Professor Chiadovini’s Office IC Questions closed

Terrible Presence in effect.
| Aura of Unease Present |

Leonardo had rather enjoyed the quiet time without students or troublesome individuals during the Winter break. He had come back now, his first few classes completed, and yet not much homework to grade yet, since it had only been two days now since the population had come together, and so he was relaxing in his red velvet armchair, having lit his wand with Lumos in order to properly read in the dark. Tonight he was partaking of the tale of Poe’s “The Pit and the Pendulum”, and was sitting in relative peace until there came a knock upon his door.

Glancing up at it, and remembering that he was indeed in the midst of his office hours, Leonardo recited Alohomora and then maintained Lumos, returning to his book once again. He only adjusted his attention to the door when he heard his title. Looking up, he was greeted by a smaller looking girl with shocking pink hair. Not natural, Leonardo was quite sure of that. She opened by asking him for a bit of his time, a question about the Ministry of Magic.

At this, Leonardo gently replaced a black bookmark and closed the book with an inaudible sigh. The girl procured a package and Leonardo lifted an eyebrow inquisitively. Earl Grey Moonlight. Tea.

The girl stood in the doorway, rather awkwardly. She looked as if her knees would begin knocking together at any given second. ”Do come in.” He finally said, indicating to one of the stools sitting before his desk. “I do not— proverbially— bite unless provoked.” A small smirk appeared as he offered admittance with a nod.

He knew that he was quite a different breed than most of the other teachers here, with his blunt personality. Still, that would not prevent him from doing his best to answer any question that was asked of him. This girl’s offering seemed heartfelt. It would be rude to turn aside a perfectly kind gift.

As she would begin to make herself comfortable, Leonardo would cross one leg over the other, reclining in the armchair, watching her the entire time. After a beat, he would speak. ”Now, Miss... Pardon, for I did not catch your name. Miss, I understand you have an question pertaining to Astronomy and the Ministry?” His voice was quiet, yet carried. Perhaps the humble bribe buffered to him, though he was more of a coffee person than tea, and had never had a stomach for terribly sweet treats, had put Leonardo in a slightly better mood than he usually would be.

Reducio

@Willow Anderson

✿Interacting✿
@Leonardo Chiadovini

Willow, now slightly more relaxed with his greeting, made her way over to his desk. She gently placed on the package on the edge of his desk before perching herself on one of the stools. Her hands politely folded in her lap and she kept her posture straight. Not only for her future back health that her mom constantly lectured her about, but to seem prim and proper for a very proper Professor. She always wanted to make good impressions. Her personality was much different now than it was spending time with her friends, and she always worried about if that made her seem fake to appear more likeable to people that she respected.

When he finally addressed her after only a moment of silence that sat heavily in the air she stumbled over her words, this part she wasn't able to rehearse much. "Anderson, Willow Anderson, sir. I'm a second year, Hufflepuff." She smiled gently as if he needed the follow-up information. The Huffle-part was probably obviously as she brought gifts to a Professor just for being an inconvenience in his day. "Yes, the questions. So, I am a muggleborn so I don't have much information to go off for these questions. The Ministry of Magic is largely a mystery to me. But there was one night I was watching the stars, and I saw a shooting star. Just one. I haven't seen one in years really, that's beside the point. The point is, people make wishes on those stars right? So... who works in the wish granting department at the Ministry of Magic? I mean, if magic exists that has to exist right? If it does exist, why don't they grant wishes for muggle children too." Her face, full of the thought that she had put into this question showed it was not a joke. This was a very real, very dire situation that she needed an answer to it. The workings of her own brain, were a mystery even to herself.

Terrible Presence in effect.
| Aura of Unease Present |

Miss Willow Anderson. Leonardo tried to commit the name to memory. Certainly, the pink hair would be difficult to forget, but assuredly Leonardo had seen a few odd individuals in this very office. Many of them had just been blurry, forgettable faces, individuals that he had ushered out without a second thought, but there had been a choice few that had made an impression. Perhaps Miss Willow would be one of them. A second year Hufflepuff... well, that would easily explain the offer of tea and cookies.

Leonardo listened to her quietly, turning his chestnut wand in both hands as he raised a brow. Muggleborn; yes, Hogwarts had many of their kind. Once he had thought them dirty and impure, part and parcel of being of a Pureblood tree, but gradually they had grown upon him, to a point where he recognized their importance as a lever towards his own goals, especially in ways that well-known Pureblood families couldn’t. The Ministry of Magic; though he had only been there to be registered as a Seer, Leonardo couldn’t really relay much information in that area...

