[C. Rooms] Unlocking Memories [Jon]

[deek]

Deek stumbled out the Ravenclaw portrait hole, his brown eyes twinkling mischievously as they traveled across neat rows of black ink. In his grimy hand he held a leather bound book, dark navy in colour, with elegant silver letters adorning the cover.[/font]

Loren Hayes
A collection of rainy days

It was the stereotypical girl's diary, and at first, Deek had been thoroughly bored, reading about the "exciting" train ride to Hogwarts all the way through "invigorating" lessons. Trust a Ravenclaw to rant about grades more than unfair amounts of homework.

Though, he was exceptionally pleased with himself. Tossing a few bertie bott's beans into his mouth, stolen from the third-year dorms, while a fresh change of seventh year robes hung underneath his arms, he flipped the page, leaving a brown stain where the pads of his fingers touched.

Suddenly, raising an eyebrow in delight, he moved to a more shadowed corner of the corridor, eyes scanning the page.

A crush, is it? He thought, snickering. And a werewolf? Reading the pages appraisingly, he smirked to himself. Oh dear, Mr. Simmons... He was enjoying this entirely too much, chewing on another bean cheerfully. Got yourself in a bit of trouble with this one, haven't you?

Flickering past more pages immaturely, letting out grunts of laughter at the complexities Miss. Haye's made out of the most simple situations, he suddenly stiffened. "Key?" He breathed out loud, almost forgetting he was keeping hidden.

Ian and I have kept the poor thing hidden in the Room of Requirement, and he seems to be adjusting quite well given the circumstances. Of course, the only proper name for such a handsome animal was Felix, as the Griffin is now tamed for the most part.[/i]

Deek's eyes narrowed as he whispered Room of Requirement to himself, flipping the page frantically. The girl he had met in the Kitchen's passage-way had been a Ravenclaw... Hadn't it?

Though, he still gets overly excited and vicious when we pull out the key. It's almost as though he recognizes it, and he nearly tore off Ian's arm when he was studying the strange symbols... [/i]

"S-- Symbols?"

At this point, Deek's heart-rate had sped up considerably. Feeling through his pockets, he swallowed nervously, nearly dropping the book in worry. His finger suddenly got caught in something and he widened his eyes.

Surely not a hole?

Leaning against the corridor wall for support, the package of beans falling to the ground in a noisy clatter, Deek clenched his jaw. "Loren Hayes, is it?" He narrowed his eyes, his messy hair framing his face dangerously. He remembered the aforementioned boy, and scowled.

"I hope you two are up for a little fun."[/font][/color][/size]

[Prof. Jonathan Starsmore]

Jonathan at last closed the door to his office and locked it, jiggling the handle so as to make sure it was secure. He checked his watched with bleary eyes, blinking several times so as to get them into focus, the hands on the face blurring in and out of his vision in protest of any sort of concentration. For many nights now he had been forced to stay up late, filling out form after form that the ministry had requested of all the current staff at Hogwarts. It seemed they wanted a more than brief overview of his entire career, not to mention anything unutterable that had occurred in his own Hogwarts days.

He yawned freely, smacking his mouth as he fought off the foul taste on his tongue from not having drunk or brushed his teeth for several hours. He was just about to turn down the staircase and head for the faculty living quarters when deep, thoroughly devilishly laughter issued from somewhere along the corridor. Jonathan rolled his eyes. He was definitely not in the mood to deal with any wayward students at this time of night, and dragging his wand from his pocket lazily, he silently stalked toward a statue that stood near the Ravenclaw common room, obviously shielding a young member of his own house. The man would probably let them off with a light threat for keeping him from his bed.

'Lumos! Right you, what time d'you call --'

Jonathan's jaw dropped slightly as his eyes set upon a man of his own height, so darkened with dirt and framed by matted hair that the whites of his eyes stood out startlingly in the wandlight. His clothes looked as though they had been worked upon by werewolves, dragged through the muddiest part of the lake and left out to try in a hurricane. Even the man's poor posture reminded Jonathan of an inferi on a bad day.

