Oh nooooooo. NOOOOOOOO. The small boy stared at Professor Myers for a long minute, entire body going entirely still before he gave a rather violent twitch. If there weren't flowers there like that, then this was UNHELPFUL. UNHELPFUL, PAUL. And he was WASTING TIME. HE HAD STUFF TO DO. The boy looked around hurriedly, eyes not focusing on any one thing in particular. Nope. Nope. Noooooope.

Without another word, Jaemin turned and bolted, headed back toward the school.

Paul nodded. "NewGrass has a beat to it. It's related to...eh, hip hop, I'd say," Paul was not too "hip" in his mind, but he tried. And failed, most times. "But yes, tell Mr. Scabior about it and we'll arrange it. It'll be such fun!" he wanted to show off the students' talents as much as possible. He just had suuuuuuch talented ones...

"How long have you been dancing, Kaycee?" he asked softly.

...was he sick?! He was looking around in a very seizure-like way and Paul was extremely concerned. So when the boy took off, Paul shouted after him, "JAEMIN WAIT--" but the boy didn't stop for Paul.

And so Myers TOOK OFF after him, regretting his decision to be barefoot at this time.

Immensely.

Ah that makes more sense. Dante did not think Professors made enough money to get giant personal greenhouses. If they did they would stick around more than one year. Oh will that was interesting. Daxton Prince was experimenting in Paul's greenhouses. Well not like Dante was surprised or anything. The kid was not creepy but well he was different. Dante still liked him though. He did not talk too much.

Dante nodded.

That did explain everything.

"Wow he actually made you angry"

Now Dante wanted to know exactly what he did. But well now did not seem like the best time to ask.

Kaycee nodded slowly. As long as there was a beat, she was sure she could work with it. She had plenty of practice after all. She nodded and made a mental note to go have a chat with Kyroh as soon as this was over.

"I started when I was six. I grew up in Miami, I learned there." she replied. "I actually was home schooled before we moved here so that I could travel and compete." And yes, she was that good.

Actually made Paul angry...PFFFFFT. The Herbologist grumbled to himself before nodding at Dante. "It takes a lot, yes. But it happens. Now don't YOU try it, Mr. Barrington," he said, pointing at Dante accusingly. That was the last thing Paul needed right now. His screechsnaps still weren't behaving right....sigh.

"Is that all you need, Dante?" he asked raising his eyebrow.


Paul nodded, impressed. "And so now...since you go here, you can no longer compete, then?" he asked softly. That sort of seemed...unfortunate? He wondered if that made Kaycee sad at all. "But Miami...wow. That's...the temperature there is very hot, isn't it?" he asked with a smile. Paul Myers had never been to Florida before. He liked warm weather, though, so he was sure he could handle the Miami heat.

"How old are you now?" She was...a fifth year? A sixth? Merlin, his memory was failing him. Old people forgot things sometimes; he was sure Kaycee wouldn't care about his forgetfulness.

Dante did not really want to see Paul angry. So yeah no plans on doing that.

"Don't Worry i don't plan on it." And he guessed that was his queue to leave. Since he was basically said what he wanted to and well he had nothing more to add. "Nope that's it. I'll see you in your class Professor"

Dante got up to leave.

Smiling, Esme nodded slowly. "I'm musically gifted." She wasn't saying that to BRAG; just stating a fact. She was very good with instruments in the same way that her mother was. It would be amazing to have jam sessions with Professor Myers and she hoped that he would take her up on it at some point. If Hogwarts had a band she would have joined it gladly.

OH! It was another dog. A girl dog. Esme laughed. "Was stuff from last term too much for him to deal with?" Animals were supposed to be able to sense paranormal events and there had certainly been a lot of those with a poltergirl - or whatever she was - on the loose last term. "Hopefully Zelda does better with Hogwarts." As in hopefully things didn't go insane this term. Unfortunately they probably WOULD. "Does she go swimming in the lake?" Or was that too dangerous with the Giant Squid?

"I was wondering if we could have a Skittles fountain placed in the common room?" Because... did she REALLY need to give an explanation? It was rather obvious.

Kaycee nodded. "It's fine though. I still have time over breaks." Time that she definitely takes advantage of. "I even got to teach a workshop this past summer." Which was fun. She made Kyroh come to support her.

She laughed and nodded. "Yeah. I miss the heat. Especially when it starts to get cold." And when it stays cold. The cold in general was awful.

