After voting for the Professor he would like to throw a pie at, Michael checked out the other dungeons to see what was going on and the games looked pretty awesome and he had every intention of having a go. But first he decided he wanted something to eat.

Unfortunately for him though he was about to go hungry, because one look at the food on the table told him that this wasn't the kind of food any human being would want to eat.

He was just about to turn around and leave when he spotted someone he never thought would attend a function like this one. With a big grin on his face, Michael headed over to the Slytherin.

"Little bunny." He said coming up behind her. "You wouldn't happen to have another one of those cookies, do you?" Or could he possibly share that one?

Beverly swirled around, a little surprised, then suppressed a grin at the nickname. Her name was Beverly Wayne, but...she didn't mind Little Bunny. At least it wasn't something like Troll Face. Though, she was far from resembling a troll.

"Train Boy," she said in form or greeting with a slight nod. Beverly glanced down at her sugar cookie, then back up the Gryffindor. The food here didn't look appetizing, and she rather keep her cookie.

"No," she said, breaking off a tiny piece and eating it. Then, after a few seconds, with a tiny grin on her lips she broke half of it off and offered it to him. "You look hungry, though."

What? It was her style of sharing. Make the person wait, think she wasn't going to share, then BAM! She was sharing. Her cousin Cornelius hated that. ^__^

Airey picked up a piece of food that crumbled and oozed - if that was even possible - at the same time with his touch. Yeah....no...he had done some crazy things in his day, but eating ghostly food was not on the list. Maybe he could get someone else to try it though.

He heard some students discussing Astronomy and glanced up to see who it was. Oh, Mr. Radley and...a female companion who apparently was very shy. Hence why she was hiding, yes? He waved enthusiastically towards the pair of them before picking up a rusty looking fork and giving some more of the food on the table a jab.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charely Potter

The stench of rotten food.. It was rivaling the typical smells of animal droppings Javy's nose was already accustomed to. He stood idly by the food tables where he had spent eyeing for anything, anything that was edible and safe to digest.

Hm, Javy thought he heard a familiar sound, that got him glancing to see- Oh, the fish carrying man, Airey. Looks like he could use a bubble-head charm. "There is water.." He said simply, yes, water wasn't a food, but at least it could temporarily subside hunger.. Assuming it wasn't expired either. "It's tempting to summon something from the kitchens, isn't it?" There was something missing though, "So how's Tiberus?" Yes, he was still curious on the matter of the bass.

OH! Professor Top Hat! Hopefully the man wasn't striking up a conversation to ask about the top hat from the feast...because the astronomer still had it. And was sort of putting off returning it. Although he did sort of need to make a trip down to visit the Creatures' to ask him a thing or two.

"Water, huh," he sighed as he stood back up and put the fork back down on the table. "Should have brought some of my dehydrated snacks with me then." He actually preferred them dehydrated though. Just like how the astronauts would eat it. "He is fine, although I am beginning to think he doesn't want to turn back into his old self." Since nothing he had tried had worked so far. Save for Calista giving him a kiss...but he still wasn't sure how to go about asking that favor. "It's sad really...I can't imagine wanting to stay an animal forever."

His head snapped around when he heard the loud entrance of someone else. WHY did that voice sound so familiar?

Train boy?

Michael chuckled at her nickname for him. This was probably the third or maybe fourth time they had spoken to each other and they had still yet to get each other's names. That was okay with him though, it was like a sort of game.

Oh. He had to admit that he wasn't expecting that and he actually pouted without realising he was doing it. He was just about to tell her that he would share with her when she broke off a piece and offered it to him.

A grin spread across his face as he took the piece of cookie. "Thanks. I owe you one." And he was very hungry, but food could wait for the moment. "I'll have to shout you a butterbeer or maybe something from Honeydukes when Hogsmeade opens." That sounded a bit like a date, didn't it?

"You tried any of the games out yet?"

Beverly bit her bottom lip to keep from giggling at Train Boy's pout. Something about guys pouting always amused the Slytherin. It was funnier when they were older.

"I didn't know Gryffindors pouted," she mumbled, amusement glinting in her eyes. As far as she knew by books and the word around, they were these brave, tough people.

Beverly nodded at his thanks. As for the butterbeer or Honeydukes, she was okay with that. He was repaying her for the cookie, like a trade, no? She would have to remember to ask her dad for money in that case.

