With each day that passed it, Hogwarts proved to be more and more difficult to navigate. And no, this had nothing to do with the castle's architecture. It did, however, have everything to do with the castles inhabitants. There were a list of about five people James was determined to avoid. Not because he was a coward, he was not one. But because he didn't have the time nor the energy to interact with those that had made it on his list. Case and point: James didn't have time for stupidity.

So he had to find alternative routes to all his destinations. And this, was one of those times.

Though his confident walk and high chin did nothing to betray his thoughts, he was most definitely aware of everything that he walked by. If you were going to avoid people, you might as well do it right. And James always did everything right.

So here he was. Agile. And in a hall full of amour. Not an ideal route for his cause, but it'd do.

Entering a stuff hall full of old armour Ursula spotted one of her new 'colleagues' and excitedly trotted over to him. Tapping him with a sharp finger on his left shoulder to his attention before cackling eyes staring crazily at him. "Hello sir dearie, do you have some raw meat or even better liver to share with me?"

Ursula was always hungry now. Children's fault.

Poncho Paul, Flaming Flamsteed, the food-throwing-Denaker, Backpack boy, the new divinations Professor all people who had made the li--THE NEW DIVINATIONS PROFESSOR?

What was SHE doing here?

The entire purpose of taking alternate routes was to AVOID any chance of running into her. And here he was. And here she was. Though, he wasn't about to turn around and proclaim the fact that he took notice to her presence. She was, however, awfully easy to find with her noisy trot. Ahem. Instead of turning to say hello, James kept walking forward. As if he didn't even notice.

But of course... She had to run up and say something.

Brilliant.

He really did want to give all his coworkers a fair chance. But after seeing how horrible some of them could be, he was gonna judge the ol'book by her cover here and call it a day.

He turned reluctantly to face her, bringing his brisk walk to a stop. "... James, you can call me James." It was his name after all. She smelled even worse than she did at the feast, was that possible? Had she not showered since then? Through gritted teeth, he continued, "Is it a normal thing to carry around raw meat? Because I seem to have forgotten mine back in my office." Sarcasm by the way. What did she need raw meat for anyways?

CLATTER

What was that?

A giggle echoed throughout the room. More clattering was heard, as if someone were throwing metal around. The sound stopped, though, and the giggling stopped, too, as tiny footsteps faded out of earshot.

Where was Philly Willy also known as her brother Phillip Romalotti? Ugh brothers were such a pain. They were never around when you needed them and always around when you didn't want them around. She needed Phillip to see if she could borrow his owl to send a letter to uncle Asher and Aunt Adeline.

This area was the last place she had seen him. She had only just told him to stay put so she could run to her dorm and get her letter. She peeked around one of the suits of armour. Where was he? There wasn't the time to play hide and seek.

Katerina heard a giggle and jumped back. "Phillip? Is that you? I'm not in the mood to play a game? But when did Phillip ever giggle? She peeked around another suit. Ugh. Where was he? After coming out of from behind that suit, she heard more noises. Metal clattering noises. Throwing of mental and giggling. "Hello?" She tried to find the source of the noise. Surely there was a suit that has fallen or something with all of that noise. But then it has stopped, and little tiny footsteps.

O___O

Holy hippogrffs!

He was giving her his first name. Ursula smiled showing off her yellow teeth. Placing her longer fingers through her matted hair and then adjusting her ragged clothes she moved a bit closer to the professor. She hadn't tricked a wizard in sometime. "You should always carry around raw meat James, it's good for you and you will be protected from the dangers. No need to worry, I'll keep you safe from dangers around this doomed castle."

Just as she lifted her finger to show him the beauty he'd like to see she heard the giggling and clattering. Her own laughter filling the room. "Do you hear that? The laughter of children before their end. " Though the laughter sounded smaller then the children and the footsteps as well, but the Hag just continued her creepy laugh placing a hand on the professor's arm. "Danger is coming, but stick with me and you will be safe." She had plans for this one, many plans.

HOLY HIPPOGRIFFS!!

What WAS that?!

O_O

It was impossible for Esme to have missed the sound of laughter followed by TINY footsteps. It sent a shiver down her spine, and she wasn't sure if she should continue on or run back to her common room and safely. Was she being silly? Or was it related to the old bat?

And there was her answer. The Hag HAD to be behind it all with her evil magic. "What do you mean 'the laughter of children before their end'? What IS going on here?" ...Why was she offering assistance if she was behind everything? That didn't make any SENSE.

Confused, she looked between Kat and the Professor. "What's going on?" she asked the man in a slightly panicked voice. She was properly freaked out now.

…. Those teeth.

