Sophie started to nod along, when a thought hit her. Her family could have taken over Hogwarts? Niiiiice. She took a few moments to really let that sink in, to imagine all that power, before saying, "Yeah, but by the time they'd get powerful enough to do any good, I'd have already graduated." So shrug. As much as she liked Culloden, she still somehow wished her grandmother would have stayed on a little longer. Being related to a professor AND your house's Head of House was just too good an opportunity to pass up.

She shrugged again when he asked her if he'd really do something like that. "I don't know," she said. Grinning, she added, "I just met you." But then he distracted her by talking with an accent, and all thoughts of bribery were forgotten. And ohhh--it sounded like there was a story behind his transfer! "Who's we?" she asked, "and what exactly happened?" Because that sounded like juicy gossip, and she just had to know!

She made a face then. "I'm not that worried about finding someone," she said, somewhat laughing and shaking her head. "I'm only fourteen, so I have plenty of time for stuff like that." He made it sound like she was desperate to find a boyfriend, and although it would be kind of cool to have one, it wasn't like she just HAD to or else. She was in the middle of listening to him go on about his ego, when--...



UGH.

"Are you serious?!" she exclaimed, wiping the nasty water off her face. "PEEVES!" No amount of arguing with the Poltergeist would do any good, though. It'd just fuel his fire. "That's Peeves," she said to Grayson, "our official prankster."

What annoyed Sophie the most about Peeves was that no matter how mad he made her, there was really no way to get revenge.

Beverly Wayne was a tad giddy standing next to Professor Culloden. Maybe they could talk about potions or ingredients. OH. She had cookies. She could feed him cookies! Yes, yes, that was all nice until...

Water splashed on her head, cold beads of it rolling down her back. She shuddered, stunned and puzzled. What...just happened? One moment she was about to be greeted by Professor Culloden, the next she was soaked--

O_______________O

What. Was. That. Smell.

It was ON HER. Then it all hit all at once. The water than had been dumped on her was SWAMP water, Professor Culloden was soaked as well, the boy she'd unintentionally harassed at the Feast was also there (where'd he come from?), and a Newel (HAHA, take THAT).

Clutching the small jar to her chest and wringing her other hand, Beverly looked up at the source of all of this. Ew. "What is that?" The question was directed to the professor, just above a whisper.

And could she thump it?

"Makes you look better, yes it does!"

He cackled as he swooped for more water. This time stopping just above the swamp. He took the bucket back and tossed the water out of it so it would fall on at least one again.

"Swampy showers for all who come, swampy showers for everyone."

He sang and swooped closer to the boy (Grayson) dropping the bucket to his head before flying away from the swamp with his cackles echoing behind him.

Heh. The age part was really getting in the way, wasn't it? He shrugged at her answer, almost in defeat, before saying, "Shame. 'Least you've got your brother. It's a start. Who's the smarter one between you two?" Though, if the girl was anything like Grayson, he already knew what her answer was going to be; Grayson was the better Whitlock brother, thank you.

Grayson grinned back at her at her answer. "Smart answer." Really, it was. And she was asking about the transfer. UGH. Did he HAVE to? The story made him look like a freaking lame-o. Mainly because HE was on the other side of that fight. The victim side. MERLIN. "Me and my brother. He was at Beauxbatons too but since we all moved here, he had to transfer too." Otherwise it would be confusing. Now time for the story. "There were fights. Things got bad." It wasn't the entire truth but it'd have to do for now. Especially since it could make him sound MUCH cooler.

Besides, if she asked, he was going to change the topic. Uh huh.

Ooh la la was somebody getting defensive? He would have said something about it, too. Something about how he was only being nice -- because he was -- buuuuuuuuut.............

Text Cut: Peeves XD

Quote:

Originally Posted by .Peeves.

"Makes you look better, yes it does!"

He cackled as he swooped for more water. This time stopping just above the swamp. He took the bucket back and tossed the water out of it so it would fall on at least one again.

"Swampy showers for all who come, swampy showers for everyone."

He sang and swooped closer to the boy (Grayson) dropping the bucket to his head before flying away from the swamp with his cackles echoing behind him.

............... Someone had stuck their big ol' nose in things. Couldn't he see that he was talking to a GIRL?!

