[G.Hall] Lunch Time

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

There was a loud bang and smoke slowly filled the charms classroom as yet again a first year managed to set fire to another table. Coughing and waving his hands in front of him to try and clear the smoke Dan wondered over towards the rather worried looking Ravenclaw and just laughed as he dosed out any flames that were still burning on the wood.

“I think that is enough for today class. Just keep practising you will get it in the end.”

There was a scuffle of the wooden legs of the chairs on the flagstone classroom floor and the slow mumble of voices as they started to leave the classroom and Dan was able slump into his chair and just try and gather his thoughts. He always found the first few months of teaching first years the most enjoyable of all defiantly when their spells went wrong like today but on the downside they were rather tiresome. Slowly opening his eyes Dan looked around his classroom seeing the state it truly was in now the smoke had cleared, he would need to clean it up...but he could do that after dinner.

Walking into the Great Hall Dan purposely stuck close to the Hufflepuff table, stealing the odd chip off some people’s plates which normally resulted in a bit of playful banter between them all. A few playful death threats later Dan reached the staff table and his first act was to pour himself a very large cup of tea.

[mayella]

[Mind if I join post some nonsensical post?]

Mayella had been trying, without success, for a few hours to fix one of her birds that a careless first year had transfigured incorrectly. Now it seemed determined to stay half-bird and half-candlestick, and the young professor huffed and puffed at it for ages with no progress. Maybe she'd take it into the ministry later and have them fix it if it was beyond her efforts. "Really, there's no need to be so stubborn." May scolded it with a frown but placed it lightly on a shelf to deal with later. It was late as she glanced at the clock, realizing she'd be nearly late for dinner.

"Hm, best hurry up now, Missy. Before all the good food is gone." Oh? Now she's resorted to talking to herself, that's never sign of sanity. Grabbing her maroon cloak off the dresser, and running her fingers through her hair to see that it was too outlandishly spiked for her tastes. After finding herself satisfactory enough, May quickly headed down the few flights of stairs and stepped into the Great Hall to find it busy as ever with dinner. Stopping by the Ravenclaw table, she tapped little Declan on the shoulder lightly. The first year looked highly embarrassed that he was being singled out by a Professor - no, it was worse than that, his sister! - and proceeded by acting like she wasn't there.

"Now, now, ickle Deckles, it's not my fault if mum wants me to make sure you get along alright at school." She said with an icy, taunting tone that she was sure to hear about later from the other staff. "Made any friends? Girlfriend? Need me to beat someone off for you?" The little taunts were answered by him trying to look anywhere but at her until he finally mumbled a little 'I'm fine, go away!' that obviously satisfied her urge to embarrass him.

May smiled and lightly ruffled his hair before finally heading to the staff table and taking her usual seat with a more jolly mood than usual. She noticed that the table seemed to be pretty empty, with only the Hufflepuff fanatic as someone she'd bother talking to and her eye gave a slight twitch at this. "Evening, Hubbles." She said sweetly and lightly lifted the teapot after he'd filled his own cup.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

(Not at all…I love nonsensical posts...all mine are!)

The staff table gave the perfect view of the whole hall so that the Professors could give icy glares at all the students when they start to misbehave but it also meant they had the bonus of being able to laugh at the students when they did something ridiculous things. An example of this was happening right now on the Slytherin table two forth years seemed to be trying to do something to plateful of cakes with the terrible side effects of the cakes exploding and cream going everywhere. (Dan had noticed by the first explosion that their wrist action was wrong…but why should he tell them…he is only the Charms Professor after all!)

A fifth cake was about to explode when Dan heard a voice greeting him, Mayella Reed to be exact and Dan was more the surprised to she her sit down next to him at the table. But he would never let this be shown, it was actually nice to have some company at the table ever since Fagin went out one night and never returned and Dia…it was nice to have some company.

“Good evening to you as well May.” Dan picked up his tea cup (he would much have preferred a mug) and sipped on the warm liquid slowly savouring the taste. “I noticed you were tormenting your younger siblings again.”

The professor turned and gave his fellow staff member a toothy grin as he mentioned the benefits of being the older sibling, and one with benefits such as being their professor. He had given Girty many years of torment and it was nice to see that it was not just him or did such a thing.

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

Vicky had been hiding away in her room for quite sometime taking meals there as well. For some reason she was feeling melancholy and it didn't seem to be fading fast enough. Her classes weren't going th way she had hoped, things were rough back home according to her parents, and she was beginning to feel sort of lonely. It had been a while since she garnered any male attention and for the first time it was bothering her. So all that piled up on her leaving her to retreat into herself. Something unbecoming but sometimes necessary. Again this day she was about to take lunch in her room when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She wasn't pleased with what she saw and vowed right then and there today would be the last day she sat holed up in her room so dressing she decided lunch among the living would be a good idea.

