It was still raining outside as Anastasia clicked down from her quarters and into the entrance hall. What a dreary start to the first week of school as Headmistress... still, she wasn't complaining as long as no one trekked mud intoher the castle. And the blah weather would be the Board of Governors wouldn't be sticking around, right?

As it was, the redhead only briefly glanced at her watch before she looked toward the hourglasses. Well, it was still early, so she would give the four a few minutes before she abandoned this silly tour altogether...

Laura was running back into the castle after seeing the fake dementor, she was going to tell the first Professor available what she saw, she hadn't realised that she had muddy shoes on and she hadn't realised she was heading straight for the headmistress until she ran into someone.

Laura looked up as she saw who she had bumped into. "Headmistress I'm soo sorry." Laura looked down at her shoes, wishing that the world would swallow her up, she had been soo focused on getting a Professor she hadn't been watching where she was going.

Alexa had been out in the rain when she saw another student running like a crazy person into the building. It was that singing girl from the table. She decided with nothing better to she would just follow her and see what all the rushing was about. Maybe it would lead to something interesting. As she skipped into the entrance she noticed that she was leaving foot prints on the floor. Giggling she didn't realize anyone teachers or other adults were around. She skipped around in circles leaving more foot prints as she went. Finally she noticed that singing girl was talking to a red headed teacher. Hmmm that's the one that talked at the feast. So Alexa followed singing girl to listen to what was going on.

Well. Maybe it DIDN'T pay to be early. Especially not when students from her favorite former House were leaving muddy footprints all over the place. And what's more, the first girl was TRYING to get the mud on HER!!

"Hmmph," Annie sniped, eying the muddy girl head to toe as she took a large step back, "if you're so sorry, then why don't you clean up after yourself?" She swirled her wand and made a Muggle mop and bucket appear between her and the girl. "Get to work. You there, you can help her." She flicked her wand to the second Hufflepuff and suddenly the child's feet were covered in something other than mud.

And in the meantime... Annie directed her wand at herself and quickly removed any traces of mud, lest the stain seep in.

Laura looked at the Headmistress, she had said sorry but cleaning wasn't something Laura was used to doing. "Headmistress I am sorry, but I ain't very good at cleaning things the muggle way." Laura sighed as she realised her feet had been covered in something that wasn't mud, and it didn't look fashionable either. "I can clean this place up using my wand though if you want me to?" Laura looked at the bucket and the weird thing. "And why does that broom have a wig on it?" Laura hadn't seen one of these before.

Alexa watched as the redhead lady looked at them an then gave the singing girl a mop and bucket. She had seen these on TV before. Then her feet were covered in something, stomping her one foot like a two year old she was tired of these teachers thinking they could just do magic on her all the time. Was there a sign on her saying do magic on this girl. Then singing girl said something that made Alexa look at the redhead lady, Headmistress.. So she was important here at this school.

Alexa then listened to them talk, "Why would we clean this up don't you have house elves to do that?" she looked up at the headmistress for the answer, but wasn't expecting one at this school so far everytime Alexa asked a question she just got yelled about by the teachers. Then she rolled her eyes at singing girl, "It's called a mop, I've seen them on TV. What were you running for anyway? Was the rain scaring you?" Looking at the two Alexa just didn't understand what the big deal was about running and getting mud on a floor that magic could easily fix.

"Yes, you COULD just use magic... but then, magic isn't exactly permitted in the corridors unless it's an emergency and it's an adult using it." She smirked at the girls, quite possibly having made half that rule up on the spot. "Besides that, you need to learn how to be responsible and how to clean up after yourselves, and trust me, the lesson will stick more if you do it by hand."

One more peep out of them and they'd be losing house points and earning a detention, too. "I don't care about your opinions on the matter, girls," she got a little bit louder, "just get to WORK. NOW."

The bucket with the mop in it hopped forward toward the first Hufflepuff, spilling some bubbles onto her feet.