One who was explaining that this was a PRANKSTER?! NO. FREAKING. WAY! Hogwarts had an official PRANKSTER?! Man oh man, what a way of LIVING!

Andddddddddd............... CLATTER.

"OW!" And cue a tirade of choice words he muttered under his breath because the PRANKSTER had just gone ahead and DROP A FREAKING BUCKET ON HIS HEAD. Scowling, he pushed the front of the bucket up so that he could SEE that face and show it that he was LIVID now but the prankster had gone.

Disappeared.

With his cackles still ringing in Grayson's ears.

Sigh. All hopes of looking cool were now gone. GONE. Thank YOU, Mr Official Prankster.

Grumble.

...seriously?!

So Sophie tries, for ONCE, to be a cool and sociable teen, and Peeves picks that exact moment to go and dump a bucket of swamp water on the boy she was talking to. Nice, Peeves. Nice.

She turned toward Grayson, debating on whether she should help him remove that bucket or not. In one way, it'd be the nice thing to do, but on the other hand, she wasn't sure he would appreciate the extra stab at his ego. Lucky for her, she didn't have to make that decision, because Grayson pulled the bucket off on his own. "You alright?" she asked. She was torn between wanting to laugh and wanting to be really annoyed at Peeves.

"I am," she randomly said. Well, it wasn't random--she was answering his question. It just seemed random with everything else going on. The smarter twin, I mean. I'm always ahead of him on the leaderboard, so I think it's me." She was also ahead of somebody ELSE on the leaderboard, but she wouldn't mention that right now. He'd also mentioned something about fights, which caught Sophie's interest. "There's fights at Beauxbatons?" she asked. "Cool! I bet you won them all." See what she did there? Ego boost again! You're welcome, Grayson.

"So do you need a hand there?" she asked, flicking out her wand. Meaning, did he want her to cast a cleaning spell?

...........

......................P E E V E S......................

"PEEVES! COME HERE RIGHT -"

No. NONONO NO MORE SWAMP WATER -

Cosgrach got out of its way just in time with only his EXPENSIVE AND FANCY shoes' getting it. He GRUNTED and GRUMBLED and didn't even see the other couple there. Instead, he got out his wand and pointed it at Beverly. He hollered a spell and the girl was clean in a moment and kept muttering to himself in bad temper.

"Stupid. stupid. thing. first. thing. in the mornin'. Annie. will. hear..."

Next was his swampy water, and off they went as well. He barely stopped muttering while he cleaned himself too, took a deep breath and looked at Beverly.

He was calm, promise. He'd explode to Annie instead.

Still grumbling, he was. Grumbling and scowling at the poltergeist.

........................... And what with all this bucket business, he had almost forgotten that Sophie was actually there.

SIGH.

With the bucket dangling off of his left hand, he looked over at her, moving some drenching hair away from his eyes. What he okay? Er. There was one of two ways to answer this: sarcastically or honestly. "Brilliant," he spat out, before scowling so much that he was almost smiling. Almost. "It's gonna take a lot to get the scent off." He should be nice. He SHOULD be nice. "Are you alright?" There. Nice.

She was? Grayson opened his mouth to ask her what it was she was talking about buuuuuuut she had gone on to explain. Good. Thank YOU for saving him the opportunity to look like a fool, Newell. Really. "Sophie Newell, the older and smarter twin." It was something to smirk about. For her, at least. "You're ahead of me on the leaderboard too." At first spot. The spot he wanted, thank you. "Plenty of fights! And even more snotty kids, too." Or that's what they seemed like to him. Her comment on him winning the fights was a surprising one. Really. Major ego boost. Regardless, he still smirked at her comment and said, "You bet! Or I tried my best." It wasn't entirely a lie, mkay?

Did he need a hand? WELL. He stunk, was drenched in swamp water and was clutching onto a bucket. "Yeah, that'd be great. Make me smell great again, mkay?" Wink.

Oh. Ohhh.

Professor Culloden was angry. Beverly was beginning to think the man had a thin strand of a temper. Not that it changed her thoughts on him. She'd still adopt him as an uncle and all. When he pointed his wand at her, the Slytherin's eyes widened a bit, not out of fear, but because he was taking care of her first.