Heading down to the Great Hall she saw all the smiling happy faces of the students, so many were having animated conversations with friends, others laughing and telling jokes it was hard not to be instantly cheered up by the lot of them. Finally making her way to the staff table she noticed Daniel was already there and she couldn't stop a huge smile from appearing on her face. What was it about him? She just didn't know.

She noticed Mayella was there as well and she smiled she genuinely like the other woman and was glad that two friendly faces met her at the table. "Hey there both of you how's it going. She said taking a seat on the other side of Daniel. A mistake she knew but one she would make again gladly. Looking around she wondered what she should eat, actually she was trying to look away because of she didn't she would probably end up staring open mouthed at Daniel. Man she felt like a school girl.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

Dan would not have known with May had even responded to his question or not simply because his attention had wondered to the Professor that had just entered the room. Victoria Potter always had a habit of appearing at the right occasions and let again here she was when Dan was in conversation with Mayella Reed. Sipping on his tea Dan watched Victoria as she grew closer, the smile upon her face was almost contagious and he could not help but grin back and when she asked how he was Dan could not help but give a cheesy answer.

“All the better now I have seen you Victoria.”

Dan gave her a small wink as he took another sip of his tea, leaning back in the high-backed chair while looking out over the hall. It felt like the old days, having a female on either side of him, just being able to relax and drink tea although he would have killed for a glass of wine or an ice cold beer.
Placing his tea cup down feeling that it had slightly lost its appeal now he was craving alcohol Dan looked around the table doubting that even such a vast spread of foods would mange to out do his want of alcohol. With a small sigh Dan reached over the table and started to dish himself out some pasta and then poured gravy all over it. A rather miss match meal but at that present moment time it is what appealed to him.

“So ladies…” He looked from one to the other a slight smile on his face “…I am guessing you both had very nice summers. I have not talked you since last term.”

Feeling rather happy that he had managed to start some form of conversation that he could attempt t be interested in Dan took a rather large spoonful of gravy dripping pasta and spooned it into his mouth making sure he did not get any down his shirt.

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

Dan's reaction to seeing her gave her a shock though she did her best not to show it. He probably had no idea of the effect he had on her. As she sat there she had to do everything in her power to focus because around Dan she lost it quite easily. Nothing a shot or two wouldn't fix but since she was going about it sober she had to reign her emotions in. Taking a glass she filled it with pumpkin juice giving her something to do with her hands and her eyes.

She kept replaying his answer to her question in her head all the better now I've seen you Victoria. She almost blushed right then and there but managed to control it. Trying hard not to spill anything she brought the glass to her mouth and took a sip allowing the cool liquid to cool her off. She needed a drink though juice just wasn't cutting it.

Dan asked about their summers, hers was truly uneventful she went to visit friends in France but that was all. So she looked over at him violet eyes cast on him. "Oh nothing much really it was kind of quiet for the most part, schools been more interesting but I think I could use a stiff drink right about now. It's been so long since I've been to one of the pubs."

Daniel took his food and Vicky again tried to see if there was anything good, the salad looked fresh o she opted for some of that. "So how about you Dan?" she turned to look at him once more before taking any food.

[mayella]

[Gah -shakes fist at for not waiting-]

Mayella smirked innocently back at Dan. "Me? Tormenting a student? Surely not. You can't put me on the same standards as you, Daniel." Of course, she was probably worse than him in ways but according to what she'd heard of him, at least she wasn't a whore like him. Spotting another teacher, this one a familiar face that she was just going to start associating with Dan if she kept showing up like this all the time.

About to respond pleasantly to her, she ended up just laughing at Dan's response and having to cover her mouth a bit to disguise the giggles. "As if whatever I say could that," She said, pausing to roll her eyes at him. What an idiot, making a fool of himself like that, "but I've been alright."

May picked up her cup of tea and lightly blew onto the surface to cool it off and give the other two a change to talk and catch up without her prying in. When asked about her summer, she just frowned a little but it soon turned back to a fake smile. It certainly was one of her most miserable breaks, but she wasn't about to moan about something that wasn't their business. "Oh, I spent most of mine at home with the family. We were preparing for my eldest sister's wedding.." She said vaguely, leaving out all the spatting and pranks and screaming that went on between the two Reed girls. At times it was necessary for mum and the brothers to intervene, a very rare act in the house where pranks and sarcasm were a daily thing. It was all that prat's fault for always skipping around saying some crap about her getting married while ugly little May couldn't catch anyone's eye at all.

Deciding to dish out some food for herself, May opted for a lighter salad much like Vicky but then just grabbed a roll and started buttering it with a few signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder that would be the only sign of her boredom as she waited for the epic tale of Dan's summer.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

Dan listened to each of the Professors stories, his gave lingering on Vicky for a little longer simply for the fact her violet eyes seemed solely upon him and Dan liked that sort of attention. At the mention of needing a stiff drink Dan gave a nervous cough and quickly looked away back to his plate of pasta and gravy.