Jonathan slid back slightly, drawing his arm to full length and pointing his wand right under the trespasser's nose. 'Don't try anything, mate, or you'll be eating a hex for tea...' He said snidely through clenched teeth. 'Who are you?!'

[deek]

Deek, his previous good mood long forgotten, pulled himself off the wall and stared at the groomed professor before him. No longer did he care if he was discovered, as he could easily escape-- having been discovered plenty of times in the past. Looking the Professor up and down, his eyes flashed, before he stared down at the wand poised threateningly against his nose.

"Who am I?" He said lowly, his gruff voice radiating off the corridor's walls, sounding nearly insane. "Who am I..." He trailed off, letting the question hang in the air for a brief moment, before squinting in the dim light to see the man more clearly. The expression on his face distorted into confusion as he narrowed his eyes and looked more closely at the arrogant Professor.

"Properly ironed robes, apathetic exterior..." His hand sneakily thrust the diary up his robes while the Professor stared intently at his eyes, paying no attention to his subtly moving hands. He wasn't sure what side this man was playing on. "Haven't changed at all, have you, Starsmore?" He grinned, co-cking his head to the side, the twinkle returning to his eyes briefly. "Though, your breath smells foul."

His own, hardly perfect, row of teeth shone proudly in the dim candle-light as he waited patiently for the Professor to recognize him. After all, it had been years upon years since their last meeting, and back then Deek had understood the meaning of bathing.

[Prof. Jonathan Starsmore]

Jonathan's eyes narrowed accusingly as the tramp spoke his name. He could not held but lower his wand a little to let the shadows shift on his face so that he could study him from a different light. The long hair, the beard, the rough voice... Jonathan had never known anyone like this man, but the more his mind reached into the past the closer he felt himself getting...

But then he saw it. The arched eyebrows. The wolfish grin.

Deek.

Jonathan let his wand arm swing down to his side limply, and he lowered his head, staring still at the fiend. 'Deek Henshaw...' A brilliant grin suddenly spread wide across his face, and he shook his head in disbelief. 'Deek Henshaw!' Despite the inevitable layer of grime that would be transfered onto Jonathan's robes, he dragged his old friend into a tight bear hug. 'How long has it been?!' He realised he was positively shouting, and quickly lowered his voice to a quiet chuckle. 'What in Merlin's name are you doing back at Hogwarts, you old fool? The ministry could pick you up at any moment! Last I heard you were in Bristol involved in that billywig scam...'

Jonathan released him now, stepping back with a slight grimace as he looked down at his robes. 'You need a bath mate,' he said with raised eyebrows.

[deek]

Deek let out a bark of laughter, clapping his friend hard on the back, only managing to dirty his robes further. “Bristol!” He said in the quietest voice he could manage in his excitement. “Why, Jonathon, that was months ago. I’ve been in Hogsmeade as of late, been meaning to get back to Hogwarts for a while now, you won’t believe what I’ve found out--”

He paused suddenly and looked around the corridors suspiciously for a moment. Then, turning back to the other man, he narrowed his eyes. “Aye, the Ministry. Those old toads have been after me ever since two daft boys tore apart the village a while ago, but they did get me to Hogwarts in the end.” Waving the stolen robes with a wink, he added, “Wasn’t such a good idea, was it.”

His mind wandered to his previous years, all the way back at Hogwarts. “Always knew you’d turn out well, Jon.” Deek said with a chuckle, his voice hushed. “Must’ve aced your N.E.W.Ts, isn’t that right, sir?” He himself had been expelled from Hogwarts in his sixth year, having been caught thieving the Sorting Hat. He hadn’t known, at the time, that such a ragged thing was so very important to the school. With his lack of parental guidance, he had soon become the thief he was now.

Flinging an arm over Jonathon’s shoulders, Deek grinned wolfishly. “Right then, professor, let us catch up in a more private place?” He looked around the general area uncaringly, before finding a portrait of a rather pudgy lady who seemed to be permanently blushing throughout their conversation.

