TIME WAS OF THE ESSENCE!

Having collected potato sacks - and sewing up some of the arm holes here and there (SORRY HOUSE ELVES?!) - the astronomer professor entered the sculpture exhibit and may have looked more like a muggle farmer in a suit than professor given the fact that he was pushing a large wheelbarrow full of sand. "This should be plenty," he nodded as he examined the floor for any signs that the swamp had made it this far. Seeing none, yet, the professor pushed the wheelbarrow over to the middle of the room and unceremoniously plopped himself down on the ground.

He just wished Medea could be here to help with this...his concern for her well being with everything that was going on in her family had left the Astronomy professor looking a little disheveled these days. Tie not nearly as well pressed, despite the assistance of Mr. Adair, and he had even forgotten to tuck his shirt entirely into his trousers.

"Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung," he sang under his breath as he pulled a gardening trowel out from the wheelbarrow and began filling one of the potato sacks with sand. "Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung...Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung...Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung...Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung...Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream..."

His Original idea of coming to the DADA area was to practise some spells down at the dueling arena. But after he saw his Head of House entering the Sculpture exhibit looking absolutely ridiculous while pushing a wheelbarrow with ...something in it. He couldn't see what it was though.

As the man entered the room, Kevin walked slowly along the wall and towards the entrance of the room. Once inside he quickly hid behind a sculpture shaped as a Hinkypunk and spied on the professor as he began filling one of the potato sacks with...sand?

What on earth was he doing?!

Kace decided to take a walk around the grounds and just do some exploring. As he was just looking for something to do, he saw Professor Airey enter the sculpture exhibit and he furrowed his brows. No why would he go in here? He walked in and began to check it out. As he entered the room, he noticed Kevin was there and he nodded towards him. He seemed just as confused as he was.

What in the name of bloody merlin was he doing with a potato sack and filling it up with sand? Usually Airey was quite cool in the unusual category but today it was just plain weird. Maybe he had an explanation today.

Blissfully unaware of the two students that had entered, Airey continued to scoop sand from the wheelbarrow and into the sandbag. "Make hi --- her the cutest that I've ever seen," he sang, patting down the sand a bit before resuming. "Give her two lips... like roses and clover..." He sort of mumbled the next line while his ears turned a rather embarrassing shade of crimson.

After one last scoop into the bag, Airey gave it a tap with his wand to close it off. Weighing it in his arm - which was rather embarrassing to witness as the professor fell forward from the weight of the bag and faceplanted into the floor. Yup...yup yup yup that one was all set.

Adjusting his tie, he gave the room a look over and pondered where best to place this first bag. Probably should start at the entrance...seemed the most logical. Standing up, and after struggling to lift the bag again, the professor began to drag it towards the doorway....and now finally spotted the two students just as he had gotten to the chorus of the song once again. "Please turn on your magic beam...Mr. Sandman, bring me a dreaaaaaaaaaaaa - ooooooooooooooooh hello there."

Still hidden from view behind the statue of the Hinkypunk, Kevin watched as the Professor held the bag in his arm and he had to bite his lower lip so not to laugh out loud when the man fell down forward and faceplanted into the floor. What an idiot....

The Professor wasn't such an idiot as that Hufflepuff over there who nodded at him. NODDED AT HIM! Hearing the Professor's voice and looking at both him and Kace, Kevin got out of his hiding place because why bother anymore? and GLARED at the Hufflepuff. "YA! You bloody idiot! Can't you see i was spying?! What if this was a real mission HUH!? You just basically killed me!" boo for you Puffer.

Huffing loudly, Kevin turned to his Head of House and folded his arms over each other. "And what are you even doing?" he asked, trying not to sound too demanding ...

Kace raised his eyebrows at his reaction. Jeez no need to be so overreactive. "First of all your hiding place stunk. Anyone could have seen you. Two you weren't spying and if you were spying then you need to work on your skills more. Three and frankly I don't care if you were killed. You got some anger issues to work on. " he shrugged not showing him a bit of kindness. I mean he just called him an idiot. "I am not the idiot here by the way I am looking at him. Who the bloody merlin hides behind a statue?" he said standing up for himself. People thought puffs were duffers. Nah they weren't. He wasn't gonna take the beating from him in front of a professor anyways.

