In The Middle Of The Night [Ji-Yu]

[blaise leo zabini]

@jiyu

11.XX.2024

A brief disturbance by a couple of students in the middle of the night had Blaise up at three in the morning, slightly ticked off and definitely earning a headache that was going to carry on throughout classes all day. If he had known taking up the mantle as a head of house was going to require him to deal with petty problems between children and squabbles pertaining to punishments handed out by Prefects, he would have turned the extra title down. The only positive that came out of it happened to be larger living quarters and that he wasn’t required to live in the normal spot next to his classroom. Instead, he had converted that into an office so that he didn’t have to conduct all of his grading and paperwork at the desk in the classroom. Aside from that, he was now a surrogate parent for several dozen children that he really didn’t care for. Just because he was a Slytherin alumni didn’t mean he was required to like them in return. There were a few standouts that broke the traditional mold, but the rest were all sorts of the norm. His former classmates had kids, and those kids were now his students. And they all held the same beliefs and values. Go figure that things never changed around here.

After letting the Prefect that had caught the students ‘misbehaving in a broom closet’ go, Blaise had to go through the unnecessarily long process of taking their names down, trying not judge them as kids being kids, but also remembering that some sort of punishment had to be handed down because they had broken curfew by quite a few hours. While he would have liked to given them a classic Hogwarts detention, sticking them in a normal one a few days the following week seemed more appropriate and would get them out of his hair faster. He also made sure that their detentions alternated, so that they weren’t in the same ones together. A few protests came from that and Blaise simply shrugged, telling them that they either needed to conduct their business during the day or find a better place where they wouldn’t be caught. Hogwarts was vast, there were plenty of hideaways and hidden locations that were better suited for a late night session than a broom closet. That was like asking to be caught. Maybe that’s what they had been looking for.

The couple now gone as well, Blaise could finally head back to his corridors. Thankfully his first class wasn’t until right before lunch so he could sleep in a bit to make up for the time he had lost. Back turned to his classroom door as he locked it, the sound of footsteps echoed down the hall. He paused, hoping it was a hallucination from sleep deprivation making him hear things. It wasn’t. Sighing, he pocketed his key and turned to face the direction the sound was coming from. “Morning,” he called clearly through the dark void, arms crossed in front of his chest as he waited to see if the person would run or respond.

[Deleted]

tiredness .

The night before had been a terrible one for Ji-Yu as she had heckled with her parents over the phone. Her brother had disappeared from their family home for a few days and the elder Choi girl was receiving the blame for it. It made no sense for the Charms Professor considering she was twenty-six years old. Too old to hear childish problems and pointing fingers. But then again, her brother was always childish. Growing up alongside him was difficult for the scholar considering she was meant to set an example for him but yet he still turned out the complete opposite of herself.

In the middle of the night where the brunette found herself wide awake in her chambers, her hand rustled against her bed sheets before lifting it up to her nicely cut bangs, pushing them back slightly. In minutes, Ji-Yu found herself out of bed, her bare feet slipping into comfortable slippers while her wand – that was always by her side – waved for her silk night-gown to be prepared with her embrace. Her idea for the night or well, early morning would be to read a book or a few that she had come across but had no time to actually read. Most of them were hidden in areas that Ji-Yu created for herself for interesting novels to read in the near future. Charming her wand with a simple Lumos spell, the Choi walked across the halls of Hogwarts, truly noticing how quiet it was after Curfew was intact. But when she heard rustling, the sounds of footsteps and even scolds from what seemed to be an adult, the Choi paused in her spot, waving her wand and using a non-verbal spell to dim the light and help conceal her identity.