“Edna, dashing as always,” Deek said in a charming voice, “Mind letting a couple of swooning men inside?” He winked at her and the lady giggled in a flattered way, before nodding and swinging open, revealing a cozy, though very small, den.

[Prof. Jonathan Starsmore]

Jonathan had heard rumours about two Hogwarts students causing an impossible amount of damage to the high street some weeks ago, although no witness had been able to place them by name, so the two were still at large somewhere in the castle. He had had no idea Deek had run into them though, and following his friend into the portrait he sat down on the floor, lighting his wand as they were closed in darkness.

'Yes, I did alright. Mind you, I was trapped in a cubicle in the ministry before this - I only got this job because no one else would take it. I know dog all about defending myself against the dark arts.' He revealed with a roll of his eyes.

Setting his wand down on the floor, he reached into his robes and pulled out a bronze flask, the contends sloshing around generously. It would probably last them a good hour. He took a long swig himself, years of practice having worn down the need to wince and choke. He handed it to Deek. 'Yeah, shame about what happened to you with that bloody hat and all. Where did you go after they kicked you out? No one heard a word from you. You didn't send me one flamin' letter, y'swine.' He said in light hearted criticism.

A little dust rained down on their heads suddenly, and Jonathan's mind was taken back to when this hole had been a popular hiding place for the boys who could charm their way past Edna. Of course, Professor Kettleburn had always known where to find them, and for a moment Jonathan smiled, remembering their eventful detentions together.

[deek]

Deek smirked bitterly to himself, "Starsmore, surely you're more intelligent than that!" He grinned and took the flask, drinking greedily. Sharing a drink with his old friend brought back a great many memories, as toward the end of their fifth year, they had discovered the Hog's Head and had taken to visiting regularly. "A good thief doesn't leave any traces!"

Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he corked the flask and tossed it to the newly-made Professor, momentarily wondering if his old Quidditch skills had totally abandoned him. "And that old hag of a Headmaster forbade me to send any letters to the school. By the time summer came around, I was already long gone and in a spot of trouble."

He licked his lips as he thought back to the harsher years of his life, having been a pampered seventeen-year-old. Owing money to half of England's underground gangs hadn't been his smartest move, but it seemed he was the type that fumbled often. He thought back to the key, and his previous grin dropped.

"Jonathon, Head of Ravenclaw are you?" He stared at the man's badge, before swaying slightly on the spot in excitement. "Happen to know of any Loren Hayes?" [/font]

[Prof. Jonathan Starsmore]

Jonathan nodded and laughed, knowing that even as a dishonorable rogue Deek would treat it as nothing less than a very serious profession. He had even set up a swank little business in the corner of the common room, selling cheap trinkets and faulty potions to unspecting first years. The headmistress had indeed been an old cow, and upon hearing that she was the reason Deek had been unable to communicate, he felt a sharp bitterness, and also a little guilt. He had resented Deek for a while for having supposedly abandoned him.

He frowned thoughtfully at the mention of Loren Hayes. 'Oh yes. Sixth year girl... oh come on, Deek. Not got you're eye on someone already have you? She's a kid.' He grinned broadly, remembering Deek to have always been a lady's man. Of course, the poor bloke would probably not get very far in his current state. 'Had her in detention earlier. She the reason you're snooping round the Ravenclaw tower?' He eyed his friend knowingly.

[deek]

Deek grinned slowly, before shaking his head. "No, sir." He brushed the dust off his ragged robes, reaching for the flask again as though celebrating how easy it would be to find the girl. His fingers slid across the diary, and he smirked, before taking a long swig.

"See, I met her not too long ago..." He continued, after letting out a relieved sigh. "It was late, nearly dawn." His voice was almost appreciative, "Can see why she landed herself in detention earlier, sounds like quite the trouble maker." Moving a tangle of hair from his face, he narrowed his eyes, "I'm being chased after the Ministry, as you well know, and as she's witnessed my appearance here, I just want to make sure she's trust-worthy."

