Ariana looked down "Well I did silence her at the feast professor but only because professor Scabior Silenced both of them and West & Theo and a ravenclaw girl i think she was in ravenclaw.. unsilenced her and if professor found out we would of lost points so i simply put it back on her and not since then professor." and THAT was the god honest truth. nodnodnodnod. She looked at the professor "Im pretty Sure professor Scabior lifted the charm since miss serenity can talk here." yup and that's all that happened

"Well... things look pretty simple to me." She said feeling the Headmistress' eyes on her. "Miss Cambridge and Miss Wheeler got punished by a professor, some idiotic other student tried help by lifting the spell, Miss Logan tried to fix the problem by recasting the spell on Miss Cambridge. Though it didn't have a time limit, and therefor it didn't lift itself when Miss Wheeler's did."

She stood and went to the girls. "I hope you two girls have learned your lesson, and you, Miss Logan. Don't take it upon yourself to re-inflict a professor's decision. Go back to that professor and have him handle it."

Hecate waved her wand over the Gryffindor with a spell intended to lift the silencing charm.

Their meeting was interrupted when someone else tried entering. Needless to say Lex was quite surprized when she saw the Headmistress walk in. It was like the woman was following her O___O Though obviously that wasn't the case. Well it didn't matter anyway because this time she wasn't the one who needed to be in trouble. Which brought her attention back to Ariana.

Lex felt like clawing her eyes out as she waited SILENTLY for the girl to explain a complete and utter lie. Well technically it wasn't a lie but it wasn't the reason Seri and her had wasted their time going down into the dungeons to see the Professor. She scowled at the girl as she finished talking and felt even worse when it appeared that Prof. Lafay believed her. SIIIIIGH.

Oh!

Thank Merlin, finally it was removed. She gave the girl an icy stare before proceeding to set the record straight. "Professor, if I may, that is not the reason for Seri's and my visit down here!" The feast was long forgotten. "Professor Scabior had removed both our charms at the end of the feast and I was talking just fine--in fact Seri and I were talking quite nicely at the lake about trivial 11 year old things," that the Professor didn't need to go asking about, "when she interrupted and when I wouldn't that she was right she got annoyed and silenced me!" Bloody fourth year couldn't even tell the truth well it was a good thing she had a voice of her own again!

Yeaaaah! She could see the last spells it ha done? WICKED. And now Ariana HAD to tell the truth... Seri grinned at Lex. Ariana better not put any more spells on her! And then someone came in... THE HEADMISTRESSS? WHA? Why was she here? What had they done now? At least, like she said, it shouldn't take muh longer... cause Ariana was about to be sent to detention or.... something?

Then she told a completely untrue story and Lex explained thank god because her charm had been removed. Seri just nodded along to everything she said. ARIANA WAS GOING DOWN. "Lex is right!" she added at the end.

Wow! Not even being the Headmistress gave you any special privileges around here. Seb couldn't stop his eyebrows from raising after the potions mistress put them on her waiting list. Not that he expected her to give him the time of day but he thought that Anastasia would be able to interrupt.

Seb shuffled in behind the Headmistress and took a seat beside her, feeling decidely uncomfortable. His gaze fell on the three girls that were sitting there and he was dismayed to see the little Gryffindor from the train station there.

She was such a sweet little thing. He hoped that she wasn't in too much trouble.

Hecate had thought this had been the end of it. Neither party got in trouble. Neither got detention, neither got points deducted. This had been very uncharacteristic of the Potions Mistress whom she knew students called the Dragon Lady. But the Gryffindor had to speak up again... IN FRONT OF THE HEADMISTRESS!

"I gave my verdict." Hecate said low and trying to keep herself calm, but beginning to feel things heat up inside her body. "Your friend had a chance to speak first and give your side. Do you really wish to challenge my decision?" She warned.

Why did she always get Gryffindors...

Lex was right? Lex was right... She glared at the little Slytherin before quickly turned to the older one. "Miss Logan?" She said asking for her side. "And be careful to tell the truth..." Hecate was about to mention how she had plenty of veritaserum, and just because it was illegal didn't mean she wasn't going to use it, when she had remembered the Headmistress. Flobberworms!

Hecate's eyes flickered over to the Groundskeeper. So he was part of the Headmistress' party and not just lingering outside her door for something unrelated. Mmmmmm. What was this about?

Seri let her mouth hang open when she nearly dismissed what Lex said. WHAT IN MERLIN WAS WRONG WITH HER? SERI WANTED TO SEE SOME PUNISHMENT! Merlin did she wish to challenge her decision! Apparently HER Head of House had FINALLY decided to listen to her... though it didn't come without a glare. I'll bet she doesn't want to shout at us when the Headmistress is around, Seri smirked. Seri didn't care if she was glared at, Ariana was a random Slytherin, but Lex was a proper friend- so Lex would be staying... If only she had a little more house pride?

