[Library] Disenchanted

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

Dan sat at his desk in the office, his elbows on the hard wooden surface as his hands cupped his face as he stared at the Daily Prophet that sat folded up on his desk. He had just received another slaughtering from the hungry vultures of the press and it was safe to say his ego had been stamped on quiet a bit. He did not know how long he had just been sitting there but as he finally stirred his body was stiff and he was not sure if that was a sign of age or stress. He had made a decision through in his stillness; he had decided that he needed as many loyal people on his side as possible. He would be calling in a few favours to try and get something good written about him in the next issue of the prophet but it was not just the outside wizarding world he needed help with, he needed it inside the school too.

Carefully pushing himself in his chair Dan slowly walked towards the office door, desperately trying to put on a fake smile as he walked past the mirror that hung by the exit. That stopped him dead in his tracks simply because the reflection that was looking back at him looked like a totally different man. There was no confidence left in him, his hair was flat and lifeless, his face was pulled into such a deep frown that it simply highlighted the bags under his eyes and the way he was dressed…well it simply would not do. He would not dare walk down the corridors of the castle like this, he needed to be strong, and he needed to be a proper headmaster.

After a quick shower and costume change Dan walked into the office this time feeling a little bit better about himself. Although he still wore his jeans he had thrown on a new baby blue shirt and his favourite light gray suit jacket just to make it look like he was trying to be professional and as he once more stood in front of the mirror by the office door he flicked open a few extra button’s on his shirt and looked at his reflection.

“Come on Hubbles.” He said to himself. “You’re strong willed and determined and no stuck up journalist can make you feel stupid.” He stared back at his reflection and nodded his head. “Now but up that smile and bag yourself a new head girl”

Doing as his reflection had told him Dan threw open the door, ran down the steps behind that gargoyle and strut his stuff down the corridors of the castle heading to towards the DADA classrooms. He knew that the girl he wanted would be finishing class in a few minutes and he would simply pull her to one side when she left the classroom and tell her the good news! The strange thing was however as he wondered down the corridor that lead to the classroom he saw another figure standing by the door, someone who looked like…must have been a mirror as when he looked again there was nothing there. ‘geez I am going mad’ he thought to himself as he leaned against the far wall, his cool eyes focused on the wooden door waiting for it to be thrown open and Ellie Rook to appear.

[Ellie Rook]

Ellie sat, starring out the window of the DADA classroom. Professor Shaw was going on about something or other, Ellie couldn't even tell you what. She was thinking about one thing and one thing only, Dan. She pictured his blue eyes starring into hers, and with that thought, the lesson was completely gone from her head.

Ellie looked out the window, pretending that she didn't have to be sitting in this classroom, but out on the lawn in the sun with Dan. The sun was streaming into the window, warming the girl's face. Professor Shaw called the end of the class, but Ellie didn't notice. er concentration was broken by a dark cloud covering the sun. She looked around the room to see that half the class was already out the door. She walked by the Professor, smiling breifly, his face seemed worried, noticing that Ellie had been off in her own little world, which was very unlike the usually good student.

Ellie was the last one out of the door. She walked swiftly forward, expecting to see the young face of Dan Hubbles in the usual place he stood waiting for Ellie, right in line of the door so he was the first thing the girl would see. Ellie's heart beat fast as she pushed open the wood door of the classroom. Her eyes fell upon not Dan Hubbles, but Headmaster Daniel Hubbles. Ellie's smiled quickly faded. She managed to hold onto a confused grin. Her eyes darted left and right, looking for the younger Dan, but he was not in sight.

The Hufflepuff's eyes fell back on the Headmaster. "Hi Professor." She said politely, yet distantly. Ellie and the Headmaster had an odd sort of relationship. Ellie considered him much like an Uncle, yet she knew she would always be in love with the older man. Now that love had stayed with the man but disappeared into the past and to Dan Hubbles. Ellie didn't know what to do with the Headmaster now. She didn't want hi to see that something was up however, so she planned on a quick exchange of hellos and how are yous and she would be free to run off to find Dan.

"Waiting for Professor Shaw?" Ellie asked, suggesting the reason that Professor Hubbles was hovering outside the DADA Professor's classroom door. Ellie couldn't see any other reason. As she waited for the answer, she glanced door the hall to see a shadowy figure stick his head out from the corner. Ellie felt Dan's eyes upon her. She snapped back to the attention of the Headmaster and grinning calmly as she could.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

With a small smile Dan grinned at all the students as they filed out of the DADA class, some happily smiled and waved back while others kept their head down and quickly walked away trying to attract as little attention to themselves as possible. But as Dan looked at every student that left he did not once see Ellie exit the classroom, at first he started to worry that maybe he had got the wrong timetable but then finally there was his favourite Hufflepuff bringing up the rear but it was not her normal wide grin that met him, in fact her smile quickly vanished as she clapped eyes upon him. Well that did his already damaged self confidence no good, Ellie was very much like Dia and it was guaranteed that every time they saw him they would grin like a Cheshire cat but now, well now it looked like Ellie was search for a quick exit with her eyes darting from side to side.