Laura looked at the Headmistress, she hadn't heard of that rule before but well she'd look it up after she'd finished her taking the mop she started to mop the floor until.

Laura eyes glared at the younger Hufflepuff. "Nope there was something else out there and I was coming to tell a Professor." Laura smirked as she put the mop in the mop bucket and then slammed it down on the floor so water went flying in the other girls direction

OOPS!!

Alexa looked at the headmistress, "What lesson are we learning, how to be muggle janitors?" She just couldn't figure out if they were wizards why use muggle items. Muggle items were weird enough without using them. She didn't care about their opinions, why did teachers not care about the students at this school. It just all seemed weird to Alexa, but then singing girl caught her attention and she turned, "What was it.. and here is the headmistress, I think she is better then just any teacher, right? Tell her what was out there." but before she could see if the singing girl would tell, water came flying at her. "HEY" she stomped towards the bucket and grabbed the mop, "Keep your muggle items to yourself." she grinned and mopped singing girls legs to make them all wet.

"My dear, it's so generous of you to offer a tour. I'm certain your hands are full with students and professor needs and such... things." Cassandra had been visiting around the castle, and she approached Anastasia from the staircase.

She didn't need a tour. And neither did Anj. It was nice of her to offer, though.

"Perhaps the highlights would be nice."

"Speak for yourself Cassandra," He said taking liberty by calling her by her given name, "I for one want to see the Slytherin Dungeons, the Quidditch pitch, the room of requirement, and every portrait in this place!" They must all remember him!

Nothing irritated Anastasia more than children who thought they a) knew everything and b) were entitled to anything.

And this second Hufflepuff fell into BOTH categories.

Anastasia would have click-clacked over to her and slapped a few spells onto her had the girl not been muddy and standing near a mop. So instead, she addressed the one known as Alexa in the same obnoxious tone the girl used to sass her.

"How about... you stop talking back to your professors and learn to respect your elders, hmm? Why can't you follow directions? Why is it so hard for you to learn clean up after yourself? Do you think you own this castle? Do you not think that someone might slip and fall because of your muddy mess? Would you like to be responsible for a lawsuit on the school? How would you feel about being guilty for the death of one of your classmates? Are you an incredibly lazy person? Is that why you can't clean up this mess with a simple, already-provided mop? Or do you just like asking very, very stupid questions????"

She took a breath and just then heard the approach of the governors behind her. But she wasn't done with these 'Puffs yet.

"That will be five points from you for being so incredibly rude and disrespectful. If this mess isn't cleaned up by the time my tour with the Board of Governors is over, you'll be in detention until Christmas." At the least. "And YOU," she whirled on Laura, "are responsible for making certain she gets the job done WITHOUT making an even BIGGER mess out of the mop water."

There. Now she could speak to Rae and Amoroso. Anastasia turned and adjusted her jacket, putting on a smile just for President. "Yes, just the highlights, of course.... and whatever you wish to see, Mr. Amoroso . I'm sure you're both still familiar with the castle. You know you're welcome to visit anytime."

Laura felt like Christmas had come too her early this year, she grabbed hold of the mop and shoved it in the girls hand making sure to splash water all over the girl. "You either get this floor clean like the headmistresss said or I'll dump the mop water all over you and I don't want to have to do that." Laura smiled at the girl, seriously she wasn't going to let the girl get the better to her now.

He listened to the headmistress and his eyes got wide. "You realize I lost more points that I ever gained while I was back in school?" He said

He could come back by himself later? SCORE! "Really? Then the highlights are fine, Headmistress. I'll do the rest later."

Alexa just stood looking at the Headmistress, her question were not stupid. They were just questions. She knew how to clean up after herself, but she never thought she would have to do it muggle style in a castle that she was suppose to be allowed to use magic. Standing without saying a word she just boiled over these thoughts. She opened her mouth to start asking more questions, but the mean redhead was already after singing girl. No one would die over footprints, was she just being silly, really??? Alexa looked at the mop in her hands and singing girls wet legs and giggled. Then saw two other adults, great more teacher people to start being mean to children.

