A Spoon Full of Sugar

[Celeste Decorus]

A gentle autumnal breeze moved lazily across the courtyard, ruffling Professor Decorus’s hair as she strode across the stone slated enclosure having just finished her last Charms lesson of the day. It was the beginning of a new year at Hogwarts and the new influx of students were equally eager and destructive.

Although she had repaired the fire damage to her sapphire blue robes, the damage to her classroom would take more creativity and time. How a student created a ball of flames when trying to perform Wingardium Leviosa she had no idea. She hadn’t realised her work with the Department for Accidental Magic Reversal would come in so useful.

Upon entering the castle again, she took a right at the Great Hall and paused at the two gargoyles protecting the staff room. Muttering the password, she was gained access to the teacher’s haven. Entering the long, wooden panelled room which had become a place of respite from the continuous drone of students, Celeste noticed that unusually, she was the only person in the room. With a flick of her Yew wand, the kettle began to boil while simultaneously a teabag left the confines of the tartan decorated tin and met a battered mug halfway in the air and together they landed on the counter.

Sitting down in her favourite chair, a large cushioned armchair in which she could melt into, she shook off her high heeled ankle boots and brought her feet to rest underneath her. The first years were definitely going to be more of a challenge for there were a couple she had already picked out as needing extra tuition and guidance.

Once the tea was made, it flew gently towards her. As she cradled the mug, revelling in its delicious warmth in her cold hands, she was glad to be back in thick of magic teaching. The summer had been nice but she had grown bored with the inactivity, there wasn’t another place on earth she’d rather be.
[right]

[Felicity Fairweather]

Professor Fairweather made her way slowly to the staffroom a niffler tucked under her arm. She had expected the first day of the term to be an easy going day but after three causalities and issuing two detentions she had written the day off as a disaster. She wasn’t a strict teacher and issuing detentions was not normally her way but feeding a niffler one of the Weasley’s puking pastilles had infuriated her. He fourth year class had never witnessed such and explosion of rage from the normally calm and relaxed professor they spent their Thursday afternoons with.

As if on cue, the niffler under her arm belched, and bright green vomit erupted from its mouth covering her robes and the floor. “Scourgify” she sighed half heartedly and the sick vanished though the smell lingered. Reaching the gargoyles that manned the staff room door she muttered the password and stepped inside, dropping the niffler once the door had closed behind her.

Much to her disappointment the room was occupied by her rival Professor Decorus. “Professor.” She said stiffly, before making her way to a drawing table and pulling out some parchment to write ahead to the hospital wing to find a cure for the puking pastille. Behind her the niffler approached the chair Professor Decorus was sat on and sniffed at the witch’s boots, before belching once more and covering them in green vomit. Fairweather buried her head in her hands. “For goodness sake” she muttered “I’m going to make those two wish they had never been born”

[Celeste Decorus]

The tea was like the very elixir of life itself. It warmed her from the inside out and detangled her frayed nerves. The trials and tribulations of teaching magic were ones she usually relished however today for a moment she feared for the safety of everyone in the room when the fire grew with such ferocity that it took several seconds to get it under control.

When the door squeaked open Celeste looked up to see the muddy form of Professor Fairweather enter. The woman was nice enough she supposed but they were as opposite as two people could be. Celeste enjoyed the finer things in life. Her idea of outdoor life was watching a Quidditch match, whereas her fellow Professor was the epitome of the outdoors.

“Professor,” Celeste replied with a gentle nod which set her black her swaying in perfect rhythm.

She looked at the thing which was scurrying toward her with curiosity for she was no good at identifying exotic magical creatures. Before she could enquire further however the thing promptly threw up beside the chair. With the fearful thought that her new Starbright shoes from Milan, Celeste slowly leaned forward and saw the sparkly boots covered in foul smelling vomit.

Gently shaking her head, Celeste looked up at Fairweather with a look of disdain she previously had reserved her daughter.

[Felicity Fairweather]

Felicity sighed heavily and turned flicking her wand once again, clearing the vomit away. She caught the look on Celeste’s face. “Oh don’t look at me like that.” She snapped “I didn’t feed him puking pastilles” Turning round again she grabbed a quill and scrawled a quick note to the hospital wing advising she would be down shortly and needed the antidote for Weasley's puking pastilles. “Weeby!” she called as she slipped the ink and quill into back into a drawer.

There was a loud crack as a house elf appeared behind her. “Yes, Professor Fairweather?” he asked, blinking his watery green eyes.

“Take this to Madam Boddice for me please” she replied handing him the slip of parchment.

“Certainly, Professor” he disappeared with another loud crack. Flicking her wand to the kettle as Celeste had done before her, she sank into an arm chair next to the beautiful woman. Her eyes flicked to the now ruined boots. “I’m sorry, Celeste.” She said solemnly “I’ll get you some new ones for Christmas.”

She held her hands out for her tea as it floated towards her and took a sip relishing at the warmth and relaxation that flowed through her body. The niffler curled up at her feet and whimpered she looked down at him with a pitiful smile. “Sorry to you too.” Reaching down she scratched its ears, “how were your first years?” she asked Celeste.

