Originally Posted by Cassirin

Keep smirking, Lafay. The governors could keep her here, but they didn't have to keep her as Head of House or in the position she currently enjoyed.

"I guess we're all moving up into positions beyond our own expectations, Professor. I would ask you to mind your house and not my business, though." They typically required more attention than he did from the woman.



"Well. Send her my love. And Cari's." That should get the woman's dander up, even if it was well intentioned. She didn't want love or anything else from Caroline.

"And... keep your eyes open. Join Max and I for drinks later."



"I think my point was made, Mr. Upstead, regardless of semantics. But you're being unaccountably rude, and now it is time to return to your seat. I'm sure you are free to visit me after the feast if required."



"Excellent advice, Mister Gevrik," Tate gave the man an oddly formal bow before he rose lazily from his own seat. He swept out his hands for silence, enjoying the way students stopped chattering at his gesture.

You see that, Lafay? If he was just a figurehead, they wouldn't acknowledge him. These students weren't idiot pawns to be played in someone else's game.

"If I can have your attention, students... if you can bear with me for a few moments of business chatter, there is a bountiful feast as reward on the other side. I welcome you back to Hogwarts once again. To returning students, you will see new faces at the staff table. Please make every effort to welcome staff members and students to our home. To new students... the rules at Hogwarts are simple and we will make every effort to make them clear. First and foremost, make good choices and do not die."

Always always... do not die.

"In addition to our new staff, we also welcome Mr. Ikenna Gevrik to Hogwarts. He will be serving as... a special security consultant and is very interested in making the school as safe as possible. It is my desire that you make him welcome and listen to everything he has to say. It is, of course, your own responsibility to way those things you hear against your own conscience and make decisions that are right for yourself."

And... did Gevrik want to say anything? Hmm?

Originally Posted by Ikenna Gevrik

As a masterful, focused man often does, Ikenna ignored those around him still trying to address him and waited for Casey Tate's introduction. He stiffly returned the 'bow', or whatever that awkward jerking was, and then turned out toward the students.

"Thank you for that welcome, Headmaster Tate. I am, as he said, Mr. Ikenna Gevrik, Special Security Liaison to the School." He extended a warm smile toward the assembled students and bowed in their direction as well, though at the same time he swept his arms out, he also cast a nonverbal sticking charm at Vindictus' hands in mid-clap.

With the clapping stopped and a dead silence in the Hall, Ikenna straightened back up with a genuinely friendly expression.

"Those of you who can recall events of the past, from a flooding school to an underground fight club, will find it easy to see why the Ministry of Magic has concerns about security around its most precious asset: the bodies and minds of our future leaders. Those of you who may be younger will at the least realize that a heightened sense of safety and security around the castle will not only allow everyone to sleep better at night, but it will also pre-empt any future warnings from your professors, such as orders to 'do not die.'"

Gevrik's beetle-like eyes glittered for a moment with amusement as he cracked a smile, and then he continued onward in a most amicable tone.

"Perhaps some of your good, safe choices this year will lead to good rewards, not only for you, your professors or your house-mates, but perhaps also for the betterment of all mankind. The times are changing swiftly and as the Headmaster said, I can only ask that you lend me your ears and remain open-minded this school year, for you will all find that I am not your typical dose of Ministry intervention."

No, Ikenna Gevrik could be something much more sinister...but he did not drop the smile from his face or the friendliness in his tone...yet.

"Again, I appreciate Hogwarts opening its doors to me and I can only hope that you will all also open your minds and hearts, for I hold the safety and security of us all very dear in mine."

He bowed his head once more to signify the end of his speech and then smoothly slid back down into his seat.

Originally Posted by Nixy!

Iris watched Zoey carefully until she'd finished her giggling. "Okay... are you done now?" She asked, with an amused grin on her face. Something in the corner of her eye caught her attention, so she looked up at the Staff dias. "Ooooh. Tate's fiiiinally going to give his speech."



Don't die... have fun... Welcome back. Tate's speech was short, but it was full of all the usual stuff. There wasn't really anything new.

Iris just wanted that feast that was on the other side of the speech.

As Tate brought the student's attention to one teacher in particular, Iris rose her eyebrow, and looked to Aaron with a somewhat worried look on her face. "Why do we need special security? ... Why now? Nothing really bad has happened... in, what, two years."



Watching Professor Vindictus as he started to clap... loudly, Iris smiled slightly.

...

Then she noticed something unusual. He wasn't sat on the right side of Tate. That scary looking Ministry man was.

Did that mean... ?

No. Tate wouldn't have let that man become Deputy Headmaster.

... Or did he? Iris really hoped he wasn't and that there were just some... seating rearrangements. If not, then the school was screwed.



...

He just... stuck the Quidditch Professor's hands together. Iris stared up at the Staff Table. That was SUCH an immature way of handling that round of applause.... And Tate was expecting them to look up to this guy for security guidence? Pffft.... Yeah, not gonna happen.

This guy was talking, too? The food was going cold!

Iris listened to him, ignoring the loud noises her tummy was beginning to make. The things he was talking about happened 4, 5, 6 years ago. WHY does it matter for them to have this special security now. Iris's eyes flickered towards Professor Truebridge at the table...

Was it something to do with him coming back? ... He'd been in Azkaban for a little while, after all.

Remain open-minded? Iris looked to Fallon, Trixie and Aaron. "This guy... d'you think Tate knows about something bad that's going to happen? ... Or do you just think the Ministry are being nosey, intruding arses? It's not like they've not done this before." She indicated to the man, who was stood talking. That's what worried her. That the Ministry had done this to Hogwarts before. It didn't accomplish anything then... so why do they think their "safety" precautions given by this bloke will be any different?

She watched as the man sat down.

His name was one that Iris wasn't even going to attempt to pronounce.

The prefect frowned, and thought over the things that this Ministry bloke had said. She didn't trust that smile of his.

"Can we eat, now?"

Originally Posted by Bloody Baron

The Baron floated over to the Slytherin table, and he looked down at the students. Savages, he thought to himself.