Looking at singing girl as she took the mop and started being bossy, Alexa glared and then looked back at the headmistress, "Ummm she made footprints that could kill people too.. Doesn't she have to mop as well??" Why was Alexa going to have to clean up all the mess. Some of these footprint were not hers. Then looking at singing girl, "This is not just my mess, you are cleaning as well and if you think your putting a bucket of water on me you have another thing coming." with this Alexa stuck her tongue out at the singing girl.

Sutton was positively IRKED. That boy... that boy who pretended to be a dementor-thing had scared her... and morbidly embarrassed her in front of that older boy.

Not.okay.

He would pay, oh yes, he most certainly would. She wasn't sure how or who would help her, but this prankster would not get away without feeling the wrath of vengeance.

In a dark mood, she quickly made her way through the Entrance Hall, heading for the Common Room. There seemed to be a crowd... and lots of yelling... and ...

Hufflepuffs getting in trouble?!

An internal groan reverberated around her entire body. Deciding she could maybe help in some way, she started walking toward them. As she began to open her mouth, though, she slipped on a muddy footprint on the floor!

Lurching forward, trying to regain her balance, she slipped on several more footprints before instinctively reaching out toward one of the other Hufflepuff girls... the one who had been refusing to clean up the footprints... but rather than the girl being an aid to gaining her balance, Sutton accidentally pulled her down, right toward the bucket of mop water.

And then Sutton fell on the ground, flat on her back, banging her head on the hard floor.

As Alexa waited for the headmistress to tell the singing girl she had to help, because these were HER footprints as well. She saw another girl coming towards them. Oh maybe this girl would want to help them mop. Alexa thought she could make it look fun and the girl might want to join in, but before she could even think about it the girl slipped and started to fall. Alexa just stood and watched not being able to take her eyes off of her. Then she was on the floor with the girl and her hand hit the bucket as she went down and the bucket of water went flying all over singing girl.

Alexa started laughing while on the floor seeing the water all over bossy singing girl. She looked at the other girl who had fallen, "ummm Hi... Thanks for dropping in." she laughed towards the girl, "no seriously ummm are you okay?" usually what people asked in these situations, right? Looking back at the other girl with the water all over her Alexa started to laugh again.

Laura couldn't move in time, she watched as the bucket of water went flying over her and then Alexa was laughing. "Find this funny?" Laura snapped, seriously she wasn't in her best mood now and was starting to get wound up by this girls cheek, she grabbed hold of the mop bucket and used her wand to full it up again.

Laura then grabbed hold of the broom and then put it in Alexa hand. "I'll give you too the count of three to start cleaning this hallway, or there will be trouble." Yeah that was right no more miss nice girl now, Laura wanted to go and get changed and then have something to eat and this girl was stopping her from doing it.

Laura then turned to the girl that had fallen. "Are you okay?" Laura asked. "No bones broken or anything like that?" Laura really hoped that nothing was broken. "Do you think you need to see a Healer?" Laura asked, she would take her there now but she wasn't going to leave until Alexa cleaned the hallway.

"I'm trying very hard not to intrude on you. Or on Genevieve." Cassandra sidestepped the children with their mops. She would let Annie deal with them, of course, and she'd just... go look at the armor. Delightful pieces had always been so friendly when she was working here.

"Mr. Amoroso..." She tucked her arm through his and tugged him along with her. "Let's try to avoid embarrassing our young friends if we can. I'm sure neither of us do any favors to the young people we so love and admire by making a spectacle of them." As in... he should take a page from her book and stop fawning over the poor Minister's daughter.

The Friar was gliding around the corridors, when he heard anxious voices. Voices that belonged to members of his house. Of arguing. Of disputes. And rudeness. Of all virtues that sounded as if they belonged to Salazar's house, NOT the wondrous Helga.

