminars were not worth it, but there were benefits of using the observatory that you just could not find anywhere else. Not just the Astronomy Tower. The observatory.

Gideon watched the headmaster's wand come out once more though thankfully this time to release them. Now free to move around, the sixth year walked over to stand beside Kurumi to provide a united front for their cause. Whatever Headmaster Tate believed, they were here for the academic reasons, both history of magic and astronomy.

"Aye," he agreed with a nod, seeing as Kurumi had pretty much vocalized how he felt. "Never snuck out for whatever reason... Astronomy simply matters to me, as it does my fellow students here." And anytime he was out in the tower late he had had full permission by an astronomy professor. "And as Kurumi pointed out, surely its not being used all the time by the seminars. Couldn't it be open again during the free times?"

The Gryffindor tower just wasn't the same.

Anya was about to finish her song when she realized that the Headmaster was back.

Phew. That was really close to be embarrassing. Imagine if she had belted "star" in front of the Head Mister.

She blinked at the Headmaster's "ultimatum."

"Sir... isn't there an empty class room on the ground floor? And... the Great Hall is normally empty during meal times, isn't it?" she asked. Those could easily be used for the seminars.

"Does this really need to be an either / or question? Can't we have both?"

Her eyes then widened as an idea struck her. "ORRR... maybe you can charm a classroom to look like the observatory sky...? That would work just as well. Or, if you don't want to do that... maybe you could make it a rule that students can't think I'm weird when I want to lay down on the Great Hall floor and look at the pretty bewitched ceiling."

Really, Anya was fine with any of those options.

Fiiiiinally!

Kennedy stood up and stretched his back. Ah, it felt good to be standing up again after being on that hard floor. These were new pants too. He patted them until they were dust free and straightened himself. He really wanted the cookies, but he decided to wait. Drag this a little more. Plus, the Headmaster was making assumptions.

His eyes went to Kurumi, Gideon, and Anya. The last one made him tilt his head to the side. Weren't they protesting to have the observatory reopened? Not to have an alternative?

The Prefect almost raised his hand like if he was in class to answer the question, but didn't. "We do not wish to sneak off after curfew," he said. Well, at least he didn't. As of this moment he had no reason to do so, plus, he reserved nights for reading. "I like Astronomy and I like reading about it, but it just isn't the same as looking through a telescope and doing our own discoveries." And he liked polishing telescopes, it was a stress reliever. "Plus, Slytherin's common room is in the dungeons...we don't get to see stars." Like the fortunate Gryffindors and Ravenclaws with their precious towers. Not that he didn't like his common room, their's was beyond awesome...but it was under the lake blocking the sky view.

Zack looked a bit nervous on seeing the head master, but he tried not to show that on his face. He wanted the observatory back and this is what he had to do then sure he would talk to the head master about it. He really admired the head master though. He liked the way he managed the school and stuff. Zack really thought it was really great to mange such a bi g school and look after it so well. A smile grew on his face as he looked at the headmaster, but then he realized that they were here for the peaceful protest to get the observatory opened back.

He looked serious now when he started talking to the headmaster. Okay here it goes he thought before opening his mouth. Cleared his throat and said "Sir, we'd really like if the observatory is opened back so that we all could study the stars and know more about them. Astronomy is one of my favorite subjects and i really want to be good. If you just got the seminars going on in some other room other than the observatory one then it would really be great!" he said and looked at the professor thinking if he hadn't said anything that was offending him.

Wait! Oakey stood there and let the Star Gazing Protesters make there case to Tate, but Oakey wasn't part of that group! He never even understood Astrology, have you seen his grades for that class! He was trying to gain support for his own Protest, he was for more Hogsmeade weekends. Head Master Sir, Oakey finally spoke up. I'm in a different Protest. Oakey took his finger and pointed it at the Banner stuck to Tates Office door.

Oh. Indy did like the seminars. She really liked them. But she liked the observatory too. This really was a probably. Indy stood, listening to the other students for a few moments. "Or maybe..." She mused after they had all had their little staff. "It could be opened one a month maybe for us to go and so some star gazing, astronomy stuff." That sounded like a good idea to her. "Then it's still avaliable for the awesome seminar classes, but we still get to go in there and do some study related to astronomy." That would mean that she wouldn't forget what was going on with Astronomy. Which would be good for her, because it was one of her favorite subjects, and sure she loved reading, but there was only so much one could learn out of a book.

"I hear what you're saying, but without staff members available to keep an eye on that space and with it set aside specifically for our seminars..." Tate rubbed his hands against his knees and stared over the heads of the gathered students. It was nice for them to be organized and thoughtful about something they cared about, even if it was an asinine subject like not being able to stare at the sky from a certain room in the castle. At least they cared, although he wished they cared about something a bit more important.

"Let me think about it. I'd have to reallocate resources, so it is no small decision."

