Paul was ready for food already. When would Mohamed do the speech thing? And then the food would do its appearing thing and they could all eat and then sleep and prepare for tomorrow, yeah?

He turned in Rosalyn’s direction and nodded. “Some students will grate on your nerves, I warn you,” and he thought of Kaycee Richards. Granted, the girl was growing on him. “But they’re all wonderful in their own ways.” Even murderous Daxton Prince. He was…a wonderful…………….wonderful might have been the wrong word for Daxton. Maybe more…interesting. CHALLENGING.

Just when Paul’s stomach gave an enormous growl, Mohamed decided to grace them all with a lovely speech, really, it was beautiful. The bit about Botros…sigh. Paul’s first term here was under Botros. He was a lovely man, very kind. Always very kind. Hearing of his death had dampened his spirit greatly, and he hung his head for the moment of silence respectfully.

Food had appeared, and though he felt a little sad about his former headmaster, he dug in, turning only to hear Laurel say she wanted some plant advice. “I have some simple guides I can let you borrow, m’dear!” he said after chewing a mouthful of something that tasted reaaaaaally good. Something spicy, too. He otherwise didn’t know where to start beginner planters without a guide. It was hard, once you were advanced, to start out small with people. Teaching was different; focusing on specific plants and upgrading them over the years was a bit different.

Joy was taking this all so very well. She was a breath of fresh air from Cece. Blegh. “You are a delight, Joy. The students will be getting hurt on purpose with you here.” And he winked. Best to warn her now.

He hadn’ really been paying attention to whatever mayhem Peeves was causing down at the students’ tables…and he would have answered Rafael but the poltergeistS –plural—were suddenly UP HERE CAUSING MAYHEM.

AHEM.

Paul was immensely irritated at the timing of this announcement! Right after a moment of silence? Really? Of course, one could not possibly expect Peeves to show any sort of respect for anyone.

Bloody MARRIED?!

Could ghosts get married?!

His colleagues all seemed to share his sentiments, too.

All else was forgotten, though, when he suddenly heard YELLING from his badger table. He knew Brady’s voice immediately because the boy yelled quite a lot, but the other voice…was that /Paige/? Something must have been terribly wrong—the Baron and the poltergeists were there, and the Friar seemed to be trying to interject-

“Excuse me—“ he said to those around him. He set his napkin down in front of his plate and scooted off the dias.