Playing with the big boys now ¦ Archie

[Alora Veda Astor]

Alora had survived her first week and a half of teaching Herbology. She'd put her head down and got on with it, and it had come fairly naturally. Sure some of the students still challenged her, and at times her patience ran thin, her hand twitching for her wand to carry out some old style punishments; but for the most part it had been full of small wins, and she had been pleased with herself. She would be even more pleased with herself when she would be sitting down to eat fish and chips for supper with alfie edward o'callaghan on Friday like he had promised, but for now she would just have to get over the looming issue first; her guest lecture at LIFE. IT was to be a general lecture about advanced research methods. Not course specific but moreso an overview into methods to be used, algorithms to follow and the likes. Easy enough and yet she was utterly terrified of the idea of it. Sure she was well versed in research, and had spent quite a lot of her time either carrying some out or reading research; but she had no actual qualifications in it, and that was where her worries began.

Worried the older students might rumble her easy enough, she had been letting her anxiety eat away at her far too much and as she sat in the teachers lounge at LIFE, the half empty coffee cup she held in her hands began to shake.

Pleased it had a lid, she sat it down on the table regardless and glanced around, thinking how much nicer and more modern this place was than her office in the older part of the castle. Light and airy, compared to the dark and pokiness.

With a flick of her eyes towards the clock above the door, she confirmed it. 40 minutes till she had to be at the hall, enough time to go over her notes once more she supposed.

octavian archimedes vector jr.

[octavian archimedes vector jr.]

Sometimes

I FEEL THE FEAR OF UNCERTAINTY

Early September 2027
Alora Veda Astor

Archie swiped on his phone, skimming the incoming emails and messages, and something called spam? Nova had explained it to him, but he couldn’t imagine why anyone would send random messages to random people. What was the purpose of that? In these moments, Archie missed the simplicity of quill and parchment. Call him old-fashioned, but he still enjoyed the handwritten note or letters. It felt more personalized and done with a little more effort. But, even Archie couldn’t deny the convenience this technology brought. Still, keeping the students off their devices during class was challenging.

He entered the break room. He’d finished his lectures for the day. Every other day was the majority of his classes, and on the off days, he caught up on grading assignments or planning his lessons. Often students would drop by his office on the MAGIC campus to ask questions, or maybe they were just passing through. He’d always enjoyed it when students would pop in and say hello. Putting his phone away, he removed his glasses and hung them off his shirt, but his eyes stopped on a less familiar face in the break room. Of course, as a member of the school council, Archie knew who everybody was even if he hadn’t spoken to them at length yet. She looked distracted, nervous even.

”Mind if I sit?” Archie asked with a grin, taking a chair near her. ”Alora, right?” He’d always been good with faces and names, probably a trait from his father’s side. ”Octavian—but everybody calls me Archie.” He introduced himself. The staff had grown with the new educational structure, which was nice to see but made staff social events rather cumbersome. And while not particularly shy or introverted, Archie did miss being able to stick to one corner of the room and linger there. But more importantly, Archie was the one Head of House who did not teach at MAGIC, and all his courses were on the LIFE campus instead. ”You have a lecture today if I’m not mistaken?” So he was more or less up to date on the happenings on this side of campus.

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[Alora Veda Astor]

Alora was tech savvy enough, perhaps not as much as some of her colleagues, but she liked it enough. It was just some things she couldn't beat the feel of. Her nerdy self loved the feel of the note-card cue-cards that she shuffled through with her free hand, points about her presentation on them, really for the amount she had looked over them she should be able to remember them, and yet she felt like nothing was going in. Merlin why did she ever agree to this. Her eyes raked over the carefully written bullet points and she tried to take it all in again and again. They weren't dissimilar to the study cards she had painstakingly written as a student, that she still had tucked away in storage in London; the only difference now was she was on the other side of it all.

So wrapped up in it all, she hadn't noticed someone come into the staff room.

When she was directly addressed, her head snapped up and her eyes locked on Archie. "Oh" a sheepish smile spread on her face, immediately she felt like she was a naughty child, caught somewhere she shouldn't be. But then again, there was nothing about his demeanour that was arsey or aggressive. A pink tinge crept in to her cheeks as she realised her own stupidity, and she tried to swallow back her growing doubts. Slowly she nodded to confirm she was Alora, willing away the flush in her face. She was briefly aware of his face, but honestly couldn't remember his name. She'd been introduced to so many people in the first few days of being here it's was impossible to keep track of them all. When he told her his name again, she felt some of the tension leave her, and she gave him a small, but more genuine smile. "Thank you. I was having trouble remember, sorry. It's just been a lot. Nice to meet you Archie" She was careful as she word 'Archie' left her lips, wondering if that was something just his friends called him and she was encroaching a bit. Regardless, she was pleased when he redirected the conversation just slightly.

