Max was about to continue on his tirade when Tate finally spoke up. He listened and rolled his eyes. So the stupid git was a Ministry employee. 'Big deal,' he thought sarcastically as he resisted the urge to pull HIS chair out from under the man.

Thankfully, common sense prevailed and the Deputy Headmaster swallowed his pride.

"He started it," Max mumbled as he took the seat directly to Tate's left.

Suddenly, Lilyan noticed a familiar new person... squinting across the table, without being too obvious, she looked at the man briefly. Hmm. Yes. That was the man she'd met in Diagon Alley, not too long before the term started.

But what was he doing here..?

Well, at the moment, he was obviously bothering Max and clearly enjoying it, but in the general sense of the question.. hmm. She wasn't sure, but she had a thought, or two on the matter. All of which she kept to herself.

Her attention was drawn away from the interaction between the two men, when Tate started kicking chairs and being his normal grumpy at the feast self.

Lilyan sat back in her seat. She was close enough to the man that she could speak to him without having to shout across the table, "Did you know that all of that pent up rage is bad for your blood pressure?"

You know, just... being a concerned Healer and all.

Renée hadn't really tried, but in the brief moment she'd even thought about entertaining using her ability during the conversation, it seemed both Jared had noticed and a bit of a wall had sprung up. Intriguing, but she didn't see a reason to challenge it now. It got filed away for later, though. Especially as she'd been thinking about the skill earlier. It seemd the Charms professor was even more interesting than their conversation was revealing, but then she imagined he could say the same about her. She smiled a little at his almost-apology for his bias, however. "It's no problem. I guess you could say I'm the same way, a little." Different, though. since she had a connection to more than one location. It seemed Hogwarts was one of her biggest.

"It certainly is. One day I think I'm going to go back," she said idly as he continued to reveal his bias for France. It didn't bother her in the least, as it just added a layer to the man. If she really wanted to learn about him, that was. Time would tell, as emotions seemed to be heightened by the excitement of the start of term. And at that point she caught the smile of the Arthmancy professor from beyond Jared, and she returned it with one of her own. She'd have to talk to her a bit later.

She laughed as he seemed to be turning down her suggestion for help in Divination. "That just makes it sound like a challenge. I think you'd find it takes a lot to get me frustrated," she replied, before shrugging a little at his self-deprecation. "It's possible. Or maybe you just need practice," she said. "Or it does." She still didn't think a so-called Inner Eye was inherent to developing a skill in Divination. At least, not so much with the forms she knew well. "Something like that. I'd imagine it's not much different than other metal abilities, really, just channeled in a different way." And they'd both know about what she was talking about now, even if they weren't admitting it.

However, before her conversation with Jared could go much further, it seemed others of her fellow professors had arrived, and she nodded at them as they sat down and got into conversations of her own. She had also noticed that the students seemed to have started filtering up to visit, and she gave most of them a smile. Gifts were always nice, and she appreciated Satine's licorice wands, even if she wasn't exactly partial to them as a treat. Cookies were another thing, and she had turned to the girl from the party at Fortescue's with a smile. It seemed this was a habit of the girl, but at least it was a habit she could get behind.

Reaching over to select one of the Ravenclaw cookies, she paused as the young girl spoke again. Letting out a laugh, she setttled back into her chair as she regarded the confused girl. It seemed they hadn't resolved the issue from earlier. "That would be because she isn't, Miss Hollingberry," she said with another smile. She was way too young to be Jake's mother, and she was choosing to not let the fact the girl could think that make her feel old. "I'm Professor Bishop. Your new Divination professor," she introduced herself, finally. And that sounded odd, really. The formality of it all, even though she'd taught back in New York. Americans hadn't been quite as formal about it all. Back there it was more like how Jared had first addressed her.