... how old was she now? Professors only had to keep track for seven years. It couldn't be that hard. Especially since she sat OWLs last term. "Sixth." Should she ask how old he was next? Or was that rude?

Good. Paul was glad SOMEONE didn't want to see him angry. UNLIKE Mr. Prince, it seemed. Dante was a clever boy, though. He was a Slytherin; he could stay out of trouble. It was one of their traits, right?

"I'll see you around, Dante! Take care, m'boy!" he called out as Dante left.

Paul nodded. "I think so..poor Charles. When we got home for the summer, he was much much happier, you know?" he smiled a little. He KNEW Charles would not have liked this lily-padded room at all. The dog hated swimming and he hated water, which also meant baths were a HUGE NO.

Dogs. Such silly little creatures, but Paul loved them.

"She hasn't had the chance yet, but I think I'll take her out eventually, m'dear." Just to get some of her energy out, too, it would be good. Maybe even Draper would want to join with Merlin...heh.

....a SKITTLES fountain? Lucky for Esme, Paul was familiar with this muggle candy. They were rainbow and beautiful and had little S's on them and tasted like fruity HEAVEN. Paul smiled a little. "Well........I don't see why not. But I'll have to find one...and rent it out...or something......" Or buy it. Hmm. He smirked as he thought. "We'll see. I'll try to make it happen, Miss Darcy!"

"What age did you teach, Miss Richards?" Paul asked curiously. "I imagine teaching dancing is much different than anything I've ever taught, though. Dancing is probably more difficult...Merlin. Good for you!" he smiled.

Paul missed the heat, too. Being able to wear t-shirts and shorts and SANDALS all the time?! Hawaii had just been the best for that reason alone! "I enjoy light snow. I don't...like when the snow gets heavy. So I feel you there, Kaycee." He assumed it didn't snow in Florida.

Sixth. "I asked how OLD you were, not your year, m'dear!" he chortled and shook his head a little. "I don't remember why I was asking, though. So." He had a reason, like, ten seconds ago. But it was gone. Poof. His memory was failing him; he was old.

"I think it looks like you're making waves?" she said, heaving a sigh of relief when he stopped bouncing. She would have started getting seasick if there had been waves for much longer. She probably should have asked why he was splashing rather than what...but at this point, she was no longer worried about the splashing.

"My mother said I had to introduce myself to my head of house," Isabella said matter-of-factly. She wasn't one for introducing herself to professors otherwise. Keep your head down, avoid being noticed, that was her preferred method of going to school. "I think she'd be especially keen on me introducing myself if she knew you were the Herbology professor, too, sir. Mother works with plants," Isabella explained.

"It's so wonderful here!" Isabella said excitedly. "Everybody is so nice and classes are more interesting than my old school." Though, to be fair, Isabella hadn't had many friends at her last school, and hadn't really had time to get acclimated. "And I love being in Hufflepuff. It's so easy to get along with everybody."

"They were 9-18 year olds. Youth workshops." Kaycee explained with a nod. "They were separated by experience level." So, it was fun. She got to see all ages and experience levels.

Kaycee nodded. "Yeah. I miss that weather. I guess it's not to not be sweating all the time though." She'd take the sweat over freezing though, truth be told.

Meh. She shrugged. It was close enough. "16 currently. I'll be seventeen in a few months." She then blinked. "Wow. That was rapid memory loss. You should take vitamins."

This was going to be a scolding for painting on the pods, he just knew it. Rooney expected that Professor Myers was going to avoid telling him off in public because it only turned him into a grumpy little moo. And Professor Draper had probably TOLD him that he'd cried when he told him off. It was all a big thing. They were clearly conspiring against the poor fourth year. But he was here at the agreed time, with a lunch box of sandwiches and cake slices for the man.

Rooney Bronwyn was not above bribery.

He didn't know what the 'very important thing' was. He didn't know what a man like Professor Myers might consider 'important', in fact, the more the Gryffindor thought about it was the more convinced he was that this couldn't be as serious as he was led to believe. Perhaps the man needed help re-planting but knew most students wouldn't be up for something like that. The boy WAS ridiculously helpful when he had a mind to be and Herbology was fun.

With this idea firmly planted in his mind, Blaise made his way across the grounds and over to the Professors....er...office...thing...space...yeah.

