Professor Russo
A/N: This story has some major references to elements of the series, which I hope you people get. In case you get lost somewhere, you can always message me. Also, I'm here to discuss anything.
Just to remind you all, English is not my first language. So I apologize in advance for any major grammar screw-ups, as I've said before. And if you find anything wrong, let me know. I'm always open to learn something new. Just remember to be nice. And reviews are always welcome.
Now, let's get to it. Hope you have fun.
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Chapter 1 - Professor Russo Who?
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Justin - or should that be Professor Russo, now? - works behind his desk in his Principal's office at WizTech. He reviews the schedules for next week, the beginning of classes, when a knock on the door interrupts his line of thought. It opens even before Justin has the chance to say anything, a head sneaking right in from behind the old door to reveal Professor Percy Fiendl, dean and professor of Potions of the school, with his constant vexing smile.
"How is our fearless leader in this radiant morning?" Fiendl happily - annoyingly - greets.
"What can I do for you, Professor?" Justin answers with not much of enthusiasm to his current second in command.
"I have news about the task you gave me." He says, coming inside the office.
"If I remember well, you were the one who insisted in doing it."
"I had just been chosen to be Deputy Headmaster. I wanted to prove myself to you, Sir." Fiendl says in an almost apologetic tone.
"Okay! So, what about it?"
"Oh! I believe I have found the perfect person to take over the Improvisation Class." Fiendl states, capturing Justin's attention.
"Really?" He asks, finally with some interest.
"Oh, yes Sir. She is great! She graduated this very school. She was a tutor here some time ago, so she has some experience in teaching. She is impressive with improvised spells, that according to Professor Crumbs. He endorsed her himself, by the way. He even says she is extraordinary."
"Yeah, he does that." Justin answers. "So, who is she? When can I meet her?"
"Oh, I will try to schedule a meeting with her today. I believe you could interview her in a couple of days in case she is interested. …Well, I don't believe she would refuse such an honor."
"Not everybody is into teaching, Professor Fiendl." Justin mutters, again looking down at the schedule in front of him.
"I mean working with you, Sir." Fiendl explains, supporting a happy smile.
Justin stares at him for a second. "Sure!" He lets out with a doubtful tone. "Well, bring her here as soon as possible. We have only a few days to go."
"I'll do my best, Sir." Fiendl states confidently then leaves the office.
Yeah! Maybe it wasn't Justin's best decision to make Fiendl his Deputy Headmaster. He is too… enthusiastic, let's put it this way, especially about Justin.
And he has to start locking that door.
Three days go by and Justin is getting a little anxious. The beginning of classes is only other three days away and the supposed new teacher hasn't showed up yet. Despite the insistence, Fiendl refuses to give any information alleging that Justin is already too busy and that he is taking care of everything. Not even the excuse of making a background check worked.
Maybe Justin will have to find a teacher himself, as his confidence in Fiendl's negotiation skills stand below convincing at this point. It wouldn't be a problem for Justin taking over the classes for a couple of weeks while he looks for someone. Improvisation is not his strongest, but he can pull it off. Actually, that is what he is going to do. He has in his office an address book filled with names of well-accomplished wizards he knows. He can probably convince one of them to join the school.
As Justin sets his mind on one more task he is taking over, he arrives at his office. With his mind completely absorbed by the amount of work he has ahead of him, he opens the door and comes in without even looking around. "Hey!"
"Ahhhh!" Justin screams to the voice coming from behind him, startled by the unexpected presence. The familiar laughter that follows his reaction brings back the so common feeling of frustration.
"Alex!" He angrily grunts, then turns around to look at her. Alex sits on the couch that stays in the corner beside the door, her feet propped up on the center table and a self-satisfied smile on her face.
"I wasn't actually trying to scare you, but sometimes you just get lucky." She tells him, letting out another laugh.
"What are you doing here?" Justin turns around and walks to his desk to drop the books he carries, already overstrung by her mere presence.
"What? Can't a girl pay a visit to her dear brother?" Her fake tone is totally there.
"Okay, now I know you want something."
"It's just that … we haven't seen each other for so long." Alex tells him, and it truly has been a long time since they last met. "You really don't believe I just wanted to see you?" All bogus, Justin can tell.
"No! And you called me 'dear brother.' That's never a good sign." Justin sits behind his desk.
"I just wanted to spend some time." Alex tells.
"Look, if you are bored or something, go find someone else to bother. I have serious work to do." He tells her while opening a drawer and taking his address book.