Kurumi's face turned beet red and her now free hands flew to her cheeks, then to her mouth as she tried to cover her gapping expression. Oh dear, she had made a mistake. She felt like hiding under the table and not coming out until the feast was over, but that would probably be even more embarrassing for her than how she was feeling right now. "P-P-P-Professor Bishop!" she squeaked with a deep bow. "I'm" bow "so" bow "so" bow "sorry." And a few more bows. Sure, she had been polite when meeting Professor Bishop at Fortescue's, but had she been professor polite or just new person polite? Oh, if her mother were here right now... "I-I-I-It is very nice to meet you. Well, meet you again. I mean, erm, I'm so sorry." Kurumi was overly flustered now. Clearly, this professor was not upset with her for the mistake she had made so she should feel too bad, but Kurumi was taking it upon herself to punish herself. "I am looking forward to your lessons," she said still bowing, but at least now she had stopped and was staying at a perfect 90 degrees.

"I'm sure," Tate agree with a quiet shrug. They'd all better get used to their new friend, because the man wasn't going anywhere. And maybe he had the power to move them around like chess pieces if it suited him.

It was Tate's job to be sure it didn't suit him.

"Just play nice, please."

"Aw, Lilybud," Tate leaned against the table and peered around his neighbor. "You care about my blood pressure? I care about your blood pressure too. That's why I painted the whole infirmary a very calming canary yellow, and it's scented like lemon cleaning potion."

Lies. All lies.

Smart. Aleck.

"Did you now? I'm glad you picked a color that suits me then." She HAD been genuine with her advice, though. It was the Healer thing. It happened. "Might I also suggest more fiber in your diet?"

Lilyan sent a smile over to him, and raised her glass in a sort of smirking toast. She could be a smart aleck too.

Aaron approached the staff table for two reasons. One... To say hello to his new favorite professors, Professor Vindictus and his head of house whom he was eternally grateful of for granting Aaron his position. That was one reason. The other, was because he noticed a new professor. Not professors getting moved around, but a new one. He approached the new teacher first.

She was beautiful... Well, Aaron hoped she knew that WASN'T the reason why he was up there."Hello, ma'am," the boy started. "I am Aaron Anderson, Slytherin Quidditch Captain. Welcome to Hogwarts." He offered the woman a welcoming smile, hoping she wouldn't think he was... um... foolish?

Hecate arrived to the staff table. It was actually quite uncharacteristic to be late. But even Hecate had situations beyond her control that ruled her life. She had an apple core in her hand that she'd taken from the snake table. She had a half a mind to go to the Headmaster and ask him why he'd asked Ethan to come back, because she knew it wasn't the School Governors who reinstated him. But she didn't, she sat down and took out a mirror... She needed to touch up her lipstick, it was nearly gone.

He returned her glass raise and continue to glance at her as she kept smiling. He then finally looked away and back out at the crowd and towards the kids that kept approaching the table.

"I'll try," Max answered in a low voice and decided to watch the students for a bit because if he even dared glance over at the moron sitting in HIS seat, then Tate would have to don the referee stripes.

"Lily." Tate shook his head and hid a smile behind his fist. She was just... incorrigible. Truly.

"Don't worry about my fiber. Worry about... Hufflepuff's fiber. They eat too much candy." Or something. Her problem.

"You know... it's not an ideal situation this term, but the good news is..." He pointed at the students. They were back and bright and healthy and shiny happy people at the moment. It was their job to keep them that way.

"Swing by my office for a drink after the feast." He kept his voice low.

"Will do," Max replied in a low voice and then he abruptly changed the topic. "Oh, look! The Grey Lady is visiting the students seated at the Ravenclaw Table. Isn't that delightful!"

Luckily enough for Maximus Vindictus, the Headmaster had decided to speak up at last and force the boy with a Quaffle for a brain to surrender the chair that rightfully belonged to Ikenna Gevrik.

Amusement was clearly etched in the few visible creases near Ikenna's mouth. He may have even let out a soft rumble of laughter at the flying instructor's continued childish antics but did not pursue the matter.

After all, he was rather proficient in the art of revenge.

"Pardon me," Ikenna dipped his head toward Tate. "But I wouldn't consider myself a Ministry employee, exactly." He smiled politely and flicked his gaze toward the still slowly-rotating chair that had been something of a....joke.

Shame the staff at this school were such a sour lot. The chair disappeared into thin air as Ikenna gestured toward it with a lazy twirl of a few fingers on his dominant hand.