He rolled his eyes at the huffing, it wasn't even that big of a deal lion. Calm yourself. Jeez could he be rude much? "You know there is a polite way to ask a teacher that question..?" he told the moody lion.

Not becoming startled by the two boys, surprisingly, Airey chuckled and shoved his equipment back into the sand before wiggling himself around to face them. "Spoiler alert to the pair of you," he chuckled. "You both would make astronomically terribly spies. Especially you, Mr. Hirase, who was the one to give away your presence."

Just so they were fully aware of possible career choices.

He simply sat there on the floor for a few moments while observing the two boys, shaking his head at Mr. Hirase specifically. "I see detention has taught you nothing, Mr. Hirase," he noted. Oh yes, the Head of House was fully aware of all the gritty details. Quite the central focus of conversation between himself and Maddox during their Friday game nights. The Hirase Project, as they sometimes referred to it from time to time.

He looked back at the wheelbarrow of sand and potato sacks. "I thought it was fairly obvious what I was doing," he replied, picking up his tiny shovel and jabbed it back into the sand. "I am filling these bags with sand."

Okay so the singing had stopped but she had heard it right? It was an older song yes? Either the Chordettes or the Four Aces? But seeing as the bung bung bunging had been going on it had to be the first right? That was her favorite version of it.

No she didn’t have a weird taste in music. She had an awesome taste in music and those ladies could sing. She was humming the song as she came around the corner to the sculpture exhibit…wait the swamp had made it all the way over here?

“Were you singing Mr. Sandman?” Puck asked the Professor quite intrusively – “it sounded really good by the way” she grinned as she made her way into the area. “Do you need any help with the singing and working?” She asked excitedly.

……………..Kevin turned red in the face as the older Hufflepuff insulted him and his lack of spying skills. He hated it even more because he KNEW that the guy was right. He was horrible and needed to work on it but was he going to admit that? No. And he did not care if he got killed in a mission?! YA! He didn’t even think and acted right away, he stepped up the older guy and invaded his privacy while grabbing his shirt with both hands. He had to stare up since the Hufflepuff was taller but his eyes were blazing. “You wanna fight?!” well? Do you?!

‘I see detention has taught you nothing…’ Kevin had forgotten about the Professor in the room and he froze when he heard his voice. Then, with one last glare towards Kace, he let him go of his shirt and took a step back. See? He had learned something.

And then Flamsteed’s answer to his question made him roll his eyes. “I KNOW what you’re doing, but WHY?” it was so simple geez! “What are you going to do with those bags?”

Ooooh look at that , Puck came in the room as well. He immediately left standing near Kace and went to the Prefect. She was cool. Actually, wasn’t it funny how his hatred for Prefects had turned in to liking them? Because the only people who didn’t mind to be seen around him were, Zander, Adi and Puck. All of them were Prefects. Oh how the table had turned since his first to third year.

…..She….she thought his singing had been really good? “Are you for real? That had been horrible…” yeah, always to harsh truth since he had three ways of speaking. 1. Harsh truth, 2. Calculated lies and 3. You wanna fight me bro!? …he was working on the fourth one which was his polite one. And he still had some way to go.

Adi was looking for something to do with himself that didn't involve books. He thought about going for a walk but suddenly changed his mind and decided that practicing some spells at the Arena would be great. But he was distracted by voices (one of them VERY familiar) from the room beside the Arena on his way there.

Curiously, he poked his head into the Sculpture exhibit room. Aha! He known Kevin was in there. Adi could see Puck and Kace too. And the Astronomy man. What were they up to? "Hello, everyone!'' he said approaching. Oh... so that's what they were doing. Wheelbarrow, sacks of sand... "What can I do to help?" Always-willing-to-help Hufflepuff here!

