absolution calling | juniper

[rhys alexander greyback]

it's like an intuition,

or a feeling in the air

July 7, 2028
juniper minerva mcgonagall

The influx of staff from the Spring term had dwindled by the start of summer. Rhys remained, knowing it made little sense to work for a few short weeks only to return for most of July. So, he extended his work contract until the end of the Summer Term. This helped Sage with Amelia’s care and allowed Rhys more time with his family and friends. His daughter was two at the end of the month, and hindsight reminded Rhys of how frightened he was before her arrival. Two years later, he wasn’t any less afraid, but fatherhood certainly brought him a certain joy never experienced before.

Or maybe it was hope. She had his eyes—his father’s eyes, Dahlia's as well—but in Amelia’s eyes, Rhys didn’t see the same pain shared by him and his younger sister. Rhys now taught courses designed for recently certified trainees wanting additional training and the certified but committed to another year of advanced topics. Why would anyone volunteer for another year of classroom versus fieldwork beyond Rhys? he saw how they performed in certain areas of charms and then understood. This summer, they tackled counter curses and related topics. Which Rhys found he enjoyed as a field of study and practice. Not that he’d had any luck with the curse he gained two years ago.

Thankfully, it was now the end of the week. He also remained for the summer along with Rhys, although he’d disappeared that evening—as he often did. Juniper and Rhys had theorized where their friend went but could not pinpoint anything. Rhys hadn’t thought to ask anyone else, but perhaps he might. His circle of close friends was small, but everyone’s circle was connected somehow. Archer and Juniper had not spoken much in the past, but things were different now. They were all different people, for the most part. Rhys felt it as he continued on this platonic journey with his twice-ex-girlfriend, but he was grateful for her presence in his life. After answering a message on the dating app on his phone, Rhys locked the screen and safely put his phone away. Juni said she would join him for a bit, and as discussed before they were friends with their own lives. Rhys didn’t want complicated commitments any more than she did.

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[juniper minerva mcgonagall]

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The spring term was complete and the summer one now beginning. Officially, this was the start to Juniper’s second year as a professor. To say it was exhilarating was an understatement. The few short weeks of reprieve she had between terms had been more than enough, and she was already itching to get back into it. Modifications had been made to her human anatomy transfiguration class, as almost the entire class from the previous year had failed it. That was mostly her fault, going into it with students that weren’t up to snuff with their spellcasting and transfiguration theory as she had hoped. But the new class was mostly comprised of those that had taken Advanced Transfiguration the previous year. They were the smart ones. They knew exactly what they were getting into. Of course, there were a few extras that had managed to find their way onto her roster. While Juniper expected some of them to struggle, she also hoped that having the majority of the class for the second time meant they could help their classmates if need be. It was still only the first week of the summer term though. She had no idea who was going to excel and who wouldn’t (though she did have a few ideas based on those that were in her class last year).

With Friday’s class done and not needing to head back to Witch TV until the following afternoon, Juniper made her way outside. She was headed towards Rhys’s office, as they had planned to meet up after the day was over with. As easy as it would have been to travel through the corridors between the wings, trying to get as much sunlight as possible was her real goal in all of this. Finally, there was warm weather. Growing up in the area had made her long for it far more than she ever thought she would.

Once she ducked back inside, dodging a gaggle of cursebreaker trainees leaving their appointed wing of the school, Juniper frowned at having to be indoors again. Even with the ground-level windows popped all the way open to allow the summer air to drift in, she still disliked the cold, stoniness that the school walls emanated. Quickly making her way in the direction of the office, she found herself outside of it almost immediately.

”Hey,” she called to Rhys, stopping just inside the doorway. This whole ‘just friends’ thing again was so strange. It was her choice to do it this way, at least for now. Because she absolutely knew herself. Once the gloves came off, she wasn’t looking back. Just like the last two times. The funny part was that while she was technically seeing someone else, she was starting to realize that she already knew what she actually wanted. So it was maybe more frustrating than funny. Having both wasn’t exactly an option, or a road, Juniper was willing to walk down. Things didn’t work that way in real life, only in the fictional writings of DarksideOfDiagon. She also didn’t believe that the poor girl she’d just started dating over the last few months would be appreciative of her still trying to sleep with her ex. Not that there was really a label on any of that yet though. It was about at the same stage as her previous relationship with Chambers had made it. So not far at all. ”Were you thinking drinks, or just aimlessly wandering the castle again?”