"I don't do happy faces, Tate," he addressed the Headmaster as if they were old acquaintances, even if they were the polar opposite. "I happened to find your choice of deputy headmaster incredibly entertaining, if that is any consolation. I wonder if a few of the students enjoyed it as well."

Ikenna's dangerous eyes flitted out to the sea of young faces again. Young, fresh, easily-moulded minds. Mmmm. He may have been watching the students but he was most certainly listening to the two men seated nearest to him.

"Much as I'd like to tell you it's the former, I'm afraid it's not." She had an easy smile, nothing forced about it, at least not right now, and Jared lightly returned it. "Jared Descoteaux at your service, madame." He grinned and half-bowed his head, the action carrying his customary touch of natural elegance, eyes full of good-natured humour because, frankly, being called 'sir' by a colleague sounded refreshingly strange.

First cookies, and now licorice wands. Jared, who had not done for a long, long time, something as foolish as consuming - without testing - an edible item he had accepted from a complete stranger, had to ask himself if it was safe to try any of the things being offered. Sure, these kids were students, but then Tom Riddle had been a student that one time he had gotten away with opening the Chamber of Secrets.

Colours? It surprised Jared that the student had been worrying about colours. He'd be more concerned about the contents, and if they could change into chocolate if one did not like licorice. He half-smiled, before turning to the student. "That's thoughtful of you, Miss... ?"

Could he, now? Jared's green eyes asked as much. He supposed every person could be biased now and then, and no harm come of it. Feeling it unnecessary to further broach the subject, he let it drop easily, only nodding in acknowledgement of Renée's statement.

"That sounds wonderful. If I happen to be in France at that time -" he highly doubted that and the thought displeased him because, of course, it reminded him how less often he stayed in France now - "It'd be a pleasure to show you around." It was the polite thing to say but Jared couldn't consider it just a formality since it was a pleasure to show off one's real home. "Supposing, of course, that that's okay with you." He gave her a good-natured little smile as he momentarily returned his attention to his food.

"That's something we have in common, then." Lazy grin. It frustrated a lot of the people he knew, how little frustrated him. Then again, the things that did frustrate him, frustrated him pretty terribly. Injustice. Discrimination. He shook the thoughts off. "At any rate, I suppose no harm can come out of giving it a try." Channelled differently... Jared thought about that, and then smiled ever so slightly. "If you look at it from that perspective, it makes a lot of sense." He sounded faintly surprised at his own statement because he'd never thought of Divination like that before.

Oh, but Treyen had totally forgotten he was leading Ellie to the Staff table, because, in all fairness, he'd lost the feel on his hand, and most of him, at the sight of the most beautiful person in the table, and the room.

Healer Moretti. Of course.

And he was smiling, too, who wouldn't? Right?

It wasn't until he heard the awful, awful words that someone else said that he got back to reality. He frowned, instantly, because he couldn't believe that this other woman had managed to link this moment to Moretti. He...hated that.

'Your new Divination professor'.

He hated that even more.

Treyen was now feeling Ellie's hand in his, and he dropped it. Didn't want to have that connected to the newly appointed Divination Professor either.

Truth be told, he was feeling quite nervous, and disappointed, and empty again, because Kingsley was not here yet. "You are?" he said, after glancing down to Kurumi. There was a fake hint of curiosity. He'd already heard she was.

"I guess you're the one that should know that you have some BIG shoes to fill," he said, in a very serious tone, and he actually wondered why had he asked Ellie to come along. And, the woman that had taken Nolan's place, by force, probably, did have some MAJORLY BIG shoes to fill. Seriously. Like, Siriusly.

Ellie let her hand fall to her side when they'd gotten to where they were going. Which had ended up being the Staff Table. And the lady sitting in Reyn's seat. Great. She hadn't had anything planned. What was she to do?

Sniffle.

It was all good, though, because Treyen had spoken first. That was pretty good, actually. Totally what Ellie would've said herself. Because this...Bishop was her name? Like a chess piece? SNORT. Still, the fact that she really was the Divination professor exterminated all hope that there was a mistake. That Reyn's seat had just moved.