Waiting for a few moments, Ji-Yu’s feet padded against the floor once more, as she believed the coast to be clear but the sound of someone calling out the simple greeting stopped her in her place. She was sure the person was staring right at her but considering the darkness couldn’t confirm anything, Ji-Yu decided to reveal herself. ”Lumos.” She casted with her wand, lighting up her dark shadow. Across from her stood a man, taller than herself who the Choi knew she had never met before, but the Charms Professor calmed her nerves as she sent a smile his way. ”Isn’t it rather early to be up?”

blaise leo zabini

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[blaise leo zabini]

@jiyu

11.XX.2024

Blaise blinked off the glare from the lumos spell suddenly in front of him. A student wouldn’t have cast that unless they were an idiot or a Prefect, and the smaller figure hidden behind the bubble of blue looked like it very well could be. That was, until the woman stepped closer to him and he realized who it actually was: the Charms professor, Ji-Yu Choi. Blaise had never spoken to her before, but he still knew who she was. He knew who all of the professors and employees at Hogwarts were. That had been part of the stipulation to taking the job. By having background knowledge on the research, major life events, schooling, and pretty much anything of importance on his new colleagues, he was a step ahead of them if they decided to suddenly show their true colors. On paper they were all squeaky clean though, and that scared him a little bit. The sudden influx of new teachers from all over the world who either had experience in education or were just starting out (himself and Miss Choi were included in the latter category) was very intriguing and Blaise wanted to know why that was happening now, of all times.

But he could figure that out later on, when it wasn’t three in the morning in the middle of a corridor with another professor waving a lumos spell around in his face. “And it’s rather late for students to be wandering around in the hallways, don’t you agree Professor Choi?” He looked over his shoulder in the direction that the students he had just released had been heading, saying it loudly enough that if they were still within earshot they would hear there was another professor floating around as well. “Kids will be kids though,” Blaise let out an exhausted sigh. The age old saying ‘he was getting too old for this’ was dancing at the tip of his tongue but he decided to keep it where it was and swallow it instead. That would be admitting he was getting old, and his time at the Ministry before teaching had proved that he wasn’t slowing down in the slightest.

“I don’t believe we were ever properly introduced at the start of the year, with the influx in students and all that,” he began, holding his hand out to her, “Blaise Zabini. Defense Against the Dark Arts and Head of Slytherin. Apparently hiring a former Hit Wizard and Obliviator was Hogwarts’ idea of a stronger security system.” Throwing around his old careers was only to show that he was serious about his position, compared to the more educational based professors at the school. He had practical experience, sadly, which was more than some of his colleagues would ever see in their lifetimes. “So what demons have you wandering around so early in the morning?”

[Deleted]

tiredness .

Feeling rather bad for the sudden light in the man’s face, Ji-Yu moved her wand to the side, muttering a soft sorry as she did so. Her own face remained clear to see as well as the other man’s also. When her eyes settled carefully on the person before her, the Choi’s brows furrowed, unsure of who he was. She hadn’t exactly met every adult and professor that roamed the school as a whole, but she had saw names across papers as well as locations that each person was usually found at. Though as she looked up at the man, he seemed to know who she was - which only confirmed her assumptions when he used her last name.

”Agreed…” She trailed off, looking away as if she were a guilty student herself. She did remember sometimes back in her schooling days where she would be in trouble for being out of bed and out of her dorms, so instead of resorting to anymore trouble, Ji-Yu usually found herself bringing more and more books back to her dorm, reading them in the common room of whenever she couldn’t sleep. ”Once a rebel, always a rebel.” She stated with a small smile. ”They’ll learn eventually.” But when the man finally introduced himself as Blaise, the Choi felt her eyes widened. She most definitely knew who he was. She had just never exactly…Met him. Taking his hand, Ji-Yu shook it lightly to return the exchange. ”Nice to meet you Professor.” She smiled. ”Maybe the other Professors and those important to the school felt more safer with you around.” She joked.

