Muggle Things PV Maya Galim Finished

No matter if in a muggle or magical school, it was always a relief when it was a Friday. Everything felt like a standstill where all weekday duties were on hold; classes had already been done for the week and students were keeping to themselves. What better than to spend a November's Friday the Thirteenth than to be reading a horror book on her couch with a hot cup of Sadaf tea?

Maya was in the middle of taking a sip when she heard a knock coming from her door. The voice was that of a man. Maya was unsure of who it was until they walked in: Marcus Iwasaki. The way he was looking around the classroom made her believe that it was his first time visiting.

The Muggle Studies room was hardly ever visited by many. Although it lurked on the first floor of the castle, it was often a classroom that was walked past. Maya understood that it was not a class that many-- both students and professors-- would head to first. Most individuals made their way to their History of Magic or Defense Against the Dark Arts classes instead, as they share the same corridor.

Placing her hot cup down on the coffee table, Maya stuck her nose into her book. She could feel Marcus' eyes on her at this point. She felt uneasy. It was a feeling she often got when near him.

"You've been here since June and this is your first time stepping into my classroom? I'm offended," she said, sounding serious but only joking. Maya closed her book and sat up on the couch. "Come, sit," she said, elegantly moving her arm to show where he could sit which was on the other end of the couch.

"What do I owe the pleasure of your company?" she asked, remembering that the last time she had a conversation with him it was during their patrol. Then, Marcus was a Caretaker. Now, he was the Head of Ravenclaw. He was a man of power and for a second, Maya saw Marcus in a different light.

Maya quickly got up and grabbed another mug from her desk. She put hot water in the clean mug and walked it over to Marcus. She then took a tea bag from her coffee table and handed it to him. She was unsure if he was a tea person, but she had to offer some sort of hospitality for his entering of her domain.

@Marcus Iwasaki

Marcus' sharp eyes took note of the book that Professor Galim was reading, noticing the author was Stephen King. A very popular muggle horror writer. The muggle literature made sense when thinking about the subject that she taught, but he wondered if horror was a genre she often read. Something was nagging at the back of his mind that would've connected the dots there, but he couldn't recall. He instead focused on the words that next left her mouth. She sounded serious in the offense she mentioned, but Marcus couldn't imagine someone would actually take such a thing to heart. So, he took a chance and guessed that she was joking.

"I'm here now, aren't I? Save the best for last and all that," he said in response, grinning ever-so-slightly to indicate that he actually was joking. This was far from the only classroom he had yet to explore, but he thought the joke might ease her mind. At her invitation to sit, he relaxed slightly and considered that confirmation that she was not actually upset. He made his way across the room, wiping a bit of dust from the sleeve of his dark buttoned dress shirt. Since his promotion, his dress style had changed. He'd gone from jeans and leather jackets - comfort clothes to wear when maintaining the castle as caretaker - to dress shirts and dress pants to reflect a slightly more refined image. Particularly back in October when the foreign schools had been visiting, he'd worn suits even. He had relaxed since then and reverted back to more simple dress shirts and pants, but it was still a change from when he had first started his employ at the castle.

Marcus took the indicated seat at the other end of the couch, angling slightly so he could easily interface with the red-cloaked woman. She asked about the intention behind his visit, but he could only repeat what had been said. "It was an impulsive decision to stop by," he said simply, his amber eyes connecting with her dark ones. "Just curious what the place looked like," he added, his eyes breaking contact with hers as he gave the room another glance. Professor Galim moved to apparently go get something from her desk as he looked around.

One thing his eyes lingered on was a calendar in the room, and that's when it hit him. It was Friday the thirteenth. That's what he had forgotten earlier when considering her book choice. Maybe she was reading horror because of what day it was. As he refocused on the other person in the room, he noticed she had been fetching a mug of hot water and a tea bag. "Oh, thank you," he said, accepting the items and promptly putting the tea bag into the water. It was not his drink of choice, but tea did have a special place in his heart. As he let it steep, he spoke again.

"Did you grow up around muggles, Professor?" Marcus wondered. He would not outright ask "are you muggle-born?" considering how that question could come off to certain people. He'd had a personal run-in with someone who'd taken that question with a great deal of offense, so ever since then he found other ways to ask. "Or was your interest sparked in a Muggle Studies class like this?" Marcus took his first small sip of tea as he waited for her answer.

@Maya Galim

There was always something about a man in a suit. It created a facade. It changed their overall appearance and personality with one look. She remembered meeting him in clothing that looked comfortable on him. Nonetheless, his suit and tie made him look powerful. And for every moment Maya looked at him, she had an urge of wanting to absorb such power.

