Anger and Curiosity in the Yuletide (Devin)

[Gail Lawrence]

Gail tapped her foot as she sat in the corner of the Ravenclaw common room. Most students had left for the Winter Hols, and the fire crackling in the hearth was the only sound in the room. Wind blew through a cracked window, and an open book shuffled pages. Gail leaned forward in frustration. She could not believe that only a year ago, she had left home. It had seemed so necessary at the time.

And then had come the events of the past summer. She had been aghast at the fact her parents, so lively the last she saw them, were dead. The fact that their last words had been in anger was devastating. However, after that had come the realization of who lay at fault for their deaths: her own grandmother.

It made her so angry. The fire sputtered a second, and wind blew back through the window. The Ministry and the Aurors, so caught on her grandmother’s respected status, had not seen the truth of the events. If authority had been the enemy before, she was downright paranoid about it now.

And so Autumn Term progressed. Gail was silent most of the time, and angry when she spoke. The grudge grew. Spells were learned, and the power expended when she cast increased, as her control waned. Raynor, one of the few authorities she still trusted, was gone. And the future seemed ever more mysterious. She was the wrong disposition for a Healer, something she had long known, and she could not stand to be an Auror, something she had often considered.

Without a word, she came to a decision. She put out the fire with more force than was needed, blowing the ashes against the flue and across the floor. Then she left the common room and headed up to Brady’s office. He was highly recommended by Raynor, and from what other students said of him, the Ravenclaw had been impressed. Far more than she had been with Bloxam, who had almost turned her off Transfiguration, her best subject.

Her hands were shaking mildly as she reached out to knock on the office door. The knocks were sharp and loud. They commanded attention, and she knew Brady heard them. No one was around this late in the year, and she felt safe drawing attention to her presence, not fearing someone else would see.

The hinges creaked, heralding the opening of the door, and Gail was roused from her thoughts.

[Devin Brady]

((Ok, only thing is Devin isn't teaching till afer the winter break. He only came earlier for the added protection.))

Devin slowly paced his lightly lit office, troubled thoughts filling his mind. What the Minister was thinking removing Raynor and Defense, was way beyond Devin. It was as if the Minister was specifically picking at Raynor, and it wouldn't suprise, the pacing man at all. He moved to the window looking at the light snow covered grounds. They were truly moronic to think that everything would be alright. They had taken two commodities from the students. A good teacher, leader, and protection, and the only way they would truly learn how to defend themselves.

He pulled out his wand and waved it lightly, increasing the size of the fire. The office warmed slightly, having an almost immediate effect. He slowly moved to his desk picking up the paper and looking over the cover. There she was being removed from the Ministers office where she had tried to kill the man. Moving it to the side, he spotted another paper, the one that had critizied Hogwarts for hiring him, and underneath that the article on him being fired. It seemed the Ministry was only out to crush the people, it was almost giving free passes to the Deva, as it slowly attacked them. Didn't they know that, they should be fighting together... fighting on the same side?

Out of nowhere a cool chill came over Devin, someone was on the way to his office. He knew from the wards that he had set up only days before. Now everytime someone was on their way he would know. Other wards had also been placed, but that was unimportant. Looking over at the Foe Glass he noticed a figure he didn't know, this was no threat. He then heard the noised outside in the hall, in front of his door. Quickly making his way, cloak billowing behind him he opened the door. "Yes... can I help you?" he said in a calm kind voice, but his eyes stayed very aware. Why was a student coming to his office, he hardly knew a handfull. Of course some had introduced themselves, but he wouldn't guess that anyone would come to see him. Unless it was something important.

[Gail Lawrence]

((Sorry bout that...thanks for the heads-up))

Gail could see the curiosity colouring Brady's face. Despite the lack of lessons, she had not taken the time to introduce herself to the new Transfiguration teacher. Considering her propensity for working ahead in the subject, perhaps that would have been a good idea.

Her mind was still working quickly, so much that her intention to speak first when he opened the door was impractical, at best. He asked the question calmly, but he seemed wary of her.

His wariness matched hers, but the distinct interruption in her thoughts helped slow her mind. Gail took a deep breath and said, "Hello, Professor. Can I speak with you?" She paused. "Inside?" Her voice was pitched a bit higher than normal, but she kept her tone even and her pace slow. It was a sad thought to have about a professor, but if her trust was misplaced, she would have to show a strong front.

[Devin Brady]

There was a bit of suprise on Devin's face when she asked if they could speak inside. He obliged curious to find out, why she had come here. In fact he was so curious all the previous stress had temporarily flown out the window. "Yes, please please come in," he said gesturing with his hand, and letting her pass. He moved to his behind his desk. "Why don't you sit down and you can let me in on the reason you've come here." He himself sat down likewise, he silently moved the papers off the desk to one of the many draws, then looked up again.