When Blaise questioned on the reason for Ji-Yu being out of her chambers, a sigh left her lips, while a small hand pushed aside her bangs. ”A curious mind has kept me awake.” She began with a soft laugh. ”I was in fact on my way to the library. Perhaps pick up a few novels and return to my chambers…To simply read away until I sleep.” That and also how to conjure up the perfect owl for her brother in the morning. With her parent’s nitpicking on his behaviour being viewed as her own fault and the two of them being miles and miles apart - owls or even howlers were the best option for the brunette to express her anger. But it was a thought that would be better suited for the refreshed morning Ji-Yu. ”And yourself Professor? I’m guessing a few problems with some students?”

blaise leo zabini

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[blaise leo zabini]

@jiyu

11.XX.2024

Blaise couldn’t prevent himself from chuckling at the young professor’s outlook on the situation. She was probably half of his age, putting her barely older than the students themselves. Then again, she wasn’t a Hogwarts alumni, as he recalled, and the other magical schools had different ways of doing things. Other adults from abroad that he had met (aside from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang) usually proved that they grew up faster post-graduation. Hogwarts and the Ministry had a special way of babying their children well into their mid-twenties. They granted them special internships and ‘big’ positions in the lesser known departments. It made them feel important. Blaise was admittedly a product of the same system, completely omitting the sometimes required Auror training and going straight into the Hit Department. His superiors there certainly didn’t baby him, but they made it well known that there had been some sort of special exception for him. He had only seen it replicated a few times since, most recently being the Lestrange girl. “That they will,” he finally responded as the chuckled died down. The children needed to stay children while they were still in school. Replicating what his generation had been put through wasn’t a way for them to grow up. Lately though, it was starting to look like it could end up going the same way…

“Likewise,” Blaise stated as he shook her hand, which was tiny inside his. Something about the daintiness of the Charms professors and how that assisted them in their powers. They always had been better control than he ever would. “Maybe they do. They haven’t made it known yet though.” He still felt like he was an implant by the Minister. From what he could tell, Hogwarts trusted her motives, and placing an old, washed-up hit-wizard in a notoriously cursed position seemed like a great way to bring the trouble right to the front doors of the castle.

Professor Choi explained that she had been on her way to the library, to grab a couple of books to take back to her quarters. That was certainly an interesting task to perform at three in the morning, but to each their own. “Might I recommend the history section then? The goblin rebellions used to have a penchant for putting me out instantly.” It was the least he could do, and old Professor Binns wasn’t exactly around anymore to bore the students to death. Last he had heard, the ghost had been sighted floating back and forth down one of the less traveled corridors. Blaise didn’t have the time to deal with that anymore. “A few problems, yes. It’s my night to be on duty. Unfortunately it looks like the Prefects I’m stuck with have decided to actually do their jobs.” For instance, the Prefect could have dealt with the previous issue on their own. They didn’t actually need Blaise for anything. “If you don’t mind, I think I’ll join you on your way to the library. My next patrol route is over in that direction.”

[Deleted]

tiredness .

The sound of his laugh brought a smile to her own lips, hers parting also to laugh along with him. The thought of the rebellious students only reminded her that her age wasn’t far off from their own, and how her brother would do something similar back in their days. Though, with Mahoutokoro’s rules, the habit was broken early. At least on Ji-Yu’s side. Her brother…Not so much. ”So many kids grow up too early. They’ll grow out of their habits eventually, just like kids do.” She added on. She felt bad for those kids who had to take on a role of responsibility too early. Ji-Yu could relate in that aspect, paving a way for her younger brother to follow. In the end, he just did what he wanted.

Moving her hand back to her side, she smiled up at him as he spoke. ”Perhaps they’re a little afraid to state their appreciation.” Ji-Yu knew she was. Even though the two stood in the dark, the light coming from her Lumos charmed wand being the only way Ji-Yu knew where the head of Slytherin was. Even if she couldn’t see him, knowing he was around her now intimidated her either way. But she didn’t bring up his intimidation, based on the fact that she barely knew him. It was simply first impressions and her own silly thoughts.

