(Staff Room) Hiding Out in Company

[herbie]

Leaning on the table in the staff room, Jane Beckket sipped her tea. The steam rose from the glass in swirls on her face, warming it. Jane sighed as she starred out the window. It hadn't been an easy few days. Ivy had been in and out of her office at least six times a day, not to mention her insistence on Jane eating with her at least three times a week at dinner. Apparently, she wasn't used to Hogwarts yet, and in an attempt to get away from her daughter, Jane had retreated to the staff room, a place she rarely went.

It wasn't that she needed to get away from her daughter. No, that was a horrible thing to have said. Jane just needed a moment to herself, and she suspected Ivy needed to be a normal Hogwarts student, one who doesn't have a parent to come running too.

Ivy didn't seem to have found her groove at Hogwarts. It was true that her daughter could be stereotyped as the little nerd, loving plants and animals. It was kind of baby-like for an eleven year old to still love her bunnies and flowers, but Jane only had herself to blame for that. Ivy would grow out of it, eventually. Until then, Jane realized her position at Hogwarts was probably babying her daughter considerably. She hating turning Ivy away, after all she was her only girl, but Jane figured it might be time for her to let go and get some life experience. My god, she's only eleven!

Jane took a sip of her tea and sighed again. She needed some adult conversation. It had been a while since she chatted with any of the other professors. She had become quite a slave to the green houses. She couldn't help it. She loved her work, and her work required some attention. True, Jane had been acting as an overprotective parent, her plants probably wanted some space too.

Of course, some law said that since Jane was looking for company, she would not be aloud to find it. The staff room was empty, and Jane could not say if this was normal or not considering she never spent much time in here. It was mainly because her greenhouses were so far off that she rarely wanted to spend the time walking over.

Sipping her tea, she noticed it had cooled considerably since the last time she took a sip. Apparently, she had been thinking to hard and too long.

[Professor William Vaid]

It had been a busy day for Will, yet he had only one class that he had taught first thing in the morning. The rest was homework and writing out the students progress into their own separate files. After all, the subject he was teaching was a complex one, and every piece of information needed to be processed and recorded so in case anything happened, they could stop it, and keep an eye on things that needed an eye being kept on it. Sure enough, some pupils had been having trouble understanding the concept of Occlumency and the counter Legimency however Will knew not everyone would be able to grasp it as easily as he did. At least it was the one thing in the magical world he was really good at.

Finishing off the last file for the day, he scribbled off towards the ending, and his handwriting began to look rather messy due to hand cramp, quite typical really, a muggle still stuck in his muggle ways. He preferred to write things by hand instead of using magic for every little thing. Putting the file back into the draw, he shut it closed and left his desk how it was. Usually he tidied it every day, but he just could not be bothered. Walking out of the classroom, he decided a nice break in the staff room would be good for him, usually there were very few people there as they usually just stayed in their rooms, but the odd time he had popped in and had some rather interesting conversations with some fellow professors, so it was worth a visit.

Reaching the staff room door, he opened it wide and loudly, not expecting to see someone in there. The Herbology professor, Jane, Sat sipping tea at the table, and her face showed that she was thinking a thousand thoughts. Closing the door after him, he gave her a friendly smile.

“Hello Jane, It’s nice to see your face in here instead of the usual ones. Do you have a daughter?” he asked concerned. He had seen a new girl wandering about the castle looking rather lost, and she looked the exact replica of Jane.

[Prof Brianna O'Donnell]

Unlike the two professors already present, Brianna had been having a rather relaxed time. She had been having many practical lessons and so was not giving massive amounts of homework that needed her to mark. There was one or two students who asked for extra but that was always a pleasure to read and so was given gladly. She never understood the overachiever and doubted that she ever would.

Having had such an easy time of late, Bree had been spending much time in and out of the staff room in a desperate search for company. Since Dan proposed to Dia a month before, Bree had seen less and less of the woman she had come to think of as her best friend. It was an odd thing for Bree, to assert such a label onto a relationship, after all she never let any get close, and perhaps she had deluded herself into believing that there might have been something meaningful with Dia.

But she had her man and Bree was left alone. She would have told you she preferred it that way but she was a creature of habit and she missed the company, something she would never admit to herself. She had taken to even visiting Carrie and Archi in the Hospital Wing when she had free time and wasn't in the Staff Room. The healers were fun to be with but there was something going on there that made it seem that little bit off kilter for her liking.

