Meet and Greet OPEN

Scarlet had not planned on stopping by the meet and greet type event that she heard was going on for the new professors, she figured she was going to see most of them in class anyway, she would probably have something else to do by then. The time quickly approached when said meeting was supposed to be happening and Scarlet found herself with nothing to do, and she would be lying if she said she wasn't now a little curious to meet them. She had heard that one of them was from France and another from America, and with the third being English, they were a pretty diverse group, she guessed that was just a trend amongst professors here.

She headed out of the doors that led into the courtyard, she was instantly hit with the smell of fresh pastry and chocolate, general sweet treats, she also picked up on fruit and some sort of greens, 'some choice at least,' she thought. The courtyard had been transformed for the event, with the plates of baked goods atop white clothes laid neatly over the stone walls, although she kind of missed the natural overgrown look this hid, she thought it made the place feel more alive.

Scanning the faces already gathered there, she only recognised Nicholas, from the game of truth or dare during the summer, the other students, and of course the professors, were new to her. Most students were huddled in the area where the two professors were stood down she was about to walk over and join them when something else caught her attention. Hoisting some kind branch covered in hanging fish over his shoulder, another professor made his presence known to the courtyard. What was that he said, he had a strong northern accent but she definitely caught something about the fish he was holding and them being gutted, ’gutted?!’ she repeated in her head, now that was something unique to bring to a meet and greet.

She planned on introducing herself to all the teachers, she was keen on seeing what the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher was like, with that having been her favourite subject last year, but for now she wanted to see what all the fish were about.

Despite the announcement to the group, the professor did not strike Scarlet as being the most welcoming, he kept to the side, leaning against one of the walls of the courtyard, even his eyes said ‘stay away.’ Unfortunately for him, this only made him more interesting to Scarlet, why come to a meet and greet if you don’t want to meet and greet,’ she thought, nevertheless she was going to make an effort. ”Did you catch them yourself?,” Scarlet asked as she came to a halt in front of the professor, ”at the black lake?” she added, considering the ease of fishing their, she imagined some kind of creature trying to pull you in using the line. She took a closer look at the fish, they were indeed gutted, confirming what she thought she had heard, she wasn’t exactly up the biggest fan of fish, and seeing them like this didn’t make them any more appetising.

Interacting with @Halford Booth
Mentions @Nicholas McCowan, @Orion Lécuyer & @Tuesday Jeremiah Irons

Banner by Winnie Harper

Interacting with: @Halford Booth & @Scarlet Salvatore
Mentioning: The new professors

It would not entirely be the truth if Akari had said that this 'meet and greet' with the three new professors hadn't piqued her interest ever so slightly. Though to be honest, maybe not solely for the reason of getting to know them, since she could really do that perfectly fine in class. Her idea, while unlikely to succeed, was that if a moment presented itself, perhaps she could use it as a way to subtly suggest and somehow get across to at least one of them before they were set in their teaching ways, that it would just be beneficial for every party involved if they toned down the amount of future homework. Better yet, maybe not give any at all. So how could she pass up the chance of such an outcome? Especially if it would give her a couple more hours of sleep?
So, Akari straightened out her robes, and made her way over to the courtyard.

Once arriving she was actually a little surprised to see how many others had decided to show up as well. She briefly wondered if any others were there due to hopes similar to her own, but was quickly distracted by the lovely assortment of different snacks that were displayed. Well, that settles it, those professors whoever they were, were already in her good books.
Though she was quite tempted to snag a small something, she didn't want to appear greedy as she hadn't even introduced herself yet, and after witnessing the small crowd of people all attempting to get the attention of the teachers she figured it was best not to overwhelm them too much.
Nearly about to turn away and abandon all hopes of a somewhat homework-less world, another professor, notably baring fish, arrived and joined the festivities, and lucky for her wasn't yet being bombarded with questions. So not all was lost after all!

Akari meandered as casually as possible over to him, though another girl, someone who she actually remembered from briefly crossing paths with at the maze event in summer camp, beat her to him. Nevertheless a warm smile appeared on Akari's face as she stopped next to the both of them. Yes yes, she may have ulterior motives, but she was still going to be pleasant. She then waited for the other girl to finish her question before she chimed in. "Also if I may, which professor might you be?"

Interacting with: @Tuesday Jeremiah Irons, @Nicholas McCowan and @Leonard Oaksworth
Mentioning: @Halford Booth, @Akari Kato, @Orion Lécuyer, @Hjørdis Jensen and @Aurora Ranvier

Although the professors at Hogwarts seemed to be in never-ending rotation, Tina was quite surprised to hear of the three most recent leavers, and admittedly (though it was embarrassing to think as much) a little disappointed.

If she was remembering correctly, Professor Pendrast, MacTavish and Kibitzer had been at the school since she was first sorted into Hufflepuff. Professor Pendrast was cold and a little intimidating, but her lessons were fun despite Tina finding them a massive struggle (her handy spell work seemed to vanish the moment magical creatures came into play). Professor Kibitzer was, like most Divination professors, a bit creepy, and therefore better admired from afar with mystified curiosity, but Tina was sure she would miss the woman's ghostly presence around the school halls. Finally, there was Professor MacTavish. The man's name was literally Boniface, which definitely suited him, considering he was probably the fittest man Tina had ever seen. His lessons were also the best, for her grades and thus her ego, but also for making learning about plants actually kind of fun, an area where non-magical schools simply couldn't compete.