Wishing stars.

Oh dear.

Leonardo’s thin fingers bent his wand slightly, not enough to cause creaking to emit from the wood, for it was quite flexible, just enough for him to release some tension. He had closed his eyes, his brow furrowing in an easily seen expression of something near disappointment. This child... had just asked him... if wishing stars were real, and if someone... at the Ministry... granted them.

Someone hadn’t been paying attention to their lessons, obviously.

Taking a deep breath, Leonardo clicked his tongue, his voice trembling as he attempted to maintain his composure. ”Please, inform me that this is a gaffe.” His eyes flicked open, staring directly into Miss Willow’s as he slowly leaned forward in the chair. “Even if these ‘wishing stars’ that have been a part of faerie tale were real— which I inform you that they are not— no Wizard, let alone Muggles, can have a wish granted simply by praying to a dying meteorite which burns in the atmosphere just long enough to be spotted by a child.” His last word ended in a hiss.

He snagged his book, opening it as he leaned back in his seat, and beginning to withdraw the bookmark. He said nothing as he began to read, ignoring Willow for the time being. He was too frustrated and tired to do much else, not wanting to further the conversation, and not wanting to further his own anger. Finally, when he had collected himself, he spoke, still not looking up from the tale of the unfortunate man. “Should we assume that wishes can come true because of these stars, it would still be impossible for one or even twenty-five members of the ministry to care for each wish. There are too many dreams that every individual possesses.” Softly, he turned the page, and his voice, a good deal quieter now, continued. “Sometimes, it is better for a person’s wish not to be granted. Then they would rely upon the coddling of some outside entity too much. They must make that wish come true on their own. Wishes are simply dreams that you should— within reason— do anything to obtain.” Looking at Willow narrowly over his book, Leonardo raised an eyebrow again.

Reducio

@Willow Anderson

✿Interacting✿
@Leonardo Chiadovini

It didn't take long for Willow to understand that she had made a mistake in coming here to ask a question that she was particularly excited by. He thought she was joking, that this was all a prank. His eyes stared her down and suddenly she felt even smaller than before, as if that was possible. Sure she knew he was intimidating Professor but she didn't expect this kind of reaction when it came to her approaching with a question. Willow knew she was an inconvenience, a time suck to Professors that had much better things to do. But it's why she came with gifts such as cookies and tea to help counteract that.

There was also a slight bubble of anger. She was a child. She was only a 2nd year. This is something that he should know, something that should be understood. This was a time for asking questions and discovering the world around her through her inquiries, and here was a Professor no less, discouraging her from that. Willow was impulsive, but never rude to an adult that had clear authority above her. This might be the day that changed.

Suddenly she stood up. She was even surprised at her brashness. Fidgeting hands were tightly folded in front of her to appear polite. There was a momentary want to flee, something about his piercing gaze made her want to hightail it out of there without a single word. With a deep breath, she attempt to still the pounding heart within her chest. "With all due respect, Professor Chiadovini, I am a child. I am just... twelve years old. A muggle. A curious one at that. I came here to ask you a question, because I wanted to know." Her eyes averted downwards for a moment before attempting to meet his gaze once more. "I didn't understand how so many wishes would be granted, or how the wishes are chosen if they are malicious. But there was a big question before those follow-ups with, does it exist? I've talked about this with my parents, but it's all been an impossible fantasy before. When it suddenly became a possibility of reality, I was excited." Her voice attempted to remain flat, but she couldn't help the angry twinge that leaked out at the end. "I apologize greatly, if my childish wonder of a magic world unknown has ruined your night." Even if her eyes had been darting all over the tower, this was the sentence where she stood strong against the terrible feeling that she should back down.

Terrible Presence in effect.
| Aura of Unease Present |

He had fully expected indignation or complaint, perhaps even tears from a particularly soft individual, but Miss Anderson’s reaction was one that caused Leonardo’s eyes to briefly flicker from fury to admiration, and then back again. She was more than upset, she was furious. His open-ended musing as to if this child was Muggleborn was confirmed as she divulged her tale and her confession for her time before him, and yet another part of him was a bit more impressed than before. Few had dared speak back to him, and even fewer had dared to argue their point back without compromise. Say what you would of Muggleborns; perhaps they were more human and possessed more fortitude than any Pureblood Wizard, species aside.

