He wasn't sent to the detention halls this time but directly to the office of the Headmistress and Kevin knew he was in serious trouble. Or maybe it wasn't what he think it was and he had to go there because she had taken over the defence classes for a while. But either way, the paper airplane note that he had gotten yesterday from his Head of House was not good. Report tomorrow afternoon at 2 pm sharp to receive your punishment, was written on the now crumbled up piece of paper in his hands.

He reached the Stone Gargoyles blocking the way to the Headmistress office at nearly at the assigned time and stood in front of it. "I have a message that i need to see the Headmistress, let me through" or not, preferably not. He held up the note from Flamsteed. Could Gargoyles even see?

Without a word, the stone gargoyles parted, a clear signal for Kevin to take the spiral escalator up.

Entirely unpacked now in his Dorm Room, Aegis had finished switching back entirely into his School Uniform. Now all he had to do was get ALL the way down to the Headmistresses Office.

Couldn't make it any closer to Gryffindor Tower could she? No...probably not.


He reached the Stone Gargoyles and set down a bag beside it....ummm the Password? Right ummmm...It wouldn't be the same as the one he used to get into his Common Room would it? No...no it wouldn't. Maybe "Pink Fluffy things Rock, Niffler's are Dumb, Hello Kitty, Open Say's me, Activate Self Destruct, Code B32-32-Alpha-Yellow-Niner" He didn't know.

Seriously how was he supposed to? He just knew these things were Password Protected. What if he tickled one under it's stoney-chin? She was expecting him to see here yeah? It was required that he'd do so once he came back so...he moved in on one and poked a finger under it's chin and began to scratch at it "Coochy Coo...let me go up."

It took her very little time to get from the kitchens to the Headmistress's offices. It took very little forethought or deliberation. She was decided. She would not be deterred. Even if the woman was still wrapped up in a cozy bed (as she was sure she at least had one), she would not be swayed.

And she would definitely not sit on the pink couches of luxury while Professors and elves suffered. No, she was going to boycot the cushions, couches, and all their stuffings and pink glory. In fact, she had a mind to turn them brown. A very nasty, ugly brown.

But she would wait on that.

As soon as it was seen, she would be in for a good deal of trouble. Professor Maddox had warned her about such things. She would n't make a false step. She would stay the course.

So, she stopped right in the middle of the waiting room and fixed the gargoyles with a very firm glare. "I am here to see the Headmistress."

No wishing, no wanting. No, she was demanding.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ ExpelliarMOOSE

Entirely unpacked now in his Dorm Room, Aegis had finished switching back entirely into his School Uniform. Now all he had to do was get ALL the way down to the Headmistresses Office.

Couldn't make it any closer to Gryffindor Tower could she? No...probably not.


He reached the Stone Gargoyles and set down a bag beside it....ummm the Password? Right ummmm...It wouldn't be the same as the one he used to get into his Common Room would it? No...no it wouldn't. Maybe "Pink Fluffy things Rock, Niffler's are Dumb, Hello Kitty, Open Say's me, Activate Self Destruct, Code B32-32-Alpha-Yellow-Niner" He didn't know.

Seriously how was he supposed to? He just knew these things were Password Protected. What if he tickled one under it's stoney-chin? She was expecting him to see here yeah? It was required that he'd do so once he came back so...he moved in on one and poked a finger under it's chin and began to scratch at it "Coochy Coo...let me go up."

"Hilarious, but wrong... all of them are wrong." The Headmistress had actually been out of her office when the Gryffindor came up to the Gargoyles, so she was treated to his antics all the way through without interruption.

Hello Kitty had been the password last WEEK, thank you very much. And Nifflers are Dumb was like six weeks ago sooo.

SOooo. "What do you need, Aegis?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tazenhani

It took her very little time to get from the kitchens to the Headmistress's offices. It took very little forethought or deliberation. She was decided. She would not be deterred. Even if the woman was still wrapped up in a cozy bed (as she was sure she at least had one), she would not be swayed.

