Penny didn't fear her head of house like most students seemed to. In fact, she greatly admired and respected the man. That's why, still fueled by hate fire, she found herself at the man's door this very morning DIRECTLY following the brutality that was the morning running. Urgh. She didn't care if it was going to make her late... nope. Not one bit. PROFESSOR NOBLE needed to know what was really going on.

So with her shoulders squared and a look of mingled sadness and determination, the young hufflepuff knocked on his door gently and stepped back to wait for the man to answer. She only hoped he had the time to speak to her. She also hopes she didn't cry whilst explaining how truly horrible Professor Fletcher is.

Noble had barely made it back from the SORE exercises himself when the knock came on his door. He was stood behind the desk as he sorted through a pile of paperwork for the resources and marking he needed for his first class of the day. Whilst he didn't actually mind the early mornings as long as he still got his coffee, waiting for the slowest runners to finish was curtailing his preparation time significantly, which definitely wasn't ideal when practicals and experiments needed setting up. Ideally, he needed a trustworthy lab technician, but that was unlikely to happen any time soon.

"Come in!" came the gruff reply. A flick of his wand allowed the door to open - although it would probably still need a bit of a shove to get over the uneven stone flooring that it always seemed to get stuck on, and had done now for two years.

Now, who had forgotten to do their essay for class and was trying to pre-empt the inevitable?

The small smile that stretched her lips came at his gruff reply. Something about the man being grumpy really tickled Penny. It was something she couldn't understand. But before she could give that an awful lot of thought the door came swinging open and she stepped back before making her way inside.

"Professor... might I have a moment of your time?" she asked as she made her way to him and smiled somewhat sheepishly. It was only polite to ask, right? If he didn't wish to be bothered right now she would certainly excuse herself. Yes indeed.

Noble looked up at the voice, perhaps a little surprised. He knew Penny Goodman couldn't be here with feeble excuses about homework. "Of course, Penny," he said, putting a folder to one side and dropping the rest back down in a pile. He had a few minutes before class. "Have a seat." He gestured to the chair, before moving to the shelf behind his desk, running his finger along the spines of the texts until he found the textbook he needed.

Putting it with the folder of things for class, he now sat down himself. "What can I do for you?"

Penny offered her head of house a slight smile as she moved further into his office and made for the chair opposite his desk. Sitting, she fidgeted slightly for a moment or so as she watched the man going about whatever it was that he was doing. Should she be doing this? Was he going to be cross with her for tattling? All of her own thinking was causing a bubble of anxiety to build in her chest as she watched him.

Finding a spot on the wall she took a deep breath and frowned. "Professor, let me start by sayin that I... erm... fully respec' all professors here, ya know. And erm... I don' mean ta be a tattle tale, but there was a thing that happened last night with the new Divination Professor tha' I think ya oughta know about, sir," she explained quietly, her voice shaking a time or two as she went. This was all very nerve racking, it was... and she was afraid that she was going to start crying all over again. Indeed, the tears sprang forward in her eyes even as she thought about it all. But she had to power through it and let the man know! "Pardon me sayin' so, sir, but he is rather horrible to everyone. I had an... attack during his lesson and he didn' even care, sir. He made me do twenty five pushups instead. I ain' one to complain about my elders, sir... but it wasn' righ' what he did to us, sir." She could only hope that the man understood why she was telling him these things...

Resting his elbows in the space between the piles of paperwork on his desk, Noble entwined his fingers and looked at Penny thoughtfully. He knew she wouldn't have come here lightly, and his brow noticeably furrowed at the worry tainting her voice. Even so, he couldn't help but glance at the clock on the mantelpiece as she took some time to get to the point.

...which appeared to be that Professor Fletcher was mean.

"I know it's rather a big change from Professor Vance, Penny, but I'm sure Professor Fletcher has his reasons," Noble replied tactfully, although he'd heard similar murmurings that morning at the SORE exercises. And the choice to use push ups was an unusual control mechanism, especially for someone who was having...well, what he assumed was a spate of nerves in a difficult environment. It didn't strike him as the most likely exercise to control and focus the inner eye. Regardless, it didn't seem too terrible. Noble was known to make Kodee Chosen run around the classroom or do star jumps at various intervals to try and regain some semblance of attention to class. "Was that all he did?"