A snakish grin began to slither across his features as he smiled to himself behind his book. His eyes were glittering a bit more, widened a touch as he listened to the Hufflepuff share her heart. Even in her temper, she was still an image of properness, her hands kept to herself in front of her; no threatening move. She still seemed to understand that Leonardo was still the authority here, but knew how to express herself and her beliefs just as easily.

At one point, she sounded almost defeated, and the Seer tipped his head curiously, wondering if Miss Anderson had run out of steam, but then he heard the poisonous jab at the end of her last sentences, and immediately his pique returned. She may not have realized it, but she now had the full attention of the Astronomy Professor.

“On the contrary, Miss Anderson.” He said after he had given time for the words to resonate and time for himself to assess, quashing his smile and putting the book to his left. “On the contrary. It has quite made my night.” It was up to her to interpret his loose statement. “Indeed, Magic can be misconstrued as a ‘miracle’, but as you may learn in your Transfiguration classes, Magic is only as powerful as the environment in which it manipulates. The same can be said of charms, hexes, jinxes, as well as potions. Just as is the case with most magic, however, there are limits.” He put his book aside, then pointed his wand at it.

“Avis.”

The book remained still for a moment, before the binding suddenly cracked backwards, the pages sloughing together and the tip of one of the book covers pinching into a beak. The letters embossed on the front congealed into a silver eye, and within a few moments of the book convulsing and breaking, a cawing raven with a white and black speckled breast was perched where the book had once been, the transfiguration spell having done its work. Its head was turned so that only one mercurial eye was gazing at Miss Anderson. Macbeth, who was sitting on a desk nearby lifted his head out of his wing and fluttered excitedly at the corvine fellow that had just been brought into existence by his master.

“The Bird-summoning spell, an interesting one, certainly. But, in order for me to create this raven, I had to provide material for its creation; that being my current read.” Another flick of his wand and the raven let out a caw as it immediately melted, its black feathers reverting into the cover and the pages once again. “True wishes— the sort one may wish upon a star for— may be impossible, as are the ability to grant them in the way that you may have imagined them to be, but Magic is indeed a way of making most of these desires come true.” Leonardo paged open the book, trying to find where he had left off before transforming it into a raven. “But, as I said before, you cannot wish for something and expect it to fall into your lap simply because you wished it. Just like transfiguration, and the small example I showed you, there is always a set cost for receiving the product you desire; and that is effort and motivation to achieve the goal you set for yourself. Sometimes, the cost is material, sometimes emotional, on many occasions, it is mental. Many Muggles have the ability to grant their own wishes... even if they are not as flamboyant as Magic can achieve.”

With a small inhale, Leonardo permitted a trace of his former smile to return, now thoroughly intrigued as to where this conversation had led him and one of his students. “Am I relatively comprehended, Miss Anderson?”

Reducio

@Willow Anderson

✿Interacting✿
@Leonardo Chiadovini

Willow wasn't sure if her legs were wobbling on her own accord or if someone had casted the Jelly-Legs Curse without her seeing it. All of her strength in fighting back against an authority had disappeared as soon as she had done it. Her parents had always taught her to stand up for herself but they never taught her just how hard it would be to maintain her stance. This time it seemed to pay off. Her conclusions that had developed of how this conversation would end after her protest weren't panning out. Which was great because one ending involved automatic expulsion, and a removal of magic. Which she didn't even know if that was possible.

Slowly she sank back into the chair, mostly because she couldn't trust her legs to keep her up for quite much longer. The fact that not only was he not mad, but seemingly... supportive of her in defying him. Quickly her brain made the shift to someone in class. She almost felt silly for not bringing anything to take notes on about this. She was coming to a Professor's classroom for a question, why didn't she expect to take notes? Hopefully her brain capacity would do. Sadly, Buttons would have to wait for cuddling tonight so she could rapidly scribble some thoughts down before they flew out of her brain.

Her eyes widened watching the book turn into a raven in front of her eyes. Even after a year and a half at the school, the magic still entranced her in a way. Especially with the creation of animals. Though they didn't exactly have sentience or anything, it was still a fascinating thing to witness. Stuff like this was of muggle dreams. As the bird turned back into a book, her eyes refocused to the Professor's ever serious face. She nodded dutifully, to make sure that he knew she was super paying attention to what he was saying.