"That'll be cool, I haven't been there," she said, her eyes roaming around a bit. Especially on that ghost lady. Who was she? It didn't matter. Not like she wanted to talk to her. Just...so much people... and a ghost.

Turning back to Train Boy, she attempted to block everything else out and answer his question about the games. "No. I mean, not yet...I-I don't know which one to go to." And she didn't want to go alone and look like a loner.

Train Boy looked like the type who wouldn't hesitate to play one of those games, though. "Have you?"

Oh. Haha. He hadn't realised he was pouting. He hadn't done that in a long time. "Don't knock the pout." Michael said with a laugh. "It tends to get you what you want."

Didn't she just share her cookie with him?

"You haven't been to Hogsmeade?" Okay so it wasn't an unusual thing for someone not to have been to the little village before, it just sounded weird to him. Of course the more he thought about it, the better it was that she hadn't been there before. "Well we'll have to change that. I'll show you all the cool places. I can even show you my house."

Michael raised an eyebrow as he watched her and without thinking about it he took a step closer to her. "Why do you do that? Get nervous I mean?" They had been talking for the past five minutes and she had been fine. He glanced around the room and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Surely it wasn't the ghost because there were plenty of ghosts at Hogwarts.

"I haven't yet." Tried any of the games. "The one with the target and the brooms look pretty cool. Oh and I did vote to throw a pie at one of the Professor's."

Gliding gracefully beside the little dear who had spoken to her, the ghost pretended to pat her on the shoulder. Only her hand went right through the little darling instead. Something she was still not entirely use to just yet.

"Oh pish pooooooosh," she replied. "You are talking to me right now, dear. Perhaps we should be an example for the others in manners. Tell me, what is your name so that I may get to know you?" The little dear was not a face that she recognized.
"Oh, I am teeeeeeeeeeerribly sorry, son," she apologized. "I doooooooo hope your ear is alright. If not, it is an old Burbage family secret that one should put half an onion over the affected ear. I do belieeeeeve I see one or two on the table."
OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS HEAVENS ABOVE! Look at this little studmuffin. The young lady with him was certainly one luckly girl. Oh if only she were younger and still alive.

"Why of course it is, darling. You are are much much MUCH more lively than myself," she replied in a sing song voice. "If one does not find the festivities enjoyable then perhaps you should be proactive in remedying the problem rather than complaining and adding to it, hmmmmmm?"
"OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS HEEEEEEAVENS ABOVE!" she chirped at the young man. "Terribly sorry about that dear, teeeeeeeeerribly sorry. I do hope I did not give you and your friends too much of a fright." She glided a bit closer to the young man. Mmmmhmmmmm, future studmuffin in the making right here.

"It was siiiiiiiiiiimply rude of me not to introduce myself back then. " But surely he could understand that she had been just a bit distraught about reading her name on a plaque in the Tower Patch.


OOOOOOOOH! Look who it was! LOOK WHO IT WAS!

"Oh it is siiiiiimply loooooooooovely to see you again, dear," she exclaimed as she floated towards the blonde man and went to embrace him in a hug. Only, just as she had with students before, she passed right though him. "Oh for heaven's sake, I shaaaaaaaant get used to that."

She floated back through the man to meet him face to face again.

"Oh my darling, how HAVE you beeeeeen?" She turned her head towards the studmuffin of a man he had been talking to. "Hello darling, do forgive the interruption. I am Marion Burbage and it is siiiiiimply divine to meet you."

It tends to get you what you want. That much was true. It was a weakness the men in her home had, and that she liked to exploit. It was only fair since she was the only girl, and the youngest.

"Sure it does," she said, though it sort of had a moment ago.

Beverly shook her head while breaking off a piece of her cookie half and eating it. She felt a twinge of embarrassment for admitting she hasn't been to Hogsmeade. But apparently that was going to change according to Train Boy. She tilted her head to the side at the last part. "You...live in Hogsmeade?"

When he took a step toward her, Beverly took one back. She set her cookie down and pretended to dust crumbs off, thought here were none. So he noticed. Looking up at him, she gave a small shrug. "Um, well...I'm not used to being surrounded by a lot of people...I sort of noticed...now. The crowd." It made her nervous. She didn't know why, she was just like that.

Did he mind? Maybe he didn't want to be her friend anymore? But she couldn't change who she was. Merlin knows she's tried.

She focused on the games instead, surprised he hasn't played any of them yet. Beverly shuddered a little at the mention of brooms. They involved heights. They weren't her thing.