The library was one place Ji-Yu felt she could hide within for days on end. And if she wasn’t a Professor with duties to fulfil in order to repeat her knowledge onto the students, she wished she could. She laughed at his suggestion, nothing that certain novels on histories and goblins would surely knock her out, but it strangely enough peaked at her interest. ”It sounds more interesting than boring.” She admitted with a smile. ”Your night on duty? Don’t you have classes to teach in the morning?” She couldn’t imagine how tired he must feel on most days. At his offer, the Choi nodded and clasped her hands together, beginning to walk by his side as the two walked in the opposite direction from where they both came. ”It’s nice to have some company along the way.” She told him. ”Do patrols last all night for you all?” She questioned, interested in the grand scheme of it all.

blaise leo zabini

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[blaise leo zabini]

@jiyu

11.XX.2024

He found it sort of ironic how Professor Choi was talking about the students, because she was certainly closer in age to them than he was. She wasn’t a child though, that would be a mistake to call her that. Becoming a Professor at Hogwarts, especially being called in from abroad, meant that she had talent that possibly exceeded his own. The only reason he was placed in his position was because of his years dealing with the shit that had been thrown at him. That and a little thing called living through the second wizarding war. His effectiveness during that had been null, but it was still a time of trial and tribulation and he knew how to handle Hogwarts during those. McGonagall and Hermione certainly knew that as well. “Sometimes I wish they would stay this way a little longer,” he said slowly. “There’s no reason to grow up fast, and we sort of force them into it.” Blaise clicked his tongue at the thought of doing that to his own children, and how watching them grow had gone by too fast. Liona was almost a year into her job at the Ministry and he was sure his son would follow in her footsteps too.

Blaise shrugged at the other professor’s suggestion about his former careers. “I don’t need it, really. There are a lot of people out there that have done better things than I have. Erasing memories and capturing the worst criminals imaginable don’t really fall into those categories. Especially when the general public doesn’t even know about the majority of them.” Secrecy was the name of the game, and if people knew the half of what he had to do in both jobs, they would have looked at him like he was a monster. Because he was, really. Torture came too easily to him, and there were times where he got a kick out of bringing down dark wizards and witches. They disrupted the balance, and he brought it right back to where it belonged, sometimes in the same manner that they had.

“Being Head of House for Slytherin apparently trumps sleep and classes,” Blaise said sarcastically. “I don’t mind really. I’ve had longer nights before, and walking the halls in the dark helps one to think.” He always had a potion prepared for a pick-me-up on these nights, because Merlin knew what would happen if he started nodding off in the middle of class. Luckily today’s schedule wasn’t too bad, and he could make the younger students do bookwork the entire time if he felt like it. “Not always. All depends on the Prefects I have with me. The trustworthy ones I’ll let handle things on their own and usually I stay in my classroom so they can get me if necessary.” Blaise yawned as he thought about the comfort of going back to his chair in his classroom. “Has Hogwarts treated you well so far, Professor Choi?”

[Deleted]

tiredness .

THE STUDENTS WERE only a few years younger than the Choi herself but it didn’t mean she didn’t suffer a life the same way she did. As intelligent as she was, having the brightest coloured robes in Mahouotkoro meant something, it meant being a role model to everyone else. And a tutor to people as dumb as her brother. Truthfully he wasn’t dumb, he just didn’t try hard enough. Ji-Yu agreed with him in that aspect though, kids should be kids. But with the troubles that faced Hogwarts and affected the students was enough to change them. Make them grow faster and truthfully…For the better. ”I believe the forcing of it all comes from recent events. It opens up the eyes of the student…Makes them realise that life isn’t as nice as magic or school makes it seem…” Mahouotokoro was different. Danger somehow didn’t exist there, at least in the Choi’s younger age.

Eyes widened at the Professor’s next statement, including his times capturing criminals and erasing memories. It must have provided some kind of thrill at least and if Ji-Yu had no desire to teach what she knew, she was sure she would’ve taken up a life of adrenaline and capturing those who didn’t deserve a freedom. ”That sounds frightening and rather…Thrilling. You don’t potentially have a biography lying around in the library do you?” She barely knew the older man but was already intrigued in the life he had been living. As curious as Ji-Yu always seemed to be, learning things had always been a joy of her own.