Major Bev-points for you, Cosgrach Culloden. Major points.

Blinking at him with large multi-colored eyes, Beverly unscrewed the lid off the jar, ignoring the other two. Professor Culloden was more important here.

"Would you like a cookie?" Because food made people happy...at least it should. "At least before you go yell at the Headmistress." Because he should yell at her.

What was that THING anyway? Bursting her happy bubble and getting them with SWAMP water of all things. Pffft!

Cosgrach suddenly stopped at the mention of 'cookie', and his expression changed drastically. He was confused, but 'pleased' was quickly its place. She had cookies? WHAT a way to feel better!

He didn't even answer her, but directly dived his now-clean hand inside the jar. He hungrily ate it, and made a pleased sound.

"Yelling at An - Headmistress can wait," he casually said while he devoured the cookie, "'cuz only an idiot would pass the chance to devour these." He wasn't at the point of smiling yet, but he wasn't grumpy too. No, he was saving his anger for Annie and Peeves in another encounter. Beverly was completely innocent, so he wouldn't be grumpy round her.

"Anyways," he said as he looked at her, "how are you?" Asking how people were was important, see.

Sophie bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing at his 'brilliant' comment. She knew it was sarcastic, and she'd have done the same if she'd been in his situation. "Right," she said. She shook her head. "Nah, it'll come right off." With the right spell, that is. Then he was asking if she was alright, which was at least the gentlemanly thing to do. "Oh, I'm annoyed, but I'm fine. There's nothing we can do about him, so...whatever." She wished she could cast on him, throw a book at him, get the Headmistress to banish him, etc. But no. None of that would work on a poltergeist.

She imagined she looked good and drenched right now. Ugh. She should at least clean up before going back into the common room. how humiliating would it be to walk into the common room looking like a defeated and drenched rat? She raised her eyebrows and smirked when he mentioned she was ahead of him on the points board. "I know," she said, giving him a smirk. "We're the top two, though. Did you expect anything less from two people who were just talking about how awesome they were?" Heh.

"Well, you better be glad you moved here. Beauxbatons students can never beat us," she said. It was true. She'd heard about the many times they'd visit here for various competitions and never won. Nevermind that. He needed cleaning, and she knew just the way to do it. Taking out her wand, she flicked it toward him. "Tergeo!" she said. Then she cast the spell on herself, too, since it'd be a crime for him to be the only one to benefit.

It'll come right off? Was she serious? Or was she being nice too? Probably felt sorry for them because of the way they both stunk of swamp water. Regardless, Grayson was happy with what she had said, even if it was out of niceness. "You sure? Smelling of swamp water's not very attractive." That was half true. "I think I'd be surprised if you weren't annoyed." And what?! There was nothing to be done about the poltergeist? "You can't get revenge on him?" Psh. What a bunch of dragon dung.

She knew. And that smirk. UGH. That was definitely the look of someone who was proud and they knew it. A part of him was amused but it was also ego-bruising, you know? All Grayson could do was shake his head at her before saying, "Glad you're not rubbing it in my face." Nearly. "I think that's just proof of how awesome we are. Reigning top point earners." See? That sounded GREAT. And he liked it very much, even if it meant sharing the title. Though, he didn't MIND sharing it with Soph, as long as she wasn't going to rub it in.

The Beauxbatoners never beat the Hogwartians? "I do like the idea of winning." There was something else about him that she could add to her list of things she knew about him. Though, the Slytherin would be surprised if he met anyone who didn't like winning. It was just freaking weird. But nevermind that, he was being CLEANED. Wink.

No. By magic. Which was faster too. "Brilliant! We're both clean now." Perfect, wasn't it? "I say we should get out of this place before we get dumped with swamp water again." And something would need to be done about the bucket he was still holding onto.

Sophie glanced up at him and shook her head. "Oh, make no mistake--I'm extremely annoyed. If I could, I'd hex him to next Saturday and back," she said. She looked down the corridor in the direction Peeves had floated off in. "But like I said--there's nothing anybody can do about it. He's a Poltergeist, so anything we would try to do would just go right through him." Then they'd REALLY be drenched in swamp water.