Throwing a pie at a professor did sound interesting, though. "Who did you vote for?"

Michael wasn't going to say anything to that because he had already proved that pouting did in fact work and that girls were not the only ones good at it.

"Yep." He grinned at her. "We also have a Manor in Dorset which is where we mainly live, but mum and I prefer the cottage in Hogsmeade so we do our best to convince dad to stay there." And it usually worked quite often. He scrunched up his face a little. "Although it might be a while before get to go back there. Mum had a baby a few weeks ago." And for some reason his dad thought that the Manor would be a better place for the baby.

As soon as she took that step back, Michael immediately stopped and held up his hands, to let her know that he meant her no harm. His gaze went back around the room and while he didn't consider the amount of people there a crowd, she obviously did. "Do you want to go somewhere a little quieter?" He didn't mind, so long as she felt more comfortable.

Her question though made him chuckle. "Can you keep a secret?"

Marigold wrinkled her nose and bit on Mitchell's hand. She could handle herself, thank you very much. Humph. Rolling her eyes, she mumbled into his hand, "They'rejusghosts." Though she had met a sweet ghost once, she doubted the Hogwarts ones would actually care much.

And a ghost was coming in. And being loud. She was boisterous and seemed to know a lot of the staff. She caught her name - Burbage - and remembered reading that she died. Maybe on a Tower somewhere? Sending a glance at Mitch, and mostly to spite him, she asked the ghost, "How did you die?"

Haha Farmer Boy.

But his arm was comfy, and the ghost just made her think of her grandpa more, and how he wouldn't come back as a ghost. She leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

"He doesn't like Hogsmeade, your dad?" Bev found herself asking. If he would have liked it then he wouldn't need convincing, yeah? Then he scrunched up his face, and Beverly wondered why. Oh. A baby. Her lips slowly formed a grin. "Congratulations, you're a big brother now." And now she missed hers, but he was busy is whatever mission he was working on.

Ugh. She'd done it again. "No," she said, but not to his question, more to the way she had reacted. "I...I'm not scared of you. It's just..." she reflexively pushed people away. She sighed. "I don't know how to act with people." She felt her face flush from embarrassment. "This is my first time interacting with kids around my age." EMBARRASSING. At least he knew now.

She glanced up at him, wondering if that was too weird for him. "But I'm okay here," she said. Beverly was determined to break out of her little, overly guarded bubble. She wanted to experience and have fun, not stay a shy and scared Rapunzel. In order to accomplish that, she needed to challenge herself.

Ohhh. A secret? That earned Train Boy a curious gaze. "I'm known as a secret keeper." So spill.

"Oh yeah he likes it. He just prefers the Manor. He's used to having the finer things in life, I think." The cottage didn't come with a butler or expensive furnishings which was why he and his mother like it better. And he grinned broadly at her congratulations. "I never thought it was going to happen, you know? But finally after thirteen and a half years I have a brother." It was awesome!!

Michael was glad that she wasn't scared of him because that would have been a little awkward. "Can I just say that you are acting just fine with me." Yeah sure she was a little shy, hence his nickname for her but that was nothing to be embarrassed about.

"Alright then we'll stay here, but if you start to feel stressed then please let me know." He wasn't sure he could do to help her but he was sure that he would think of something.

"A known secret keeper huh?" He placed a finger against his lips while he pretended to think about whether to tell her or not. There was a glint of amusement in his eyes as he lowered his finger. "It was Romanos." She was going to get a pie in the face for all those ridiculous yoga positions.

"So besides hanging out at Pep Rally's run by ghosts, what else do you like to do?"

It was too bad, though. Javy could agree, though he would've brought his usual sweets over. They weren't allowed to bring snacks to this Pep Rally either, which was meh. Least he didn't go a whole day without them. "Really? What would give you that idea?" Javy didn't have any information other than the fact that the bass fish had previous been a Professor here. Curious.. very curious. "It wouldn't be too much trouble to come visit, would it?" He could bring over some fish food for him while finding out more.. and maybe get his top hat back. Yes, he didn't forget that. He'll have to bring another another more ravishing top hat of his in exchange too. Kill two basilisks with one sword, basically.

Javy couldn't quite imagine being in such circumstance. He tried to imagine what it'd be like if his other close friends, like Piers had to be stuck as an animal under his own care.. Hmm.. yeah, it was beyond his already opened mind.. A sudden sound however, well, it wasn't a soft one for sure. Watching as another ghost flew over towards them.