And she would definitely not sit on the pink couches of luxury while Professors and elves suffered. No, she was going to boycot the cushions, couches, and all their stuffings and pink glory. In fact, she had a mind to turn them brown. A very nasty, ugly brown.

But she would wait on that.

As soon as it was seen, she would be in for a good deal of trouble. Professor Maddox had warned her about such things. She would n't make a false step. She would stay the course.

So, she stopped right in the middle of the waiting room and fixed the gargoyles with a very firm glare. "I am here to see the Headmistress."

No wishing, no wanting. No, she was demanding.

Merlin, was it really the right time of day for someone to be demanding her presence? The Headmistress stifled a yawn and appeared at the base of her staircase, the stone gargoyles kindly parting for her, not for the girl with the stone cold glare. She was still wearing a silky light blue robe with stars and moons on it and had a cup of steaming tea on a saucer in hand. Naturally, the Headmistress took a long minute to assess the Gryffindor in front of her before saying anything. A longgggg minute of looking the girl over from head to toe while she took a few sips of her tea.

"Yes?" You rang?

Why was it always Gryffindors?

Oh well now, didn't she look nice. Comfy, cozy. Even had time to make herself a quaint cup of tea. Did the other Professors even get to make themselves tea? Or did they have to beg the house elves?

At least she didn't see any fluffy slippers. That probably would have driven her right over the edge. But no, the woman had some foresight and probably left them under her comfy, floofy mattress. And yes, floofy not fluffy, because if she was denying other Professor's sleeping quarters, then they went to her and that was an automatic upgrade from fluffy to floofy.

Balling her fists, Amur took an equally long, hard look at the woman. They could do this here, or they could do this privately. Amur decided in a pinch that here was good. Privately, the woman would be on her own turf and have the advantage. Not to mention, escape routes were less available if she needed them.

Taking in a shaky breath, Amur moved forward two steps and then stopped. "You are a very merciless woman." She didn't yell, she didn't scream, she didn't even froth and foam at the mouth. Each word was simple, plain fact. As plain as day.

"I know. I know what you have done to the Professors and goodness knows to who else." Elves too, but she had promised Zander that would be their project together. Might be a null-point after this. "I know what type of living conditions you force them to endure. What you do to those who know. And I'm here to tell you, the cat's out of the bag. I know what you've done, and I ain't afraid of you." Well, she was, but she couldn't exactly say that.

Hi, we've never met before. I'm Amur Neverwinter. And you. Are. Busted.

He stumbled back a bit from tickling the chin of one of the Gargoyles when he heard the voice behind in. He quickly regained himself by turning and moving his back to the wall. "Headmistress, I was just coming up to see you." Right right. "Need? I thought I was supposed to come see you once I've settled back in." ...and he was so here he was trying to get up to her Office.

"Could have sworn 'Self Destruct' would have been it, and with detonative results."

This was to be some kind of evaluation on her part to see if he was mentally stable now? Maybe? Who's to say if these clever quips are just Aegis being a smart-mouthed Lion, or he was wearing a Mask? She can decide that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tazenhani

Oh well now, didn't she look nice. Comfy, cozy. Even had time to make herself a quaint cup of tea. Did the other Professors even get to make themselves tea? Or did they have to beg the house elves?

At least she didn't see any fluffy slippers. That probably would have driven her right over the edge. But no, the woman had some foresight and probably left them under her comfy, floofy mattress. And yes, floofy not fluffy, because if she was denying other Professor's sleeping quarters, then they went to her and that was an automatic upgrade from fluffy to floofy.

Balling her fists, Amur took an equally long, hard look at the woman. They could do this here, or they could do this privately. Amur decided in a pinch that here was good. Privately, the woman would be on her own turf and have the advantage. Not to mention, escape routes were less available if she needed them.

Taking in a shaky breath, Amur moved forward two steps and then stopped. "You are a very merciless woman." She didn't yell, she didn't scream, she didn't even froth and foam at the mouth. Each word was simple, plain fact. As plain as day.