Kace heard Professor Airey and he smiled and said, "Don't worry Airey I don't plan to become spy. Not really in my future. I don't know about Kevin here though.." he gave him a cold stare. He still didn't like this dude at all. He heard Kevin asking what he was doing and it was obvious he was filling sand bags. Any genius could have figured that out. He turned to him and smirked, "He is filling sandbags obviously and you call me the idiot? I think you better watch how you judge people.." he warned him.

He noticed Puck was coming over here and he heard her singing. He laughed and thought it was typical Puck to do that. He smirked as he held his shirt being prepared for the dude (Kevin) to fight. What he wouldn't give to punch him straight in the face and teach this guy a lesson. He shook his head and didn't want to make a scene. "Nah mate I am a better person than you are. Besides I don't think Cinna would like you very much if you punched her best friend." Oh he knew he liked her. He saw her staring at her like a love sick puppy in potions. "Apparently you got some issues to work out but remember what I said about judging people or calling them idiots because you already made yourself look like one especially in front of your professor and prefect here." he stepped away and winked at Puck.

He noticed Adi made his entrance into the room and he smiled at his puff perfect. "Sup Adi?" he greeted him. He flattened out his shirt because it was wrinkled when Kevin threatened to fight him

Had he pushed a Mr. Hirase button? The boy was covered in them really. While Airey may have found it amusing at one point, the - shall we call it charm? - had worn off quite dramatically.

"5 points to you, Mr. Lecium. For showing proper self restraint and compassion for a classmate," he saluted the Hufflepuff. A classmate who, quite frankly, did not deserve it. Although, they did say that those who did not seem to deserve compassion often needed it the most. Or something. Human emotions and psyche were incredibly illogical. "Although I must insist on you addressing me as Professor Airey."

He was a friendly fellow...just not THAT friendly. Merlin his skin was crawling with all the unprofessional feelings.

And then more insults flew as Miss Greyvson entered. Pausing a beat, he smiled at Miss Greyvson and threw the prefect a wink. "It was indeed, Miss Greyvson. I am surprised someone from your generation is familiar with such an old tune." One could even argue that it was quite the stretch that the professor knew the song, but he did have a thing for borderline "ancient" muggle things. His blue eyes then flew to Mr. Hirase, a sigh briefly escaping his lips. "Words have their consequences, Mr. Hirase. And actions arguably speak louder than words. If you insist on continuing to be destructive, I will ask you to leave."

Sigh. Okay. Now that that was done he could get back to the REAL issue at hand.

"Well, since Mr. Rehman has joined us as well," he said, clapping his hands together before reaching for his wand in his pocket and duplicating his garden trowel - one for everyone - and levitating them towards each student. Well, each of them save for Mr. Hirase. The young man had to prove he was mature enough to handle a trowel. "I trust by now you are all aware of the, er, swamp situation, yes? I am taking some extra measures to ensure that Med---Professor Romanos' possessions remain safe and dry while she is away."

The rest was obvious, yes? Fill the bags with sand.

Kace was too busy having the blood pulsing to his head because Kevin just made him really angry. He never met a dude so rude in his life. Well actually not really Braedon probably got him beat but then again he had decency in front of a teacher. He heard he got five points? Whhaattt five points for restraining himself. He look at Professor Airey in shock and nodded. He had no words and he still gave Kevin a cold stare. He grinned sheepishly and forgot his manners and he mumbled, "Sorry Professor Airey...."

He heard even Professor Airey giving Kevin a lecture. Welp that is embarrassing getting a lecture from his head of house but then again his words could probably penetrate through his head than his. He smiled to himself and couldn't have put it better than himself. He saw the trowel being levitated towards him and he grabbed one and knew he was doing to dig something. Aaahh so this was about the swamp incident? It made sense now.

"Sure Professor we can help." he nodded. He got his trowel and began to fill a bag with sand. Huh..he thought it was adorable for Professor Airey saving Romanos' possession.

Puck’s jaw dropped when she heard what Kevin had said. “C’mon old music is awesome” Puck simply sighed at Kevin and gave him a look, her face looked almost innocent and kind while her eyes just seemed to plead with him to be nice. “Come help us” she grinned.