Javy's face merely looked. Hmm, definitely not the Grey Lady.. Much different appearance and personality. He turned to Airey, did he know her? Things were getting even more interesting as he watched their exchange before he was included in. "Pleasure, Marion.." Normally Javy extended a hand out for more proper greetings, but she was a ghost. Ghosts and living humans couldn't shake hands the same way. So she got a curt nod instead. "Javier Thompson.. simply Javy.. I take it you two know each other well." Introductions were lovely to him, weren't they?

"Sounds a bit like my dad," she said. If it wasn't for business she was SURE he'd stay at the manor for eternity. He had such a strange affection for his potions lab, Beverly would never understand. She couldn't help smiling at Train Boy's enthusiasm over his baby brother. Aww. "I know that feeling...I had to wait eight years for mine." Which had been FOREVER, but she finally had Kennedy. "Does that mean you were an only child?" Or did he have sisters too?

Beverly looked at him with relief. She was acting fine, that was good. She was afraid she'd blew her chance with him. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she nodded appreciatively. "Thanks." It made it easier for her that he was so easy to get along with.

Another nod. "I will. I just need to get used to my surroundings, is all." Hogwarts didn't seem as big and intimidating as it did the evening she arrived. She'd gotten used to it for the most part.

"Yes," she said. "An excellent one, too." Just so he'd hurry up and tell her, but no. He took his time. She blinked at him, then a giggle escaped her lips. "Her? Why?" She was amused by that, Romanos seemed like a nice woman.

Beverly took a moment to think about his question. There were a lot of things she enjoyed doing, but they were probably boring. Silver had once hinted at that, though Bev suspected she didn't mean it. "I like reading, mostly about dragons. And swimming...before the lake got too cold. And sketching." She would have mentioned horseback riding since that's been on her mind since day one here, but she hasn't been on a horse for months.

"What about you?" She bet he did waaaay more interesting things than her.

So he wasn't the only one who had to wait forever to get a sibling. "Look at that, we have something in common." He wondered what had taken her parents so long? He was tempted to ask but that was way too personal a question considering they didn't really know each other that well. So he answered her question instead. "Yeah I was an only child. What about you?" Was she the same too?

He guess he could understand her needing to get used to the castle. "Yeah it can be a bit daunting at first. But before you know it, you'll be wondering what all the fuss was about?" He'd never had that problem when he first came to Hogwarts but then his was way more outgoing than most.

Michael grinned at her giggling and then shrugged his shoulders. "She's supposed to teach DADA, but she just does this ridiculous yoga positions." His body was not made for some of those positions.

Hmm, dragons were good and so was swimming. "Sketching huh? What do you like to sketch?" He wasn't very creative when it came to things like drawing or painting. Or creating potions like his father did.

"The usual boy things." He said with a grin. "Climbing trees, exploring, wrestling." It used to be garden gnomes but he was too big to wrestle them now. "But what I really like the most is restoring old muggle cars and bikes." Not to mention driving them.

Caleb blinked. He had NO idea who this woman was. She wasn't one of the ghosts of the houses, that was for sure - so who WAS she? He thought back to their encounter at the patch and wondered if she was one of the ladies dedicated there. Or was it a lady and a man? He couldn't remember. He'd never really cared, honestly.

Well, he knew what his next stop would be tonight!

"Oh well, that's ok. What did you say your name was again?" he asked. He didn't want to be rude, but the name she gave the professor meant absolutely nothing to him.

Sophie glanced upward again as the ghost flew beside her. She could tell it was a woman ghost. Sophie wondered what had happened to her and why she was still here. They say that ghosts have unfinished business and that's why they stick around. She sort of froze as the ghost raised a hand but relaxed a little when she realized it was just a pat on the back. Or an attempt at one, at least.

"Well, you'd be the first one to acknowledge me today," she said. Sophie quietened when the ghost suggested they be an example to others. "I'm not sure you want me to try and be an example with you. Being on my best behavior doesn't exactly always work out for me." True story.

Anyway... "My name's Sophie Newell," she said. "What's your name?" Because, ghosts did have name's, too. "Did you just get here?"

"Guess we do." Though the arrival of her brother was rather...strange. And in where Train Boy got a baby brother the natural way, Bev got a big brother who was eight years older than her. It was complicated. Oh, and he was an only child. "Yep. Only child syndrome here." Still.

