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Post by Curse Kameren on Oct 18, 2010 16:39:45 GMT -5
"Oh, thank Merlin..." Potions Master Curse Kameren breathed a sigh of relief as he came to the top of the stairs of the West Tower, the Hogwarts Owlery. It was empty. and that was just what he needed.
These last few weeks of teaching had been stressful for the new professor, to say the least. With the move from the muggle to wizarding world, his secretly helping out at the Ministry, and starting classes at Hogwarts, Curse was constantly working on something. His clever mind was tired. Though he enjoyed teaching the students of Hogwarts, it was tiring; and though he loved the joy of being a new parent to his son, Max was hardly a soothing addition to his workload. He wouldn't trade any of it, but that wasn't to say the work didn't take its toll on him. It seemed the only place he could find quiet was amongst the birds, high above the busy grounds of the school.
The professor slid down the stone wall, coming to sit on the top stair of the owlery, back against the hollow door opening. He reached into the pocket of his leather muggle jacket, revealing a pack of muggle cigarettes. The ex-auror still hadn't kicked his dirty habit; he figured, if his enemies didn't knock him off the poison surely would, and with all these coming within the next decade, he didn't have much to worry about for the long-term effects of smoking. A bleak view, really, but it excused his conscience from the nagging need to quit.
Curse chuckled to himself as he popped one of the thin white cigarettes into his mouth. "Incendio," he muttered, lighting the end with a small burst of fire from his thumb. He took a breath of the smoke, visibly relaxing as he exhaled. He laughed to himself once more, his emerald eyes rolling skyward to watch the owls go by. "So this is what sanity feels like," He jested.
ooc: not sure what's going to happen in this one, just got the idea & sort of ran with it.
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Post by Adrien Jacques on Nov 1, 2010 20:45:46 GMT -5
Adrien had just finished lecturing a student that had decided that setting a banner on fire was a rather entertaining way to end the day. There were days when he just had to ask the question. “Why are children getting dumber? Can someone please answer that question!?” He wasn’t shouting, no he was merely venting frustration within the confines of his office. His pet Crup looked up from her food, giving her master a worried look. She moved over to him and nuzzled his hand softly. Adrien gave her an affectionate scratch behind the ear. “I’m fine Luna, go back to eating or sleeping or whatever you were doing. I never can figure it out since you wake up at the slightest sound.” He whispered as he began scratching her chin. Luna closed her eyes enjoying the attention; it was obvious the dog was rather fond of her master. It might have something to do with the fact he’d raised her since she was a pup or because he fed her. She was the type of dog that would be your best friend if you fed her enough, which was why no one was allowed to feed the glutton. “How about you stand guard while I’m gone, I’ll be back soon.” Luna growled. She wasn’t growling at him, she was showing that she was ready to guard his office while he was gone. She moved to the door and sat down on her haunches ready to bite anyone that entered who wasn’t her master.
The Headmaster wasn’t wandering along the corridors; he wasn’t wandering when he found himself walking up to the owlery. He had merely been walking with purpose, a purpose he didn’t know of. That’s what he’d snapped at the last portrait that had asked where he was going and if he needed directions. Looking back he could have been nicer about refusing to be assisted by the elderly woman who was housed in the portrait. Looking back he could have also turned right instead of left and ended up somewhere else in this bloody expansive castle. However he’d turned left and ended up in the owlery, the last place he’d expected to find himself.