Before coming to Hogwarts, studying it had become her top priority. There were…Rumours in a way. Rumours that always claimed Slytherin to be the difficult house out of the four of them. Especially with its history in troublesome students who paved the way for evil. Needless to say the latest victim to fall under the influence of darkness was Elaine Dupree. A Slytherin who had caused chaos. A lot of it. But amongst all of its conflict, students within Slytherin seemed to enjoy their house. At least from the small groups she taught alongside the other houses. ”They’re a wild bunch. I don’t think they enjoy sleeping.” She joked, smiling at his sarcasm. ”Ah! So the duties don’t treat you too badly then. At least I’d like to assume they don’t.” At his question, Ji-Yu’s mind briefly wondered. Hogwarts was great, the students weren’t overbearing but…She enjoyed it nevertheless.

”I’ve been enjoying my time here.” She responded with a gentle nod. Being here, meant it also gave her a chance to see English in another light. American-English wasn’t exactly…her favourite. Though the differences were interesting. ”I learn many new phrases from the students. I never imagined how difficult English truly is.” Thank God Charms were more so focused on hand-movements with the younger students and non-verbal with the older students.

blaise leo zabini

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[blaise leo zabini]

@jiyu

11.XX.2024

Professor Choi hit the reason for kids having to grow up quickly right on the head. Everything was happening in a similar to manner when he had been in school, maybe even more dangerous because the bad guys were a virtual unknown. At least Voldemort was a known threat – the ones acting out now were a bunch of disgruntled children. Which, he liked to add, meant that they didn’t really know what they were doing. Once the Ministry sniffed them out, they would fall one by one until none of them were left. Where they excelled in sabotage and destruction, they lacked in combat experience. The Slater girl taking down the one child a year earlier was a clear indication of that. Much greater threats had existed before them, and the second they were pinpointed it would be over with. “I agree. I don’t believe they should be shielded from it completely because that’s just as irresponsible as not doing anything for their sake.” There was a fine line somewhere in there, and Blaise liked to think he balanced on it perfectly, only wobbling one way or the other when it was absolutely necessary. “But children are children. Expecting them to take action in the way I did when I was their age?” he shook his head at the memory of being a stubborn eighteen year old trying to right the wrongs of his fellow Slytherins. “I’d rather not have them do that, and instead enjoy their school life and the remainder of their childhood.”

He chuckled at her comment about having a biography. That would certainly be something to add to his long list of achievements (most of which were strictly confidential and under lock and key by the hit-wizards). “No, I don’t unfortunately. I don’t think it would be the most thrilling story to read either. Too many redactions would have to be made. The Ministry wants me to keep all of my secrets as secrets.” Blaise also didn’t think his life was worth writing a book about. He was too analytical in his reasons and actions while at work, and that wouldn’t transfer well onto paper. Now, if the Ministry asked him to write a training manual for trainee hit wizards and witches or aurors, he would give that a shot. His wealth of knowledge would be perfect for them.

The students being considered wild was something he could get behind. Teaching was sort of like being a parent for a couple hundred children, all while trying to teach them his subject and making sure they didn’t kill each other with that knowledge. “I couldn’t make this my career for the rest of my life, but it’s a nice break from the political nonsense and the Ministry. If the class gets unruly, all I have to do is tell them an old story from there and they listen instantly,” Blaise shrugged. Experience was worth it in the end, and the students were more inclined to listen to someone they thought was ‘badass’ instead of a ‘hard ass’. In the same vein, he could see how they would try to push over a young teacher like his colleague. “Be careful repeating some of the things they say. Getting you to say some of the more colorful language in front of other professors might not work out for you.”

[Deleted]

tiredness.

WHILE JI-YU CONTINUED TO AGREE, she couldn’t help but frown at the childhood the students were forced to leave behind. Before the Choi had taken on the role as the Charms Professor, she watched as news would pile for Hogwarts students, dealing with the burdens of prior threats and what students had left behind. Life back home in Korea and even Japan had proven how lucky Ji-Yu had been during her own time with schooling, considering the safety rule Mahoutokoro had, it left her feeling completely and utterly safe. The Head of Slytherin had a point though, if the walls continued to close in, keeping the outside secrets from the students, their curiosity would only start to grow. ”It would be best to throw in some defending actions into class every now and then.” She voiced in, ”Though I doubt all the Professors would agree, a bad decision over a positive one.”