He was so positive. She wondered where he got it from. "Can't wait for that," she said. Until she no longer was one of the newbies and was familiar with the place.

Wait. Yoga? She did yoga? "But it's good for you," she said, feigning as if it was the greatest thing ever though, she already got the impression he didn't like it. "Helps you be more flexible." She swung her arms up and down as if to prove a point. Heh.

What she liked sketching? "Anything that catches my eye," she replied. Like the guy doing push-ups in the courtyard. But that had been for anatomy reference. Yep. References were important. "But...mostly," could he guess? "...dragons." They were her life, okay.

Usual boy things...yeah, she wasn't sure what that meant. Her brother wasn't necessarily a boy. He was a man. And her cousin Cornelius, well, he still behaved like a baby. When Train Boy explained she nodded, making sure to remember that. Ohhh, and muggle cars and bikes. "I've been in a muggle car once before," she said. And her dad had been furious that Kennedy had taken her for a ride. "Are they hard to restore?" She was curious what with all the gadgets and parts and stuff.

Another thing they had in common. They had both been only children up until recently. "Did you have cousins or other kids that you could hang out with? I had a bunch of cousins that I could spend time with so that I didn't get bored. And of course Zahra. She's my best friend." Well he hoped she was. They still hadn't spoken to each other since the Feast. He was going to have seek her out. It was starting to get ridiculous.

He raised his eyebrow for a moment but he decided to let the comment slide for now. He was determined to break her out of that shell she's got herself comfortable in.

Although it looked like she was doing quite fine on her own. His brow raised again and a smile tugged at his lips. Maybe only girls could appreciate yoga. "I'm sure it does." He said, trying to keep the laugh out of his voice. "I'm just not sure how that is going to help me defend myself against a dark wizard or creature." By the time he managed to get into one of those poses, he most likely be dead.

He reached out and grabbed one of her swinging arms and gave ehr bicep a small squeeze. "Doesn't give you any muscles though." He teased, poking his tongue out at her.

Ahhh of course. He should have guessed. "So does that mean you have seen a real life dragon?" Well she had said that she sketched what caught her eye.

"Only once?" Merlin,he wished that he was old enough to have a driver's license. He knew how to drive but legally he wasn't allowed to. But if he could, he would have taken her for a drive. "They are if they've been really neglected, but that just makes it more appealing. I like the challenge." Nothing like seeing an old wreck of a car, get turned into an awesome motoring machine. "It's only hard if you can't get the parts. But once you have those then it's pretty easy after that." Well okay maybe not that easy.

"My grandfather used to be a race car mechanic. He taught my mum and she taught me." Michael chuckled a little. "We do cheat sometimes though and use magic." But mainly they did it the muggle way. "So you said you also like to swim? Just for leisure?"

Beverly shook her head. "Not really. I only get to see my cousins during holidays since they live in the States, but it's okay." She shrugs. "I hang out with my brother the most, though." Because Peyton was terribly annoying. More now that she had a boyfriend.

She wondered what the eyebrow raise meant. If had something to say, he'd say it, right? He wasn't shy like her, and she wasn't afraid to hear it.

"I was just joking," she mumbled, grinning. Yoga required patience, something she hasn't quite honed. Then she added, amused, "Right, I don't suppose tripping them in the lotus position would be good enough." Unless that somehow broke a leg, scattered the dark wizard's wand, turning the tables so the Yoga practitioner got the upper hand and BAM. Win. But not likely.

This time she laughed a little at the contact. He wasn't so bad. She feigned a scoff. "Don't let my size fool you. I've several years of gymnastics under my belt." She gave him a I-can-be-tough-too look. Hiss, Train Boy.

Her shoulders slumped and her bottom lip stuck out slightly. "I think I saw one when I was younger, when..." her brows creased, but she quickly cover it up with a calm expression. "When I visited my cousin Alfred in Romania, I could swear I saw one. I was really young so I don't remember if it was a dream or not." She had been about to mention going with her mom, but that would open old wounds she didn't want to revisit. Not now. "I've been trying to recreate it in my head." And that's why the sketches were crap.

Yeah, only once, and it sounded lame. "Yep, my dad doesn't appreciate most muggle things." Oh, but he sooo appreciated that muggle woman. Men. Pfft.