Sophie smirked. Both of them were doing an awful lot of smirking during this conversation. "I mean, I wouldn't mind if you dropped a few points or ten or twenty. I wouldn't complain about being first, in other words," she said. Then she gave him a wink of her own. "But I don't mind sharing with you either. You seem worthy." Then he winked at her, too, which she guessed was because she cleaned him off. "You're welcome," she said, even though he didn't say thank you. "You can buy me a chocolate frog or something one day." Wink again. She was just kidding, but if he wanted to buy her a chocolate frog, she wouldn't say no.

She nodded. He had a point. "Funny how we kept complaining about how nasty this place smelled...and then we ended up staying for quite a while," she said. "But yeah, let's go." She turned on her heels and started walking in the opposite direction Peeves had gone in. "You should also Evanesco that bucket."

Extremely annoyed. See, if she was angry, it would be nice. Kind of........................ hot. ANYWAYS. He snorted at her comment about hexing. "Remind me not to get on your bad side, then." Not that he WOULD but you never know. Kind of needed to save his rear from being hexed because he had a funny feeling that Sophie would go through with her word. "Jeez, he must live a fun life. 'Magine being able to prank people and actually get away with it." AND to know that they couldn't do anything back. Brilliant.

It also probably got boring but he wasn't going to think about that.

SNORT. Drop points? "No way. I'm not going to let you win that easily." They only had a two point difference, right? MEANING, that if he got three points, he would be at the top of the leaderboard. "Besides, if I did drop a couple more points, there'd be no fun in it for you." Just saying. "Thank you for deeming me worthy. It's an honour." Or whatever. He really had no idea where this conversation was going. You're welcome???? "Oh right! Thanks!" That was a lot of winks. Not that Grayson was complaining. Nuh uh. "You can hold me to that one." Chocolate frogs, that is.

"Very. Odd meeting place it is, too," he said, looking back at the swamp. Uh huh. Odd. ANYWAYS. "Nah! I'm going to keep this. It could come in handy." In regards to the bucket. He also needed to pay attention to where he was going otherwise he was going to bump into something or, even worse, someone. So, he turned back around and followed Sophie to wherever it was she was planning on going.

Also. Don't go into the girl's bathroom, mkay? He wasn't going to follow her in there.

Or do. Whatever.

His rapid change of face expressions amused Beverly, though she didn't show it. If she had to pick something she liked about Culloden it'd be that; he suddenness in moods/expressions. Beverly Wayne rather enjoyed reactions.

Oh! He liked the cookies! Mental high-fived, yes.

Blushing slightly at his comment, Beverly nodded. "Yeah, only an idiot would past up food." He taught that word for the record, but not really because she already knew it, but Culloden said it and it sounded cool, so she mimicked him in agreement.

Tracing the rim of the jar, Beverly grinned shyly. Calm down, Wayne. It's just a professor. A favorite professor, but still, cool. Yes. No need to seem desperate. Because she wasn't. Just a tad nervous. "I'm well. Just finished my homework and baked a little." She raised the jar for emphasis. "How are you, Professor?" Returning the question was the polite thing to do, also, she was curious how professors did.

Cosgrach made a mental note to ask Annie that: whether there were secret baking lessons for Hogwarts girls. She was the... fourth one? to say she liked to bake or cook. He didn't complain at all, mind you!, it was just weird that a girl at 14 would move her butt to bake. A 14 year old Cosgrach would only get up for Quidditch or to bullysomeoneyeahhispastwasdark, so this mystified him.

ANYWAYS! He wasn't the one to question it. He took another cookie, oblivious to her internal debates.

"I am so lucky, y'know," he joked with a smile, waving the cookie in his hand, "because it seems that all the girls that can bake like me and give me their cookies." Ehehehe. "Beside that, I'm fine. Hoping for the snow to melt or whatever. Hoping for Peeves to find himself another school at last." Yeah. His face first fell, then turned slightly angry, but he collected himself soon. This was Beverly! He didn't want her to hate him too. Goodness, no.

He cleared his throat and asked in a 'expectant' tone: "What's your favourite class?" He wouldn't be sad if it wasn't potions at all, she just looked like she could handle a joke or two, and he was in a good mood today DESPITE Peeves. It would also show whether she deserved a place in his future plans. Kinda.