Tate glanced at the boy who was disavowing participation in the current protest for participation in 'a different' protest. Merlin. He was going to murder Scabior. "I see you're here instead of in Hogsmeade, which I gather is what you're trying to sell me today. If you loved the old village so much, wouldn't you be there instead?"

Gideon nodded at the answer they were given from Headmaster Tate, a nice, semi-positive diplomatic one. After all, while thinking about it wasn't exactly a yes like they might have hoped to gain, it also wasn't an absolute no. There was always the chance that a later answer would prove to be a more satisfactory response. And the points brought up, including having staffers keep track of things while it was open to students, were valid and not really something you could argue with.

The prefect wondered if perhaps that would be enough of a protest for Professor Scabior seeing as they had followed the guidelines and neither got into serious trouble nor caused damage to either themselves, others or the castle. "Thanks ye sir, for hearing us out." Looking to his fellow prefects and other protesters, figuring it was probably the best time to take their leave of the man. They wouldn't want to keep him from the sandwich he had frozen them all for any longer.

Kurumi was feeling slightly deflated and not because of anything that the Headmaster had said. Before he had even responded to them some of her fellow protesters were already trying to compromise with the man. Shouldn't they be doing that after they had heard his initial verdict? Not to mention that Kurumi was pushing more for the actually observatory to be open so she could utilize the large telescope and other features there - things that you just couldn't do anywhere else in the castle.

However, Kurumi had held her tongue until the Headmaster had spoken - not given them a yes, but not giving them a no either. "Thank you, Headmaster, for considering." The important thing was that they had gotten their point across, right? "Headmaster, I don't know how much I could be of service as a student, but I would be more than willing to put some time aside to assist whoever was willing to watch the observatory, if it came to that that is." The point Kurumi was hopefully making was that herself, and others she assumed, would be more than willing to help make this possible. Even if they needed to make an appointment with a certain professor and schedules needed to be drawn up, Kurumi would be more than willing to do so. Headmaster Tate would only need to say the word.

Kurumi's eyes drifted to her bag for a moment and, NOW realizing that she could actually move, took a step towards it and picked it up off the ground. She flashed Kennedy an apologetic smile before opening it, revealing a small box of oatmeal cookies which she then presented to the Headmaster. "For taking up your time, sir."

And perhaps a little incentive, but Kurumi knew that the man's decision could not be bought with cookies.

Oh. Was it time to leave already? That sounded like a dismissal to Anya. "Thank you, Sir." she said getting up off the floor with the rest of them. She propped up one of her signs against the weird gargoyle statue thing. You know... just in case Mr. Head Mister needed some reminding about their cause.

Oh! They were so going to get O's on this assignment! How many other protests were heard by the big man himself?

You know... excluding Oakey's brilliant timing...

Plus, they had given really good arguments and options. There was a good chance that the tower would be opened up again. This was super exciting! And that was the bit that mattered most. Being able to study the stars on the their own.

Kennedy nodded at the Headmaster. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Mostly, he was thinking of something to suggest when Kurumi spoke up again. "I agree with Kurumi, Sir," he said. "I could also be of help if needed be. I mean school leaders could help run the observatory for at least two hours a day." Something to consider, yes? The Head boy/girl, Prefects and Captains could help run the place at least two hours every four days or at least twice a week.

That was also IF the Headmaster trusted them. Heck, they've already been trusted with the badge, among with other responsibilities. Why not a few more? Kennedy didn't mind. He was always up for a leadership role. He was about to add something more when...

O_______________O

He was betrayed. Well...not really, but he felt as if he had been.

Kurumi Hollingberry gave away HIS precious cookies to the Headmaster. What about the plan?!

The plan, Hollingberry!

I'm heading off to Hogsmeade after I finish with the history homework sir. He assured the Headmaster that he would not miss a chance to visit the village. This Protest is for more weekends there than what we normally get. It would be great if you showed support in letting us hold our rally at the Lake later on. If The Headmaster let Minerva, Ella and him hold a rally there he would be happy enough to know that the Headmaster won't stick them to the floor during their protest.

Addie had made one final decision about the protest. She hurried along to the Headmasters office, or the seating area outside of the gargoyles that lead to the headmasters office. She looked around before deciding on the wall. This would be the last place for her protest posters. He wouldn't mind if she just put a poster up would he. He could easily take it down. It wouldn't be doing any harm would it. Plus, if anyone could change the rules about no uniforms he could, so he should then be informed about her protest. Right?

Addie took out her wand and tapped the largest of her posters. "Adhaero," she said and affixed it to the wall opposite the gargoyles. There, now if the Headmaster was to come down from his office he would have to notice it and at least think about it before taking it down. After some quick deciding she wrote at the very bottom. Please consider my protest Headmaster. Thank you, Adelaid Coral :: 5th Year Slytherin. Now her job was done. Addie picked up her supplies and headed to her common room.