Because of this, Martyna wasn't entirely convinced that the new professors would be able to fill the hole left behind by the departing witches and wizards, and her expectations were kept under wraps. Whilst it was already getting very busy at Hogwarts, it was only the third day back, and so she had yet to meet any of them. Fortunately, she wouldn't have to wait long for an almost suspiciously convenient opportunity to arise. As Tina made her way through the Courtyard, reminding herself of the, frankly, discombobulating layout of Hogwarts, her attention was drawn to a small gathering of students and some adults, including Professor Jensen, the head of Starlee's house. Not one to be dissuaded by large crowds of people, she was about to head over when an peculiar aroma settled around her nostrils.

Fish.

Not the carefully seasoned, generously battered kind, served with chunky chips, a side of lemon and tartar sauce, but fresh, piercing and sort of grim. Tina screwed up her face further upon noticing the rather gruesome sight and source of the odour - a gutted fish dangling limply from a fishing rod, propped against a table.

"Best come an' get your fish before they spoil! Even gut'ed em' for the lo' 'o yer."

The thick Yorkshire accent belonged to a cheerful-looking bearded man, who Tina had never seen around before. In a brief moment of terror, she wondered whether he was a rare guest, on that would be hosting some sort of mandatory fishing lesson, an activity which could never bode well with someone as squeamish as Martyna. All her questions were answered only a moment later, however, upon the innocent inquiry of Akari Kato - a Gryffindor girl in her year - who asked, "Which professor might you be?"

So he was one of the new professors... Tina sized him up and down from a safe distance, no longer keen to approach if it meant getting close to the mutilated fish, and placed her assumptions. On appearances alone, she would have guessed Herbology - people that fished liked the outdoors, and so did people that liked plants. Plus, he had a beard. She let her gaze wander a second time to the men Professor Jensen was engaged with. Both were handsome, and offering food to the kids; one had for some reason elected to bring salad - who the hell liked salad unironically? - and the other was sharing out a spread of delicious French pastries. At once, the cogs clicked into place inside her brain: they must be the other professors.

And just like that, stopping for a conversation in exchange for food seemed like a rather valuable activity to spend her time doing. Trying to look like she wasn't at all put-off (or angered) by the verbosity and delicately composed speech of some of her peers (returning from Lancaster to Hogwarts for Summer Camp was a culture shock all over again) Tina slinked over, all the while keeping her distance from Professor Booth and his fish. She stuck her arm through the slowly forming crowd to grab a croissant from Professor Lécuyer's table without much regard for anyone else's personal space. She'd already decided there was little use in being polite to most magical folks, especially purebloods, a thought which made her purse her lips in contempt. They were all the same.

Close by was a chatty, rainbow-haired girl rambling to Lécuyer about DADA spells - He must be replacing Pendrast, Tina thought - who she picked up a strange, sort of unsettling vibe from. Ordinarily, the badger might have taken this as her signal to create some distance between them, but with the combination of colourful locks and an inability to stop talking, Tina reckoned that this was probably a good sign. She took a bite of her croissant, focusing with some amusement on the American accent of Professor Irons, who was being chatted to by another second year Gryffindor, and a Slytherin boy in the year above.

"I love the shirt, sir. ...And thank you for the food."

"Mmmfh! Yeah, thank you for the food, pastry man!" Tina interjected, sidling up beside Nicholas and Leonard and looking pointedly at the two boxes in Professor Irons' hands, which each contained a mixture of greens and caramelised nuts. "Uh, professor, I mean. Croissant professor." she added quickly, casting a wary glance in Jensen's direction, before returning to Irons. "Are you Divination or Herbology, then?"

She took another bite of her croissant, sneaking a glimpse at the other boys as she did so. Leonard had produced some baked goods of his own, perhaps as a gift to the new teachers, and Nicholas looked as meek as Tina had felt on the inside, that first day back. Sometimes faux confidence was the only way.

It was another magical morning at Hogwarts, one unlike any other the common Hufflepuff was used to. It had been morning, and without any second thought Winter sprung out of bed and threw on her hoodie, off to go visit her favorite tree in her favorite part of this school, the courtyard. She had been well aware of this meet and greet, the coming of the, now well known new professors. Days before this one the names could be heard from all around the castle, the excitement of students flowing through the air, rumors and questions spreading like wildfire, it was the latest news. By now everyone within the schools walls, each of all age and size would know of the teachers and their profession.

Upon her arrival, the smell of fresh chocolate along with other sugar filled pastries caught her senses. Winters eyes widened at the sight of all the food in which was put on display, for students to take as they pleased. For a meet and greet winter and probably any other could agree, this was an all out set up. The red eyes of this white haired wonder wandered, scanning the crowd to target the first professor she could spot. Within a few moments of walking forward, she had finally caught the look of them, all three professors, answering questions and greeting their soon to be students. Winter spotted professor Irons, Herbology, one of the classes she had been looking forward to most this year, well aside from D.A.D.A and potions.

Winter grazed around, observing the students who were cooing over the new comers, perhaps in attempt to make a good impression? After all it had seemed like the smart thing to do. She would soon enough make her way over to one of the professors, one who had been carrying- fish? As he spoke, ones in which were, yep gutted. Winter joined the conversation between two students, one from Gryffindor and another from Slytherin both whom she hadn't known and the professor of divination, Professor Booth. Winter sent a nod towards the fellow student, as a way of saying hi there. "U-uhm hello professor I am Winter, Winter Wolfhartz.." she spoke so he could hear over the voices of others around them, a slight smile forming on her face. "Welcome to hogwarts sir" she added right after, the girls beside her speaking to him as well.

