A Return To Ye Ole England

[mindlessmoreyjules]

Across the pond. The humorous phrase echoed through Morey's mind as he sat near the hearth, flames breathing warmth against his hunched back. The phrases these muggles put to use! Across the pond. Yes, that is quite entertaining...indeed. A smile inched across his lips, before a mug of hot butterbeer was lifted to dispense relaxed enjoyment. How an ocean could be compared to a pond was a matter of immense curiosity to the learned man. Planes flights proved to be rather bumpy, though it didn't phase his spirits. The woman who sat in his row seemed put off by his manner of furtive inquiry, which was done as cleverly as possible to disguise the fact that he was a wizard.

What a flight. Morey's blue-gray eyes disappeared beneath a veil of eyelids. But it is good to be home...after all those years abroad. Home. As the thought came to its conclusion, Morey's eyes flashed open to scan observantly over the interior of the pub. It hadn't changed, but there was an air of evolution about the place. If the walls could talk! The reports they would give.

Nostalgia had lured Jules back to the pub he had frequented so often in his early adulthood years. Creaking. Leaking. Pungent with crusty aromas of refreshments, age, and people. There were those in the Wizarding world who looked down their noses upon such establishments as the Leaky Cauldron. After all, it was hardly a glamorous environment, cushioned with wealth and lazy comforts. It was a sanctuary for the hard working folk, something that the professor could relate to. Besides, there was no need for arrogance here.

Just as he was about to take another sip of his delicious potent beverage, an article caught his attention. Squinting his eyes, he leaned toward a frazzled looking hag who had a newspaper propped gracelessly on her lap. It was about Hogwarts, the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She seemed to notice his curious stare, for she gave a flick of the paper.

"Wouldn't want to be there. The situation is out of control." She sniffed. Her voice lacked luster, as if it were the most casual statement to make about a school.

"...pardon me, Madame. But...what situation do you speak of?" Morey tipped his head to the side, looking more perplexed. Perhaps alarmed. After all, he had returned to England to take up position as the new Divinations Professor.

"The Deva." She glanced at him momentarily. "They took over the school. Naught good to come of it, either. No." Shaking her head, the hag resumed her reading. In sense, the conversation was abruptly closed.

Yet Morey couldn't be satisfied, leaving it at that. "The Deva? Whom? I fail to understand. You see..." A nervous smile twitched on his face as he straightened on the wooden chair. "...I have returned from the Americas, just this evening. I am going to be a professor at Hogwarts start of next term."

"Really." Amusement sparkled in her crow-leg eyes. "Not sure how you'll accomplish that one, deary. Best of luck, o course. But no one is allowed in nor out of the castle."

Morey sank back into his chair, huddling over the mug. What was this all about, he wondered? What in Merlin's beard had happened since he was away?

[viola]

Annemarie was ever so unpleased with the fact that her delays had kept her from Hogwarts. The original plan was to make it to Hogwarts the day the students would have returned, but that was surely stomped out by lose ends that she had to tie up back at her old school. St. Catharine’s was a very nice place for a muggle teacher, but Annemarie wanted more for herself. She wanted to lead those who were more like her…more like Charity Burbage.

Starting at Hogwarts, even with the delays, however, would have only put her a day behind. She would have easily been able to make it on the fourteenth, if not the fifteenth, but then something Annemarie couldn’t believe happened. Someone had taken over the school? How incredibly terrifying! And the worst part was that, Annemarie never kept up on the news too often, so until her travel opportunities to Hogwarts had been cancelled she hadn’t known a thing about what in the world was going on.

Deva? Where they old people from the wars before? Annemarie didn’t get it, though in the past she wouldn’t have any ways. Always striving to accomplish her goals no matter what, not even paying attention to anything else. That’s how she had lived her life in Hogwarts as a student, and even now as a teacher. It was like she had missed the first and second wars completely, like they never even happened. But for someone who was muggle born, and Roman Catholic, does it really surprise anyone?