Even her hello seemed a little distant and straight away asked if he was here to see Jackson, of course that would be the logical thing but to Dan that just made him frown. “No.” Dan stated plainly and he brought a soft smile to his face. “I came to see you.” The door of the classroom opened once more and Professor Shaw appeared and as his eyes landed on Dan he saw the Professor cock an eyebrow in interest.
“I can not stop Dan I…”
“That is fine Jackson I need to talk to Miss Rook.”

With a small nod of the head Jackson went off down the corridor no doubt off to meet up with Jac in the Three Broomsticks for a late Breakfast. But then that was neither here nor there as once more the Headmaster attention was fixed upon Ellie Rook. In his pocket Dan could feel the badge weighing him down almost as if it was a concrete brick as already by just looking upon the Hufflepuff he started to worry if the responsibility of Head Girl would be too much. Dan had been told many a time from the other Professors how Ellie’s grades were dropping and he, not knowing the real reason, had guessed it was the pressure of being prefect and Quidditch Captain. Maybe by making her Head Girl though it would do some good as he would be able to free some time up for her.

“How are you Ellie?” Dan questioned, finding it hard not to let concern slip into his voice. “Dia told me the other day she saw you walking hand in hand with someone. Who is the lucky chap?” It was odd for Dan having to create light chat between the two of them but it seemed that there was an air clinging to them that really made him feel that Ellie did not want to be around him and he guessed it would be even more uncomfortable now the only thing he could think of mentioning was the poor girls love life.

[Ellie Rook]

"Oh, well, here I am." Ellie said, trying to keep her eyes on the Headmaster, trying to look as normal as possible. She took a deep breath just as the door opened again and Professor Shaw appeared. He seemed to be in a hurry and all Ellie's hope of escaping the future conversation was over.

Professor Shaw hurried off down the hall and Ellie's attention was brought back to the conversation at hand. Ellie smiled. She tried to push the even nagging thought of the younger Dan into the back of her head. Soon, Ellie was almost totally aware of her surrounding and able to function much easier.

"I'm doing...fine, I guess Headmaster. I hope that your stress is lifting a little as the school year is ending." Ellie said, shifting her backpack on her shoulder. Moving on to a topic Ellie certainly wasn't comfortable talking about, especially with the older version of the boy she was seen with. Ellie wasn't sure what to do. She knew that she would be seen eventually, but lately she hadn't cared as long as Dan was with her, but facing Professor Hubbles with the truth was a completely different thing. Ellie suddenly felt defenseless.

"I'm not sure I know what your talking about." Ellie said, trying to hide the truth. "You wife must have been mistaken, I'm not seeing anyone at the moment." Ellie knew it was a blatant lie and that she would get caught in it sooner or later and the consequences of getting caught would be bad. But for now, it seemed like a good idea. Ellie shifted her weight to her other leg, waiting to see what the Professor would respond with.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

The corridor around them fell silent as Dan waited for Ellie to answer his questions. He did care about her, as if she was a younger sister and so when he asked her if she was well he truly meant it, it was not some cheap greeting he was actually curious. Her slight hesitation did not convince him yet he did not push for a proper answer, now that was something he had learnt from Girty.

“Hmm.” Dan mused for a moment, he did not think Ellie would be lying to him but then also he found it hard to believe that Dia would have miss seen or concocted such a story. “Oh well, I feel as headmaster I miss out on all the gossip now, people seem afraid to tell me stuff.” Dan was trying to keep the mood light but his attempts seemed to be in vain, something had changed between him and Ellie and the problem was that he could not put his finger on it seeing as he had not changed…well not that much anyway.

They continued to wonder down the corridor of the castle, slowly ambling away form the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom to nothing but the sound of their feet hitting the stone floor. There were so many things that Dan needed to say to Ellie but from the way she was acting he did not feel like he had her full attention and so maybe now was not the best time to break out into the whole ’your grades are slipping’ ramble that would just go in one ear and then out the other. With a small nervous cough Dan tried to find his voice and he had all but decided to just come out with it.

“I guess you have seen the papers recently?” He turned his head slightly to look at Ellie as his brow pinching in a small frown. “They have not really been...er…friendly towards me and I fear that the board of governs at the school will turn on me soon. As a result I am, ha, I am sort of building a defence around myself of people who I…well who have not turned on me.” Dan let a nervous laugh escape as he found himself spewing out this mini speech finding it hard to stop his tongue now that it had started. “I like to think Ellie that you and I are on good terms and I…er…I…was wondering if…erm…”

This was turning out like a disastrous marriage proposal. It was not like Daniel Hubbles to be lost for words and lacking in confidence but then there had been such a course of events that he had truly been knocked for six and as he put his hand into his pocket Dan came to a stop in the middle of the corridor. Opening the palm of his hand he extended his arm over towards Ellie, the Head Girl badge glittering in the sun that shone through the castle windows.

