The headmaster had arrived in the Great Hall for their scheduled lunch a few minutes later than usual. He had troublemakers to take care of before making his way down. By the sight of the hall, it seemed like there would be more troublemakers in the mix.

His gaze first landed on the Slytherin Captain and the Ravenclaw, one of which had already started eating and one of which was technically not in the right place. Scrimgeour's eyes narrowed. Did he have to make even more rules for things that should have been common sense? It was polite to wait for the head of the school to be seated before eating, and each of the Houses had their own table for a reason.

Fortunately for the boys, the old man was forced to direct his attention to the staff table. He turned just in time to see the Care of Magical Creatures professor attack his highly qualified Astronomy replacement.

Scrimgeour was ... not surprised. He knew that Wayland wouldn't last long after the departure of his precious butterfly of a friend. It was only a matter of time for the bad egg to crack.

"WAYLAND!" the man grunted at the top of his lungs.

He quickly made his way up to the staff table. Parchment and a self-inking quill had been conjured. They were writing away as the ex-Auror moved toward Le Roux to undo any potential spells that may have hit and help the poor man up.

"Pack your bags and leave immediately. You are fired," he spat at Wayland. For good measure, he sent the completed letter over to him with a wave of his metallic hand and then pointed at the large double doors.

Text Cut: Letter

Dear Tristan Wayland,

As a result of the incident that just took place in the Great Hall, I request your dismissal from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. With your attack of Prof. Gustave Le Roux in mind, I feel that this is the best decision for the wellbeing of the school and its students. Physically assaulting another colleague has revealed a severe lack of professionalism, and doing so in front of students has showed that you are unstable and therefore unfit to teach children.

Upon your reading of this letter, I ask that a prompt and quiet departure is made so that a suitable replacement can take over the role of Care of Magical Creatures professor immediately.

Thank you for your services to the school.

Signed:


Julian Scrimgeour
Hogwarts Headmaster

Patrick looked up at Dorian. “Hey man. Uh I don’t think they have man that’d be the pits if it was. I’m really hoping they didn’t I’m starting to lose points left and right.” he watched as the boy peeled an egg. Patrick was shoveling some of the salad he was eating before his main meal into his face. His eyes were continuously tracking the movements between the professors up front.

He was just about to ask Dorian how his classes were going when the dabocle between the professors escalated. The headmaster sacked him right there. He was shocked. He loved hanging out down at Professor waylands barn especially since it felt like home. “uh I mean aren’t we supposed to finish our meal and stuff? Wouldn’t the headmaster say we should leave?” he blinked his eyes a couple times trying to evaluate just what was going on at hogwarts.

Tristan, suddenly realizing what he had done, shoved his wand into his pocket and turned toward the Headmaster. He didn't need to open the letter to know what it said. He honestly didn't care at this point.

Stony faced, Tristan took the letter from the headmaster, and without reading it crumpled it with one hand and threw it on the ground. "You're a daft old cow if you think you are making this school better Scrimgeour. It didn't need fixing." With that he turned on his heel, and left the dais, boots angrily clomping against the stone floor.

He knew he shouldn't have done it but, his anger got the best of him. He would miss the students, but maybe the transition would be better with a new staff, or maybe it would go horribly wrong. But, unfortunately, he wouldn't be around to see it.

He quickly walked out of the Great Hall, not looking back to see the shocked faces of his beloved students.

"I hope there is no rule as well." he said with a mouthful of half chewed egg. "I mean, what's wrong with sitting at other House tables right? Isn't school about learning and making frie---" He stopped talking as the doors of the Great Hall opened and the Headmaster appeared.

If he could, Dorian would have vanished to a different location right there because the sight of the Headmaster send a rule to his mind that they weren't supposed to eat before the Headmaster had arrived. His shoulders stiffened, his eyes were casted down at the table and he stopped chewwing on the egg. But when nothing happened and Dorian assumed that he hadn't been caught, he carefully looked back up to see the Headmaster walk past the table and to the staff's.

The fourth year flinched at the voice calling for Professor Wayland and his gaze went to look at the scene. He saw a parchment and self-inking quill appear and the Ravenclaw wondered what the Headmaster was writing. He got his answer a few moments later when Professor Wayland threw the paper away and Dorian then watched him walk past their table without even looking back.