It had been an excessively long night for the man. Who knew a lesson scheduled for an hour could feel like three? Suffice to say Calvin was relieved when it had finally come to an end. Now, the man wanted nothing more than to head back to his office and help himself to a cup of chamomile but first, there was something he needed to take care of.

Crossing the entrance hall, the Divination Professor made his way down to the dungeons and toward the office of Professor Noble. The students he’d been set in charge of had been absolutely atrocious tonight and the man needed to know.

Idly, he thumbed at the prefect badge he now held in his hand as he walked. He was much calmer, the silent walk over doing him some good but he was still resolute.

Arriving at the door, Calvin knocked four times. The hour wasn’t yet late. He hoped the man wasn’t busy.

A glance at the clock revealed it had been a long couple of hours marking unimpressive essays before the morning's class, although at least the pile was nearly done. He took a sip from his drink, ice rattling in the glass, and was just dipping his pheasant feather quill in the pot of red ink when the knock came. Curious, four exacting knocks. Regardless, he finished writing his thought down before replying, carefully laying the parchment to one side for the ink to dry. It was a pass, but barely.

Noble took another sip of the amber coloured liquid, before looking to the door. "Come in!"

At the invitation to enter, Calvin gave a sufficiently hard shove at the door and made his way into the office. Still in need of some unwinding of his own, he didn’t plan to stay for a tremendous amount of time. That being the case, he would get right to the point. First thing’s first, he moved straight toward the desk and placed the Prefect badge where the parchment the man had been grading once lay.

“This is yours to return as you see fit but I’d like you to take it under serious consideration and take the time to remind your student leader what it means to, in fact, be a leader.” Not planning to stay for too long, the man opted to remain standing. He was more comfortable this way, arms crossed, gaze momentarily sweeping the office. “While you’re at it, I’d recommend sitting your house down and reminding them how to conduct themselves.” The Hufflepuffs had been the most trouble in his lesson by far.

“Insubordinate. Churlish. Raucous. Indisciplined. I have many words I could use to describe their behaviour tonight but we’re both busy men and there isn’t enough time. The next time you walk by the hourglasses, you’ll find that Hufflepuff is now more than 150 points behind where there’d been just over an hour ago.” What had it been? There was a 5, a 10, the 150 thrown in. Yes, a busy night indeed. “And that’s only half of it, not all the hufflepuffs who decided to act out lost points. Other forms of punishment also needed to be meted out. They don’t appear to understand how to follow rules. Of course, there were others, one or two from another house, but the vast majority of them were Hufflepuff.”

Noble was perhaps a little surprised that it was the Divination professor who entered, knowing he'd had an lesson this evening, but didn't show it in his face as he stood to greet the man appropriately. "Calvin," he greeted with a curt nod, gesturing to the chair opposite as he returned to his own chair. He'd been about to ask what brought him down so many floors, but the man briskly continued. Noble certainly appreciated the lack of small talk; it was good to find someone else who liked to get straight to the point.

...the point involving a Hufflepuff badge. There were any number of reasons why it might have been in Fletcher's possession, but somehow he didn't think he'd brought it all the way here in person because it had been found on the floor in the corridor. Noble pursed his lips, a serious look on his face. "Derfael's, I assume?" He couldn't see Daisy as the sort to cause problems in class, and he already had reason to talk to his male Prefect. "Believe me, I will." Derf had been a prefect for two years now. He should know better.

...although, honestly, so should the rest of his house. 150 points down, in a single lesson? Noble narrowed his gaze.

"That's very disappointing news indeed," he replied. Whatever the cause of this apparent rebellious behaviour, Noble was decidedly not amused. The Gryffindors or Slytherins being described like that, he might understand. But his Hufflepuffs? The displeasure was clear on his face. He had never stood for poor behaviour in his tenure at the castle, and whilst he respected Regina's previous leadership, he had welcomed the new support on the disciplinary front. It had been clear to him when he'd started how lax the standards in the castle had become, but it had been hard to do much alone...especially when several of the staff were apparently happy to just turn a blind eye rather than take action. "I apologise for my students' behaviour, Calvin, and be assured I will talk to them. Should they disrespect you again, do send them in my direction."