"Yeah, and that's all you do, now. Mom is kinda pissed with you, you know? It's been months since your last visit."
"I was busy. I had a lot of work reforming the teaching system here." He flips the pages.
"Even on Sundays? They told you there's no school on Sundays, right?" Alex mocks him.
"I needed some time to see Juliet."
"Liar!" Alex accuses. "I talked to her and she told me you two meet practically every night."
Justin freezes, a hint of embarrassment on his face. Yeah! Sometimes Justin does forget that Alex and Juliet are still friends. "Alex, let me work, okay!"
"Okay. I win, then." She states with some pride.
"Whatever."
They both stay in silence for a moment, Justin staring down at his address book, watched by Alex from the couch while she sips her juice from the giant plastic cup. She barely moves a muscle. Whatever! If she wants to stay, it's her problem, right? (Yeah! Sure!)
"You changed a lot of things in here." Alex finally breaks the silence. "It doesn't look anything like Professor Crumbs' old office." She points out.
"Yeah, I didn't like that old-fashioned look."
"By that you mean medieval?" Alex completes.
"Kind of! … You know, since I had to empty the office to get it cleaned up …and that was really necessary, trust me… I decided to decorate it my way." Justin answers even before he notices they started chatting.
"Hmmm! 'Crumbs'! I get it!" Alex finishes.
And a little more of the awkward silence.
"Hey! What happened to Professor Adlib? I heard you are looking for a teacher to take over the Improvisation Class." Alex tells, in a small talk kind of way.
"He retired a few weeks ago." Justin answers without paying much attention to Alex while still going over his address book.
She finally stands up and walks to the desk. "I liked him. It was funny when he started reciting poems in class and completely zoned out."
"Yeah!" He agrees with a smile.
Alex casually leans on the desk, "You know… I could do it." She says, hovering above Justin.
"What?!" He yells in complete surprise, finally giving her full attention. "I'm not gonna hire you to teach here!" He answers sounding a lot more affected than he wanted.
"Why not!?" Alex replies, with an offended tone.
"You're crazy if you think I'm gonna let you teach here. This place has standards."
"Standards!?" Alex shoots back, a little hurt. "I doubt you can find anyone better in make'em ups than me."
"It doesn't matter. You're not gonna teach here. There's no way that would happen."
Then Alex pulls a paper from her back pocket that was there all along, just waiting to be used at the right moment. She unfolds it and carefully places it in front of Justin, delicately holding it with two fingers, a devious smile on her face.
"WHAT!?" Justin screams after skimming the first few words of the document, making Alex laugh. He stands up, taking the paper in his hands. "The official Council stamp?" He whines.
"I'm your new Improvisation teacher!" Alex happily chants, cheering with an excited tone, arms raised in sign of victory. She rushes around the desk and hugs Justin by his side, not caring at all to the distaste on his face for being played again.
Justin looks down at the official Education Council paper in his hand while still being squeezed by Alex. "NO! No!" He pushes Alex's arms off and steps away. "This is not possible. You barely went through basics in here. A teacher must have completed the entire course."
"Wellllll… Do you remember your delinquents' classes I attended?" She maliciously asks, batting eyelashes, trying to look cute and sweet.
"Yeah!" Justin thinks for a second. "NOOO!" He exclaims.
"They completed the credits I needed." She only confirms his deduction.
"NO!" Justin denies again.
"So I'm perfectly eligible for being a teacher." She completes.
"This… This …just cannot be happening! How did you find out about this? And how do you even know the word 'eligible'?"
"Yeah! You know, that Percy guy you sent told me that eligible means…"
"I know what eligible means." Justin yells, interrupting her. "You mean Professor Fiendl went to look for you to offer the job?"
"Yes!"
"This isn't just one of your schemes?"
"Nope!" Alex keeps a big smile on, looking at Justin's mad and sad face. "Then, when I found out I could take the job, I asked him to keep it between us to make a surprise for you."
"And I LOVED IT!" One could say it was pure sarcasm, but no, there was a whole lot of anger in his voice. Then just the mad face remains.
"Soooo…" Alex stares at Justin for a moment, holding both hands in front of her, sweetly rotating her body side-to-side, with those big eyes of hers. "Where am I staying?"
Justin sadly looks down at the official paper in his hand and swallows his pride as a big lump. "I'll ask an assistant to show you your quarters, Professor Russo!" He grunts. It was hard to say that.
"Yay!" Alex celebrates, running one more time to her brother and hugging him again.