Despite being as upset as she was, it didn't go unnoticed when someone else entered the room. OOOOOO SHINY GROUND'S KEEPER!!!!! She shot him a wide grin, momentarily forgetting just how annoyed she had become by the Professor's response to the situation.

Mr. Gibbins was nice--and new like her and they still needed to see a giant squid--which reminded her! She needed to stop by his hut to make a complaint about the monsters that were flying around the grounds picking on first years!

Lex had to fight the urged to sigh in annoyance as she looked up at the Professor who was either being biased or otherwise mean. For a moment she had to bite her tongue to prevent herself from saying something that would land her in trouble though she did have a few choice words for the Professor...


Lex couldn't believe all this that was going on! It actually seemed like that girl would have gotten away with it--but she wouldn't. Even if Prof. Lafay didn't punish her she was determined to pay her back. Using spells was fine and rather she admired people who could cast spells perfectly but she drew the line when you tried casting them at her.

Alexa looked to her friend immediately. Good! Between the two of them the truth would have to get out.

She turned to Ariana when the Professor said that she should try telling the truth. Yes. It would have made everything better...for her and Seri anyway...

Gosh, this was exactly why she hated snakes--Seri being the exception of course because Seri was actually nice and didn't think like them in all their mean ways!

"I stand by what i had said earlier Professor lafay.though I did hear the girls talking about trying to sneak Serenity into Alexa's common room at the lake. And i advised them not too, because well yeah you can't go into another common room. and they insisted that there plan would work and that they could trick the fat lady portrait to let serenity into the gryffindor common room." she looked at the girls never try to mess with Ariana logan. ever!

"NU-UH." Seri shook her head. "FIRSTLY, you were clearly listening in on the conversation, secondly, we were JOKING, thirdly we were merely reasoning that it would be possible..." Seri shrugged innocently. "But you quite happen to have missed out one small detail, one tiny error, a small thought you must have forgotten; YOU THEN TURNED YOUR WAND ON LEX!" Seri finished defiantly. She had had enough of this girl.

"Having personal experience with silencing charms, I know they are not much fun, and secondly, I think it must be quite traumatic to repeatedly have a wand turned on you!" Seri added, glaring. WHAT WAS UP WITH THESE PEOPLE? Merlin, she should just leave Hogwarts now!

A dark look grew on Lex's face. Such a bad time for that to happen too with the shiny ground's keeper in the room. SIGH. This girl clearly brought out the worst in her.

However, she could see that the girl was trying to prove a point, maybe the one about them not messing with her or she'd make their life hell. This didn't bother Lex in the least bit.

Before she could answer the girl Seri decided to speak her mind and Lex couldn't agree more! No matter what they had to do they would prove that she was in the wrong and not them.

When Seri finished speaking she felt she should add her two cents to the mix. "I bet you think you're really clever right now, saying something to pull us down with you, hoping it will get you off the hook and that makes sense since you threatened to make our lives here hell--RIGHT BEFORE AIMING THAT BLOODY WAND AT ME!!!" She hadn't meant to snap like that but she was soooo tired of everyone pointing their wands at her. Seri was right, she was beyond traumatized.

"And furthermore, what two 11 year olds discuss to pass the time away is NO reason for you to go throwing spells. We obviously weren't being serious because we respect the rules set up and wouldn't try to cross any Professors by doing that." Yeah that's right; she could play innocent too.

Ariana backed up at bit at both of the girls yelling "Professor, they said they would do this.. Say that i did something wrong just to get me in trouble." she looked as if she were about to cry "I dont know what i did wrong professor i was just trying to make sure they had a good year at hogwarts and didnt get in trouble for something that could lose anyone house points."

"OOOOH LEX, I just thought, she was up in our business at the feast AND now the Lake, and even in my Common room... you don't suppose she's... STALKING US?" Merlin, that thought just occurred to her. HOW FREAKY. She glared at Ariana.

"We SAID NO SUCH THING." and that was true. "Oh, and now you'll start CRYING, so we'll all feel bad!"

The older girl was bringing something else up? Sweet Circe!

Then the other girl! And the other... it was a ping pong match... OH FOR MERLIN'S SAKES!!!

All this in front of the new Headmistress.

Now Hecate was angry.

"ENOUGH!!!!"

She took a breath...

"Alright. I've heard enough. We're done here. Out. All three of you. Before I decide to go back on my decision and put ALL THREE OF YOU in detention."

"Logan." Oh yeah, she wasn't using Miss anymore... she was not playing now. "Do NOT do anything to make anyone's experience here unpleasant and if I find out you've cast on another student, you'll be in detention so long your hair will be gray when you come out." Then she spoke through her closed teeth. "Do I make myself clear?"

