[Staff Room] A meeting with the Headmaster [Dan]

[Professor William Vaid]

With all the commotion that had suddenly exploded into the room, Will just looked for the seat behind him and sat down to observe the 'meeting' that was taking place. It was when Bree walked in that Will had to control a laugh erupting from him at her manic face thinking that Dan had locked Dia in a cupboard or hidden her under the desk or some unbelievable story that only Bree's crazy head could conjure up. She was a slytherin alright, and Will just ended up laughing behind his cup of tea at her and giving the odd glance over to Dan before looking away before he got them both laughing at her obsurdity.

So much for this being a civilised meeting, there were raised voices and teachers everywhere that Will couldn't even see where Hannah was anymore and with a craned neck, he shrugged and shrunk back into his chair. Thinking on what to do, he duplicated his tea and lay them all out on the headmasters desk for people to pick up and try and calm down. He thought about slipping in some calming potion but he would not be quick enough for that, both Dan and Will were big believers in 'a cup of tea could solve anything'.

Searching the faces of all the females in the room, he realised actually how many their were, and that Hogwarts needed more men within it's walls. Too many women in one place was never a good idea, and on cue, Bree spoke up once more before being shot down by Dan. Will smirked and raised his eyebrows at Bree awaiting an expression to crawl across her face.

"I must agree with Dan on this one Bree, you've got to do something about it. That kid can't get away with that, he's gone too far...BUT" he paused, standing up so he could be heard more clearly.
"The kid is a seer, and so he's probably seen us all arguing like a pack of wolves over some fresh meat. He will be enjoying the frustration we're all going through,especially Hannah here" he said smiling at her.
"So why can't we deal with this like adults, then we can sort everyone elses problems out?" he replied, knowing full well the kid was probably laughing his head off in the slytherin common room as they fought.

[Prof Brianna O'Donnell]

If there was one thing to be known about Brianna O’Donnell that was that when she was in a bad mood there was no stopping her. She was generally very nice, amiable and caring for others; but when something went wrong in her day it would send her into such a foul mood that there was no soothing her fury. Such a mood was she in now, one where she was being forced to be in the same room as her boss. This generally wasn’t a problem, as she had learnt to simply ignore the fact but having to actually talk to him when she was already in the mood she was in did nothing for her.

Arms crossed across her chest, Bree watched the smug man sitting behind his desk, clearly enjoying her displeasure. He was being unhelpful intentionally and Bree knew it was just to annoy her. It was working too but rather then giving him the satisfaction of seeing her seethe she took a deep breath and held her head high, looking down her nose at him. She wasn’t going to make any sort of comment to his idiotic question as it was clear she was not having tea with Dia.

Just then the voice of the History of Magic professor cut in and Bree snapped her gaze to the dark haired woman. “Please, Vicky,” Bree hissed, glaring darkly at the woman, “just because a bottle doesn’t hold any comfort for you since Mr Smelly over there got hitched doesn’t mean you’ve got to take it out on the rest of us.” It wasn’t exactly a secret that Potter had a die hard crush on the newly married headmaster. Personally, Bree didn’t understand what was so appealing about him: his eyes were way too close together and she never liked him. It continually amazed her how she seemed to be the only woman who thought that way.

But then Hubbles went straight ahead and helped the newest addition to the staff first! Bree gawked at Dan as he gave Bethany the permission she needed. Bree threw her arms up in frustration on to then realise that the other professor was actually talking: Edgecombe. There was simply no winning today. “Clearly,” she thought aloud and rolled her eyes. Would anything go right? It was doubtful but to make the transition process of this awful day to even more horrid, Bree decided to just go along with it. Turning to Hannah, Bree listened, her arms crossing themselves.

Straight after the Divination’s professor had spoken, Hubbles spoke, with just as little appreciation for her position as a head of house as everyone else seemed to show. Still, Bree was quiet, watching everyone as they went on about Jason Walker. Bree had always found him very civil in her class but that was because he knew better then to cross her. Clearly Edgecombe didn’t have the correct disciplinary tools to deal with such as Walker. No one seemed to take that into account. Dan’s threat to go over her head did however get a roll of the eyes out of her.

“If you’re going to do that Hubbles,” Bree thought as Will began speaking, “why don’t you just punish the brat yourself?!”

“Purportedly!” Bree groaned under her breath to the comment on Walker being a seer. She, for one, had never heard Walker predict anything or hear stories of him having done so. Secrets in Hogwarts were something that everyone knew and things like that were known by everyone within hours. She didn’t believe he was for one second. After Will’s little speech about handling things like adults Bree’s controlled temper leapt out

“Does everyone here thing I’m a petulant fifteen year old who needs detentions to learn anything?” Bree groaned rather loudly and dragged her long hand down her face as though this whole situation were painful to look at. “Honestly. If you can’t control the students in your own classroom Edgecombe I don’t see why it should be my problem.”

Bree shifted her weight from one foot to the other and looked at all the assembled professors. Sighing heavily, Bree stuck out a hip and planted a fist on it, the other hand still massaging her forehead. “I do – however – seem to be the only one who thinks this way...” Dropping her arms to her sides and standing up straight Bree added, in a tone that very much suggested pain. “... what is it you think I can do about it?” Bree couldn’t believe that she was being roped into work on a day she had off. What was the world coming to?