"I know. I know what you have done to the Professors and goodness knows to who else." Elves too, but she had promised Zander that would be their project together. Might be a null-point after this. "I know what type of living conditions you force them to endure. What you do to those who know. And I'm here to tell you, the cat's out of the bag. I know what you've done, and I ain't afraid of you." Well, she was, but she couldn't exactly say that.

Hi, we've never met before. I'm Amur Neverwinter. And you. Are. Busted.

Mmmmmmmm. Hmmmmmmmmm. Maybe it was because her brain was a little bit fuzzy/in need of more tea, or maybe it was because this was just another Gryffindor child spouting nonsense to Anastasia, but all the Headmistress could think at this point in time was ...

"Great prank," she let out a loud, harsh laugh which seemed to ricochet off every piece of pink furniture surrounding her stone gargoyles. The laugh seemed to continue long after it had ended, due to the slight echo of this enclosed space. But once she was done, there wasn't a trace of humor on Annie's expression. She leaned down toward the Gryffindor in all her intimidating glory, matching her tone word for word with an ice-cold, snow melting, cold faucet dripping, unadulterated, vile, loathing tone of her own.

"Great prank, but I'll admit to nothing. I'm not afraid of you either, girlie, but I am AFRAID THAT I DESERVE an explanation. WHAT conditions do you KNOW OF? Have you SEEN the bathtub where Botros relaxes, or the spa Bellaire retreats to? What about Quigley's direct floo to his house? Or Flamsteed's walk-in collection of dry-clean-only suits? Do you even KNOW where Morgan keeps all her kittens?!!"

WELL? DID SHE?

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ ExpelliarMOOSE

He stumbled back a bit from tickling the chin of one of the Gargoyles when he heard the voice behind in. He quickly regained himself by turning and moving his back to the wall. "Headmistress, I was just coming up to see you." Right right. "Need? I thought I was supposed to come see you once I've settled back in." ...and he was so here he was trying to get up to her Office.

"Could have sworn 'Self Destruct' would have been it, and with detonative results."

This was to be some kind of evaluation on her part to see if he was mentally stable now? Maybe? Who's to say if these clever quips are just Aegis being a smart-mouthed Lion, or he was wearing a Mask? She can decide that.

"I can see that," she pointed out. Obviously he was coming to see her or he wouldn't be here trying to guess passwords, now would he. Why did Aegis seem so SHIFTY though? Shifty and like he was hiding something...

A ghost of smile clouded her lips at the self destruct comment, though it was quickly gone. "They aren't Muggle sculptures, you know. They're quite sentient." For charmed and transfigured bits of stone, yes, it was miraculous what these stone gargoyles could do and see.

"Come, let's go upstairs." She brushed past him to the gargoyles, which parted for her without a password, and onto the stairs. Coming, was he?

Prank?! This woman was unbelievable!

Why would she ever pull a prank of such a horrendous nature. Sure, pranks were fun, but Amur didn't make them out of such serious situations. No, the things which the Professor had said, she took to heart, and was insulted to think that the woman thought she was pulling her leg. To her that meant only one thing.

Confession of guilt.

But lets face it, as prepared as she had made herself to be in the face of this woman, it was all she could do to keep from bolting, to stay rooted to the spot before getting pinned there by the death glare. The Professor had warned her of this. She shouldn't be surprised...she shouldn't be afraid......But she was.

And fear did wondrous things for the context of speech.

"Don't make me laugh." It was blurted out without a second thought, pulled from memories of her mother using it on her father, a lot. In retrospect, it seemed applicable here. She swallowed a shaky breath, though the tone and level of volume of her voice decreased by a few points. "If you won't admit to anything, then.....I don't believe those confessions of their living conditions." Because that right there was admitting to something....right? Reverse psychology...or some sort of psychology. It was getting hard to think under that stare.

She may have developed shifty eyes too. It was hard to meet such an icy, but she did try. For a few seconds here and there.

"I know that those aren't true. I have it on....very good authority, authority that I trust, that the staff have nothing. Not even a warm bed to sleep on. Maybe a pillow....at most..." Chew on that one er...uhm...Miss Headmistress Miss.