Ji-Yu shook her head in disagreement, knowing that the Head of Slytherin lived an adventurous life, regardlesss if he wanted to admit it or not. ”I think it’d be interesting!” She countered with a smile. ”Even if everything would pretty much be censored.” It made sense though, considering the career paths the man had gone through. ”Maybe a piece of your knowledge would be inspiring for some students. If that’s the next path you’d consider anyway.” Writing a book would be a big accomplishment in the Choi’s eyes, revealing her teachings for Charms and how she came to be the best Hogwarts Professor…Her dreams were getting the best of her.

Unlike him, Ji-Yu saw teaching as her final career, to teach others what she knew and had developed from the teachings of somebody else. The Ministry seemed to be filled with too many complications, rules to follow and things to stay quiet about, the Choi knew she wouldn’t be able to do it. The pressure of it all seemed to be too much. But then again, the same could be said about teaching. With another quiet laugh, Ji-Yu nodded at his advice. It was the students like Gilderoy and Lily that the Choi grew weary of, ensuring that whatever words they taught her, was proven to be rather appropriate. ”I tend to do my research after I learn something new. I’ve been rather safe for now.”

Rounding another corner, the two Professors ended up in the hallway not too far from the entrance of the Library. ”I don’t suppose you could suggest any novel to keep me up? I doubt I’ll be sleeping anytime soon.”

blaise leo zabini

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[blaise leo zabini]

@jiyu

11.XX.2024

Blaise couldn’t refute the point about teaching the students defensive charms. If anyone was to do it, it would have to be him. Normally he would have settled for passing that off to the dueling professor, but that position was currently open and not every student took it. The problem he had noticed since his time at Hogwarts was that not everyone was a fighter, but everyone needed to at least know how to defend themselves. All witches and wizards were on a level playing field as long as they had a wand. In his experience, the most expert of duelists could be put down by someone trained in high level defense and neutralization charms. While there were plenty of different ways to kill another person, there were only a handful of solid shield spells and they were used for a reason. In his opinion, Defense 101 should be a staple of a Hogwarts education. Without it, students were fish out of water. Apparently everyone had forgotten what that looked like.

“You’re not wrong,” he responded, scratching at his face as he let out a long sigh. “We wouldn’t be where we are right now if everyone was well taught. But we can only do so much as professors, and children won’t understand our reasons without seeing why for themselves.” Hogwarts acted as a great blinder to the world’s problems, even when those problems originated from within its walls. It was no wonder the Ministry failed to act appropriately. They were all taught the same passive, lackadaisical lessons for seven years straight and never how to act on the problems at hand. The irony of it all was that he returned to where it all started for him, and even with all the work he had done professionally, very little had changed in the society as a whole from his actions. How no one else saw a problem with that absolutely baffled Blaise.

He let out a short chuckle at Professor Choi’s enthusiasm for the book that had yet to be (and probably never would be) written. “I know I’d sell at least one copy. Maybe two if I gave it to my wife for a holiday.” The premise of an almost entirely redacted book about his life and career was interesting. Once he got through the boring and extravagant childhood, every page would be black lines, bar the normal life events he experienced, like his marriage or his children being born. “Have you ever killed someone, Professor Choi?” Blaise asked as they turned the corner into the library hallway. Even all these years later, he could still walk the halls in complete darkness and know where all of the important landmarks were. Compared to his classmates, he spent a lot less time wandering around at night too. The hallway in question had the sort of length to it that felt like it went on and on as you walked down it. Asking a heavy question like that as they entered was definitely going to elongate their time there. But there was a reason for asking it, and it most certainly pertained to why he could or could not write about his career.

As for books, that was an easy one. If she wanted ammunition against her students, there was only one author for that. “Gilderoy Lockhart Sr.’s books have a knack for keeping me up. Not because they’re interesting or real content, but because they are comedy gold. It’s scary how similar Junior is to his father…” Forgetting the year he had senior as a professor was impossible, and now he was basically following in the man’s footsteps with teaching the same class. It was scary.

