#01 [September 5, 2016: Monday, Week 1. The first day of classes is finally over, and Professor Horace Slughorn is in his office, puttering about as he organizes materials and lesson plans for the week ahead. There's a lot of work to be done for a potions professor, and not all of it takes place in his classroom... why, he's expecting three boil cure potions will be needed this week. At minimum.] #01 [Still, it was an eventful day, and he's rather not expecting company. Which means that there's a knock at his door.] #01 [Start!] #06* Vesper parted from Eliana as soon as she felt confident she could make it back to the Slytherin common room on her own and headed for Slughorn's office. He's fairly confident his head of house will still be there - the first day is busy for everyone. He raps firmly on the door. #06* Slughorn looks up from straightening a stack of papers from the wrong side of his desk. "Come in!" he calls as he turns around, now straightening his own clothes. #06* Vesper opens the door and pokes his head around it. "Are you busy, Professor?" he asks politely. #06* Slughorn is finished by the time Vesper opens the door, and he brightens at the sight of one of his favorite students. "Ah, Mr. Kartal! Not at all, not at all. Please come in." #06* Vesper slips inside and shuts the door behind him, then turns back to nod at his head of house. "Evening, Professor Slughorn. You asked me to come by?" #01 Why yes, I did... have a seat. #06* Slughorn gestures to one of the comfortable-looking chairs in his office, and he picks up a tin from his desk, holding it out to Vesper. "Candied pineapple?" #06* Vesper folds his long frame neatly into one of the chairs waiting in front of Slughorn's desk. "Thanks, Professor." He takes a small piece politely, then waits for his head of house's cue. #06* Slughorn takes a candy himself and moves around to the chair opposite - which happens to be the chair behind his desk - and has a seat. "How have you been, Mr. Kartal? You're head boy this year - that's quite an accomplishment." #06* Vesper nods. "Yes, sir." And then he smiles a bit. "Thanks to your help and guidance the last six years." #06* Slughorn waves his hand. "Ah, it was nothing any other head of house wouldn't have done. You deserve all of the credit." #01 How are you settling into your duties? #06* Vesper 's smile doesn't widen, but the crinkles around his eyes deepen. "Pretty well. Most of the prefects seem pretty solid this year. Alexis Prewett - well, we don't always get along personally, but we work together all right, which is the important thing." #06* Slughorn nods, leaning back as he folds his hands. "Headmistress McGonagall has always been a bit partial to Alexis, so I wasn't surprised when she was selected. She has a good head on her shoulders." #06* Vesper nods and settles into his chair a bit as well. "Yeah. Keeps some of the wilder bunch of Gryffindors under control pretty well." #01 I hope so, I hope so. How are you liking the new crop of students this year? #06* Vesper taps his lips, thoughtful. "Well, I don't know all of them yet, obviously. In our house...you already met Eliana. A couple of the others look like they have potential, but she's the one that really stands out so far." #06* Vesper frowns a little, still thinking. "She seems to have befriended a Hufflepuff boy, Luke MacRae. She says he's smart, which means something coming from her...and there's something about him. Can't quite put my finger on it." #06* Slughorn puts his hand to his chin. "Luke MacRae, hmm? I taught him today - seems a bright young man. His Cure for Boils potion was more than adequate, and he managed it on his first try." #01 I admit, I did notice him. It's not often a Hufflepuff willingly associates with someone from our house, particularly in first year. #06* Vesper nods. "And he seems to genuinely like Eliana. Not that he would act like it if he didn't, of course, but like you said, it's unusual. Maybe you can keep an eye on him in classes and see what you can learn about him." #06* Slughorn twinkles. "Well, given I try to pay attention to all of my students, I don't see why that should be a problem." #06* Vesper smiles a bit ruefully. "Of course, Professor." #06* Slughorn nods. "And Eliana... why does she stand out to you?" #06* Vesper 's thoughtful look deepens. "Right after she was sorted and came to sit down at our table - you remember how long her sorting took? - she started asking about why the Sorting Hat puts families in the same houses often, and said maybe it was because people felt like they belonged more where their families were..." Anyway, she notices and thinks about things other people don't, even by the time they're seventh-years. And even when they're adults, maybe. And she catches on *very* quickly. We were talking about something else, and she got distracted thinking about that again, but she realized it and stopped herself in the middle. And she remembered something I'd said earlier - not even about her - about Ravenclaws doing that a lot. #06* Slughorn blinks. "Oh?" #06* Vesper nods. "She makes connections. She asked me why I took her to the owlery instead of getting Felix to do it. I told her she was