Happy New Year ^^
So this chapter has some really inconsistent typing/wording/speaking/reading style…but YOU CAN'T (actually you can) BLAME ME T_T
NaNo finished and I've gotten into a "groove"...
So I'm going to try and update at least once a month (or once every two weeks depending)! T^T I know! So shocking. But I am hoping that I will be better about writing this year...HOPEFULLY T^T
Guest
The glittering diamonds of the Ark appeared almost immediately, the number 22 appeared at the top of the door. Allen approached the Ark and called Tim to him. Realising Komui was already on the line, he said "The door number is 22, Komui."
"Thank you Allen. Lavi is on his way."
The call disconnected and Allen sighed as quietly as he could. This would probably be the last chance of the beloved peace and quiet he'd always for when he'd been apprenticed to his Master. Once Lavi stepped through those doors, Allen was sure it would be an ALL-HELL-HAS-BROKEN-LOOSE kind of week.
Allen stepped a few steps back from the Ark. Hopefully Lavi would behave himself when he arrived. Allen had no wish to explain to Furball and the other teachers why a "teacher" acted like a teenager on drugs. That probably wouldn't end well for him.
The Ark shimmered as Lavi stepped through. He looked the same as ever. The only difference was his exorcist outfit, which, while a close match for Allen's with the Black Order's symbol on it, the trim was a dark red color. It was a good compromise Allen thought. That way he wouldn't be in trouble for impersonating a General or whatever nonsense Central would come up with and Lavi could be "distinguished" from "teachers" and "students".
Lavi paused as he stepped through the door, no doubt using his Bookman eyes to download all that information into his brain. A grin, that Allen knew boded no good for him, grew on Lavi's face before Lavi wiped it off his face and bowed to the watching teachers. Thankfully it seemed that he would behave himself.
Who knows what he will be like when you two are alone?
Probably an over-excited rabbit…but I don't want to think about it.
Allen shuddered. He could already imagine the questions Lavi would be asking.
Sighing, as he resigned to his fate, Allen approached the teachers and stepped behind Lavi. He addressed Umbridge, "Would you like for us to go to your office?"
The woman stared at Lavi, her disgust clearly showing (at least to Allen who was a master at reading faces). She nodded and walked away primly. Allen pointed to Lavi and made a shooing gesture for him to follow her. He rose a single eyebrow…at least that's what Allen though (his eyepatch covered the other). Allen rolled his eyes and turned to the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall. "I will close the door and won't open it until Lavi leaves. No one else can operate it here except me. So no one should be able to open it."
The duo nodded and Allen turned back to the Ark, willing it to close.
So how does this thing exactly work?
...I'm not exactly sure either. I believe it has to do with the Ark's connection to its master's mind. Who was me before I transferred those rights to you. But I couldn't tell you anything about how the Ark was made or the fine details of it...That's what the Earl would know.
… Fair enough.
Allen turned to follow the retreating backs of both Umbridge and Lavi. The contrast of large and skinny and pink and red nearly making him burst out into laughter.
Harry and Co. POV
Harry looked out the window to the courtyard. He, Ron and Hermione were currently crammed into the small space trying to see how Allen was going to bring his fellow teacher. Harry had told Ron and Hermione what he'd found out before when Allen had walked into his detention and both of his friends had agreed that seeing how Allen's friend arrived to Hogwarts, would be much preferable than a Hogsmeade weekend.
Hermione's excuse was that she wanted to see if the people where Allen normally taught had different ways of traveling...Needless to say, the Trio weren't disappointed.
They watched as Allen held out his hands, in a piano kind of way Hermione said, and white diamonds appeared in the air.
"What are those?" Ron asked, awe in his voice. Both of the boys looked to Hermione for an answer. She didn't have one.
"I don't know...I haven't seen it before, nor has it been in any of the books I've read."
"What could it be then?" Harry asked. As far as he knew, and had been told by Hermione no less, there weren't many ways in and out of Hogwarts because of the Apparation Wards. And yet...Professor Allen had just created a door of some sort that opened in the grounds.
The Trio watched in silence as a red haired man, who looked to be around the same age as their Professor, stepped out of the weird door and seemed to greet both Allen, Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Umbridge.
"What do you think he teaches?" Harry asked.
"I don't know...but his uniform seems to be a different color than Professor Walker's." Hermione pointed out the red trim of the newcomer's outfit. Harry and Ron (more Harry) squinted to try and see his outfit.
"I can't really tell." Ron leaned forward, his nose almost touching the window.
"Perhaps we should have brought some Omnioculars with us?" Ron asked when Harry also gave a shrug.
Hermione pursed her lips and just gave a short nod. Professor Allen seemed to exchange a few words with Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall before turning to follow Umbridge and the new comer.
"Maybe we should go to the library now to see what we can find out about that door that Professor Walker opened?" Hermione stood and Harry and Ron followed.
Allen POV
Allen let out a soft sigh as he stood outside Umbridge's door. He truly and desperately didn't want to walk inside and see what Lavi was, no doubtfully, doing to ruin Allen's mission.