Today, Bree ventured back to the Staff Room for the third time that day. She had not meant to be so back and forth, at any stage, but it had become a habit too. As she turned the corner towards the Staff Room she saw the new Occlumency professor enter it. Practically running, her nearly flat soled thigh-high boots making little noise on the floor, Bree caught the door before it closed properly.

Taking a deep breath, Bree walked in just in time to hear the Occlumency professor's question about the Herbology professor's daughter. The Herbology professor was ... Beckket! Bree remembered as she moved to the refreshment table and began making herself a cup of coffee. She had a Beckket in her class, she recalled from reading her Roster. "Ivy!" Bree recalled loud with amazement that she had remembered.

Suddenly she realised she had used her outside voice. Slowly turning around, Bree's green eyes fell upon the woman with her tea cup at the table. Brianna could feel her cheeks flushing with colour and her throat began to close. Coughing to clear it, Bree turned back to her faffings about the coffee making. "Sorry," she said after a moment, "I just recalled I have an Ivy Beckket signed up for my class. The first one she will attend should be my Hippogriff class. Very exciting for a person as young as she ..."

Bree picked up her strong mug of coffee, clasping both hands firmly on it, fingers set on the clay in such a way that they all were on the warming surface. She turned as she lifted the mug to her lips. "Don't you think?" Bree pried.

With quick introspection, Bree began to realise simply how much of a chameleon she was and how much Dia had rubbed off on her. Had she been more of herself she would not have been worried about the feelings of the woman, yet she was. That was such a Dia thing, worry for others, not a Brianna O'Donnell thing. She would have to work on that.

[herbie]

Sometimes Jane wished things could just be simple. She sighed. She would have to give Ivy a talking too. She just couldn't have her constantly around, it wasn't good for a girl her age. She needed friends and a little confidence. How Jane was going to give either of those things to her daughter, she didn't know. She figured it would take more thinking. She groaned at the thought.

Jane couldn't imagine how her students constantly thought all the time. Not just in her class, which considering the others, wasn't so much of a critical thinking lesson, but in all of them. Jane figured that she once had a thinking mind, but like many things, that was gone too.

Jane took another sip of her tea as the door opened startling her. Sputtering silently, she smiled the Professor who just came in. I guess it was true that Ivy got her shy side from her mother, or maybe it was just that Jane was so busy, but either way, she hadn't really interacted with the staff much her first year. However, she felt as though she was on good terms with most of them, if not all.

Jane smiled broadly, shifting her weight onto her other leg, as the door opened again and Bree O'Donnell joined them in the staff room. Jane knew that something was going on that involve Dan and Dia and Bree, but she wasn't the least bit interested in getting involved, nor was it her style to hear the latest gossip. The Herbology Professor smiled as Bree mention her daughter's name. "Ivy, yes." Jane said with a smile. "Ivy's really excited about your class Bree. I hate to say it, but I think I've failed in my attempt to turn her into the next Botanist of the family. She's quite taken with animals and such." Jane was kind of disappointed that Ivy was not as amazed by a Puffpod as she was, but Ivy was her own person.

"She's not been giving you any problems." She said, directing her question more in William's direction, considering it seemed as though Bree hadn't had her in class yet. Jane could breath a sigh of relief later. Bree and William's comments gave Jane hope that Ivy was being noticed by someone. If it wasn't anyone her own age, then, so be it. Taking another sip of her tea, Jane smiled.

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

Vicky was stressed her classes weren't going well at all and she was in serious jeopardy of quitting. She wasn't sure teaching was in the cards for her despite the fact that she wanted to do it for so long. She had been holed up in her room for several days now, she had actually written a letter of resignation but after an owl from her mother she thought better of it.

So now after so much time had passed she emerged from her room not totally sure she was doing the right thing by staying but she was happy enough to give it another go. So now she was in the hallway and decided to head to the teachers lounge.

Walking in Vicky saw some other professors and gave them all a cheerful "hello" while heading straight for the coffee maker. She hadn't had a drop of the stuff in so long that it was like seeing it for the first time. The mug she had stored on the counter still sitting there waiting for her. Pouring herself some she sat down wondering what had been going on while she disappeared from sight.

[Prof Brianna O'Donnell]

Jane was not hurt by Bree's out burst and she was glad for it. She couldn't handle another sobbing person ... she may actually start crying herself, had Jane turned on the water works. Perhaps Bree was simply a little fragile about being replaced by a scummy man. Perhaps. But if carried on and Bree knew she would have to carry on with it.