Now, as she couldn’t get to Hogwarts, she needed a place to stay. In London, it was only common for a witch to stay at the Leaky Cauldron and Annemarie wanted to get back in touch with that part of her life she had put on the back burner for a while. God had given her such a gift, to embody such powers, and she was not about to waste it. She would treasure them for the rest of her life, and with them, help guide those like her. It was her goal, and purpose in life. The only reason she existed. Or, for the moment the only one she could think of any ways.

Walking down the stairs from the rooms in the Leaky Cauldron, she gazed around and began to walk through the crowds to get herself a cup of butterbeer and sat down just a few seats away from a conversation she couldn’t help but over hear. It seems she wouldn’t be the only person hired to attend a job as a professor on the Hogwarts campus. How exciting! Though, the man was older, Annemarie studied him, all the time wondering what he taught.

Moving a couple seats closer, Annemarie smiled at the older man and tried to contain her excitement. “Excuse me…I’m sorry,” she politely cooed. “But I couldn’t help over hear that you too, are going to attend Hogwarts at the beginning of this term as a new professor?” she questioned her statement as though she had misheard the man. “Because, as a matter of fact, I am as well, and was wondering what you’d be teaching?” Yes, it was all business when it came to Annemarie. As worried about the school as she was, she remembered quite well that when she had attended the school, they had pulled themselves out of some sticky situations. Hogwarts usually prevailed, and when in that time they did…didn’t the professors have to be ready to enlighten and comfort the young?

[mindlessmoreyjules]

Contemplative reverie had consumed his thoughts, to the point where his surroundings became an indiscernible blur. The school...over thrown? It seemed impossible. And yet...Memories surged forward from a period of life that Morey disliked thinking about more then anything else. A thirteen year old boy, wandering the halls of Hogwarts . Dread was etched into every nerve, for it was the era of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Professors then had discussed the possibility of the school being overthrown. He recalled the conversation which he stumbled upon accidentally. Such fear. Such horror. And then, the owl from his mother regarding father....

Professor Jules gave a visible shudder. It was then, that a voice interrupted the barrage of musty memories. Looking up, his somber eyes anchored on the face of a young woman. Several awkward moments passed before her words registered with meaning into his brain.

"...Ah. Ah! Yes, yes, I am indeed going to fulfill the position as Professor at Hogwarts." He frowned a bit. "I really ought to be there now. I mean, I my application was accepted but as you have possibly heard, noted, the school itself is closed off. Most curious...most curious indeed..." The words trickled off, as though Morey had forgotten he was speaking.

Then, suddenly, "It reminds me of the first war, you know. After You-Know-Who was killed, I had assumed this ridiculous business would be over. Yet here we are, barred from our positions due to intolerance and hate." Morey shook his head, a frown still playing on his lips. Abruptly, it dawned on him that the woman had asked him a question. His mind had an incurable habit of running in circles.

With a nervous chuckle, and a smile, Professor Jules returned his gaze to her face. "I do apologize for rambling. This whole affair has me somewhat worked up. I am the new Divinations Professor...er...Professor Morey Jules, at your service." His mood brightened considerably, as if the change of topic had erased their current dilemma. "Now, you mentioned you will also be teaching a class? How intriguing, that we encounter one another here! Do tell me what you will be teaching."

With a kind smile twinkling in his eyes, Morey leaned forward with eager anticipation. Unfortunately, he was unaware of how his babbling could overwhelm strangers. Unlike most people, he had a habit of assuming everyone to be a friend, even if they had never met before. The old hag glanced toward them for a moment, finding their conversation to be momentarily interesting. However, she discreetly hid behind her copy of the Daily Prophet, as opposed to bluntly watching the two strangers.