"Yeah. I was hired for Herbology Professor at MAGIC, with a certain amount of sub cover. A part of me was glad, because being honest, the older ones scare me a little" with a quiet laugh, she sat down her coffee cup and licked her lips out of anxiety. "But it's gotten around I have a minor degree from my masters at Muggle University in research methods and I've been part of some bigger studies in the Antheia institute, so I've been asked here and there to lecture on research methods and making sense of research for their assignments and such..." trailing off she realised she'd been rambling slightly and with that she pressed her lips together and searched about for some way to shut herself up.

"What do you teach Archie?" she heard herself ask before she had much time to think about it. Her tone was soft, a sense of some caution in it, as if she was worried he didn't actually want to speak to her. Nonetheless, she'd be here waiting till the class changeover time till she was needed. She didn't know the building well enough and it was either wait here for a while. or else pass the time in the Flobberworm and Lettuce and on reflection that didn't seem the most professional way to wait it out.

octavian archimedes vector jr.

[octavian archimedes vector jr.]

Sometimes

I FEEL THE FEAR OF UNCERTAINTY

Early September 2027
Alora Veda Astor

She seemed surprised, though Archie had not intended to startle her. ”I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you or interrupt.” Very quickly, he tended to forget that not all were comfortable in front of a group of rowdy and fidgety teenagers. It had come naturally to Archie, but it had taken time to learn how to navigate working with the students now that he was not one of them anymore. With a nod, Archie acknowledged that it was ‘a lot’ to be here. Learning new faces, new names, and a brand new campus was quite a bit to remember. But the brilliance of a Hogwarts Professor was truly in their memories.

As a Head of House and part of the leadership, Archie was tuned into much that occurred on both campuses. The difference between himself and the other members was that Archie did not teach on the MAGIC campus. ”Yes, they get a little restless once they’ve passed their OWLs.” Archie had been a prefect, but he’d learned how to act far more subtly than many of his classmates. It was good to have the Herbology spot filled quickly, although Archie had befriended the last one.

”I’m sure they will learn much from you. The Antheia Institute is well known.” He’d heard students speak about it in passing, but those that had a direct interest in Herbology and the talent for it. Archie far preferred numbers to plants. ”Arithmancy primarily and several courses for Cursebreaker trainees.” The course on traps wasn’t primarily about the numbers, but patterns mattered in some cases. If you couldn’t figure out the puzzle, it made it all that more dangerous. ”I’m also Head of Ravenclaw, so I’m around the MAGIC campus often, but I don’t teach any courses there.” A rarity but courses could be reworked.

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[Alora Veda Astor]

"No it's fine don't worry." shaking her head, she shuffled through the cards again, needing something to do with her hands to stop herself from staring at him. "I just feel like a bit of an impostor, like I shouldn't be here or something. You're the one that actually teachers here, I feel I'm probably in the way a bit if that makes sense. Ridiculous I know but anyway.." her cheeks flushed just slightly again at her admittance. Merlin, he probably thought she was an idiot.

Instead of dwelling, she listened to him, lips pursed just slightly. "Definitely. They get too vocal and outspoken in a way I guess. Maybe when I've been teaching a few years I'll be more confident and fit to handle them, but for now, the younger students are a little easier. They seem to like me some more I guess" with another quiet laugh she reached up to fix some of her hair. She eyed him, but was conscious of staring too much. A habit she had had since a young child, that unfortunately her Grandmother had not been able to beat out of her no matter how much she was critiqued. She always watched people, observed them and sussed them out, analysed she supposed, but sometimes it meant just a little more staring than was socially acceptable. Forever conscious of it, sometimes she avoided looking at people at all. But for now she couldn't help but let her eyes roam his face. She knew him, but where from.

Her copper hair fell over her shoulder as she tilted her head to the side, trying to brush that thought off "Thank you though, I mean I hope so anyway. We'll see." Listening to him again she nodded slowly, taking his words in. A slight playful grimace crossed her face as her spoke about Arithmancy and Curse Breaking. She never had quite been graced with the head for numbers and although she had insisted on taking Arithmancy in her OWL years as some sort of ridiculous point to herself, she had barely scraped a pass in it and dropped it soon after. "Fair play, numbers are not my thing" But they suited him, she thought, unsurprising subjects for the little she knew about him. As he went on to explain he was Ravenclaw head of House, she narrowed her eyes and watched him with a more keen interest now. Then something clicked in her head.