Sniffle.

Ellie almost didn't want to look at her. She didn't like her. At all. "I don't think she can fill them," she audibly whispered to Treyen. Yeah, she'd wanted Bishop to hear, too.

And now that she'd gotten started, "I bet you don't even know or care about what you've done." This was all directed at the woman now. "You shouldn't have taken Reyn away." Because it was her fault. At least, Ellie'd make her think she thought so. She needn't know about Ginger. Ellie wiped under her eyes again.

Incorrigible? The man probably had a point. A point that Lilyan only enforced, as she gave a salute and settled back into her chair again. Managing only a few giggles, she allowed her gaze to wander over the Hufflepuff table. DID the students need more fiber?

Hmm.. fiber was important to children.

She shifted her gaze once more at the sound of a somewhat accusatory voice. It seemed some of the students were talking the absence of their favorite professors hard, but still, that was no reason to be rude to the new professors. "Miss Stone, surely there is no reason to be so rude." The woman pointed out lightly, kind as always, even when giving a bit of a reprimand.

Be good, child, or we will have to feed you fiber.

Renée felt sympathy towards the girl as she turned beet red at the correction. Even as her eyes widened as she started almsot manically bowing. It was almost frightening, especially as she hadn't so much been offended as amused by the whole situation. "Really, there's no need to worry," she said, rising slightly out of her seat as she reached a hand out to the girl. Whether in comfort or to stop her from hurting herself was in question, though. She had a weird thought that the girl was nearly acting like a disobedient house elf, which made her worry what would happen. "It's nice to meet you, too. Again. Officially, rather," she said with a friendly smile. trying to relax Miss Hollingberry. "I'm glad to hear that, and once again, you've done an amazing job on the cookies,," she complimented. Hoping the almost stationary bow would stop soon, and glancing at the others seated at the table for assistance. Anything would help.

Hmmm, not exactly what Renée'd expected, as yet another student approached the table and seemed to want to start with her. As the boy spoke, she turned from Miss Hollingberry to lok at him with a smile, slightly questioning look in her dark eyes, although there was a bit of amusement once she actually looked at him. "Well it's very nice to meet you, Mr. Anderson, and thank you for the welcome," she replied. "It's very kind of you. I'm Professor Bishop." She found it oddly curious that he was a Slytherin, really. Even though she had nothing against the house, she still remembered it as a bit less of the, well, friendly houses. She disliked stereotypes, but even she still held on to some of them. And the unsaid compliment really was amusing, and flattering.

Glancing back at Jared, Renée's eyes glinted a little in amusement as she managed to catch the tiniest bit of anything from him. A chink in the armor, it seemed, but she let him drop the subject easily. Just because she found it intriguing didn't mean she wouldn't let it drop. For now.She smiled again, though, as he spoke of France. "That sounds like a lovely idea," she said, brushing off his deprecation a little. "I'm sure you could show me more than I could find on my own, even if I imagine we've had different reasons for being there in the past," she added, going back to her slightly playful aspect of the conversation. It would almost be too bad if she happened to visit when he was elsewhere. The whole almost opposites thing they seemed to have going was too interesting.

"That's good to know," she replied with a laugh. Challenges were so much better than people who folded easily. Her mood turned a bit more curious, though, as momentarily he seemed distracted by thoughts. Thoughts she chose not to see if she could see, just letting him have that for a bit. She could respect privacy, especially as she hoped people would return it. "Of course not," she responded. Trying to teach him a bit of Divination could be fun. Challenging, and something told her he might try to switch things up on her. She paused in her thoughts as he replied to her theory on Seers, however. "Sometimes a change in persepctive is all you need," she said simply, a half-smile creeping back onto her face at the almost surprised tone in his voice. It seemed she was already teaching him a little.