Did you ever consider the fact that Lavi is part of the Bookman Clan and they actually take their missions quite seriously?
…That's ridiculous. Bookman would but I can't see Lavi doing anything but goofing off.
Well...I'm sure you're just biased because he only acts like that at the Order. When he's on a mission, even when he's on one with you, Kanda or Lenalee he can actually be quite serious.
Right….
Neah let out a groan of annoyance…
I'm kidding...But I'm pretty sure he will act like a total annoyance while we are alone.
That I have no argument against.
Allen decided to stop stalling and knocked on the (pink again!) door.
"Come in…" The simpering voice gave Allen goosebumps and he shivered before opening the door and entering.
Lavi was sitting across Umbridge's desk drinking some tea that Umbridge seemed to be making another cup of.
I don't know if that is quite safe…
I agree...Oh well...It's Lavi's fault for drinking it if something does happen.
He sat next to Lavi and folded his hands, nervously tapping them while Furball mixed sugar into some tea that Allen assumed would probably be for him.
"Thank you for agreeing to have this meeting - "
"Lavi, Lavi Bookman." Lavi flashed her a bright smile and continued, "It is such a pleasure to be invited to Hogwarts myself Professor Umbridge. I've always wanted to visit and see how Hogwarts teaches magic...so is it okay if I plan to stay for a few days and observe some classes?"
Allen's head whipped to look at Lavi.
He didn't say anything about this….
Panic began to bubble inside him.
Does Central know? What about Komui? Please tell me this isn't some kind of last-minute-Lavi kind of thing…
...I'm sure Lavi told someone before he came. Besides...shouldn't you be happy for a familiar face?
I would be happy for anyone's familiar face except for Kanda, Lavi and Master. Those three I cannot deal with outside of the Order.
Umbridge looked at Lavi, a puzzled yet a veeerry sinister look appeared in her eyes . "Of course Mister Lavi. Now, if I may, I'd like for you to answer a few questions I had regarding the legitimacy of your school."
"You may, Please do continue." Lavi replied as he looked at her, straight in the eye.
Perhaps I should just let him handle this. It seems like his Bookman mode is on.
What did I tell you? Lavi can be very serious when he wants to be and when the situation demands it.
...I can't do it but I am currently rolling my eyes at you. I already told you that I was joking…
Of course.
"Can you tell me where this school is located?"
Lavi shook his head, "I'm afraid I cannot. Like Hogwarts, the Black Order's whereabouts must remain a secret so we don't have random wizards popping up to explore. Our school is a very secretive and private school, you must understand Ms. Umbridge, that we research many types of magic and cannot risk these experiments falling into the hands of someone else."
She narrowed her eyes, "And if your school is so secret, then why do you have students there to learn? Are you performing dangerous experiments on them?"
"You misunderstand Professor. Our school doubles as a research center and school. The students are always most helpful in providing insightful thoughts into our many ongoing experiments."
"And how are these students accepted?"
"We select them from a small pool of gifted wizards and witches. There is no set enrollment date or set years. A fullgrown wizards or witch who we think has the potential to grow at our school can be invited to learn."
"Then how are classes organized?"
"Each student is assigned a mentor, someone like Allen, who has already graduated and received approval of our Supervisor and a council of other teachers. Each teacher may have two or three students...and each student may remain under the care of the teacher for many years. We have no set program length and the teachers decide when a student graduates…"
"How many students do you have?"
Lavi paused. "We are a very small school. At most 20...but many travel with their teachers to other places around the world."
"And what do you teach Mister Lavi?"
"None of our teachers have a specialized subject per say, they are all naturally better at one thing than another but must be well rounded in order to be promoted. Some of our students graduate but are never promoted. And to answer your question, I do not teach. I am simply one of the librarians at the school."
"How many teachers do you have?"
Lavi smiled and replied, "Around ten, but our school is a very small one, most of our students will go into magical research or into looking for Magical Artifacts so they are taken under the Magical Science Department or Magical Artifacts Department. Those two departments are much bigger than our Magic Department."
Umbridge frowned as she stared at Lavi, and Allen lifted a single eyebrow as he noticed the ease at which Lavi was answering all of her questions.
He must have planned all of this out before he came. Probably made a list of expected questions…
What did you expect? He's a Bookman after all...And if it wasn't him, Bookman probably did it for him or made Lavi do it himself.
…Right.
Allen continued to sit quietly as Lavi answered Umbridge's question with (still surprising) ease and shot questions that he couldn't (and wasn't allowed to answer) down.
Allen watched as Umbridge seemed to get more and more frustrated when Lavi repeated that he couldn't tell her where the Order was located and that there was no way that the Headmaster (a.k.a. Komui) would be able to come to Hogwarts.
After what seemed like hours of the questioning, it was only half an hour as Neah reminded Allen, Umbridge asked her last question.
"And how do you find these students?"
Lavi frowned, this was clearly a question he hadn't anticipated (for what reason Allen didn't know).
"I can't really say since I'm only a librarian and do not interact with the magic that does find them," He turned to Allen, "Why don't you explain?"