"I'm here now, aren't I? Save the best for last and all that."

"You can be such a charmer, Iwasaki," she replied in banter. She was glad to see that someone like him, a Head of House, had taken the time to enter her quarters of the castle. Never had she had the opportunity to be in company with Caradoc Browne, Elaine Pendrast or Hjørdis Jensen. (Not that the latter would be in good company as they both still had a rocky past to breakthrough.) To have Marcus Iwasaki impulsively stop by was a nice gesture on his part.

Sitting back down on the couch, Maya criss-crossed her legs, both hiding in her closed red cloak. Her body was slightly turned to look at Marcus and her hands warmed by the mug of her own tea. She brought the mug to her red lips, smelling the Sadaf flavor. It was a relaxing and nostalgic smell that reminded her of home.

"Did you grow up around muggles, Professor? Or was your interest sparked in a Muggle Studies class like this?"

Maya couldn't help but to smile. She took a sip of her tea, not wanting to answer right away and placed the tea on her lap, her hands holding the mug closely. With everything happening in the media, asking of one's blood status was a sensitive topic. Back in the day, it was easy to ask someone what blood status' were their parents. Now? It was unheard of. Maya enjoyed Marcus' try of asking her of who she is with his questions. She decided to be straightforward with her answer.

"If you were asking of my blood status, it is quite alright. I am a Muggle-Born. Not only was I born in a muggle family, but I also fought alongside muggles in the army. What are you?" she asked back, not caring too much of its sensitivity.

"Now, I'm Israeli. Beating around the bush doesn't work in my native tongue," she said as a disclaimer. "I'd love to know what you bring to Hogwarts from your studies at Mahoutokoro?" she asked, wondering what he could bring to the table as he was not a professor. It was easy to know that professors brought their knowledge of a subject. But a Head of House had to show more of their qualities in different ways, and Maya was intrigued on what it was Marcus Iwasaki had.

@Marcus Iwasaki

Marcus was glad that Professor Galim did not take offense - in fact, she seemed to know exactly what he was trying to ask and why he was phrasing it in such a way. She told him that she was in fact a muggle-born, which is honestly what he expected of a Muggle Studies professor. They provided a unique teaching experience, considering their passion for the subject usually stemmed from their upbringing. The Head of Ravenclaw nodded at her answer. His slight surprise came from her mention of fighting in a muggle army. Army age was usually after schooling, so she had a magical education but then proceeded to join a muggle fighting force? How intriguing.

"I was born into a pure-blood family," he replied in turn, appreciating her straight forward attitude about it. "A very wealthy one, too," he added, thinking back to the way he had grown up as a result. It was not a brag by any means, considering he did not benefit from the wealth in any way right now, but perhaps that's what it would sound like to someone who didn't realize his family relationship was strained.

As he looked back at the Muggle Studies professor, he thought about how the two of them could not be more opposite in terms of blood status, and yet here they were employed as colleagues at the same school of magic. People from two very separate walks of life, especially hearing that she was originally from Israel. She already knew he hailed from Japan, given the school he had attended.

Professor Galim went on to ask "what he brought" from his education at Mahoutokoro. The way she asked the question caused Marcus to take a long sip of his tea. She seemed to be looking for something out of this question that he didn't think he could provide. It almost felt like an interview question. What was he meant to be selling himself for?

"Mahotoukoro can't really define the experience I bring," was what Marcus ended up saying, his eyes staying locked on his mug of tea. School wasn't a fond memory for him. Plus he didn't attend the Japanese wizarding school for his entire childhood education. "I was taken out of school and privately educated for a time, but even so, I expect it's my real world experience that I bring to the table," he added, his amber eyes lifting and locking to hers. School felt like a lifetime ago for him, and he really didn't give it much thought unless he was thinking of his current students' experiences and how they compared.

"Although I bet it seems odd for you, no? That I was caretaker for a very short time, and now a Head of House. It is quite a jump," he said, believing he had started to realize why she sounded like she was interviewing him. "I can assure you, though, I am qualified for the job. And I've settled into the role quite well," he said confidently, wanting there to be no doubt as to his capability. He didn't think she was doubting him - probably just curious - but he wanted that on the record, just in case.

@Maya Galim

There was something about the demeanor of the Ravenclaw Head. The ones in the past were quirky in their own way, but this one had such an intellectual presence to him that although was intimidating, can still be calming in conversation. From Maya's perspective, she believed that he was the type to really think about what and how he said things to others. At least she thought.

