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"He needs this brother.’ |
"Will he be alright?’ |
"He will. He loves Lady H and will do his job to perfection.’ She released her hold on him and continued to watch Anthony vent his frustration. |
"You never once lied to us and told us that we could become whatever we wanted to be in the magical world. You didn’t even bother to teach us properly. And for that I am grateful. Because of you! I have seven masteries. Because of you Professor Snape, I have become the wizard I should have been in the first damn place!... |
"Mr. Bargrove if you have issue with me..." Minerva started. |
Anthony waved it away. "I did for a long time. I hated you for a long time. A long time. But now...now my wife said she wants to see the palace someday. I’ve avoided my homeland for a long time because of you. I came here to put those demons to rest. My family despised me the moment that damned letter came to my house.... |
Carmen quickly vanished the blood. |
Albus patted Minerva’s hand as a tear rolled down her cheek. |
A gong sounded in the distance. An acceptance of a blood oath. |
"Anthony. Take the ladies and blow off some steam." Carmen ordered. |
Tony nodded put on his cloak and mounted his bike. "Ladies. Saw some great hills here. How about we disturb the neighbours?" |
"Gotcha boss." Niki said as she put on her helmet, revved her engine and tore through the great hall. |
Carmen put a hand on his arm. "You O.K.?" She asked in concern. |
He nodded his head. "I feel like a weight has been lifted. My wife was right. I needed to do this. To lay my demons to rest. I will forgive her in time, but I will never forget. All the years that I wasted being at the top of my class, only to find out that my marks meant nothing." He shook his head. "I’ll be fine boss... |
Carmen just sighed as the three of them left. She knew this would be hard for him, but he was the best at what he did. |
"Miss LaVaunt. Should I be expecting anymore surprises at my school? The children need to finish eating." Albus asked. |
"I’m rather curious how he even gained that many masteries at such a young age." Professor Sinistra thought out loud. |
Carmen shrugged. "The same way I did. Time control." |
"I beg your pardon?" Sinistra asked. |
"There are several schools around the world, that operate under a time dome. No matter how much time passes for you on the inside, only a week passes on the outside. I was under one for six years. He studied in one of the largest ones located in the Australian outback. I studied in China." |
She called for the Head Elf. "Pappy." |
"Yes Mistress Carmen?" |
"Are their rooms ready?" |
Pappy gave her a look that made Carmen step back. "Of course they’s be ready. Me be head elf Mistress Carmen. Is be a good elf! Silly humans." He popped away. |
Albus decided to take control of the situation as Carmen massaged her temples. |
"All students. Please continue your meal. The train leaves at 10:00 sharp." |
Excited whispers broke out among the students as they resumed eating. |
"Miss LaVaunt. May I have a word with you?" Albus asked. |
She gave a small nod. "Of course Headmaster, but first I would like to speak to Professor Snape in private. It’s important." She gave him a pointed look as she stepped outside the teachers entrance. |
Once she had stopped a bit away down the hall, she threw a parseltongue secrecy ward up. |
"It’s done. The boy will be safe. I suggest you tell him before he boards the train. I would hate to see him take his own life. He’s just a boy brought up in a bad situation. His mother checks out. She tried to stop it when she could, but the father in turn would just beat her. I’ve set up an account in the boy’s name ... |
Severus raised a brow. "What happened to Mr. Adders father." Severus snorted at Carmen’s attempt to look innocent. |
Carmen fanned herself. "Clumsy ole thing. Just kept falling down the steps over and over. The aurors are at a loss for what to do." She blinked rapidly while continuing to fan herself while looking innocent. |
"And Mr. Decker’s father?" Severus raised the other brow. Despite how much she irritated him, he had to admit he was impressed. |
"Poor thing. Went swimming in Australia and was eaten by a shark. Such a tragedy really." Carmen took to looking at her nails with fake interest. |
Severus opened and closed his mouth for a full minute before he composed himself. "I..." He cleared his throat. "Thank you." |
Carmen smiled sweetly at him before she lowered the shield. "For what?" She turned and left. |
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"You wished to see me Headmaster?" Carmen said as she stepped into his office. He was not alone. Professor McGonagall was with him. She nodded her head in respect towards the older witch. "Professor McGonagall." |