“Hey Adi,” Puck grinned over to him “How’ve you been?” She asked before turning to Kace and grinning. Puck’s jaw dropped….he liked Cinna? “Okay guys calm down why don’t we talk about this later…or you can duel in the dueling arena?” She offered grinning.

And Professor Flamsteed got a little grin when he asked how she knew such an old tune. “My mum was really into older music and before she…before I moved she had listen to so much music…I really like Billie Holiday as well” she grinned, “my favorites of hers are Summertime, The Very Thought of You, and A Fine Romance” she admitted and grinned.

Oh Kace – so he wasn’t getting in much trouble maybe? Hopefully. That would be good. “Do you have any more shovels?” She asked carefully because she was going to help.

Kace just got some points for something? Awesome! Adi grinned at his sixth year friend. Well done, mate. He figured it may have something to do with Kevin. Adi eyed the younger guy. What was he up to? Or rather, what was he saying to the others?

"How's it going, Kace? Kevin? Hello, Puck. Been busy with the books.'' Nope, his tiredness didn't show. Not yet, anyway, but he was feeling it a bit. "How are you?" Ah! Trowels! Adi caught one as it was levitated towards him.

The Swamp? Yup, he had experienced that first hand. And yes, he could help he could help save Professor Romanos's belongings. "Sure, Professor Airey.'' The Hufflepuff grabbed one of the bags and began to fill it with sand using the trowel.

Pfft, he didn’t even want to become a spy either but a potioneer but he still sent Kace a cold stare back. “I KNOW what he’s doing you bloody dum----“ WHAT DID HE SAY ABOUT CINNA?! His expression changed quickly, too quickly. His face turned red and he locked shocked. How did he knew about his crush on her? He hadn’t told anyone except for…..Zander… DID HE GO AROUND TELLING PEOPLE?! ZANDER ADAIR YOU ARE SO DEATH!

“W-who told you that!?” he had stuttered, a sign that he was nervous but he still managed to sound like his normal self. Demanding.

What was even more embarrassing was that not only had Kace revealed that he had a crush on the older Gryffindor girl and yes Puck, he saw the jaw drop, but the fact that he ALSO got a lecture from his Head of House IN FRONT of all these people. He was used to those talks, but they were usually in classes or at the offices …not to mention in the detention halls in the dungeons ahem. .. But hearing it here was kind of embarrassing to the point that he looked everywhere but the Professor and scoffed loudly as he heard him say that Kace had compassion for a classmate…and even got 5 points for him. “Compassion..don’t me make laugh, at least I don’t tell someone that I don’t care if they got killed” which the Hufflepuff had done.

But, yes..he want to stay and help out with the sand bags but only because if he walked away now, he would be the loser , plus he didn’t want them laughing at him so he had no other choice. He heard the Gryffindor Prefect and turned to look at her when she asked if he wanted to help out. “Yeah…sure” He nodded towards Adi when he realised that he had been there as well and picked up a shovel. “How many bags should we fill with sand?” he asked.

Having grown tired of reading and studying all week long Hady needed a break. Which was why she was currently walking down the halls in no random direction letting her feet take her wherever they would. Only until she heard all the voices coming from a room down the hall. Quickening her step Hady stopped in the doorway a look of puzzlement on her face.

Oh look it was Professor Airey and a bunch of others some of whom she knew. What was with all the sand and shovels though? Just about to ask Professor Airey began to explain about moving sand into the bags and such. With nothing else going on today she offered to help as well.

"I can help too Professor," she offered stepping into the room, that was if he still needed her to help. She might be younger and smaller then the others in the room but she was a snake and she'd give it her all.

Kace grinned and knew he hit a sweet spot. He was very observant this puff was. He heard Puck's advice and shrugged and said, "I am calm Puck it is your fellow lion here that won't keep his temper in control.." He was being honest but true. The dueling area that sounds like a good idea. He nodded at Puck and began to face Kevin when he was talking to him.