They were absolutely horrid. And equally as disgusting. And her breath smelled even worse than her perfume. ….. I’ll keep that in mind,” he nodded slowly, taking a small step away from her. No he would not keep that in mind actually. Ridiculous. Raw meat would not keep any dangerous away, point A. And point B, this was a school, the only dangerous that threatened them here were the annoying voices of prepubescent first-years. He’d know, had like ten of them in his office just the other day. They were everywhere. Not sure raw meat would keep them away.

… What was that?

James quickly turned his head in the direction of the giggling. Though it sounded like a child’s laugh, he couldn’t help but think there was something off about it. Something very different. But he couldn’t quite place it. And then Old Smelly started laughing too. This day just kept getting worse and worse, the more she laughed the more her stank breath stunk up the place.

The words she spoke did nothing to unsettle him, it was the hand on his arm that he didn’t like. And to show it, he just STARED. Get. Off. Right. Now.

All words he conveyed with his EYES.

Before he could say anymore on the matter, however, a student (Esme Darcy) appeared and of course she looked scared out of her mind. Great. Just what they needed.

”Calm down, take a deep breath,” he said sternly looking over in the young student's direction. The hand STILL SITTING ON HIS ARM. GET IT OFF. NOW. THANKS. ”You must excuse Professor Black,” because James couldn’t. ”Eaten too much spoiled meat, I’m afraid. She’s feeling ill. Speaking loads of nonsense.” he said leaning over towards her. See? Nothing to worry about here. James had it all under control.

Though that creepy giggling. It was still ringing in his head. Must’ve been another first year.

Ursula took it as a sign from the heaves when James didn't brush off her hand from his arm immediately.

He Liked Her!!! She had an admirer!

Ignoring the staring eyes and words spilling out of James mouth that stated otherwise she rummaged around in her huge bag for a certain spray. When she found it she let out a very crazy satisfied giggle.

Before Ursula could put her plan in action however a freaked out girl joined them in the gallery. Chivalrous James came to her defence though. Stroking him on the arm, Ursula smiled adoringly up at him before she looked over in the girls direction cackling. "You do well to keep your twin in your sight. On the first Hogsmeade weekend she will come upon someone that will put a curse on her unless you keep her protected."

Ursula turned her crazy eyes on James, raised the spray bottle and sprayed her chivalrous admirer straight in the face with a heavy dose of love potion. No cupid needed here, old Ursula had her own tricks.

"Don't you love me James?"

Ignoring the sternness in the Professor's voice, Esme instead focused on an attempt at deep breathing like he had told her. It was the old bat that had him a mood, and she could not blame him one bit - especially with the hand on his arm.

Deeeeeeep breath.

It was starting to work...

... until there was a threat made about her sister!! "She just THREATENED my SISTER!" He heard that, didn't he??? He was right there, so he HAD to have heard that. Esme was trying to stay calm right now and listen to what he had said about the hag talking nonsense...but that was her SISTER!!!

"No one is going to curse Juno!" Especially not you, you old bat!

No, this was NOT a sign from anything! He wasn’t just going to throw the Hag’s hand off his arm. She was a woman. Well, okay she didn’t look like a woman. But technically she was still a woman. So he wasn’t about to throw her hand off, but GLARING was certainly happening regardless. Now if she could just take a shower a step back, that’d be fan-freaking-tastic.

And he could’ve dealt with her just fine had the student not shown up. Now things were difficult. Especially with her screaming and Ol' Smelly's stupid prophecy revealing (which James believed none of FOR THE RECORD). And again she went off about something or another and James rolled his eyes. Because for the love of Merlin, who would believe this stuff? It was absolute—

The Hufflepuff did.

Of course.

How great was this?! The day just kept getting all sorts of better.

”No one is cursing your Sister,” he confirmed turning to the Divinations Professor to give her a LOOK. But just as he turned around he was hit in the face with a mist of… something or another. Which was NOT OKAY. Pulling his arm away from her creepy fingers, he took a few steps back. Coughing. What was that stuff. And right when it hit him, it ACTUALLY hit him.

So instead of scoffing at her question like he normally would have, the Professor nodded in a love-struck, dazed sort of way. Yes James did love me You. James did love you.

Linking an arm around the Professors in triumph Ursula grinned at the girl who was freaking out about her sister. "Of course, no one is curing your sister. The truth is not a curse, the truth is a warning so that you can prepare yourself for life after she's gone." Ursula could be nice when she was up to something.

"Your creatures they are not as tame as they should be for a school full of children. You should take me there so we can have a look at which ones need to be more secure." She needed to get him alone for her plans to fully work. It had been awhile since she had tricked an adult wizard.

It was easy for the Professor to say that. It wasn't HIS sister being threatened with a curse!!

