Professor Flamsteed was no where to be seen because he wasn't sitting at the table. Nope. In fact the man was lying down on the floor and his brown suit sort of helped him blend in with the legs of the chairs. What was the man doing exactly? Practicing making snow angels, of course. The last time he had attempted this he was an old man and hadn't really been able to fully enjoy the experience and it seemed a waste to not take advantage of the snow falling in the Great Hall.

So he was in full on starfish position when he heard the voices of several students and quickly sat up so his head was just barely popping up over the top of the table.

"Good day....Gryffindors," he greeted cheerfully. "Need help looking for someone?"

Oh, he was on the floor. Nothing unusual about that. "Did you fall down?" And break his hip? Maybe he should get one of those life alert things that she saw on television once. As AJ looked closer she saw that he was making snow angels... cool!

Without waiting for a invitation, and forgetting for a moment why she was there, AJ threw herself down on the floor and started to make her own little snow angel. Why hadn't she thought about that before? Oh, right, the blanket. Looking up from her new spot on the floor, she called out to her prefect. "Lex has something for you, and we helped." She pointed her finger at herself and then at Zander. They were good little lions.

Oh yeah, Lex would have given Aubrey complete authority to scream because she was STARVING and the Astronomer needed to appear so they could palm this thing off and get to the FOOD. "Go ahe--" Oh? Lex tilted her head and watched the Professor's head pop up from beneath the table. What in Merlin's beard was he doing down there? Wasn't it...covered in snow like the rest of the room? Maybe he dropped his fork. Could have just conjured a new one...just saying.

Ah and there was Zander.He...smelled like dough...baked and delicious and edible. There was a pause while she leaned over to sniff him. WHY did he smell like food at a time like this? This was it, wasn't it? She was finally going mad? Housemates having each other for dinner would happen shortly after. They'd been trapped in this castle a LOOOONG time.

It's Aubrey who brought her back to reality. Hmm? OHHH!! A grin slipped onto her lips. "We've got something for you and when you see it you'll be happy enough to make us our own statues outside the Great Hall." Okay no, not really, it wasn't like she found Pebbles or anything but you got the idea.

Fall? Merlin, did he come off as a clumsy bloke?

"Not this time, Miss Valentine," he mused as he pushed himself up off the ground and brushed off the snow that clung to his suit with his hands. "I was just getting in some snow angel making practice." Because his previous ones had been rather lackluster and he did not want Medea laughing at them again. Only he had completely destroyed the one he had just been working on when he got up as his hands and feet had smudged the snow and his bum had smeared things quite a bit.

Something for him? Surely Miss Cambridge knew that he was not one of those professors easily won over by gifts. Unless it was baking. Like Miss Adams' brownies or Miss Moretti's cannolis. "Bold words there, Miss Cambridge," he pointed out with an amused smirk. Not that he expected anything other than bold words for this particular Gryffindor.

And did she just...smell Mr. Aldair? Squint.

Snow angels? Typical.

Although, why would he be doing snow angels when there was food to eat!? This Flailsteed sure was a weird one. Wasn't he sick of the snow by now because there was no way Zander would ever do any snow angels again after this horrible, eternal winter. Nope. Snow angel lovin has passed.

He slowly swallowed the biscuit, trying to be sneaky about it because he didn't want them to think that he thought food was more important than the delivery. Which it was because food!! But ahem. No he was here apart of the blanket retrieval squad too! "Professor, Lex is right. You're going to love this!"

Actually. He better love this because they actually spent time searching for it. Actually... Come to think of it... They were wizards, couldn't they just accio the thing? Why'd they do it all manually... Was there some magic enchantment on the blanket or something? Actually... Could they just give him the blanket now so that they could eat? Because he could feel his stomach rumbling again.

Before long AJ started to shake. Maybe this whole snow angel business was not a good idea. She really should have known better it was just that Airey made it look like SO much fun. She pulled herself up and TRIED not to look like she was frozen. Then the professor claimed that he didn't fall. "Oh, good." Because that would suck.

It was then that she noticed Zander putting something in his mouth. "Whatcha got there?" Totally in his personal space at this point. If he DID make a pit stop at the table it was cool, but not bringing them something was not cool. NOT cool Zander. Let her find out.

Oh, were they taunting the professor now? She wanted in on that action. "Is the anticipation killing you?" Is it? Is it? Is it? She rocked on her heels back and forth with a huge smile on her face.

Seriously. Kid smelled like food she wasn't eating and were she a little less right in the head she might have tried taking a bite but oh no, she wasn't Alice and the snow hadn't left her completely bonkers....yet. Professor Thompson's creatures--and Zander were still safe.

And he was practising snow angels...which no doubt influenced her lion cub to try the same. She'd get frostbitten down there. Did she know that? Did she? Apparently she did because she got up right after while the two built the suspense for Airey. Oh yeah, he was REALLY gonna like this.