“Well I am happy to hear that I was not the only person to have a boring summer.” He said with a small chuckle. “After about a week I had all my school work done and in the sheer want of something to do ended up getting a job down at the local muggle pub.”

In a small way Dan had found the whole time spend working in the pub satisfying, not only did it confirm to him that he was over the worst of his wand for alcohol (although he still had his weak moments like today) but he earned some good money for all the late night shifts he did as well as the tips for his charming service. Naturally nothing would compare to the summer he had had the year before, he doubted any holiday ever would.

Trying to shake off this slight moment of distant reminiscing Dan focused in on what the other Professors had said and in particular the mention of a wedding had caught his attention. Family wedding were always…eventful and with the Hubbles clan being so big there was always a lot to attend and they were always fun. A room full of Hubble’s and their many other descendants lead to long winded overexerted stories, drunken moments and just barrels of laughs.

“Now the problem with weddings I always find is finding someone to go with.” Dan turned to look at May and gave her a cheeky grin. “But then I am sure a beautiful woman like you would never have those troubles Miss Reed.”

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

Vicky saw him looking at her she actually rather enjoyed it. Maybe a bit too much because she began to smile once more. She tried to remember the last time she felt so giddy around a man and from her recollection is had been years. Shaking her head she tried to once again find focus she had to find focus. Maybe she should just ask him out, it's not as if she'd never done it before and she didn't know if he would or even wanted to. At least if she....What in the world was she thinking? She almost started to laugh out loud, her mind left to wander was a bad thing look at what popped in it.

Dan's voice punctuated her thoughts she shook her head slightly her dark hair flying back and forth across her shoulders as her violet eyes flashed slightly. He had gotten a summer job at a muggle pub. well well well Dan had caught her completely off guard with that one. The man was full of interesting surprises.

Taking a bite of salad she listened to Mayella saying something about a wedding, they were always interesting to go to. She found them fascinating she tended to cry a lot which didn't sit well with her, then you had to worry about finding a date. She hated trying to find a date. As she sipped some juice she almost spit it back out after hearing Dan's remark. It shouldn't bother her not in the least. Perhaps she had gotten a little used to the attention he'd been giving her lately. He was a friendly man, she shouldn't forget that. Swallowing she sat there a bit quieter than before.

[Archibald Nish]

It was not often that Archibald Nish felt secure enough to leave the Infirmary to go and have lunch with the rest of the staff but Carrieanne was persistant and relentless and assured him that she had everything under control. Not only did Archi not like leaving the Hospital Wing but he also did not like leaving Carrie. She had come to mean a great deal to him over the past months, more then he was sure she would ever know, and so walking away from her at any time was difficult.

But, by her wishes, he was. Archi was waddling slowly away from the Hospital Wing and towards the Great Hall. He made sure to enter through the side door by the Staff Table so as not to attract unnecessary attention to himself. There were already three professors present, that Archi could see, and, approaching them, Archi wore his usual grim expression.

One face he recognised, Professor Daniel Hubbles. He was still unsure about the man, unsure of his intentions with Carrieanne and if there was still anything there. Archi approached slightly apprehensively. The 4' 5" short man always felt apprehensive when meeting new people and the two beautiful woman who were sitting with Daniel were sure to make him feel his difference, as most women did.

Slowly, Archi moved to a seat close to the door and sat down. The food was already on the table, as most lunch times were, and so Archi began to fuss himself about the food, avoiding making any sort of eye contact with the other staff.

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

Vicky heard the door closest to the staff table open and being curious by nature she glanced over in that direction and immediately saw another man approaching. This one she had never really ever seen before. He couldn't have been a professor because she knew who most of the professors were. Maybe he was a sub or something came her conclusion. Her eyes followed him around the room and she felt saddened by the expression he wore, it was grim and she too frowned but realizing why.

He reached the table but made no attempt to talk to them. Vicky being the friendly sort and not wanting anyone to feel left out turned her frown into a smile and said "I don't think I've seen you around before. Are you subbing? I'm Victoria Potter by the way History of Magic teacher." Holding out her hand to the newcomer she hoped he would come out of his shell.

[Archibald Nish]

Archi hardly ever had much of an apatite and he knew this of himself so he knew that he would eat little now as well. Taking a simple sandwich and a small helping of salad, the healer kept his head down, eyes on his plate and ahead of him. He hoped he wasn't being rude, after all silence is golden and gold cannot be rude. Or can it? Archibald pondered this for a moment but he was reminded about the fact of where he was when he heard a voice.