“At least it has a view.” He muttered under his breath as he walked in. Adrien noticed two things; the first was the smell of cigarette smoke. The other was that the Potions Master was the only person in the room. “Aren’t you supposed to brew potions not suck them into your lungs?” He asked with an arched brow. He hadn’t expected to find anyone up here let alone a teacher doing something blatantly banned. “Under normal circumstances I’d lecture you about how wrong what you’re doing is, but that would be completely pointless and a waste of both our times. Since I’m assuming like me you are running away from the insanity that is being a member of Hogwarts Staff. Why don’t you tell me what’s plaguing you, maybe I can help. If I can’t well I have a nice bottle of something or another in my office I’m willing to share.” Adrien was trying to be friendly not just because he had barged in on the man’s private moment, a rare commodity for the staff. He was slightly glad to see someone was finding the school year a little stressful, it was a companion and possibly a drinking buddy. He had thought of asking his lovely Deputy Headmistress, but he wasn't sure if that would be smart. She might insist on locking up his liquor cabinet...and keeping the key. The woman was an amazing professor, but she could be a little overzealous in her "strictness". He was the Headmaster after all, it would be a fatal blow to his pride to know that he could no longer drink as he pleased because the woman with the key would be one he dared not approach unless need be. The fear of her wasn't just a student thing, it was a sane thing.
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Post by Curse Kameren on Nov 1, 2010 21:11:55 GMT -5
“Aren’t you supposed to brew potions not suck them into your lungs?”
The ex-auror arched a brow at the intruder into his quiet time. The Headmaster. Great. Curse blew smoke in Jacques' direction in lieu of a reply. He had had problems during his hiring process with the Headmaster, mainly his asylum-stay and the fact that he needed to bring his son to school with him, so the potions master assumed automatically that Adrien was here for the latter reasons. "That's a recent rule, isn't it? Smoking's a muggle thing, sure you haven't had to make a rule on it until I came to the school. The kids don't even know what a cigarette is," Curse paused to inhale once more, his emerald gaze locking onto Adrien's eyes.
“Under normal circumstances I’d lecture you about how wrong what you’re doing is, but that would be completely pointless and a waste of both our times."
"'Atta boy," Curse replied, his emerald eyes going skyward as a group of owls fluttered past them.
"Since I’m assuming like me you are running away from the insanity that is being a member of Hogwarts Staff. Why don’t you tell me what’s plaguing you, maybe I can help. If I can’t well I have a nice bottle of something or another in my office I’m willing to share.”
"Well," Curse sighed, letting out a puff of smoke as he did, "I'm new at this teacher thing. I may be clever, but it's tough to stay a step ahead of sixty children at once. I have a meeting at St. Mungo's next week where they get to decide whether or not I get to keep my job and son, and I'm fairly sure my nine-year-old is somewhere in the school transfigured into a teapot by a student I failed yesterday." He arched a brow at the Headmaster, looking up at him from his place seated on the floor. "And mental patients can't drink." Curse had heard whispers about Jacques's alcoholism, but of the other things he had heard about Adrien Jacques during his time as Head Auror, drinking was the least of the professor's worries about the man.
"Do you often come up to the owlery and offer drinks to who's present?" Cures asked rhetorically, knocking the ashes off his cigarette onto the stone floor, "Or are you sending a letter?" The ex-auror's eyes glinted knowingly at the Headmaster and he smiled crookedly, stretching the jagged scar across his face. "Or are you also looking for some time away from it all?"
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Post by Adrien Jacques on Nov 1, 2010 21:32:01 GMT -5
Adrien wasn’t sure if he disliked Curse or if he hated the man. The rude behavior was a bit offsetting and there were other things he didn’t like about the man. They were co-workers though and he was going to try his hardest to keep things civil at least to some degree. “Well there was a rule about self harm being something inappropriate. I never had to refine the rule to include obvious examples until you came to the school.” He countered. “Nothing to do with it being a muggle thing. Just haven’t had many students bring things like that school, not even the muggleborns.” Well he had tried to be civil, but the man had a way of getting under his skin sometimes. Adrien wasn’t going to tolerate the pushing of the idea that he had something against muggle and muggleborns.
When Curse looked away Adrien was thinking of a dozen neat little curses he could cast before the man had a chance to react. The images that filled his mind kept him from snapping at the man. It seemed civility was far gone, he’d be lucky if things didn’t become outright hatred.