The fish were an odd thing to bring, especially seeing that they were indeed raw. The thoughts flowed through her mind, what could he have brought them for- sushi? The word sushi popped into her head, noooo just fish. Either way it was seafood, one of winters personal favorite types of food, finally someone who knows what good food is! "Ahh yes a very nice catch if I do say so myself!" she added in response after the question escaped a fellow students mouth. "I love fish, seafood is honestly the best!" she exclaimed, knowing probably not everyone thought the same.

Sure at first winter was just going to sit by her tree as she had done every other day, but this event, this meet and greet was so much more interesting!
Wc: 534

Rion ran his hands over his fitted navy suit as he waited for the children to arrive. The first to show up seemed to be a young girl (Aurora), perhaps no older than the age of twelve, which would explain why she had chosen to turn her hair into a bright array of colours that resembled a rainbow. Or, at least, what a 12-year-old girl thought a rainbow should look like. He simply blinked over at the girl at the call of his title. Yes, Professor, he kept forgetting. "Hello." He greeted the child, his voice smooth and flowing, accented lightly in part thanks to his time spent in England. "Of course, I am more than happy to answer any questions that you might have. May I ask your name first?" It seemed she would rather get straight to the point, however, as she was quickly explained to him that some of her questions he might find a bit dark. He did, however, take note that she was wearing the symbol of Ravenclaw on her robes. Ah, the house with the thirst for knowledge. That would explain why she would suddenly begin to question him. He quirked a brow at her with this claim. The girl seemed to have an interest in the dark arts. Quite interesting. He would have to keep an... eye on this one. Perhaps she could provide answers. Ah, but now was not the time to fret about it.

“I am the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, petit oiseau little bird, if you have concerns about the dark arts, I would hope to be the one you approach first.” Ah yes, a diary. An item so often treasured during one’s youth. No doubt a young girl such as herself would wish to write her innermost thoughts in one, but to jinx anyone who dared to touch it? An interesting question indeed. A concerning question, even. Why would such a young girl desire to hurt anyone? "You could use a simple sealant charm to keep anyone but yourself from opening the book. I do not teach such a spell in my class, nor would I suggest a spell that might possibly harm any spies." At this point, he would shoot a pointed look towards Mardi (Tuesday) for suggesting such a spell. Rion would reach forward to pat his hand against the young girl’s shoulder when she began to stutter. It reminded him of his youngest brother, Leonardo, and his nervous habits. After their father had passed, Rion had stepped up to take on the rule of a secondary parental figure. It would come in handy while dealing with the students of Hogwarts. It seemed they had a lot of unspoken trauma. "Ranvier, is that your name? You may ask me anything you would like. And of course, you can take an eclair."

It was then that a mini-Mardi (Nicholas) walk into the courtyard. Rion couldn’t stop his lips from quirking into a half-smile at the sight of him. He was tempted to ask his friend if he was certain he didn’t have any children, but behaved himself for the sake of appearing professional. "Monsieur* McCowan, it is nice to meet you. My name is Professor Lécuyer, and I will be your Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher this semester." He had to swallow another snicker when the boy mentioned the shirt. Oh dear, it seemed he had Mardi’s lack of style as well. Still, he was polite and Rion had seen him eyeing the sweets earlier, so he got bonus points for that. "You are very welcome. Please feel free to take any of the sweets and enjoy yourself. If you have any questions for me, do not be afraid to ask them."

At this point, another girl (Violet) would arrive and start eyeing the large spread of sweets that Rion had provided for the students. She was also quick to introduce herself and had happened to use a French word, so he would first attempt to greet her in French, "Bonjour, Mademoiselle Carrington, parlez-vous français? Hello, Miss Carrington, do you speak French?" Whether or not she responded to him in French, he would continue in English for the sake of their company, "Please feel free to take whatever you would like to eat. I’m more than happy to answer any questions you have for me." The glare directed at the Gryffindor boy would not go unnoticed and would cause the French man to raise a brow. Ah yes, young rivalry. He remembered what that was like. Misshapen feelings and how easily they could turn into thoughts of affection.

A student wearing Hufflepuff robes (Annie) would then greet the professors. Rion had seen her moments earlier, her fingers grasping through the air to try and find their home on the smooth stone surface of the bench on which she was seated. "It is nice to meet you regardless of titles, Mademoiselle* Morgan." He would exchange an amused look with Mardi at the girl’s next question. Luckily for her, Halford had yet to arrive. Though Rion had no doubt that his colleague would not care about the girl’s class preference. "I am the professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts, Mademoiselle* Morgan. You may call me Professor Lecuyer or simply Professor Rion if it is easier for you." It impressed him when the girl mentioned she was planning on applying to become a healer. Knowing one’s desired path at such a young age would take her far. "I would be more than happy to assist you in furthering your knowledge so you can pass the N.E.W.T.s with ‘O’s." He could still remember the nauseating excitement from his days at school. He had needed at least five ‘O’s or ‘E’s on his N.E.W.T.s so he could apply to the Auror department.

