(Staff Room) A drink and a rather large book

[michael123]

Michael was sat in the Staff Room very much alone, not that he minded he spent most of his day surrounded by the Students. Most of them which seemed to be riff-raff which was how he remembered his schooling days here. Michael could never understand, why, like Durmstrang, didnt they take pure wizards only? Why waste time on these half-witted unpure children? Though he was sure, he was most likely the only one that shared this view these days. He was unsure wether even the Slytherins shared these views anymore. He had heard some disturbing things, well read them. A slytherin girl, and a gryffindor boy? The very thought that a Slytherin could look that way to a Gryffindor was sickening.

Dwelling on this matter no more, he poured over his potions book, deciding what to teach the students. He was saving the more, dangerous, ones for when they were fully adept to the less dangerous ones. Sighing as he skimmed over a few of the pages he finally closed the book and pushed it aside. Walking to the window, his black robes trailing behind him, he pushed it open. Maybe i'll let the half-wits see what kind of potion they can come up with themselves? That ought to have some fun he smiled raising his drink to his lips.

[Cassidy Gainnes]

Cassidy strolled inot the staffroom; a pile of papers underneath her arm. She yawned as grabbed some coffee and sat down on one of the couches.

She had remembered her Hogwarts years being full of alte nights and early mornings; she didn't know her teaching post would be the same. She glanced up to see a slightly familiar face. She frowned, vaguely wondering why she couldn't put a name to his face. She shrugged; more then likely someone who had been in her house at about the same time as her. Most of Hogwarts years were now a blur of friends, enemies, and school work alike. She sighed; she really was getting far too old.

"You look like you're scheming something terrible," she said in an attempt to make conversation. "You know the little buggers really aren't so bad one you smack some sense into them." She said through a yawn.

[michael123]

Michael was still pondering thoughts over what ingredients he could make them all get to see what disasterous results one could weild. Of course, he should expect some to blow up. Remind me to stay away from the Gryffindors... he noted to himself as someone else walked in.

"Oh no, Im not sceming something terrible at all. Good gracious no" He said with false high. Sense? Most of the students here wouldnt know what sense was if it smacked them in the face. "Yes, i suppose. Though most dont even know what sense is, im sure a lot havnt even heard that word before"

Just because he didnt like the students, didnt mean he couldnt try and get along with the staff. "Michael Vance, new potions master. Do i know you from somewhere? You seem familiar"

[Cassidy Gainnes]

She raised an eyebrow as she listened to him speak. "You subltety astounds me. I almost believed you." She said chuckling slightly. "Hint: when trying to be sneaky giving yourself an unnaturally high voice doesn't help. Only works if you're a girl and trying to be cute and charming."

She nodded, "More then likely. That's why you have to use brute force and threaten expulsion if they don't bloody well shut up." she said with a smirk. She had no idea what she was babbling on about; granted that wasn't something unusual for her. She had four well behaved students in her class that sat there and stared at her the whole time. It was slightly unnerving. She couldn't remember a time in her Hogwarts years when she was in a class that was actually quiet.

"I'm Cassidy Gainnes," she said with a small grin,"Professor of Ancient Runes. And you do look familiar, your name sounds familiar as well. Were you in Slytherin?"

[michael123]

"Well I can make quite a believable lie when I of course, want to, as I am, so can you" Michael spoke, though frowned when she gave him a hint, "I do not need you hint for I was merely feigning. Any girl that goes into high pitchedness is neither cute, nor charming" Michael looked back at his book next to him. A rather large and hefty ones on potions of all different kinds. Flicking his wand casually, the book returned to his office.

"Threaten expulsion? No, I merely think giving them a detention with me would do the trick. Especially those of course, whom I have no taste for." Michael had only gone through one class, he hadnt been here long and preparation, study and paperwork took up bettermost of his time.

"I was indeed in Slytherin" Michael said, putting a his hand over his mouth and furrowing his brow in concentration. "Gainnes... Gainnes... Yes I think I vaguely remember you" though he didnt really remember anyone from school, the name Cassidy Gainnes was definatly ringing some form of a bell.

[Cassidy Gainnes]

She laughed, "You're certainly defensive," she said witha smirk. She was enjoying getting a rise out the man...it was like being back at school taunting the younger students. "You see it always depends on the age. If I were to do so it would be highly disturbing but if a girl of 5 were to do so it could be considered quite adorable." Or annoying, either way. She smirked once more at Mike; he was likely going to hate her soon enough; which perhaps wasn't the best of ideas. She was new and getting the staff to hate her wasn't exactly the best plan of action.

"Hence the joking manner aye," she stated raising an eyebrow. She really couldn't joke around this lad; he seemed to take it uite seriously. "And just to clarify I don't beat up the students either so you need not get me fired." She said a trace of bitterness in her voice.

"Mike Vance,"she said with dawning comprehension. "You were a couple years below me, same house."