The Ravenclaws could never be quite trusted, as he remembered most of his run-ins with them back in his Hogwarts days had caused his business the most shortages. "She's not going to be mentioning anything to the Ministry anytime soon, will she?"

He wondered briefly what would happen if Loren mentioned the key to Vandesar... The old Unspeakable may have been appreciative enough to even grace the teenage girl with one of his numbing smiles. [/size]

[Prof. Jonathan Starsmore]

Jonathan stroked his chin thoughtfully as he listened to Deek. He got the suspicious feeling that the rogue was not telling the whole story, that there was something more to his urgent need for reassurance. Even way back in their school days there had never been any good in pressing a person like Deek for information, and s Jonathan chose to let it slide. ‘Well… she’s certainly a typical swot of a Ravenclaw, but if she hasn’t already turned you over then I suppose she never will.’ Jonathan thought about it for a moment, accessing. ‘I haven’t seen that Vandesar bloke or anyone else for that matter sneaking around more than usual. Think you’re safe, Deek.’ He said with a wry grin.

‘In any case, I’ll keep an eye on her. If it looks like she’s got anything to say then I’ll intervene. I don’t think she likes me but I’ll try…’

He took another long swig from his flask and passed it over to Deek. ‘Anyway. Fess up. What’s in Hogwarts that you would go to so much trouble to get in here for? Go on, you can tell me…’ He nudged Deek’s elbow encouragingly.

(( Sorry its so short. I'm in sociology, supposed to be finding out about pagans. >.< ))

[deek]

Deek had kept many things from even his closest friends back in school, and this was no different. Of course he was loyal to the grinning man in front of him, he had been sorted into Gryffindor, after all, but as Jon was a Professor now, letting out information that would potentially ruin his career wasn't something the pesky rogue was about to do.

Underneath all the grime, there was a best friend somewhere.

"Vandesar, eh? Remember when he was a wee auror?" Deek grinned, his teeth showing. "Only one who nearly managed to capture me. Never seen an auror bright as him, though, when it comes to punishments he is certainly one man you don't want to cross." The grimace on Deek's face was quite apparent as he thought back to when he was seventeen and the red-faced auror looked just about ready to eat him alive.

Jon was definitely someone the thief could trust, and he clapped the Professor's back appreciatively. "Could always count on you, eh?" He said cheerfully, taking the flask and drinking a mouthful.

Tracking down the girl would be easy from that point, and he remembered something else he'd read in her diary. "Starsmore," he said suddenly, "Happen to know anything about the Room of Requirement? This place is a bit cramped now that I'm fully-grown. Poor edna can accommodate me no more." He smirked and patted the walls fondly.[/color]

[Prof. Jonathan Starsmore]

Jonathan laughed heartily, recalling Deek and Jonathan's antics. They had harassed the Slytherin Vandesar relentlessly as school boys. It had been amusing to come across the man years later in the ministry. Vandesar seemed to have taken particular mirth in striding past Jonathan's box-like cubicle every day, no doubt waltzing off to the Auror's Office to throw himself on whatever thrown they were entitled too. It had been a shock to see him a couple of days ago, now a fully fledged Unspeakable. It scared Jonathan that such a man had such power.

'Good old Edna...' Jonathan patted the back of the portrait, smirking as Edna giggled shamelessly from the outside. His ears perked at the mention of the Room of Requirement. 'Merlin, haven't been there in years,' He shook his head, grinning. He suddenly looked at Deek. 'You never went there, did you?' he said with surprise. 'You got kicked out before the gang found it!'

Jonathan stood up swiftly now, consequently whacking his head on the low ceiling. After a moment of gruff swearing he grumbled, 'C'mon... I'll take you there... how'd you find out about it anyway?'

Knocking on the wooden frame, Edna swung open, allowing them to hop out. 'Thanks, gorgeous.' He gave her a cheeky wink.