As Jane began to talk about her daughter, Bree leaned against the table and listened. The way the Herbology professor spoke about her daughter made Bree smile, especially the part where her class was concerned. Bree was always proud to steal children away from other teachers. She laughed at the though, knowing that it sounded more like her old self then the new, frail her she had become.

The door opened and Bree looked up to see Victoria entering the room and heading in her direction. Bree smiled at her, beaming, and nodded. "Hi to you too, Vick," Bree said playfully. Slowly she walked to the table where Jane and the William Vaid were sitting, her mug still fast in her hands. She pulled out a seat with her leg, skillfully remaining up right, even though her black high heals were rather high. Her skinny jeans were gathered around her ankles and hooked around the leg of the chair quite easily, helping her to pull out the seat.

Falling almost ungracefully into the seat, Bree smiled at her thoughts before looking up at the two professors. She focused on Jane and smiled a bit wider. "I hope I do not disappoint," she said after a brief moment. The recollection of the other professor came to her quickly and Bree craned her neck towards Victoria. "Not seen you in a while, Vick," she said almost concerned, "you been kidnapped since last Thursday?" She mentioned Thursday because that was the last time she remembered seeing the witch.

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

Coffee spilled all over the counter because she was not paying attention to what she was doing. The brownish liquid followed a specific path as it made its way across the counter. Headed right for the edge and right onto her shoes. Realizing she had better hurry she pulled out her wand and muttered the vanishing spell. First day back among normal people and she acts like a clumsy kid. Next thing she knew she was feeling kind of warm the way one usually does when they are about to blush, sure enough she could feel her cheeks growing hotter.

Not a good day so far at least not anymore. Hoping no one else noticed her she went about trying to add condiments to her coffee so she could appear busy and have a reason to have her back to them. The three other professors seemed to be getting along all cozy. Jane, Brianna, and the new occlumency professor whose name she wasn't quite sure of. As she fiddled about she wondered if she had interrupted something, a meeting of the minds, or a catch up on the latest gossip. Whichever it was she didn't want to interrupt.

Finishing up she got her coffee ready to go and heard a voice Brianna's by the sound of it ask where she had been. This question was bound to come up she had been MIA for days. Having practiced her response for the last couple of days she said the lie with ease "oh I was just a bit under the weather and thought it was better to stay in my room so that I didn't risk getting anyone else sick." That was plausible who could dispute it?

[herbie]

Jane took another sip of her tea. It was running dangerously low and quite cool at that. She strood over to the kettle and pour herself a fresh renewal. Smiling as the steam hit her face as she sipped, she felt much better. The door opened and in walked the History of Magic professor. Jane never really like History of Magic, and went she went to Hogwarts, her teacher was always old and boring, droning on. However, Victoria, it seemed, was the exact opposite. Young and beautiful, Jane would expect that History of Magic was going quite well. It didn't seem that way.

"Oh, I doubt you could do anything to disappoint my girl." Jane said, telling the truth. The girl was so hyped up about the lesson, that even if they were studying slow moving slugs, Ivy would be ecstatic.

Jane took another sip of the tea. Again, she didn't spend much time herself in the staff room, so she couldn't say what were the other teachers habits. Apparently, Victoria hadn't been in in a while. Jane smiled. "I do hope you're feeling better." She said, taking another sip.

Jane would have to admit that she didn't know the other teachers at all. She suspected it was because of her anti-social behavior recently, but she would have to change that. Maybe she would hide out in the staff room away from Ivy just as Ivy hides out in the greenhouses to avoid, well, everyone.

[Prof Brianna O'Donnell]

Brianna was not entirely sure what to do once she was seated. Sure enough she had her coffee and that would usually have been enough for the slender woman. She wrapped her fingers around the mug to warm them, as she watched steam rise from it. The dark liquid was always the kick start to her day and what sustained her throughout, especially on days where she did her quidditch training heats.

She took a sip and smiled at the Herbology professor. Her daughter sounded a dear but it still felt odd to the woman. She wasn't truly sure why it felt so and she convinced herself it was just her being weird, being sensitive at being replaced. She sighed and smiled at Jane. "It must be nice to have a daughter," she mused more to herself, "to have someone depend on you. Keep you on the straight and narrow." She wanted to ask where the father was but in her present state of mind it wasn't that interesting.

Victoria spoke and Bree hung her arm over the back of the chair she was sitting in, her legs crossing, so she could look at the teacher as she spoke. Jane spoke and Bree nodded in agreement. "I am sorry to hear that," she said, "you should have gone to see the healers. They are very good with that sort of stuff, don't you know." Having spent some time with them, Bree would know, she mused with a smile.