[Deleted]

tiredness.

LEARNING HOW TO FIGHT AND how to defend yourself truly had two different meanings. To Ji-Yu she had learned the importance of both due to the worries of her father, even if the places they lived in (once in Seoul, before the move to Japan) were safe. Magically, Ji-Yu still lacked some skill, which is why she feared adding in some defensive charms in her class every now and then (as well as to avoid the political arguments from the higher ups) but if the combat was performed the same way Muggles would start violence, Ji-Yu knew how to fight and defend like a pro. Professor Blaise on the other hand seemed to be the best candidate to fill the slot. Though Ji-Yu kept quiet instead of voicing up the idea. The Choi nodded in agreement though, especially at the last part. The Charms Professor only hoped that with every lesson that seemed to repeat the last, it was for the benefit of the sixth and seventh year students (every other younger student was still developing), to give them a sense of security to fall upon if they were ever struck with danger. It was cruel to be slightly happy that the children’s eyes were widened to the dangers of the wizarding world, but it now meant they had to pay more attention, focus in on things that could actually help and benefit them.

”Hopefully alongside your wife, I’d be able to obtain a copy. I genuinely believe you’d be able to code parts of your ‘top-secret’ life inside. One way or another.” She said, grinning in suggestion. Without a doubt, Ji-Yu knew the fellow Professor would probably never write the novel, but maybe one day, he would consider it! Ji-Yu would still be a fan. Turning the corner, the Choi hadn’t expected such an abrupt question to fill the air. Her pace slowed in thought, back-tracking and even translating his question to herself. In both Korean and Japanese. She wasn’t going insane was she? ”…No. I don’t believe I have.” Nor did she believe she could ever do so. Everyone says they’re capable given a situation, whether or not it involved loved ones or not, but Ji-Yu knew she would fear the worst in that sort of moment. The hallway they walked down was a long one, and even as she swallowed a dry lump in her throat, she still felt uneven.

But the topic of books seemed to pull a smile onto the Charms Professors lips — heck, even a laugh left from her. ”Anything Gilderoy or Lockhart related I believe I’ll stay far…Far away from.” It was still surprising to know that the man who created many famous novels had a son. A son who seemed to resemble him well (at least what she heard from the floating murmurs of other Professors — Ji-Yu didn’t know her students too well yet) ”Especially since I learned it the hard way.” Reading Gilderoy Sr’s novels while still learning English had been a trippy experience for the Choi woman, filled with idioms, descriptive words and phrases she had no idea of their meaning. And now teaching his son? The novel experience continued.

blaise leo zabini

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[blaise leo zabini]

@jiyu

11.XX.2024

Omitting a response to whether or not he could change certain parts about his career and life, should he ever write a biography, was key because he had to give more information on the question he had posed first. “The reason I ask whether or not you’ve ever killed someone is because it can drastically change how a person perceives the world and how they interact with it. I don’t mean to sound so jaded about it, but it does. I’d say it’s similar to having a child. Both are life changing…and they have a lasting impression on you as a human being. Both make you want to do everything you can to protect, because the alternative is to do whatever it takes in an act of desperation. Some people kill to protect, others do it because they have no other choice.” Blaise paused to let her think over everything for a moment, before continuing on his long winded spiel, “So that is why I cannot write a book. There are too many parts of my life that have been marred by my work. Lessons I’ve learned or actions I’ve taken that otherwise would not make sense to a reader because the experience that lead to them is struck out in black lines and is under lock and key by the Ministry. I really wish I could tell, but I can’t. And nobody wants to read about my mother’s seven husbands or how I met my wife, no matter how famous either of them really are.”

Thankfully discussing the Lockhart family was more of a lighthearted subject, because Blaise desperately didn’t want to continue the discussion about how many people he had really killed for the Ministry. There weren’t a whole lot, but breaking a person’s mind was equivalent to killing them in his opinion. And he had done plenty of that over the years. “We’re the same then. Learned about the Lockhart men the hard way, I mean. He taught my class during my second year and was a dreadfully terrible professor. Despite his little mishap at the end of the year, it’s uncanny that his son has been able to look and act like his clone. Rumor has it that Senior starts and ends every day barely remembering who he actually is. Quite sad, really.”