He picked up the Prefect badge now, locking it away in the top drawer of his desk, before looking back up at his still-standing colleague. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Just as brief and to the point. He appreciated that about this man. No insisting there must have been a reason for the sudden disrespect—as there was never reason for that—no trying to insist he may have been overreacting, just acknowledging there was a problem and deciding to address it.

Would that more of the staffers were like this man, the students wouldn’t have gotten to the level they were currently at.

“Yes, Mr. Ashburry-Hawthorne. Not only did he blatantly ignore my rules on sitting but encouraged another student to follow along in his defiance. When addressed about this behaviour—his second and third offences during that lesson—he had the gall to sass and back talk rather than fall in line with what was expected of him. It seems that if he’s to continue leading he’ll need a reminder of what being a student leader entails.” The behaviour he saw tonight left him to believe the boy didn’t.

“I appreciate that you’ll talk it over with them. I won’t be so lenient next lesson. There is, actually, another student I’d like you to have specific words with. Mr. Prichard. Very big on blatant disrespect. It was with his blessing—encouragement really, that I took that 150 points. I don’t get the idea he understands that he is at a school and required to submit to those in authority here. Refusing to do the activities, trying to walk out as he pleased, constantly speaking out of turn. He’s earned himself a detention. Scrimgeour will be there, as will Mr. Ashburry-Hawthorne for his own. You are welcome to drop by.”

His face hardened at the details, his brow furrowing. Disappointing was fast becoming an understatement; Noble expected more of his Hufflepuffs, and especially of his prefecting team. He shook his head disapprovingly...three offences in a single lesson? He knew Derfael could be inattentive at times, but this was something new. He glanced down at the drawer where he'd placed the returned badge, before returning his gaze to Fletcher. "I'll ensure he's well-briefed, and make my decision accordingly." Fletcher had his word.

Unfortunately it didn't end there, and Noble's temple twitched at the mention of Reese's behaviour. His lips pursed, eyes narrowed, Noble nodded solemnly. "As right he should have," he replied to the mention of him being awarded detention. Noble would have done the same had the boy been in his class, though perhaps without such a big points loss. That only served to punish the rest of the house. "Do pass on the details. I would be interested to stop by."

Fletcher nodded, pleased with the outcome of the conversation. He would still have to conduct these detentions but at least the man would take care of seeing to it the boy's got a thorough talking to. He could have him mind at ease.

"The detention will be this Saturday, up in the room of requirements. 6 pm. Feel free to turn up at any point after that. The boys will be put to work--that's the intention anyway. Whether they choose to cooperate will be up to them and at their detriment." He wouldn't be forcing anyone, simply reacting.

"Do try to enjoy the rest of your evening." With that, he gave a polite nod then saw himself out.

Derf had...precisely zero idea of what to expect from this discussion with his Head of House. Though one thing he felt he could count on was for Professor Noble to be fair. The man may not exude the stereotypical image of a Hufflepuff, the friendly cuddle bugs who would literally lay down in a puddle for someone to walk across their back high and dry to the other side, Derf himself had never quite doubted the man's Sorting. In fact, when classmates had said he seemed more of a Slytherin than anything else...he had found that somewhat insulting to the house of the serpents. Wasn't that century old stereotype, you know...just that? Outdated?

...but he wasn't waiting outside the man's office to discuss house stereotypes nor the validity of the man's Sorting. He was here because...of what had occurred in Divination and all the Hufflepuff could think about was not so much whether or not his badge was returned, but more about the image Professor Noble had been presented to him. How much of that the Potions Master believed. And, well, given how much of a disaster he was in Potions class the 16-year-old reckoned the image he already had of him was not particularly favorable, even if Professor Myers had put in a good word for him.

So, swallowing some of his nervousness down, he knocked twice and then........................waited.

Noble crossed his hands on the desk in front of him, and nodded at the details. "I'll add it to my calendar." It wasn't the ideal way to spend his Saturday evening - he'd much rather be going in to Hogsmeade for a relaxing pint - but it seemed rather necessary. "And the same to you, Calvin."

Now...where was he with his marking?