Her amusement at the conversation with Jared flickered as Renée heard a quiet question from nearby, and she instinctively knew it was directed towards herself. She hadn't really tuned in, but she knew. Just as she knew what was being questioned, and she turned to the two new students patiently. She knew the question hadn't been so much out of curiosity as out of other things. Being the daughter of an actress, she knew acting when she saw it, and she simply nodded at the statement that had followed. "I assure you, I'm not intending on filling anyone's shoes, Mr. . . .?," she replied to the boy, hinting for a name. "That would mean I'm actually trying to take over. New isn't always bad, you know. Just as change isn't." So far, she thought she was handling it quite well, although the Hufflepuff crest on the boy's uniform made her wonder if the House dynamics had shifted considerably in the last decade.

And that thought took deeper root as she heard the whisper from the redhead with the boy. The Ravenclaw student, and at that she really felt a pang of disappointment. She didn't show it, though, as her dark eyes locked on the girl long enough to really get something. Other than the sadness that was truly emanating from her. "Contrary to your opinion, Miss Stone," she started, before hearing the Healer interject from nearby.

Turning to her new colleague for a moment, she nodded in silent thanks, before responding quietly to the reprimand directed toward the Ravenclaw. "I'm sure she has reason to be disappointed," she said, in a bit of an aside, seding the woman a pleasant smile. It seemed Miss Stone was a bit misdirected in her rudeness, but she was a child. It hadn't gotten too bad yet. She truly was grateful, however. She just also felt that she needed to say something in response.

Going back to the girl, she stayed serious. "I assure you I didn't do anything. I understand you miss Professor Reynolds, and I bet he misses you all as well. But I had nothing to do with him leaving, and neither did I take him away." Miss Stone could continue to believe whatever it was she wanted, although Renée knew the girl knew she wasn't entirely to blame. Possibly, she knew she wasn't to blame at all. "In any case, you should be off enjoying the feast with your friends. You're welcome to take this up with me later, in private, however, if you'd like," she finally added, directing the statement at both students. At least in her office, she could find other ways of distracting them.

'Different reasons.' The one phrase in her statement that mildly struck Jared. He could not figure her out right now, but that suited him just fine. He did not like many things, but he liked the company of interesting people. "I can show you the Descoteaux Estate, for one thing," he said good-naturedly. One place not many others could, though knowing that had hardly been a source of pride for him in the past. Too many complications, as far as family and family matters were concerned. "That actually sounds like a fine arrangement." She'd just have to let him know in advance, or he might be attempting to convince a manticore to please, not eat him while she enjoyed France's beauty.

Why did his thoughts love to make fun of him? Jared almost grinned and then, realizing that he hadn't said anything out loud to grin about, did not. Not that that made a difference here.

Change in perspective. "Looks like you're already teaching me, mademoiselle," Jared laughed, a warm laugh but one that might have been real or fake [one could hardly ever tell with Jared] not at all aware that he was echoing her own thoughts. "But theory and practice are two different things, entirely. Here's to the hope that if it comes to the latter, you won't throw me out of the North Tower." He lifted his goblet to her, an amused look in his eyes.


Cookies, licorice, and... misdirected rudeness. Jared's left eyebrow twitched as if to shoot upwards as a student came forward and addressed Renée in less-than-polite terms. He might have interjected, but Healer Moretti took care of that and Jared, a firm believer of too many cooks spoiling the broth, decided not to interfere. He did not, after all, feel like Renée needed every professor under the planet coming to her rescue. She could hold her own.

The only way Jeremy reacted to her comment was by raising his eyebrows at her hostility towards the absent professor. He WAS missing his other neighbor, however. Especially since his other one was a little too occupied by other....things. The 33 year old pointedly refrained from saying anything more on that matter but rather turned to the woman at the very end of the Staff Table. Their end of the Staff Table of course, the better end. Heh.

Good thing, Isabelle was there to keep him entertained for the time being. N'aww, they didn't repent? Maybe she should just throw them AWAY and not banish them into the back of her closet. "For a while?!" Jeremy echoed with a rather incredulous look. He would never ever wear them again after what they had done to her feet. Though, he wouldn't wear them in the first place. Obviously.

Even though some part of him - some very dark and irritating part he hardly ever let show - wanted him to say something like 'yesterday, apparently' he only smiled softly at her and with an amused shrug he said, "I guess not." Returning her squeeze of his hand under the table he simply smiled at her for a moment before turning his attention back to the woman to his other side.