"A very wealthy one, too."

Maya's eyebrow shot up at the man. It was not because his wallet was filled with galleons, but rather the comment itself was out of the norm for someone she believed was very particular in his speech. Perhaps it was a slip of the tongue as wealth tends to follow suit with talk of Pure-Blooded status'. It was a common stereotype that all Pure-Bloods were rich and stubborn in their ways.

Culture was everything to Maya. It was what made her sane in discovering her new identity and remembering her old identity. Without culture, she would be stuck in a magical paradox where nothing more than just magic exists. Asking such questions about Mohoutokoro was learning more about a culture she was unfamiliar with. She knew the Japanese culture, but now inserting magic was a whole new ballgame. Unfortunately, it seemed that Marcus did not want to share much about it. Maya pried further.

"And what is this real world experience you have, Iwasaki?" she asked, intrigued by his answer. She, too, had real world experience and wanted to know how he experienced the world.

It seems as though her questions to him sounded as though he was not capable of his job. It was not her intention. Maya was always very curious in learning more about others. Perhaps it was her way of knowing those around her, or perhaps it was also to identify their weakness. During her army days, she often had to interact with the enemy to understand how to infiltrate them. Not saying that Iwasaki was Maya's enemy, but her way of thinking was very much branded.

"Questioning your means of Head of House is not my intention, Iwasaki. I'm just...," she paused, locking eyes with his, seeing if she could read anything else through his body language. "Find you intriguing," she said bluntly.

"You're not like the others here. I don't see you with puppy dog eyes for other colleagues. You don't have any memorable quirks. You are very distinctive, Iwasaki." Her eyes were still locked onto his, a smile formed on her face. The minute she put her mug to her red lips, she broke eye contact and sipped her luke-warm tea.

@Marcus Iwasaki

Professor Galim's arched eyebrows alerted Marcus to what he had said, and how it would've come off. It had, in fact, been a slip of the tongue, so to speak. Something that seemed out of place in an otherwise ordinary conversation, but something that had automatically come to mind at the topic of blood status.

"It speaks to the way I was raised," he said by way of explanation. He continued to try to walk her through his thought process, "Not just as a pure-blood, but in a high society as well, pretty far removed from muggles. I know there are a few pure-bloods raised with muggle knowledge and in more humble beginnings, but I was ignorant to things like the workings of a car until I was already of age and exploring the world on my own." It was probably the most he had revealed of his upbringing to any of his colleagues except for Nora. Even though what he just said was limited to his experience with muggle society, it was still odd that he'd shared even that much, but it had been an instinct for him to try to explain the statement of wealth from a moment ago. He grew quiet and took another sip of tea, his brow furrowing slightly as he felt strange from the need to defend.

The red-cloaked woman asked about the real world experience he had, which was a logical next question. Why did Marcus feel so tense around this woman? His brows smoothed as he felt the warmth of the tea in his chest, and he relaxed his posture slightly as he lowered the cup from his lips. "I spent quite a bit of time traveling in different magical societies, saw a few other wizarding schools in the process, spoke to people from different education backgrounds," Marcus was actively suppressing the memories of the "people" he mentioned, knowing that it was just the act of information gathering on education that related to what she was asking.

"And I offer a unique perspective of the world that few can claim to have... perhaps one day I'll elaborate more on that, but not today," Marcus looked at the woman seated beside him. It was best to shut down that line of questioning because he knew exactly what brought him his unique perspective. It was a lifestyle that very few lived, and one that was not kindly looked upon.

"Intriguing?" Marcus repeated. It was his turn to raise his eyebrows in slight surprise. He figured the "intrigue" she felt was likely the chill of his intimidating presence. She was not immune to it like some people he knew of, and she would likely experience it in full force in that moment considering she was looking into his eyes. Amber eyes that were distinctly feral when observed closely. But most people who sensed that from him wanted to distance, not get closer and find out what made him so "intriguing."

"No memorable quirks, huh? Should I go around wearing a very bright red cloak, as you do?" he asked, a slight smirk appearing in jest. When he mentioned it the last time they had spoken, she had been very cryptic. She had only said that it reminded her of who she was. "It does make you stand out in one's memory," he said, as if commending her on this fact. He wondered if he didn't have any memorable quirks, what exactly made him distinct? The fact that he seemed ordinary in comparison to the rest of staff? Did he seem ordinary to her? He felt like he was anything but that, considering the way he was forced to shapeshift every month. Not that she would know that detail.