Beverly simply watched him as he ate more cookies. For once, she was silently thanking one of the many tutors she's had in the past. What was her name? Mrs. Rocker--Rober--Roff... Hmm. Ro-something. Whatever. Her name wasn't important now.

"That is lucky," she agreed with a nod. "I'd love it if people came to me with food." She loved food. Just don't give her peas. Peas were a big NO. At the mention of snow Beverly wrinkled her nose slightly. UGH. Cold. WHY? "I've never seen snow like this. Do you think it'll go away soon?" She looked up at him with big, hopeful eyes. He was an adult and a professor and a clever man, he'd have a guess, no?

Noting his face, though, she raised the jar. More cookies for you, Culloden. All the cookies for great and quick face expressions.

Then his tone changed. Oh, favorite class? "Potions," she said without a doubt in her voice. Was this a trick question? "It's potions, then Care of Magical Creatures and then Charms." One, two, three in that order. There. Now he new a bit more about her.

Inner beam.

Cosgrach dramatically made a face. "I don't know... I'm just hoping someone will remember us and save us at last." Like... if this snow didn't melt soon, they wouldn't leave them here to freeze away? Was Zahra still here? They would come for her at least, right?

But her favourite class was potions, duh! Cosgrach beamed vastly. "I'm glad. Those used to be my favourite clases too." Especially how he could take only so few, haha. Anyways. "Now that you've answered correctly," hehehe, clearly it was a joke, "I've got something for ya. Let's see if I have it on - oh, here it is!" He had, while speaking, snuck his hand inside his pocket and after fumbling there a litt,e brought out a vial. He examined it in the light, shook his head and took out another one. "Yeah. This one." He held it out for her. "Can you guess what it is?"

Beverly hoped he was being dramatic. Confinement was something the Wayne didn't EVEN want to start to imagine. She'd freak, as simple as that. "The Aurors shouldn't have left," she mumbled, glancing down at the cookie jar in her arms. In translation: Her brother shouldn't have left. He'd save her from ANYTHING.

Raising her gaze, her eyes brightened up. HER favorite classes used to be HIS favorite. This was more than awesome. It was as if the Universe WANTED them to be buds. She liked this, she really did.

Oh, he had something for her? This spiked the Slytherin's curiosity, her eyes flitting between his face and the hand in his pocket, then to the vial in his hand. Half way reaching for it she paused.

How was she suppose to know what it was? Clearly it was a potion, but what it's contents were, she couldn't tell from just the vial.

"It wouldn't be Liquid Luck, would it, Sir?" That would make Culloden the BEST EVER professor in the history of professors. Evidently it wasn't. Could she have a few clues?

Cosgrach grimly nodded. They shouldn't have. This wasn't a natural winter at all, and they would have saved them from possible foes.

Oh well. They still had Zahra. They wouldn't leave her to death, would they?

Potions was a much better topic to talk about, so he eagerly pushed winter aside to focus on her analysis.

"Alas, no," he said and looked genuinely sad. "You should have told me you needed it." Well, who didn't need some luck, but the way she said it made it sound like she really needed it. "I won't tire you - it's a very special concentration potion. Only a drop of it lasts for hours, and it enables you to learn everything by thrice your normal learning speed. It strengthens your memory, and you aren't as easily bored as you normally would have. You can study for hours - until its effect runs out. The only downside is, you will be sleepy to the point of becoming a zombie after using it, so I suggest you take it after dinner."

It was almost as good as Felix for ambitious Beverly Wayne?

Waiiiiiiiiiiiiit.

He'd make her some Liquid Luck? Culloden looked genuinely distressed that he hand't and...asdfghjkl! This. Was. Awesome.

*____*

Snapping out of her fountain of possibilities if she were ever to acquire Felix Felicis, Beverly directed her full attention back on the professor. HOLD IT. This...could possibly be better than Liquid Luck. A special concentration potion.

*_______________________*

Beverly finally closed the space with her hand and reached over for the vial. She gazed at it as if it was made of diamonds. Culloden has just made it to her Hero's List.

