Kayla stood before the Headmistress' door and rocked on her feet for a moment. This was her third year at coming to school and this would be the first time she had come to seek the Headmistress, she hoped that Professor Rae wasn't too busy. Kayla reached out with her hand and quietly knocked on the door.

"Come in," the Headmistress called. She was happy to finally be in her office, ridiculous though it might be. She had taken to wearing a small pair of spectacles when she was reading in her office, and she slid them off while she waited for her guest.

Kayla walked into the Headmistress' office and smiled at the woman nervously as she stood in front of her desk. "Good day to you Professor, I hope I'm not interrupting anything important" she said quietly.

"No, of course not," she pocketed the glasses and gestured at the chair. "Have a seat. Would you like a cup of tea? A biscuit, perhaps?"

Kayla to the offered seat and looked at the Headmistress in surprise. Now this was a better reception she thought. "Tea would be nice, thank you."

Argyle pops into Mistress Rae's office with her usual tea tray. Argyle always brings two tea cups and saucers just in case Mistress Rae is entertaining a student at tea time. Argyle places the tray on Mistress Rae's desk. "How are the twins, Mistress Rae? Do you need Argyle to babysit them this term?"

Kayla turned at the sound of another voice and she looked down to see one of the house elves placing a tray on the desk. "Hello" she said with a smile. "How are you today?"

Argyle turns around surprised. Students aren't suppose to talk to house elves. Argyle doesn't know what to do. Argyle doesn't want to be rude, but Argyle also doesn't want to get in trouble either. Tears start forming in Argyle's tennis ball eyes. Argyle bows. "Hello, Argyle. Argyle is a good house elf. Argyle works in the kitchen when Argyle isn't looking after Genevieve and Sophie."


OOC: Argyle is sorry. Argyle has forgotten Mistress Rae's children's name. Could you refresh Argyle's memory.

"Thank you, Argyle. You are dismissed," Rae poured a cup of tea for herself and for Kayla. "What can I do for you, my dear? Try a biscuit. They were imported from Belgium and are dipped in very rich chocolate."

Kayla looked at the house elf horrified that she had made him cry. She looked at the Professor and then back to Argyle. "Sorry" she mumbled.

"Oh...I...thank you Professor" Kayla said as she helped herself to a biscuit and took a bite, it was delicious. "Okay so the reason why I am here..."she took a deep breath before continuing..."I have concerns about this new arrangement to our schooling Professor. And believe me I am not here to gripe about being separated from the boys although I do miss them. No I'm more concerned about the treatment between the houses and the education we will be receiving this year."

Kayla took a sip of her tea and continued once more, now that she was here was going to say everything she wanted to. "For instance I went to Professor Wystan's office to introduce myself and to ask about classes, she was very rude and told me that we could not play Quidditch until we had passed the flying exam which would not take place until February. When I told her that was fine with me, that all I wanted to know was what she would be teaching us until February came around and she promptly deducted five points from me and told me to leave her office as I was wasting her time" Kayla looked at Professor Rae. "Now really all I was doing was trying to show an interest in my education and she says I'm wasting her time and there was no notice in the common room about a flying exam."

Kayla put the biscuit she was holding back onto the plate. "And potions class was a complete waste of time. I mean all we did was introduce ourselves to Professor Melita and tell her what our favourite cookie was and..."Kayla's voice rose a couple of octaves..."for homework she wants us to write a song about a potion and then sing it in the next lesson" she looked at the Headmistress utterly bewildered. "I mean to say what has that got do with potions?"

This was her fourth year at Hogwarts and she'd never once met or even spoken to the Headmistress. She knew that Mistress Rae had her fan club around the school, but Tommy at least wanted the woman to know her name. To be honest, she always felt like to was intruding whenever she tried to speak to her when she was out and about in the school. It seemed like many of the professors had the fan clubs and weren't taking anymore applications, but Tomasina just felt bad that Mistress Rae didn't even know her name. She walked up the stairs to the door getting nervous with every step. She didn't know if she would told off for bothering her with something as trivial as just wanting to introduce herself.

She made it to the door and swallowed hard. She reached up with her ting hand and knocked on the door and waited to be asked in or told to bugger off.