“I do wish you luck on your evaluation.” It was said politely, but there was a hint of hope beneath the words. If the man failed it he wouldn’t have to deal with the professor he couldn’t stand any longer. It would be a shame for the father and son to be separated, but it would be better for Adrien. It would be one less irritating and stress amongst the growing pile. “Ah. Let me know if you track down the student and have proof. I’d rather you not take punishment into your own hands…for many reasons.” He wasn’t going to say it, but he did hint to it. He didn’t trust Curse with disciplining the students, he didn’t trust him with much of anything. “I apologize. I’m not used to having someone with a label of that kind amongst the staff. I won’t offer again, you can count on that.” Adrien didn’t want the man ruining the mellow that came from his little escape that came in a bottle.
“I only offer to people who look like they could need it and are of the appropriate age.” Adrien said sharply. “We are adults here aren’t we?” It was a question, one with a bit of a sneer. “Time away from it all or sending a letter. Either way it’s a bit personal isn’t it? Can’t have you knowing everything about me, who knows what sort of scandal you could start with me sending a letter. Just a precaution. I find most ministry workers, both retired and current, are quick to report anything as a sign of rebellion. A bit paranoid, like a rabbit waiting for the fox that isn’t there.” He gave Curse a rather dark grin. He didn’t care what the man drew from his words, Curse was insane after all. Very little would come of anything spread by this particular professor.
It hadn't been the smartest thing to do, but Adrien did have a bit of a streak of temper. That temper was starting to show.
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Post by Curse Kameren on Nov 1, 2010 23:18:27 GMT -5
"Well aren't we just a basket of peaches today," Curse replied, blowing smoke in Jacques' direction. The ex-auror heard the threat in the Headmaster's voice very well. He could tell Jacques underestimated him. And if it came to it, that would be his downfall.
To those arrogant enough to challenge him, Curse recently appeared far weaker than he really was. True, he was insane, but it was his genius that drove him that way. He was weak and dying, but the younger wizard's strength in magic would outmatch a wizard twice his age. Jacques would be intimidating to most, but Curse only scoffed at his meager attempt at angering the professor.
"I would be careful if I was that rabbit, however," Curse ground out the butt of his cigarette, his words straining slightly as he stood. His bright emerald eyes locked onto the headmaster's, full of meaning. "Because if you're not careful, there just might be a fox waiting outside your home." The ex-auror shouldered past the Headmaster, stopping at the steps as he made it out into the chilly autumn air.
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Post by Adrien Jacques on Nov 6, 2010 0:17:41 GMT -5
”I do try my hardest to play the role expected of me even if it is difficult.” Adrien muttered the last part of it. He waved the smoke out of his face. “What a disgusting habit. It’s fitting the side effect for the smoker is a decrease in life span. Less time for others to have to deal with the stench of it.”
It was moments like these that Adrien really questioned why he hadn’t found a reason to can this irritating man. Then he remembered why, there weren’t any legitimate grounds to do so. It was infuriating sometimes, the rules one had to play by.
“Foxes come in many shapes and sizes, but I’m sure you’d know that. After all once a fox always a fox right?” It was obvious he had a bit of suspicion as to why there was such uneasiness between them. Adrien believed his own questionable past was the reason for this, it was rather irritating to have that be held against you. Things had changed, but some people refused to see that.
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Post by Curse Kameren on Nov 9, 2010 22:14:26 GMT -5
“What a disgusting habit. It’s fitting the side effect for the smoker is a decrease in life span. Less time for others to have to deal with the stench of it.”
Curse laughed at that, contemplating pulling out another cigarette just to irk the Headmaster, " 'Smokers are disgusting, but at least they'll be dead soon', how charming," The ex-auror grinned crookedly, winning himself over and reaching into his pocket for a second cigarette. He held the pack up to Jacques in offering, arching a condescending brow at him, "I imagine you don't want one, then? You know, some would say drinking is a disgusting habit as well. At least with smoking I can keep my wits about me..."