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[rhys alexander greyback]

it's like an intuition,

or a feeling in the air

July 7, 2028
juniper minerva mcgonagall

Rhys’ door was ajar, so he could hear the voices of students as they passed through the halls. The usual Friday night buzz and excited chatter of weekend plans and stories of the week. It amazed him how easily he had grown used to the excessive noise. He still missed the tranquility of his fieldwork and lack of distraction. It was by far one of the few places Rhys could ever calm his mind and focus on the task at hand in the present. Had Sage not been out of town with Amelia visiting her mother, Rhys might have dropped by and taken them to dinner or something. Spend time with them like some weird version of a nuclear family. But their co-parenting relationship seemed to be working just fine.

He felt his phone buzz in his pocket, but then he heard Juniper’s voice. Looking up, he saw her in the doorway. Rhys smiled. Whoever messaged him just now didn’t particularly matter, as it was probably some woman on that dating app. Things worked as friends. Maybe it's because Rhys didn’t trouble himself worrying or figuring out his feelings on the matter, unlike when he was sixteen or when they both leaned on one another for their grief. That wasn’t to say that when Juniper stood a little too close or flirted in return, Rhys wasn’t tempted to pull her in close like those days when they were together.

”Hey.” Rhys greeted in return, motioning for her to enter. And to answer her question, he opened the drawer of his desk and pulled out that bottle of bourbon. ”Why not both?” Rhys offered. The full moon had passed the night before, so he wasn’t sure the noisy bar would do anything but reverse his decent mood. And bourbon should do the trick of calming those nerves. The full moon always messed with his moods and all sorts of things, though it mainly meant a more physical Rhys in all the good ways for Juniper. Well, when he hadn’t been a drunken, mopey mess. Besides, they hadn’t yet explored the old common rooms or what remained. Maybe that would be their adventure this time.

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[juniper minerva mcgonagall]

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Leaning in the doorways of the new offices and classrooms always made Juniper feel small. Really, anyone doing that should because the architects of the building had done an excellent job of making gigantic doors and vaulted ceilings. What it actually did was pull her right back to her time in school, whether when she was trying to get a professor's attention for questions on a reading or idly waiting for Rhys to finish up whatever class he was in. Despite it being a decade later and the roles reversed, she was sent back to it every single time she waited around like this. Nostalgia had been a huge driving force for her as of late. While the initial impact of it had started to wane now that she was starting her second year of teaching, there were still moments where she found herself in a familiar place on campus, or how she was currently standing in Rhys's office, and memories came flooding back. It told her that taking the job had been a smart idea after all, even if there were days she got home and was exhausted.

Juniper stepped further into the room once Rhys noticed her, and took a seat in an open chair. She almost felt at home here now, the privacy of an office was superior to her shared situation in her department. Why they couldn't magically expand to have offices in General Studies was beyond her. "You'll be okay with the moon being yesterday?" she asked, remembering the full moon the previous night. Even years later, she still had it tracked.

"The pub's been quiet lately. None of the students want to hang around once classes are out," Juniper commented as she slunk deeper into her chair. And who would? It was summer, and they weren't required to stay on campus as LIFE students. All of that would change in September. "Its kind of nice being able to walk around the school once they're all gone..."

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[rhys alexander greyback]

it's like an intuition,

or a feeling in the air

July 7, 2028
juniper minerva mcgonagall

Juniper entered his office and took a seat in an open chair. Rhys waved his hand to close the door behind her. He didn’t need students gawking at who felt brave enough to enter a werewolf’s office the day after a full moon. Sometimes, he wondered if they had all sounded like these students did in those years. Eyes widening at the smallest of events and then chattering endlessly about it. The buzz reminded Rhys of a swarm of doxies approaching. Either way, apparently, it was quite a large event if a male and female professor exchanged more than a few nice pleasantries with one another.