"Bold words for bold actions Professor. We've been searching the castle, seeing what we can find..." Slowly she opened the button at the flap of the bag, dramatically slow for emphasis. "And we might have found something belonging to you in a suit of armour..."

With that Lex dragged the blanket from her bag and brandished it for the Professor to see every detail of it. "Ta-dah! Our gift to you." GRIN. Epic, yes?

Killing him? Not really. Although he was growing awfully suspicious of the beamy faced Gryffindors in front of him. This really was going to be something stellar, or a rather elaborate and poorly executed prank. Which he would be disappointed in since they were being rather obvious with their own enthusiasm. "Not exactly," he chuckled, now having fully brushed off his shoulders. "But I can see the three you shiver with antici............................................ .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ................pation."

Terrible pity that none of them would get the reference. Alas.

Something of hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis? OH SWEET SOLSTICE HAD SILKY FINALLY COME HOME!? No, wait, he had forgotten to put that poster up this term. Would need to be on top of his game and get that up next term. His tie collection just wasn't complete without the Carolina blue addition.

And then TADAH happened. IN A COSMIC WAY!

His eyes widened and his confused expression changed so quickly into a humongous grin that it was a wonder his face didn't get whiplash. Leaping onto his chair, shoes still on, he practically dove across the table to take his precious one-of-a-kind knitted Star Trek blanket.

"KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!"

Again. Pity. They wouldn't get that reference either.

And he hadn't exactly used it correctly, but it was the first shouty thing that popped into his mind when his blue eyes fell on HIS blanket.

PROFESSOR GRABBY HANDS IN THE HOUSE! GIMME GIMME!

The scepticism was plain across the Professor's face. He doubted them; doubted a bunch of Gryffindors could turn his world upside down in the space of one afternoon but that was fine because SHE knew better. They were epic when they decided to be which was quite often so with the blanket brandished, Lex simply waited for him to be AMAZED.

...

.....

O_O

Holy kneazle! Lex jumped back as the Professor DOVE across the table. A little closer and there might have been some personal space issues but all was good and...she'd just....take another step back. Nothing personal Professor, just the crazed look suddenly in your eyes and the yells of things she didn't understand. Were her lion cubs backing up too? She didn't want them catching whatever he suddenly had.

Lex tentatively placed the blanket in his grabby hands. "Right...Khan...sure. So this was in a suit of armour like we said...and now it's home safe." She explained, the grin falling back into place. Oh yeah, they totally shook his world, turned it upside down and knocked all the stars out.

BOOM.

AJ just STARED. She had absolutely no idea what he was going on about? Why he was dragging out the word anticipation was beyond her. It most likely had to do with his old age. He probably just forgot what word he was trying to say.

The brunette looked over at Lex. Was he like this often? She was pretty sure that he was displaying signs of a stroke or something else that old people got. Aww... Khan. "Did you name your blankie?" Khan didn't sound like a good name for a blanket, but to each his own. She didn't understand what was so dive worthy about this blanket.

Could they have food now? She was just about to interrogate Zander about what else he might have hidden on him.

The Gryffindor just waited for Lex to finally show the guy his beloved blanket. Why exactly were they playing games here when there was delicious food to be eaten?! Speaking of which, he reached into his pocket to pull out another one of those biscuits he had grabbed and, oops. Looks like he wasn’t being as sneaky as he thought because AJ sure noticed. Ahem. Could she… y’know, back up a little bit? Blushing a little, the boy pulled out another biscuit from his pocket and held it out to her. It was lucky that he grabbed a few.

………

Now about this blanket business when—

O_________________________O

Khan? What’s a khan? If it wasn’t for the chewed up biscuit in his mouth, he probably would’ve just stared mouth agape because woah. The very sight of this blanket was definitely enough to make this Professor go crazy….

NOOOOOOOOOO SHE WAS STEPPING...BA------

Oh, there it was. It was like holding a handful of golden galleons in the palm of his hands. The only other time he had looked so happy had been when Pebbles had come zooming back to him during the solar eclipse. Whether or not his magic had actually been heightened because of the astronomical phenomenon was still up to speculation - which he was not convinced was true - but he was just happy that his pet rock was back.

AND NOW HIS BLANKET WAS BACK TOO!

"It certainly is, THANK YOU" he beamed as he rubbed his face up against its glorious fabric similar to how a feline would rub up against someone or something affectionately. "I was beginning to think that those missing notices were a waste of time, but you three have restored my faith in humanity!"

Because NO ONE had found his tie yet and that had been 5 years ago!

"Only when I was younger, Miss Valentine. Used to call it Duane." For personal reasons that he was not willing to share with just anyone. No offense there, Gryffindors. "I will see to it that you are all rewarded for your duty and service to your school." He ventured a glance towards Mr. Aldair who was shoving more biscuits into his mouth. "You all ought to get yourself something to eat. I hear the pot roast is especially delicious today. And so Mr. Aldair gets some real proper food in his belly."

And he probably should slide back into his seat instead of lying on his stomach across it with his torso slightly hanging off the front while his legs kept his balance by use of the chair.