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

With a small glazed over look Dan watched the teachers squabble among themselves in front of him, the lack of sleep was effecting him and all he wanted to do was stand up, walk out of his office and flop onto his bed and sleep all day long. But here he was no sleep for over two days and he was having to deal with hyped up teachers and ego’s that were almost as big as his. Draining the last few dregs of his now cold tea Dan placed the tea cup down on his desk and looked from one Professor to the other as they bated comments to one another and un surprisingly Bree proved to most insulting. It was only her comment at Vicky did it make Dan stop and stare open mouthed.

“Just because a bottle doesn’t hold any comfort for you since Mr Smelly over there got hitched doesn’t mean you’ve got to take it out on the rest of us.”

This shocked the Headmaster on two levels. First of all that she was calling Victoria an alcoholic (although he did have his concerns) but Bree also accused Dan of being smelly! He may not have had a shower in over three days but he had still made sure to wear new clothes and smoother himself in aftershave and deodorant…maybe he had over done that. With a nervous sniff at his underarm Dan soon forgot about the reference to the History of Magic Professor having a crush on him. For the first time Dan was oblivious to someone fancying him.

The only thing that snapped the man out of worrying about his own personal hygiene was the sound of Bree’s tedious tones filled his office once again. He had to remind himself that the Care of Magical Creatures teacher was his wife’s best friend so he had to attempt to be civil. “Bree no one thinks you are a fifteen year old although I am not denying the grouchy part.” Dan just sat and grinned at the tall Professor before continuing, taking Bree’s sign of annoyance as just another reason to tease her some more. “What are you meant to do about it? Bree dearest if you showed Jason half the hostility you give me that would be punishment enough.”

If there was an award going out for hamming a role up Dan would have got it then. His words dripped with fake emotion, an over dramatic hand to the forehead, a deep quivering breath as if trying to fight back tears and of course the pitiful look that many a foolish woman had fallen for in the past.

(blarrr I do not like the end. Sorry guys!)

[Prof. Hannah Edgecombe]

Hannah was already tiring of this. They were a room full of grown ups, Professors at a prestigious school of magic and here they were acting like a bunch of petulent children throwing ridicuous insults at each other as if they were the students. This had to be a joke right? Hannah's head was beginning to hurt, she had both hands on her temple trying to rub the pain away. All the messaging didn't seem to be working, the pain would not cease it simply got worse and worse. This happened once before many years ago when she was still a girl.

The pain reached a fever pitch and she suddenly cried out. Falling out of her chair Hannah was on her knees in an instant. Her body shaking, head throbbing, her mind suddenly went blank and everything simply stopped.

Suddenly her mouth opened again but the voice that issued from it didn't belong to her:

*A new time approaches
Where love and life will be put to the test
Much will change and this is certain
A time of loss encroaches

A one will break in two
And many shall lose their lives
A Hufflepuff will find
That love and death combine
While Hogwarts is left leaderless
Ravenclaw’s birth house will crumble

Friends will turn on one another
Enemies will collide and unite
For this is the only way
To combat the coming plight

Now comes a time of trial
Where all will be tested and some will not pass
For those we will morn
But to get through feuds will need to be put aside
As together we stand tallest
And concur the hardest torments*

Suddenly Hannah was fine once more. She had no idea what had just happened or why she was on the floor. Picking up her head and looking around her eyes caught Dan's "What happend."

**credit to Robyn for the words**

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

It was like being back in Potions in his fourth year, they had to share the class with Slytherin and for Hufflepuff’s Dan, Will and Warren would not take any back chat and on many occasions they ended up getting into many squabbles. They would verbally abuse on another, muck up the others potion or resort to a few simple hexes…safe to say Dan’s potions grades were not all to spectacular. Anyway, Dan was about to add a few more insults to the Head of Slytherin when something very peculiar happened right in front of him, Hannah fell out of her chair, she was physically shaking it was like she was having a fit.

Despite the fact that only a few minutes ago he was teasing one of his higher members of staff he truly did care about every single one, they were not just his colleagues but his friends. Leaping out his chair and around his table Dan was just about to crouch down by Hannah to make sure she was alright when a haunting voice came out of her mouth…she was having a prophecy. The headmaster tried to listen as carefully as he could so he did not miss anything the problem was something she said he was convinced referred to him.

His heart was pounding in his chest and he had to keep taking deep breaths to stay calm as the worst possible scenarios started to play out in his mind. Slowly Hannah seemed to return to normal, dazed and confused and asking what had just happened. With his mouth hanging open like a fish out of water Dan could not find any words, he was dumb struck…was he going to die?

[bethany]

Bethany settled herself on top of some desk in the corner of the room. There was a good fight going on and she wasn't about to miss it. She spotted some other on lookers. Apparently this was a Slytherin problem. Beth crossed her legs and folded her arms and watched as Bree got decently upset.

