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Waddles · #1 (**permalink**) 08-27-2021, 01:10 AM

Just past the paddocks where class is held sits a small cottage. Well…you might call it a cottage. Professor Paszek calls it her tiny home. And it does look rather tiny, from the outside. Just a little stone building, with steps and a fire pit out front with a few chairs and benches scattered around.

Inside though--if you’re invited--it’s much more spacious, leaving Professor Paszek plenty of space to set up an office to meet with students when the weather permits. A small couch, a pair of armchairs, and the professor’s two fat, fluffy diricawls call this space their home. Professor Paszek isn’t one for decor, so there’s a clock on the wall, and some purple curtains, but not much else.

If it’s raining or snowing, you’ll likely be invited in. Otherwise, expect a nice fireside chat out front, regardless of the temperature.

sweetpinkpixie · 10-18-2021, 06:28 AM

Huffing, puffing, and unable to blow any cottages down...Atlas sprinted his way from the bank of the lake to the professor's place of residence. Timing his slow poorly, the Gryffindor was unable to completely stop his momentum and kind of haphazardly body slammed into the door. Thankfully not on the side where he had pocketed the phial or else, well, the whole point of coming up here would be somewhat for not seeing as the phial would have likely broken and then the water from the lake would have caused the writing on the parchment he had taken diligent notes to become illegible.

"Professor! PROFESSOR! It's UREGENT! Urgent news from the lake!"

Knock knock knock knock KNOCK.

Waddles · 10-18-2021, 12:28 PM

What in Merlin's name...?

There was an alarming noise at the door that would have been enough to rouse her from where she sat reading, but the subsequent knocking and shouting brought her running across the short span of cottage to the door. Which she abruptly opened, to find a Gryffindor.

"What’s so urgent, Mr. Flamsteed?" Mia asked with a frown. Clearly something, so she stepped through the door, pulling it closed behind her. "Remember to breathe."

sweetpinkpixie · 10-19-2021, 01:35 PM

Atlas for the briefest of moments considered a profession in percussion, but then the door swung open and the Gryffindor nearly stumbled a few steps forward. Thankfully he did not and instead swung in place and quickly straightened.

"Bar---Barth----Bartholo," he stammered, wheezing a couple of breaths. He HAD just sprinted up from the lake and he was not the most athletic of individuals. "Bartholomew Henry. He...wait a moment, please," he continued while looking down into his pocket so he could get the piece of parchment out to read the message from the giant squid verbatim. "He apologies for not being a descendent of Godric Gryffindor who has the animagus form of a giant squid...AND...the ecosystem in the lake is dying...like over HALF of the plants are dead. Soon there will be merpeople and grindylows washing up on the banks because life in beneath the water is so terrible and toxic. Probably going to put the Slytherins in danger too, considering their common room is under water."

Okay...so maybe not...verbatim verbatim.

But he had delivered the message in essence and therefore his notes returned to his pocket.

"The others are going to get other professors and tell them too. We were asked to since Bartholomew Henry couldn't on his own."

Waddles · 10-20-2021, 02:53 AM

This was a lot of information.

Mia looked intently at the Gryffindor, half a sentence behind him in processing everything. She wasn't even going to attempt to ask questions until he was obviously done. Referring to the giant squid by name threw her, but she eventually got it. She supposed that Kinsay James would be reassured that the giant squid was indeed alive and well. Wait. Not well. In danger? "Half the plants in the lake are dead?" she repeated when he'd finished talking. "Did...Bartholomew Henry say why?" Or when it had started? Ecosystems were delicate, but they didn't just collapse for no reason.

"So you need me to go talk to the squid?" Talk to the squid. This school was weird. That was why he'd come to her, though, presumably. She was certainly not the best person to investigate why plants were dying, unless there was some magical creature eating them. Underwater pests? Some underwater relative of the bundimun? She'd need to consult with Flamsteed. ...Professor Flamsteed.

sweetpinkpixie · 10-21-2021, 01:37 PM

Half. Some. The exact estimate had not been made clear but Atlas felt that that got the urgency across and that was the whole point of him coming this way to begin with. Though he did pause to look down and recheck what all he had had written down in case he had missed something else that could use some embellishments. "He didn't BUT I asked him to take some water samples so we could analyze them back at the castle. I learned some magical forensics last term," he explained while fishing the phial out of his pocket and presenting it to the professor. "We've got a couple samples from varying depths."

And no, that was not a royal we.

"I don't think so...I mean unless you want to because it isn't every day that you get to talk to a giant squid that is also a Hogwarts relic. He wanted to pass his warning off to whoever would listen...and then we branched off to contact professor."

Waddles · 10-23-2021, 03:32 AM

If half the plants in the lake were dying, water samples could be useful. She accepted the vials, quickly tucking them into her shirt pocket for safekeeping. The good thing about flannel was it always ensured a few extra pockets. "Good thinking," she said, honestly impressed at the idea. She doubted she would have thought to get that sort of evidence at his age. "I'll have Professor Hernandez, or Professor Flamsteed, take a look."

And maybe she needed to study up on freshwater ecology herself. It was certainly not an area she'd focused much on before. Even if, as it turned out, she wouldn't need to speak with the squid herself. ~~Maybe some other time.~~

"Well, we'll take the warning seriously," she assured Atlas. "Is there anything else? Seems like I'll be needing to get up to the castle to investigate these samples." And confer with the headmaster and other professors, especially those who had perhaps been here longer, and grown more familiar with the grounds. Oh, like Kazmi. "Which professors have you contacted already?" Not that she wouldn't share anyway, but it was good to know who knew what.

sweetpinkpixie · 10-23-2021, 10:16 AM

It wasn't that he didn't trust professors with delicate phials. In fact, truth be told, this was probably the safer option than he keeping them in his pockets considering his aversion to proper balance and dad's refusal to charm his pockets like the man did his own suits. But there was still something a little unnerving about handing over evidence to someone else. "Please be careful with that," Atlas found himself saying. "The phial." Though there were multiple samples collected and therefore multiple opportunities to examine.