"I...wow...thank you, professor." She had not in a million years expected to receive such a gift like this. "I enjoy studying and learning and this is the best and..." She HAD to tell Jeremiah about this. She held the cookie jar to him. "I know it isn't a cool potion, but...I'd like you to have these cookies as my gratitude." Yes, yes. Please take it before her face turned into a tomato.

Or maybe it was better than Liquid Luck.

Cosgrach waited, with a small smile and a hammering heart (what if she didn't really like it?), for her to speak. Oh. She liked it. Loved it, if he dared to say so. He was relieved and smiled at her.

"So I've observed," he said, allowing himself to be arrogant sliiightly for guessing her interests right. He eyed her cookie jar and looked as if he was going to take it for a moment, but then he refused with his head.

"No, Beverly, you've already showed gratitude by being in the top three students," he said, then paused very briefly. Yeah. His top three was in no order. It consisted of Sophie B, Beverly and Grayson. "But, if you insist it's easy to bake them and I won't be robbing you of your cookies..." He grinned. Then he could take it.

Ew. What was that horrendous smell!? Was it coming from the swamp because that's nasty. The Gryffindor took a deep breath THROUGH HIS MOUTH and mentally gagged on the air for a second. Fuller better be happy. Maybe if he knew as to what lengths Zander went through to get this done, he'd be willing to award some extra points? Not everyone had the dedication to insulate such a smelly place. It'd only be the fair thing to do. Not to mention, it would give Gryffindor the boost they needed to win. It had been ten years okay. They needed this one.

With that in mind, Zander turned his attention back to the task at hand. Right. Heat. More like Heat Retention. But still. The Gryffindor was determined to warm this castle up. It was about time. AND he had to do it quick before Professor Romanos brought in the Cold One army and attacked them all!!

Ahem anyways. Heat. Right. The Gryffindor carefully took his wand out of it's holster and walked towards the wall. ”Caelum Saepio,” he whispered while flicking his wand in an infinity sign like motion. Fog? Check. Perfect. It looked like he was finally mastering the charm. Which was good because he still had some work to do here. The third year began at one end of the wall and ”Caelum Saepio”-ed and infinity sign-ed himself all the way to the other.

Taking one last look at the work he had done, the Gryffindor smiled from ear to ear. Fabulous. Now he just had to get the rest of the castle done. Great. Hopefully it wouldn't take as long now that he actually knew what he was doing.

And with that, the Gryffindor ran off to another part of the castle. Next stop? Warmth and happiness. Hopefully...

Beverly's cheeks flushed slightly at his observation. Hehe. Well. "You have great observational skills, sir," she mumbled timidly. Yes, yes. Of all professors he was probably the only one getting to know her better.

When he refused her cookies it was evident on the Slytherin's heart-shaped face that the rejection hurt. Beverly had been SO sure he'd take the jar that she hadn't prepared herself for a possible turn down.

Nodding to what he said, she shook it off--

Wait! WHAT?

"Yes, I insist," she said, nodding quicker and vanishing that look from her face. You scared her there, Culloden. "I'm glad I made your top three students, but do you know how I got there?" She didn't wait for a reply. "Because you're a great teacher." He was. Hell, if she were to be a professor to all those runts running around she would have ended up in Azkaban for hexing them all.

Some deserved it. Some deserved a kick in the behind. Some deserved both.

Ah, those he had. Observation skills. He grinned, but it wasn't arrogantly. He didn't have to pretend around Beverly, he could see that.

So he took the jar and listened to her, and it was his turn to blush slightly and have that great feeling of sweet discomfort due to modesty after a rightful compliment.

"Thanks, great student." He paused. "Maybe the house elves have coffee to enjoy these cookies with." Would she like to come?

After having given one fortune cookie to Nigel, Simon made his way up the stairs to find someone else. The Slytherin got slightly side-tracked as he found himself by the Weasley swamp instead of somewhere in the corridor.

Huh? How had he gotten here? he wondered briefly. Then he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. Never mind, he'd just explore around here. Perhaps someone would stop by. The boy went close to the edge of the swamp and timidly gazed over at it. He was careful because he didn't want to be pulled in by anyone or anything.

Interesting..

At least it wasn't snowing here, he thought as he took a couple steps away from the swamp and over towards the wall. Yes, he'd stay by the wall. There would be a far greater risk of being splashed that way.