"Did---did Professor Wayland just get fired?" he asked the Slytherin with a nervous laugh. He knew the answer of course. How many GOOD professors was the Headmaster going to fire? He was about to go after him. To say SOMETHING but Patrick's words stopped him and he lowered back down on the bench. "Right.. I forgot about that, thanks." It was definitely not wise to go against the Headmaster, especially at this moment. "This is all kinds of wrong..." he mumbled as he looked away from the door of the Great Hall where Professor Wayland had just vanished and back to the staff dias with a small frown. "Though...he did attack another professor..." that had been wrong as well. Merlin's Beard he had just realised that he couldn't remember the new Astronomy professor's name. It was something French right? Or spanish? ...

Aww man, he had sat at this table to socialise but now he did not know what to say. Because what on earth could you talk about when you just witnessed an excellent Professor getting fired? So instead , the Ravenclaw stabbed the last half of his egg with a fork and ate it with the frown still on his face

Despite how many months have already passed since the current rules were implemented, Drew still found himself rather uncomfortable with that, though not as much as when they were first introduced. He still wished things were back to normal, minus all the life-threatening experiences. Right now, his mind and body were both set on auto-pilot mode as he slipped into his usual seat on the Ravenclaw table at the Great Hall.

Which he would have taken to his dormitory to avoid socialization, but alas. Drew had to crack out of his shell to abide by the rules of meal times and venues as well. How unfortunate. And he would normally also have a nice comic book with him too as he ate, but the new rules have limited him into reading only educational material which wasn't that much of a bad thing. Drew just missed having a bit of freedom.

Drew scanned the plates of food available for a moment before ultimately deciding on a sandwich and taking his Charms textbook out for some advanced reading. Like he wasn't already almost done with the rest of their book.

It had been a long day already, and Benji was feeling a strange mixture of tired, annoyed, and overjoyed. He was quite good at compartmentalizing, you know. To explain: Tired because waking up early every day meant he wasn't always getting the sleep he needed. (He would truthfully rather be taking a nap than eating, but he knew he would regret it later for many reasons if he skipped this meal.) Annoyed at just the thought of the rules and new professors and other foolishness going on. Overjoyed because... Penny. Enough said.

He stretched a bit as he entered the Great Hall and looked over at the Hufflepuff table quickly, scanning for his girlfriend, although he knew he wouldn't be allowed to sit with her. He didn't see her. She must not have made it down here yet. He turned his attention to the Ravenclaw table, surveying it until he spotted an open place near Drew, who he shared a dorm with. Truthfully, he didn't know the boy well, or any of his dorm mates, for that matter. He tended to keep to himself, as most of them did, as well.

He slid into the space and carefully picked out the food he wanted. "Hey," he greeted Drew. "Reading ahead for Charms?"

If there was anything that Drewett was good at, besides solving the Rubik's Cube and doing Charms and other things that he wouldn't openly boast about, it would be that he was good at ignoring everything around him when he was seated in his house table. At times, socialization was a tad bit overwhelming for him. He was only ever comfortable with his friends and his family at the Stemp House. However, Benji's presence did not go unnoticed. Drew didn't always acknowledge a lot of things, but he was at least aware of his surroundings.

Drewett finished the sentence he was scanning through before looking up at Benji. They shared a dorm and all, but the Ravenclaw knew that his roomies needed space which he respected. It was kind of ironic, really, that he didn't know Benji that well. Perhaps it was because Drew spent more time with his owl or Hudson lately, or that he was a bit pre-occupied with the inevitable drama in his life. Which is unfortunately, for someone so introverted, a lot.

"Hey," Drew greeted as well, offering a small smile as he folded the corner of the page before closing the book. That way, he'd remember where he had stopped, and it would also seem disrespectful to divide his attention when talking to someone else. "I... yeah, a bit..." If anything, he was way advanced and far into their textbook already. "How has your d-day been?" Drew was working on upping his small talk game, he really was.