[michael123]

"I play things close to my chest and am a serious person" He said conjuring up a glass of firewhisky and two glasses, pouring them both full of the amber liquid and thrusting her a glass. "If a five year old came up to me and starting giggling in a high pitch voice i think i would find it more disturbing rather than cute" he swigged down some of his firewhisky and let it warm his insides.

"I am not one for jokes Miss Gainnes" Mike scowled. It had started raining outside and the raindrops were pelting against the window pane. "I would have had no intention of getting you fired even if you did, I'd have told you to have fun" his feeble attempt at making a joke would probably fall unnoticed and be percieved as arrogance. "Nor did i believe you did beat your students"

"Yes I believe I was. You caused me quite the trouble too, if I do remember rightly"

[Cassidy Gainnes]

She nodded, "To each their own I suppose." She said with a grin. She grinned even more as he passed her a glass of firewhiskey. "You really know the way to a girl's heart," she said laughing lightly as she sipped some of her firewhiskey, her scottish accent becoming more apparent with each sip. Her years travelling had lessesened her strong northearn accent slightly but as soon as she started drinking, got angry or excited it came out in full force.

"I'm glad you caught that one. I might have to say you're to daft to be a Slythering otherwise." She said with a smirk as she sipped once more out of her glass. She glanced towards the window as the rain began to pelt down against the glass. "I love the rain," she said quietly. "It always calms me somehow." She laughed slightly at his joke. "I wouldn't doubt it one bit."

"I don't doubt that either," she said laughing. "It was a favorite hobby of mine and my friends: torturing you pour youngsters. You should just be thankful you weren't in Gryffindor or Hufflepuff."

[michael123]

Each sip of firewhisky becoming more apparent, much like the rain becoming heavier on the window pane. He watched it as it splattered against the window, and slid down it in droplets. Much like he did when he was travelling, learning all he could about the dark arts. Which, in the end, had prepared him more than several years of schooling had ever done for him. He knew the ways of the Dark Arts, probably in more detail than a lot of people having chose to study it for near of ten years.

"Yes, and my own is my way. I choose no other" Michael drew his eyes from the window and looked back at Gainnes. "Firewhisky is the way to your heart is it? Then I suggest you watch you buys you drinks" This sentance came out more scornfully than he had intended, her scottish accent reigning out reminded him of his childhood in scotland too. Michael found it strange that they were from the same place, but they couldnt be from the same small town up there, he would have recognised her instantly if she had been. HIs accent now purely masked by different ones he had picked up all over the world. Giving his a deep voice in a strange accent, having them all combined.

"You will be surprised at what i can catch, even if i do not let onto it that often, as for Slytherin? I am no longer one, nor are you. We are professors in this place now belonging to no house. Simple as" Michael poured himself some whisky as he drained the remains and levatated the bottle to Gainnes, "Help yourself"

"If you like the rain so much, why are you not out in it?" He queried. Never quite understanding the feeble minds that usually came attatched to females. "Well then lucky me i had high morals then"

[Cassidy Gainnes]

The rain was now pounding heavily against the window; the sound of the water pelting against the glass reverberating in the room. She sighed and smiled as she glanced outside; it really was a beautiful night.

"Indeed. Stubburn fellow aye?" She said with a grin. "Me too eh; I've always said that people's opinions may differ from mine to whatever extent because either way I'll still assume I'm right.

"I promise I take care of myself just fine," she said with a light laugh. She only ever drank with friends, family, and staff anyways. She wasn't a big drinker and her scottish roots stopped her from being too cheap of drunk even despite her petite frame. "I'm assuming you're not going to rape me tonight so I think I'll be alright." She said and winked at the proffesor sitting cross from her.

"You wouldn't be alive right now if you didn't watch your step," she said suddenly serious. "This wretched war will destroy everything and everyone. There's not a soul who ahsn't been affected negatively; you're killed no matter where your loyalties lie even if you don't have any. We're destroying our country one frail piece at a time." She finished bitterly as she poured herself another glass. She sipped some more and closed her eyes for a moment in an attempt to regain her composure.

"Wonderful Firewhiskey by the way; simply a treat for me old heart!" She said with a small grin.

"Because it started raining when in was in here," she said slowly. "It'd take far too mcuh effort to walk out to the grounds and go gallavanting in puddles and such and lets be honest...who really has the time?"

[michael123]

Michael hadnt heard rain pelt on the windows like it was doing for a very long time, and though he liked the rain, he was sure glad he wasnt out in it tonight.

"I have been known to be stubborn" Though listening to her speak, he wondered whether she was stubborn or plain arrogant. Either way worked, Michael too, had his more arrogant side.

"Oh its no business of mine what you do, im sure" Michael said shrugging it off. He wasnt particulary bothered about what she did, or who with. "Then you assume correctly" he told her, for he had no intention of doing anything of the sort. Even through school, he had never looked upon her in that way.

"Well i seem to have managed to handle myself pretty well up until now, dont you think?" he spoke in a low tone, for he did not care about the war, he had no alleigances to any side and preferred to keep it that way. Though he listened to her, in his mind he was disagreeing with a lot of things she said. For he, had not been affected in the least.