Keeping his good demeanor up, he shook his head at the Hufflepuffs. "Hello, there, young Hufflepuffs! Do we have a problem?"

Alexa looked at this bossy girl and stopped laughing, did she really just order her to clean this mess up alone, "I really think she slipped on YOUR footprint.. because you hadn't cleaned up all your footprints yet. Which means you need to mop as well." she then gasped at the bossy girls suggestion and flew her hand onto the falling girls shoulder, "Oh no, your fine aren't you? You don't want to see that evil healer. Students told me about how mean she is, then at the feast all I did was ask a question and she put a spell on me that stuck my tongue to the top of my mouth. I would NOT go see her if I were you." shaking her head no to make sure the girl knew it could be dangerous. Looking around she remembered something from earlier. "Hey... You never said what you saw outside that made you start this mess anyway... What was it?" Alexa was still interested in learning what the running was for. Forgetting about the floor and everything else she focused back on this mysterious thing...

Laura had suddenly remember something, the water was a hazard and Laura didn't want anyone else getting hurt, she pointed her wand at the water on the floor and said "Tergeo!" she made sure she missed all the muddy footprints that was still on the floor she wasn't going to let Alexa think that she didn't have to clean up the mess, she just hoped the Headmistress didn't mind her using the spell in front of the VIP's.

Laura looked at the Fat Friar and smiled. "No we don't have that much of a problem." Laura looked up at the Ghost. "The Headmistress has asked me to make sure that Alexa mops up her muddy footprints but she just doesn't want to do it yet but she will soon." Laura smiled, "Yeah she had thought of a plan too get Alexa to clean up the footprints.

Laura looked at the girl, taking a deep breath as she tried to stay calm. "If you don't start to clean up the mess you have made soon I'll have to tell our Head of House that you are refusing too do what you are told." Laura was sure Professor Hadley could get this girl too do what she was told. "And I don't think they were my footprints because whilst you were standing arguing I had cleaned mine up." Laura wonder what the girl was going to say to that and then she asked what was happening outside. "It's nothing, I'll tell the head when she isn't so busy." Yeah Laura was going to ask the Headmistress if she could see her in her office once she had finished with her VIP's.

It was dark, so very dark... and cold... and wet.

There were voices around her, but it sounded like they were talking to her underwater.

Maybe that is why it's so wet... Sutton thought to herself.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. It was warm, but that didn't make sense because... they were underwater...

Wait! If they were underwater, how could she breathe?!

Oh no! She couldn't! She couldn't breathe underwater!!

In a panic, Sutton attempted to open her eyes and blink away the foggy blackness in her head. As hard as she tried, though, there was still a vague, opaque haze in front of her eyes...

Blink.Blink.

Her eyes traveled upward and realized that it wasn't a haze, but a ghost-like figure of a man.

A ghost.

"Am I... d-dead...?" Sutton asked as she gulped hard, looking at the ghostly man.


In her peripheral vision, she saw red. Bright red. Shifting her eyes a little, she saw that it was red hair framing the lovely face of...

Now Sutton couldn't breathe FOR REAL.

It was the headmistress, and here she was... sprawled on the floor.

She quickly sat up, looking to the lovely woman. "Headmistress! I am so sorry! I was just..." overcome with dizziness, her eyes rolled, and she closed her eyes, laying back down. "I saw that they seemed to be getting in trouble, and I wanted to help them not be in trouble because I don't want people to get in trouble. People should be nice to everyone," she rambled, her eyes still closed against the throbbing pain in the back of her head.

Yes, the Friar heard the older girl, but he was NOT naive enough to believe that there was NO PROBLEM.

"Enough!"

"Listen up, now and clear. Hufflepuffs DO NOT blame each other. It does NOT matter who's footprints they were or who made who slip. Now I suggest, ALL of you, clean up this mess and then SKEDADDLE off to class before I go find a Professor."

Yes, the Friar might be dead, but that didn't stop him from knowing Hufflepuffs and wanting the best for his and Helga's house.