Another Slytherin (Liana) approached the group of professors, this time a redhead. It seemed that half of all magical children who attended Hogwarts were redheads. Rion wondered if they all had a common ancestor. The French man saw a difference in this girl, namely that she elected not to interrupt the professor’s current conversation with Miss Morgan, and would wait for an opportunity to speak. The quiet mannerisms and etiquette seemed to often result from a child that had been tutored or taught at home. One that came from money that had been bred to blend into pureblooded society. When the young girl finally approached the professor, he would offer her a small smile. "Hello, Mademoiselle* Kerr. I’m happy to see a first-year student attend the meet and greet." He was starting to wonder if perhaps the setup still appeared to be too intimidating. He could remember how shy he was in his youth.

"Ah, it is a tricky name, I’m afraid, but you are doing just fine. LA-cue-yerr. You can call me Professor Rion if it is easier for you. I do not mind. I do not mind you using the classroom to practice your spell casting, Mademoiselle* Kerr. With that being said, I would like to be there to supervise you, especially during your first attempt." He could understand feeling like adults did not take you seriously. He had been a child once. A child interested in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Still, he didn’t know the girl well enough yet to know if she was responsible enough to use the room on her own. "If you are interested, I do have time in my schedule for tutoring. Usually, I would suggest this to students who are struggling, but I do not mind offering to meet with students who have taken a personal interest in Defence Against the Dark Arts."

Pleasant company would soon arrive in the form of Hjørdis Jensen, a woman who he had quickly discovered he had quite a bit in common. Namely, the desire to bake and feed the children in the house they had placed Orion in, Slytherin. It did help that Miss Jensen was also quite nice to look at, not that Rion would admit as much aloud. It would be unprofessional considering their positions and entirely unnecessary. He would, however, offer the woman an enormous grin as she made her presence known. The scar on the left side of his face would become indented, resembling a dimple almost. "Nonsense, Professor Jensen, I always welcome a warm treat, especially from someone as talented as yourself." After the pie box was placed within his hands, he would shift it to rest against his open palm, his newly free hand reaching down to open the box. "Ah, apple pie. I almost baked one myself, funnily enough. Once again, I am reminded that we will make a wonderful team, Professor Jensen. I offer you my thanks and also insist that Mardi try a piece." His sapphire hue eyes would flicker over to his American friend, a tiny smirk pulling at his lips. He would turn to place the pie box on one of the tables behind him.

A young teenaged boy (Leonard) with seemingly perfectly coiffed hair would make his presence known and, bless him, he was carrying two boxes and a steamer, the type that could only contain a number of delicious pastries. Despite the size of his own elaborate spread, Rion had never been the type to turn down a pastry. His sweet tooth was well known within his family circle. When the boy’s sheepish smile turning into an expression of panic, Orion had to remind himself that he was not the only one experiencing a drought of confidence during his general meet and greet.

"Monsieur* Oaksworth, it is nice to meet you. I agree change can be difficult at times. That is why some people avoid it, but I have never been bothered by it." He offered the boy a reassuring nod. His dark blue eyes would follow those boxes, which were now safely placed next to a plate of macaroons. "Oaksworth Bakery?" This child’s family owned a bakery? Oh yes, they were going to get along just fine. "I will keep the location in mind. I always like to visit local bakeries during my travels."

"Ah, unfortunately, it would seem that Hal is running a bit late--." As if the fates themselves had heard him, Halford enter onto the scene carrying... A stick? The French man’s brows would raise as he watched the man stride in and slam the rod down onto the table next to his plate of eclairs, oh my. "Ah, here he is now, and I see he has brought us all a present. Hello, Halford! What a wonderful traditional dish you have brought for our students today. How thoughtful of you." Yes, Rion sincerely believed that there was no ill intent from the Yorkshire man’s offering. When the man glanced over at him, he would simply offer him a wink. Would he be eating the fish? Most certainly not. Still, it seemed that a few of the students (Scarlet, Winter, and Akari), had a taste for the raw meat because they were gushing over the professor’s choice or the fact that he dared show up with such an offering. Who knew? "Hal, I would like to introduce you to Leonard Oaksworth. He was just expressing interest in your subject before you joined us." He placed a hand on the Slytherin’s back and gently guided him towards the Divination professor.

A young Hufflepuff (Martyna) would approach the Herbology and Defence Against the Dark Arts professors. She was carrying one of his pastries, so clearly she had taste. It was then that she would call him croissant professor. While some might be upset at the lack of formalities, Rion simply chuckled in amusement. He had never really thought about becoming a professor until this past year, so formalities would be difficult for the man to grow used to, anyway. With that being said, he did feel the need to correct her and at least offer the girl his real name. "My name is Professor Lécuyer. I am glad you are enjoying the croissants. Please feel free to eat whatever you would like. May I ask your name?"

General Translations:
* Monsieur = Mister
* Mademoiselle = Miss

Her hair is rainbow

Mentioning @Violet Carrington

Interacting with @Orion Lécuyer @Tuesday Jeremiah Irons @Nicholas McCowan @Halford Booth @Hjørdis Jensen

Too much excitement sometimes won’t do anyone any good. One of the disadvantages was forgetting to introduce yourself for instance. How rude of her. “Oh, my bad. Sorry.” Good thing someone with a Georgian accent (Tuesday) announced Aurora’s last name on her behalf. “Yes, it is my name. Aurora Ranvier, a second year Ravenclaw.” He was kind enough to explain her ‘fresh meat interrogation’ questions about the hexes and jinxes that she planned for the future diary thief.