It wasn't until he got there that he noticed him. Just his luck. Of all the days Rooney Bronwyn could have chosen to visit the Professor, he chose this day, at this time, in this moment. It was all one big cosmic joke. His day had been going too good; figures something had to give at some point.

Blaise sighed heavily. "When the Professor gets here, can you tell him I'll be back to see him later?" There. He was even civil about asking before spinning sharply on his heel to leave. Wouldn't want to ruin the boy's concentration by breathing his the same air.

Paul chuckled. "Yes yes...I was. My dog seemed to like it--" he nodded at Zelda. "Ahh...your mother is into manners and things, then?" he asked with a flicker of his eyebrow. His mother was never like that, but Milton's parents were the type. He remembered Milton having to introduce himself to all his professors back during University days. Paul thought it was weird; however, it did get Milton's name on their radar. So maybe...it wasn't all that weird, and somewhat smart.

"What is your mother's name, m'dear? I know a lot of people in my field of work..." especially if she was a private greenhouse owner. Ahh. Plant people. All so different, yet....alike in their love for greenery.

He smiled. "The classes here are....extremely interesting, even if a little difficult sometimes. What do you enjoy most so far?" he asked. He did miss having a regular for one reason; it was hard to offer tea and cookies in here. Hmph. "

"You...taught people older than yourself sometimes?" He asked, head tilted slightly. Interesting. He didn't know how he'd feel...though, when he was a professor at University back in his thirties, he taught an old fellow here and there. It still felt very odd, though.

PFFFFT. VITAMINS. "I'll have you KNOW, Miss Richards, that I am perfectly healthy WITHOUT vitamins!" he exclaimed and then glanced at his watch. "I...have a floo call to make to Milton. If you will excuse me---come see me with Kyroh about that performance, m'dear!"



Paul had been waiting...all day for this meeting. All day. He'd even made cookies for the occasion. Raspberry and white chocolate almond cookies. Mhmmm. He heard the first knock and BEAMED as he opened to door to see Rooney.

"HELLLLLLO, m'boy! Welcome! I've been waiting to see you alllllll day! You look spiffy, you know? I always think you have a spiffy style, Rooney..." Paul was chittering away, and it was to remain above suspicion, but in fact it probably gave him away to his guilt.

Ahem.

"Come right in! I'll just--"

THERE WAS BLAISE. Paul looked at them both and then just SIGHED.

"I want BOTH of you in my office-----meeting space----NOW." He was stern enough so that neither of them would argue. "Mr. Bellaire, I am not afraid to use magic."

Professor Myers clearly was popular. Clearly with...the wrong people. Rooney didn't frown, and he tried not to let his breathing get a little harsher. In fact, he managed a polite sort of smile - it probably looked like he was ready for toilet time, to be honest. "Sure wi--oh here he is!" Wait.. He looked between Professor Myers and then to Blaise and definitely found himself breathing a little quicker. What on earth was this? "Hang on a second. This isn't... you... Professor!" Surely this was some kind of illegal? Rooney was certain of it, honest.

But if Myers was ready to use magic...then Rooney was willing. "I'm giving you ten minutes, Professor. I have patrols soon with Penelope." Actually, he had a date with his little sister to go over the spellings on her homeworks.

Isabella looked at the dog. Hmm. She supposed dogs might enjoy the swaying of a lily pad on water, or at least tolerate it better than people. She wasn't a dog, so she couldn't say for sure. She'd take Professor Myers' word for it, though. Isabella shrugged when he asked about her mother. "I think it's more that she wants to make sure I don't get left behind in classes. And to make a good impression, even though I'm not top of my class," Isabella explained. And to be honest, Isabella highly doubted she'd ever be top of her class. She wasn't as good at the book learning as some people in her family.

"Juniper Melo, that's my mother," Isabella said. Oh, she hoped Myers didn't know her mother. That would be embarrassing, he would probably have heard stories about her as a kid or something. "She works at the Ministry now, but when we lived in Peru she ran a greenhouse. Do you know her? I thought she'd have said if she knew one of my professors."

Isabella grinned as Myers asked about her favorite class. "I like charms!" she said eagerly. "It's very practical." She paused, then asked, "Do you have any tips for first years? I think I'm getting used to it here, but I've still got a lot to learn!"

Blaise turned at Rooney's words, ready to tell the Professor he'd be back later himself now that the boy had given him the head's up...but....when his lips parted, no words came out. For a few minutes Blaise just stood, too angry to speak. So the man had...tricked him into meeting with Rooney (that was obvious by now), he could live with that--thought the man clever even, for knowing that had he told the truth he would have found himself with one less office guest. What actually got him was the threat of magic...