[Deleted]

tiredness.

DEATH HAD BEEN THE LAST thing on Ji-Yu’s mind ever since coming to the United Kingdom. Sure, she saw violence and ways No-Majs and even Wizards and Witches worked but…never death. The articles she had read had shook her of course, even prior to when the Choi took up the role of being the Charms Professor, but Blaise had a strong point. At least she thought he did. It was safe to say she hadn’t murdered anyone and while her slate was clean…He was right. It was life changing. For some, they killed once and enjoyed doing so, so they would do it over and over again. Others? Kill once and feel guilt for life. And Ji-Yu felt she would fall into the section of the latter, unsure of what to do with her life if she had ever murdered another living soul. ”I…See.” Was all she could say, struggling to find words as her mind racked for answers. ”I don’t know how life would be with a child of my own just yet..But I know if I had the ability to kill another I would preserve it for protection. Or something along those lines.”

But now she understood, why he had so many stories (according to students), but why he couldn’t express them, form a novel or biography of his own. The Ministry had impacted too much of it, and revealing secrets would’ve turned out chaotic. Truthfully, he was doing it for his own good, to avoid all that censorship. It should’ve bothered her, the way he was speaking, briefly describing a life he used to live but she was more than interested now. Intrigued by the sort of mind Blaise had. Not that she would reveal that interest. ”Seven husbands?!” She asked in surprise, being the only thing she caught onto out of surprise. ”I bet you met your wife in a nice area at least.” Or at least she hoped they did.

”You had Gilderoy Senior as a Professor?” She asked, with widened eyes. Merlin, she couldn’t imagine how that could’ve gone. Gilderoy Junior was enough to handle, especially in Ji-Yu’s charm classes when he decided to rebel out, sometimes on his lonesome, others with the aid of Lily Potter or a few other students…But that influence had to come from somewhere. ”I can imagine, casting such a strong spell onto yourself must have some downfalls to it.”

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It seemed like Professor Choi understood what he was getting at. Her generation didn’t really have to worry about that sort of thing anymore, despite the clear parallels that they were currently entering with the so called Purifiers. Blaise liked to think Voldemort and his followers had more balls to their actions and were a real threat to the wizarding world. The children that comprised the Purifiers were only flexing their muscles. All the Ministry had to do was put a real task force together and they would take them all out in a matter of months. Finding them was half the battle, and actually bringing them in wouldn’t be all that difficult, in his opinion. He would even return to the force if it meant ending the whole ordeal once and for all.

“Yes, seven husbands. My birth father is more than likely dead, though we’re not too sure still,” Blaise explained. “And then there were the six step-fathers after him. My mother is most definitely a black widow, but as far as I can tell there was never any foul play involved.” Somehow. He had looked into it himself once he had been recruited to the hit squad right out of Hogwarts. There was a file on his mother, as there should be, but there was never anything out of the ordinary to indicate that she had killed all of her husbands. A few were already dying from illness unbeknownst to them, one was in a muggle plane crash, and a couple from heart attacks or age. It started to put him to sleep the longer he read it. “As for my wife, she was one of my classmates here. Never got along in school, but reconnecting all those years later did the trick,” Blaise shrugged.

Nodding his head to indicate that she had heard him correctly about being taught by Lockhart Sr, Blaise filled her in on the rest, “It was hot on the heels of one of his bestsellers. We all know now that his stories are bogus, but he was extremely talented with those memory charms. I have to acknowledge at least that, after spending so many years doing it myself. But if you’re ever wondering why the boy acts the way he does, that’s the reason behind it.” It wasn’t so much of an excuse, since the kid knew better, but it did make Blaise hold back on calling him out in class most of the time. Plus Potter was always there causing disruptions too, and she was easier prey and easier to make an example of.

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