[viola]

Listening to the man, Annemarie felt as though she was as behind as the times as ever. Though she knew of you-know-who and the death eaters, she didn’t really know much after that. There were suspicions that something had happened concerning Professor Burbage when she had gone missing, but with Annemarie separated from the wizarding world after her years at Hogwarts she didn’t hear anymore about it.

But she respectfully listened and nodded her head in agreement. It was something horrible to hear, and she agreed with the man; being a new professor, she should have also been there. At least for the students.

“Oh, worry not about rambling. I do it myself, depending on the situation,” Annemarie reassured him with a warm smile. She continued to listen as he introduced himself as Morey Jules, and the new Divinations professor. That made sense. The Divination professors always did seem a bit spacey, but that was what had made them fun as well.

Sticking out her hand politely, Annemarie nodded. “Miss….er, rather Professor Annemarie Viola Van Aller. I’ll be teaching the studies the Muggle Studies courses…should be interesting indeed!” She exclaimed trying not to be too wound up about it herself.

“It is rather interesting we have come to meet like this. What delayed your arrival to the school? I before this, was teaching at St. Catharine’s School for girls. Had to tie up a few loose ends that took longer than I expected. What is your story….er, if you don’t mind my asking, Sir?”

The man was older than her from what she could tell just by looking at him and just in that, respect was needed to be given. Annemarie, in her excitement, almost forgot that this person was someone she had just met. She only hoped though, that the professor’s at the school were just as kind as this man seemed. With a smile on her face, she became more comfortable in her seat, and took a sip of her butterbeer.

[mindlessmoreyjules]

To describe Morey Jules as friendly was an understatement. His ability to warm up to just about anyone was incredibly potent. Luckily for him, Annemarie was willing to accept his friendliness as an open venture for conversation. Her response was encouraging.

"Ah. Professor Annemarie Viola Van Aller." Straightening on the wooden chair, he graciously accepted her hand with a firm but amiable shake. "I cannot say I have heard your name before, but that is possibly due to the fact that I have been away in the States. Teaching and..." He gave a wave of his hand. "Studying abroad, you might say. I have been departed from England for four years." He paused. "Perhaps five."

As he contemplated perplexedly over these facts, something began to move within his patchwork jacket. Morey, however, didn't seem to notice. Lifting a hand, he peered intensely at his fingers as if they would reveal the answer to his question. How foolish and embarrassing, that I cannot even remember how many years I have been away! Feels like an eternity...

While his thoughts struggled to discern facts, a furry masked face popped out of the interior of his jacket, its dark nose tilted in the air. Slowly, the ferret's lanky body bridged itself toward the table, where he dipped his nose into Morey's forgotten mug of butterbeer.

With a slight start, the Professor realized what his pet was doing. "Wednesday, old boy! That is hardly polite manners, especially in the presence of a lady." He grasped the rodent and pulled him fully out into the open. Instead of being angry, the he simply looked amused. The ferrets eyes stared lethargically up at it's master, as its body rested limply within Morey's scholarly hands.

"You know better then to drink out of my cup at the table." He sighed, and shifted his gaze back to Annemarie. "I apologize for Wednesday's crude behavior. I quite forgot he was in my pocket...had to hide him there on the plane. The thing is, he sleeps so frequently that I forget he is with me."

Gently, the white and gray weasel was lowered onto his lap, where it curled up.

"Where were we." Thoughtfulness floated over his features. "Ah! You are the Professor of Muggle Studies! I have always found muggles to be terribly fascinating in habit and behavior. Did you know they refer to a flight over the ocean from the Americas as being a "trip across the pond"? Does that have significant, profound meaning?"

The intellectual within Morey blossomed to the surface. How fortunate that his companion was an expert on muggles! Many wizards those days tended to find muggle studies to be a waste of time. An unfortunate perception, for although muggles lived differently, they contained vast diversity within their society.