It wasn't uncommon for there to be a potion bubbling away in Noble's fireplace, and today was no different. The Potions Professor was lent against the mantelpiece, watching the cauldron intently for a colour change as the nearby timer counted down the final 30 seconds. Five porcupine quills were counted out ready in his hand to drop in once it sounded. Just before it did, there came a short knock on the door.

Beep-beep. Beep-beep. Beep-beep.

Not replying to his visitor just yet, Noble turned off the buzzing timer, and bent down to look at the potion more closely. The colour was spot on, a beautiful dusky blue. With a slight smile to himself, he looked back to the door. "Come in," he now invited.

He didn't move from his place by the fire just yet, instead proceeding to add the quills one at a time, three anticlockwise stirs between each. Hopefully his visitor wouldn't mind waiting an extra couple of minutes before their meeting could start in earnest.

Despite the nature of this visit, the 'come in' of Professor Noble's was almost comforting. Though the sixth year would be pressed to be able to explain why. Still, swallowing somewhat thickly, he coiled his hands around the handle and opened the door all while holding his breath until he had crossed over the threshold.

And....it seemed like Professor Noble was busy so...he was just going to stand there in front of the closed door - because he had shut it behind him - and, er, wait. He recognized the potion ingredient instantly - porcupine quills were quite distinguishable - but his knowledge of potions would rival only that of a first year without the aid of his textbook and thus gave him little hope in identifying what the man was presently brewing.

.........hopefully he wouldn't ask.

Noble briefly glanced up to see who had entered, not showing much on his face at all, before returning his focus to the cauldron in the grate and adding the final two quills with the requisite stirs after each. That complete, he reset the timer on the mantelpiece for half an hour, stoked the fire a few times, and stood to face his visitor.

"A finicky little potion, this one is...I appreciate your patience, Derfael. Please do sit." He gestured to one of the chairs, before rounding the desk to take his place behind it. If this had been a different sort of meeting, he might have elaborated about what he was making. Today though, he thought it best to get straight to the point. "I'm sure you know why I summoned you here. I'd like to hear in your own words why exactly I find this back in my possession." He took a key from his pocket, unlocking the top drawer of his desk. From it, he pulled a Hufflepuff prefect badge, placing it carefully between them. "When you're ready..."

Small victories, yeah?

Unable to offer a bit of a light quip about patience being a Hufflepuff trait, the sixth year simply settled into the offered seat and willed himself to relax somewhat. It helped that Professor Noble had asked to hear his side of things and did not seem to have any preexisting assumptions about them himself. Strict as the man was, Derf had indubitably believed the man to be fair and he felt quite validated in that believe presently.

"Un-observance and assumption, professor," he began, parroting the first part of his response to Professor Fletcher. "I took the man's rules of not speaking unless spoken to literally and did not greet him. I had to run and count bluebell flames as punishment. When I returned and began to get settled into class...I saw a few had sat and assumed we had been instructed to sit...so I did...and then told Penny she could too and she listened to me...Professor Fletcher made us do push-ups as punishment. I apologized and took responsibility...because without my Penny wouldn't have sat. She was anxious and frozen...like a creature being cornered by a predator state of shock..." He paused there to swallow, his mouth dry from nerves as his fingers fidgeted with the fabric of his trousers over the knee. "...said her listening to me and my....my negative influence... was a reflection of her poor decision making..." It was clear from where the blonde was pausing and stressing words which bits had hurt him personally, though his thoughts right now were not on himself but on what he had put Penny through. "....said I hadn't responded to the question he had asked...but I had...and was sorta seeking clarification on alchemists and their potential relationship to pyromancy...and then he...he called me entitled...that a sense of entitlement lead to my actions..." He paused here for a long while. "....and I defended my integrity. Suggested he get to know me before he assumed I was acting out of entitlement...that was when he asked for my badge." His hands had now somehow found themselves together on his lap, clasping there as an attempt to keep them from fidgeting as his blue eyes focused on the badge on the desk. "....and I turned it over without protest."

Noble clasped his hands together, elbows resting on his desk and thumbs stroking his chin thoughtfully. His lips were pursed, and his grey-blue eyes gave very little away as he silently listened and mentally laced together today's retelling of what happened with what Calvin had already shared. The first three words - un-observance and assumption - sounded like they were directly taken from Fletcher's mouth. And after that, Derfael's version somewhat read like a series of unfortunate events. Noble watched the prefect's body language carefully. Those pauses...the uneven intonation...the fiddling with his trousers. To him, it seemed that Derfael was uncomfortable with what had happened in Divination and being called here both, and Noble let out a small sigh.