Skyler opened and closed her mouth several times.
What...had just happened? Professor Wayland had been fired? She frowned. After the camotion, she was glad that she was not the cause of his getting fired. She blinked at her food, suddenly not feeling hungry anymore.

"'S been okay," Benji shrugged. "I'm pretty tired, though. How about yours?" He wasn't really in the mood for complaining, so even though his day was closer to "meh" than "okay," he was content to leave his answer as it was.

He glanced over one more time at the Hufflepuff table, trying not to be obvious. He didn't want his roommate to think he was a jerk or not paying attention to him. He just really wanted to catch a glimpse of the girl he had to sneak around to see, what with the new regime and all. Still not there. Oh, well. They'd see each other later, anyway.

He shook his head slightly, trying to clear his thoughts of Penny and focus on talking to the boy in front of him. Hormones, ya know? They're distracting.

"So... What's new?" Truthfully, Drew could say literally just about anything, and it would qualify as new information for Benji. How strange that they lived in the same immediate area, and still, he didn't really know anything about him other than that he had an owl. And that was a lame thing to know about someone, especially when practically everybody had an owl. (Benji much preferred cats, but to each his own.)

He was a nice person, friendly, even, he swore it! He was just... a bit preoccupied and introverted. That combination didn't lend itself well to small talk. He really felt like he could use all the friends he could get right now, though, so he was trying here. Hopefully Drew didn't think he was a dork. Or a rude jerk. (He was sort of kicking himself over the whole staring-at-the-Hufflepuff-table thing.) Maaaaaybe they could be roommates and also friends? Who knew?

For the record: The lunch today sucked.

It sucked almost as bad as Professor Fletcher's stupid cheese head. And THAT was a very hard feat to pull. Zoryn Amari Spinnet would rather be fed soggy, lukewarm, UNSPICED cardboard infused with locks of Sylvie Norcott's mint hair.

This was a TRAVESTY.

Honestly, was lunch options a type of divinations? Lunch-o-mancy or something? Because after one bite, Zoryn knew that the day was about to be miserable. That's the clearest reading she had ever done too. Normally she just made this ish up.

Anyways that's why she was eyeing her soup like it was the return of voldemort's saliva.

"Not enough kale?" Chloe Maxine Kettleburn paused on her way past Miss Zoryn Spinnet, carrying her own tray of food toward her seat at the Ravenclaw table. She was honestly of the opinion that Zoryn only took in food on the rare occasion she needed energy in her evil plan to take over the world (which, honestly, more power to her). She certainly didn't care about how food tasted.

And yet, her face... suggested otherwise. "Want my pudding?"

Why was Rafferty in such a ravenous mood? He had just had the pleasure of telling off some more students. It really was a hoot and highly satisfactory to do that. This way the reason Rafferty could not simply ignore the conversation he was overhearing. “Why must Spinnet have your pudding, Kettleburn? Have you not realized she is spoiled enough as it is?” Rafferty’s eyes glittered in glee. Spinnet was the student he enjoyed tormenting mostly. She always made herself so difficult. “Go on, Spinnet. Consume the soup. This instant.’’

Tad wasn't a fan of today's meal. The health craze sure had it's benefits except for one thing, flavour. He was going to have some pudding to wash down the nasty taste. So while gulping down the meal he turned his head toward his Head of House who was speaking. He didn't like this man, he was MEAN. After hearing him talking about how spoiled the girl was Taddy's mouth gaped open at the words he said to the older girls.

Should he say something? Maybe. But could he? It was hard to tell with how wide his mouth gaping at the sight. He just stared and stared.

Sylvie Norcott, mint haired as ever, had taken the long way around to her table. Out of habit probably, she'd passed by the Ravenclaws first and searched for one specific person before remembering she couldn't quite do that anymore. Well she could, but it made her both sad and happy and angry and distraught all at the same time and honestly? she just wanted to eat some lunch. Feelings were so exhausting.

Rubbing her eyes and stifling a yawn, she turned to make her way towards her table, spotted Zoryn Spinnet and began to turn to the other end when she noticed Ainsworth there. From the expression on his face, Sylvie instantly knew he was doing his thing again. Ugh, she hated him more than all the other professors combined, he's the worst.