Unlike the Ravenclaw Prefect, Blaise did not give a verbal response to the command, he merely stood there with his hands balled into tight fists at his side and his eyes trained on the floor.

Rooney was right, the Professor only had ten minutes. He would stick around, he would listen, he would nod at all the appropriate times and this would be over soon enough.

Paul nodded. "Understandable. I hope you're keeping all right, then?" He could always help her in Herbology if she needed it; granted, if her mother did plants then Isabella was probably at least knowledgable about them. "Pffft. Don't worry about being top of your class. That won't matter once you're out of here." It was true!

He couldn't recall a Juniper Melo right now. "I...don't think I know her, especially if she ran a greenhouse in Peru for awhile...yeah. I wouldn't know her." Interesting. Now Paul WANTED to meet her...only because he loved meeting his PEOPLE.

Charm was a good subject, yes. As for tips......."Hmmm. I think All I have to say about that is...don't give up if you fail the first time. Magic...is hard...and if you give up...you'll never know your full potential." Something he wished he could get through to Mr. Bellaire.



Paul eyed them both..and sighed. "I won't really use magic, Merlin, I just want you two to go INSIDE My meeting space--" and like little ducks, Paul pushed gestured them inside.

To the lily-padded room.

Paul took seat on a nearby lily-pad. "Sit or stand, I don't mind either one. But we are going to TALK things out, both of you. I don't want another MEAN exchange of words in my class. Ruins my vibe and the vibe of everyone else--" he sighed again. "Now, Rooney. Why don't you like Mr. Bellaire? And Blaise, why don't you like Mr. Bronwyn?"

Paul...was not a counselor. At all.

Ahem.

Shuffling inside, Rooney considered if crying could get him out of this, but decided firmly that crying in front of Blaise Bellaire would be the biggest mistake of his life. Even worse than crying in front of Hadley Denaker and that had been...the worst day of his year. So far. There was still time for worse. And Professor Myers was apparently the greatest person to deliver those awful days to the Ravenclaw. Definitely in the running for worst Professor in the world. Pity, he'd earned so many respect points when he had dressed up in class. Now he was just............eh. He was just Professor Paul, who had given him five whole points for saying his pods were ugly and needed paint.

Professor of Confusion, definitely.

He passed across the lunchbox of food and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Mum told me that if I don't have anything nice to say... I shouldn't say anything." That was the honest truth.

And just like that he was being shoved into the man's...office. Really what was this place and why was there nothing in writing to give the boy a definitive response as to what it should be classified as. Surely his quill would make something up, it was busily scribbling away right now. A part of him wanted to make it stop, to pocket the quill and notepad so he wouldn't have this moment documented but the compulsion to leave it running won out in the end so the quill just went on scribbling.

It took down the Professor's question, then Rooney's answer before turning to him, waiting for his own quote. Nothing nice to say? Sounded like his entire existence ever since Blaise had known him.

And if they were sharing parental advice, "Dad says freedom of speech is a right mankind fought too hard for to suddenly give up." So yes, he would be saying his piece. "I don't like him because he doesn't like me. He's never liked me, ever. Not since my first year and not even now. I don't know what I've done to him and I used to care but now I don't because I've decided I don't need someone so vile and mean being my friend anyway. 'm not a kicked cruppy that comes licking your face after every round. There are people who like me and I'll stick to them." Might have been over a year ago but the boy never forgot how Rooney Bronwyn used to give him death glares for just walking into a room.

Bentley told him he was making things up, Liv swore Roo was the nicest person in the world, Char told him he was imagining things but he wasn't. Phillip agreed with him and he'd found out they weren't the only ones who'd seen Rooney's dirty, grimy laundry. He wasn't as nice as everyone claimed. "I can agree I'll never say another mean thing to him, I promise I'll never speak to him again. Problem solved. Can I leave now Professor? He doesn't have anything to say and we'll be here all day if we wait for something nice to hit him."

Paul was already frustrated. But he stretched out on a lily-pad and stared at the ceiling, kicking off his shoes into the water. "Whoops," he said, but not really caring. They were crocs anyways.