[Celeste Decorus]

Sighing, Celeste didn’t have much to say to the other woman. These things happened but she wished it didn’t happen over the latest Starbright boots she’d bought from the boutique in Diagon Alley over the summer.

Fairweather was apologetic which lessened Celeste’s grumbly mood. “Don’t worry, they were 200 Galleons, I wouldn’t expect you to pay all that.” She said civilly however she knew the insinuation that the other woman couldn’t afford them was there. She wasn’t a bitch, well she didn’t think she was one, but she liked to get the point across.

Upon mention of the first years, Celeste rolled her eyes and sighed. “It was an... interesting lesson. There are a couple of Gryffindors to look out for, the simple Wingardium Leviosa charm quickly became a ball of flames which nearly took all of us out.”

Pointing toward the creature now at her feet, Celeste said, “I take it your lessons weren’t much better? What is that anyway?”

[Drusus Wilde]

While it couldn’t be said that he was as new to Hogwarts as the First Years were, Professor Wilde certainly hadn’t set foot in the school since his graduation ceremony twenty years ago. It was with that strange, dream-like sensation of déjà vu that he walked the corridors, often surrounded on either side by people who were much shorter than he was or remembered being when he had been a student here. The excitement on their faces, however, was something with which he could identify. It was that state of feet-tangling, jaw-dropping awe which made the clear distinction between the new students on their first day of term, and their senior counterparts for whom the novelty of a magic castle had already worn off.

Indeed, the scintillating First-Day Wonder even extended into the classrooms, where Drusus had found some of his pupils so enthralled by his introduction to Defence Against the Dark Arts that they seemed to feel the need to gasp every time he finished a sentence. Drusus felt that this was rather unnecessary and made them sound as though they all suffered from some unfortunate respiratory complaint.

Just about ready for some respite, he came to a stop in front of the Staff Room gargoyles – offering the password to admit himself. As the door slid back, one of the grotesques cocked its head critically.

“Your tie’s crooked,” it rasped.

Drusus gave it a flat glance from the corner of his eye as he straightened the offending article, and stepped forward into the room beyond with a muttered: “Thank you.”

He wasn’t entirely surprised to see some of the chairs already occupied – if his day had been anything to go by, he really couldn’t blame the other teachers for wanting some peace and quiet – and he offered the two women a curt smile as he headed for the kettle. “Ladies.”

Retrieving a mug for himself, he suddenly caught sight of the dejected-looking Niffler curled at Professor Fairweather's feet - regarding it with some surprise as he set the kettle to boil. "Looks a bit peaky..." he observed.

[Charles Tetherwood]

Charles walked throughout the corridors of Hogwarts with a large smile on his face. His first class of the day, his first years, had been an absolute delight. They hadn’t caused any problems well the odd talker was not a problem in Charles’ mind, despite that he had not had to ‘control’ his class in any sense. The topic of the America Civil War was one of Charles’ favourite subjects to teach to his first year. As a muggle-born he had studied the war during his primary school education, but he never guessed, until he researched the war further, that the war had been between magical creatures as had been between muggles.

He knew that convincing first-years that History of Magic was half the battle of making the subject one of the more enjoyable one, but the hardest would be to convince the students that had the previous teacher and were coming up to choosing their NEWT subjects. He wanted to exceed the number his current batch of NEWT students and go into a figure in double figures next year.

Rounding a corner his black robe swished with the remaining energy of his previous direction. Underneath the open robe Charles wore a clean cut grey suit, soft purple shirt, polished black shoes and a plum coloured tie that glinted when light reflected off it. The gargoyle that guarded the entry into the staff stepped aside immediately after Charled muttered the password, not looking up from the recent homework he had set his fourth years.

The door swung open into the staff room. The warmth of the room hit him instantly, the fire was roaring in the ornate fireplace, and he allowed that warmth to wash over him. It was a welcome feeling he longed for when it was cold and icy outside of the castle. “Afternoon, all,” Charles said with a smile as he dropped his files onto his favourite armchair. He knew all three Professors in the room to varying degrees. Celeste, he had known the longest for they joined the academic staff the same year. The other two he knew less. He knew Felicity tended to prefer her outdoors environment, which Charles near detested, and Drusus was a brand new addition this year. He hardly knew him.

“I hope your classes went well today,” he enquired with interest as he too made his way over to the kettle. With a wave of his wand his mug descended from its hook and filled with his elixir of life, coffee. The steaming liquid filled his nostrils with its bitter aroma, an aroma Charles desired every morning he awoke and now he satisfied his craving with a welcome sip.

[Celeste Decorus]

As more professors filtered into the staffroom, the safe haven, Celeste felt more comfortable. Perhaps it was due to the fact that she was always more at ease with men for she had learnt during her years as a student at Hogwarts that they were simply easier to get along with. Greeting the two men in turn, Celeste took a sip of her tea and wondered when she’d next get the opportunity to go to Diagon Alley.