Inching closer, because she doesn't know how to stay away from bad situations, Sylvie's frown deepened as she caught the end of his words. "She doesn't have to eat the soup just because you tell her to," she pointed out as she joined the group, looking defiantly at the sorry excuse of a muggle studies professor. Sorry excuse for a wizard. Sorry excuse for a MAN. Ha.

Zoryn looked up, hearing an unexpected voice. Chloe Kettleburn was strange. On one hand, the girl hardly behaved obscenely so one would think she was perfectly normal upon first glance. Zoryn, however, knew this was not the case. The Ravenclaw was much more than that. She was just about the weirdest person at this whole school. No offense. Zoryn kind of liked it. Shaking her head in reply the Gryffindor spoke, “hardly.” The soup was HORRIBLE. “It’s almost as bitter as Fletcher.”

Her eyes brightened as Chloe offered up her pudding, but the mood quickly dampened as Rafferty made his way over just a few seconds later. It’s like he was desperate to make friends, but too awkward to know how. The man was always sticking around her like a trail of liquid glue. Zoryn rolled her eyes while he was still behind her and couldn’t see her face, but put on a grand show of greeting him with a smile. “Hi Professor,” yuck. “Even better idea, I’ll split my soup with you! We can go halfsies.” GRIN. She’d rather shove it down his obscenely tight pants. “Sharing would be good practice for me. Since I’m so spoiled and all… Don’t you think, Chloe?”

While Zoryn was busy being the most clever 17 year-old on the face of this planet, a few others had joined them. An audience! Wonderful. And Sylvie. Even more wonderful. ugh gross.

Zor was absolutely certain her dormmate would be very smug about the circumstances she had waltz into, but instead…. Sylvie did something surprising. She had stood up for Zoryn once more. This took the Beater by surprise, her facial expression faltered for just a moment as she just stared at Sylvie in shock before turning her head back to Rafferty. Zor would think about the implications of this moment later. Because currently, there were more annoying matters at hand.

Like this bland, tasteless, sorry excuse for a human being and exemplary substitute for plain, white bread: Rafferty Ainsworth.

YEAH, WHAT SHE SAID.

Ainsworth? More like PAINSworth. Boom.

Chloe hadn't even had time to consider the consequences of giving up her pudding to Zoryn (bye, pudding, we'll miss you so much) when they had an audience. Not so bad that the firstie and Sylvie were there, since Chloe would split her pudding three ways if they all wanted in on it... but Rafferty was there too. Book burner and killer of souls in the very flesh.

"It isn't that she must have my pudding, sir, but that I'm offering it to her. We're very good friends and I like to share with her." In fact, in spite of the fact that this was a Slytherin at her own table, the sixth year Ravenclaw seated herself beside the girl and placed her pudding on Zoryn's tray.

"Here, give me that soup to finish. I've been so busy today and I'm starving, and because you are so good at sharing, I know you'll give it to me." She wiggled her fingers to claim the soup bowl. See that, Rafferty? Nothing to see here. "SYLVIE. Sit down and shush, my deeaaaaaaaaaar friend. You should share this soup with us." Oh. It did look pretty horrid, didn't it?

Was Rafferty aware that he was attracting attention? Yes he was. Rafferty was basking in the attention. Those sharp eyes didn't miss Potter watching. They also did not miss that hair. “Norcott. I do not remember asking for your opinion. You will revert your hair back to its natural color or find yourself in yet another detention. Do so now. In the meanwhile twenty points from Gryffindor.’’

Rafferty’s lips curled. Did Spinnet think that she could get to him? Get on his nerves? Frustrate him? How wrong she was. Rafferty was usually as cool as a cucumber. “Oh no. I could not possibly take your soup and rob you of that nutritious meal. No no. I insist you have it all.’’

“While I simply must applaud your attitude, Kettleburn I must insist that Spinnet eat that soup.’’ Rafferty’s tone was sarcastic, smooth, soft and deadly.

Sylvie didn't remember asking Ainsworth to do much of anything and yet here they were. Confused by Chloe's request to sit, Sylvie nevertheless was about to join her because it seemed harmless when Ainsworth spoke up again and honestly, she REALLY hated this man. REALLY.