[viola]

Ah. Professor Annemarie Viola Van Aller, I cannot say I have heard your name before, but that is possibly due to the fact that I have been away in the States. Teaching and…studying abroad, you might say. I have been departed from England for four years, Perhaps five…

America? How wonderful for him! Annemarie had left right from school, into school; to go back teaching at school and really hadn’t traveled the world any. It’s something she would have loved to do, but at the same time would have delayed her ultimate goal, which wasn’t an idea she thought sounded good at all. She was put on that world for a purpose, and she wasn’t about to defy God’s plan for her in one bit. Even if that meant putting off things that she would have enjoyed doing.

“That sounds so wonderful! Traveling to the Americas and studying. I’m sure it was facinati…” Annemarie would have continued but then the strangest thing had caught her eye. Strange, yet, very interesting. Another quality about this man that was different than anyone Annemarie had ever met. Who carried around a rat in their pocket after all?

Annemarie watched as what she perceived to be a funny looking rat crossed the table, only to stick his nose in the glass of butterbeer that Morey was drinking. Annemarie’s head tilted involuntarily and her mouth dropped a little in shock. It was then that the Morey realized what the rat was doing.

Wednesday, old boy! That is hardly polite manners, especially in the presence of a lady.

Wednesday? Annemarie puzzled a bit, thought over what she had just heard. She was almost positive that the day was in fact Friday. Unless of course she was mistaken, but she was pretty sure she was not. But then that could only mean that the rat was actually named? It would make more sense Annemarie figured if the man named the rat, and why Morey would be carrying it around in his pocket. But who kept rats as pets? That was peculiar indeed.

You know better then to drink out of my cup at the table.

Now Annemarie was sure her assumptions about the man keeping the rat as a pet was confirmed. How else would a rat know better, unless of course they were taught manners. Manners of which, Annemarie wasn’t sure that this rat wanted to follow. Annemarie tried to stifle a small giggle as Morey started to apologize to her for his rat.

I apologize for Wednesday's crude behavior. I quite forgot he was in my pocket...had to hide him there on the plane. The thing is, he sleeps so frequently that I forget he is with me.

“Oh, so he is your pet then? He’s funny, a bit larger than most of the rats I’ve seen before.” Annemarie inquired not really knowing or realizing that in fact Morey’s pet of choice was not a rat, but actually a ferret. She smiled warmly at the man, with no inclination of insult or worry that she may have just insulted either the man or Wednesday himself.

As Morey began to speak of Muggle Studies and how fascinating Muggles really were, Annemarie proudly sat a bit taller in her chair. Her smile bright she nodded her head. “Yes, I agree. Both sides of this Holy world we live in are very special and fascinating, indeed. When it comes to the saying, I have in fact heard it. And though I don’t know exactly what it means, I’m almost sure it is a metaphor they use to say that to compare the ocean with a pond is to say that they have just as little trouble crossing it. Especially, in a plane I imagine. I’ve never been on one myself…” Annemarie nodded, pretty satisfied with her explanation of what the meaning to his question could have been. It was one out of many about muggles she was sure to get, and hopefully have the pleasure of answering.

[mindlessmoreyjules]

Thank Merlin she isn't insulted by Wednesday's rude behavior. The ferret's actions had proven to be obnoxious, though Morey didn't have the heart to actually punish the old creature. They had been together since Wednesday was less then a year old. Even then, he had never raised a hand to strike the imprudent beast. Quite obviously, Wednesday didn't have a strong sense of what was right or wrong, despite Morey's efforts to lecture.

At her comment about the pet being a rat, Morey had to correct her. "Actually, my dear, Wednesday is a ferret. I do believe they are in relation to rats. He seems to have characteristics of such pesky rodents." Although he was scolding the creature, there was a hint of affection to his tone. "Please do bother yourself about him."

Once the momentary distraction was gone, he fixed his lively blue eye on Annemarie's face.

What an attractive young woman I have for a co-worker. And so dedicated to her work. A smile warmed upon his lips, as he sat with curious intent to her explanations. The United States became a vague as a dream, as England came to the forefront of his mind. It was certainly good to be home...no longer a foreigner.