Allen looked at him with eyes wide in panic before schooling his expression into what his friends liked to call his Poker Face (fitting name since he used it when he played). He chewed his lips in thought as he racked his brain for an answer.
Thankfully Neah interjected and gave him an idea.
It's the Innocence that does it, right? Just make the Innocence some weird old form of magic that no one can figure out how it works.
Thanks, Allen let out a sigh of relief in his mind.
He turned to Umbridge and began slowly, "What finds the students...is an old form of magic that was discovered a while back. It finds the students and brings them up on a parchment that we use to find them and explain our school. We don't know how the magic works as we think its been around for quite some time, using an old form of magic that no one knows, but our Magical Science department has been researching it."
Umbridge nodded, her lips thin and eyes narrowed. Allen suspected that this wouldn't be the end of her questioning but it would hopefully delay it for some time.
The two exorcists stood, Allen bowing as he did (Lavi not so much) and left the room. Allen was just about to exit when Umbridge asked, "And how did you come to teach at Hogwarts Mr. Walker?"
Allen froze at the door and turned to the Professor, "We came to Hogwarts."
Allen bowed again, a short one this time, and hurried out the door, not wanting to explain any further. Let Umbridge figure out what that means instead of having Allen try to explain.
Lavi lifted an eyebrow, or at least one eyebrow, and asked, "Why is she so…?" He wrinkled his nose.
Allen snorted, "You're sick of her already? Think about me!"
The duo walked down the halls in silence, Allen leading the way with directions by Neah. Lavi was looking at him suspiciously. "How do you know your way around so well?"
Allen shrugged and tapped the side of his head in what he hoped would be understood as, "Neah."
Lavi nodded his head thoughtfully, no doubt filing away the information to report and record.
They entered the hall where Allen's classroom (and office) were located and Allen ushered Lavi in. Allen waited till he was inside before telling him, "Go ahead and go to my office. It's up those stairs. Feel free to help yourself to those books and whatever else you would like to look at But don't mess with any of the papers on my desk, I still have to grade all of them…." Allen let a sigh of exhaustion at the thought of having to look through the stack that was rotting on his desk.
Lavi raised his eyebrow, or at least the only one Allen could see, and asked, "And where are you going?"
Allen smiled and said, "Just gotta go check something...enjoy yourself to your fullest Bookman."
Lavi let out a small laugh as Allen shut the door slowly slightly scared about what might happen to all of the books Professor Dumbledore had painstakingly put in the office (seeing as he didn't have any of his own).
Allen turned from the door and faced the seemingly empty hallway. His expression faded, leaving what Lavi might have called the beginnings of Black Allen.
They've been following you ever since you came inside over here. I think it's Potter and his crowd….seems like it anyway. Don't they have that Invisibility cloak thing?
Probably, they aren't exactly too great about sneaking around either. Their footsteps echo around the hallways like they are running.
"Why don't you three come out now? It's no use trying to hide. You've been following me since we came into the castle."
There was a moment of silence before three figures appeared. Harry, Ron and Hermione (of course), Harry was holding a shimmering cloak in his hand and the three of them looked at Allen sheepishly.
"Well? What are you doing?"
None of them answered for a moment, and after a few moments of silence, after Allen didn't break the silence, only staring at them, Hermione spoke up. "We were just wondering who was with you, professor."
Allen tilted his head, "And you felt the need to sneak around, invisible might I add, to find out? I would have been more than happy to tell you. I think you three do not understand the fact that we, as teachers, have our own private lives that we don't wish to be intruded on. Sneaking around like this could be dangerous for your health. All of us here have magic, and what's to stop us from accidentally hitting you all with a spell that could do permanent damage." Allen let out a heavy sigh. He didn't think that any of what he said would actually go through to their heads but it was worth a try.
Allen let out another sigh as he regarded them, letting his british accent fade away with his annoyance.
"Well? Why don't you return to your common room?" He paused and his eyebrows furrowed. "And aren't you lot supposed to be at Hogsmeade?"
Hermione spoke again, probably having been told that she was the designated speaker for the trio. "Sorry professor. We wont' do it again."
Allen nodded, his mouth in a thin line of disapproval. 'Thank you. Now go back to your room."
The three turned to leave but Harry stopped as he did. "Um Professor? Would you find telling us who your guest is?"
Allen raised an eyebrow and replied, "You'll get to meet him with the rest of your class."
I have started to post, occasionally, to word count of each chapter as I work on it. I try to write at least 4000 words per chapter...so you will know...roughly when each chap will be posted. This one's only 3000 though….sooooooo…..
What would you guys like to see more of? Which characters? More length or something?
I hope you guys had a great Christmas and New Years ^^ I'm so happy you guys have stuck with me throughout these year(s?). Thank you for being good readers and reviewers of course ^^ So THANK YOU SO MUCH ^^
Leave a review about how your break (if you had one) ^^ I was so happy that I got mine and so happy that my grades are decent ^^ I don't know if you guys saw but I posted a One-shot as my (early) christmas present if you haven't seen it go check it out ^^