Hand-in-hand with Zander Adair - because it wasn't as much a public display of affection to her as much as it was her attempts of keeping Zander calm as they approached the dragon of the dungeon's office - Sophie guided her Head Boyfriend toward Culloden's office with a spring in her step.

"He's gonna be so happy to see us. He about fell over when I told him we were gonna be Head Boy 'n Girl together this summer. I think he tries to pretend like he doesn't like you a lot, but he's wild about you 'n thinks you're a good kid both in general AND for me, so like..." she shrugged, "don't worry. It'll be fine. If you joke around with him, he'll joke back, and it'll all be okay, all right?"

They were going on their sixth term with Culloden and here she was still coaching Zander on how to not be scared of the man. Sigh. This would be the term that the Gryffindor would FINALLY BE FULLY COMFORTABLE WITH CULLODEN. SHE WOULD MAKE SURE OF IT.

ZANDER ADAIR WON'T BE FULLY COMFORTABLE WITH CULLODEN UNTIL THE DAY HE DIED. But you didn't hear that from him.... Ahem. Though, Sophie's efforts were truly heroic and admirable. It'd take a lot to budge this opinion. Or at least that's what he was sure of as he made his way alongside Soph.

Merlin, he'd been to the dungeons almost every day for a whole six years now and this place still gave him the creeps. Probably had to do with the temperature dropping like twenty degrees once you entered the place... Or was that just him? Even though the stairs were a pain, Zander preferred the towers over this place any day. No wonder Culloden tried to steal his bed back in third year. Figures. Poor guy probably hated it down here too and no, that was not Zander Adair sympathizing. Merely stating facts.

"You sure he won't be annoyed that he's already got student visitors the first day back?" Because some Professors hated that, namely Wicked Walton circa fourth year. Granted, he had dropped a vase of flowers on the man's floor, but still. Not too happy about the visitor thing. But he was also probably making up excuses at this point. He couldn't help it though, there was something about visiting Culloden that made him uneasy. Especially when it was with Sophie because most of the time she sat back and watched the interactions happen. Too much pressure not to be awkward. Made it ten times more awkward.

Also, fell over could be taken two very different ways. Like fell over in horror. In shock. In death. Lots of things. "I should knock, right?" 'Cause otherwise they might be standing outside for ages (((which didn't sound like a terrible idea, actually))). But he took the initiative and knocked without waiting for Sophie to give him an answer. No turning back now. Let the awkward BEGIN.

Adi had already tested the adjusted canary creams on Benny over the summer with very satisfying results. THREE minutes Benny had spent as a bright yellow canary instead of the usual one minute and Adi needed another lab rat tester. So, here he was, holding a small tray that contained some slices of cake with canary cream frosting for one his favourite Professors. Hopefully, the man wouldn't toss him into detention or duck points from him but Culloden had this great sense of humour so Adi wasn't too worried.

Knock, knock, knock! went his left hand against the door.

To excited to sit, he remained standing, bouncing on his feet. Where you at, Proofessah?

So here Dante was ready to talk to Professor C and see if there was a way ,besides him totally paying attention in class, to not have his potions blow up. He would be fine for a couple lessons but then all of a sudden BOOM. Potion explodes and Culloden is giving him the death stare.

So here he was the potion book in hand. Dante knocked on the door and waited for Professor C to answer. No smart aleck responses this time. Plus he was not cute at all anymore. He would never get anyway with it.

Shame.

Actually... Cosgrach was only ANXIOUS when the first knock came. He knew Sophie had extra duties now, but she would ALWAYS come visit him after the feast, always, so when she didn't come, he couldn't help but wonder whether he had hurt her in any way. He had been waiting for it, to be honest, so when someone knocked on his door, he quickly drew his wand and opened the door, followed by a QUICK "COME IN!" request.

Let's hear what Sophie was mad at (IF it was her in the first place).



Y'know, being a potions professor meant that he had an extraordinary nose... that also worked for the dessert. Not that he really smelt it, but he had a GOOD feeling about this knocking, y'know? Something GOOD was about to come his way. He knew it.

So, he rushed to the door from his table and opened it. He wasn't wrong. Adi had brought him CAKE! Must be because it was his last year. What a lovely gesture!

"Come in!" he exclaimed towards the cake. Um... Adi could come in too, of course. HEHE.



Cosgrach had opted to read the Daily Prophet at his room this time, and had been so engrossed in the article that it took him some moments to even look up. Had the door... been knocked on? He squinted at it, as if he could see through. Then, probbaly just as the person would think he wasn't inside, he waved his wand to open it and stared above his reading glasses in a stare that looked probably too serious, though all he really wanted to know was who it was.