"Nope, both of you have to still just a bit longer, I'm afraid," he said, letting out a sigh. "Blaise, what you say would make anyone dislike another person. Especially if it seems to have no real root to the problem..." he didn't sound mad at all; more curious. "Rooney, please, I know your mother told you that--my mother used to tell me the same thing all the time. But to tell me how you feel about Blaise--or rather, why you dislike, you don't have to be mean. You can be...diplomatic." He continued to stare at the ceiling and closed his eyes. "So tell me, Rooney. Why do you dislike Blaise? I'm curious. I like you both. I don't see anything wrong with either of you."

But he'd get to that in a minute.

Blaise talked more than the average person and still made very little progress in making Rooney want to be friends with him ever. He had very little interest in that and expected that it wouldn't change in the years to come that they were both in the school. He too, took a seat, making sure to be closer to Professor Myers than he was to Blaise. (Good riddance to those ugly shoes, by the way) "Sir, this is useless. We don't like each other." Couldn't that be the end of it? "If he wasn't so annoying and whiney, maybe I'd have a reason to like him. Or help him." He knew that Char had helped him with duel stuff and Roo was good at helping.

But not for people like Blaise.

People who didn't want help.

With a sigh, the fourth year picked at the edge of the lily pad they were on. "I thought he was Charlotte's boyfriend." That was honestly how it had began. It was also how it had began with Olly. There was definitely a running trend here. "And I wanted to be her boyfriend." Something that he still wasn't, unfortunately. "I just don't like his attitude about school." Especially the skipping classes and coming with no wand and generally looking like someone had told him his pet had died. Every second of every day.

How did people find the kid fun? Seriously?

They couldn't leave? Well now, anything after this point, the Professor had brought it upon himself. The boy had said what he needed to and now apparently so had Rooney. Were he quicker to get into a temper, the boy might have flown off the rail, told the Prefect EXACTLY what was currently on his mind with the same 'diplomacy' the boy had just displayed but then he thought about it and about the reason and about everything Char had told him--or hadn't told him in some cases.

He was calm.

Blaise opted in that moment to take a seat, his best dimpled smile now plastered across his face.

"I don't need your help Rooney Bronwyn--not when I've got Charlotte Kettleburn all to myself every time we go to the Room of Requirements. Reckon I should be sad you'll never like me and that you don't feel the need to help me but me and Char have made real progress. I especially like what happens when I've gotten a spell right--you know why?" The boy leaned forward, his smile widening. "I don't suspect she's told you. I mean she's mentioned how sensitive you are and how she doesn't wanna hurt your feelings but I'll say I've grown to like the taste of lip gloss and leave it there. You can use that superior Ravenclaw brain of yours to figure it out."

Didn't like him because he thought he was Char's boyfriend? Shouldn't have told him that. Should have kept it to himself because now Blaise was having a field day. "By all means, never ever EVER try to help me, you'll only ruin it for me."

..............

..........................

...............................

Rooney didn't say anything. He didn't think he had the stability to say anything without bursting into tears. Sure, Blaise hadn't said ANYTHING specifically, but he was pretty good at making a point without actually making it. And Rooney Bronwyn was certain he had understood perfectly clear. Charlotte Kettleburn was actually kissing Blaise Bellaire, and he had been right all along. He didn't know her. He thought he did. But this proved he didn't.

And he wasn't sure if he wanted to in the future.

What he was sure of was that he was going to be leaving right now, whether Professor Myers liked it or not. So, standing up, Rooney gave his love rival a shove towards the water and made for the door, still without uttering a word. Or crying. Which was definitely a good step for him, but the prefect tub wouldn't need a water source now that he was able to cry it full.

"Hey, what're you doi--"'

SPLASH!!!!!!!

The once sitting boy was now fully soaked and fully satisfied. He watched Rooney leaving but didn't think he was done. The problem with finally hurting Rooney the way he hurt him was that it felt so good. Before the boy could be through the door, Blaise cupped his hands to his mouth and yelled loud enough to be sure even after he'd stepped outside, none of his words would be lost.

"Shame I don't know how to cast the drying spell. I'll just have to get Char to do it for me! We can grab cookies in the kitchen and she can make me feel better about being BULLIED by you!"

Only as a second thought did the boy look to his notepad, checking to be sure it hadn't gotten splashed. For the most part it was still in tact. That oh so smug smile? ALSO still in place. He'd won this round. Rooney had made him leave Herbology and now he'd made HIM leave this office.

NOW d'you see why this was a bad idea, Professor????