"Miss LaVaunt." She gave the same nod in return. |
"Would you please be seated Miss LaVaunt?" Albus asked. |
Carmen just looked at him and then to Minerva who was standing by a book case. |
"How remiss of me." He conjured another chair next Carmen, and watched as Carmen waited until Minerva was seated before she took hers. |
"I wanted to discuss what was said in the Great Hall." Albus started. |
Carmen held up a hand. "If you are going to tell me that it was inappropriate then I agree with you. I will be having words with my second in command for letting his emotions get in the way. We are here to do a job, not to air our grievances in such a public way. Especially in front of children. I assure you that he wi... |
"It would seem that you share some of his views." Albus stated. |
Carmen looked to McGonagall. "I did not live his life. I only know what I do about mundane borns from him and current students. We have shared many battles together. And while he is employed by me, he’s his own man. I would die for him as he would me, but we keep our secrets. Even from each other sometimes." |
Carmen dug into her deceptively small pockets and pulled out a can of diet coke. After chilling it and taking a swig she continued. "As to agreeing to his views... absolutely. You may not dislike those not raised in the magical world, but you don’t help them either. Take Hermione. She is sixteen years old. Why was this... |
"The parents usually..." Minerva stopped herself, because she could see the point that was being made. |
"You have an internal floo network, why not hold a class on the weekend to teach them how to do it gracefully so that they don’t fall on their face? Or how about using another weekend to show them how side along apparition feels. At my school wizarding AND non magical traditions, laws and etiquette are mandatory. And i... |
"How so Miss LaVaunt?" Albus asked curiously. |
"Ok. Take Ron Weasley. Picture him in Birmingham alone with no wand. He has no muggle money and can’t apparate due to an injury. How does he get home? We are taught both magical and non magical transportation in case of emergency. Next scenario. Say Susan Bones grows up, gets married, and has a couple of kids. One of h... |
Albus and Minerva wore pensive expressions on their faces |
"I see." Albus gave a nod in her direction. "I would appreciate that in the future you would curtail your guest’s more...flamboyant exploits." |
"I will absolutely do the best that I can. About the same amount of restraint that you have put on Severus all of these years." Carmen stood. "Will there be anything else Headmaster? I have a meeting to attend." |
"You may go my dear girl." Albus sighed. He knew that this round was up in the air. |
"Well thank you my dear boy for your hospitality." She turned to Minerva and gave a nod of her head. "Good evening to you professor." Before she could make her way out of the door, she was called out by Professor McGonagall. |
"May I walk with you Miss LaVaunt?" |
"Of course professor. It’s a lonely stroll back to my quarters." |
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"You are not fond of me are you." Minerva asked as she walked with Carmen towards the guest quarters. |
Carmen forced herself not to side eye the other woman. She knew that this woman’s blind eye towards Albus was more conditioning by his public image and their longstanding friendship than anything else. Well that and she was doing too much. |
"Do you care?" Carmen asked as she continued walking. |
"No. Not really." Minerva sighed. "I may not care about what you think, but the students are my life. I care deeply for them." |
"You have a funny way of showing it." |
"What do you mean?" |
"I have seen your version of caring through the eyes of Harry. What happened with his scumbag relatives is not your fault. You could’ve done more, but that is another issue. Harry’s first year you gave him Hermione, Neville, and Draco detention for being out after curfew. |
"Yes. They broke the school rules." |
"And I agree they should have been punished. What punishment did you give Hagrid? Did you write to Molly Weasley telling her that her second oldest was an idiot?" |
"He’s a member of the staff. Why should he be punished? What does Charles Weasley have to do with anything?" |
Carmen shook her head. "Just as I thought. You didn’t bother to ask. The kids minus Malfoy found out that Hagrid was hatching a dragon egg in his house. His very wooden house." |
Carmen nodded. "It gets better. Ronald Weasley decides to contact his brother. As you know he works with dragons. A grown ass man told two first years to meet him at the astronomy tower at midnight. He and some other handlers came on brooms to pick up the dragon. Or did you not wonder how Ron received an infected drago... |