Looking up at Professor Tetherwood, Celeste rolled her eyes, she hadn’t fully recovered from the madness which ensured earlier that day. “The usual,” she replied with derision, “only a few did revision over the holidays, the first years nearly destroyed half of Hogwarts...”

Despite her obvious disdain at the day’s interest developments, she wouldn’t trade her place here at Hogwarts. The fact that she had been promoted the Head of Hufflepuff this year showed her eagerness to share the knowledge she had accumulated over the years.

Celeste realised that the staff were getting younger and younger. Her years at Hogwarts had been spent being taught by Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, Binns, Slughorn among a few who were very talented but not young. Hogwarts was never same from one generation to the next, forever progressing and transforming, one of the reasons she loved it here so much.

“I hope I'm not the only one with horror stories about today.” She added.

[Felicity Fairweather]

Ignoring Celeste’s remark about her personal funds, Felicity smiled. One thing she was grateful for was that she didn’t get students until they were in their third year and by then they had (mostly) learnt to control their magic and perform spells without much catastrophe, the downside however was by the time they’d reached their third year the ones that were likely to create a disruption had had a couple of years experience at it and did a wonderful job of upsetting her karma.

“No, mine wasn’t much better. This,” she said inclining her head to the niffler, “and two trips to the hospital wing. Nothing serious mind, but enough to set my expectations for the rest of the term.”

She fell quiet and enjoyed the peace before more Professors began to file into the quiet room. She looked up as the new DADA professor walked in. “Afternoon,” she replied to his greeting.

"Looks a bit peaky..." Felicity followed his gaze to the niffler, who had sat up as. “Yes,” she replied thoughtfully, “puking pastilles will do that.” As if in response, the niffler vomited again, felicity flicked her wand as she had done numerous times before and the fluid vanished.

“The joys of the first day of term.” She said with a chuckle. “How was your first class? Must have been nerve racking. I know mine was.” She smiled as she remembered the jittery state she had been in. Her confidence had only really developed properly after her first term, by then she had learnt the students to look out for and the ones who needed a kick to keep their concentration, metaphorically speaking of course.

[Drusus Wilde]

Drusus had glanced up briefly when Tetherwood had come in, acknowledging the man with a nod before turning back to his tea-brewing; half-listening to the pleasantries his colleagues exchanged behind him. There hadn’t been much of a chance to make friends here, yet – practically the only opportunity for proper conversation thus far had been at the start-of-term feast, and even then, people spent half their time chewing and unable to talk, anyway.

Still, there wasn’t any hurry to form acquaintances. He wasn’t planning on leaving this job anytime soon; not if he could help it. Curses were there to be broken, after all – even curses put in place by Lord Voldemort.

“The joys of the first day of term. How was your first class?”

It took Drusus a moment to realise someone was speaking to him, and he had to force down a mouthful of tea as Professor Fairweather finished her question: “Must have been nerve-wracking. I know mine was.”

“I imagine it could’ve been worse. The Sixth Years weren’t bad,” he replied honestly in a Yorkshire brogue. Then, more drily: “The First Years reminded me why I’ve never had children.” He glanced at the Niffler again as it belched up a mouthful of fascinatingly-coloured slop. "As do Puking Pastilles, incidentally," he added. "I remember those being popular back in my day..."

[Felicity Fairweather]

"As do Puking Pastilles, incidentally, I remember those being popular back in my day...

Felicity smiled dreamily. She took an instant liking to the new professor, and found her stomach fluttering slightly. She couldn’t decide whether it was the accent or his looks that had set her off. An embarrassing girly giggle escaped her, and she quelled it almost instantly, almost. She cleared her throat. “Well,” she started, feeling the colour rising in her cheeks “some things never change.” She studied him drinking in all she could, to store in her memory for later.

A loud crack made her jump and she turned to see Weeble standing attentively next to her “Madam Boddice says the antidote is ready for you Professor.”

“Thank you.” She replied, and Weeble bowed before vanishing. Letting go of her cup she let it float aimlessly back to the side and reached down to scoop up the Niffler.”Right,” she said getting to her feet, “I best go and sort this mess out. Anyone going to the Three Broomsticks later?” she asked over her shoulder as she reached the door.

[Celeste Decorus]

As she quietly finished off her tea, Celeste watched Felicity with amusement and raised her eyebrows at the girly giggle which suddenly erupted from her and her subsequent embarrassment. Celeste knew enough to know an attraction when she saw one and thought it sweet.

“I shall definitely be in the Three Broomsticks later.” God knows she needed a drink and a break. Turning toward Professor Wilde, she asked, “will you be joining us Drucus?”

Rising from the chair with a sigh which heralded her slow progression into middle age, Celeste walked back to the counter and with a flick of her wand the mug was clean. Placing it back into the cupboard she moved a couple of cupboard doors down and opened it to reveal a sizeable stash of biscuits, sweets and other such foods. Grabbing a couple of chocolate covered digestive biscuits, she realised forlornly that she should’ve had them with her tea.

Turning back to the small group, she asked, “can I tempt anyone?”

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