Then she turned to the younger girls. "Wheeler. Cambridge. Neither of you knows how dangerous I am, but if either of you steps out of line in ANY way, not only will you find out first hand... but everyone of your house mates will hate you for the amount of points I will deduct." She then pointed to Wheeler. "And don't think I won't deduct points from my own house. I have and I will."

She then pointed her wand at the door which slammed open, making a whole in the wall behind it. "If anyone says another word I will deduct points. Out! Now!"

Even though Mrs. Potionsgurl seemed to have lost it, Seri had the funniest urge to laugh... She loved the great telling-off 'Logan' got.. that was her new nickname by the way. Deduct points from her own house-y? Seri had no doubt! Did Mrs. Potions realllllly think Seri thought she wouldn't? She knew Lex already had a black mark for being a Gryffindor. Lafay would probably be seing her again. In the near future. Mmmmhmm. Especially if all the older kids were like this...

She smiled happily and shrigged her shoulders. She was tempted to say Lafay had made herself crystal-clear, but she wouldn't be losing points over a matter quite so trivial as a few words. She skipped out of the door and cartwheeled down the hallway, stopping only to say, when she was quite far down the corridor that she didn't think they would hear anything more than a murmur, "Yessum Miss, I'll be seeing you again soon." and started to giggle an skipped off, sure she'd meet up with Lex soon. Very soon.

O____O

She hadn't expected her to get so mad at them--just the annoying older Slytherin girl, she was the only one who had actually done anything wrong. When she finished her little rant Lex wasn't very pleased.

THIS ISN'T FAIR!!! How could she just want them to get out without giving that girl what she deserved. SIGH. This was why Lex often took matters into her own hands. At least when she dealt with a situation she was usually pleased with the outcome. The Professor was even threatening Seri too! Of the three of them Seri was probably the most innocent!

See, if she hadn't made such a threat then Alexa might have protested but she wasn't about to lose any more house points on account of noise. Her eyes widened slightly at the Professor's other threat of making their houses hate them....yeah....she would definitely stay quiet. She jumped slightly when the door swung open with suck force that it made a hole...was she allowed to do that...? Lex could see her doing the same to her.

Following Seri's lead she hurried from the room--but not before giving a goodbye wave to the Shiny Ground's Keeper. Se would catch up with Serenity and they would plot their revenge--this time they would leave the Professors out of it.

Ariana looked up at her lovely head of house and gave a simple nod.
She was not letting this go. No, Ari will be back if those girls put a FINGER on her, in any way shape or form. then the door slammed open and Ariana let out a litle yelp from it beign so loud it scared her, but out she went right after the other two girls who she heard laughing and giggling down the hallway.. did they think this was a joke!? this was NO joke.

Finally!

She shut the door and went back to her desk. She took a breath and then smiled in the adult's direction.

"So, to what do I owe this little visit Headmistress?" She asked.

Good MERLIN were the children DONE yet?

"Gryffindors," Anastasia found herself muttering under their breath, "just don't know what's good for them." Especially that Alexa girl. When the door closed at last behind the final child, Annie rose from her seat and approached the ones closer to Lafay's desk, though she did not sit just yet.

So, what was their reason for being here? Annie looked behind her toward Sebastian and signaled for him to speak up with her eyes. "We're here to see you about your so-called student leaders, Professor," she raised an eyebrow, "and their lack of leadership on the train and at Hogsmeade station."

In other words, call them in.

Sebastian was blinking rapidly as the three young girls spoke and placed blame on the other one. Thank Merlin, he only had one child and she was all grown up now and had a husband to look after her. He didn't think he would have been able to handle these kinds of arguments, even if he did find them slightly amusing.

Although that humour disappeared the moment the Potions mistress yelled and Seb could feel himself flinching and was really glad that he wasn't on the other end of that. She was one scary woman. He watched as the three girls left the office, giving the Gryffindor a small wave back and he couldn't help smiling. As far as he was concerned, she could do no wrong.

When the Headmistress rose out of her chair, Seb quickly followed suit and followed her over to the other chairs that were directly in front of Lafay. He caught Anastasia's look and was about to open his mouth when she went ahead and spoke herself.

Oh dear! Well that was rather bluntly put. This was not going to go well. He could sense it already. "You are probably aware Professor Lafay, about the incident with the Hogwarts Express and that the students had to take a portkey to Hogsmeade Station." Well if she didn't then she just the abbreviated version. "Anyway quite a few students managed to get injured during the transition. I had asked the Prefects if they could please assist those students that were hurt." He paused because somehow he knew that this part was going to go down like a bag of dragon dung.

"Your two Prefects didn't stop to help they proceeded straight to the carriages. Your Captain would have done the same but was called out by a Ravenclaw girl. He did help in the end but only because he was told to. So that's why I will be taking points from these students."

There. That wasn't so bad.