Just by listening to him, she could tell he enjoyed fixing muggle cars. She grinned when he laughed. "A little magic never hurt," she said. "It also sounds fun, almost like a puzzle. A really large puzzle." Merlin knew how much she liked to strategize and put things together, so she wasn't just saying that to say it.

"M'hm, it was part of my gymnastics, and I enjoyed it the most," she replied. "Some people run to release stress, I swim." She grinned. "Do you swim or do any sports?" If he got to ask questions, then so did she.

Well that had to suck for her, not having anyone her own age to hang out with. No wonder she was finding it difficult. "That was your brother at the train station, right? The one giving me looks?" It had been strange having someone look at him that way because he pretty much got on with everyone.

Seeing that grin on her face had him smiling as well. And look at that, she was making jokes as well. Michael let out a laugh. "Not even close. If I was to come across a dark wizard, the last thing I would want to be doing would be sitting. In any kind of position." He was glad that she wasn't into yoga either, meant he could bag the crap out of it and not feel bad for it.

Oh really? The girls had Hogwarts were feisty little things. This was probably the third time a girl had told him that her size should not fool him. "Oh believe me I learned very early on never to underestimate anyone." And it was usually the quiet ones that were the most surprising. "My mum was a Hufflepuff when she attended here and I saw her punch out a guy twice her size." So he had no doubts that Little Bunny here could give him a run for his money.

And just when he thought that things were going well, her bottom lip was suddenly poking out. Oh dear Merlin! Now he knew what his father meant when he said he wouldn't be able to resist a girl that pouted. It was one of the most irresistible things he had ever seen.

His hand went to the back of his neck and he began to rub it so that he could concentrate on what she was saying. "Hey, if you think you saw one than I am sure you did. That's the country with the greatest population of dragons is, right?" He had absolutely no idea but he was sure he had read dragons and Romania in the same sentence. "Is that what you want to do when your graduate? Work with dragons?"

His father didn't really either but he knew that it made him and his mother happy so he went with it. Magic was definitely his dad's preference. And then when she spoke again, Michael's face lit up with excitement. "That's it exactly." It was rare to find someone to know what he was talking about. "It is a giant puzzle and once you get all the pieces together and apply the cosmetics, you get a really cool machine." He was so going to have to invite her home and show her the cars he was working on. Maybe she would like to help.

"Well I don't get stressed." Well except for that one time when his family gave him a hard time about kissing a girl. "But I do like to run. And I play Quidditch in the garden with the family and now for Gryffindor." He still couldn't believe he had made the team.

"I guess you don't get to do too much gymnastics anymore, huh?"

SPOILER!!: MARION! & Top Hat dude

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marion Burbage

Gliding gracefully beside the little dear who had spoken to her, the ghost pretended to pat her on the shoulder. Only her hand went right through the little darling instead. Something she was still not entirely use to just yet.

"Oh pish pooooooosh," she replied. "You are talking to me right now, dear. Perhaps we should be an example for the others in manners. Tell me, what is your name so that I may get to know you?" The little dear was not a face that she recognized.

"Oh, I am teeeeeeeeeeerribly sorry, son," she apologized. "I doooooooo hope your ear is alright. If not, it is an old Burbage family secret that one should put half an onion over the affected ear. I do belieeeeeve I see one or two on the table."

OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS HEAVENS ABOVE! Look at this little studmuffin. The young lady with him was certainly one luckly girl. Oh if only she were younger and still alive.

"Why of course it is, darling. You are are much much MUCH more lively than myself," she replied in a sing song voice. "If one does not find the festivities enjoyable then perhaps you should be proactive in remedying the problem rather than complaining and adding to it, hmmmmmm?"

"OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS HEEEEEEAVENS ABOVE!" she chirped at the young man. "Terribly sorry about that dear, teeeeeeeeerribly sorry. I do hope I did not give you and your friends too much of a fright." She glided a bit closer to the young man. Mmmmhmmmmm, future studmuffin in the making right here.

"It was siiiiiiiiiiimply rude of me not to introduce myself back then. " But surely he could understand that she had been just a bit distraught about reading her name on a plaque in the Tower Patch.

SPOILER!!: the two studmuffin professors

OOOOOOOOH! Look who it was! LOOK WHO IT WAS!

"Oh it is siiiiiimply loooooooooovely to see you again, dear," she exclaimed as she floated towards the blonde man and went to embrace him in a hug. Only, just as she had with students before, she passed right though him. "Oh for heaven's sake, I shaaaaaaaant get used to that."