Esme's eyes were glued to the hag as if to watch for any sudden movements. As far as she knew, the woman could curse HER right then and there... though maybe not with a fellow Professor around. He was acting oddly though.... "Sir? Are you all right?" He wasn't scoffing anymore, and when she looked at him he seemed to look dazed.

"What did you do to him?" she asked the old woman. Dark magic was at play here. "You are not going anywhere near my sister!" Forget about birds, losing Juno was her worst fear.

Slowly, James was starting to feel different. Aside from the glazed over eyes, the dopey smile, and the more relaxed arch in his back, something else had changed about James’ demeanor. Instead of scoffing at what the hag had to say, he was now nodding along in agreement. Understood about 2% of what she was saying, but still nodding. He was a man in ♥♥♥ L-O-V-E ♥♥♥ Anything she said sounded absolutely, positively perfeeeeect.

Especially the bit about his creatures. Were they really not as tame as they should be? Well, if Ursula said so it must be true. He gave her a mellow nod, tugging gently at her interlinked arm. If Ursula says that the creatures aren’t well, THEN THEY MUST GO SEE THEM RIGHT AWAY! But maybe they could stop by the kitchens first and get a milkshake.

One milkshake.

Two straws.

Wow, sounded like an absolute dream in the—

He turned to the student as she addressed him. What? He tilted his head, unaware that his reactions were seconds delayed and his movements incredibly fluid. ”I’ve never been betteeeeeer,” he only looked at the child for a few seconds before returning his star-struck gaze back to Ursula. He sighed longingly. Wasn’t she the absolute, most BEAUTIFUL… thing he had EVER SET HIS EYES ON. Woooooooow. He could really just stay here and stare all day. Woooooowwwww <3 <3

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Yes it was working and Ursula smiled creepily up at him. Her rotten teeth glistening in the light. The child almost forgotten she was busy keeping her plan going. She would be taking this one towards her tent. Looks like the school would find their doom without a creatures professor.

"We shall go to your creatures my dear." Her voice horse and withered, but to him would sound like a soft romantic dream. She loved the effects of the potion. The look the wizard had after she sprayed it.

Turning them towards the exit she looked at the girl, "Go find your sister and say goodbye." Her long fingers waved as she walked out with her newest prey.

Eyes narrowed, Esme watched the Professor.

He was acting really weird. Almost like he was in lo- "You gave him a love potion!" She pointed her finger at the hag. She was on to this. "I don't know what you're planning, but you won't get away with it!" But...what was she going to do about the Professor??? She didn't know anything about the antidote to love potions. Would she have to go to rat man?

Probably.

"STOP THREATENING MY SISTER!!!" She glared as she watched the two walking off. This wasn't over.

♥♥ Woooooooooow ♥♥ Ursula is an absolute dreaaaaaaaaaaaam, isn’t she? That’s what this felt like. A dreaaaaaaaaaaaam. Ursula lit up his world like nobody else the way she wiggled her fingers got him all overwhelmed. But when she smiles at James it ain’t hard to tell, he’s in LOVE. ”Oh sweet Ursula, what shiny teeth you’ve got!” he exclaimed, dropping his head back smiling like a giddy fool.

Couldn’t believe it. He was going to share an entire milkshake with heeeeeer. With TWO straws ♥ .

Again he turned very sloooooooooowwwwllyyyyyyyy towards the little Hufflepuff as she spoke. What did she say? Love? Love Potion? LOVE POTION? LOVE POTION!?!!?! LOOOOVE POTION!?!?!! LOVE POTION!!

”Did she?” he giggled. What. Yes, giggled. It was a giggle. ”How thoughtful of her!” so sweet of Ursula to give him a love potion. ”She’s so thoughtfuuuul,” he rolled his head back towards the DROP DEAD GORGEOUS SUPERMODEL URSULA BLACK.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Ursuuuuuulaaaaaaaaaaaa Blaaaaaaaack ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Even her name sounded beautiful.

Ursula, Ursula, Ursula, Ursula, Ursula, UrsulaaaaAAAAAaaaAAAAaaaaAAAAAaaaa <3

Her voice traveled through his head like the sound of a thousand and one angelic, morning birds. ♥ Oh what it is like to be in loooooooooove. He nodded his head in agreement THE CREATURES. If Ursula said they had to go THEN THEY HAD TO GO! Hopefully she’d be willing to lead because James felt like jello. But like pink jello. Pink jello with lots of pretty heart sprinkles over top. Not the regular jello. The in-love jello. ♥

He rested his head on her shoulders—which was quite difficult seeing as apparently she was of the short drop dead gorgeous supermodel variety—as he followed her down the corridor.

... He was going to hate himself once this thing wore off. if he survived