Reaching in front of him for the pot of steaming coffee, Archi poured the coffee into the cup in front of him. He then looked up at the woman who seemed to be addressing him. His heavily creased brow smoothened as he made an attempt to smile. It was small but it was something. "I am not," he said in a husky tone, "I am a healer here. I spend much of my time in the Infirmary so I do not expect you to have seen me much."

Taking a sip of his coffee, Archi frowned a little again. "But you were not at the Staff Dinner before the holiday, were you?" he asked, looked at the woman with a calculating eye. He had looked on all there and was certain that if she had been there he would have seen her and would have recognised her face now. There was a slight tinge of recollection in the back of his mind but nothing tangible.

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

Taking a while before he answered her Victoria thought perhaps he might not want to talk to her. At that point she would have left him alone but suddenly he responded informing her that he was the schools healer. A noble profession in her eyes one that she thought of for some time but decided against it because teaching seemed much more up her ally. Though the way things were going with her classes she wondered.

"Ah, a healer very nice. I don't think I've been down to the hospital wing since being back here not even during my short stint as gamekeeper. That would explain why we have yet to run into each other."

Yes, that did explain it but she couldn't help but wonder why he spent most of his time down there that was until he mentioned the staff dinner she hadn't been there. She was busy hiding out in her own room then. "Yes I didn't make it there I wasn't feeling quite up to it at the time" she admitted. She was feeling a bit depressed at the time and wasn't in the mood to socialize. "So what brings you to the staff table today?"

[theodoreharding]

Theodore wasn't new to the school, but he was a new member of staff, the newest infact. He had been here a mere two days, but he had been observing the way the staff interacted with each other, in silence. He hadn't had time to interact with any staff yet, as he'd been moving into the room for him in Hogwarts, and he had been drinking himself stupid along with his old Quidditch team pal Russell.

Deciding he would spend this lunchtime with his fellow workers, he would make his presence known. He was unsure on whether the staff knew he was actually a new member of staff or not, but he didn't care much. The headmaster should, and must of told them, or they'd see him and try and hex him as soon as they laid eyes on him for trespassing on school grounds.

"Hey, no running barbie, you'll fall and break your neck, on second thoughts, carry on" he said to a small girl who ran straight through the great hall doors. Watching her pause and her eyes begin to well up, he whistled and signalled for her to carry on. It was a little harsh, but that was Theo, the sarcastic git.

Shaking his head in frustration, he pushed open the door further to expose the great hall. It hadn't changed a bit, except instead of Gryffindor banners hanging proudly, it was Hufflepuff. Urgh, hopefully it was just a small lapse for the proud house of red.

Setting his sights on the staff table at the very end of the hall, he rolled his eyes still thinking about them damn yellow and black banners. He was determined to talk to the staff, not so he would be liked, but just so they could at least talk to each other socially. Walking up the steps to the platform, he gave a polite smile to the remaining teachers, and more dominantely a nod.
"It's nice to see all the food hasn't gone" he said quite dryly.

[wisteria]

{ I know Wisteria isn't staff, but she is a ghost, and they dont exactly qualify as students.. I can just delete this if you want. ^^ }

By the whispers of the oil people trapped in their portraits, doomed to walk in yet more portraits and frames, it was lunch time. Madame wouldn't have known, she hadn't much contact with any of the ghosts recently. In fact, where were all the phantoms? Seemed so long ago now that there were hundreds infesting the school with their presence. Now there appeared to be just her and a younger girl, recently deceased, poor thing. Tsk tsk, not even a nice transparent lad to entertain her eyes with. Such a dreary life, to be a spirit, Wisteria often thought to herself. Though if she was anything, she was social, a bit different from the other types who used to glide around this place.

So, somewhere underneath the Great Hall, in the dungeons scoping for Slytherin nasties trying to hurt her Ravenclaws, Madame Tussaud simply rose up, floating through the floor and into the little healer fellow. "Oh my!" She spoke from within him accidentally, surprised. Popping out of him and reaching down to dust herself off, simply from habit and nothing more, she flashed an apologetic look at dear Mr. Nish. "Apologies." Sitting down in what seemed to be the new teacher's seat - not even thinking about it - Wisteria stared down at her empty plate, reaching over to pick up a spoon and dump some mashed potatoes on it and gravy, if only to be sociable. Whoever that chair was by (could be anyone, really) would be the recipient of her conversation, as she turned to them with a sophisticated smile, "I have been meaning to ask why there is a Dark Arts class at this school." Just sparked her interest, is all. Hopefully someone would answer her, or she might take the lack of respect in a bad way. Which spelled trouble for her ghosty self.

In truth, she couldn't find much to talk about. If she asked if they had seen any good black and white films, starring her hopefully, they might laugh in her face. No one watched those anymore. The thought dulled her outlook a little, as she picked at her food, only dropping the spoon twice after forgetting to remain corporeal a short while. You had to concentrate sometimes, you know. Came with the death package.[/size][/color]