Rhys nodded in the affirmative. He wouldn’t go as far as to say excitedly that he was completely fine, but he was fine, more or less. A bit exhausted from the general lack of sleep the entire week, but nothing he wasn’t already accustomed to. ”A lot bring their friends. I swear I saw Dolohov the other day.” Rhys probably turned a little pale momentarily at the thought. At the time, he was on his way out, and he hadn’t bothered to confirm if the sighting was a trick of the eye or actually the person in question. It wasn’t worth dealing with his old predatory classmate.

”I suppose the summer is truly a break time for everyone, even the Professors.” Rhys theorized. As a student, he hadn’t realized how much scrutiny the staff was constantly under. And not by their superiors as much as the students themselves. Bringing up two glasses, Rhys poured a small amount into each glass, pushing one toward Juniper. ”How was your week?” He asked automatically. Many of their conversations revolved around school, old memories, theorizing where Archer vanished, and other random topics. The only time Rhys ever had difficulty talking to Juni were when they’d just broken up or a lot had been left unresolved. But they were friends now.

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[juniper minerva mcgonagall]

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The mental image of Dolohov visiting the campus pub and trying to latch her grubby hands onto unsuspecting students nauseated Juniper. It was more than likely a way to pounce on all of the younger professors that had since been hired. That wasn't a secret that most of the LIFE staff consisted of those in their late-twenties or early-thirties. Either that or there was a ten year class reunion that Juniper hadn't been invited to. That also wouldn't surprise her. "Gross..." she said a lot louder than she meant to. If a student heard her and passed it along (which realistically wouldn't actually happen), she didn't care. Her beef with Dolohov went back further than some of these kids had been alive. It only got worse once she and Rhys started dating. "Someone needs to put her on a leash or something," Juniper added, before remembering this was Dolohov they were talking about. She'd probably enjoy that.

Getting away from the Dolohov conversation was helpful. She didn't want that to ruin the rest of the afternoon. "It sort of is. Between the three terms I've been here, last summer was the easiest. I think it's because the students want to be here?" Based on her repeat ones, that seemed to be the case at least.

While she talked, Rhys popped open a bottle and poured a drink for each of them. A starting point for the end of the day. At least it was free. Sipping on the whiskey carefully, she mulled over his question. "Honestly? Not too bad. Once it picks up it'll be more stressful I think. The worst is the transition between summer and fall term. No break there..." That tended to be when she needed one too. Because once September hit, Witch TV was all in on producing their holiday content. She was going to have to figure out which job she wanted to do more pretty soon here. "Yours? Sans Dolohov and the moon."

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[rhys alexander greyback]

it's like an intuition,

or a feeling in the air

July 7, 2028
juniper minerva mcgonagall

Rhys chuckled at Juniper’s response. He hadn’t meant to, but it slipped out. And really, it was probably the first time he’d laughed that day. ”It would give Rosier something to do while following her around…” He mused out loud. The woman was incorrigible, and Rhys avoided her at all costs. She had seen him for a split second while he did some work for the Ministry during the quarantine, and somehow, Rhys had made it to the floo before she caught up to him. It was unavoidable at times. Rhys was incredibly tall, as his father was rumored to be, and with distinct eyes, he could easily stand out in a crowd.

Juniper had a good point. The summer term was optional for LIFE students and not required for MAGIC students. Rhys preferred working with the smaller class size. It was less rowdy. The spring term had given him déjà vu to his training years and the rowdy bunch his class had been. It all felt like karmic retribution for his own attitude and troublesome nature. At least he hadn’t been forced to break up any bar fights. Merlin knew Rhys had been a handful for his trainers, but he was intelligent, capable, and had a knack for this. Who knows what desk Rhys would be sitting behind in some dead-end job if not for that.

He shrugged. ”The students know they’ll get an easier week leading up to a full moon, so they behaved.” Making them focus on cursed objects was easy enough to manage, and the students and trainees would learn something. ”It’ll be back to normal next week.” With the students borderline ready to hex him once he turned his back. One trainee had tried, one of the short-tempered ones that hadn’t qualified during the springtime. Rhys basically blocked that one with his eyes closed. ”So where to tonight?” The Astronomy Tower was a favorite of theirs, obviously, but more remained of the castle than expected. So, plenty of places to see.