And no one's touching her hair. Her hair is her favourite thing about herself right now.

"I'm of age Professor I can choose what colour I want my own hair to be, and it's got nothing to do with school. Even more than Zoryn's soup," she retorted, barely blinking at the points or the threat of detention. She's been in so many detentions this term, what's another one to add to the collection?

Also, Ravenclaw was totally winning the cup this year, so the point loss didn't bother her much either. What DID bother her was his cruelty. His stupid, needless, baseless cruelty. In fact, Sylvie Norcott was starting to think that Scrimgeour HIMSELF would find Ainsworth appalling, because of how stupid he is. Scrimgeour did not like stupid people. Perhaps she should tell him. MMMM. Where's Christopher? Time for another sacking.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daemon

Sylvie didn't remember asking Ainsworth to do much of anything and yet here they were. Confused by Chloe's request to sit, Sylvie nevertheless was about to join her because it seemed harmless when Ainsworth spoke up again and honestly, she REALLY hated this man. REALLY.

And no one's touching her hair. Her hair is her favourite thing about herself right now.

"I'm of age Professor I can choose what colour I want my own hair to be, and it's got nothing to do with school. Even more than Zoryn's soup," she retorted, barely blinking at the points or the threat of detention. She's been in so many detentions this term, what's another one to add to the collection?

Also, Ravenclaw was totally winning the cup this year, so the point loss didn't bother her much either. What DID bother her was his cruelty. His stupid, needless, baseless cruelty. In fact, Sylvie Norcott was starting to think that Scrimgeour HIMSELF would find Ainsworth appalling, because of how stupid he is. Scrimgeour did not like stupid people. Perhaps she should tell him. MMMM. Where's Christopher? Time for another sacking.

Wasn’t this satisfying? Rafferty certainly found it so. Picking and irritating the students of Hogwarts can be considered to be a leisure activity for him. In a now silky tone Rafferty addressed the greenish haired monster. “It has everything to do with Hogwarts, Norcott. As long as you are here you will abide by the rules. That goes for all of you.’’ His eyes moved around to all gathered in the vicinity.

“I doubt that ridiculous color is your natural color.’’ Without a moment’s hesitation Rafferty unholstered his wand. “Detention and points loss do not seem to be working on you brats. Sterner punishment is what you need.’’ There was an incantation uttered at the same time that Rafferty’s wand pointed directly at Norcott. Blinding white light lit up around them.

This was the combination of an extremely strong Stinging Jinx. The kind that would produce intense and painful scorch marks that lead to nasty swelling.

He insisted that Zoryn eat her soup? Like, he was being so nice and polite to Chloe, but he was force feeding soup to Zoryn and taking points from Sylvie over her pretty green hair. Maybe if Chloe weren't a Ravenclaw, he'd be rude to her too, especially since she was the only one really defying him.

She was in the process of taking the soup away from Zoryn and spilling it on purpose (because then no one could eat it) when Rafferty pulled his wand and hexed Sylvie. Chloe honestly thought she'd misunderstood what had happened, or maybe it was some other... similar... spell? But no, not mistaken. Definitely happened.

Chloe shot to her feet, upsetting her own tray in the process. "Sir! You can't... she's... sir!" Merlin, was Sylvie okay?

“If she’s gotta change her hair color back to natural, then you do too,” there was no way Zoryn was buying the fact that his head was still producing any sort of pigment. He was clearly full of grey.

Cool as a cucumber? Must’ve been one of those fried cucumbers then. ”No, no, I insist, sir!”

And then for some reason everything happened all at once.

Soup was being spilled. A hex was being shot. And Zoryn Spinnet had grabbed a bottle of hot sauce off the table, squirted it’s entire contents into Ainsworth’s eyes, and kicked him with all the strength she could muster (which was a WHOLE lot because she was an athlete) right square between his legs. All within a span of 30 seconds Yes, you read that correctly.

Zoryn Spinnet just kicked fire and fury at Rafferty Ainsworth’s ~~manhood~~. Get 'em where it hurts the most, yeah?