"Lets start with an introduction. You obviously know who I am, Professor Brady. And you are?" he said pausing for an answer. He drew his wand silently causing a pot of tea and some cups to appear. "Well can I offer you something to drink? Tea? Pumpkin Juice? Butterbeer?" It was of course always in the best manners to offer drinks to a guest. Every host should know, but every pure-blood definitly knew."

Looking around the room he innerly smiled, but his face didn't show it. It wasn't because he showed no emotion but it would be rather rude in front of the distraught girl. The smile though, he couldn't help... this was the first time he had truly helped a student. And what better than helping a student when your dream job was being a teacher?

[Gail Lawrence]

Gail followed the professor into his office. As the he cleared his desk of the parchment and clutter, she quietly closed the door and headed toward one of the chairs. She was still crossing the office when he asked for her name.

The Ravenclaw sat down before she answered, letting the silence extend. "I'm Gail Lawrence," she said. Her hand twitched, and she suppressed the urge to extend it for a shake. The professor might not be all that eager to treat students as equals, whatever his credentials might be.

Her thoughts on that line were mildly relieved by his next question, offering a beverage. She hadn't had tea since she left home. It didn't taste the same if her Mum didn't make it. Gail had never figured out the special ingredient, and her face pulled down to remember that, now, she never would. Even still, she was struck by a line she had always used.

"Tea makes the world feel lighter," she murmured. Would that still hold now that she was gone? Looking up, she gave a response. "Tea, please."

He poured the tea, and Gail added a splash of milk. She stared at it for a moment and took a few sips. Finally, she spoke again. "Professor, I know we haven't talked before, and this is coming a little late, but I'm here about what I'm going to do after I leave Hogwarts in June." Her voice seemed normal again, and come to think of it, the problem did not seem quite as daunting.

Maybe her Mum was right about the tea. Even if it wasn't hers.

[Devin Brady]

He poured the girl some tea and handed her the cup. He would listen and try really to help the best he could, he was only man right? The tea was warm as he poured another cup for himself and allowed it to pass through his lips. He couldn't lie during his time estranged from the Ministry he spent some time in the muggle world living as a muggle, and there was definitly nothing like a real cup of tea. But he couldn't lie he did a pretty good job of conjuring some decent tea. Better than most he had, though Dumbledores tasted better than the real thing.

Tea makes the world feel lighter. That was the phrase he heard her mutter quietly, but not quiet enough for the old auror to miss it. "Thats a good saying Ms. Lawrence. I like it, and its true enough, now isn't it."

She explained and he smiled only slightly. She wanted to ask him about what being an auror was liked. It had been a great job, lots of work though and plenty difficult. You had to be physically fit, there was no doubting that. "Well your looking for career help now are you. Is being an auror what your looking into? Because I can't say I know too much about being a professor, you know I'm new and all. And can't say I've done much other work." The words flew out lightly in a nice but elegant Irish accent. "I hope you do know that being an auror is quite the difficult job. Not that many jobs are easy, but this career is up there with the hardest of the hard. I can say that there is a ton of satisfication that comes from it though, most of the time."

[Gail Lawrence]

Gail’s mouth flitted upward at Brady’s joke, but it did not last. Although Brady had been an Auror until recently, she did not seem to have fully realized it. Thinking about it now, she would have rather gone to Raynor on this, but her indecision had made that option impossible.

She knew it was a difficult job. That was what had drawn her originally. Then she had wanted to make a difference, and she thought being an Auror was a way to do that. Now, though, she had been thoroughly disenchanted with the whole notion. She realized now that being an Auror meant that she would have to follow the dictates of the corrupt Ministry. Not only that, she would be a part of it. None so blind as those who refuse to see.

She had spent years planning to be an Auror, and now that she could no longer stand the idea, she was rebelling and drifting between ideas.

On top of that, Brady did not seem to have any new information for her.

At his last statement, she laughed. “What about the rest of the time? I know the job is hard, Professor, innit. I’d been planning that route for quite some time.” In contrast to Brady, her words were paced and serious. His pleasant accent was countered by her harsh Devon one, marked also by the broad Welsh vowels of her aunt and uncle.

She paused a moment to take a deep breath. “I don’t want to be an Auror. Three years of planning, gone out the window when the Ministry decided that a pureblood lady couldn’t possibly have committed murder. That it wa’n’t worth investigating. I’ve been rebelling all term, and it hasn’t done me any good.

“So now I’m lost, even worse than before.”

She took a sip of her tea and looked at Brady with a hard gaze, expecting an answer that simultaneously fulfilled her hopes and disappointed.