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[juniper minerva mcgonagall]

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Rosier was a completely useless fool too. How either of them had ended up in NEWT Potions was still a mystery to her. Neither of them was particularly good at it, and unless they were secretly brewing love potions on the side, there was no reason for either of them to be in that class. A decade later and Juniper was still left wondering. Unfortunately, Dolohov didn't need a love potion for what she was doing. She was just lax with who she slept with. To an extreme. "It'd be a good look for both of them. Give Rosier a sense of purpose finally." Juniper felt like she could talk more freely now that the office door was closed.

Juniper didn't know if he meant that they were better during the moon week because they understood it could be a painful ordeal, or because they were afraid Rhys would snap and attack them once he was turned. The fact such worries even existed still was preposterous. She was safe and sound after all this time. One simply had to look around them and they'd realize how normal werewolves actually were. "I know you can handle them...but if they ever give you any trouble, let me know. I can transfigure them into a mouse for a day or two. No one would ever know." Attacking a student, cursebreaker trainee or not, wasn't in her plans. That could always change.

As for where they could go on campus at this hour, Juniper had to think for a moment. Drinking the remainder of her whiskey, she pushed the glass back towards Rhys. She needed more if they were going to walk around the castle. "How about the old library? I've been meaning to check what Transfiguration books they have now, that way if the MAGIC position ever opens I'll have a leg up on getting it." Normally she didn't have the time to stop by, between her own schedule and with the younger students in session. This would be the perfect time for that because she was free, and they weren't at Hogwarts yet.

rhys alexander greyback ● 351

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[rhys alexander greyback]

it's like an intuition,

or a feeling in the air

July 7, 2028
juniper minerva mcgonagall

The corner of his mouth turned up at the offer. His trainees as small mice was an amusing thought. Vector might have gotten a laugh, but Rhys didn’t need the Hogwarts council on his back. ”I might take you up on that.” Naturally, such forms of punishment were frowned upon. Dahlia would get a kick out of it, but he could already hear Max’s reservations on the matter. It would silence the few who still had a snarky remark to make about werewolves. They weren’t so tough when only a few inches off the ground.

Rhys finished his glass, providing a refill for both. He hadn’t consumed nearly enough as what Friday night usually ordered, but he was well on his way now. ”Sure.” There wasn’t anywhere that Rhys was dying to see. He really did it for the company. But, if he said that to Juniper, there was a chance she’d take a step back as before. Remaining friends had worked out for them and caused much less trouble than in the past. Still, because of their dating history, Rhys found it difficult to remain entirely platonic all the time.

And Vasilia had left him before the summer so that stress was gone. He could still remember once when Rob tried to take his phone because a text message from Juniper appeared on the screen. At the time, he’d still been dating Vasilia. Naturally, it was just friendly conversation and nothing steamy by any means, and Rhys nearly clobbered his good friend over taking his phone. Nowadays, such things don’t matter anymore. Finishing his second glass, Rhys poured a third and looked at Juniper to see if she wanted another one. ”You want to switch to full-time?” Rhys wondered. She’d have to leave Witch TV, and as far as he could tell, she liked it there but also liked teaching. The question of his own career had crossed his mind, but he didn’t feel he could let go of the fieldwork.

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[juniper minerva mcgonagall]

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A year in and Juniper was fairly certain that she had seen most of the places she wanted inside of both old and new Hogwarts. There were definitely still secret areas that were no longer accessible or were in a ‘different’ place because of the way the castle was laid out now. As a professor, it was nice having free reign to roam finally. Doing so while she was a student was difficult, with her own professors always asking why she was wandering towards a random, unused part of the school or near a common room that wasn’t her own. Obviously, she wasn’t anywhere close to the castle at night anymore, so she still wasn’t sneaking off nearly as much as she and Rhys had done back then. She had a nice warm apartment to go back to anyways.