“If you would like to become the Head Girl?” He looked hopefully over at his favourite Hufflepuff, and honestly his blatant favouritism was as clear as day. “Y-you don’t have to if you don’t want to, I will understand.”

[Ellie Rook]

Of course Ellie was afraid to tell Professor Hubbles the latest gossip. Especially when the latest gossip included her dating a younger version of himself which she could not explain how he came to be other than a picture that had disappeared with the appearance of the younger Hubbles. Ellie was very confused about it all.

Ellie had an impatient feeling. It was a normal restlessness, it was something pulling her away from the Headmaster. Ellie tried to get the thought out of her mind, but for some reason, and for the first time in her life, Ellie wanted nothing to do with Professor Hubbles. This was stemming from a fear that he would somehow be capable of taking Dan away from her. Without him, Ellie wasn't sure how she was going to go on.

Ellie decided to pay better attention to the Headmaster. Perhaps the faster she got whatever he wanted out in the open the faster she could get out of his sight and in the sight of another Dan.

Ellie had indeed seen the papers. She had thought at the time that they were completely over exaggerating. But as the Professor stuttered before her, she began to think that maybe they weren't so far out there. Ellie was still on the Professor's side of things definitely. She felt as thought she still had it in her to defend him against foes such as writers like Kay Caleb, as long as it did not interfere with her own needs, Dan. For now, Ellie felt as thought the Headmaster could stay, and she wanted him too. He was once her only love, and once her best friend, and once her hero.

When the Headmaster finally got what he wanted out, the impatient girl caught his eye and held it. She herself began to stutter as a grin cam over her face. "Mme? You want...m..me?" Ellie couldn't believe what she was hearing. She paced the floor thinking. "No, Its not that I don't want to, but...really, you trust me the most?" Ellie couldn't believe her ears. Everything she had been thinking about the Headmaster, all the bad thoughts vanished as she looked at him again. His blue eyes shone like they once did as Ellie fell to the darkness fighting a certain dragon. She was brought back again. Hope was restored again.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

Hesitation was not something Dan coped well with, not in his current state, the mere fact that Ellie could not answer his question straight almost shattered his trust in his favourite pupil there and then.

“Y-yeah.” Dan stuttered slightly surprised by Ellie’s reaction, his confidence still slightly shaken from everything that had been going on in his life recently. “Course I trust you Ellie, I trust you more then most people in this god forsaken place.” Dan’s hand had automatically closed around the cold metal of the badge as his other hand ran through his hair already messed up hair, causing it to stick out and even more odd angles. The stress of everything recently had really been getting to him; gray hairs had been appearing in both his hair and stubbly beard. What Dan needed was a group of people around him that he could trust and could rely on to stick by him when the going gets tough, which admittedly it had done that a long time ago.

His hand fell from the top of his head and hung limply once more by his side, he truly had no idea what he was going to say to Ellie and so he continued to walk along the corridor, his head hung low as he just watched the gaps in the floor pass by slowly. The confidence that used to radiate from the old Dan Hubbles seemed to have vanished, it switched off as quickly as a muggle light bulb and today just seemed to be one of those day’s where the switch was firmly in the off position. With a small cough to clear his throat Dan slowly raised his head and looked over at the Hufflepuff, coming to a stop in the middle of the corridor.

“Will you take it then Ellie?” Dan’s hand unravelled again to show the glimmering head girl badge once more. “It would make me very happy if you were to accept, I can not imagine anyone else wearing it.”

Still Dan’s rambling was sounding like a terrible marriage proposal, it would be one of those situations where he would bend down on one knee only to fall over in the process or kneel in a puddle. The only think he could hope for was that the girl that he had so much trust in would do him proud and accept his strange proposal.

[Ellie Rook]

Ellie was flattered at the offer. She knew that Professor Hubbles relied on her as a student and as a friend, but she had a feeling in her head that something was not right. Ellie was sure it was her and not the Professor that was causing this feeling. Ellie thought over the offer. It was everything Ellie could have ever dreamed of. Being Head Girl could open any door she wanted. Not to mention Ellie knew very well that the up and coming year was going to be a hard one of the Professor. Ellie wasn't sure what the ministry had cooked up, but she was sure something was going to go down.

Ellie looked up at the Professor. For a second she could see the young quidditch star that she loved so much, that she waited for everyday, that she would do anything for; but within seconds before her eyes, the young man faded into the disheveled and stressed Professor before her.

They said nothing for a long time and they had cleared another corridor. Ellie knew the answer she was going to give, and she knew she didn't really have to think about it that long, but something was holding her answer back. Finally, the Professor asked her again. Ellie looked up at him, and flattered. His words touched her. She smiled, and saw that he was telling the complete truth. "Of course Professor. I'll take it."