"Ah. A very clever mentality to have toward the ocean." He nodded, as his gave drifted past Annemarie and toward the bar on the other side of the room. There was something else about what she had mentioned that struck a chord of inquiry. Holy? Morey supposed that, to some degree, the world could be perceived as...holy, but that was a very peculiar descriptive term to apply during conversation.

Forgetting that Wednesday had drank from the mug, Morey took an absentminded drink of butterbeer. It didn't seem the opportune time to explore on her thoughts of holiness. Instead, the professor chose to stick with the current topic. "Humans do tend to speak in metaphors. It certainly makes communication easier." He smiled while taking another drink.

"May I inquire, Professor Van Aller, as to why you have such an intrigue in Muggle Studies?" His head tipped slightly to the right. Muggle Studies had a dark background. Many wizards found it to be an insult to the very nature of their hidden society. Morey lacked the arrogance to have that sort of value. Nonetheless, he knew that muggles were frowned upon. Even hated, to some degree. He couldn't help but wonder if that had caused Annemarie difficult challenges in her work.

[viola]

"Ah a ferret! That would account for his size then, I suppose. I thought he was a bit bigger than most rats," Annemarie giggled a bit embarrassed at her lack of knowledge about animals. It was probably a good thing she was not anything that had to deal with the education or just plain working with animals. Annemarie figured she wouldn't do anywhere near a good job, especially if she couldn't even distinguish a ferret from a rat. Ah, well, she thought to herself.

Annemarie nodded and smiled as well at Morey thinking that he was smiling about the metaphors in every day life. Muggles loved them, and the magical beings of the world seemed no different. It must have been a communication technique like Mr. Jules was saying, Annemarie thought to herself and then as she was about to speak yet again she watch as Morey picked up his glass and drank from it.

Annemarie wasn't sure what to think about this, especially since his pet had just drank from it. She hadn't caught him doing it the first time, so Annemarie just smiled and tried to think nothing of it. She had never had a pet before, so maybe it was just some kind of connection the two shared. It seemed to make sense to her, both beings of God's, a connection seemed possible. Even when it came to drinking from the same glass? She refrained from commenting.

May I inquire, Professor Van Aller, as to why you have such an intrigue in Muggle Studies?

"Ah," Annemarie said toward his question. Such a long story that was, but how to start? "It's actually quite a long story, you see it begins with the fact that I am muggle born. Not ashamed of it, and frankly if I wasn't I doubt I'd be half the person you see in front of you. My parents, well, my whole family are very against the idea that magic could exist. Our religion has taught us that....well, let's just say magic doesn't exist in my family. The only reason why I was even allowed to continue with my studies when I was younger at Hogwarts because of a family friend, Charity Burbage. She was the Muggle Studies professor at the time I went to Hogwarts, and being a family friend, got my father and mother to allow me to go to the school as long as I never spoke of it. After Hogwarts, I went to school for teaching, taught at St. Cathrine's School for Girls and then decided that I wanted to teach children more like myself. Muggle borns looking for their way in the world through magic and religion. Well, that is if they have a religion, but more living with the gift that had been bestowed upon them without even their families knowledge." Annemarie took a drink from her butterbeer that she had, noticing how much she had spoken and letting everything said sink in a bit before continuing.

"I found my path open up for me when the position at Hogwarts did. Charity was not only a friend but a model for me in life. I want to enlighten and inspire the young..." she paused for his response and smiled.

Swishing back her hair from her shoulders, her eyes studying the peculiar man. The students would have fun with his character, she thought and smiled yet again. That's what the students needed, especially after what was going on at Hogwarts, would be a learning environment that was fun and entertaining. And one of encouragement...Annemarie could already feel that as new professors they would need to be ones that encouraged the students and became their role models. She only hoped that they were not too late.