”I’ve been thinking about it, yeah,” she nodded her head. She eyed her second glass, immediately putting it all back. The burning in the back of her throat made her stomach lurch slightly, her body not used to the abrasive sting. Loudly placing it back on Rhys’s desk, she motioned for another. That would be enough for their walk, there was no doubt about that. ”If there were more students, they’d probably need two anyways. But as it stands, I’m pretty happy with the way things are. There are definitely better teachers out there that could be more succinct in their lessons,” Juniper added, coughing a bit from the alcohol. She purposely said teaching, not at actual transfiguration magic. Because she definitely had the skills for that. The school couldn’t argue with her on that front, and if they did, she’d pull her nepotism card and have her great-aunt Minerva take a leisurely stroll up from Hogsmeade. No one wanted that. ”I’m just keeping my options open with it though. I like my current arrangement as it is, and unless Hogwarts can offer me a decent deal, I probably won’t leave the studio.”

rhys alexander greyback ● 332

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[rhys alexander greyback]

it's like an intuition,

or a feeling in the air

July 7, 2028
juniper minerva mcgonagall

Rhys watched curiously as Juniper drank her glass all at once. Usually, that was his move. He wondered what was bothering her, or perhaps she just loved the taste of bourbon. He followed suit and emptied his glass so they both could get another refill. And figuring neither wanted to waste time, Rhys drank this one in its entirety as well. ”I think you’re a good teacher.” He responded. And he gave his perspective with hindsight in mind. From when they first met as children to when they dated to now, Rhys had seen Juni through all of it and how her patience and teaching skills had grown.

She reacted to the burn in her throat, Rhys tried his best not to smirk. The only thing that made him wince anymore was usually tequila or whatever alcohol Archer had brought back from Hungary that one time. Rhys still wasn’t convinced it simply wasn’t paint thinner or some other muggle industrial chemical. ”Amelia will be devastated if you leave her favorite show.” He added sarcastically. At her age, almost two, she had no sense of showwriters and all that. Though Rhys, for one, was growing weary of that puppet show theme song.

”One more for the road?” Rhys offered her a last refill, her fourth in that short amount of time. At this rate, she’d be taking her pants off again in his office. Which…wasn’t a terrible idea considering he was single but Rhys wasn’t out to put any undue pressure on Juniper. The risk of losing whatever connection they still had as friends didn’t feel worth it. Besides, it wasn’t as if Rhys had difficulty finding company on any given night.

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[juniper minerva mcgonagall]

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Juniper knew she was a good teacher. Hogwarts wouldn’t have brought her back if she wasn’t. She had been extremely careful at not coming across as too abrasive or dismissive of her students. What she had once struggled with when she was in their shoes, she actively worked against now. The years since, and distance from most of her classmates, had helped her a lot. Being able to see the other side, all of the interpersonal relationships from her lectern, was pretty interesting too. She wondered if that was how she and Rhys had looked to their professors. It was sort of funny, really.

”If I did that, and that’s a big if still,” she pointed at Rhys, glass in her hand, before continuing, ”I’d try to keep working on Vertic Alley. There isn’t anyone else at the station that I trust to takeover for me yet.” And realistically, writing for one shoe didn’t take that much of her time up. The show was written well in advance to accommodate for the shooting schedule and the celebrities they brought on, so aside from holiday specials, things were already taken care of. ”So Amelia won’t have to worry at all,” Juniper grinned back at him before drinking her third shot. She was already starting to feel the first two.

Rhys offered up a fourth shot, and she hesitated slightly. ”I won’t be responsible for what happens if I do,” she half-joked before holding her glass out for more. There was a limit to everything, and they both knew that. ”Or you could just bring the bottle. No librarian there to stop us from drinking.” Maybe the third shot was catching up to her after all. She was saying things before she thought them all the way through. Deciding that was a better idea on her own, she got out of her seat and started heading for the door.

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[rhys alexander greyback]

it's like an intuition,

or a feeling in the air

July 7, 2028
juniper minerva mcgonagall

Rhys chuckled. If there were one thing in this world, aside from sweets, that kept his daughter sitting still, that show would be one of them. Sage thought Rhys enjoyed the show as well, but he really zoned out while staring at the screen, only noting when Amelia attempted to run off or misbehave in some way. And yet, he could recite every character's name, and the theme song often popped up in his head randomly. Max and Dahlia had far more patience than him for such things. Well, at least Max did. And Dahlia at least seemed proud that Amelia never let that toy giraffe out of her sight.