smart and she should try to figure it out - and she did." #01 Hm, yes... logical connections, then. #06* Vesper nods. "Right. Not personal connections, sorry." He considers for a moment. "She seems like she might need some help with that. She's *very* Ravenclaw, too - that's why it took the Hat so long to sort her, apparently. It had a hard time deciding where to put her." #06* Slughorn nods, thoughtfully. "It did take quite some time. Why, that was the first hatstall I've seen in years." #06* Vesper looks at Slughorn inquisitively. "Yeah, I don't remember anyone taking that long since I've been here." #06* Slughorn smiles. "Certainly not. I understand Professor Flitwick was a hatstall, as was Headmistress McGonagall, in their time... some students take longer than others for the hat to determine where they should go." He chuckles. "Myself, I believe it was over in under half a minute." #06* Vesper nods and grins. "Less than that for me. Barely had time to sit myself on the stool properly." #06* Slughorn laughs. "It's likely easier that way." #01 Well! You do have a good eye for talent, Mr. Kartal. We're certainly blessed to have such a gifted young witch in our house - just today, she made a truly excellent boil cure potion. I must say, however, that she is a bit rough around the edges. #06* Vesper nods, but raises his eyebrows inquisitively, waiting for his head of house to continue. #06* Slughorn does continue, looking thoughtful as he turns his gaze up to the ceiling, remembering. "She also has quite a lot to learn... about the wizarding world in general, and about how things work at Hogwarts." #01 Why, I'm quite certain that after our meeting with the Headmistress, McGonagall was wondering why young Eliana wasn't sorted into Gryffindor. #06* Vesper blinks. #06* Slughorn leans forward, more serious now. "She argued with the Headmistress, the first day of her first year, and she told her in that moment that she, as well as the wisdom of our traditions, was wrong. I don't think any lasting harm was done - Headmistress McGonagall respects courage, and this was only about school uniforms, after all - but had I let her go on, it may have reflected badly on our house." #06* Vesper 's face goes perfectly blank for a moment. "Merlin's beard. I didn't expect she'd do *that*." He pauses for a moment, then looks to Slughorn again. "I'll have to have a talk with her. Though she did say you explained some things to her afterwards..." There's a question in his voice. #01 Ah, yes. Well, at the end of the conversation, Headmistress McGonagall warned Eliana against making comparisons between the muggle and the wizarding worlds around her again, which I found quite... #06* Slughorn catches himself and sighs, reaching for a handkerchief in his robe pocket, which he uses to wipe his face. "As I was saying," he continues, after he gathers himself, "Eliana did not react well to McGonagall reasserting her position as headmistress, and afterwards I felt the need to instruct her to choose her battles a bit better. In this instance, the Headmistress was not her enemy." #06* Vesper nods, still frowning in thought. He rubs his lips. "Hm. She *does* have a lot of potential - more than our other first years this year I think - but she'll need more help to fully realize it, too." Then, suddenly, he grins at Slughorn. "But you're good at helping people realize their potential, professor." #06* Slughorn smiles at Vesper's compliment, all of the gravity of his earlier expression gone. "I do what an old man can," he tells his student, his eyes twinkling. "But I wouldn't mind some assistance." #06* Vesper nods, smiling back. "I'll do what I can. I'm graduating, after all, but the first year is most important anyway." #01 Absolutely! The first year often defines what students will do for the rest of their time at Hogwarts. But you are close to graduating... you needn't put your own responsibilities and classwork aside for this. #06* Vesper waves his hand in a dismissive little gesture. "Oh, that's not what I meant at all. It's no trouble; I'll be glad to help. I just meant I won't be able to do as much after this year." #06* Slughorn smiles. "Wonderful." And then he reaches for another candy. "How does she take to you?" #06* Vesper grins. "Pretty well so far. She thanked me for taking her to the owlery." #01 Good, good. I expect she'll be wearing slacks by the beginning of next week. #06* Vesper nods. "Probably," he says with a smile. #01 Excellent. Ah! The first Slug Club meeting for the year is in two weeks. I expect you'll be there? #06* Vesper nods, smiling more. "Of course. I look forward to it, professor." #06* Slughorn smiles. "Wonderful!" He looks around. "Well! I'd really ought to get back to work. If there's anything else, Mr. Kartal...?" #06* Vesper rises immediately, shaking his head. "No, nothing. Thanks for your time, professor! I'll see you in class." #06* Slughorn rises to his feet as well. "Of course! I have high hopes for Alchemy this year." He twinkles. "It's not often I get to teach it." #06* Vesper smiles at Slughorn. "Glad I'm here for it then. Good night, professor." And with a final nod, he slips out the door again. #01 [End!]