"Yup. Sure did. Neville went to warn them that Draco was trying to get them in trouble and that’s how they were caught." |
Minerva pursed her lips. "I will be having words with Hagrid and Charles Weasley." |
Carmen shrugged. "That’s on you. My next question. Why on earth would you send four first years into the forbidden forest at night with a man who is not allowed to use magic?" |
"I did no such thing!" |
"Well someone did. That was their punishment for being out after curfew. They had detention after curfew. In the forbidden forest. A forest filled with all sorts of dangerous creatures and as it turned out a wraith of Voldemort who was drinking unicorn blood." |
Minerva put her hand to her mouth in shock. "I...I didn’t know. You have to believe me. I love the children. I would never put them in harms way on purpose. |
Carmen shrugged. "Then we shall see what we need to see. I believe you about the kids. No one would remain a teacher as long as you have if you didn’t. I also appreciate that you’re not as biased against other houses the way Severus is." |
"What do you mean not as biased as Severus?" |
"Ok an example. On average, if a Gryffindor gets a spell right on the first try before anyone else in the class, you usually give five points. However. If a Slytherin does the same you usually only give two points. Why I said not as biased as Severus, is because he will take a perfectly made potion from a Gryffindor, d... |
"And how do you know what points I give in my classroom?" Minerva bristled. She was always considered the fairer of the teachers. |
"Points and the reasons for why they were given or taken are publicly available for the staff and students. Including me. Another example. The Weasley Twins are notorious rule breakers." |
Minerva snorted. That was a bloody understatement. |
Carmen smiled. She did love those boys. "Yes. At one point in their fifth year they were caught out by you an hour after curfew. This was their fourth missed curfew in a month. They received a five point deduction. Not from each of them. Five points combined and one night of detention. Fast forward to the next night wh... |
Minerva was internally wincing at her blatant bias. |
"Anyway. You are a great witch, and I would love to stand side by side in battle with you someday. But he’s my little brother and you’ve made mistakes in his care. He has chosen to forgive you because he sees what I see. You are overworked and you put your blind faith in the wrong person. Albus is a smart and powerful ... |
"What?" Minerva’s voice was dangerous. |
"Yup. Could’ve used his ministry standing as his magical guardian to take him out of the competition within forty eight hours. In the end he made the choice to not only let him compete to route out the conspirator, he chose not to help him although he knew that the other Headmaster’s were helping their students." |
Carmen stopped abruptly and cocked her head to the side for two reasons. One. Her team was pulling up. She pressed into their minds to shrink the motorbikes which they acknowledged. |
Two. Every single staff member, except for Hagrid, and she made a note to ask why he wasn’t around was heading to the staff lounge. She looked at Minerva. "Is there a staff meeting I was not aware of?" |
Minerva raised a brow. "You have repeatedly said you were not a member of the staff." |
"I meant I wasn’t a teacher. I would like to know when there are large gatherings of staff and students outside of meals. It makes security easier. My mistake. I should have been more clear. Hey Pappy." |
"Yes Mistress Carmen." |
"Would you be so kind as to show our guests to their rooms. Apparently there is a staff meeting that..." |
Pappy tossed up is spindly little arms in elf frustration. He started to tap his little foot ticking things off on his fingers. "Mistress’ guests have been escorted to quarters. Mistress’ guest’s luggage has been put aways. Mistress’ guests have ordered a light dinner for yous meeting and elves’ be bringin. We’s be kno... |
Minerva just looked on in shock at the elf’s behaviour for a moment before she pulled Carmen back in front of her. |
"Do apologize Miss LaVaunt." She murmured. |
"I’m sorry Pappy for underestimating you again. I’m new to elves from this neck of the woods. I don’t mean to keep offending you. I really am sorry." And she was. She cherished all the Hogwarts elves and... "Wait did you call her Mistress Pinky Frog?" |
The elf shrugged. "Students bes callin her Umbitch, but Pappy thought that was rude. Go. Meetins be starting." |
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