Ada presses the receiver to her ear, listening intently.
"To what do I owe the pleasure, sir?"
"How is the search going to fill your vacant position?"
"Admittedly poor. I find the candidates quite lackluster."
"Ada there is no other pool of candidates. You must understand that due to Cackles recent chaos qualified instructors are not willing to risk life, and limb to join your faculty."
"I understand your greatness."
"Certainly there is one qualified candidate among the group."
"How did Mr. Ravenfeather's name get thrown into the ring?"
"I personally selected it. I believe he has a great deal to offer."
"I see."
"You must reach a decision by end of business tomorrow."
"That seems rather hasty," she admits.
"Choose a candidate, or I will," he threatens.
"If you are decreeing that I hire Mr. Ravenfeather I simply will not."
"If you value your position as headmistress you haven't a choice in the matter. I am confident that Miss Hardbroom will be ready to fill the position immediately."
"Your greatness, I respect your position on this…" she begins.
He cuts her off, "What is your reservation?"
"I am simply trying to keep history from repeating itself," Ada admits.
"I haven't the foggiest what you are referring to."
"It sounds as if it doesn't matter how solid my reasoning might be. Obviously a decision on the matter has already been reached."
"Whatever your misgivings about him are you must offer him a fair chance, Ada. He is a quite brilliant wizard that can offer much to your pupils. I thought that you would value that."
"He is twenty two he will offer much distraction to my pupils."
"He is a professional. I can assure that it will not be a problem."
"What is your recourse when all of this blows up?"
"Honestly, of all of the instructors you have had come through your halls, I am surprised that you have such misgivings about this one. He is well respected, and highly qualified. He won accolades in his first year at Graystone. He is willing to join your faculty. An opportunity like this will not present itself again."
"Understood."
The following morning as Hecate enters the potions lab she finds a group of cackling pupils.
"Desist!"
"Sorry, Miss Hardbroom," Ethel apologizes.
"Turn to page three hundred and twenty seven," she instructs.
Enid's hand shoots up. Hecate's face grows stiff in irritation, "Yes, Miss Nightshade?"
"Have you met the new instructor?"
Hecate furrows her brow, "To whom are you referring?"
Ethel grins, "I guess that you are the last to know. We saw him in the hall on our way here. Miss Cackles hired a Mister Ravenfeather."
"I assure you that she did not."
Mildred clears her throat, and points behind Miss Hardbroom. Hecate turns to find a young blue eyed instructor standing in her doorway. He offers a sly smile, and places his hand to his forehead.
"Well-met Miss Hardbroom. Sebastian Ravenfeather. I had hoped that we could get acquainted before the pupils ruined the chance. Clearly news travels like wildfire around here."
"Well-met Mister Ravenfeather."
"I will not further disrupt your class," he transfers himself out of the portal to the potions lab.
"Ladies begin your assignment I will return momentarily."
Ada is sipping her morning cup of tea when Hecate appears before her wearing an utterly disgruntled look.
"At what point were you going to tell me that you had reversed your decision in regards to Mister Ravenfeather?"
"I intended to do so during your free period. He is not due to arrive until tomorrow."
She nods, "He has arrived more promptly than that. He appeared in my doorway moments ago, after the girls announced his addition to our faculty."
Ada places her teacup on the surface of the coffee table.
"I thought that you would be pleased after the conversation we had yesterday."
"Certainly I am not responsible for your sudden change in heart."
"The great wizard was responsible for the reversal of my decision. I thought you the last one to have qualms with this."
"He is barely older than our pupils."
"Hecate at this point it does not matter if you are for, or against his arrival. We will make the best of the circumstances. Put aside whatever conflicted feelings you may be having, and make him feel welcome. I apologize that you did not receive more notice on the subject."
"Why must we always be given lemons?"
"He is far from a lemon, Hecate," Ada replies as his CV miraculously materializes in Hecate's hand.
Hecate scrutinizes every detail of the young wizard's CV. When she reaches the last line her eyes flick upwards to her superior.
"Other than youth I fail to see your reservations about Mister Ravenfeather."
"I question his motives, Hecate. He could be faculty at an academy of his choosing, yet he is willing to join us when our recent reputation is less than stellar."
Hecate finds herself being drawn to the name atop the page. A. Sebastian Ravenfeather stands out boldly against the other rather mundane font.
"What does the A stand for?"
"I believe that is a question you must bring up to Mister Ravenfeather. He chooses to be known by his middle name. Let's just hope that he can live up to it."
"As I recall Sebastian is a crab from a particularly depressing, and highly implausible tale about a wretched little mermaid."
"I would assume that whomever chose his name was leaning towards the Greek origin of the name, not the Disney characterization."
"One would certainly hope."
"I only hope that our pupils are too young to make the connection to the latter reference. It would be such a shame for any of them to turn him into a crustacean."