He buried his face in his hands in mock-exasperation as she admitted to having similar tendencies like Alysson. "Oh no, here I am, practically fleeing from my sister's constant excessive shopping sprees and now I meet you!" He pretended to inch away from her - automatically closer to Kimber - glancing back up at Isabelle with an amused grin. "What did I do wrong to deserve this, hmm?" Jeremy teased before adding with a 'sympathetic' look on his face, "I do feel for your husband. And yes, Coop made it out alive. Barely." Or something. Heh.

There, so she WAS handing the cups out because who was he to just get up and get one himself, that would have been...not appropriate. In his eyes anyhow. "Zookara. And I'm teaching Muggle Studies." Jeremy finished the sentence for her with a smile, taking the offered coffee cup from her which immediately turned the teal. How nice.

Placing the cup onto the table next to his still empty - when were they finally getting food?! He was starving! - plate he directed his attention back at the Ravenclaw girl. "Nice to meet you too. I'm sorry, I'm afraid I didn't catch your name." He admitted after a short moment of contemplation of whether or not he was supposed to recognize her from class, which he didn't.

Ooooh, so she had noticed him. Heh. Reaching for his glass he raised it in a rather exaggerated way of toasting with a grin before taking a sip. Only to almost choke on said sip as he very uncharacteristically snorted into his drink at Fina's next move. Coughing a couple of times, he couldn't help but continue to chuckle which didn't exactly do any good to the few drops of pumpkin juice which had somehow ended up in his trachea.

After finally having managed to regain a normal pace of breathing and gotten a grip of himself, he rolled his eyes at her with a still highly amused grin plastered across his face. Silly Fina.

In reply to her little eyebrow-show he grinned before flapping his arms vigorously at his sides to show his excitement. Not really. xD

Kurumi! He caught her wave and immediately returned it with a grin for the young Gryffindor girl. And were those cookies?! :O However he wasn't sure who they were for so he couldn't exactly just levitate one onto his plate. And getting up to ask was not an option, he was feeling lazy at the moment.

And there was his other neighbor. Finally. It WAS quite unlike Hecate to be late, not that she really was but she was definitely later than most of the other staff. "Hello to you too, Hecate. I hope you had a good summer?" Jeremy greeted the woman with a slight hint of pointed sarcasm accompanying his tones at her lack of greeting.

...she was however busy reapplying lipstick? Was this somehow related to why she was late?

"Jeremy." she said letting her mirror float before her, so she could have both hands free to fix her eyebrows. "There is no need for sarcasm." she said curtly. "I would have said hello, however, you seemed engrossed in your conversation, and I didn't want to interrupt." She put away her mirror, looked up at his charming smile and blue eyes and she couldn't help but return the smile. "My summer was... fine. Thank you, and yours?"

"Likewise, my dear," Isabelle gave the Ravvie a beaming smile, to match the one she was receiving. Wasn't it nice that the kids - some of them - were so thoughtful. She could feel her nerves evaporate the longer she was there. And this was a smart child as well. Truly Ravenclaw it seemed. "An O? Well congratulations! In that case I only hope I can guide you towards the same grade in your NEWTS." Issy nodded and took out one of the liquorish strips she'd been given. No she couldn't wait. Sweets were a weakness.

Kimber's response to their introduction was short, but pleasant. Although it gave Isabelle the feeling that she was interrupting something between the woman and Jeremy, even if neither of them said it. It could have been the giggling and blushing going on. Smiling and nodding back, she placed the liquorish wand in her mouth and chewed on it. They were as nice as they looked.
Heh. Men. They just didn't understand sometimes. Woman wore shoes that hurt them all the time. Although Issy was going to make sure the little blighters wouldn't do it again, before she put them back on her feet. "Yes. They are nice shoes Jeremy, I wouldn't want to part with them completely." Dear me no. Giving him a wink she took another bite of the wand.

