AN: thanks to my reviewers for the feedback and he encouragement. please note, the usual disclaimers apply

chapter 17

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

After about two and a half weeks of teaching, I'd come to the conclusion that my first years were a handful. At first, they'd been nervous and a bit shell-shocked at the whole school experience. Once they got used to their school, their situation, and their teachers, they let their (as Neville and Theresa referred to it) "irksome youthful exuberance" shine. There was a long standing rivalry between the Gryffindor and Slytherin houses, I did my best to discourage that nonsense. Sometimes, though they just couldn't seem to help themselves. We were at the midpoint in our meditation and concentration exercises (excellent for increasing will power) when we heard a very loud rude noise come from the seat of Slytherin, Lawrence Willows' chair. The entire class erupted into hysterical laughter, and poor Mr Willows, who was very obviously in the awkward and shy pre-teenage boy stage blushed bright red, and looked as if he was about to burst into tears.

I looked over the class looking for a guilty face, I had my theories as to the identity of the culprit. A flick of my wand and a quickly muttered incantation caused the face of the guilty party to turn bright yellow with purple polka-dots. "Victoire Weasley!" I shouted, "that little prank has cost Gryffindor ten points and earned you a detention, see me after class."

Victoire didn't even try to deny it, the revealing incantation told the entire story. All she said was "yes, mam." I was quite pleased to see that she looked a bit shamed, and relieved that the charm only lasted about thirty seconds.

"Ok, guys," I addressed the class. "These lessons aren't a joke, you may not be learning serious defensive spells right now, but EVERYTHING I teach you is to prepare you to defend yourself in the real world." I saw a hand go up in the back of the room. One of the Slytherin girls, Venus Antopoles

had a question.

"Yes, Venus?" I acknowledged her.

"What was that charm you just cast on Weasley?" There was a bit of a sneer in her voice when she spoke.

"The actual incantation is 'perpi obvioso'," with a quick flick of my wand the words appeared on the black board. "It's a revealing charm, we use it in magical law enforcement to help us identify who's recently cast jinxes. It requires a lot of concentration, will power and experience to perform."

"It turns people yellow and purple when they're guilty of something?" Terrence Whitehall, of Gryffindor asked. Trey, as he preferred to be called, was a bit of a prankster, I'd actually expected him to be responsible for the flatulence jinx, I was very surprised that he wasn't.

"Actually," I explained, "the magic chooses the color and pattern the charm takes. It usually picks something the subject finds particularly objectionable."

We were saved from further discussion by the bell ringing for the daily lunch beak. As the children filed out, I pulled Lawrence aside. "Mr Willows," I said to him, "Would you mind staying back for a bit, as well?" He just nodded shyly and we waited for the rest of the class to leave, when just the three of us remained in the room, I said. "Miss Weasley, before I assign your detention and send you to lunch, I'd like to hear an apology to Mister Willows."

"Sorry Willows."

"Apology accepted, may I go to lunch professor?"

"Yes, you may." I don't think I'd ever seen someone escape my classroom so quickly.

I turned to Victoire. "I'm very disappointed in you Victoire. I expected better from you. I want to see you after last class today for an hour, we'll deal with your detention then."

"Yes, mam."

"Now, go have your lunch, and not more flatulence charm, understood?"

"Yes, mam."

I remembered that I'd promised Neville and Theresa I'd have lunch with them in the staff lounge. I propped Pitch, who'd been sleeping in a little basket on my desk, on my shoulder, and headed to lunch. Since it was Tuesday, I knew that the house elves had made soup, sandwiches and chips for lunch (well, I called them fries, but when in Hogwarts...the house elves were nice enough to leave me bottle of ketchup, I was American enough to make the thought of mayo and vinegar made my stomach turn).

I met Neville in the hallway on my way to class, Theresa was already eating when we arrived, we grabbed our lunch choices off the sideboard, as lunch in the staff room was buffet style, and headed to the table where our friend already sat. As I munched an excellent ham and cheddar sandwich, I saw Ruby land in an open window. She had an envelope in her beak, and a red rose.

"He's at it again," Theresa teased.

"You're just jealous," I huffed as I went to the window to take Ruby's delivery.

"I hope he feeds that poor owl well," Neville remarked as he came up behind me and gave Ruby a scratch, and a chip. "He overworks her," he commented.

I pocketed the note and held the rose to my nose for it's scent. "Come on Ruby," I said. She flew to the shoulder that wasn't occupied by Pitch. "I hate to eat and run guys," I said, as I exited the room.

They continued to tease me until I left the room. It didn't bother me, I knew that they teased because they were my friends.

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Hello Love,

I just wanted to let you know that I was thinking about you. Have fun with the kids.

I love you, Charlie.

I just looked at Ruby, and said "he made you fly all the way here for that?" Ruby gave me a long suffering 'hoot'. I ruffled her feathers and pushed the bowl of owl nuts at her. "Help yourself," I said, as I pulled a piece of paper and a pen out of my desk.

Hey Handsome!

I love you, too. love, Glinda.

ps, I'm working on a pair of two-way mirrors for us. Ruby needs a rest.

I rolled the scroll up and gave it to the owl, she flew out my open window with the note in her talons. The rose went into a vase that sat on the window sill. I heard the bell go off to indicate the start of the next class.

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Victiore was right on time at six o'clock, looking apprehensive about her detention. "Hello Miss Weasley," I greeted her.

"Hello Professor," she answered.

"Follow me," I said, leading her out of my classroom.

"You're not going to make me do lines?"

"Nope."

"All the other kids you gave detention to got lines."

"Well, can't be predictable, can I?"

"No mam." She paused for a second, "Where are we going mam?"

"To the green house," I explained. "Professor Longbottom needs help in with weeding."

"Weeding?!"

"Yup."

"Oh, bother."

Neville was waiting for us when we arrived. "Hello, Victoire," he said, he handed her a pair of gloves and some earmuffs, "the mandrakes in the third green house need to be weeded. They're still babies, but keep your earmuffs on, I'll be in to check on you.

"Yes, sir," she said, the she turned to me. "Professor Goode," she said.

"Yes?"

"Next time Uncle sends Ruby to you, tell him I said 'hello'." she wandered out to take care of her detention.

I heard Neville mutter "oh bullocks," under his breath.