He's a seer too? Beth immediately knew who they were talking about. His name completely skipped her mind, but she knew of an older Slytherin who walked around her class parading his talent. She could slap him, and once accidental set a botubber flying his way. Unluckily, he ducked, and glared.

"Really now Bree," Beth said from the corner of the room, an amused grin on her face, "I think Dan smells just wonderful." Beth was on the verge at laughing at the scene. Hubble was getting a verbal beating from Bree. Beth shook her head, and slide off the desk. She was about to exit the room when a scream issued from behind her.

Beth saw Hannah slide from her chair and hit the ground. She took a step forward to help, but as Hannah mouth opened, Beth just stood in amazement, her own mouth gaping. Beth listened to the words spilling from the Divination Professor's mouth. Beth didn't like the prophecy. It gave her chills down her spine.

Hannah snapped back, and Beth did to. She rushed to her side and bent down to see if she was alright. She grabbed her hand and held it tight. "You Ok, Hannah?" She said, looking up at the other staff in the room. "Dan? What, what are you thinking?"

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

So many thoughts were rushing through Dan’s head, the haunting voice of Hannah echoed around making his hair stand on end every time he reached the part about himself, it had to be able him. With one long deep breath Dan pushed himself up and he stumbled back towards his chair behind his desk. If only he had had some sleep he might have been able to think this situation over better, his mind would not be acting so sluggish and maybe he would not over reacting as much…but she had said he was going to die as he would never leave Hogwarts for any other reason.

Slouching in his chair Dan nervously ran his hand over his much ticker then normal stubble as he thought even more on the matter. The staff in the room around them seemed to have been stunned to silence, or at least that is what Dan thought had happened but at the sound of Bethany calling his name the man looked up from his own little world and his sleep deprived eyes met her concerned ones.

“I…I was not the only one to hear that right, cause…cause if that comes true,” Dan wearily pointed at Hannah as he referred to the prophecy. “then we are in so much trouble.”

Everything about it had been so negative, he could think of nothing that was positive expected maybe the tiniest bit at the end about how if they stood united they could over come it, but overcome what? Dan looked around at everyone else in the room with such a clueless expression; it was like someone was asking him to do the most complex algebraic equation in the world and he had no idea where to start to find the answer.

[Prof Brianna O'Donnell]

Bree couldn't understand why everyone was making a fuss about one single stupid student. Sure, that student was difficult, obnoxious and rude but how was that different to any other. To think, all this trouble and fuss over one snot-nosed, egotistical brat? Who'd have known? But what came next no one could ever have expected and it left Bree frozen where she stood.

Hannah had started speaking a after collapsing to the floor in such a way that her words' meaning could not be mistaken. It made all the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, like the sound of nails on a chalk board were ringing through her ears. Was it possible that this was happening? After all those years? No ... it couldn't be? Bree stumbled backwards, she bumped into the desk behind her, a trembling hand moved to her mouth, her green eyes wide with fright and panic.

It couldn't be.

But then the moment past and Hannah came to and everything seemed to dissipate: the room, the staff members, even the desk she was leaning on. Bree had closed her eyes tightly, humming a small tune in her head to drown out the sound that was still burning in her ears. Hannah's voice, sweet as ever, rang through the darkness, followed by Beth's and Dan's.

Come on, Bree, she told herself, pull yourself together.

Taking a deep breath, Brianna opened her eyes and looked at Dan and Beth, who had moved to Hannah's side. Neither of them had answered the Divination's question. "You ..." Brianna began, pausing as she search for the best way to put it. Bree looked around at the other professors before she turned back to Hannah. "You spoke a prophecy, Han," Bree said quickly, "you made a prophecy, about the school, about death and loss and ... horrid things." Bree's hands moved up her sides and her fingers grabbed her hair. "I knew this would happen," she mumbled under her breath, "I knew it."

Bree stomped her foot and turned around on the spot. Frustration coursed through her, thundering within her head. She could feel a headache coming and there was nothing she could do about it. Turning back to the two around Hannah, Bree dropped her arms and sighed emphatically. "Give her some room you two," she said, "give her some air." Bree tapped both Dan and Bethany on the shoulder before taking a step backwards.

[Prof. Victoria Potter]

Things were just going from bad to worse and it made her mad and Vicky wasn't too nice when she was mad especially when she was actually sober. Her teeth barred she was ready to go at Bree for her comment. Vicky had moved forward fire in her violet eyes as months of frustration had bubbled to the surface.

When she had the teacher in her sights she opened her mouth to say something back but was cut short by Hannah. Vicky's head turned to the divinations professor who seemed to be out of it. Vicky stopped dead and simply stared at the sight of her. This wasn't happening.

The woman fell to the floor and started talking of doom and destruction. Hogwarts was going to fall apart. Everything before now had been erased from her mind. People in the room fell silent as Hannah had come to, the woman didn't seem to remember anything she had said. Bethany had gone over to her and tried to help her up.

Things at school had gotten weird but at no time had she ever thought it was something so dire. Vicky shut down a moment before Bree spoke once more snapping instructions about giving Hannah some air. The reality was that something was coming and there was nothing much they could do about it.