She floated back through the man to meet him face to face again.

"Oh my darling, how HAVE you beeeeeen?" She turned her head towards the studmuffin of a man he had been talking to. "Hello darling, do forgive the interruption. I am Marion Burbage and it is siiiiiimply divine to meet you."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charely Potter

SPOILER!!: Da Space Man

It was too bad, though. Javy could agree, though he would've brought his usual sweets over. They weren't allowed to bring snacks to this Pep Rally either, which was meh. Least he didn't go a whole day without them. "Really? What would give you that idea?" Javy didn't have any information other than the fact that the bass fish had previous been a Professor here. Curious.. very curious. "It wouldn't be too much trouble to come visit, would it?" He could bring over some fish food for him while finding out more.. and maybe get his top hat back. Yes, he didn't forget that. He'll have to bring another another more ravishing top hat of his in exchange too. Kill two basilisks with one sword, basically.

Javy couldn't quite imagine being in such circumstance. He tried to imagine what it'd be like if his other close friends, like Piers had to be stuck as an animal under his own care.. Hmm.. yeah, it was beyond his already opened mind.. A sudden sound however, well, it wasn't a soft one for sure. Watching as another ghost flew over towards them.

SPOILER!!: Lady ghost

Javy's face merely looked. Hmm, definitely not the Grey Lady.. Much different appearance and personality. He turned to Airey, did he know her? Things were getting even more interesting as he watched their exchange before he was included in. "Pleasure, Marion.." Normally Javy extended a hand out for more proper greetings, but she was a ghost. Ghosts and living humans couldn't shake hands the same way. So she got a curt nod instead. "Javier Thompson.. simply Javy.. I take it you two know each other well." Introductions were lovely to him, weren't they?

Airey sighed and decided to get himself a cup of water since there was nothing else here to try. He was still calculating in his mind how he could possibly get the Creatures professor to eat some of this spoiled food, but he needed to wait for the opportune moment to present the idea. One does not simply hand out challenges to be accepted. "Well, for starters, he is still a bass. And recently the things he used to take pleasure in he just ignores. I think he is forgetting his humanity." Maybe he should bring the bass round to the History of Magic professor's office. As a reminder for what once was.

Airey squinted at the man for a moment. "A visit? You mean Tiberius and I? No, I suppose it wouldn't be too difficult..." He would just pack himself a spare bag full of only lint rollers for the occasion.

The next thing the astronomer knew there was an icy chill going up and down his body as the ghost went right through him. It took him a few moments to register that the voice he had heard, the familiar face in front of him, and the ghost were all the same person.

And then his jaw hung open. If Tiberius and him had been swimming side by side right now, well, one would have a hard time telling the difference between them.

"M-Marion!" he managed to squeak out once the initial shock had settled. "I was not expecting to see through you, SEE YOU HERE, like this, after what I read in the Prophet...um...hello." He looked over at Javy. "Marion and I work together briefly at the British Astronomical Association. She was more of my mentor though. We held meetings together and a seminar here and there."

And now she was dead and he had replaced her.

Awkward.

Which was why he was making quick glances around the room to avoid eye contact with the woman. Er. Ghost. Er...not really eye contact but...

OH! LOOK! There was the little foxy girl and ooooooooooh was she making that boy "fox" go Joff-tchoff-tchoff-tchoffo-tchoffo-tchoff?

They were a bit too far away from him and the company he was currently keeping to know for sure. Not that he was any expert on relationships to begin with.

"They still have feelings though." Mitchell retorted. At least, he thought that was the case anyway. Anddddddd. There she went again. She was going to get haunted, wasn't she? That sucked.

He nudged her and shot her another Stop being rude look. You couldn't just ask how people died. That didn't seem normal.

But there was a Goldilocks head on his shoulder. So. Maybe he'd let it slide.

"You wanna stay in this room?" he asked. "Or we can check out something else?"

HMMPF! Was that Hadley woman still in charge of the Badgers? Marion seemed to recall some absolutely hoooooooooooorrid displays of disobedience at the last opening feast she had attended.

"My dear, hasn't anyone ever told you it is ruuuuuuuuuude to simply walk up to a departed soul like myself and ask such a question," she said with a sideways smile. "Curiosity killed the badger, you know."

She turned her transparent figure towards the young man for a moment before returning towards the young woman. Hmmph. If she were alive she would surely take point for such ruuuuuuuuuuuuudeness.