Truth be told, she was beginning to doubt the truth which she had been told. But she had to cling to it. She had been warned, in non-exact words, that this might happen. That all efforts might be made to derail and then silence her. She had to stay strong. Except, problem. She had no proof besides hearsay and her witness. And she could not and would not betray her source. So what was she to do?

And that stare. GULP.

"I have not seen any of those things. Or heard of their mention...ever." Yup. There was the kicker. She had not seen so she did not believe. It had not been spoken about, so it did not exist. She tilted her chin up to try and make herself feel more confident. Truth be told, she was quaking in her slippers. "No bathtub, spa, floor, clean-only-suits, pillows or beds. And for all I know, the kittens were made into soup."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tazenhani

Prank?! This woman was unbelievable!

Why would she ever pull a prank of such a horrendous nature. Sure, pranks were fun, but Amur didn't make them out of such serious situations. No, the things which the Professor had said, she took to heart, and was insulted to think that the woman thought she was pulling her leg. To her that meant only one thing.

Confession of guilt.

But lets face it, as prepared as she had made herself to be in the face of this woman, it was all she could do to keep from bolting, to stay rooted to the spot before getting pinned there by the death glare. The Professor had warned her of this. She shouldn't be surprised...she shouldn't be afraid......But she was.

And fear did wondrous things for the context of speech.

"Don't make me laugh." It was blurted out without a second thought, pulled from memories of her mother using it on her father, a lot. In retrospect, it seemed applicable here. She swallowed a shaky breath, though the tone and level of volume of her voice decreased by a few points. "If you won't admit to anything, then.....I don't believe those confessions of their living conditions." Because that right there was admitting to something....right? Reverse psychology...or some sort of psychology. It was getting hard to think under that stare.

She may have developed shifty eyes too. It was hard to meet such an icy, but she did try. For a few seconds here and there.

"I know that those aren't true. I have it on....very good authority, authority that I trust, that the staff have nothing. Not even a warm bed to sleep on. Maybe a pillow....at most..." Chew on that one er...uhm...Miss Headmistress Miss.

Truth be told, she was beginning to doubt the truth which she had been told. But she had to cling to it. She had been warned, in non-exact words, that this might happen. That all efforts might be made to derail and then silence her. She had to stay strong. Except, problem. She had no proof besides hearsay and her witness. And she could not and would not betray her source. So what was she to do?

And that stare. GULP.

"I have not seen any of those things. Or heard of their mention...ever." Yup. There was the kicker. She had not seen so she did not believe. It had not been spoken about, so it did not exist. She tilted her chin up to try and make herself feel more confident. Truth be told, she was quaking in her slippers. "No bathtub, spa, floor, clean-only-suits, pillows or beds. And for all I know, the kittens were made into soup."

Don't make HER laugh? Well that had the certain effect of making the Headmistress laugh, loudly, again at the girl. "You have some nerve, child, but frankly, your opinion, or belief or disbelief in the living conditions here, has no effect on me. There is nothing you can say or do that will rock my world. So carry on, act as disappointed as you want. My life won't change a bit."

She crossed her arms, still balancing her teacup on her saucer, and gave the girl a LOOK. "Whose authority do you have, hmm? A house elf's? Because I certainly don't think they would EVER say a bad word about me." Those elves LOVED her. "Let me guess: You were told a frightening bedtime tale by some other Gryffindor." Those idiots should just be crammed into their tower at all times and not allowed out into the rest of the castle.

That laugh had Amur flinching, and had the stare not drilled her feet into the ground, she would have taken a few steps back. It was the laugh of a woman on the edge of doing something dangerous. Like eating her. Did the Headmistress eat students that got out of hand? And the kittens, there had been no denial of the kittens. Maybe that's what the big pot in the kitchen was for.

.... Double GULP.

"I'm....I'm not interested in your life. I'm....interested...in theirs." In fixing theirs to be exact. She knew the Headmistress had it plushy and comfy. Look at the teacup and the robes and the slippers. But she was starting to sound like her parents did when they were punishing her for something she had done wrong. Was she wrong? She couldn't be. Professor Quigley wouldn't lie.....Oh that laugh...