...anyway...

"He'll appreciate that." Bartholomew Henry, that is. "Uuuh...I think someone was going to my aun---Professor Flamsteed. And probably also Professor Kazmi. I'm not sure exactly since I bolted first and giant squids are your territory."

And he also did not quite feel like going to his aunt about trouble.

Waddles · 10-26-2021, 02:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

It wasn't that he didn't trust professors with delicate phials. In fact, truth be told, this was probably the safer option than he keeping them in his pockets considering his aversion to proper balance and dad's refusal to charm his pockets like the man did his own suits. But there was still something a little unnerving about handing over evidence to someone else. "Please be careful with that," Atlas found himself saying. "The phial." Though there were multiple samples collected and therefore multiple opportunities to examine.

...anyway...

"He'll appreciate that." Bartholomew Henry, that is. "Uuuh...I think someone was going to my aun---Professor Flamsteed. And probably also Professor Kazmi. I'm not sure exactly since I bolted first and giant squids are your territory."

And he also did not quite feel like going to his aunt about trouble.

"The phial will be perfectly safe with me," Mia assured him. Especially in her flannel pocket. It was less likely to have a hole than, say, a coat pocket or in her jeans. Also more likely to be clean.

How interesting that Flamsteed came to her and not his aunt. Maybe they weren't close? She supposed she could ask. But it wasn't really her business.

"Very well, I'll make sure to get information from them as well." She was...it was weird to think that the giant squid fell under her care. Maybe she should go speak with him. Hmm...maybe once they had some answers. She turned briefly to lock up her cottage, then briskly walked away from it, assuming the young Flamsteed would least bug off from her cottage. It wasn't interesting when she wasn't there.

"Thank you for your help, Mr. Flamsteed" she said, planning to go up to the castle. The phial, at least, needed to be analyzed, and she was curious what the other students had told Professors Kazmi and Flamsteed. Likely mostly the same, but different children tended to hold onto different details. Maybe...hmm. She debated sending patroni to coordinate with the other professors, but....well, they'd probably make their way to the castle eventually. And her patronus was embarrassing.

sweetpinkpixie · 10-28-2021, 01:18 PM

Atlas simply nodded to that. There was little more he could say to that anyway and, when he paused to think about it, Professor Paszek had given him no reason not to trust her word.

"Oh, uh, this might help with that," he said while passing her the piece of paper that he had written down word-for-word what the Giant Squid had said. Which would somewhat expose some of his well-intended embellishments but, to be fair if it wasn't true NOW it would be soon enough with the tone Bartholomew Henry had taken with them all. Only problem being was that Atlas' handwriting was true Flamsteed handwriting in that it was essentially chicken scratch.

Was this his cue to leave? This was probably his cue to leave.

"Okay." And a pause. "If there is going to be a mission into the lake to investigate...can I go? I'll practice my Bubblehead Charm. I promise I'm better at it now." Not that the professor would know this, but it was true. He could actually manifest a bubble that lasted more than five minutes now.

Waddles · 10-30-2021, 03:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greatpumpkinpatch

Atlas simply nodded to that. There was little more he could say to that anyway and, when he paused to think about it, Professor Paszek had given him no reason not to trust her word.

"Oh, uh, this might help with that," he said while passing her the piece of paper that he had written down word-for-word what the Giant Squid had said. Which would somewhat expose some of his well-intended embellishments but, to be fair if it wasn't true NOW it would be soon enough with the tone Bartholomew Henry had taken with them all. Only problem being was that Atlas' handwriting was true Flamsteed handwriting in that it was essentially chicken scratch.

Was this his cue to leave? This was probably his cue to leave.

"Okay." And a pause. "If there is going to be a mission into the lake to investigate...can I go? I'll practice my Bubblehead Charm. I promise I'm better at it now." Not that the professor would know this, but it was true. He could actually manifest a bubble that lasted more than five minutes now.

He really had nothing to worry about. She'd carried more fragile things than vials of water without breaking them.

She took the paper, frowning at it. Hmmm...maybe one of the professors who'd had more years to become acquainted with Flamsteed's handwriting in homeworks could decipher it. Or maybe in better light. "Thank you," she said briefly. "If we... go into the lake... ah, you'll be considered." That seemed like an appropriate answer. Non-committal, but not no. "Good day." And with that, she headed off to the castle.

sweetpinkpixie · 10-30-2021, 10:43 AM

Probably his aunt. One Flamsteed could read another Flamsteed's handwriting pretty easily.

Atlas knew those words were adult code for 'no'. It was also easier to have no or low expectations and then be pleasantly surprised later. At the very least he reckoned anyone under sixth year or whatever would be deemed to young and inexperienced to go on an investigation. It was the practical and responsible thing, he supposed. Especially with the Board members lurking around sometimes.

"Okay," he nodded with a thick swallow as Professor Paszek dismissed herself. That, er, meant he was dismissed too, right?

Upon chewing on the inside of his cheek a bit, Atlas glanced out at the lake for a moment and considering initiating his OWN investigation. He was sure he could get Aries and Remy and Quinn at least to join him. Probably Lisa too. Hmm. Pondering the possibilities, he decided to head over to the barns and spend some time with Araneus.

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