Suddenly, the enemy of her enemy was her friend and Sylvie Norcott wasn’t that bad after all. Though, Chloe was checking on her right? Because Zoryn opted to take the offense.

No, it doesn't have anything to do with school, is he thick? "There's no rule on hair colours!" she can READ. Yeah okay she can't remember a bunch of the rules because there's WAY too many she knows that OTHER STUDENTS also have funky coloured hair and he's really just picking on her at this point. Professors weren't supposed to pick on ONE student. Or... two, because Zoryn as well, kinda.

Wait, what? What "sterner punishment" was he talking about? Was he pulling out his wand?? She didn't have time to even register what was happening before there was a bang of blinding light and suddenly she was stumbling backwards, in AGONY.

Sylvie cried out, her face swelling rapidly beneath terrified fingers as she tried to somehow stop the pain from spreading, unable to see or hear anything that's going on. Her eyes wouldn't open, screaming hurt even more, and she could feel burns - scorch marks - on skin that didn't feel anything like her own face.

"WHA' DI YOU DO 'ME??" she managed to wrangle out, CRYING as tears squeezed out of slits that used to be her eyes.

Was the soup pushed from Rafferty’s mind? Yes. In fact exactly how this had all started was gone. The only thing he was focused upon was the little stubborn brats that he had to deal with at the moment. “You cannot tell me what I can and cannot do, Kettleburn,’’ Rafferty thundered. The usual snarky attitude he carried was slipping a little. Slowly Rafferty was using calmness.

While hot sauce did get plastered on his face it saved Rafferty from being kicked. How? When the sauce landed on him, Rafferty staggered backward and out of reach of Spinnet’s leg. Rather fortunate for him. Rafferty growled in anger. He clawed at his eyes and face which only made things worse as the sauce spread. His face felt like it was on fire. That didn’t stop him from attacking the students.

Even more Stinging Hexes of the same intensity as the first were shot to the students. Because the sauce was practically blinding him with burning sensations the Hexes were not aimed at one particular person. They were thrown at random. Rafferty did not care whom he hit. Still it was very satisfying to hear Norcott cry like a baby.

Wanting nothing more than to grab a quick bite to eat and a hot cup of tea, Foster popped into the Great Hall. Much to his surprise, he stumbled upon a crazed sauce covered Rafferty harming students!!

"What in Merlin's..." he trailed off as he bolted towards them, wand in hand. "Step away from the students, Professor Ainsworth, and put your wand away." Foster's grip on his wand tightened as he positioned himself between Rafferty and the students as much as possible. "Have you lost your mind? How dare you pull your wand on these students!"

His eyes briefly left Professor Ainsworth to glance at Sylvie. "Are you okay, Ms. Norcott? Do you require medical attention? Has anyone else been injured?" He had entered just moments after the spells were cast and was unaware of the circumstances leading up to the incident. No matter the reason, no professor should ever harm a student. It was completely unacceptable.

He glared at the Scrimgeour hired goon. "There is no explanation possible that will make this acceptable. I highly suggest you remove yourself from the Great Hall before you find yourself on the receiving end of a far worse spell than you have been casting at these students." Foster rarely resorted to violence, but he was willing to do whatever it took to keep the students safe.

Ainsworth went from crazy-eyed to crazy-handed, suddenly slinging stinging hexes every which way. It probably didn't help that Zoryn attacked him first, but Chloe would expect that a man with his experience and apparently professorial disposition would be able to handle it a little more professionally. Tie her up and give her detention, perhaps.

Then again, with that initial hex against Sylvie, Ainsworth had already crossed a line. And now he'd crossed all the lines, sending out a slew of hexes at uninvolved students and innocent bystander. Chloe herself was hit on her non-wand arm, and it immediately began to swell and sting, a raging red welt rising where her sleeve had been split. It hurt like the devil, but Chloe was more interested in getting to Sylvie, especially now that Professor Davis was on the scene.

He could take care of Ainsworth, right? Chloe scrabbled along the floor to where Sylvie was laying. "Sylvie. Can you hear me? Just be calm, and we'll put some ice on it for now. It'll help numb the pain." She ripped her dangling sleeve loose and cast a Glacius to it before pressing it gently against the reddest welts.