After the darkness, comes the sunshine. The voice of none other the Nicki Minaj McNuggets. If only she didn’t run away from the spin the bottle game, maybe she would have a really terrible interaction with the boy and the muddy kiss on the cheek would never have happened. Why did she do that in the first place? Sure, to confirm her possible feelings, but that just intensified what was already there. Her gaze glued to the boy that seemed to love flannel a little too much. The urge to greet him and ask how he was doing these past few days were unbearable, though he didn’t seem to want to do the same towards the human unicorn. A pang of guilt for everything she did and said to him hurt her feelings more than she could imagine. That combined with the pain of not being acknowledged by the person she possibly liked was no joke. Even a piece of flannel on the other professor’s body worked its charm on Nicholas, should I wear a flannel next time?

Then another familiar face came to the scene. It was quite unexpected, the one that had seen her in the most vulnerable way ignored her just like him (Violet). Three people in total had left her broken and scarred, how could they be so evil? Aurora held back the tears that threatened to fall in front of so many people that kept coming and coming. Stop coming to the courtyard! Everyone would notice the prolonged gaze with a sprinkle of sadness that she put on Nicholas, until what sounded like an American Man finished his answer towards her diary question. “Oh, yes, I know that spell. Tarantallegra, is it?” Her hand itched to grab her wand and make the Gryffindor and her supposed to be toilet friend frantically dance like a tarantula. But being surrounded by so many professors, might end her up in another detention. As much as the girl enjoyed the previous punishment, she decided to behave, at least for the next ten minutes or so. Her focus turned back to the Professor named Rion or something. “Well, as I said before, it is very personal. Is it okay if I stay here for a while until the others are gone?” Chaotic as she always has been, Aurora did not intend to let everyone hear her sappy story and why she desperately wanted to speak with the dead and possibly bring one back. Anyone who knew her must have seen her determination. Once she was set on doing something, no matter how tall the wall that needed to be climbed, she would do it. “I don’t really want anyone to hear it.”

The rest of the interaction, she remained silent and indulged herself in the delicious eclairs. Somehow she couldn’t see the man as a defense against the dark arts professor. He was more fitting to be the CEO of honeydukes than whatever his occupation was. Then professor Jensen arrived, followed by another new guy. So many new Professors in Hogwarts, the girl couldn’t keep up with any of them. And instead, her mind couldn’t stop thinking on how to do a proper apology for Nicholas as she took sneaky glances at him from time to time. But there was something rather curious about the whole interaction. Particularly with one of the adults.

The flannel guy (Tuesday), suspicious. First, how did he know about my name when she did not even say it in the first place? Second, moustache. Third, too much flannel. What was his name again? Don’t care and it doesn't matter. Defensive by nature, she abruptly positioned herself in front of the questionable style boy to protect him from the alleged impostor, just in case something bad ought to happen. “Professor sir plaidy moustache, how do you know my name? Do you work for the FBI? CPS?” Not her fault she mixed two different things just because they have the same letter as their organisation anagram. “I meant the CIA.” Her mind went back to her conversation with the Rotten Macaroni or the Koldovstoretz guy who seemed to have a feeling towards her frenemy. The word spy started to linger, leaving a bad aftertaste in her tongue. She knew one of the heads of the houses was one of them, plus, a fugitive. And yet, not a lot of people were talking about it. Did the students know about that? Or was it just a fake to tarnish the name of Hjørdis Jensen, the mother of the snakes? “Are you a spy? Do you work with professor Jensen? My cousin from Russia said she is a Swedish spy!” In her defense, Aurora did not mean to say it out loud, especially in front of so many people. There might be first years there as well, and she just fed them a spoonful of fears. Though that may be a good move, since they will experience lots of scarier things anyway. “Oh my, I just said it. I am so sorry for blowing up your cover but is that true Professor spy?” Then she turned to face the DADA (Orion) and the other new professor that talked in a thick accent she couldn’t understand (Hal). “What about Professor Honeydukes and Gibberish right here?” Her main accomplishment there was to protect the guy that didn’t even care of her presence. The same person who pushed her into a pile of mud, yet, she would be lying if she said she doesn’t care about his safety. Truthfully, it was more important than her own. Aurora looked over her shoulder and whispered ever so loudly, making sure Nicholas did not put any food inside his mouth.“Don’t eat it, it's poisonous!”

Sta - 5 | Eva - 8 | Str - 5 Wis - 8 | Arc - 4 | Acc - 10 Terrible Presence Evasive Maneuvers

Outfit Reducio School Robe

Interacting: -

Actions: Observing the crowd for some time, before leaving.

English | Mandarin | French | Quotes

Hui Ming had come over, not so much to interact with the professors himself as to watch them. It would perhaps tell him a lot more about the teachers if he were to be able to watch them ‘in the wild’, dealing with the students and each other in an environment that was not the stringent classroom setting.

What were they like? Dutiful? Curious? Caring? Selfish? Oblivious? Downright Dangerous for the student body? He had already met professors in this school who he could safely place into those categories; and if he were to survive seven years of idiots running around with a combination of a flamethrower and a bomb in their pockets, it would do him some good to know which professors he could rely on and which ones to avoid as much as possible.