”Good.” Rhys remarked after emptying his glass. ”You try telling a two-year-old ‘no’.” Let alone that her show is unavailable. Nobody warned him about this part. The tantrums and difficulties one minute and cute and loveable moments the next. It was enough to drive one mad if not careful. With a curiously raised eyebrow, Rhys refilled her glass before getting to his own. He supposed it wasn’t his fault for overfilling it slightly. It was definitely more than a couple of ounces expected.

Rhys froze a moment after drinking his latest drink. ”I think that’s one of the best ideas you’ve had, McGonagall.” And who needed glasses in that case? ”I know you have room in there.” Rhys eyed her purse. He’d made the mistake once of sticking his hand inside to look for her keys and almost fell in. Why purses needed such charms or why someone needed to hold so many items was beyond him. But it would be a little unsightly to walk around with a partly empty bottle of whiskey, even as Professors. Rhys handed Juniper the bottle before reaching the door to open it for her.

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[juniper minerva mcgonagall]

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There were still times where it felt weird knowing Rhys had a child. That was two now. It made her head buzz slightly. For once today, it was something other than the whiskey entering her bloodstream giving her a rush. "I would definitely not want to fight a losing battle," she chuckled. They occasionally had younger children on set for Vertic Alley, and despite being well-behaved little actors, there were still times where they absolutely lost it. Kids got tired and liked things a certain way. Sometimes that conflicted with the production schedule. Thank Merlin she was merely the writer and wasn't required to be on set constantly. If that had been the case, they never would have gotten through a season of the show.

"Of course it is," she answered smugly. "It came from me after all." That was the third shot talking. She opened her charmed purse and gently dropped the bottle in. Fishing it out later would be no problem at all for her. She also still had the fourth shot left, which disappeared as quickly as the bottle had into her purse.

Moving out of the office and into the empty hall, Juniper wasn't really surprised there weren't students milling about. With summer here, no one wanted to hang around school longer than they needed to be. Knowing the cursebreaker trainees that would normally be here, they were probably already out drinking. "They cleared out fast," Juniper commented as she peered out one of the windows and saw an empty courtyard as well. "Should be a quick walk. I always liked the library being on the first floor. I can't imagine how annoying it was to get there from the towers." The best part about being Hufflepuff was how close the common room was to food and the library. And Rhys the later years. She really didn't need much else at that point.

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[rhys alexander greyback]

it's like an intuition,

or a feeling in the air

July 7, 2028
juniper minerva mcgonagall

At least they could agree on the power a toddler could wield. And even without the tantrums, Amelia had Rhys wrapped tightly around her finger. Even Rhys surprised himself at times, agreeing to things he would have never agreed to in the past, like all the stubbornness left his body when she looked at him. He only knew this would be troublesome as she grew older, but hopefully, simple teenage problems would be the worst of her worries at that age—rather than what Rhys had grown up with. That was probably why he suddenly lost his spine with his daughter. Not that any of his serious looks fazed the little girl at all.

The grounds felt as empty as before classes resumed for the first time. The summer truly invited the students to be elsewhere outside of class hours. Lucky for him, he supposed. The quiet was nice compared to the usual chatter around every corner or very loud, hushed whispers of students sneaking around. Rhys had come across students sneaking around late into the night, but he chose a policy of ignoring them. It wasn’t his business.

”Bless the founder that put it there.” Four drinks weren’t enough to get Rhys drunk these days, maybe enough for a light buzz, which made him feel relaxed enough for now. Logically, it made sense that the founders whose common rooms resided in the dungeons likely voted for the library to remain not too far from the ground. But that was probably somewhere in Hogwarts: A History, and his tired brain couldn’t think. ”I once went from the Astronomy Tower to the kitchens, then back to the Tower, and then to Gryffindor Tower, and then the dungeons.” Rhys recalled most of that night as he thought about the stairs. Even now, he wondered why he put himself through that. Merlin knew he got his fair share of exercise in those days. ”You ever visit the other common rooms?” Rhys randomly asked, excluding Slytherin’s, of course. Juniper had spent her fair share of time there, though mainly in his dorm during their seventh year.

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