"Penny has already come to see me," he said after a short while, now leaning back in his chair. "And when it comes to Professor Fletcher, you'll almost certainly find that less is more. After greeting him appropriately, of course." The man knew his field, but it was abundantly clear he wouldn't put up with any nonsense and definitely appreciated concise thoughts. Which...if Derfael had been as verbose with Fletcher as he had just now, well, perhaps it was no surprise the Divination professor had taking an instant disliking to him. "What I'm interested in, is where we go from here."

Noble stood up now, moving to the bookcase behind his desk. "As a Prefect, you know you are expected to be a leader and a role-model. Your actions have wider repercussions and consequences than those of other students in this school." He reached a book down from the top shelf now, flicking through it briefly before decided it didn't contain whatever it was he was after. "Hufflepuff are already 150 points down from a single lesson. It could very easily be more, given a certain bowtruckle has been spotted crossing the threshold of the castle." Yes, he knew about that. "I'd have hoped you would have learnt your lesson on that front, after the staff room incident last term." It wasn't a new rule that creatures were to be kept in the barn, and Scrimgeour would take an even less kind view than Regina had.

All taken together...it was worrying, to say the least.

He looked at the badge on the desk now, before looking directly at Derfael's blue eyes. "What does wearing this badge mean to you, Derfael?"

If nothing else, Derf appreciated being heard. It was something that he didn't often feel here at Hogwarts, even before this new era had been ushered in. Well, not so much ushered in as much as it came through the door like a battering ram. The unfortunate irony was that in thanks to whatever image he had painted of himself over the terms - he would mostly place these impressions on his tendencies with outlandish conspiracy theories - was that in this instance...his own Head of House believed that the young man's own words were not his at all. They had come from honest reflection. Though, of course, he was not privy to knowing the Potion Master's thoughts. ‎Legilimency had never been all that appealing to him.

He frowned a little hearing that Penny had already been by. "....she was really upset," he repeated with a small nod. His naive hope in taking the blame for her actions in Divination only...making matters worse. The sixth year simply nodded again, because that much had been obvious of course. "You would think he and the headmaster would be on the same page when it came to that particular rule and how to interpret it," he added a bit coldly, some of his composure and frustrations slipping. It was more of a compliment to Professor Noble that he had, whether the man interpreted it or not, as it meant Derf felt a certain level of safety. "...sorry," he mumbled almost instantly, taking a bit of a deep breath and straightening his posture a bit with his feet pressed together and pressed firmly to the floor. Subtle body language tricks to help give him a bit of a confidence boost and focus.

And then there was more nodding because he knew all this. As for those 150 points, well, all Derf would have wanted to point out was that none of those had initially been because of him. His own had come a bit later and he would own up to those too. As for Picketta, well, he already knew no one believed him last term when he had explained that the bowtruckle had escaped and he had chased her back inside the castle. "I'm her Home Tree, sir," he explained gently. "I have no other pet ... not that I think of her as one ...and Professor Wayland trusts me with her. She hates the barn...but I've been trying to talk and explain to her why she has to stay in there..." But she was quite stubborn. He also wanted to ask why come down so hard on him and his single bowtruckle there were UNDEAD kneazles wandering the corridors freely, but what was the point? "...I don't want him to...to hurt her."

Which he could say with some certainty...he was sure the man would do. Probably didn't even consider bowtruckles sentient.

His own blue eyes remained on the badge and his heart sank a bit when his Head of House asked that of all things. "Honestly, professor, when term started...I coulda told you easily. But....now? Now... I don't know. Wearing it...makes me feel more like a Snatcher than a student leader and role model."