Hecate's eyes flashed with anger. "My so-called student leaders?" She repeated and listened.

Lack of leadership... hmmm...

The headmistress was called in for this?!

Hecate turned to the man who was sitting beside the headmistress.

They WHAT?!? But something else was bothering her as well...

"And you have not done so already?" she said with a sarcastic tone. "What, pray tell, are you waiting for? My permission?" she spoke very calmly and with a smile on her face. "Oh, I doubt you were coming here for that, I mean, once you've already gone over my head and directly to our Headmistress. I assume it's because you want them to tell you why they didn't help. Well, let's bring them in here and ask." She pointed her wand to the door and with the force of a small explosion, her Giant Praying Mantis patronus left to search for her so-called leaders.

"Tea?" She offered. "So. Was the train on fire? I thought it had just stopped."

Yep, just as he thought, the Potions mistress was not taking this well at all. But it seemed that she was more put out by him, more than her leaders not doing their job. Seb heaved a deep sigh and leaned back in his chair, he was not going to argue with this woman.

"I was merely being courteous." he murmured. Seb planned on taking the points regardless of what the students had to say. He just thought he'd let her know why. As for why the Headmistress was here, well it was always good to have back-up of the highest kind.

He watched her patronus leave the office in search for the Slytherin leaders before turning his attention back to Professor Lafay. "Tea would be nice." Seb looked at the Headmistress. Yes what did happen with the train? He still didn't know.

Yes, her so-called student leaders. Anastasia's blue eyes sparked with the same intensity Hecate's were showing, only her fire was in self-defense, not in defense of the so-called student leaders Hecate had picked.

"I understand your step-daughter is one of your so-called student leaders?" Anastasia questioned, though her tone was flat and her face straight. Yes, the Minister's daughter had been a brat on the train and, apparently, on the platform afterward. She hadn't forgotten that.

Shaking her head at the offer of tea, Annie decided to sit down beside the groundskeeper at last. His politeness in spite of Lafay's poisonous words was oddly comforting. "No tea for me," she replied quietly, her eyes flicking after the path of the praying mantis patronous.

Interesting form for the so-called Black Widow. Didn't praying mantises eat their partners?

"The train did not catch on fire," she frowned, wondering knowing why Lafay's mind had jumped to fire. "It simply... stopped working. The engineer had no idea why or how, but he could not get it started again. Thus the need for an alternate form of transportation."

AKA Portkeys. PORTKEYS. Which were, FOR THE RECORD, one of the safest methods of transportation. Had the students in this school not been so idiotic and unsafe, this meeting wouldn't have even needed to take place. But Anastasia kept those thoughts to herself and remained calm, cool, and collected in her seat.

"Courteous?" She said and smiled pouring hot water in a teacup over her own blend of tealeaves. "My... going over my head and then bringing my boss to show how my choices for Slytherin are poor. Yes. Quite courteous indeed." She handed him the cup.

She turned to get herself a cup as well. "One lump or two?" She asked.

Her head turned quickly glaring at the woman. "Sierra Greingoth is one of the best students in this school. She's been in the Top Five point earners in the school since she started and she has been THE top Slytherin top earner, all five years. Headmistress Truebridge if you are accusing me of nepotism, you are quite wrong. Headmaster Tate approved of my choice."

That child deserved that position.

She took a sip of her own tea and slowed her heart rate down.

"Simply stopped working you say? Hmmm" She thought a moment and then said "Did it derail? What caused all the injuries?"

"I'd watch your tongue in my presence, Lafay," the Headmistress warned in a low tone, dropping all titles of respect as she looked up darkly from her chair.

She wasn't even upset about what the woman was saying to her. No, she was upset with how she was behaving toward the groundskeeper. It was uncalled for and highly unprofessional. "If you have a problem with Mr. Gibbins' reaction, you can come to me, as he did. Otherwise, I'd suggest keeping that venomous mouth of yours shut."

As for her prissy little points-obsessed stepdaughter... "I'm well aware of Sierra's academic record, being that I am Headmistress of the school she attends," she continued calmly, though her tone was the equivalent of a dip in a frozen pond. "I am not accusing you of anything. I am instead implying that perhaps she takes after you in her lack of compassion and concern for her peers' well-being. Being book smart does not necessarily mean she has the interpersonal leadership skills necessary for a Prefect. If she had she exhibited such skills at the train station, we wouldn't be here now, would we."

Yes, she had just insulted the potions mistress and her child in the same breath. What was Lafay going to do about it, huh?? Get herself fired? HA! She was welcome to!

"No. The. Train. Stopped. Working. For reasons which remain UNKNOWN." She spelled it out for the potions mistress as if she were hard of hearing and/or an idiot. Annie was starting to conclude that she really must be the latter. "The injuries..." she looked to Gibbins, "were apparently caused by students landing on top of each other? when their portkeys took them to the station."