Kace heard his insult but he rolled his eyes and at least he never ever called him an idiot. As soon as he said his Cinna remark he smirked even deeper. "Yeah oh I know. No one needed to tell me dude. Professor Airey is right your actions speak louder than your words coming out of your mouth which don't affect me." He heard him stutter and knew he hit something golden. "So you better be careful if you ever want to be on Cinna's good side.." he winked. Kace heard Kevin's scoff and he gave him a cold stare and he heard him mumble. He raised a skeptical eyebrow and mumbled back...

"Yeah well at least I was at least kind enough to not punch you in the face but then again if you did I bet Cinna could punch you for me. At least I don't assume someone is an idiot who I barely even know. There is also different kinds of compassion which apparently you don't know.." Kevin could insult him but he could make him taste his own medicine. He wasn't gonna stand for this. He began to walk away and head towards Adi, he was done with Kevin's insults for the day.



Kace saw Adi grin for him when he earned his points. The prefect must have been proud of him. I guess he got points for sticking up for himself. He heard Adi's question and he shrugged. "Oh nothing much just dealing with Kevin over there and tried to put him in his place.." he smirked and probably Adi knew what he was talking about. He began to hold open the bag for Adi to let him shovel the sand inside it. See there Kevin there was compassion.

Apology accepted. Or so the salute and wink he gave to Mr. Lecium was meant to convey. Whether or not it did so was unknown to the man as his attention was drawn elsewhere.

Like Miss Greyvson's apparently terrible eyesight. Blinking at the prefect, who had a trowel floating only inches away from her, he found himself only half listening to her words about music. Which was a real pity considering he, at least the subconscious part of him that was paying attention, found it all to be quite fascinating.

And he was also going to ignore the teenage romantic angst that was apparently going on between Mr. Hirase and Mr. Lecium. But it was hard to unhear Miss Bayless' name, which now meant the Astronomy professor had unfiltered personal information about students that was going to haunt him for the rest of the term. Alright, so haunt was a bit much...but now there was an added classroom dynamic that was going to make his skin crawl.

OH GOOD! SAVED BY THE QUESTION!

"Well," he nodded towards the humble pile of bags on the ground. "Until the wheelbarrow is void of all it sand." Which meant they could be filling bags for a while, but with the number of students present...maybe not terribly long. Four bags each? Something like that. "You're welcome to join us, Miss Lynch," he nodded, beckoning her closer and levitating a small shovel towards her as well. "Everyone just be on the look out for the pogrebin statute. Seems to be unaccounted for at the moment."

Whoops? Not his fault. Soooooo not his fault.

Nor was the fact that the grindylow was also, er, missing.

He did NOT like that smirk. It made him even more angry than he already was but he was also remembering his talk with Professor Quigley about controlling his anger and changing his violent thoughts in to something positive. Funny how his Head of House had told that before but he never tried it . He wondered why though? …maybe because the man never locked him up in a cell so he was that intimidated by him? Yeah , probably.

It was working, until he mentioned Cinna again and he snapped again. “So she needs YOUR approval if she can hang out with someone or not? “ he laughed humourless and shook his head , he wanted to punch this guy in the face but he should consider himself lucky that they were in the presence of a Professor and that he himself was on the brink of a suspension. So… yeah, he controlled himself.

Did he really think he could defeat him with his own game? Nuhuh. But then he walked away. HE WALKED AWAY! OI!

Kevin wanted to call Kace a coward but was distracted by the Professor’s voice. Wheelbarrow what? He looked around and suddenly remembered what their mission was. He sighed and looked at Puck. “Hold the bag open while i shovel the sand inside of it, then you tie it up with a spell and I’ll grab a new one” he said, totally commanding a Prefect right now. AHEM

Wait…Pogrebin statue was missing? “But…these are sculptures…are you telling that these sculptured creatures…are real? “ whuuut?

Quote:

"Well," he nodded towards the humble pile of bags on the ground. "Until the wheelbarrow is void of all it sand." Which meant they could be filling bags for a while, but with the number of students present...maybe not terribly long. Four bags each? Something like that. "You're welcome to join us, Miss Lynch," he nodded, beckoning her closer and levitating a small shovel towards her as well. "Everyone just be on the look out for the pogrebin statute. Seems to be unaccounted for at the moment."