The Potions Master popped the cigarette in his mouth, lighting it once more with the tip of his thumb as he breathed smoke out into the afternoon sky. Jacques was impeding on Curse's alone time, so the professor would enjoy himself in a new way: by irritating the Headmaster. Ah, this reminds me of my time as a student, he mused with a crooked smile.
“Foxes come in many shapes and sizes, but I’m sure you’d know that. After all once a fox always a fox right?”
The professor cocked a brow at Jacques, looking him up and down with an analytical expression. "I suppose so," Curse replied, smoke spilling from his mouth as he spoke. "Constant vigilance, as the aurors say." The Potions Master stared out into the grey sky, quietly waiting for the Headmaster to speak.
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Post by Adrien Jacques on Nov 15, 2010 16:42:08 GMT -5
Adrien smiled sarcastically. “Drinking isn’t all that bad in moderation, it’s when you become dependent on it that it becomes a nasty habit. Just a sip here and there, but cigarettes. Now those are interesting. Kill the lungs don’t they?”
“Ah yes the aurors code isn’t it? Always be on the lookout right? The minister has breed his hounds well so I see, blind loyalty and that feral intelligence that makes them latch onto their prize and never let go.” He found aurors a rather interesting breed of people. Good intentions, but following the ministry blindly. That to him overrode anything positive about them. If the ministry became corrupt they would by extension be corrupted. Their blind loyalty was what made them so useful to the ministry, but was also their greatest weakness.
Adrien watched as one of the owls flew out through one of the many windows. The flapping of wings, the gleam of eyes. It was far more interesting to watch the bird than the smoke that spilled from the professor’s mouth. The bird was cleaner and smelled better than the…individual across from him.
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Post by Curse Kameren on Nov 15, 2010 18:55:29 GMT -5
“Drinking isn’t all that bad in moderation, it’s when you become dependent on it that it becomes a nasty habit. Just a sip here and there, but cigarettes. Now those are interesting. Kill the lungs don’t they?”
Curse rolled his eyes. His lungs were already dying; the cigarettes' affect on his health was nothing compared to the other poisons that flowed through his veins. "To most, yes," Curse replied. But not to me.
“Ah yes the aurors code isn’t it? Always be on the lookout right? The minister has breed his hounds well so I see, blind loyalty and that feral intelligence that makes them latch onto their prize and never let go.”
Curse gave Adrien a disapproving look. cocking a brow at him before looking back out onto the Hogwarts landscape. "You obviously don't know a bloody thing about aurors." He said simply, tapping his cigarette ashes onto the brick railing of the stairs. If there was one thing the aurors lacked, it was loyalty. Least of all to the Minister. Curse couldn't think of a time when the aurors did trust the Ministry, definitely not while he was there. He simply followed his own code of honor, applying his own view to what was wrong and right in the Wizarding World. "The aurors carry a code of honor, a complexity that stretches much farther back than the bloody Ministry. The Minister is nothing to the aurors..." Curse cut himself off, taking another breath of his cigarette before he said much more. Professor Kameren could write books on what he knew about the Ministry. He knew better than most the corruption that lived inside the heart of their government, had felt it and had it turn against him. There was a mutual bitterness between the ex-auror and the Ministry, one that could only get worse.
The Potions Master watched the bird Jacques did, as it groomed its feathers and relieved itself before fluttering off. Charming, Curse thought, looking back out at the grounds. It was late afternoon now and the students were finishing their classes, many of them wandering out onto the grounds to enjoy the last short days of autumn. The ex-auror's emerald gaze fell on one particular body on the horizon: the short, dark-haired figure of his son. He was headed in this direction, probably after hearing from a student where he was. He smiled as he watched him move across the grounds, enjoying seeing his son's odd little quirks and habits from a distance. Jacques may have said something, but the professor didn't notice.
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