"Just a moment," Rae called to the person waiting at her door. She turned to address Kayla. "I can fully appreciate where you are coming from, Miss Winters, but the fact is that the Ministry wields far more control at Hogwarts that was than we would like to believe. He has the full power of the press and the popular vote behind him, and all I have is common sense. So yes, the way he has set up the school isn't fair and yes, the professors he provided are strict, but sadly... I can't do much about it at all. And since he's still on the honeymoon-that-never-ends... there's not much anyone can do about it for now. I'm sorry."

Tommy jumped when she called out to her. "Uh, yes ma'am." She managed to squeak out. Her heart slowed down a bit but it was still racing. Why was she bothering the Headmistress with her silliness? She didn't look the sort to abide by silliness. Merlin, she was going to give her a detention for bothering her, she was in there with someone who had a real problem, and all Tommy wanted to do was tell Mistress Rae her name. Of all the stupid ideas Tommy had cooked up, and she cooked up some doozies. This one took the Bertie Bean, by far. Should she turn around and run away? No, she had something sort of spell that let her know who knocked on her door most likely. She would just have to stand her and take her punishment like a champ.

"Hmm...yes I can appreciate that" Kayla said thoughtfully. "Okay so he is leaning on the press, but all of them? What if someone happen to come along and start a new newspaper, is there anyway he could stop them from putting it out?" she asked but her mind was in like fast forward, he couldn't stop them if he didn't know who they were Kayla thought.

She looked up at the Headmistress. "Professor, how does one become Minister for Magic, I mean is it like the Muggle Prime Minister where he or she is voted in by the people? And how do they get voted out?" Kayla asked innocently.

"Yes, there's an election," Rae nodded thoughtfully. "As for the press, I'm sure you're aware that the Minister is married to the Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Prophet, which means that nothing negative about him will ever hit the press. I suppose someone could start a new newspaper, but I have a feeling that he would have influence over them too. The Minister is a powerful post."

"Yes, yes" Kayla replied absently. "But she's only editor in chief at the Daily Prophet isn't she? They can't control every paper or pamphlet that comes out...especially if they don't know who or where it is coming from" she had an idea forming in her mind, but she would need help and lots of it.

"Is there any place in this school where one could study without...er being watched so to be speak?" she asked thinking of all those stupid portraits.

"Your common rooms have study areas and there are rooms in the library," Rae shrugged. "But please don't do something I'll have to expel you for. I beg of you."

Kayla bowed her head slightly. "I promise Professor Rae but you have given me much to think about" she stood up from her chair. "You can't expect the students to take this lying down though..."Kayla looked at the Headmistress directly in the eye..."it was your school they took too remember."

"I believe it's a Hogsmeade weekend is it not, I think a nice mug of butterbeer should do me some good" she chuckled to herself. "Thank you for the tea and the chat Professor, I won't take anymore of your time."

Rae paused. "Kayla. I think that I would be remiss if I didn't mention... Hogsmeade doesn't belong to either school. There are no eyes there. I can't touch you there unless you break a school rule outright down there."

Kayla raised an eyebrow at the Headmistress and a small smile played on her mouth. "I shall take that into account Professor. Maybe I can take my owl Cleo with me, would that be alright?" she asked.

"As long as you're not owling the other school, you can take whoever you want with you," she laughed. "Let the next student know that they can come in."

Kayla laughed with the Professor. "Wouldn't dream of it" she replied. "Thanks again for your time Professor Rae" she made her way over to the door and stepped into the corridor to see Tomasina. Kayla gave her a grin. "You're up Riddle" and she gave her a wave over her shoulder as she walked out into the Entrance Hall.

She watched Kayla bounce out of the office. Her heart was in her throat. Her feet weren't moving. She had to look down at them and tell them to move. Calm down, she told herself as she reached for the handle and turned the knob. She pushed open the door slowly and stepped meekly inside. "I uh. Sorry to bother you ma'am." She stammered. "I didn't mean to interrupt or anything."

Please don't yell at me, she was pleading. She was feeling dumber by the minute as she stood there. There was no turning back now, she was in the office, and she's seen your face.

"Come in," Rae smiled and gestured at the chair in front of her. "Tea? The pot is still quite warm, and we have biscuits."