Hady gave her usual small smile catching the levitating shovel out of the air as it sailed towards her. "Thanks Professor." With her shovel in hand she made her way close to where everyone else was gathering by the large wheelbarrow which was full with sand.

Picking up one of the empty bags off the floor she opened it up and took a spot near the wheelbarrow that was empty. Using her shovel she began to careful move shovels full of sand into the bag making sure not to spill any or it...or well at least not much. Cause one really couldn't shovel sand without spilling any now could they?

No they couldn't.

This wasn't so hard really in fact it was kinda easy and reminded her of when she was small and would play in the sand at the beach with her parents. Ah such nice memories those were. Maybe they could do that again this summer. Hady made a mental note to owl her parents later on and ask about it.

"Professor, has no one been able to come up with a solution to the swamp yet?" Hady asked after a few minutes of silent working. She was curious about this cause really she wasn't looking forward to having to cross it again to get to another lesson. Sure it was interesting and whatnot but she'd rather not have to be on it or in it or smell it!

So, uhhh, Kace and Kevin still hadn't resolved their problem? Whatever that was. Adi wasn't going to jump into that. Nope. It might just prolong whatever was going on. He returned Kevin's nod and threw in a friendly grin. Adi figured he wasn't going to get called dumbo today. Not when Kevin's Head of House was around.

The Hufflepuff nodded understandingly at his House mate. "He gets a little carried away sometimes with that attitude of his. Don't let him get to you.'' He couldn't figure out why exactly but he had a suspicion that Kevin simply liked attention and being rude was the only way in which he knew to get it. Anyway, Kace was doing a great job at handling the situation so far from what Adi could see. Oh hey! Kace was holding open the bag for him! "Thanks, man. That's going to help me work better.'' Dig into the barrow of sand, transfer to bag, repeat. Dig into the barrow of sand, transfer to bag, repeat. Dig into the barrow of sand, transfer to bag, repeat.

And there was a statue missing? Okay, they'd all keep an eye out for that, yes?

Adi was pleased to see yet another familiar face joining them. "Hey, Hady.'' The more helping hands they had, the better since they would finish this sooner and maybe move on to something else if Flamsteed needed the help.

Finishing up with another bag and setting it to the side, he simply offered Mr. Hirase a playful shrug. "Real in the sence that they have been created by a skilled metal charmer and animated using the proper enchantments...then sure, they are real," he replied. Had some of the unsavory side effects as well, but nothing too extreme if he recalled properly. Medea had a somewhat black sense of humor, but not that black. "If you are asking a much bigger question...say...are these sculptures sentient beings, well, that is an entirely different can of worms."

And one fascinating discussion, really. It was a common thread in some of the greatest works of science fiction.

Winking at the Gryffindor, the astronomer returned to his shoveling of sand. "Afraid not, Miss Lynch," he said with a shake of the head. "I do not know if an analysis of the swamp's waters would give us any indication as to what is going on, but you are more than welcome to take a sample and use the astrophysics laboratory if you wish." Or the Potions laboratory, he was sure, but that was not his area to give permission to. "It isn't too terrible, is it? Just a minor inconvenience getting to lessons and what not..."

Right? Right.

Lifting two sandbags, one under each arm, Airey made his way towards the door and began setting down the foundation for the initial wall. "If you could drag your sandbags over this way," he instructed with a lazy wave towards the ones he had just placed.

Huh? Was that the pitter patter of little metal feet?

Dig into the barrow of sand, transfer to bag, repeat!

Adi was continuing with that exactly as Kace held the bag for him. He was almost done actually. "Thanks, buddy.'' He stood up to tie the open end of the sand bag. "If you like I can hold open the next bag while you fill it.'' Team work always made things go smoother and faster.

As Professor Suits said, the fifth year got his bag over to the others. He was on his way back to rejoin the group when he heard something... tilting his head, he listened closely. It sounded like something hard making its way along the floor. "Do you guys hear that?"