Noble remained by the bookshelf, although didn't reach for another book for the moment. Instead, his grey eyes rested on the prefect, considering him and his words. "As I gathered during her visit," Noble said with regards to Penny. She hadn't told him as to why she'd been tasked with the push ups, but it was certainly interesting to have the gaps filled in. And that tone about the rules...it was a little unexpected, and a frown creased across Noble's forehead at the mumbled apology. "I wouldn't go saying that anywhere more public." There was a warning tone in Noble's voice; he didn't need his male prefect in any more trouble. "But I do know the Headmaster is very keen in consistency across the school, so I wouldn't be surprised if that discrepancy was addressed soon enough." Noble was rather disappointed in it, truth be told. He'd hope to see more structure coming to Hogwarts, not more disordered confusion just with harsher consequences.

Regardless, it wasn't his place to say more, and he folded his arms across his chest. He was less than impressed by the prefect's response about the bowtruckle problem. "That as may be, Derfael," Noble replied. "But this is not a new rule. The Headmistress made that quite clear after your intrusion on a staff meeting last term." He'd had the bowtruckle several years, correct? "I suggest you better enforce her training in the barn, or consider leaving her at home over Christmas." It might have sounded cold, but really, Noble was just trying to look out for him. They could both hazard a guess as to how Scrimgeour might react to a bowtruckle inside. As for the undead kneazles...well, he was aware, and he was working on it. Had been for several years now, and had the scars to prove it. There was only so much one could do when everyone else insisted on turning a blind eye and their owner had been afforded certain protections not extended to others in the school. The tide was changing though, and he was now in place where he could do something about it.

Noble moved back towards his chair now, sighing slightly. "A Snatcher?" That was a worrying comparison indeed, and Noble pulled a face. Although perhaps he shouldn't have been all that surprised, with Derfael's head for conspiracy theories. "The ability to take points might feel new to you, but actually used to be standard procedure." At least, that what he assumed what feeling like a Snatcher referred to. He looked at the badge before looking back up to Derfael, his expression serious. "I will support you through these changes, will help you find the right balance as a leader and role model." He wanted Derfael to do Hufflepuff proud. "But you need to want this badge...to fulfil the role of Prefect...to work with me as your Head of House. I don't want to be having another meeting like this." He'd prefer the sixth year to be honest with him now if that was likely to be the case.

Derf merely nodded, he knew he had spoken a bit out of place just now but it also wasn't entirely unwarranted. There was no outlet anymore for students, not even to prefects who supposedly had no choice but to shut down any complaints. "I don't plan on it, professor," he nodded. "There...there is just no safe place for us to...speak freely about out frustrations anymore." Which, again, said something about the level of safety he felt being in the presence of his Head of House. And...wasn't that the sort of environment that Hogwarts wanted to foster? Safety wasn't just about the physical, after all. Though he was grateful for that part in this new regime.

"Which wasn't me," he reiterated. "Everyone always underestimates creatures and their abilities of getting out of their pens and cages." And ready to expect the worst of him too, apparently. "But...point taken, sir." He was free spirited when it came to creatures, but not entirely unreasonable. "I'll talk with her and my parents...and figure something out." He still felt...this was unfair though. Others had their pets roaming freely in the castle but this really wasn't the point of the visit to the Potions Master's office. And he was hoping that the bowtruckle could be a little reasonable...but what everyone was asking him to do was to quite literally uproot the creature, again. And that was just...cruel. Still, he swallowed back his words and nodded again.

And then they got to the true meat of the discussion.

And he was instantly shaking his head. "No, that's not why," he said almost instantly. "I know it has, mum told me as much...but professor...all we are allowed to do is to focus on the negative. There is no balance, no encouragement...only punishment. We aren't allowed to encourage good behavior by rewarding good deeds...that's...that's not how you train a crup and that's not how...how I feel people should be treated either." He frowned, looking at the badge as the man spoke. He swallowed now, lifting his eyes to meet Professor Noble's. "Most of these rules...I don't have problems with at all. Most of them...like food not being in lessons and stuff...I feel like should have been enforced long ago. Having our mail read and tampered with...that is really the only thing I have a problem with. I even enjoy morning S.O.R.E's..." He sighed again and set his hands in his lap. "I accepted this badge from Professor Myers...because I wanted to be able to use my voice to be a bridge between student and faculty...but I...we don't have that anymore. I don't feel like I do at least. So...so you could try and help me find a balance....and I do want to work with you, professor...but I don't feel like Hogwarts is an environment for balance."