@Maya Galim

Maya's ears perked when Iwasaki had given information that she did not necessarily ask for. It was interesting how some people share information on a whim. Never did she say anything that questioned his blood status, but here he was, ready to pour his reasonings out on the table.

It was truly different in the magical society when it came to blood status. From what was read on the Daily Prophet, there was almost a civil war among blood status' now. Unless Maya was mistaken, it was started by equal rights with those who are Squibs. For him to explain himself made all the sense in the world.

"Kol Hakavod for opening your mind," she said, impressed that he took responsibility for his ways and was able to learn from them later on in life. While the Ravenclaw Head took a long while to open his mind, Maya hoped for students in her class who were stereotypical Pure-Bloods to open their minds in her class. Even having one student was an accomplishment.

Maya found it interesting that they both had done their travels, but it was within different societies. When she did her travels after being in the army, she traveled as much of the world in the muggle society. For him, he traveled around the world in magical societies. It was almost like living parallel lives.

He is quick to end that conversation..., Maya thought to herself. It did not bother her, but rather was a little comical to her. "I would love to hear more about your perspective of the world one day," she said with a smile.

"Intriguing?"

A small chuckle could not be held in. She did not expect him to question her like that. She shrugged and took a sip of her tea. It was now a tea bag seeping in cold water. Maya got up and poured herself more hot water in her mug. Slowly, the tea bag was changing the clear water to brown. Feeling the warmth of the cup in the palms of her hands, Maya came back to the couch and sat down in the same place and position.

"I would approve, but I don't think red is your color," Maya replicated the same smirk he gave her back at him. Her playfulness stopped immediately. Maya had a sense of oddity. Her stomach felt like it was churning all of a sudden. What was this feeling?

"My wearing of this cloak is not a try to be ingrained in ones memory," she explained. Perhaps it was her turn to get defensive. There was a lot behind her cloak. If it was orange, blue, green, white, black, or any other color of the rainbow, she would wear it daily. It just so happened the color that was given to her was red. "It was given to me," she added, taking another sip of her hot tea, her brown eyes looking away from the man in front of her.

Translation:
Kol Hakavod - Great Job

@Marcus Iwasaki

"Maybe one day," Marcus answered with a chuckle, proceeding to take a sip of his tea. The whole matter of his werewolf status was kept close to him. Headmaster Lear and the other Heads of House were all privy to that information. If his other colleagues eventually found out, he would not mind, but it wasn't something to discuss over tea on his first time visiting her office.

She was the next to chuckle, when he asked what she found to be "intriguing" about him. Instead of answering right away, she got up and went to make some more tea. Her shift prompted Marcus to sit up a bit straighter, and he placed his cup of tea on a nearby table so it would not occupy his hands any longer. Unlike his colleague's cup, his was only half empty, and he needed a break from the warm beverage.

When she returned and mentioned that red was not his color, Marcus shook his head slightly and grinned. "I think you just want the color red to yourself," he joked in turn, his amber eyes watching her. He noticed the shift in her demeanor as he mentioned how her cloak made her stand out. She explained it had been given to her, and that it wasn't intended to make her standout. He resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow as he realized it was not a topic she wanted to dwell on. Much like him and his "unique perspective" from earlier.

"Perhaps you'll share the story behind it sometime," he said in kind, knowing she was done with that particular topic of conversation. Suddenly, the book that Professor Galim had been reading earlier fell to the floor. It seemed its position on the couch had been more precarious than they thought. He reached over and picked it up from the floor, once again taking note of the Stephen King title.

"Having a nice Friday the thirteenth?" he asked, holding up the horror book with a slight smile.

@Maya Galim

There was a connection with this man that Maya had not felt with anyone before. It was that of playfulness but still professional that illuminated the room. Maya couldn't help but to smile when he mentioned her want to keep the reds to herself. If he only knew. Maybe one day he would know, but for now, it was a story to remain to herself.

"Perhaps. It is a story you must earn," she said dryly. It was definitely a story that was not shared with many people. Hell-- it wasn't even shared with her family. Only she knew the consequences of war and loss that came from this cloak. Perhaps it was red for a reason.

Her brown eyes watched him pick up her book from the ground and glance at it. It was one of Stephen King's mysterious thriller that she was reading in light of the mini holiday, Friday the thirteenth. Well at least now she put the two together. It was more or less just a book she felt like reading now that classes were dismissed and Hogwarts was calm-ish.

"Have you read his books before?" she asked him, wanting to learn more about this new recruit.

@Marcus Iwasaki