Sadly what he was saying made sense. Wishing on stars and expecting it to be granted without work on the individual's part was silly. Even with her home witchcraft spells were not guaranteed to work, and if you weren't working on your goal in the first place then the energies were sure not to work in your favor. Willow could've connected the dots herself if her own excitement and belief hadn't clouded her thoughts. She returned the slight smile, feeling much lighter than she had even just a minute prior. "Yes Professor. As sad as it is to think that the wishing may have been a waste. It's really not, if I think about it. I was able to identify wants and desires of mine. But, I have to work on them myself. Although, something as silly as wishing to meet a unicorn seems like an oddly realistic wish now." She couldn't help but giggle at the absurdity of her life.

The young badger stood up once more, much more calmly this time. "Thank you for your time Professor Chiadovini. I really appreciate it. I hope you have a good rest of your night." With a small wave she headed out, properly satisfied with her quest of knowledge.

Willow has left the thread.

Terrible Presence in effect.
| Aura of Unease Present |

Perhaps there was something about Leonardo’s words that had resonated with the Hufflepuff, or perhaps she was placating him. Either way, it was not the Professor’s job to see that she interpret his words the way he interpreted them, but for her to interpret his ‘wisdom’ as it applied to her own life; the place where it truly mattered. It was something he was attempting to relearn: the ability to teach and to be understood, especially when he was surrounded by children who were willing to learn.

She giggled slightly at the end of her outward musings, and while Leonardo’s own poise didn’t falter, he did offer the smallest nod of silent affirmation in return. She understood as much as she needed to. That was what mattered most. “I believe you will find Care of Magical Creatures quite an experience, then.” Was how he responded in turn. A class he had not done exceptionally well in, nor had had much interest for, but had earned a decent grade in nonetheless.

A polite farewell from the badger, and Leonardo returned the formality, tracking her exit for a moment and waiting for the door to close before he locked it once again to be left in peace with his book and his owl.

Reducio

@Willow Anderson

Office is Open

Date: 4/19/2021
Time: 6:00 pm
Interacting:@Leonardo Chiadovini
Mentioning: N/A
Languages: _{English | French | Italian | Arabic | Russian}
Outfit

Terrible Presence in effect.
| Aura of Unease Present |

While his sleep schedule was beginning to correspond more with what his job was requiring of him, Leonardo still found at times that he was either not taking enough of a dose of his sleeping potion to keep him asleep for a while longer, or perhaps it was a bit of work anxiety that was preventing him from sleeping as well as Macbeth currently was, perched on the bust of an obscure wizard astronomer and with his beak under one of his wings.

Meanwhile, Leonardo was just finishing brewing one of his cups of coffee, quashing a yawn before it formed, and instead training his sights on the lecture notes prepared for the fourth years that night. There would be more relearning of the origins of the universe, debate about possible deaths of it, but mostly the comprehension of calendars would be the main focus. He had not yet had breakfast in the Great Hall yet, a strange juxtapose when compared to the diurnal school’s dinnertime.

“If there are any cats in attendance, Macbeth, I give you permission to deal with them as you deem fit.” He looked up at his screech owl, a small smile crossing his features. Macbeth, oblivious in sleep, did not react, his small feather body expanding and contracting slightly with every breath.

Just about to take a seat behind his desk, Leonardo was interrupted by a knock on his door followed by a voice calling his title. In a conditioned response, his smile fading in favor of his expression returning to its former lack of discernible emotion, Leonardo unsheathed his wand from its canesword, pointed it at the door, and recited. “Alohomora. You may enter.”

As the door began to slowly swing in, Leonardo sheathed his wand smoothly, keeping his left hand on the jade snake’s head. He held himself strongly, though stiffly and not at his full height, his head slightly tipped to one side to observe the newcomer with steely, slightly narrowed eyes. Macbeth too, slowly roused and uttered a small squeak of a yawn, blinking both eyes slowly and shifting from side to side as he clicked his beak softly.

Reducio

@Henry Knight

Date: 4/19/2021
Time: 6:00 pm
Interacting:@Leonardo Chiadovini
Mentioning: N/A
Languages: _{English | French | Italian | Arabic | Russian}
Outfit