"And it will if .... if...." If what? "If I tell the press like Professor Adele Rodney did!"

Wait. NO! No no no no. That wasn't the right way to go! That had gotten Rodney axed and she had promised she wouldn't do the same thing.

This time, Amur did skitter back a few steps. Was it just her or had the Headmistress grown a few feet? And what was this? She wanted her source? Amur pressed her lips into a thin line and spoke between them, while moving them as little as possible. Her lips were sealed, see? "I ain't givin' up my source. But it's a good one. And no bedtime story neither."

As for the house elves, she reached up and pinched her lips together. Wouldn't say couldn't say. Not without Zander. She had promised not to touch the elf topic without him.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tazenhani

That laugh had Amur flinching, and had the stare not drilled her feet into the ground, she would have taken a few steps back. It was the laugh of a woman on the edge of doing something dangerous. Like eating her. Did the Headmistress eat students that got out of hand? And the kittens, there had been no denial of the kittens. Maybe that's what the big pot in the kitchen was for.

.... Double GULP.

"I'm....I'm not interested in your life. I'm....interested...in theirs." In fixing theirs to be exact. She knew the Headmistress had it plushy and comfy. Look at the teacup and the robes and the slippers. But she was starting to sound like her parents did when they were punishing her for something she had done wrong. Was she wrong? She couldn't be. Professor Quigley wouldn't lie.....Oh that laugh...

"And it will if .... if...." If what? "If I tell the press like Professor Adele Rodney did!"

Wait. NO! No no no no. That wasn't the right way to go! That had gotten Rodney axed and she had promised she wouldn't do the same thing.

This time, Amur did skitter back a few steps. Was it just her or had the Headmistress grown a few feet? And what was this? She wanted her source? Amur pressed her lips into a thin line and spoke between them, while moving them as little as possible. Her lips were sealed, see? "I ain't givin' up my source. But it's a good one. And no bedtime story neither."

As for the house elves, she reached up and pinched her lips together. Wouldn't say couldn't say. Not without Zander. She had promised not to touch the elf topic without him.

"Great. If you're not interested in my life, then this will be a blessedly short conversation." Despite her laughter, the Headmistress was obviously NOT amused. Her eyes kept narrowing at the girl to the point where they were almost slits, just slits of sapphire.

.... "Professor WHO?" She was tempted to give another fake laugh. Professor Rodney? Who was that? "That must have been before my time here," she shrugged. "I've never worked with, or over, a Professor Rodney." Not even in Egypt.

So the girl had no source, no proof, no reason for being here. Anastasia rolled her eyes and let out a long sigh. "So that was a great waste of time. Thanks. Are we done here?"

Did this woman only care about herself? Had she stuttered when she said theirs or the Professor's names? She didn't think she had. Maybe muttered them a bit quieter with shifty eyes, yes, but she did not stutter.

That new, snake-like gaze however, knocked her refound confidence down a peg or two so that when she managed to squeak out the name, she did stutter. "Ad...Adele Ro...Rodney." Merlin that shouldn't have been so hard to get out. "Adele Rodney. Professor Rodney." Easier with each repeat, so long as she didn't look too long at those eyes. "No. You just worked against her. Silenced her when she snitched."

Yeah. That would trigger memory, wouldn't it? Not that Amur was adept at lie detection, but she did watch for a response. She was convinced there would be a giveaway. Was convinced that she had it right. But Circe, this woman was good at hiding, and twisting, the truth. What then, had Rodney found , that had set her over the deep end with the Headmistress? She was missing evidence. Key evidence.

And she knew where to get it.

Tipping her chin up, Amur did her best to appear confident and unflinching as she started to take small, retreating steps back. "We....aren't...done...." How did her parents always manage to sound so convincing? How did muggle movies make things sound so convincing? Oh right, one word. "This...." that was it, "...isn't done." Far from it. She would get to the bottom of things.

"Unless, you want to show me...their living quarters." Prove to her that it wasn't all talk of pretties and niceties. Proof was the crutch which her argument wobbled on. That, would finalize things once and for all.