"Oh! That's where I know you from." Pleased with herself to have finally figured it out, a wide smile broke out on her face and her hand raised; finger pointed in his direction now the mystery had been solved. That was until she realised she probably seemed like some sort of stalker weirdo, and her cheeks flushed. "Sorry. I just knew your face was sort of familiar and I couldn't work it out. Your name didn't it twig it for me, but now I remember. You were a few years ahead of me. I was a new Slytherin Prefect when you were a seventh year. We never did patrols or anything together. But like you were there, one of the ones sort of in charge I guess..." she she realised she was rambling somewhat, she trailed off uncomfortably now. Confident she had made an utter fool of herself, her cheeks flared some more. He wouldn't know her likely, nobody back then had taken much notice of her of course, but the fact she knew of him would likely come off a little weird and the thought of it made her even more mortified. Even worse, she had no realised she had been letting her amber eyes bore into his and quickly dropped them away, wishing the ground would just open up and swallow her up now.

octavian archimedes vector jr.

[octavian archimedes vector jr.]

Sometimes

I FEEL THE FEAR OF UNCERTAINTY

Early September 2027
Alora Veda Astor

She was fairly nervous for a Professor, or perhaps she didn’t have much experience teaching children this age. But he didn’t comment on it. That would do much to help her nerves. ”You’ll do fine.” Archie said encouragingly. It was rare for Hogwarts to hire someone that was not capable. Not impossible, but Archie rarely saw it. Among all the personalities, these were individuals who knew their fields well. After a pause, Archie added, ”My first year teaching my younger sister was in my class.” While Nova hadn’t been disruptive and always turned in her assignments, it had made him self-conscious to stand up there in front of her and her peers.

But it hadn’t lasted long. Teenagers could smell fear. It was some phenomenon that couldn’t be explained, not even by magic. He nodded in agreement. The younger students were easier in some ways. But Archie only took mental notes to keep an eye on Alora—one needed thick skin for this career. Many underestimated what it took to educate the magical youth. But with time, he was sure she’d be fine.

It seemed to click for both of them. Archie rattled his brain for those memories long stored away from his time at Hogwarts. In his seventh year, he hadn’t been made Head Boy, much to his disappointment. But it hadn’t stopped him from taking over certain duties when the new Head Boy quickly got himself in the Hospital Wing with a Quidditch injury. Archie remembered thinking it probably wasn’t wise to promote a very confident Gryffindor with a bit of an ego to Head Boy. But now her face clicked. ”That’s right…” His eyes stared off somewhere else as he tried to recall more, fingers sitting light on his stubbled chin.

”I’m sorry, its been so long. I don’t think about those days that often.” It was Archie’s turn to feel slightly embarrassed. Usually, he was much better with names and faces, something his father had taught him when he was very young and not distracted by a new wife yet. ”In any case, nice to see you again.” Archie never let such things bother him. That was life, wasn’t it? If he dwelled on every little thing he’d ever done in his life, he wouldn’t have time to breathe, considering he was over thirty.

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[Alora Veda Astor]

With a quiet laugh, she rolled her eyes in mock horror. "I can't imagine that was easy" A frown creased between her eyebrows thinking of it. She didn't have any siblings that she knew of so far but, all the same, it was unlikely that that would be an enjoyable experience at all. Whether his sister was a good student or not, there would be a level of awkwardness that wouldn't be kind to anyone. She didn't mind the younger students, it was in fact, mostly the older ones that she disliked. The ones who challenged her moreso, the ones who stood up to her just for the fun of being disruptive. She'd never been that type of person and other than jinxing them into silence (which wasn't really allowed) she didn't handle it well. Though it was becoming slightly easier, to rationalize why they did the things they did. To lend a more understanding ear to their struggles behind the scenes and soothe the issues causing their behavior issues.

Moving away from her teaching insecurities, she let Archie turn in on himself, remembering whatever he had long pushed out of his brain. Her cheeks flushed again, feeling stupid and insignificant. It was probably dumb of her to say, to bring it to his attention. She had been under the radar of the people in her year and classes. Even people she sat next to in classes found her forgettable and unremarkable. There was very little hope that an older prefect with much more going on in his life had remembered her. She felt trivial for even bringing it up, and now her awkward silence did enough to obviously volumise that.

"It's alright really. You probably took no notice of me. I don't think I would have. You were older with your own things going on I expect" Her tone was meant to be flippant, throwing up a hand to flap in the air as if swatting something away. But the sad truth of it was that truthfully nobody had taken notice of her in them days, and the tone had to be forced and airy. "It doesn't matter anyway. It was so long ago. Nice to see you now. You're doing well for yourself. Seem to know what you're at. Yknow?" She babbled along, eventually forcing out a question to try and lighten the mood. Here was Archie, who definitely knew what he was doing a lot more with his life than she did. She watched him and silently wondered for a moment if he had a settled life; a partner, a home. Was it just her at this stage of her life that bumbled along like a person fresh out of university? Was it just her that had her life in tatters and had to totally start over? It was difficult comparing herself to people, but something she couldn't stop herself from doing it either. Her smile was awkward as her cheeks flared again "I'm sorry. I'll shut up and stop bothering you now. I've rabbited on too much again..."

octavian archimedes vector jr.