Dante was just chilling waiting to hear the booming COME IN. You usually get from Professors. Unless it was Professor Airey. Then it was probably weird and awesome. But all that happened was the door being opened.

Well that was omnious and pretty cool too. This is like the begninning of a horror movie. No voices. Just the door opening. Though Dante did not wanted to get in trouble this early in the term. So he stepped up to the entrance of the door and spoke.

"Hey Professor C. Can i come in? I just want to talk"


See, no stepping into offices uninvited.

Man these cinnamon rolls smelt yummy. She could not wait to pass them out. She had been staving away all morning in the kitchen all morning making these for professors, and friends. If other people were lucky maybe she would give them some.

Her first stop was Professor C. Wasn't he lucky, being so close to the kitchens and everything. Plus it was NEWTs year (ahhhhh) and she was going on need some help. Especially when Bart wasn't here to directly help her out with this subject. She wasn't going to fail her Potions NEWT. She owed it to her nana to get a O. Even if she was no longer around to see it.

She held on tight to the box with the warm cinnamon roll still inside. She knocked on the door and waited for Culloden to answer to the door. He was around right? She really hoped so.

Oh, it was Dante. Should Cosgrach put up shielding charms in case he blew something up? Yes? No?

Hehehe... if only it really was a joke...

"Sure," he said and gestured for the boy to come in. He'd close the door by himself, right? If it was a private conversation?



Cosgrach wasn't in his office. He was only going up with a letter in his hand to send it when he smelt the rolls somewhere around the kitchens. Well, it was fate, wasn't it? The... MMM, the smell said they were cinnamon rolls. They were his, even if the owner didn't want to give him some. So, he turned right around and started to follow the student to confiscate ask nicely. Well, she was heading to the dungeons... and as it was dark, he couldn't tell WHO it was, but obviously she was an older student, harder to scare but 'detention' was a magic word -

She stopped in front of HIS office? He grinned WIDELY. These rolls WERE his fate!

"Hello there," he called as he moved to open his door and look at her face. It was Cinna! Of course, Cinna' made cinnamon rolls. Hehehe. He opened his door and gestured at her to enter first.

Not gonna risk her turning away now.

Ellery was holding Olly's hand as the two waited for the potions (slightly evil) professor to come out and get them. When was he gonna, hmm??

"I'll take my RIGHTFUL blame, okay? And you can just stay here for moral support but don't you DARE take MY punishment, okay???"

Cosgrach was just arranging the seats, and soon enough, he emerged in the door. Good. They were here.

"Please," he said as he gestured inside. "You can take a seat." Or not. Whatever floated their boat.

Sigh. Sigh. Sigh.

Timmy took her sweet time getting to Culloden's office. She was sure Brian had already gone off and taken her ballet shoes from her trunk. Or had asked a dorm mate to get them for him. Either way, as she approached Culloden's office, she noticed him already by the door, telling the younger year Gryffindor to head in. Timmy took one big step forward and stopped. "Professor."

Just when he thought his week couldn't get any worse he got the message sent to him by Professor Culloden about his potion. Funny how after what was the worst first week ever he thought his only hope left was potions and Muggle Studies but now he didn't know what to think and was sure they were gonna kick him out of Hogwarts by Christmas. Just give him a shiny, wrapped box with a note on the inside asking him kindly not to return, yup, he could see it now.

What did he do wrong though? He was trying to be SO careful and he was keeping up really well after Kyroh helped him--HE EVEN EARNED EXTRA POINTS which he didn't do in any other lesson since he'd been here but now he was being told his potion was a dud so it was basically all for nothing.

It didn't get more depressing than that--until you included his wand not working right and his confidence plummeting faster than the meteorites they discussed in Astronomy. He'd already written several owls to his mother about it but couldn't bring himself to send them.

The young Gryffindpr came to a stop at the door and gave a small knock before turning to his floating quill and notepad. "Stop writing the moment he starts mentioning my mistakes." And he meant that. It wasn't to say the boy didn't want notes on where he went wrong so he could correct them but rather, by the time his quick quotes quill got through with the Professor's words they would just sound downright MEAN.

Ah, Timila. Yes. Since the questions he was going to ask would be the same, Cosgrach decided to let her enter too.

"Miss Kyle. You can come in as well."


Yeah, he was expecting this.

Cosgrach was sure the first year was pretty sad about it, and thought the world was going to end for him. He didn't blame the poor little fella. He would have felt the same too if a professor owled him that his potion was wrong. Well, not his own first year self but y'know. But at least he could know where it went wrong, and correct it next time, yeah?

Cosgrach opened the door himself, and smiled at the boy. "Hello." Bellaire. He must be related to Sophia. "Come inside." He stepped aside to let him in.