Which she nearly choked on when he went into his poor me routine. Coughing and laughing at the same time was not at all a good thing. "Ha ha." she responded, shaking her head, but smiling now all the same as he edged away. "I think we can say you're safe while we're here at the castle...Can't say the same if you ever happen to go shopping with me though." Wink. Totally true. She'd probably have him buried under a mountain of bags. Like Alastair usually was. "Ahh well, that's the question," she smiled, mock evilly in reply to his question. "Only you would know the answer to that."

Oh, he felt for her husband? "So do I sometimes," she sighed, chuckling as she twirled the candy between her fingers. "But he generally holds his own...Like your brother might need to do if goes shopping with your sister again, by the sound of it." Men and shopping. Didn't always mix, it seemed.

.....

Letting her gaze wander along the table, Issy spotted someone glancing at her. Although she had no clue who it was, something that would HAVE to be rectified, she gave the woman a smile and raised the sweet in greeting. A goblet or glass might have been a more sophisticated way of doing it, but that wasn't what was in her hand at the time. Just go with the flow, people. Go with the flow.

Of course with her gaze in that direction, Issy could see what was going on near the Headmaster. Raising her eyebrows, and curling her lips in an amused smile, she tried to listen to the hushed words, but couldn't make them out. What was obvious was that Vindictus gave in to the man in his chair. Hmmm, interesting.

Then her view was blocked. By a dark haired lady sitting in the seat between her and Jeremy. Hecate, did he call her? Well, she'd seemed to ignore Issy completely. Not that that was going to stop the forty year old saying hello to her. "Good evening," she smiled. Keeping it to that, as the woman was now engaged in conversation with Jeremy.

Hecate turned her head. With only her eyes, she took in the woman who'd spoken. She looked from her eyes, down her body to her shoes, assessing the woman's clothing and posture, scrutinizing her. Her eyes then went back up to meet the woman's gaze. "Evening. You must me the new transfiguration professor." She said... and where most people would insert Welcome after that, Hecate did not. "Potions Mistress and Slytherin Head of House, Hecate Lafay." She said introducing herself.

He wouldn't mind helping? Maya tried hard not to show a...crazy smile, and simply nodded at the girl. "I will remember that." Oh, yes she will.

Thinking the girl would introduce herself and then be off, the Mexicana was rather perplexed by the way she made her voice go lower. Why...why did she do that? "Ah...yes. That is," Odd. But she put on another relaxed smile, "I will see you att the lesson then." Yes yes.

Ah, see, not all-knowing. How weird had that been if it were true, frankly, but she was slightly amused by his manners. "Mucho gusto, Mister Jared Descoteaux." Yes, repeating the whole name helped her remember it. "So, will you be chasing students away from the pumpkins or letting some owl loose in the classrooms?" At this she smirked, remembering the talk of the Professor and his phone-owl teaching. And hey it was a legitimate question, the way Maya would ask them in all seriousness.

Letting her eye look away from Jared for a second, she saw Jeremy way over there (this table is freakishly long...) and also remembered his hat. She had wanted to return it, but now thinking of how they had a winter coming over...and she forgot hers because she was in denial, she should keep it. Until she gets her own, that is. Heh
But she smiled at him and inclined his head in a sort of greeting. Smirk. Yes, this will be an interesting term indeed.

Oh, she saw her!
Staring was bad, but hey, the Mexicana was curious. Seeing the smile and the...raised sweet, Maya raised her eyebrows. The woman wasn't going to...drink from it, was she? Er. But having to return the gesture, another incline of the head and a small smile was appropriate. So she did that, but soon returned her gaxe to somewhere else as the contact was broken.

Another professor arriving.
And Vindictus arguing with some other dude that Maya had no clue who it was. Interesting. Yes it was. And what was he teaching?

Mucho gusto? How Mexican. Jared had to grin, even if he did it a little lazily. "El gusto es mío," he responded lightly.

Mister Jared Descoteaux? Ah. "Jared'll do, ma'am," he said, tones good-natured. God knew he did not need to be reminded he was a Descoteaux, though his tones said nothing of that kind. "Not unless I'm certain that's the only way to become the Minister of Magic," he joked. "But I have to ask... what gives you the idea that I might?" He grinned again, another lazy-looking grin.