A part of him wanted to go and bring up his concerns immediately. But then how would they react to such a thing? This was a meet and greet, after all, and not their office hours. Would they blow off his concerns with a “just go to the adults when needed” or a “this is required”, like some of the other professors already had? Surely, not every adult in this world could be so preoccupied in their own little worlds?

Surely. Surely, there was at least one adult here he could rely on in this insane madhub of a school?

It was with that intention that the Chinese boy had showed up to the meet and greet. He had expected there to be a couple of people, a select handful. After all, who else in their right mind would want to spend time with the professors? It was the nerdy, possibly polite thing to do. And if he knew one thing about the Hogwarts populace, they were not giants in politeness or intellectual curiosity.

As such, when confronted with what could only be described as a gaggle of bodies, the Chinese boy was caught unprepared. Not only were entirely too many students present, most of whom were upper years, but he actually recognized several of the faces here. Professor Jensen, his intimidating Head of House was here, for what reason only the heavens know. He also recognized Miss Ranvier, who had been pointed out to him as the odd girl who tended to flavor her chocolate with blood. While Ming was not as averse to contact with the upper year as he was with his Head of House, it did not particularly enthuse him to join in with the crowd.

It would not be unfair to say that being around so many people made him feel uncomfortable. He could practically feel their eyes on him. His hairs stood up and he stood a little straighter by instinct, even as intellectually he knew that they had better things to do than scrutinizing his every action in search of flaws.

This was not a good idea.

He did not know what he was thinking when he originally came. Of course there would be people here, and many of them were pushing their own agenda or trying to get a read of the professors themselves.

Perhaps it would make more sense to try and catch the Professors alone in their office hours. It would mean more scrutiny on him, and he would need to be more careful in what he said. At the same time, it would perhaps allow him to circumvent having to deal with this crowd.

Yes. Yes, that made sense. Ming would approach the professors later, on his own time. Without Professor Jensen around to complicate it all.

Hui Ming has left the thread

Tuesday deliberately ignored the fact that Orion was shooting daggers in his direction. Yes, he understood that he probably shouldn't have recommended a spell, but the premise the Ravenclaw set forth was much too intriguing to not put in his two cents. Unfortunately, however, he had quickly lost track of the conversation as more children seemed to pile into the courtyard. It was rather impressive how the children could all flood a single area in such a short amount of time. Did they have some sort of weird time synchronization? Did they all look at a watch simultaneously and all collectively decide that they wanted to meet the new professors? Tuesday would probably never know. Kids are weird.

Before any more conversation was had with the Ranvier girl, a new student appeared before him, @Nicholas McCowan, it seemed. The boy waved amiably before politely introducing himself. The man raised his left hand and waved back. "It is an honor to meet you, Nicholas." His robes designated him as a Gryffindor, the very house he was selected for, not that he had gone to Hogwarts. The closest equivalent at Ilvermorny was either the Wampus or Thunderbird houses. Tuesday, himself, was a Horned Serpent, even though he had the choice of Wampus when he was a lil' first year. The man's musings were interrupted by a compliment! Tuesday always had issues with letting his mind wander off. "Oh, my shirt? Thank you! I honestly prefer these to those uncomfortable suits." He gave a not-so-subtle glance over at Rion. "Function and comfort over style, any day of the week." He nodded to affirm his words. Yet before he could say anything else, @Aurora Ranvier would quickly cut him off. Accusations of him being a part of American No-Maj organizations? Not to mention she couldn't figure out which organization he was supposedly a part of. Huh. Of course, the man would laugh. This girl's assertions would make any man laugh aloud. "I know your name because I looked at the school roster, plus you are in my herbology class? Right? Sadly, I'm not nearly that interesting. I'm not a spy, but I agree that it makes my life much more interesting if that were true. I'm sorry to disappoint."

Orion seemed to be inundated with students immediately after Tuesday had started his conversation with Mr. McCowan. Maybe he should learn how to bake? Cooking was never really his strong suit. Don't get him wrong, he could make a mean Mac n' Cheese, but only if it was from the box. There were no hard feelings for the man getting more attention. Tuesday was a bit happy about it, in actuality. He would have most definitely been overwhelmed if he was in Orion's place.

Next, his eyes would fall onto a Hufflepuff Prefect, @Annie Morgan. She was designated as such by her robes and badge. Her eyes were glassy and far looking, which Tuesday did pick up on, thankfully. Not to mention that she took a moment to reach out and find her seat on the stone bench she now perched on. Was she blind and yet still a prefect? That was courageous, indeed. He was just glad that he noticed because it would have been very embarrassing if he had reached out for a handshake. Imagine that being your first impression with the student body. It seemed that once again, He and Orion had caught sight of the girl. As expected, Rion took the lead. "It's a pleasure to meet you, as well, Annie. I'm Tuesday Irons, Herbology. It seems that Orion and I both could offer you some help. My office will always be open to you, and anybody else who needs it. Plus I don't mind to chat either." Tuesday smiled as he spoke the words. He could be very talkative if you caught him at the right time. Some have stated that it was impressive that he could switch from extroverted to introverted so quickly.