"Im glad you like it" he smirked. Michael loved his firewhisky, kept him sane around all this riff raff the school was allowing in. Slytherins with Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. It just wouldnt do.

"I see, yes i suppose so" Mike answered, "I guess none of us do for it would interrupt valuable firewhisky drinking time"

[Cassidy Gainnes]

"Indeed," she said with a small smile as she poured herself another glass of firewhiskey. She smirked knowing that she should stop soon or risk being laughed at in class the next day. She, however, was not one for commen sense.

"I'm glad," she said with a light laugh. "I'd be a tad worried otherwise."

"Obviously," she said in a slow dreary tone. "You're here aren't you?" she replied looking at him curiously. Then again, maybe she shouldn't assume that the war had reached everyone; he seemed indifferent to everything that was occuring around him. "Wouldn't be alive if you couldn't take care of yourself...but then maybe you just float under the radar of everybody." She'd grown up being friends with people on all sides of the war; she'd been to so many funerals it was sickening. Not to mention all of her old friends-at least the live ones- who had chosen sides long ago were beginning to question whose side she was on. It wouldn't be long before she would be unable to hide behind Hogwarts and the fact that she needed to remain neutral for her students. Soon someone would start winning; soon the war would openly reach the school; soon she would need to chose or else perish nameless and alone.

"I'm glad I enjoy it as well; don't know what I'd do otherwise." she said toasting him.

"Exactly!" she laughed as she took another swig of her firewhiskey. "And who would wnat to waste valuble firewhiskey drinking time; the very thought is unthinkable."

[michael123]

The bottle was nearly empty, but with a swish of his wand, the bottle refilled itself. Michael knew his lessons tomorrow would probably end in him yelling his head off due to an unmistakeable sigh of being hungover.

Michael didnt say anything for a long moment, merely shrugged every now and then. "Well im not an illusion if thats what you are enquiring" The war hadnt bothered him, he would openly admit he didnt like the ministry but he wasnt going to get himself dragged into anything that wasnt his own business. "Or maybe it because i just kept out of everyones way, though im running into Ministry folk around every corner" Creeping around the place like they own it... Michael shook his head and carried on drinking his firewhisky.

[Cassidy Gainnes]

She giggled as she saw him fill the bottle up once more. "More firewhiskey for me and more firewhiskey for thee!" she said with a laugh. She could feel the buzz of alcohol in her brain and knew before long she wouldn't be able to control any words that came out of her mouth.

"I apologize in advance," she started carefully, "For any words that happen to spew out of my mouth in the near future. Never could hold me alcohol all that well." She finished glad that she was still capable of saying what she meant to be saying.

"If you were an illusion I would have to say you are a quite solid one and therefore not an llusion at all. That beng said you're obviously real and not an illusion. Although you could be an allusion but I doubt as I don't think you're a reference to an important piece of literature or a historical event." She said with a drunken grin. The rational part of her mind was still trying to figure what she was talking about.

"The ministry are everywhere: they're interfering at Hogwarts which I think is just silly. I've only been here a little while and already 've seen more ministry folk then I can handle."

[michael123]

Michael simply nodded at her comment about more firewhisky for both of them. He could sit here and drink firewhisky all day he loved the stuff. Michael poured them both another glass full of the liquid and once more, pushed her glass back into her hand. Michael wasnt one for saying much unless he had too, the most he ever spoke was when he was giving lessons.

"Yes" Michael said, "I do believe I have met many people who can not hold their alcohol well, especially matured firewhisky" Michael wasnt really all that interested whether or not she could hold her alcohol. His tone was still as cold and flat as ever.

Michael lifted his head up and looked at her with a raised eyebrow when she dived into her explanation of why he was not an illusion. Though in her slightly intoxicated state, it only came out as nonsense and actually confused him. Instead of trying to answer he gave a slow nod of his head and said, "Right, whatever you say"

"Yes, I have to agree. The other night I ran into a Tonks I think her name was, and I must say she was of the arrogant type" Michael thought for a moment, "I did not think it wise to hex her as I knew I would probably have the whole flock of the ministry on me, and that would not bode well I assure you" He took a sip of his firewhisky before continuing, "She also put Miss Biggerstal in detention, the Gryffindor Champion, which of course I did not mind one bit. Saved me the paperwork and having to spend more time with a Gryffindor than I would like"

"Also, there was a Mr Fitz Hargreaves, which I am sure is some relation to the Gryffindor girl Sophie. I do recall him saying he was a reporter. Well I am telling you this now, if there is but one article of me in that damned newspaper I will hunt him down until he revokes the story"

Michael knew if Fitz tried hard enough, the bits of Michaels past he wanted to keep covered would come uncovered. Which was another reason why he was wary of the two boys he had heard of, the two from Durmstrang. He knew Durmstrang boys knew a lot about him due to their Headmaster telling them. Fitz would probably have the story of the year if he could break them. I think I need to have a word with these two.