Her ghostly features curled up into the most radiant of smiles. "Javier, what a SIMPLY DIVIIIIIIINE name," she chirped as she floated a little closer to the gentleman. "My goodness gracious, you are siiiiimply the spitting image of my late husband." Who she missed terribly, even more so now that she was here and not on the other side. Being stuck in this transparent prison of a form was terribly lonely. She had yet to strike up a conversation with any of the other ghosts, but that would come at a later time. "Tell me, what subject is it that you teach here at this fine institution?"

"Oh oh oh hooooooooooooooo, you haven't changed a bit, darling," she laughed at her former colleague. Still with the social graces of a gnat. "Have you become this school's new Astronomy professor? Ooooooooooooooh I would be tickled pink if it were true! Still following in my footsteps."
"Oh dear, how incredibly ruuuuuuude of me," she exclaimed as she floated back a few inches. "My name is Marion Burbage, dear. Now you must tell me your name so that I may inform your Head of House just how chaaaaaaaarming and well mannered a student they have."

Such a charming young fellow. Surely that would get him far in life.
She gasped much more loudly than was probably acceptable. "HEAVENS! Am I really? I shall have to speak with your Headmistress about teaching proper manners." My my MY what had happened to this fine institution?! Being self absorbed was unbecoming on even the most studmuffin of faces.

"Oh? A fine young lady like yourself?" she asked in disbelief. She siiiiiimply could not imagine a darling like herself getting into too much trouble. "Simply divine to meet you, Sophie. I doooooooo hope you don't mind me calling you that." Being on a first name basis felt more connected to the living world than keeping with formality. She was no longer a professor after all. "I'm Marion Burbage and I just arrived in this dungeon a few brief moments before striking up a conversation with you, but I have been floating around for a few days."

Ohh, he still remembered Kennedy. The one time she didn't want her brother to make an impression he did. She gave him a rueful grin. "Yeah... Sorry about that. He's somewhat over protective." That was putting it lightly.

She laughed a bit. She couldn't imagine him just sitting and doing nothing. He was a Gryffindor after all. They weren't known for just sitting around or waiting to be saved.

With a curious gaze, she asked what's been itching at the back of her head. "Is it true strange things happen around here?" Like students getting attacked and stuff. She always figured her dad told her some stories to keep her away from Hogwarts. It didn't work.

So he's already learned not to underestimate people. "Good. I wouldn't want to surprise you." Not that she wouldn't. She might one day. Then he mentioned his mom punching some guy. Beverly gaped at him, totally impressed. "She punched a guy!" Realizing she said that a tad too loud, Beverly covered her mouth, though she was laughing. "Whyyy?" The guy must of have done something really bad.

She nodded when he spoke again. "Romania is one of the popular dragon sanctuaries." And she envied Alfred for getting to spend every day with them. She began to fiddle with her bracelet when he asked the next question. "Maybe. It'd be nice, but I don't know. My family wants me to continue with the family potions company." And while she loved potions, she'd rather see a dragon egg hatch. But that was still far away to decide.

Who knew muggle cars could sound like fun. Her dad was going to hear about it. "Too bad you can't drive them yet," she said. Kennedy had given her an entire lecture about laws and rules about cars when he'd taken her on that single ride, almost as if she'd be the one driving. "Don't you have to be a certain age?" She forgot the age, but Train Boy seemed young to be old enough to drive a car.

Could he be any more...more...perfect? Not perfect-perfect. He was easy to get along with, kind, patient AND he didn't stress. How did he do it? She'd have to ask later.

Oh, and he was in the Gryffindor Quidditch team? SEE.

Beverly remembers the rosters being put up not long ago at the Slytherin common room, so he must of have found out recently if Gryffindor posted theirs around the same time. "That's great, congrats for making the team." She grinned. "Is this your first term playing for the team?"

As for gymnastics, she shook her head. "I stopped a while ago. It wasn't as interesting as when I was nine years old." And frankly, she preferred horseback riding to gymnastics.

Allowing her gaze to wander for a bit, she caught the Astronomy professor looking their way. A slow grin crept on her face and she sent him a shy wave. In that instant her face grew warm. Oh crud, she couldn't be blushing now! He was just a professor.

Beverly turned back to Train Boy, absentmindedly rubbing her cheek with her hand. Go away, blush. Now. Thank you.