The Herbology professor smiled and chuckled at the young Slytherin's witticism; She introduced herself as @Liana Kerr. "Let's hope we all have an incredible time learning this year then, Liana!" Tuesday was excited for his time here. In all honestly, when he was younger, he figured that he would die an Auror. However, that expectation was subverted in a rather funny way. Who would have thought an Auror with nearly twenty years of experience end up as a Herbology professor? At least he could share his passion with the newest generation. Once again, the man was lost in thought. Some things never change. Thankfully, Liana had decided to continue their conversation with Rion.

It would be absolutely wrong if somebody said that Tuesday had a sweet tooth. In fact, he was a little bit of a health nut. The man did bring a Tupperware container of salad to a meet and greet with children. Probably not the most brilliant move, but Orion had insisted he bring something. It was so hard to say no to that suave man. However, the next Professor that caught his eye was not Professor Lecuyer, but rather a familiar face. Jenny Jenson. Irons, of course, knew that she would murder him if he called her that in front of all these students, so he refrained. That being said, he would most definitely call her that in more private circumstances. It would be interesting to see her reaction.

What she had with her did catch his interest. In between her hands was a very well-decorated purple box, notwithstanding the gold ribbon that had been ever so delicately wrapped around the outside of the container. The aroma wafting from the box had nearly had Tuesday floating on the wind towards the pie. Steadfastly holding his feet to the ground, the man let himself watch as Nora approached Orion. Honestly, where were these people learning to bake? If he tried, Tuesday would surely be run out of the school and shunned. However, the conversation ended as quickly as it started, and the Slytherin Head of House turned to him. As she did, Tuesday would smile in his lazy half-smile at her and raise his head just a few centimeters upward. It helped him straighten the rest of his posture, which was usually much more relaxed. "Professor Jensen." He mimicked her inflection of the word—tit for tat. His half-closed eyes opened wider as he noticed the woman pull out the small bag. "You know me too well." His smile grew wider as he glanced inside the bag. A present all for himself! Pulling an almond from the bag, he would pop it into his mouth. After chewing a few moments, he would let out a satisfied 'mmhm.' "Are you sure you chose the right job?" In his mind, at this rate, Hjørdis could open up a top-tier delicacy store. "Thank you very much." He would nod a farewell before turning his attention back to the students around them and gingerly placing the bag into his pocket. He would have to save this treat for later.

However, Tuesday couldn't help but feel his attention drawn to the statements of @Leonard Oaksworth. Strange statements indeed. It is a very accurate fact that this school had an incredibly high turnover rate. He wondered if there were other changes the boy was talking about. He would have to follow up on that in the future. But sadly, the conversation quickly turned back to baking. If only conversation would steer away from baking and into something he was more knowledgeable about. Tuesday couldn't help feel a tad bit ill-equipped on the current subject. "Thank you, Leonard, for the gift." Was all Tuesday managed to say.

Now @Halford Booth was clearly off his rocker at a young age, and Tuesday loved it. The eccentricities that man held made for interesting conversation at the least. For today's exercise in extremism, Professor Booth had decided to bring a raw fish that Tuesday had a hard time believing that he caught without magic. Who could blame him? Halford hardly seemed like the pinnacle of health, not that was anything wrong with being unfit.

Nevertheless, it would be nearly impossible for Professor Irons if he didn't notice the eyes of Halford Booth looking at Professor Jensen's baked pie container. With a steady movement, Tuesday would move to open Nora's pie box. As he opened the container, after neatly untying the bow, he was hit with the beautiful scent of a pie. Mhm, what a wonderful smell. Taking hold of the smallest piece of pie, he would pick it up and take a bite before looking back to Booth. "Dear lord, this is a good pie." As he spoke, he would casually (not so casually) walk back over to Professor Booth. About half of a piece was left before Tuesday popped the rest into his mouth. "Hal, you should really try this pie." He would pause before glancing at the fish that the Divination professor brought along. "Oh, wait, I'm sorry. I forgot that you have a fish to fry first. You best get to cookin'." He would heavily pat the man on the back, making sure to stand directly in between himself and the pie. Like any good friend would do.

Quickly enough, another student drew his attention away from his fellow Professor. Not that he would forget that he would keep Booth away from that pie. @Martyna Romero's use of the term 'pastry man' made him chuckle aloud. These students were fun, to say the least "I am Tuesday Irons. I'm the professor of Herbology. Who might you be, ma'am?" He would question before reaching up to his chin, striking a very intellectual pose. He would mimic the look of the famous statue known as 'The Thinker.'

Noah Jupe walked into the Meet and Greet with his cape and headband, worried that he might be too late to meet the professors. Noah knew he excels in magical classes at Hogwarts that doesn't actually require learning spells, but Incendio (and Incendio Duo) was his favorite. He walked over to the tall man in the room, he was taller than Noah was anyways, but Noah had a feeling that he would enjoy any classes, regardless of who was teaching it.

"Pro- Professor, uh, Tuesday? I'm not sure what to call you yet, but I am really looking forward to your class. Maybe you can teach more dangerous spells than Incendio?" Noah asked, curious, but intrigued.

Noah felt abashed and immediately waved to no one in particular. Noah was scared of just about everything, but he wasn't scared of plants, which was why Noah loved Herbology and Astronomy. Feeling sorry, he looked back up to the professor, and began to request what he expected out of the students in his class, especially if there were stubborn people in his second year classes.

"You know, I want to meet the other professors, but I wanted to know where you came from, not to be mean or anything, but you seem amazing, your accent is intriguing, truly, we would love you as our Herbolgy Professor!"