Office re-decorating? Yes please. Really, he shouldn't have even POSTED that one because he should've just ASKED her. It's not like he really wanted anyone else's opinion on how to do his office anyway - obviously she was the most trustworthy person for this job.

So how many house points would she get from this, eh? Ten? Twenty? Did it depend on how good of a job she did helping him out? Didn't matter, really, because she was going to get REWARDED for doing something that she would've done voluntarily for free anyway.

Heh. But he didn't need to know that.

"Professorrrrrrrrr," she called to him, doing her usual knocking rhythm on the door, "I've come to save your office from a disaster. You've got your office re-decorator RIGHT HERE." Of course he knew her voice and just who was calling to him, so there was no need to state her name. "Let's get GOIN'." THERE WAS NO TIME TO WASTE.

Waiting for it... waiting for it...

...

THERE she was!

Cosgrach KNEW that SHE wouldn't miss out the chance. No way! He listened to her from behind his closed door with a smirk - he had also correctly guessed she would say something along those lines. Of course, she was enthusiastic as ever. HEHEHE. THE Sophie Brown he had got to know over 6 years. Good ole times.

He opened the door a few moments later as if he hadn't been waiting right beside it. He WAS curious about her design (he bet she planned what to do the moment she visited this office), but he wouldn't appear too eager.

"Hi, Sophie," he greeted her cheerfully, and stood aside to let her enter. "Came to redecorate my office, eh?"

Beatrice was headed down to see Cosgrach on this lovely, fresh, late December morning. Why? Who knows... The door was closed as she approached, so she knocked three times and sat in the chairs provided. She didn't have anything on her, like a book, but she had her mind which was busy with buzzing energy and chit chat.

Another visitor... for some reason, most likely because Helena didn't give him a proper rest all night, Cosgrach was slower this morning. He yaaaawned, and blinked several times as he wiped his eyes again. He took a sip from his coffee and lazily grabbed his wand to wave it at the door.

"Come in," he said and tried to look more awake. Uuuuugh... tonight, he was making a sleep draught for that kid.

Benzi had woken up this morning with a mission: take the day to do absolutely nothing on his study plan. He studied too much and worried too much and he was pretty sure he'd start getting grey hairs soon. It also really didn't help that Mum kept sending him letters of encouragement and backhanded threats to study more. Thank you Mother, always so helpful.

So he'd woken up, stretched a bit since he was feeling sore from the workout his night before, then began to roam around the castle aimlessly. Everyone else was busy either studying or practicing or doing other school-related activities and he wanted absolutely nothing to do with it. It was now just after lunch and he was having a grand day. So much happened in the hallways of Hogwarts, you really were never bored for long.

He decided he might stop by and have a chat with the little sister aka bother her and steal her socks or something when he walked passed the Potions noticeboard and had a better idea. He could take the time to bond with Culloden! And who better to get the Potions master doing sports than him, THE most fit person at Hogwarts? Yup, no one else. He was the man for the job. It was almost like a personal invitation since it was no secret Benzi spent most of his time in the DADA practice hall.

With a smile, Benzi walked up to Culloden's office and knocked three times on his door. He then summoned his running gear from his dorm and waited.

Mhmmm, Cosgrach thought as he inhaled the tea, this is amazing. No wonder the Chinese are obsessed even more than us, this is real tea -

...

......

Yeah, maybe if I ignore, they will go away.

Sip sip sip.

. . .

Well this was awkward. Was he not in there? But it was too early for dinner, too late for lunch and - he peered over at the potions classroom door - there was no lesson going on at the moment. Perhaps professors had social lives? Eh, no, that was weird. They existed only to teach them and mark their papers. Unless they were Dakest, in which case they were infinitely cool and awesome. Culloden probably fell asleep.

He'd try a few more times then leave, since walking around the castle in search for the Potions professor who could be truly anywhere sounded like the exact opposite of fun. Definitely not what he wanted to do on his self proclaimed day off.

So, Benzi knocked on the door again, louder this time and with more force. "Professor? You in there? It's Benzi," he called out, saying his name on the off chance that Culloden really was in there and might think he was here for some official Prefect business. Which, he kind of was, it just had nothing to do with him being a prefect and everything to do with him being Benzi Rider. Heh.

Vic had to try this too. Actually, everyone had to -

The intruder was STILL there and hgljslşjspş - oh, Benzi. Seventh year. Probably here for a good NEWT question. Well, it'd better be a good one, or else, he would deal with one angry professor.

...but... this was awkward. He - he couldn't just say I didn't answer because tea is more important than you! No - UGH, he HATED kids! He quickly and nonverbally cast a spell to keep its heat, and caaaaaaaaaaarefully placed it under his desk. Hopefully... he wouldn't hit it with his foot.

"Come in!" he grudgingly called and opened the door. He had better make this quick.