Talking to: @Tuesday Jeremiah Irons

Ranvier and Carrington? What cruel god had Nicholas so offended to have to share the company of both, and with no buffer. The pointed glare that the brunette shot him was answered with the best eyeroll that he could muster, a technique that he had all but stolen from the Slytherin girl, before his attention turned back to the far more pleasant matters at hand. Namely, getting to know his new professors and indulging in the food that had been brought.

Professor Lécuyer was every bit as polite as Nicholas had expected, after all, he gave the impression of a man who knew how to carry himself. A quiet confidence befitting a Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. Moreover, he had granted Nicholas carte-blanche to attack the table of sweets, and that was more than good enough in his book, the constant growth spurts seemed to leave his stomach feeling constantly empty. He nodded to the professor in response, allowing the Hufflepuff girl who had joined them the chance to add her own thanks to his own. She was not the only one who had queries of the tall and handsome man, for it seemed that he had been assembling quite the gathering of students, a large number of them female. Nicholas tried not to think about what that meant, nor did he allow himself to consider as to why Ranvier had so quickly gravitated towards the man. That would raise uncomfortable questions.

Besides, it was Professor Irons who was dressed in flannel and understood the versatility and style of the fabric. Comfortable and warm, it seemed that the American understood the benefits of both. Perhaps the professors could serve as a proper buffer to the presence of the two most irritating people in the school.

It seemed that was not the case, for Ranvier had elected to ask the herbology professor a series of questions about acronyms. Nicholas blinked, in utter confusion as she asked and received an answer. What on Earth was a CAI? Moreover, she was asking whether or not he was a spy and asking whether the Head of Slytherin was also a spy. Nicholas had believed the school rumour mill before, he was ashamed to admit, but even he knew that the idea that a teacher of children was somehow involved in clandestine operations was absurdity in its highest order. More than that, He prayed that the American herbology professor would serve as some form of line of defence against Ranvier’s attempts to frustrate and confuse him. The latest of which was telling him that the food was poisonous. He hadn’t even eaten yet. Besides, food at Hogwarts being poisoned was ridiculous, next she would assume that the elves were drugging the food at feasts.

Fortunately, the approach of another boy saved himself from that unsightly thought, reliance on adults was entirely passe. Leonard Oaksworth, the name and face were both familiar, and the feeling associated with them were positive. The boy with whom he’d shared a cabin on the long trip to school in August, a polite sort, and one who was entirely aware of how utterly inappropriate and annoying it was to scream and carry on.

Nicholas met his introduction with a smile, not a broad one, but the genuine type that showed far too much relief when compared to the situation as a whole, “Aye.”

He reached out a hand to clasp the older boy’s, the semi-formal handshake offered, “Leonard, isn’t it? Couldn’t forget you, mate. How’s the new school year treating you?”

There was at least one friendly face, and that meant that perhaps whatever god oversaw the inanity of pre-teenage social interactions was not as cruel as Nicholas had first surmised. A swagger of some degree returned to the Gryffindor’s movements as the ice of the social interaction began to break, to fade and melt into the oceans of conversation, and it was then that he finally felt comfortable enough to grab one of the croissants Lécuyer had seen fit to bring.

It was as he was grabbing the pastry that he became aware of the arrival of the third professor, and just about jumped out his skin as the man propped the rod up against the table of food and exclaimed his presence. That was the divination professor? He hardly seemed the sort to commune with the spirits or stars, or whatever it was that divination actually was. A single look at his expression communicated all that Nicholas needed to know, and he made good time in avoiding meeting the man’s eyes as he stepped away from the table.

Croissant in hand, but woefully unbitten, Nicholas made a motion toward returning to Leonard. Yet, the swell of students was making that slightly more difficult than it had been in the past. Salvatore had arrived, the girl whom had helped him thwart Decipio in the game of truth or dare, and he raised his uneaten pastry in greeting. She had elected to speak to the divination professor and that was not a conversation that Nicholas had desire to take part in.

Instead, there was something far easier and far more enjoyable that he could do. “Oi! Ranvier,” He raised his voice slightly above the sound of conversation, aware of the fact that it could draw attention to him and what he was saying. A few months ago, he would have sooner died than done that, but if he wanted to stand out, then he had to take baby steps, “Did you say this was poisonous?”

He held the croissant aloft, grinned and took a bite out of the buttery pastry. It was good, quite delicious, in fact. The smile he gave to the girl was equal parts smug satisfaction at deliberately ignoring her and regular satisfaction at the taste of the food, “Bloody brilliant.”

With his brief insane flirtation with showmanship completed, he shot a rather sheepish glance to Leonard and mouthed, as best he could ‘She’s crazy.’

It was only after he had spoken that he realised just what he had done, it was not the act itself that left him ashamed, but the fact that it could be interpreted as attempting to play off her words as inappropriate to the professors. The last thing he wanted to be painted as was the sort who attempted to get others in trouble, God only knew those kinds of people were the absolute worst.

Stats: STA: 12 | EVA: 6 | STR: 8 | WIS: 6 | ARC: 4 | ACC: 6
Abilities: Foulplay | Statistically Relevant
Mentioning: @Orion Lécuyer, @Violet Carrington, @Tuesday Jeremiah Irons, @Aurora Ranvier, @Leonard Oaksworth, @Scarlet Salvatore, @Halford Booth, @Martyna Romero
Action: Interactin', eatin', etc.-in'